What skis do the pros use???

[VAski]

Thought it might be interesting to compile a list... Would love to know the make, model, length and skier info (height, weight), but that might be a tough one. If it's a racer, I'd rather know what they use to freeski. I'm sure they have quivers that would make you shiver, but how about the skis that they're seen on. What about the demo team guys???

Anyone got any insider info??

What are they skiing??

Jonathan Ballou -- Blizzard WRC - 182cm (from a 2015 video)
JF Beaulieu -- Rossignol Hero Master? - ?cm (from a 2015 video)

 

[Monique]

You know they're skiing what their sponsors give 'em, right?

It's marketing - and it obviously works

 

[Philpug]

You know they're skiing what their sponsors give 'em, right?

It's marketing - and it obviously works

True, but what ski in the line do they choose to ski? But frankly, these guys and gals could ski on warped 2x4's and make it look easy.

 

[crgildart]

The top pros are skiing Prototypes. See what I did there??

 

[Monique]

True, but what ski in the line do they choose to ski? But frankly, these guys and gals could ski on warped 2x4's and make it look easy.

Agreed 100% on both counts. There's some element of preference, for sure, but they're also good enough to adapt.

 

[Monique]

@VAski , you might try to find someone who's a similar build and ski style to you. Obviously they'll be skiing at a different level, but ...

I have two fave instructors at Breck who both used to compete in big mountain events. One of them is male, tall, lanky, and likes to make about two turns down the entirety of Horseshoe Bowl. His preferred turning radius is "as big as possible." He skis Faction. The other is female like me, similar height, build, and makes what I'd consider to be a normal number of turns down the hill. She skis Liberty.

Both of them are better skiers than I hope to be any time soon, but I'm way more likely to try her Variant 113s than his Factions (I can't figure out from the site which one he's on - it's red).

 

[VAski]

@VAski , you might try to find someone who's a similar build and ski style to you. Obviously they'll be skiing at a different level, but ...

I see what you're getting at. I'm not going to purchase what they're skiing. I'm just curious as to what they're on. If JF had the whole Rossi lineup to choose from, I find it interesting he chose the hero master (or at least I think he chose?). A few years ago he was on the non-master hero. Is that the marketing department telling him what to ski, or is that him liking the master better?

 

[cantunamunch]

@VAski , you might try to find someone who's a similar build and ski style to you. Obviously they'll be skiing at a different level, but ...

I think the intent of the thread is more in the spotting and recognising and possibly interpreting why, rather than copying.

Both of them are better skiers than I hope to be any time soon, but I'm way more likely to try her Variant 113s than his Factions (I can't figure out from the site which one he's on - it's red).

Candide 1.0?

 

[Monique]

Candide 1.0?

It doesn't match the graphics of anything on the site right now. Very understated muted dark red (blood red?) with no obvious graphics. Maybe a prototype? Maybe a previous season?

I see what you're getting at. I'm not going to purchase what they're skiing. I'm just curious as to what they're on. If JF had the whole Rossi lineup to choose from, I find it interesting he chose the hero master (or at least I think he chose?). A few years ago he was on the non-master hero. Is that the marketing department telling him what to ski, or is that him liking the master better?

Gotcha. Yeah, I wonder if they get to choose even within the lineup, or if they're just handed a pair of skis. I could see it going either way, and in fact it might differ from brand to brand?

 

[VAski]

Adding on...


Jonathan Ballou -- Blizzard WRC - 182cm (from a 2015 video)
JF Beaulieu -- Rossignol Hero Master? - ?cm (from a 2015 video)
Eric Lipton -- Head Supershape??? - ?cm (from a 2013 video)
Michael Rogan -- Nordica??? Looks like a proto ski from a Portillo video 2013

 

[VAski]

Jonathan Ballou -- Blizzard WRC - 182cm (from a 2015 video)
JF Beaulieu -- Rossignol Hero Master? - ?cm (from a 2015 video)
Eric Lipton -- Head Supershape??? - ?cm (from a 2013 video)
Michael Rogan -- Nordica??? Looks like a proto ski from a Portillo video 2013
Robin Barnes -- Head Super Joy - 2015 video

 

[cantunamunch]

It doesn't match the graphics of anything on the site right now. Very understated muted dark red (blood red?) with no obvious graphics. Maybe a prototype? Maybe a previous season?

2015 Candide 4.0?

http://www.leftlanesports.com/mobile/product.aspx?l=00051196041807300000&p=FCT01230

pretty ski btw, though I prefer(red) Electra bases. I've only been on various flavours of Agents, I wonder if that is less...nervous feeling... than those were.

 

[VAski]

Jonathan Ballou -- Blizzard WRC - 182cm (from a 2015 video)
JF Beaulieu -- Rossignol Hero Master? - ?cm (from a 2015 video)
Eric Lipton -- Head Supershape??? - ?cm (from a 2013 video)
Michael Rogan -- Nordica??? Looks like a proto ski from a Portillo video 2013
Robin Barnes -- Head Super Joy - 2015 video
Jebb Boyd -- Dynastar Power Track 89 - Snowbird 2015

 

[VAski]

Jonathan Ballou -- Blizzard WRC - 182cm (from a 2015 video)
JF Beaulieu -- Rossignol Hero Master? - ?cm (from a 2015 video)
Eric Lipton -- Head Supershape??? - ?cm (from a 2013 video)
Michael Rogan -- Nordica??? Looks like a proto ski from a Portillo video 2013
Robin Barnes -- Head Super Joy - 2015 video
Jebb Boyd -- Dynastar Power Track 89 - Snowbird 2015
Mike Hafer -- Blizzard Spur ??? - Snowbird 2015

 

[VAski]

Jonathan Ballou -- Blizzard WRC - 182cm (from a 2015 video)
JF Beaulieu -- Rossignol Hero Master? - ?cm (from a 2015 video)
Eric Lipton -- Head Supershape??? - ?cm (from a 2013 video)
Michael Rogan -- Nordica??? Looks like a proto ski from a Portillo video 2013
Robin Barnes -- Head Super Joy - 2015 video
-- Head Rally - Snowbird 2015 (Interski training)
Jebb Boyd -- Dynastar Power Track 89 - Snowbird 2015 (Interski training)
Mike Hafer -- Blizzard Spur ??? - Snowbird 2015 (Interski training)

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Gotcha. Yeah, I wonder if they get to choose even within the lineup, or if they're just handed a pair of skis. I could see it going either way, and in fact it might differ from brand to brand?

They do get to choose for sure and they'll have a quiver. I've skied with Matt Boyd a bunch of times this year and he's been on anything from a 30m WC ski to the RTM84 (which I think he used at tryouts this week).

 

[Monique]

2015 Candide 4.0?

http://www.leftlanesports.com/mobile/product.aspx?l=00051196041807300000&p=FCT01230

pretty ski btw, though I prefer(red) Electra bases. I've only been on various flavours of Agents, I wonder if that is less...nervous feeling... than those were.

Yeah, that's probably it! He skis it pretty much every day.

 

[crgildart]

It's not like these pros use only ONE pair of skis. Most of them have not only a giant quiver of different model and length options but racers will have a half dozen different pairs of the same model and length in different stiffness and different edge bevel options available (again, likely prototypes, not off the shelf models), perhaps even changing between runs.

 

[VAski]

They do get to choose for sure and they'll have a quiver. I've skied with Matt Boyd a bunch of times this year and he's been on anything from a 30m WC ski to the RTM84 (which I think he used at tryouts this week).

Not surprised about the Volkl skis. He's was wearing Volkl swag at a interski conference. That being said, I've seen him on Dynastars over the span of several years. Maybe Volkl has been a recent move...

 

[Tricia]

I'd bet Chris Davenport is on a Kastle of some kind.