“What’s the best ski?” Hoping this hasn't turned into a TLDR missive, but trying to provide the info suggested by the posts on ski fitting from Phil and Tricia.
INTRO: Returning to skiing after a short ~28 year hiatus.
Five days last season and three so far this year, all on rentals. Sufficiently re-sparked the urge and now I’m ready to purchase new gear.
I had some struggles with the rental boots, so the first order of business was new boots. I was fit into the Salomon X-PRO X90. Check. Now with a well-fitting and consistent base, I’m ready to try some demo skis. Looking for some suggestions as to what to target.
GOAL: A single pair of skis for mostly on piste, but versatile enough for the powder days and other conditions. Will ski maybe 8-12 days per season.
PHYSICAL: 64 years old; 6’0”; 180 lbs. Slightly built, moderately athletic. Over the last two years have rededicated myself to achieving better fitness levels with workouts, yoga, bicycling, hiking, walking golf, etc. I was encouraged by my recent ski days, other than the boot issues, good stamina and no altitude problems.
SKILL LEVEL: My previous ski experience was so long ago I’m not sure it’s worth mentioning. At best, I would have considered myself an advanced intermediate. Now, after 8 days of skiing, I can say I’ve pretty much returned to form although a bit more cautious perhaps as I regain confidence, and… with age comes wisdom as they say.
Going by the typical level 1-9 ability chart, I would put myself solidly a 6, with one foot into 7.
As an added bit of info, I took my first ever lesson this season. I just wanted an instructor to evaluate and improve my basic technique. My style was a very upright, feet-together parallel style learned a long time ago on much different equipment. My lesson encouraged me to adopt a bit more of an “athletic” stance, quiet my upper body and use the lower body to edge the skis into the turn. I guess I never developed this skill but within an hour, I was comfortably making wide and short radius carved turns and by the afternoon, I was really able to feel and smoothly transition between turns. I was encouraged to realize how economical in terms of energy use this technique uses. Easy to see that improving this skill will lead to greater stamina and less fatigue.
WHERE & WHAT DO I SKI: Live in Arizona and ski the mountain west. The local slopes in AZ and four-corners (Purgatory/Telluride) for long weekends. Exploring destination resorts for longer trips (Utah, Colorado, etc.)
Most comfortable on the corduroy, and confident on any groomed run including black level. I skied Regulator at Snowbird last year on the 5th day of my return. I can ski powder covered and cut-up groomers. I don’t much like bumps, never learned the technique. Small bumps like what appear end of the day on blue runs, no problem, but black mogul runs are avoided.
I hope to improve, but at this age, I don’t see myself ever dropping into chutes or diving into the trees. Just want to have a ski I can enjoy mostly groomers but versatile to be effective in changing conditions and the occasional off-piste foray.
Research leads me to consider the “all mountain” ski, ~175cm length, perhaps 90-95 mm waist. (?)
Oh yeah, the two skis I’ve tried so far, 2017 Atomic Vantage 90 @169cm (last year Park City/Brighton/Solitude/Snowbird) and this year 2016 Nordica eNRGY 80 @ 169cm (Purgatory). No problems with either.
Thanks in advance!
Tom
INTRO: Returning to skiing after a short ~28 year hiatus.
Five days last season and three so far this year, all on rentals. Sufficiently re-sparked the urge and now I’m ready to purchase new gear.I had some struggles with the rental boots, so the first order of business was new boots. I was fit into the Salomon X-PRO X90. Check. Now with a well-fitting and consistent base, I’m ready to try some demo skis. Looking for some suggestions as to what to target.
GOAL: A single pair of skis for mostly on piste, but versatile enough for the powder days and other conditions. Will ski maybe 8-12 days per season.
PHYSICAL: 64 years old; 6’0”; 180 lbs. Slightly built, moderately athletic. Over the last two years have rededicated myself to achieving better fitness levels with workouts, yoga, bicycling, hiking, walking golf, etc. I was encouraged by my recent ski days, other than the boot issues, good stamina and no altitude problems.
SKILL LEVEL: My previous ski experience was so long ago I’m not sure it’s worth mentioning. At best, I would have considered myself an advanced intermediate. Now, after 8 days of skiing, I can say I’ve pretty much returned to form although a bit more cautious perhaps as I regain confidence, and… with age comes wisdom as they say.
Going by the typical level 1-9 ability chart, I would put myself solidly a 6, with one foot into 7.
As an added bit of info, I took my first ever lesson this season. I just wanted an instructor to evaluate and improve my basic technique. My style was a very upright, feet-together parallel style learned a long time ago on much different equipment. My lesson encouraged me to adopt a bit more of an “athletic” stance, quiet my upper body and use the lower body to edge the skis into the turn. I guess I never developed this skill but within an hour, I was comfortably making wide and short radius carved turns and by the afternoon, I was really able to feel and smoothly transition between turns. I was encouraged to realize how economical in terms of energy use this technique uses. Easy to see that improving this skill will lead to greater stamina and less fatigue.
WHERE & WHAT DO I SKI: Live in Arizona and ski the mountain west. The local slopes in AZ and four-corners (Purgatory/Telluride) for long weekends. Exploring destination resorts for longer trips (Utah, Colorado, etc.)
Most comfortable on the corduroy, and confident on any groomed run including black level. I skied Regulator at Snowbird last year on the 5th day of my return. I can ski powder covered and cut-up groomers. I don’t much like bumps, never learned the technique. Small bumps like what appear end of the day on blue runs, no problem, but black mogul runs are avoided.
I hope to improve, but at this age, I don’t see myself ever dropping into chutes or diving into the trees. Just want to have a ski I can enjoy mostly groomers but versatile to be effective in changing conditions and the occasional off-piste foray.
Research leads me to consider the “all mountain” ski, ~175cm length, perhaps 90-95 mm waist. (?)
Oh yeah, the two skis I’ve tried so far, 2017 Atomic Vantage 90 @169cm (last year Park City/Brighton/Solitude/Snowbird) and this year 2016 Nordica eNRGY 80 @ 169cm (Purgatory). No problems with either.
Thanks in advance!
Tom
Like I said, not a great selection of demo skis here in Phoenix. 
