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Ski Recommendation

spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Posts
7
Location
Portage MI
Guys, I need some help. Been skiing on an old pair of Atomic C9’s and they are now kaput. One binding damaged and left ski delaminating. I’ve skied all kinds of makes and models over the years: Head, K2, Olin, Rossi’s, Volkl etc. I am older but still ski easy bumps, blues and blacks as long as blacks are groomed. Mostly midwest hardpack although do get out wesr once a year. Style more edge to edge like a bump skier minus the bumps. I pretty much suck at wide GS rurns. Need some recommendations please. Was looking at 170cm K2 Mindbender TI 90’s or perhaps Volkl Kendo’s, but not sure either are a good fit for me? Want ski to turn easily but no problem if initiation takes some skier input, I expect that. Would prefer to be able to initiate turns fairly easily on moderately steep runs vs needing a lot of speed first too, as I ski with intermediate skiers as well. Thanks!!!! Rick
 

Jilly

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Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
There is going to be a big difference between those Atomic's and anything. Both skis mentioned are much wider in the waist. You'll find the edge to edge time longer. You might want to look at something a little narrower. Maybe in the lower 80's.
 
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spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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7
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Portage MI
There is going to be a big difference between those Atomic's and anything. Both skis mentioned are much wider in the waist. You'll find the edge to edge time longer. You might want to look at something a little narrower. Maybe in the lower 80's.

Thanks!!! A ski buddy said something very similar a week ago. Pretty much indicated I would not be happy with either. Any thoughts to a model? I’ve seen the Salomon S Force series, as well as Atomic TI 90’s & 82’s, but know zip about them. I see Nordica also was going to make a narrower version of the Enforcer. Not sure if they did. Rick
 

Mike Thomas

Whiteroom
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1,194
I don't think a 'frontside carver' is going to best for our OP. I'd look at skis like the Blizzard Brahma 82 or Nordica Navigator 80/85, something that will make short radius steered turns easy. I do think skis much wider than 85mm at the waist will be a bit jarring for the OP, they'll feel really clunky and slow edge to edge. Modern carving skis will also be pretty foreign feeling.
 

Jilly

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"mid-west hardpacked" is the same to me as eastern hardpack. It's hard and packed into ice. Might not be blue, but it's hard to cut.

I skied the C9's. Mine were blue. I went from a Dynastar to those to a Rossi Viper X. All under 75mm. Even the Rossi Z's were in that range too. I loved the Brahma 82's at Lake Louise. Not sure about them at with hardpack. LL was packed powder.
 

PinnacleJim

Out on the slopes
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Aug 21, 2017
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Killington/Pico, VT
I would consider the Head V8 or V10. The V8 is 75mm waist and the V10 is 85. They are great on firm groomers but lighter and less demanding than skis like the Head Supershapes. I am also an older skier, I ski VT and own the V8. Great ski.
 

SkiSpeed

Getting off the lift
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Aug 17, 2017
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156
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VT
I skied the Brahma 82 all season in central VT until they closed the hills. They will be a great ski for the conditions you will encounter. Size down for short to medium turns; size up for medium to longer turns.
 
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spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Mar 25, 2020
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7
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Portage MI
What is your height and weight, and what length are the C9s?

I am 5’ 9” and weigh ~ 160. I’ve skied on boards as small as 160 Rossi CM’s and as long as 188 Olin’s. But I like 170’s best. They seem to be a good compromise at least for me. Help at all?
 
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Thread Starter
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spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Portage MI
So look for a ski that will work where you usually ski. Unless you're looking for a quiver, then....

You need a front side carver for sure.

Very good and thank you. I’ll start my search.
Rick
 
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Thread Starter
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spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Posts
7
Location
Portage MI
I don't think a 'frontside carver' is going to best for our OP. I'd look at skis like the Blizzard Brahma 82 or Nordica Navigator 80/85, something that will make short radius steered turns easy. I do think skis much wider than 85mm at the waist will be a bit jarring for the OP, they'll feel really clunky and slow edge to edge. Modern carving skis will also be pretty foreign feeling.

Very good. I want no part of slow edge to edge. I’ve been there and the skies didn’t stay on long. But I gotta ask: does OP stand for “old person”? If yes, you made my wife’s day. She is laughing her butt off over here. . Rick
 
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Jim McDonald

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Original Poster. You might qualify as an older person on PugSki, but unlikely you're the oldest here.
 
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spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Portage MI
So I have been diligently going thru each recommendation all of you have given me. Question: I.see that Andy has tested the Atomic Vantage 82 TI. Seems it isn’t a dedicated carver but still carves easily, meets the specs you all have suggested and holds edge when you open up/take a break from the short radius turns. Is this one I should consider or not so much? Rhanks, Rick
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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Team Gathermeister
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We can't tell you which model you'll like. What we're doing here is helping you narrow it down to a category. Find an on-mountain shop you like, that offers swappable performance demos. Spend a day or two trying skis in the ~80mm range.

Meanwhile @Mike Thomas has done a good job of reading between the lines of your original post. He's a shop guy and straight shooter.
 

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
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Great White North (Eastern side currently)
I"m firmly in the at least two pair ski quiver camp, especially if your home base has hard snow. Alberta/BC and similar areas stateside you could get by with an 80 cm to 100 cm ski, although you would be missing out on some of the joy you could get by pushing a high performance ski on groomers (and probably miss out a bit at the other end too).

For your hard pack ski for smallish hills, look for 70 ish mm waist, 13 m to 15 m radius and depending on skill soft to stiff. Some contenders: Head V8, Supershape Magnum, i. Speed, Fischer Curve booster on the shorter range in length, Fischer WC RC4 SC, Blizzard SRC, Stockly SC or SL. any FIS SL.

I'm still deciding on the best deep snow ski: Blizzard Bonafide, Volkl 100-eight, Fischer Ranger FR, K2 Mindbender all come to mind. The Mindbender is intriguing, it seems like the mullet of skis, all business in the front and party in the back. The thing I've read about the Mindbender is that the front initiates a good turn for carving on groomers, but the tail releases easily for fun in the trees. I'm not sure I would like not having a stiff tail to finish my hard carved turns with.
 

Pasha

i hiked the ridge... twice...
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Feb 11, 2019
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843
Location
New Mexico
Why not something similar to C9 from the current Atomic line up? Like Redsters X7, X5, or S series if you are an advanced skier.

here is a pair on Evo on crazy sale:

 
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spartyfan

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Posts
7
Location
Portage MI
We can't tell you which model you'll like. What we're doing here is helping you narrow it down to a category. Find an on-mountain shop you like, that offers swappable performance demos. Spend a day or two trying skis in the ~80mm range.

Meanwhile @Mike Thomas has done a good job of reading between the lines of your original post. He's a shop guy and straight shooter.

Yep. I’ve been thru this process many times before. You cannot “tell” someone what ski to go with nor would a good skier want you to. Understand fully what is being given to me and it is appreciated. Mike did indeed provide invaluable input. The specifications along with the many examples will allow me to find what I am looking for. Rick
 

GB_Ski

Out on the slopes
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Jan 29, 2019
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771
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NYC
I"m firmly in the at least two pair ski quiver camp, especially if your home base has hard snow. Alberta/BC and similar areas stateside you could get by with an 80 cm to 100 cm ski, although you would be missing out on some of the joy you could get by pushing a high performance ski on groomers (and probably miss out a bit at the other end too).

For your hard pack ski for smallish hills, look for 70 ish mm waist, 13 m to 15 m radius and depending on skill soft to stiff. Some contenders: Head V8, Supershape Magnum, i. Speed, Fischer Curve booster on the shorter range in length, Fischer WC RC4 SC, Blizzard SRC, Stockly SC or SL. any FIS SL.

I'm still deciding on the best deep snow ski: Blizzard Bonafide, Volkl 100-eight, Fischer Ranger FR, K2 Mindbender all come to mind. The Mindbender is intriguing, it seems like the mullet of skis, all business in the front and party in the back. The thing I've read about the Mindbender is that the front initiates a good turn for carving on groomers, but the tail releases easily for fun in the trees. I'm not sure I would like not having a stiff tail to finish my hard carved turns with.

What's your hard pack ski?
 

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