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Skisailor

Laziest Skier on the Mountain
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Bozeman, Montana
Wisdom often comes with age. Not to all, just some.

Doesn't seem like a wisdom thing to me. Most if not all instructors understand, as a concept, the importance of having the proper equipment. Seems like a knowledge and training thing. Knowledge that is not being passed along to newer instructors. Training that is not happening for newer instructors (unless you are lucky enough to find the right mentor).
 

KingGrump

Most Interesting Man In The World
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Experience is learning from one’s own mistakes. Wisdom is learning from others’.

From my own experiences, the young often prefer the experience route.
I was there once. I am sure many others have also.
Knew all the answers. Haven’t heard all the questions yet.

Now wisdom tells me not to interfere with the other folks’ experiential journeys.
They are happier. Me, I am just tired of pissing in the wind.
 

David Chaus

Beyond Help
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FWIW, the non-advice I didn’t receive was from older, experienced skiers. Maybe they just weren’t the best TD’s. That said, I would like to see some training for instructors on understanding equipment/alignment.
 

Chris V.

Making fresh tracks
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Mar 25, 2016
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Truckee
Today was a a very enlightening experience. So @Mrs. 53 and I go into Park City to get ZipFit liners and heaters for our boots. ...Then the alignment... OMG is all I can say. I must have been a cowboy in a previous life. Both of my knees were 3* off outside of neutral. It was an amazing feeling to feel properly lined up, and I can’t begin to imagine how it will make a difference on the slopes.

Concur that 3 degrees is huge. 1/2 or 1 degree off would be a lot more common. So great move, 53. I think you'll be surprised and pleased with how much of a difference it makes.

Basically, the goal of all this is that if you stand on skis with feet an appropriate distance apart, in a natural stance, centered, balanced equally on both feet, the bases of both skis should be flat on the snow. If you ski forward without attempting to turn, both skis should track straight ahead, with no tendency of either one to hook up right or left. So when you get on snow, try doing that first. Just ski straight and parallel down a very gentle slope, to a flat spot that brings you to a stop with no braking by you. See how the skis feel and track. If after a few repetitions things don't feel right, definitely get some more expert feedback. If all is good, I expect you'll find that turns now require minimal effort and feel accurate.

Probably a lot of instructors have no knowledge of alignment. But they should. Giving lessons, I've noted a substantial number of beginners and novices with gross alignment issues. Sadly, it's hard to do much for many of these issues with basic rental equipment. It's a hard thing to tell a first time beginner to go out and buy boots, with expensive customization. It can be very hard to learn on misaligned equipment. This is an area where I expect PSIA has dropped the ball a bit, because their basic texts and training sessions give little or no attention to alignment issues.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Started at 53

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Mar 26, 2017
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Not Ikon, UT
First day of the season!!! It was a GREAT day, best skiing I have ever done. No question the ZipFit’s and the boot alignment made a huge difference. For the first time I could sideslip at will and that was all down to the properly aligned boots.

First day out for the season and I skied better than my previous best, based on my feel and @Lorenzzo watched me a bit too and he noticed the difference. Still a long way to go, but getting there. Right footed turns were great, left footed turns are still pretty poor on everything but the tamest terrain. I was just not unweighting my inside ski enough on left footed turns. I could feel the boot on my shin a lot more on right footed turns. So I have that to work on. Lorenzo also mentioned and I could feel I was in the backseat, so he made a suggestion and it seemed to help immendiately.

I could also hockey stop without any issues, and by the end of the day (actually just a 1/2 day) I was hockey stopping in both directions, but certainly more comfortable on the right foot.

Took 12 runs
Skied 10.1 miles
8,180 vertical

Pretty much just did laps on DV’s Success run.

Legs are tired.
 
Last edited:
Thread Starter
TS
Started at 53

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Not Ikon, UT
Here are a few first day pics

BD95599E-1004-4082-AD55-DAF07B51BC31.jpeg
F9440AB2-4FD5-4006-92F1-178AAB8A05CD.jpeg
A96CB1FE-CDB7-42CE-8878-FF6DE1D85244.jpeg
 

Fuller

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Feb 18, 2016
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Whitefish or Florida
It can take a while to sort out the human learning curve from the equipment issues. When it's all new it's hard to tell the difference. Hope this gives you confidence going into this season.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Started at 53

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Not Ikon, UT
I think I’ll ski today :)

I’ve Been too busy (moving houses) to post updates, but if a 1 is a beginner and a 10 is a solid intermediate, I went from 2 to 8 after the first 4 days of the season.

Yesterday was busy and a lot of snow fell after the grooming, so there were a lot of piles of snow.

I am now taking the steeper pitches on my runs where previously I was avoiding them. I am parallel on my right footed turns, and nearly there on my left footed turns. Longer skis (172’s) made a big difference in my progression.

OK, gotta head out to catch first tracks

Merry Christmas to all
 
Thread Starter
TS
Started at 53

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Not Ikon, UT
^^^
Have you watched your videos from last season yet and wondered why it seemed so hard? :beercheer:

I have watched, but I know why there is a huge difference this year. The boot alignment, the Gara ZipFits and longer skis all add up to a huge help.

I do kinda laugh at times, I just stand up and straightline now on areas I was really working it last year. This year is night and day difference.

Note: IF you are a serious skier, and have not gotten your boots aligned to your legs then you are making it difficult on yourself. SURE you can overcome this, but why compensate? Spen the money and just do it. It is a whole new world.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Started at 53

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Posts
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Location
Not Ikon, UT
Today was by far my biggest single day breakthrough thanks to a tip-off from @Lorenzzo

It was the first time I really felt an edge hookup! It felt amazing.

Separation was the key to the breakthrough, I am not sure how it happened, but he likely knew it would be a byproduct of the tip.

BEST DAY EVER
 

dbostedo

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Today was by far my biggest single day breakthrough thanks to a tip-off from @Lorenzzo

It was the first time I really felt an edge hookup! It felt amazing.

Separation was the key to the breakthrough, I am not sure how it happened, but he likely knew it would be a byproduct of the tip.

BEST DAY EVER

:beercheer:
But did @Lorenzzo push you over in the pow? ;)
 

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