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markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
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PNW aka SEA
Dunno, maybe this should be in the instruction forum.... nah, that'd be a can of worms, but here's Sebastien Michel rippen up the bumps on VR17's... Man o' man, the dude can flatout ski, that's for sure! Damn the side cut, just shut up and slide! ogsmile

 
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Seve

Live Free or Die Baby
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Aug 10, 2016
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28
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NH
I am familiar wit the VR17's but never heard of this guy.
Either way, shouldn't this be posted on "how is your corn".?
 
Thread Starter
TS
markojp

markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
Industry Insider
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Posts
6,601
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PNW aka SEA
Former CSIA nat'l demo team member. Probably my favorite 'tech' skier. He does it all pretty much.
 

firebanex

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Apr 16, 2018
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1,090
Location
Fairbanks, Alaska
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!
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
Instructor
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
1,863
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.
 

Crudmaster

tinyurl.com/pungjgt
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Aug 21, 2016
Posts
159
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Seattle, Crystal Mountain
What's wrong with Alsop bindings? Who doesn't want to drill a hole in the boot sole at the ball of your foot?
 

oldschoolskier

Making fresh tracks
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Dec 6, 2015
Posts
4,225
Location
Ontario Canada
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.
99% Yes and 1% No in the same breath.
Old straight skis (even if specialized) could generally be a one ski quiver, shaped required a multi ski quiver as they are truly specialized for applications, though the performance is better and the effort is less.
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
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99% Yes and 1% No in the same breath.
Old straight skis (even if specialized) could generally be a one ski quiver, shaped required a multi ski quiver as they are truly specialized for applications, though the performance is better and the effort is less.

I can go and do pretty much wherever and what I want on my Enforcer 93s.
 

James

Out There
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Dec 2, 2015
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24,429
Straight skis were a quiver of one just because few bought more. Plus, what was the choice? Slalom, gs, ballet. Eliminate # 3 and you're down to 2. Not a huge difference there. If you were mogul obsessed you'd go slalom, powder gs. Maybe you'd do 200cm and 205.
If you couldn't ski powder on whatever, you didn't. That's why it lasted longer.
 

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
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Nov 17, 2015
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7,615
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Great White North (Eastern side currently)
Straight skis were a quiver of one just because few bought more. Plus, what was the choice? Slalom, gs, ballet. Eliminate # 3 and you're down to 2. Not a huge difference there. If you were mogul obsessed you'd go slalom, powder gs. Maybe you'd do 200cm and 205.
If you couldn't ski powder on whatever, you didn't. That's why it lasted longer.
You forgot SG and DH.
 

Seldomski

All words are made up
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Sep 25, 2017
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3,052
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'mericuh
Anyone have a video of skiing moguls with ski jumping skis?

1200px-FIS_Ski_Weltcup_Titisee-Neustadt_2016_-_Peter_Prevc1.jpg


... without simply jumping over the mogul field ogwink
 

Uncle-A

In the words of Paul Simon "You can call me Al"
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Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Posts
10,893
Location
NJ
Straight skis were a quiver of one just because few bought more. Plus, what was the choice? Slalom, gs, ballet. Eliminate # 3 and you're down to 2. Not a huge difference there. If you were mogul obsessed you'd go slalom, powder gs. Maybe you'd do 200cm and 205.
If you couldn't ski powder on whatever, you didn't. That's why it lasted longer.
Depending on the year but Head made a Deep Power ski, I think in the 1960's, most manufactures made Freestyle skis in the 1970's and for a short time a few manufactures made a long soft ski that was also a straight ski.
 

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
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Reno, eNVy
This is me on Goat on straight skis::philgoat:
 

Bill Talbot

Vintage Gear Curator
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Nov 9, 2015
Posts
3,166
Location
New England
Straight skis were a quiver of one just because few bought more. Plus, what was the choice? Slalom, gs, ballet. Eliminate # 3 and you're down to 2. Not a huge difference there. If you were mogul obsessed you'd go slalom, powder gs. Maybe you'd do 200cm and 205.
If you couldn't ski powder on whatever, you didn't. That's why it lasted longer.

How old are you folks? I had a quiver of 2 from the later 70's through the 80's. (till I had some money for more than that!) And I was a Rossi guy, so that meant a SL ski, 200 or 203cm and the very needed bump ski in a 180 or 185cm. Life was good and skiing was fun (kinda like now!) Yes by comparison to skis made from say 2000 on, they are more work and require more technique (and practice) to get things done but I think most of you just forget what they did well too. I go back and forth on the same day and honestly like them both, for different reasons.

I encourage those who were schooled on them at least in the 80's and 90's to give them a try again. It's very interesting...really.

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?

And also would like for someone like @Josh Matta who skis mega days and started skiing in the shaped era to get on some quality old boards and see what's what. I would find the feedback interesting :)
 

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