OT: Alpine Boards for a Tele skier Advice

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1805 Posts XTreme Poster

I am doing about 90% alpine turns on my tele's now, and after 26 years of tele am starting to just want to lock down. Looking for a true all mountain ski that carves, but is good in crud and powder--I mean resort powder, not the bottomless stuff in the movies.

6'3" 195 lbs, good skier, though not racer trained. I can carve, though.

Thinking Volkl AC50 in 177, but they are kinda spendy. At least on tele boards/bindings, I found that anything more than about 85mm under foot really does not carve very well.

Thoughts

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4907 Posts Portland Unstrapped

been super-happy with these - mostly backcountry or snowkiting these days...

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-Havoc-Skis-08-09/dp/B0017V0SPI

Hein · Since 08 Mar 2005 1313 Posts Possessed

I've got some Rossignol Scratch Steeze 172 skis for sale. Got Freerides on them so you can hike/snowkite. They're a little too stiff for me but a short fat ski is super fun for carving the groom and making short turns in the trees where the best powder is.

Pepi · Thu Mar 18, 10 7:23 am

Eric :

If you want to try some demos, we have a full demo fleet of skis, but they are primarily over 90mm in width.

You might want to give the over 90mm skis another try. Wide still carves pretty damn well as long as the ski has a proper sidecut and flex pattern.
The Volkl you are looking at is more of a carving-allmountain ski that might have you wanting to spend more of your time on the groomers instead of cutting over into the woods and powder.

Hein's skis are very nice. I still have this exact set up in a 186 version as my 'go to' randonee set up (and those are my narrowest skis at 110mm underfoot).

Just a thought to consider on wider skis. Doesn't hurt to demo, but for cascade concrete conditions, make sure the ski has either a proper sidecut of between 18-22m radius and has a good tip/tail flex, with not too much flex in the mid-section.

windpig · Since 28 Aug 2008 261 Posts Obsessed

definitely consider wider skis. Demo is always a good idea. Being a bigger guy myself, I have had really good luck with Nordica and Volkl. Wood+metal= good. I have the Nordica Hellcat and they rip. A little heavy but incredible. Honestly anything in the last couple of years is pretty good (as long as your in the higher performance categorie). I would hit Pepi up on some of those demos.

Cap · Since 12 Mar 2008 50 Posts Hood River

You would not go wrong with AC 50's if you can even find any. Most stores sold out. I have the 184's. I'm 6'1" and 200 lbs and as an ex DH racer like to go real fast and they can do that but turn like a Porsche. I just got back from some high speed cruising at Meadows today. Not many people and the ski patrol was all at the BorderCross event so it was great. They allow me to turn better in the trees than my Sandstorms do, that are my POW skis but I'll even use them for POW that's not too deep. They were great coming off the top of Super Bowl last week too. Ask Boardin' Bob or Hein how they look from behind because that's all they ever get to see. Oh, and they were great snowkiting too!

LP · Since 05 Apr 2007 115 Posts HR Stoked

Eric, I echo what pepi said about wider skis, esp if you are locking the heel. I ski about 50-60 days/yr and I haven't skied on less than 100 mm underfoot in about 8 years, in all conditions, and somehow still manages to carve trenches on hard groomers at 50 mph. My current everyday planks are 105 underfoot and my pow skis are 120 mm with tip rocker. Wider skis are exponentially better than a ski like the AC50 in soft snow, crud, mank, cascade concrete, etc. and only slightly worse on hard snow--so from a cost/benefit perspective, wider is almost always better, unless you're in the gates.
I find most peoples' reasons for shying away from the wider skis are unfounded. Things have changed a lot since the first fatties came out more than 15 years ago.
pepi has some great skis in his shop, you should try em out.
With your size, you def want a ski 180 cm or over.
Some suggestions:
Volkl Gotama or Mantra
Head Monster--pick your width
K2 Coomba
pm gear--one of the bro models
Dynastar--one of the legend models
rossignol sc97
But really there are so many awesome skis out there, it's a great time to be a skier!

mschulz · Since 29 May 2007 530 Posts Reno, NV Addicted

My $.02.

For the average skier I would go with Pepi's advice. If you are a really good skier, and you plan to use these skis in 24" of POW or less, go with the AC50. They will eat up the crud, rip on hard pack groomers and hold an edge much better than a wide ski. Then use a wide ski for those 24 and over days.

If you want to relax and you are not going to rip on the hard pack, the fatties are nice and forgiving and you don't have to work so hard. Bumps on anything over 100 in the waist, suck ass, doable, but suck ass.

eric · Since 13 Jan 2006 1805 Posts XTreme Poster

for reference, I am currently on 107--70--102 and they carve really well, even with Tele binders. The 118--88-112 I tried were soft, but felt like they took foreveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer to go from rail to rail. So, compared to 70, anything in the 80's is "wide" for me.

LP · Since 05 Apr 2007 115 Posts HR Stoked

With a wider ski, the correct shape for your style of skiing is important, as pepi pointed out.
I prefer a 30 m turn radius, but that's just my style of skiing. Sounds like you'd like a little more shape to your skis than that.
A lot of it is what you're used to. At first a wider ski may feel a little slow edge to edge.
But with a good wide stance, good angulation, and tipping the ski on edge a little more than you're used to and soon a 90+mm ski will feel normal on harder snow. And you will absolutely kill it in the pow.

bulae99 · Since 12 Jul 2006 1691 Posts I give out bad advice.

He Eric,
Tele boards tele boards tele me banana!!!

I just got a set of 2007/8 new Kongars with the stilleto 500 ron-da-nay binding!!! Shweeeeet boards.

These were recommended to me by a friend who tele's down anything in any conditions. The beauty of these ski's are that they are light, very light and very stiff with a sharp tuned edge.

I bought mine from telemarkdown.com, and they were really helpful and gave me a free pair of 3m skin's!!!

The stilleto binding accepts any boot, and instantly adjust to any rider. They are still and great for tele turns, and have an elevated heel at high and medium setting for up hill long ass climbs.

If you wanna look at mine pm me as I'm going to be on em this weekend.

TheKerrKid · Since 02 Jul 2009 226 Posts Stoked

Line. Sir Francis Bacon. Don't let the width fool you they rip all over the mountian, my dad just recently swithched over too them they take a few hours to get used to but once you get the feel for them there amazing all over. You sjould hit up pepi he might have them to demo.

rorzeck · Since 26 Sep 2006 36 Posts

First, there are lots of great skis out there that may fit the bill for you. I am old ski racer who appreciates carving. I ski mostly in Montana 1/2 inbounds, 1/2 out 80 days/yr. I am the kinda guy who wants one ski that does it all, powder, steeps, wind crud, groomers, etc.. I have tried lots of skis, but the one that stands out above the others is made right here in the U.S.A by Voile in Salt Lake City. They make several great models all of which I have skied and the one that best meets your needs is the Insane. The ski is extremely light, very wide, super tough, but what is best about the ski is that it has lots of side cut. You can rip crazy up the hill carving turns with ease. I presume you are going to use an Alpine Touring binding, like a Fritchee, which if you do, keeps the setup light and the flex of the binding works perfectly with the ski. Not sure what boot you are considering, but whatever you do, try to match you ski flex with you boot stiffness along with your binding so that one does not overpower the other. A good mid-stiff A/T boot like a Garmont Adrenalin is perfect.

In a nut shell, for carving turns, the width of a ski under foot is somewhat irrelevant, no matter what brand you go with. The radius that the ski has way more to do with how a ski will carve. Having width and side cut allows you to have it all. Check out the skis from Voile, especially the Insane. It sounds like it would be a great ski for you. They mostly sell direct, although they are available in some shops, and there prices are amazingly fair.

Good Luck

pdxmonkeyboy · Sat Mar 27, 10 4:46 pm

This link has all the info you need on tele skis...

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/5987841/

windslayer · Since 30 Apr 2007 153 Posts Stoked

The AC50 is a great ski....may b just a little bit more stiff than might wan and not fat enough under foot. The Volkl Mantra is the perfect stiffness and width. You mentioned that it is too hard to turn....lay it over.....the Mantra is a soft enough ski to help do the work for you AND it is superior in the crap, bumps, pow, trees etc. I have owned several pair. You want an even more epic ride,,,,check out the VOLKL KURO. F*#king insaine! Its practically my everyday ski!!

GorgeKite.com · Since 17 Mar 2008 225 Posts Hood River Stoked

I will second that the Volkl Mantra is one of the best skis ever made. I have owned a couple of pairs and have no complaints. Stick with the Volkl family of skis they make the best skis in the world.

lance_k · Since 04 May 2005 561 Posts Hood River Photographer

my 2 cents
1) armada jj.

2) rossignol system s7