My son needs new "free skis" for next year. He is about 160cm tall (5'2ish) and 105lbs. He is a second year U14 and races on Rossi tweener skis (150SL, 170GS and 186 SG last year). He'll probably go longer on GS next year but I won't know until after summer camps.
He has used Volkl Gotama Jr's as his free skis for years, he has skied 118's, 128's and two pair of 148's (which were too short last year) he preferred the old 80mm Gotama to the newer 88mm model. He says he wants his next ones to carve better than the Gotama and have some camber. He has a hand-me-down pair of powder skis for deep days (119 under foot) so width around 78-92 is probably right? Most free skis days are at Snowbird and they spend a lot of time jumping off stuff and in narrow chutes and trees so he wants something both maneuverable and not too long but also able to haul butt on the open bowls and groomers. As a group, they move pretty fast.
I'm thinking at his size, women's skis might make the most sense?
After some research I'm looking at:
Rossignol Smash 7 161cm (too soft/not enough ski?)
Blizzard Black Pearl 159cm
Blizzard Latigo/Cheyenne 156-163cm
Nordica NRGy 80 161cm
Volkl Kenja or Kendo in 163cm
K2 Alluvit 163cm
open to suggestions though.
He has used Volkl Gotama Jr's as his free skis for years, he has skied 118's, 128's and two pair of 148's (which were too short last year) he preferred the old 80mm Gotama to the newer 88mm model. He says he wants his next ones to carve better than the Gotama and have some camber. He has a hand-me-down pair of powder skis for deep days (119 under foot) so width around 78-92 is probably right? Most free skis days are at Snowbird and they spend a lot of time jumping off stuff and in narrow chutes and trees so he wants something both maneuverable and not too long but also able to haul butt on the open bowls and groomers. As a group, they move pretty fast.
I'm thinking at his size, women's skis might make the most sense?
After some research I'm looking at:
Rossignol Smash 7 161cm (too soft/not enough ski?)
Blizzard Black Pearl 159cm
Blizzard Latigo/Cheyenne 156-163cm
Nordica NRGy 80 161cm
Volkl Kenja or Kendo in 163cm
K2 Alluvit 163cm
open to suggestions though.