Are people skiing skis that are too wide?

[MissySki]

Good post.

You know what? When I was taking a lot of lessons, frequently, I was kind of miserable. Not because I didn't want to learn, but because I wanted to play, feel free to make mistakes, even be stupid (in a safe not-harming-anyone-else) sort of way. Once I felt someone was evaluating me, I clammed up, felt self-conscious.

I can relate to this completely. I did the adult seasonal program at Sunday River for a few years a long time ago. It got to the point where I started feeling like skiing was a second job that just brought me down and I dreaded at times. I felt bad about my skiing a lot, and I longed to just free ski with friends. So I stopped doing lessons for years, and just had fun and worked on things myself but not constantly. Fast forward to 2021, I was really wanting some additional help working on bumps and tree skiing. I just felt like I had gotten stuck and couldn’t progress anymore on my own. So I started doing the seasonal program again, and I am still doing it this season. I am not burnt out this time, there is a big social aspect for me now, and I am at a better place with my skiing where I can take advantage of joining any group I want to on a given weekend and know I’ll be fine and able to keep up. I’ve accepted that my skiing is where it is, and significant progress will always likely be slow and small incremental steps at this point. That’s okay.. I’ve got plenty of time to play and work on things. But I will always be cognizant of whether it starts to feel like a chore.. that’s not okay with me. We do this for fun, and while I love to work at my skiing I also like to relax and clear my head on the mountain while just enjoying the great outdoors, good company, and beautiful scenery.

I love that you are in New Mexico now, how fabulous! I am so excited to go back to Taos in the future, it’s such a fun and special place. I think you’d definitely enjoy a ski week, it is really nice to have the instructional aspects along with free skiing time as you said. That’s sort of what I have at home too.. our seasonal program is a few hours in the morning (which happily lines up with the busiest time for having the perk of skipping lines) and then free skiing time in the afternoon. It’s a great balance.

 

[BMC]

I can relate to this completely. I did the adult seasonal program at Sunday River for a few years a long time ago. It got to the point where I started feeling like skiing was a second job that just brought me down and I dreaded at times. I felt bad about my skiing a lot, and I longed to just free ski with friends. So I stopped doing lessons for years, and just had fun and worked on things myself but not constantly. Fast forward to 2021, I was really wanting some additional help working on bumps and tree skiing. I just felt like I had gotten stuck and couldn’t progress anymore on my own. So I started doing the seasonal program again, and I am still doing it this season. I am not burnt out this time, there is a big social aspect for me now, and I am at a better place with my skiing where I can take advantage of joining any group I want to on a given weekend and know I’ll be fine and able to keep up. I’ve accepted that my skiing is where it is, and significant progress will always likely be slow and small incremental steps at this point. That’s okay.. I’ve got plenty of time to play and work on things. But I will always be cognizant of whether it starts to feel like a chore.. that’s not okay with me. We do this for fun, and while I love to work at my skiing I also like to relax and clear my head on the mountain while just enjoying the great outdoors, good company, and beautiful scenery.

I love that you are in New Mexico now, how fabulous! I am so excited to go back to Taos in the future, it’s such a fun and special place. I think you’d definitely enjoy a ski week, it is really nice to have the instructional aspects along with free skiing time as you said. That’s sort of what I have at home too.. our seasonal program is a few hours in the morning (which happily lines up with the busiest time for having the perk of skipping lines) and then free skiing time in the afternoon. It’s a great balance.

Similar. When I first started skiing I did lots of lessons. Any time I was there for a week I did a week of lessons. I travelled overseas to improve and yep, more lessons. Then after a while of that I got burnt out with it and did none for I’ll guess 3 years. Then I had another burst of activity and did a 3 week instructor course, and a hiring clinic the following year, and then a few seasons of season long weekend masters or masters racing programs…and then…burnt out with them again!

Right now I’ve found myself doing a 4 day camp every couple of seasons with the same instructor, which works well. Having done it a few times now I know the “drill” and a lot of the exercises are repeated year to year…because they work! I didn’t do it this year and may skip it 2024 as well, but I’ll be back 2025.

 

[Tony Storaro]

How do they taste?

Depends on the water they grew in. Carp from big rivers and mountain lakes with clear water and sandy/rocky bottoms are delicious but if they come from smaller lakes and ponds with muddy waters the taste is yeah-muddy and you need to soak them in vinegar or milk to get rid of the bad taste.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I have to confess, for the intermediates I know…the holiday skiers (and boarders)…they’ve just got no real interest in getting better. Once they can get around the greens and blues and some of the blacks on the mountain, they’re good. For them, that’s good enough.

I’m determined to always be better. Not in a joyless way, but I do want to be a better skier (and surfer, and in my profession, and guitar player). It’s in my nature. I take pride in skiing well (recognising all my current limitations). But I’m absolutely sure most people don’t approach skiing in the same way.

Damn right. Most people just don’t care.

 

[François Pugh]

It's ironic. People want to get better at skiing when they realize that the better they get the more fun they have, but first they have to get not only better, but good enough to have more fun, and enough of it to notice. Without something to motivate them, they may never get over the hump, so to speak.
If you're not very good at something; it's sometimes the case where that demotivates you. Without the realization that you will get better at it, it can be discouraging to compare yourself to people who are better than you, if you look at it the wrong way without realizing that you only need to remove some obstacles to get much better than you thought possible.

We are all different, with different histories. What motivated us to get better at skiing is not what might motivate someone else, although many motivations are shared among many skiers. For me I got better at skiing because I found the speed thrilling, and needed to get better so I could ski faster. Once I got better, I wanted to improve just because the better I got the more fun I had, even when not speeding. For other's winning a race is what turned their crank. Other's wanted to be able to show off and portray themselves as better. Some just wanted the respect and admiration of their peers. Some just wanted a social activity to engage in. All different, but all need to get over that hump.

Fat skis on hard groomers is an obstacle to improvement. A bigger obstacle is the price, especially the price of lessons. For a lot of folks a lesson or two would remove some bad habits, or just show people what they should be doing, and that's all they need to get over that hump, have more fun, and realize

 

[silverback]

I have a mate, a VERY keen emerging skier, who get a season pass every year, has lots of nice gear, gets in at least 35 days on snow every year, but because of a lack of focus on technique is a terminal high intermediate. He does want to get better as you say, but takes the wrong steps to do that. I don’t know how many times I’ve recommended a week’s lessons, or a week’s clinic, or even 3 days lessons. He’s done none. And if he did that, it would do wonders for his skiing. The longer he leaves it, the more ingrained his bad habits will become. But he just…doesn’t.

He is talking about buying a GS race ski. He’d be much better off on a recreational carver for that direction and more importantly getting some lessons. He’ll get the gear but I’ll bet he won’t get any lessons.

He probably also wants to be more financially secure but won’t read a book on finances or work on his career skill set or even track his spending.
My dad used to say “well, no harm in wanting”. Or “you’ve got the talking part done”.

 

[silverback]

Rode the chair with a couple ladies yesterday who were both on Rallybird 102s. One had just bought hers. They were talking about what she was going to do with her old skis. Give them to her daughter?
She said she initially was going to keep them for low tide days, but liked how the new skis performed on the groomed better, even though her old skis were supposed to be better there.
I suggested she keep the old skis as a back-up in case she broke something on the new ones or left them to be tuned somewhere. I also suggested that she drop her old skis off for a grind and full tune. I told her she might be surprised at how much she might like them after that. She didn’t seem to believe me, I don’t think she’d ever had a ski tuned, but I told her it’s like getting your car detailed before you sell it and then falling back in love with it.
Tuning is so important on narrower skis. This is often lost on the “I don’t think I’m good enough to notice the difference” people.

 

[slowrider]

If you don't ride the edges you can't feel the tune.

 

[Tom K.]

My dad used to say “well, no harm in wanting”. Or “you’ve got the talking part done”.

Pure gold. Might use that one somewhere down the road!

 

[silverback]

If you don't ride the edges you can't feel the tune.

Not sure I agree. Anyone who has been on skis that are base high or railed (edge high) can feel the greasy or hooky.

 

[altabrig]

I don't know why catfish are sooo good but carp supposedly aren't. I've never tried carp but don't know anyone who says they are good.

To again interrupt the width discussion. Kitties are delicious and so are carp when properly prepared - the bones and big scales are offputting to many Americans who are put off by any food they have to think about or navigate. You don't have peel and dissect a pizza or burger. Just put in the mouth and munch - no skillsets or thinking involved. Maybe there is a parrallel analogy with ski width.

 

[KingGrump]

the bones and big scales are offputting

I understand bones, but scales? Shouldn't the scales be removed prior to consumption?

Carps are not much different from than buffalo fish common in the southern US.

 

[crgildart]

I don't know why catfish are sooo good but carp supposedly aren't. I've never tried carp but don't know anyone who says they are good.

Depends on the water they grew in. Carp from big rivers and mountain lakes with clear water and sandy/rocky bottoms are delicious but if they come from smaller lakes and ponds with muddy waters the taste is yeah-muddy and you need to soak them in vinegar or milk to get rid of the bad taste.

To again interrupt the width discussion. Kitties are delicious and so are carp when properly prepared - the bones and big scales are offputting to many Americans who are put off by any food they have to think about or navigate. You don't have peel and dissect a pizza or burger. Just put in the mouth and munch - no skillsets or thinking involved. Maybe there is a parrallel analogy with ski width.

OP topic is history by the 4th page.

My main question, differently worded is... All other things equal, same river/pond/lake, catfish and carp are both bottom feeders. Catfish are practically considered a delicacy... Carp from the same body of water eating the same diet are considered like eating turds. I get the hard to scale and fillet aspect but skinning a catfish takes skill too..

 

[slowrider]

Not sure I agree. Anyone who has been on skis that are base high or railed (edge high) can feel the greasy or hooky.

The statement was directed at technique not equipment tooling. But good point. In a foot of snow who cares.

 

[silverback]

I understand but my point was that on firm snow, a bad or old tune can make a good ski feel crappy. Even for non-expert skiers.

 

[Tony Storaro]

OP topic is history by the 4th page.

My main question, differently worded is... All other things equal, same river/pond/lake, catfish and carp are both bottom feeders. Catfish are practically considered a delicacy... Carp from the same body of water eating the same diet are considered like eating turds. I get the hard to scale and fillet aspect but skinning a catfish takes skill too..

I suspect what we call catfish here is vastly different from your species. Our catfish is a predator and eats stuff different from what carp feeds on. It is far superior eating.

This is ours:

 

[altabrig]

I understand bones, but scales? Shouldn't the scales be removed prior to consumption?

Carps are not much different from than buffalo fish common in the southern US.

The Buffalo do look a lot like carp. I remember a lady who caught and ate Buffalo out of the Huron river in MI. I talked her up while I was fishing for smallmouth. I asked her about the fish that I though was carp and how it tasted. She said it was like carp.

Many years ago I was with a diverse group at a restaurant in Shanghai. They brought out a large fried carp for the centerpiece of many food dishes. Skin on. The Americans didn't know what to do until people started pulling back the skin and picking out the flesh.

I don't think they could have done that with mirror carp. The guy posted a pic of mirror carp earlier in the thread. A beauty.

 

[altabrig]

I understand but my point was that on firm snow, a bad or old tune can make a good ski feel crappy. Even for non-expert skiers.

A bad or old tune can make a good ski feel carpy. Gotta tru bar by new bases today. I hope they aren't carpy and need to be scaled.

 

[François Pugh]

I suspect what we call catfish here is vastly different from your species. Our catfish is a predator and eats stuff different from what carp feeds on. It is far superior eating.

This is ours:

View attachment 218609

I bet you didn't catch that one noodling.

 

[geepers]

He probably also wants to be more financially secure but won’t read a book on finances or work on his career skill set or even track his spending.
My dad used to say “well, no harm in wanting”. Or “you’ve got the talking part done”.

Maybe.

Although I'd say it's a long bow to claim that just 'cause a person won't put in the time and effort to improve at skiing they are a failure in all aspects of life.

At some point all of us have compromised in wanting to do better at something for the simple reason that there's only 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. So we pick at most a handful of activities that get our time and attention. Most here are obsessed with skiing so we focus on that. For others less obsessed with skiing it may be that their their focus is on other things entirely.