Help with ski type/selection please.

[Bigtinnie]

I'm a self confessed gaper destination skier from Australia who freely admits to know nothing about skis and associated hardware.

I love skiing and can get around a majority of parts of most mountains but don't attempt really steep/extreme stuff. As a reference point black trails at Snowbird/Whistler etc is where I limit myself. I haven't had lessons and are probably not pretty to watch.
I always rent skis because transporting them (with kids) half way around the globe doesn't appeal. This may change in the future I guess.

My question is regarding the most suitable ski for particular conditions. Also does the quality of the ski reflect how it will 'feel' on me as an ordinary skier - will a better ski be lost on me?
I've just had a couple of days skiing in Oz in shitty freeze/thaw conditions and the skis the rental place gave me were fine in the morning but I felt the skiing at the end of the day - through piles of slush - difficult. I knew I wouldn't be skiing off the groomers because the 'coral reef' off piste was bad. See the skis below.

I've had wider 'powder' skis in the past and found them to be great but it isn't every time I get powder conditions unfortunately.
What is the best allround ski for packed powder winter conditions? And the best for spring conditions? Will I notice the difference if I go to a demo type ski - not the average cheap rental model?
Thanks.
Simon

 

[Philpug]

Ahh, the question many are afraid to ask. Well, there is no one answer but there are generalization of what works better in these conditions or that terrain and there are people who beleive that it is the indian and not the arrow and any good skier can ski any ski in any condtion. Lets stick to the former part of this since you didn't ask the question in the Ski School forum. I have said many times to people who are coming from your limited (and I don't mean that as derogatory) that youa re not qualified to demo...I woudl say that to you if you are looking to buy a specific ski, but in your case, you are looking for what ski, not which ski. I will refer to "What's the Best Ski". this will give you a bit of insight to what questions not so much you need to ask a salesperson but what questions they need to ask you and you also need to ask yourself.

 

[Bigtinnie]

I totally get I should have lessons but I only ski about 12 to 14 days a year and I figure I don't ski enough to truly become a good skier. If I lived closer to a ski hill........

 

[socalgal]

Just my two cents, but even if you only take one lesson it will be beneficial. 2015/2016 season I skied only 5 days, but I signed up for a beginner 3 day lesson combo and gained some valuable experience. This past season, 2016/2017 I took 4 all day lessons and really progressed. But I also did get a lot more time on the mountain.

As to your original question regarding skis, I have no idea.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

I have not had the pleasure of skiing in your neck of the woods, but the conditions you are describing sounds like what I ski fairly often in Southern California (i.e.: changing conditions throughout the day). My preference is a mid fat ski (88-98 waist) that also excels on the groom and can bust through crud. Now, there are a bunch in that category and preferences vary greatly between people. For example in that category within the same family: my husband prefers Volkl Kendos and my son prefers Blizzard (currently the Bushwackers but now desiring the Brahma). The Volkls are stiffer and damper while the Blizzards are softer and more playful. They feel completely different but both excel in changing conditions. As for "level" of skier - an intermediate/advanced ski will be good for your progression as a skier and yes, you will ski better than on a standard rental.

 

[BMC]

One thing I would say is a more moderate tail shape may alleviate some of your "late day" blues. The tail of those skis is fairly aggressively squared off, which is great for carving but makes it harder to skid your turn finish a touch ("slarve") which you may want to do as you get more tired.

Just as a very general proposition i would be suggesting skis beteeen 80-90mm underfoot, an under 20m turn radius, and a more rounded tail. Metal/no metal/a little bit of metal is too difficult to discern without more personals, and in any event some light skiers who ski at moderate pace like double metal layer skis (exhibit A, my wife).

 

[Jilly]

That is the Rossi Pursuit 14. Front side intermediate carver. 125-72-105. There is a little tip rocker.

So..,I too feel it's not just the skis. Sking crappie snow is challenging. It's not the same as the groomers. So a lesson is a good start. And next time ask the rental shop for an all mountain ski. The Rossi Experience 78 or 84 might be one to try.

 

[Bigtinnie]

Thanks everyone.

 

[oldschoolskier]

Since you are looking for new skis and progressing, consider the boots as well.

Think of things this way for both boots and skis (in a very simplistic way as there are other factors)

Beginner equipment is soft to be forgiving of errors.

Intermediate gets a little stiffer.

Advanced get firm.

Expert gets stiff.

So depending on what level of intermediate, intermediate/advanced ski scale you buy, your boots may hinder your progress by not properly transmitting your actions to the ski.

Boots a little on the stiffer side is ok (once you are past being a beginner) if they are too stiff they can always be softened, however never made stiffer. As to stiffness number 100-120 (maybe a shade lower) varies depending on make (or unless you are at the extreme wt scale).

 

[Marty McSly]

Hey Simon, there's a school of thought on the Australian forum that skis around the 90mm waist mark are the best compromise all-round skis for Australian conditions. Some of the skis that people have lately settled on for their OSQ are Blizzard Brahma, Salomon QST92 and similar. In this width range though, there is significant diversity in focus among the skis. Some are more groomer focused and carve surprisingly well for the width. Some are more softer-snow and off-piste focused and tend not to be quite as grippy on the groomers.

I enjoyed a pair of Head Monster 88's last year at Perisher. They handled pretty much everything from inclined skating rink to boot-deep slush. But they do require a fairly assertive approach to a slope. Perhaps moreso in a skier with fewer spare tyres than I carry. I bend the scales at about 120kg, so I can bend a burly ski fairly easily.

I concur with others above who point out the importance of both boots and lessons. I saw a bloke who'd skied for 10 years or so without a lesson, take just one lesson one day and find it a revelation in terms of improved technique and greatly reduced effort.

FWIW, the ski of choice for some of the Perisher "VM crew" at present is the Kastle FX95. Not sure if the HP version or not. But these are committed people, knocking out upwards of 1.1 million vertical metres (3.6 million vertical feet) over a season of approximately 110-120 days, and on a good day turning in over 12,000 vertical metres (40,000 feet) and sometimes over 15,000 (50,000 feet).

One caveat with using a wider ski as an all-rounder is hard-working knees. I've noticed a difference since I moved away from rental skis to my own planks which have been typically 87mm wide underfoot. Some days it's hard to climb stairs to get to bed back at the lodge, and no easier to get back down in the morning. If your knees are in good shape and not over half a century old, you may not find this to the same extent. Some of the older Perisher skiers have elected to start the day with mid-70's width skis when the playing surface is hard, and switch to wider planks as the sun softens the pitch.

I can't recommend any specific ski, but as a general thought, I'd suggest you try out all-mountain skis roughly between 82 and 92mm underfoot, and see if you can find something that works well for you.

Edit: I'm not sure how best to put our conditions into a North American context. The term "East Coast Hardpack" seems applicable, but even Southern Vermont is at a significantly higher latitude than our Australian Alps. Perisher and Thredbo are at 36.4 and 36.5 degrees south, respectively. This is approximately equidistant from the Equator as Fresno, Taos (town) or Clarkesville TN (if you wanted to catch the last train).

Perhaps "Sierra Cement" is a reasonably close analogue?

 

[Cheizz]

Try the Fischer Pro Mtn 80 TI if you can get a hold of them. Great ski for intermediates up to advanced skiers, both on hardpack and in soft snow. Great allround ski. Here in the EU they're not too expensive, too.