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graham418

Skiing the powder
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I suggested the Speedzones somewhere on page 1 of this thread.

I missed that , but now I see that you mentioned speedzone 12's. Do you not think that might be too much of a ski to start with?
 

Cheizz

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The 12 TI is actually not that ' advanced'. It is a pretty pliable ski, easy and forgiving. But stable and very nice to progress on. Same goes for the 9CA. The 10 TI is a stiff b*tch. I would avoid that one.
 

LiquidFeet

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@rjski, we now know you're a snowboarder with good experience on a board. From your posts I get that your snowboarding skill level is higher than your current skiing skill level. Here's a related question that might help you navigate the suggestions coming from the community.

When you were getting used to snowboarding, and were at about the level then that you are now on skis, would it have helped you advance your skills if you had bought hard boots and a race board? If your answer is yes, then take seriously the suggestions about buying a race-oriented or genuine race ski.

If the answer is no, then don't.
 
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Marker

Making fresh tracks
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So far I looked at Rossignol Hero Elite Plus 174, Hero elite MT and Head Supershape irally. Which one should I go with?

Head iSupershape Titan is what I'd buy but there's not a great deal online right now for this one. Another suggestion like Titan?

My goodness, you are making this too hard. Rossignol Hero Elite MT Ti

Doug Briggs: The Hero Elite MT Ti reminds me a lot of my Rossi Experience 83. It is easy to ski, but if you want to kick in the afterburner, it will fly right along with stability and easy-to-control turn shape.
  • Who is it for? Like the Supershape iTitan, it suits anyone who likes to make race-like turns as well as kick back and take it easy.
  • Who is it not for? Lightweights; this ski expects some input.
  • Insider tip: Don’t be afraid; it is as docile as my Experience 83.
 

markojp

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Let me look around these parts.
 

markojp

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I suggested the Speedzones somewhere on page 1 of this thread.

I am really surprised bij the suggestions of the Titans, Curvs (unless you mean the Curv TI) and other quite stiff and high performance skis. I cannot imagine someone with 20 days of ski experience on those, to be hounest.
Then again, it seems that most Americans ski, like and suggest much burlier skis than Europeans would... I hounestly wonder why that is.

The OP is looking at a 170 Titan. Honestly, compared to an iSpeed Pro (or one of the Rebel's series race skis) the Titan is very skiable and not crazy burly IMHO. 177 for the OP? No. I'd also tell him to do a 1 and 2 tune to start, but I don't disagree that a rally would probably be the best choice.
 

markojp

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My goodness, you are making this too hard. Rossignol Hero Elite MT Ti

Doug Briggs: The Hero Elite MT Ti reminds me a lot of my Rossi Experience 83. It is easy to ski, but if you want to kick in the afterburner, it will fly right along with stability and easy-to-control turn shape.
  • Who is it for? Like the Supershape iTitan, it suits anyone who likes to make race-like turns as well as kick back and take it easy.
  • Who is it not for? Lightweights; this ski expects some input.
  • Insider tip: Don’t be afraid; it is as docile as my Experience 83.

Also a good choice.
 

markojp

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So if you're buying front side piste skis and worried about mushy afternoon snow performance, you're looking for a unicorn that just doesn't exist. That said, piste skis, even SL skis, can be skied in mush, but at a certain point, you need to be very accurate and progressive in your movements and not worrying at all about making big edge angles. You don't need them. The tune is also important which is why 1 and 2 was suggested above.
 

KingGrump

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The Titan should be fine at Mammoth in the afternoon. Mammoth's groomers get pretty scraped by afternoon.
Carving is much about balance. Whether it is fore and aft or side to side. A narrower and shorter ski will promote that. Better feed back.
The Titan should be fine in Mammoth's bumps also. Bumps aren't really huge there. The square off tail can be brutal in the bumps if you hang out back there. If you ski more centered. It should not be an issue.

If you really want to get your fore and aft balance right, go for the 170. The 177 will be more forgiving.
 

geepers

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Your comment about being an occasional skier over 15 years and an advanced snowboarder changes things. However I would suggest a demo drive of whatever you intend to buy in case it ends up not suiting all your requirements. Opinions on skis tend to be quite subjective.

I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum to you in terms of age/fitness (60+, merely ok fit) but reasonably close in terms of height/weight (a bit lighter). I found the Titan 170 a great ski for carving up the groomers but about as responsive as the average block of concrete in the bumps. Perhaps I hang out on the tails although the same technique was no problem on the Fischer The Curve GTs (also 80mm) and various other skis. (BTW the Fischer GTs are good skis but aren't generally a bargain - if that's important.)

In terms of balance, especially fore/aft, if I understand correctly, snowboarders have less issues than skiers due to having two widely separated feet attached to the same plank. (The folk who swing both ways - please correct me if that's wrong.) So you may want to consider a larger sweet spot ski whilst adapting. It's good to try a couple of different lengths of the same model as I have not found that a longer ski will necessarily be better (or worse) in this regard. Again, testing helps with choice.
 

Cheizz

AKA Gigiski
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The 2020 Blizzard Competition 76 might be a good option too. Not just wider than the 'narrow' Competition, but it also has a more forgiving/less dominant tip shape. In flex a bit more manageable than the Curv GT, for example.
 

LiquidFeet

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....I found the Titan 170 a great ski for carving up the groomers but about as responsive as the average block of concrete in the bumps....

Note that the OP has not mentioned bumps yet. At this point in his development as a boarder/skier he likes long carved turns at speed. His interest in short turns is minimal. That said, a ski that performs well in bumps - for him, at his weight - will most likely work better for his overall skill development than one that doesn't. Even if he stays out of the bumps, he most likely will be able to sense it bending at slower speeds as he works on learning its personality.
 
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PinnacleJim

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An alternative to the Head Supershapes are the Head V-shapes, especially for lighter skiers. A bit more forgiving with most of the performance, and less expensive. I picked up a pair of V8s this spring for my groomer day ski.
 

Paul Lutes

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OP:
1. Make list of your top 5 picks from all the blather above.
2. Close eyes and randomly pick one.
3. Get at least 10 days on them, come back and succinctly describe your experience.
4. Re-evaluate choice.
5. Repeat endlessly.
6. Revel in the process.
 

Marker

Making fresh tracks
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So if you're buying front side piste skis and worried about mushy afternoon snow performance, you're looking for a unicorn that just doesn't exist. That said, piste skis, even SL skis, can be skied in mush, but at a certain point, you need to be very accurate and progressive in your movements and not worrying at all about making big edge angles. You don't need them. The tune is also important which is why 1 and 2 was suggested above.
Perhaps a Head Monster 83?
 
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rjski

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Note that the OP has not mentioned bumps yet. At this point in his development as a boarder/skier he likes long carved turns at speed. His interest in short turns is minimal. That said, a ski that performs well in bumps - for him, at his weight - will most likely work better for his overall skill development than one that doesn't. Even if he stays out of the bumps, he most likely will be able to sense it bending at slower speeds as he works on learning its personality.
I forgot to mention, if you guys are talking about moguls of course that's the way to improve.
 

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