Follow up to favorite ski ?

[two planker]

What are the opinons on ski lengths? Long vs short. Different skis for different conditions?

I went from 205cm to 187cm shaped and love the skis. I am about 5'11" 245lbs. Just bought a pair of 167cm but won't get to try em til next season.

[Mumster]

As short as possible, 156-170, depending. I use 156 for everything on groomed snow. Used 170s for TR, because the 156 skis are narrow waisted and sink in the deep stuff. Considering the hike to TR, for the next trip, I'd keep the 156 length but widen the ski.

Overall, stiffness is more important, especially for the east coast - for maximal fun, you need a stiff ski with sharp edges .... :skifemcool:

[skicdave]

I went from 197's and 205's (straight boards :skis: ) to 180's (Salomon Crossmax 10's) this year.. Tried the 170's the sales people tried to sell me, but hey, I want to be able to carve some big turns sometimes! If I wanted short shorts, I'd buy skiboards tnx much. I've been demoing shaped skis for almost 4 years before I finally added my straight boards to my museum and forked out way too much $$'s for new boards.

[NHski]

Rossi XX's are 184 and my crossbow's are 179

[RR]

big arcs...longer
stock, tight trees
and I wear shorter skis.

straight skis are not
evil, sharp edges are pure delight,
what's a little hardpack, a spot
of ice?

the terrain
of choice
for the long and lean.

rr cummings

[elwood]

I jumped from a pair of 207's down to my Skicross 66, which are 185cm. Although I have always loved the long and straights, I cannot get enough of my shaped skis, they are so responsive!

[pjmanchester]

If i'm skiing groomers all day I use my Rossi
195 Mt Viper X'S or my 198 Salomon X-Screams

For days in the woods, bumps or tucks of course i use my 168 vokyl twin tips.

All great skis but overall the fav is the shorter due to the responsivness.

[BladeGirl]

skimom:
As short as possible, 156-170, depending. I use 156 for everything on groomed snow. Used 170s for TR, because the 156 skis are narrow waisted and sink in the deep stuff. Considering the hike to TR, for the next trip, I'd keep the 156 length but widen the ski.
Wow, and this is coming from a racer! Of course, my blades are, I dunno, less than 100 cm, but my Bandits are 175.

-BG

[Mumster]

BladeGirl:
skimom:
As short as possible, 156-170, depending.
Wow, and this is coming from a racer! -BG Hi BG-
Hey, good point, maybe thats why I'm so slow. :D Actually, short race skis are popular these days -they are quick and clean for slalom and ok for GS (there's no downhill in the Poconos). The only disadvantage is that there is nothing behind you. So you pop a wheelie if you overshoot the turns. A few racers were badly hurt, so they now require adult men to use 160s or longer. Lucky for me, women can still use 156. I'm contemplating a longer ski for GS, because I know I'd go faster, but love my 156 P50s so dearly that I haven't ....

BTW, I have my eye out to demo the Ladies Bandit XX for an off piste ski. But, the model has been around for a while - any idea if they are planning to make major changes in it? Also, how do you compare the Ladies version with a short ski in the men's version - I'm usually suspicious of women's products.

[Skilasnow]

Own 195 Rossi 5SV strait skis and they are my MRG skis most of the time because the aren't too stiff and I love them in the bumpy trees. I went with Dynastar 4x4 ATVs in a 193 because I planned on using them mostly in powder (which I haven't seen much of since except my last trip to Las Lenas where the SHINED) but I throw them on at MRG after a dump and love the surface area and I like them on long groomers - fast, long arcs - and I like them for crud busting and staying on top mashed potatoes, but they are super slow and heavy in the bumps. I take my old 185 Atomic strait skis to Tucks for the lightnessa and the shortness and the rock possibilities.

My next ski will be something like a Vokl P50 around 180, maybe a little shorter but I haven't demoed anything shorter and I just don't know.

[EDITED, This is an addition]
I definately want a shorter shaped ski (like above), as I have overcome my beleif that one ski serves all purposes :)

(Or more importantly, I have found that I can financially own more than one pair :) )

[TheOctopus]

Currently on the R.ex in 177. When conditions demand it, the Volkl CMH (Explosiv) in 180. And there's always the soon-to-be-converted-to-tele Atomic 8.20 in 190 (same ski, actually, as the TM20). The R.ex has been to Tucks, as have the 8.20s (several times).

For a data point, I'm 6'1", 165.

Mrs. Octopus skis the Fischer Big Stix in 163. She's 5'10" and 125. (Really.)

Next ski.... Hmmm.... I'm pretty satisfied with the quiver right now. Next ski purchase will probably be an all mountain tele ski. Mrs. O, though, is due for a fat ski upgrade -- 74mm underfoot just doesn't cut it on the steep and deep. I'd love to get her on the R.ex!

[Mumster]

SkiLasLeñas:
Own 195 Rossi 5SV strait skis and they are my MRG skis most of the time because the aren't too stiff and I love them in the bumpy trees.
(Or more importantly, I have found that I can financially own more than one pair :) ) Skilas :skilas: :
In the Poconos everything is groomed and almost invariably hardpacked. I'm envious of people with the opportunity to need skis that aren't stiff. Looking forward to the day when I can learn to appreciate these finer things. :D
Totally agree that different skis for different uses are ideal. Luckily, in this day of ebay and used demos no one needs to pay outrageous prices for skis... :)

[BladeGirl]

skimom:

BTW, I have my eye out to demo the Ladies Bandit XX for an off piste ski. But, the model has been around for a while - any idea if they are planning to make major changes in it? Also, how do you compare the Ladies version with a short ski in the men's version - I'm usually suspicious of women's products. Skimum,
No idea if they plan to change the Bandit series, but I should probably get another now in case they do. I hate the way companies make a great product (ski, shoe, whatever) then redesign it into mediocrity. I'm not actually suer of the difference between the Ladies & Men's skis as far as ski handling, but I am happy with my ski. And while it does fine in typical New England conditions it is happiest off piste. Also, I don't think of it as a particularly stiff ski (which contributes to the off piste fun).

-BG

[NHski]

I have heard they are changing the Bandit series. They will now be called B1, B2 and B3 for the x, xx and xxx. They were in ski shops late last season. I didn't ski them but i have heard they are softer then before.

[Jolly J]

MY Rossi RPM 21's are 177 and my Pow Airs are 179

[TheOctopus]

NHski:
I have heard they are changing the Bandit series. They will now be called B1, B2 and B3 for the x, xx and xxx.I got to play with a B3 in a shop this April, and would love to ski it. Totally soft. Totally fat. And a twin-tip for all you park nuts and deep-pow rooster-tail fanatics.

[NHski]

Do you think the softer B3 will be better then the XXX? My XX are pretty stiff and work great in the pow. I have always thougth stiffer is better, thougth?

[TheOctopus]

NHski:
Do you think the softer B3 will be better then the XXX? My XX are pretty stiff and work great in the pow. I have always thougth stiffer is better, thougth? I personally prefer a soft ski for soft snow. My R.exs work great in the deep fluff, but the heliskis are a whole 'nother world of pow pow fun.

How much of that is the softer flex, and how much of it is the larger surface area (85mm waist vs. 95m) is a fair point, though. Conclusion is that further research and data collection is needed! ;)