New skiing, old gear :^ )

[James]

Current instructors (that means you @James ) what is the current plan if a student shows up on say some early 90's 'straights' and want a lesson? Will the staff send someone out on the proper gear and show him how it's done? If not, why not?

Hmmm... Can't remember that happening actually. Not in 15 years probably. There's no plan for it. Likely the basics would be so lacking there's no shortage of things to work on.
The chances of such a person wanting an advanced lesson are low. But no doubt there's ski areas where this happens.

had a quiver of 2 from the later 70's through the 80's. (

Seein as you have a quiver of 200 now, 2 for you is like one for most. I'm sure plenty of people had two or three. But they weren't really very different in design.

I think the upshot is if one needed a special ski to ski say powder, outside of maybe heli skiiing, you couldn't ski. So buying one is like a billboard advertisement saying you sucked. Did Alf Engen use a special ski?
Look at the reaction to shaped skis. They were called "Cheaters" for awhile.

 

[markojp]

I honestly don't know a single instructor who has 2-3 decade old skis in their locker to teach on. I also don't think there's a need to have skied old straight skis. Sure, if they're kicking around... Very few of us have skied lace up leathers, wood skis, and bear trap bindings either. I haven't taught a lesson to someone who's showed up on straight skis for a long while now. Like James said, they aren't really in the lesson pool, though they're still on the hill in small numbers.

 

[Bill Talbot]

Hmmm... Can't remember that happening actually. Not in 15 years probably. There's no plan for it. Likely the basics would be so lacking there's no shortage of things to work on.
The chances of such a person wanting an advanced lesson are low. But no doubt there's ski areas where this happens.

Seein as you have a quiver of 200 now, 2 for you is like one for most. I'm sure plenty of people had two or three. But they weren't really very different in design.

I think the upshot is if one needed a special ski to ski say powder, outside of maybe heli skiiing, you couldn't ski. So buying one is like a billboard advertisement saying you sucked. Did Alf Engen use a special ski?
Look at the reaction to shaped skis. They were called "Cheaters" for awhile.

They still are cheaters!!! And in difficult snow I'm happy to do it!

 

[Kneale Brownson]

I honestly don't know a single instructor who has 2-3 decade old skis in their locker to teach on. I also don't think there's a need to have skied old straight skis. Sure, if they're kicking around... Very few of us have skied lace up leathers, wood skis, and bear trap bindings either. I haven't taught a lesson to someone who's showed up on straight skis for a long while now. Like James said, they aren't really in the lesson pool, though they're still on the hill in small numbers.

Raise my hand I'd think the customer showing up on outdated equipment might be directed to the rental shop before the lesson. I HAVE been asked to work with someone who showed up with blades.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Modern equipment is wonderful.

When I was a kid back in the 1940s, there were no folks my current age (78) who went skiing. The equipment required too much effort.

 

[Bolder]

It's all about what's current. I started playing tennis on a good old Wilson Pro Staff -- was amazing for the time. Then I got a Pro Kennex Bronze Ace (wood/carbon, slightly oversized) and chucked the Pro Staff in the back of the closet. Then went full carbon and never looked back. Same with skis -- I don't remember thinking, hey, all I've got are these 200 cm Dynastars (can't remember the model) so I wont ski moguls/powder etc.

It's funny, though, in some sports (surfing) the old equipment is revered and constantly revisited. But in others it's ignored.

 

[graham418]

I used to have a quiver of 2 straight skis......My new skis, and my rock skis.

 

[Don in Morrison]

K2 710's anyone? I get them out once or twice a season. I can still make them turn pretty easy. I also spent more time on the K2 Shorts this past season than all my other skis combined. You don't need much when skiing with a grandkid, anyway. I think I hit every invisible rock on the mountain with them; they need some major gouge filling before I use them again.

 

[RickyG]

Most of my old skis have funny Alsop bindings on them, so I'd have to mount new bindings to use them, not that i'd want to. My memories of straight skis is of having to work a lot harder than on modern versions.

Allsop!!?? I need a set for my museum metal ones? Big yellow "safety strap"??? You in the mood to sell a set?

 

[James]

It's all about what's current. I started playing tennis on a good old Wilson Pro Staff -- was amazing for the time. Then I got a Pro Kennex Bronze Ace (wood/carbon, slightly oversized) and chucked the Pro Staff in the back of the closet. Then went full carbon and never looked back. Same with skis -- I don't remember thinking, hey, all I've got are these 200 cm Dynastars (can't remember the model) so I wont ski moguls/powder etc.

It's funny, though, in some sports (surfing) the old equipment is revered and constantly revisited. But in others it's ignored.

I remember the first time I hit aball witha modern carbon/graphite big head racket. Hadn't played in years. Holy cow, I never hit tbe ball so hard. Huge sweet spot. It was cheating.

I'd love to see an old school racket match with current players. Make them use what Borg and McEnroe used. No Wilson T-2000 metal even though Connors used it. .

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Allsop!!?? I need a set for my museum metal ones? Big yellow "safety strap"??? You in the mood to sell a set?

See your private messages, Ricky.

 

[Ogg]

Something I can remember hearing from multiple sources when I started skiing(on straight skis)."The skis don't really matter until you're a good skier but once you're a good skier, the skis don't really matter." I still really think of shaped skis as cheaters but I'm fine with cheating if it makes me ski better and have more fun.

 

[Scruffy]

I remember the first time I hit aball witha modern carbon/graphite big head racket. Hadn't played in years. Holy cow, I never hit tbe ball so hard. Huge sweet spot. It was cheating.

I'd love to see an old school racket match with current players. Make them use what Borg and McEnroe used. No Wilson T-2000 metal even though Connors used it. .

Loved that Borg - McEnroe match.

Remember the Prince rackets?

 

[Wolfski]

I actually still have a Wilson T2000 and a Donnay Borg Pro, along with too many straight skis, Persimmon Woods, cane fishing poles and a shovel that doubles as a chalkboard.
As much as I liked some of the old straights, the current skis are so much less demanding and easier for everyone that there's no reason to go back, IMO.

 

[tball]

I've got a bunch of late 90's straight skis unmounted in plastic. They are free to a good home. One catch though: you'll post a video of yourself skiing on them in exchange.

They are various models of Dynastar SL, soft SL, and Extreme skis. I believe they are 195-205cm. I was a shaped ski denier for a while and stocked up when they were dirt cheap.

 

[James]

I've got a bunch of late 90's straight skis unmounted in plastic. They are free to a good home. One catch though: you'll post a video of yourself skiing on them in exchange.

They are various models of Dynastar SL, soft SL, and Extreme skis. I believe they are 195-205cm. I was a shaped ski denier for a while and stocked up when they were dirt cheap.

@Bill Talbot ? I know he'd ski them at some point. Unmounted though, that might be tough for him to drill for the museum.

 

[Bill Talbot]

@Bill Talbot ? I know he'd ski them at some point. Unmounted though, that might be tough for him to drill for the museum.

Hah, drill'm today, ski'm tomorrow!!!

 

[Bill Talbot]

I've got a bunch of late 90's straight skis unmounted in plastic. They are free to a good home. One catch though: you'll post a video of yourself skiing on them in exchange.

They are various models of Dynastar SL, soft SL, and Extreme skis. I believe they are 195-205cm. I was a shaped ski denier for a while and stocked up when they were dirt cheap.

PM sent!!!

 

[Philpug]

I've got a bunch of late 90's straight skis unmounted in plastic. They are free to a good home. One catch though: you'll post a video of yourself skiing on them in exchange.

They are various models of Dynastar SL, soft SL, and Extreme skis. I believe they are 195-205cm. I was a shaped ski denier for a while and stocked up when they were dirt cheap.

Bring some to A-Basin..I will bring jig and period specific bindings..whatcha got?

 

[Tricia]

I'm not even sure I can ski on old straight skis, I was about 10 when I got my first pair of "shape skis". So color me impressed whenever I see someone shredding on old gear!

I'm in this camp.
I didn't learn to ski well until I was on my 3rd pair of shaped skis, so I never really knew how to ski well on straight skis. When I tried to ski them on a retro day I was lost.