Good Combo skis for women guests

[swbca]

Have combo skis gone past a branded plank designed by the marketing department.

We have 30 to 70 year old women guests who grew up skiing but haven't skied for a long time.  Are there Combo skies that benefit from new boot and ski technology to make Combos versatile and skiable for skiers who would want to get back on a single ski on the first day ?   

We had a 20 year male guest  - a fairly good skier -  try to ski on an old combo slalom we found in our garage and all he could do was fall when he tried to ski like he could at home.   In addition to the ski, quality of bindings is a big part . . we don't need 3" of length adjustment with hardware interfering with the rear foot.  

[Horton]

The radar combo skis are kind of amazing.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

Look for the wide shaped skis. I have a pair of O’Brien vortex that are great for beginners or seasoned citizens that haven’t skiied in awhile. Other manufacturers make similar versions but they are a huge improvement over the combos of yesteryear. 

[03RLXi]

Just go straight to an HO Hovercraft. No need for combos

[swbca]

@Bruce_Butterfield
@Horton

If we had some combo skis they would be for women under 130lbs and with size 6-8 w shoe. 

In your opinions >>> Are the wide skis suitable - -  are the bindings good for that size foot ?    Do the wide-front skis turn better on 1 ski.  . . the old wood combos don't turn if you are used to any real slalom ski.

These Vortex page I saw had all the vortex skis at 65.5"   Would that be good for 130 lb ladies.

[Broussard]

HO's Freeride Combos look really promising, but I have never been on a pair.

Hosports 2023 Freeride Combos

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@swbcaI would definitely go with the Vortex for occasional skiers.  Way easier to get up, very stable and allow you to go slower.

The bindings on any type of combo will suck.  There really isn't a good way (at least what I've seen) to have a wide range of adjustability outside of the ancient design of sliding heel cup.

Neither of these will "turn" well if used as a slalom, but the wider ski will turn much better than an old wood combo and be more controllable.  If your guest is a young, in-shape, experienced slalomer they will want a real slalom ski.

Edited March 7 by Bruce_Butterfield

[6balls]

@Bruce_Butterfieldsome years ago I had a guest ski with an adjustable high wrap of sorts.  The heel was static, the footbed went forward and back and then there were neoprene wraps that came up around the ankle that secured with velcro.  Can't remember who made 'em.  It was a better than half-ass solution for an adjustable binding.  

[lpskier]

@6ballsMaharaja made an adjustable binding like that for its slalom skis back when we all skied on wood. I’m not sure, but I’ll bet that was a KLP innovation. 

[swbca]

@Bruce_Butterfield@6balls

Bindings are the problem on the current combos.  The user reviews have many complaints.  My 14 year daughter used to ski in my size 12 full wrap double bindings with no problem, but with combos we need something that is comfortable and makes it easy to drop one ski.  I saw that radar has inexpensive replacement parts that could maybe be used to make a fixed size binding that is comforatable for women of any foot size.

[2Valve]

+ for the Vortex combos. My daughter skis on these all the time. And super easy to kick off one when she wants to slalom.

[Garn]

I agree with the comment to just completely skip the combos and go with HOs Hovercraft.  It is just as easy to get up on, if not easier, than a combo pair.  And you don't have to worry about doing the splits like a combo pair sometimes cause.

[ALPJr]

We had good luck with HO Blast combos and the stock bindings were pretty good for combos.

[oldmanskier]

Ditto on the HO Blast combo's. They are not super floaty like some combo's so the back of the skies stay down in the water for deep water starts. I found in teaching someone to ski that half the battle was them being able to control the skies in the water which allowed them to get comfortable before getting them up.

I also found these skies are good for teaching someone to come up on one ski. After my hip replacement I was having a hard time coming up on my slalom. Just for grins I tried the HO Blast one ski that had the rear toe. I came up very easy and it tracks very straight. It does not try to go side to side like a competition slalom which allows you to get balanced over it easier. 

Tom Smothers (oldmanskier)