115+ waist skis available in lengths 169-172? GO!

[Monique]

All lengths are not equal, there are other things that go into a ski, especially with a powder ski. If you like a 169 and you like the Santa Ana, go with it's big sister the La Nina which has shared it's DNA with the Santa Ana.

"If" I like the Santa Ana. Hah. I'm half considering getting a second pair just to be sure that if anything happens to my current one, I'll have it.

I might have to do that. I see some older ones for sale so I wouldn't have to pay MSRP. Are there any sponsor vendors who have deals on any year of La Nina? Also, am I right the La Nina hasn't changed in the last couple of years? Hrm. Although if the Sick Day 110 doesn't float me at 172, will the La Nina at 169? Maybe? The rocker makes it more floaty, right?

 

[Philpug]

"If" I like the Santa Ana. Hah. I'm half considering getting a second pair just to be sure that if anything happens to my current one, I'll have it.

I might have to do that. I see some older ones for sale so I wouldn't have to pay MSRP. Are there any sponsor vendors who have deals on any year of La Nina? Also, am I right the La Nina hasn't changed in the last couple of years? Hrm. Although if the Sick Day 110 doesn't float me at 172, will the La Nina at 169? Maybe? The rocker makes it more floaty, right?

Paging @SkiEssentials and @Gerry Rhoades/@Tim Hedin to the white courtesy phone.

 

[Monique]

Hrm. Traditional camber + rocker fore and aft + 113 ... I'm just skeptical about the float. That's pretty similar to my Sick Day 110s, isn't it?

 

[cantunamunch]

I am very heavy for my height, and I don't want to be skiing the length that 200 pounds would suggest I should be skiing.

Given this, given that you already have Sick Days and had/sold Icelantics, I would suggest calling Prior or Praxis directly and having a serious person/person chat about flex and float. Not email, not website.

 

[Monique]

Given this, given that you already have Sick Days and had/sold Icelantics, I would suggest calling Prior or Praxis directly and having a serious person/person chat about flex and float. Not email, not website.

I like the Sick Day 110s, but I get bounced around in crud on them. I still love them for spring slush bumps. The Gypsies were too much work for me, wanted to charge when I wanted to brake. I got the Volkl Ones but I really feel 166 is a smidge short. What will Prior or Praxis specifically give me, or give me insight into, do you think?

 

[cantunamunch]

They have a chance to nail the sweet spot between 'too much bounce' and 'not enough float' through custom flex options. Tip shape and mounting position are also factors here and they ought to be able to talk to you through those trade offs.

The other choices are legitimate, but after 3(+?) purchases of 'not quite happy' they're starting to resemble stabs in the dark.

 

[Monique]

They have a chance to nail the sweet spot between 'too much bounce' and 'not enough float' through custom flex options. Tip shape and mounting position are also factors here and they ought to be able to talk to you through those trade offs.

Oh, wow. I don't trust myself to get that right, especially when it comes to describing my own ski level. And it definitely contradicts my new principle of not paying msrp.

 

[cantunamunch]

And it definitely contradicts my new principle of not paying msrp.

You know, it's perfectly OK to drop or sell new principles if they, ah, get you bounced around in the crud

 

[Monique]

You know, it's perfectly OK to drop or sell new principles if they, ah, get you bounced around in the crud

Do you not buy the La Nina suggestion?

If I truly thought I could describe my skiing and what I want, maybe. What I should really do is have an instructor who hasked with me a lot manage the inputs ;-)

 

[cantunamunch]

Do you not buy the La Nina suggestion?

Oh I have nothing useful to contribute in a yes/no decision over that specific ski. It sounds good on paper, I suppose. My instinct, on paper, would be to go even wider, and look for more tapered tips.

If I truly thought I could describe my skiing and what I want, maybe. What I should really do is have an instructor who hasked with me a lot manage the inputs ;-)

Well, you're doing a pretty good job practicing in this thread - did ya notice? You want float for your weight, float at least as good as your Sick Days have (and as your Gypsies didn't), you want more ski than your Volkl Ones, and you want less bounce in crud.

 

[Monique]

Oh I have nothing useful to contribute in a yes/no decision over that specific ski. It sounds good on paper, I suppose. My instinct, on paper, would be to go even wider, and look for more tapered tips.



Well, you're doing a pretty good job practicing in this thread - did ya notice? You want float for your weight, float at least as good as your Sick Days have (and as your Gypsies didn't), you want more ski than your Volkl Ones, and you want less bounce in crud.

More flat than the sick days, actually, but yes.

And I think your comments about more width are dead on. Not sure about tapered tips, but possibly full rocker.

It's all fun to think about, and the One is not bad in the meantime.

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

Are there any sponsor vendors who have deals on any year of La Nina? Also, am I right the La Nina hasn't changed in the last couple of years? Hrm. Although if the Sick Day 110 doesn't float me at 172, will the La Nina at 169? Maybe? The rocker makes it more floaty, right?

I will have to find out first, if we have any La Ninas and second, what our price would be, certainly not MSRP if we have any. But, I would say that if a 172cm Line Sick Day 110 doesn't provide enough float, a 169cm La Nina at 113mm underfoot probably won't either. Can you find a place to demo the La Nina in the 177 length? Unfortunately the wider skis like the Bent Chetler aren't short enough for you, 178cm minimum. I think the suggestion of talking to someone like Praxis is good. There is one ski that I know of that might work for you, ON3P Billy Goat in a 176. While that might sound long, the effective edge is only 132cm. At 176cm the dimensions are 138/114/123 and the radius is 27m. This ski is just about bombproof, very stable ride, lots of rocker but no tip flap and some camber, holds an edge well. I demoed these at Copper last February in a 184 and that's what I bought. I'm 5'7", 150 pounds and it is certainly not too much ski for me. They will be at Copper again next year.

 

[Monique]

There is one ski that I know of that might work for you, ON3P Billy Goat in a 176. While that might sound long, the effective edge is only 132cm. At 176cm the dimensions are 138/114/123 and the radius is 27m. This ski is just about bombproof, very stable ride, lots of rocker but no tip flap and some camber, holds an edge well. I demoed these at Copper last February in a 184 and that's what I bought. I'm 5'7", 150 pounds and it is certainly not too much ski for me. They will be at Copper again next year.

I was looking at those. Are they the ones everyone at TGR loves? That's a lot of turning radius.

 

[Monique]

Also the La Nina is available in 177 I think if I want to go that route, or the One for thatmatter at 176, which I can pick up with demo bindings st the same spot I got the 166. Hmm, I wonder if they'd do me a trade plus cash.

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

I don't know because I don't hang out at TGR. The turn radius is pretty big but you're not using them for SL racing and in deep stuff radius is fairly irrelevant.

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

La Nina will ski longer than the Billy Goat, if that matters to you.

 

[Monique]

La Nina will ski longer than the Billy Goat, if that matters to you.

It does. Thanks. The One skis short though, right?

 

[Monique]

I don't know because I don't hang out at TGR. The turn radius is pretty big but you're not using them for SL racing and in deep stuff radius is fairly irrelevant.

I don't, either, but I briefly dipped a toe in a couple of years ago, and I thought everyone was talking about Goats as skis.

 

[Gerry Rhoades]

I don't, either, but I briefly dipped a toe in a couple of years ago, and I thought everyone was talking about Goats as skis.

I think they were talking about Gotamas.

 

[Monique]

I think they were talking about Gotamas.

Ahah. That would make sense. Kids these days.