Skiing style and matching with a ski

[Skoot1123]

There are a number of different skis in the market and finding what works for you can be a daunting task. The purpose of this post is to drive discussion on what body type, style, and other factors go into the perfect match for you and a ski. For example my stats look like this: 5'9" usually 150 lbs. I don't consider myself an athlete as I don't posses near the abilities of most folks on here. Not sure how to characterize my skiing style but I try to be smooth, knowing that you also have to be aggressive to make turns when your running late.

 

What folks are suited for say a Goode, HO, Radar, Razor, others?

 

Trust this is beneficial!

[6balls]

Will be lots of opinions on this one...and I've got some...but would defer to @Horton who has skied so many different skis for the benefit of the rest of us. I do think certain skis support a wider variety of styles and/or ability levels. In some cases even though they work well for a less experience skier, they can go serious short-line. Other high end skis seem to work best for the high-end, technical skier and would be a little tougher to make work effectively if a skier was less technically correct.

[Skoot1123]

@6balls - that is exactly what I am looking for. I think a lot of others could benefit from this as well.

[Horton]

@Skoot1123

Lets forget about your genetics.

Tell me what you think your strengths and weakness are on the water. What do you do right and what do you do wrong? If you know this you can make the list of skis that should be good for you shorter. (in theory)

 

[gregy]

I typically don't have an issue getting into a stacked position. My problem is the turns. Seems like I can go through the course and have 6 different turns, especially when I'm not getting on the water regularly. I'm on a 2011 Strada. When I have consistant turns it works great. But when things start go bad it seems to really punish me. To far forward and out the front at the bouy. Get back no angle. I'm really wanting to try some different skis. I'm usually sking 15 and 22 off. 32 - 34 mph. I was getting mid way through 28off a few months ago but a few injuries slowed progress. 6'2" 190lb

 

Anybody have any suggestions on what I should try?

[Horton]

Well this is all a shot in the dark but D3 X7 would be my first guess. It is stable and calm. It will not hide your mistakes but it will not punish you as much.

 

Perhaps before you spend a grand or two on a ski you should get some pro coaching. That Strada is a good ski to start with.

[Ed_Johnson]

I would go with the D3 X7 or HO S2. Both are very forgiving skis, that will allow a wide range of techniques, and fully capable for short line passes.

[A_B]

I would agree that the Strada is not a scramblin' man's ski... at least compared to my 9500 or 9100.

[DanE]

To simplify things, trust @Horton!

Kidding aside, hes reviews is a good Place to start.

I 'm 6 ' 1. 185 lbs Skiing @34 Into 38 off and have been on a 2A 68 " Razor last couple of seasons.

Got it because I wanted a "fast " ski after I slowed down from 36 mph.

In many aspects it 's been great, it is a ski that can be skied patiently if you 're a tecnically sound skier but it is also very easy to ski agressively , the ski is so Quick and nimble it pretty much does what you Tell it to Do.

My strength as a skier is body position crossing the wakes, and one of my weaknesses is impatience in the turns.

Now, since this ski is so Quick it almost encourages my impatient turn style making matters worse.

Planning on trying a "slower " or more stable ski. ( allthough I would not call the Razor unstable just very Quick to react to skiers input)

So far I have tried the Jobe Rogue (actually own one that I got a good deal on) and it is extremely stable.

Requires more patient Skiing than the Razor but I felt good things practicing that and it May very well be the next ski for Me, the X7 is also on a short list of Skis I want to try.

What I 'm trying to say is if you've got a Good grasp of your Skiing the Razor is a great ski but it is easy to go a stray if not supervised (I seldom get Good coaching and it shows)

[gregy]

I actually emailed D3 last week about demoing a X7. I hadn't gotten a reply probably call them Monday. @DanE that strada seems similar to your razor, if I'm patient and take easy on the crossing passes can be easy. I'm often way early. Thinking about moving the fin back some see if it ease the overturning.

 

 

[BraceMaker]

I've been a big proponent of D3's products since going from my 9100 to a Nomad. I'm not a great skier, and the Nomad is very consistant. Now that I've had it for several years I will probably consider demoing an X7 and a Fusion during the next summer.

[Horton]

Nomad... Yes not bad. X7 or Fusion next level.

[BraceMaker]

@Horton - Better not be bad - It was purchased after reading the waterski mag ski tests of that year - so you know who'd be to blame if that review was biased.

[ToddL]

I've had some pretty successful scramble passes on my 2011 Strada... I gave my D3 RCX a spin a while back. It was so easy on the off side... It got me to recheck my fin on the Strada. I made a little tweak and the offside on it is better. Bottom line: 2011 Strada is a little faster, D3 RCX is a little more stable. I agree with Greg. X7 and Fusion are on the demo wish list for me, too.

[Horton]

@BraceMaker time marches on. Skis get better every season or two.

[BraceMaker]

That it does, and people put on weight... Time for a 67" me thinks.

[Wish]

I skied a bunch of skies last summer. Basically all the high end skies the local proshop had. Lesson learned was exactly what @Horton is eluding to...If you can figure out your strengths and weakness, you can shortn the list. Not knowing this at the time, I skied them all. Some skies did very well with my style and some seemed to hate me. I wanted the ones that hated me to work cause they were the big buzz at the time. So I would fin tinker and boot slide till I frustrated myself to no end. One of the funnest skies I rode and rode it into deep 38s (had easy 35s) was the HO CoXsl. This was a ski that I really didn't think would work. It wasn't the "high end" ski. Got talked into it at the proshop. It felt heavy, looked weird both top and bottom and had no riders that I knew. @Horton had his review but that was it. Loved that ski and really think I should have bought it. Ended up with the S2 because it seems to have a lot of characteristics of the skies I liked. The other lesson learned was if you have access to a good proshop with knowledgeable guys (skiers), they can most likely shorten that list as well based on your description of strengths and weaknesses.

[ThePantsManCan]

Sure is funny @Wish. I have found my way to the Co-Xsl as well. Partly because of Horton's review and partly because of when doing a search on BallOfSpray, all other information I could gather in regards to that ski was written by you! Crap, I also drive a Supra Comp. Thanks for your opinions on those boats as well!

[Wish]

@ThePantsManCan Your Welcome. Interesting name btw, any story behind that? You can never say crap and Supra Comp in the same sentence. ;-) It was a great boat and literally decades ahead of it's time in everyway (compare any '84 Supra ts6m with the big 3). Just poor management back then.

[ThePantsManCan]

Back on subject... Try a lot of skis. FUN! Do a demo program. Regardless, expect to pay for it. What is more expensive? $300 spent on skis you will never own? which is then applied to the final cost of the one you love the most? Or $1,200-$2,000 spent on a ski you realize is too much work or too big or too blah blah blah...?

[ThePantsManCan]

@Wish, you responded real fast and the first words of my next post Sounds ignorant now... Hah! Yeah I'll tell you what. Such a great boat and holy moly what a ski. Soooo easy on the body and I was very surprised how smooth the Co-Xsl was in rough water. It is going to eat at my brain all winter as I never got into the course with it. ( we pulled it a week before I got the ski) D'oh!

 

But for right now, I suppose I'll be busy enough battling with the IMPENDING DOOM that is Hurricane Sandy!

[ThePantsManCan]

@Wish, Oh and my name "ThePantsManCan" is just a take on a goofy thing my wife says about "RubberBandMan". Something like the "RubberBandManCan, wraps it up and makes the world taste good." I have no idea where she got it, but my cat's name is Pants. So.....

 

Maybe next year, It could be ThePantsManCanRun32Off!!!!!

[Dirt]

Try the A3. It will be very popular. I saw Terry Winter on one last week.

Our styles are opposite (he is super smooth with perfect body position) and we both like it.

[Skoot1123]

@horton - my strength seems to be the ability to get open, though I strayed from it this past season, and the results were that I got a LOT more consistent. I guess it would help if I posted some video. I tend to look at my skiing and see where my mistakes are: flatten ski to quick, need to keep the handle down longer, stop moving the upper body, etc. I have had a good amount (IMHO) of coaching, and am planning on getting some more from The Wilson Bro's this December. I wouldn't say I'm super smooth since I move around on the ski a lot, but I can scrap it out. That fine line between aggressive and smooth is what I shoot for, though it probably tends to be more apprehensive. Don't know if that helps. I like what @dirt said about the A3. I'm sure I could demo one at the closest pro/shop, in the spring. Will be interesting to see what others say about it when more are in use.

[The_MS]

Whatever you can get the best deal on for your size. Strada, HO and D3 are all good skis that will work for you. Don't read to much into @Hortons reviews but if you do, you notice that they are all good. They either work or they don't. His last review on the Nano 1 was the best. He PBd on his first set. That is all you need to know.

I tried almost every ski this summer and skied to my PB on most of them. In the end, I thought that the Nano 1 was the ski that I was the most consistent on so I bought it.

[Skoot1123]

@MS - WOW!! That's crazy talk coming from a Monza Man!! By your comments I'm assuming you have switched over to the N1? If you were able to PB on all the ski's you tested, then you are skiing at a MUCH higher level than I, and have consistincy beyond me!

[The_MS]

@Skoot1123

I was able to reach my PB, not set it with each ski. After a 3 year layoff from the Monza, when I rode it again, it felt better than most of the new skis I tried. If I had to rank the skis I tried, it would be like this.

Nano 1

Strada

Monza

S2

Fusion in cool water

Goode 9960

A2

X7

MPD (I had to try it again)

Connelly V

 

The V was the only ski that I could not ski on. The Nano 1 is a great ski but not worth 2k.

I may sell my N1 if the A3 feels good.

 

[The_MS]

@OB Getting stronger after you injury may be helping your skiing also. I am the last guy on the planet that will plop down 2K and become a member of the empire but there were a few select skiers that I spoke to and watched ski on it. You could see that it made them better and that is why I tried it. Miller, Chad and the rest of the Goode team will tell you that each new ski is the greatest ever and you have to get one but when guys that dont bleed orange are telling me it works, I will try it. The N1 works well and skis the same in all water temps without fin setting.

I just worry about going into a slump and then thinking that my 2k ski has broken down. You need to stay on the handle with the N1.

[Skoot1123]

I think I'll need to post some video of me skiing. @OB and @MS plunking down $2,000 for a ski when you have two youngsters is tough to swallow! I'm intersted in what @dirt and some more will start saying about the A3. Any word on the new Strada???

[lakeaustinskier]

Just by trying several different skis this year I became a better skier. Each new ski exposed new problems but at the same time the new ski maybe solved existing problems. Ultimately I became a better skier.

[thager]

@Skoot1123 @dirt will tell you to steal it from @Horton!!

[bogboy]

I second what lakeaus said about trying new skis. I'm a little embarrassed at the number I have tried, but it's a good problem to have. I went back to the new triumph, and now the 2013 s2. Loving it.