Expecting too much from a ski?

[Tricia]

Real conversation with @Older boot about his desire for a new ski.
He said he's looking for a ski that (in his words)

Oh I need some new skiis, Im looking for one that reacts like my RC4s but float like my REV 90s

I think he was joking, but it made me think....skis have gotten so good, are we expecting them to do more things at a higher level?

 

[Old boot]

I was half serious. We use to ski with one pair of skis for all occasions, if you went heli-skiing you rented fatties (I think about 90 under foot at the time) We had less disposable income back then so several pairs wasnt going to happen. That and we lived east so most of the time was spent in bumps and groomers with the odd glade thrown in when we went to Sutton or such. I guess we use to ski on 195-205 area and this might have allowed us to ski more places with a one ski quiver.
The ski industry has changed a lot over the last 30 or so years (so im told). On the other hand equipment has also changed and with the new materials( Im also told wood is no longer high tech) might make this more possible.
I had my RC4s on the other day freshly tuned and they were awesome on the groomed hill but I know if I start getting into 6 or more inches they get very hard to work.

I hate sleppin more then one pair of skies at the airport also, they get heavy and ya always have a fight with the ticket folk about more then 1 or 2 pairs in a bag.

The want or need of an item to do something nothing else does keeps inventors inventing

 

[Monique]

skis have gotten so good, are we expecting them to do more things at a higher level?

Yes! And they keep delivering! I asked for a playful crudbuster, which many said was a contradiction in terms - and then you suggested the Santa Ana. And it fit the bill. (For some people, it is a powder ski, too.)

 

[kickerfrank]

This is a very interesting question especially from a design perspective. There are a lot of addages in he fit this well:
"Jack of all trades, master of none"
"If it isn't broke we haven't added enough features" (POV from an engineer)

Many people look for that one ski that can do it all but is that possible? You will always trade off performance in one persp drive to get performance in another. "There's no free lunch".

 

[Philpug]

I am constantly amazed how much some of these skis can do! I don't expect a 90-100mm ski be able to be competitive in a slalom course but these skis can be laid over and are blast on the groomers. There are skis that we refer to as "car skis" or "travel skis", a pair that you are confident taking out when you have no idea what the conditions will be, a ski that you could have as a one ski quiver. There are skis here that a pretty universally accepted here and other who have a bias to either something narrower or wider depending on personal preferences.

 

[Tricia]

I was half serious. We use to ski with one pair of skis for all occasions, if you went heli-skiing you rented fatties (I think about 90 under foot at the time) We had less disposable income back then so several pairs wasnt going to happen. That and we lived east so most of the time was spent in bumps and groomers with the odd glade thrown in when we went to Sutton or such. I guess we use to ski on 195-205 area and this might have allowed us to ski more places with a one ski quiver.
The ski industry has changed a lot over the last 30 or so years (so im told). On the other hand equipment has also changed and with the new materials( Im also told wood is no longer high tech) might make this more possible.
I had my RC4s on the other day freshly tuned and they were awesome on the groomed hill but I know if I start getting into 6 or more inches they get very hard to work.

I hate sleppin more then one pair of skies at the airport also, they get heavy and ya always have a fight with the ticket folk about more then 1 or 2 pairs in a bag.

The want or need of an item to do something nothing else does keeps inventors inventing

Its pretty interesting.
I've been on skis that are 100mm under foot that seem to do it all (with some skill), and I've been on skis that are closer to 80mm under foot that seem to do it all.
We live in an exciting time for ski design.

 

[Philpug]

This is a very interesting question especially from a design perspective. There are a lot of addages in he fit this well:
"Jack of all trades, master of none"
"If it isn't broke we haven't added enough features" (POV from an engineer)

Many people look for that one ski that can do it all but is that possible? You will always trade off performance in one persp drive to get performance in another. "There's no free lunch".

Or ..."A ski that performs equally poor in a multitude of conditions"

 

[kickerfrank]

Or ..."A ski that performs equally poor in a multitude of conditions"

Lol

 

[Bill Talbot]

Or ..."A tire that performs equally poor in a multitude of conditions"

FIFY...now we are talking no season tires. (there are certain similarities)

 

[Old boot]

My REV 90s will be the only ones coming west with me this year, I just don't wanna carry toooo much cause Phil wount come help me get them to the airport

 

[cantunamunch]

Real conversation with @Older boot about his desire for a new ski.
He said he's looking for a ski that (in his words)


I think he was joking, but it made me think....skis have gotten so good, are we expecting them to do more things at a higher level?

Why don't his RC4s carve like RC4s and float like Rev90s? What are they, old skis or sumtin'?

Oh, bad tune, gotcha.