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Twelveish

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Hello – I’ve decided to post up my dilemma after searching a fair bit through the site and reviews. I find the incredible variety of ski choices at the moment difficult to navigate so hoping for some steer.

I’m 47, 5’11 175. Grew up skiing, quit around 25 and got back into it 6 or so years ago to teach my kids and get the family into it. I live in upstate NY, mostly ski in the east but will be making one or two trips out west a year. Next planned trip is Deer Valley in February for the family’s first western experience. Boys are 8 and 11 at the moment so every trip includes some time skiing with them and some by myself.

When I got back into skiing 6 years ago I did a bunch of research online and in the forums and bought Fischer Motive 80s, I believe the 2011/2012 vintage – 168 length. They have been a great ski to re-learn on, and I am happy to keep them for crusty/groomed days out here and skiing with the family. I wish I had bought a size up but no big complaints.

That said, I don’t enjoy the groomed high speed carving as much as varied terrain, trees, etc. I’d say I’m a high intermediate skier, I care about improving and would like a ski that helps me do that. I’d like a ski that I would use out west as an all mountain, varied terrain ski and might stay on the rack most days out east.

So, thoughts? Enforcer 93? Stay with Fischer for Pro Mtn? DPS? I have no idea!
 

Philpug

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Wallet open? You will fit riiiight in here. I am tied up but will be back later with some suggestions. In the meantime some others might chime in.
 

Ken_R

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Ok, Wallet Open? Humm... Stockli Stormrider 95 or the Kastle MX89...
 

Tricia

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Lots of skis come to mind when talking about the sweet spot you're looking for.
DPS Cassiar 95 Foundation - Damp, with rocker, stable and playful
Dynastar Legend 96 - lively, rocker in the tip, nimble, playful
Liberty VMT 92 - smooth, quick turn initiation, stable and solid.

That's just the beginning....
Now, get one of these while we come up with more ideas. :rocks:
 

FairToMiddlin

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Hi.

Your history and recent return to the sport are super helpful, thanks for being frank.

I am a huge fan of the Motive series, now defunct. I would recommend you seek out the Motive 95 180, but that is hard to find now. In the absence of that, I would say that the successor to the Motive, the Fischer Pro MTN is a LOT of ski, and not particularly fun for A) with the kiddies, or B) with the trees you like to divert to. As well, the Kore 93 is stiff for its weight (not a bad thing, but not to be taken lightly, pardon the unintentional pun), and the Enforcer 93 is also a serious stick.

So, That leaves us with a few others, since we are all playing with your credit card. I would eliminate the Kastle MX89 (also a frowny ski) and Navis (not resort-y enough), and the SR95 (I own the thing, and it's not all that friendly, but great in the right hands), but I strongly recommend the Blizz Rustler 9 180cm, and the Liberty VMT92 179cm. I would look at the Black Crows Orb as an also-ran, but not before the previous two.

the Rustler 9 and the VMT 92 are exciting on the groomers, friendly at low speeds, and stellar in pow (particularly the 9) and trees. How can we help you focus more tightly on what you are looking for?
 
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Twelveish

Twelveish

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Thanks for all the replies so far and concern for my wallet. You asked me to narrow down what I am looking for so we can be more precise, and I think this sums it up great:

the Rustler 9 and the VMT 92 are exciting on the groomers, friendly at low speeds, and stellar in pow (particularly the 9) and trees.

Part of the problem is I don't know all the terms you kids are using these days. But it seems likely that this next ski for me should be a bridge from the carving that my Motives are good at to the trees, bumps, powder, etc. I get the feeling from all the reviews out there that there is a category of skis that do this well and the Rustler and VMT 92 seem to be that. A ski that I might use a few times a year out east but will be an all mountain blast out west and let me explore all over, get myself into trouble and not feel like I'm totally missing out if I catch a powder day.

One thing I didn't mention is that I demoed the Soul 7 a few weeks ago and couldn't make any sense of them at all. It was a terrible day for them no doubt - crusty, icy and hardpack junk. I'm sure there are conditions where those skis excel. I haven't had time to demo anything else recently which is why I'm looking for help focusing the search.

And since we're friends now I'm also a completely unreasonable judgmental snob when it comes to ski gear, guitars, etc just FYI ogsmile
 

Lorenzzo

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fullsizeoutput_3fa.jpeg



I really don't care about our wallets.

The Enforcer 93 is nice too just not telepathic.
 

Marker

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Watch out, expert skiers recommend expert skis, while Phil and Tricia recommend the right skis for your level.

+1 on the Dynastar Legend 96, this is what I'd be buying if I needed an all mtn western ski.
 

Andy Mink

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Both the Legend 96 and Foundation Cassiar 94 (the 95 may still be available as NOS, but the 94 is a bit better) are fun, capable skis in mixed terrain. The 96 has a smaller radius and carves better than its shovel and profile would suggest.
 

Tom K.

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Enforcer 100? New K2 Mindbenders?

Note: Deer Valley makes it very easy to open your wallet and demo a variety of skis, in the same day, on the same run if you choose.

Have lunch at Stein's one day. Stupid expensive, stupid good.
 

tromano

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Part of the problem is I don't know all the terms you kids are using these days. But it seems likely that this next ski for me should be a bridge from the carving that my Motives are good at to the trees, bumps, powder, etc. I get the feeling from all the reviews out there that there is a category of skis that do this well and the Rustler and VMT 92 seem to be that. A ski that I might use a few times a year out east but will be an all mountain blast out west and let me explore all over, get myself into trouble and not feel like I'm totally missing out if I catch a powder day.

Mogul skiing reference look at page 1 of this thread https://www.pugski.com/threads/recreational-sustainable-mogul-style.13578/

Any ski in the discussion (including the skis you already have) can be just dandy for skiing moguls like the videos you see on page 1 of that thread --- if the right skier is clicked in to them. The question that people in that thread are asking is: How do I learn to ski moguls that way? They are not asking -- What skis do I buy to ski like that?

Powder or trees same thing, if you are balanced and bending the skis, any am ski will have a surprisingly decent amount of float in pow and be useful in nicely spaced trees.

Were I you, I would definitely get skis that are on the user friendly, softer and easier to bend side of things. Which I think @FairToMiddlin and @Andy Mink are proposing. Just don't expect you can buy a turn and become a better skier in these types of terrain until you have the right mix of skills, well fitting boots, and a capable AM ski.
 
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Coach13

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If you like the Motives I think you’re on the right track with either the Pro Mountains or the Dynastar Legends. Light and lively with lots of energy. Great, versatile skis imo. Beyond that there are a ton of great skis in that series across all brands. I tend to continue to ski what I’ve liked in the past though.
 

Ron

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the Rustler 9 and the VMT 92 are exciting on the groomers, friendly at low speeds, and stellar in pow (particularly the 9) and trees. How can we help you focus more tightly on what you are looking for?

I will whole hardheartedly recommend the Liberty V92. Its a ski that is so friendly and still can perform at a very high level. Very forgiving and easy. I ski this in anything up to 8" or so. throw a 1:3 for even more grip and its good down to hardpack. Love these in bumps and crud too. the 179 (which I ski) has a 17.5 m tr and can be arced inside that while the soft tips (at very end) absorb energy extremely well. Underfoot is stiff (which provides stability) but the tails flex without being soft. Very little rocker on this ski and its fairly damp with ample camber for energy. Liberty is building skis that defy the old rules of damp=quiet and boring, The Origin series and the VMT series (even more so) are quiet and damp yet lively and energetic without being nervous.

https://www.pugski.com/threads/long-term-review-liberty-v92.12820/

BTW- Experts/testers here recommend ski's that will fit the Members requests not just our personal preferences.

on a side note: look for a new flock of ski's in 2020 that are dishing out high performance but are much more easy to ski..
 
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Viking9

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Deer Valley is a Rossignol mountain, just go to the demo center try a couple of them ,you will make some great turns , the smile will return to your face and you will wonder why you didn’t do this sooner.
 
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Twelveish

Twelveish

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Thanks all, lots of progress!

Tromano, I agree with what you said and I'm not trying to strap on a new set of skills. Although, I will say that after 15 years off from skiing my first run on the Motives was a totally new world compared to the skis I grew up on. So this new equipment does open up new opportunities for skiers like me. And I'm set with boots, just upgraded from the boots I bought with the Motives and feel very good about that.

So far sounds like I need to find a set of Legends and V92s to demo. I'm curious about the Cassiar as well.
 

Ron

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if you have the time, demo several to see what fits your preferences best. I would certainly Put a Stockli SR88 on the list too. Then there's the Head 83, Head V10, Head Kore 93, Rossi 84, Head monster 88 (not the easiest of ski) Nordi 93, Nordi 88, Fischer ProMtn 86 and I could list another 8 :).


What we didn't discuss is what do you like in a ski? damp, stable, energetic, quickness, etc.
 

FairToMiddlin

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Part of the problem is I don't know all the terms you kids are using these days. But it seems likely that this next ski for me should be a bridge from the carving that my Motives are good at to the trees, bumps, powder, etc. I get the feeling from all the reviews out there that there is a category of skis that do this well and the Rustler and VMT 92 seem to be that. A ski that I might use a few times a year out east but will be an all mountain blast out west and let me explore all over, get myself into trouble and not feel like I'm totally missing out if I catch a powder day.

As far as a lexicon of terms, most of us would rate a ski (regardless of its category, be it dedicated carver, all-mountain, powder, or whatever) on a scale that has at one end 'playful' (or a synonym therein), which defines a ski's willingness to change direction, or a general ease with which we can tell the ski what we want done. The more playful a ski is, the closer it comes to reacting to our inputs at the speed of thought.

On the other end of the scale is 'power'. This attribute affects a ski's ability to hold on firm snow, or remain (relatively) unaffected by snow that less than 'perfect' (basically anything that lies between immaculate nonrefrozen grooming, and untracked powder). The more power a ski has, the more stability it can offer in variable snow, but often at the cost of being less playful.

Just like a guitar, the types of materials used, how they are used, and the shape they end up creating has an effect where on the playful/power scale a ski ends up. Some skis manage the blend of the two attributes in a pleasing way for Skier X, but not Skier Y. Then there are skis (again, like guitars), that are so well constructed, they seemingly give you everything; more than enough power, but the power doesn't take a lot of effort to access, so it is playful as well.

The above might end up in an unfortunate threadjacking, but I suspect that even as folks disagree, we'll be arguing over the same coin, just different sides.


View attachment 63300


I really don't care about our wallets.

Speaking of well-made skis that manage playful/power scale, Lorenzzo pretty much just dropped the mic, in the all mountain world; if money is no object, and you want the best combination of capability, and the ease with which you can access it, look no further than the current Stormrider 88. You will give up float in powder compared to, say, the Rustler 9, but it is a ski that you will enjoy now, and it will continue to inspire confidence as your skills expand. Telepathic, indeed.

Were I you, I would definitely get skis that are on the user friendly, softer and easier to bend side of things. Just don't expect you can buy a turn and become a better skier in these types of terrain until you have the right mix of skills, well fitting boots, and a capable AM ski.

This. As much as we love talking gear, particularly skis, the boots and the skills will ultimately have a greater influence on your enjoyment.
 
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