Skis you can't or won't part with

My 188 Völkl G4s and my 205 Atomic ARC(?)s!

 This thread deserves a bump......

I'll add "theSki" as my "won't sell" entry.

First gereration Kästle SG 208 cm, my one-ski quiver for quite a few years.

http://www.epicski.com/imageinfo/AUTHIER+SKIS90.jpg

Authier Vampires. Like my gun, you'll have to pry them from my dead fingers.

I spent almost 6 weeks of comping skiis one winter at Stratton in Vermont. I tried literally dozens of skiis and hadn't found a pair that really grabbed me. I stopped in at a small ski shop in Bondville, VT and they had a few brands that they were comping. One of these was a funky looking brand and they had a couple different types and after trying a couple others I decided to try them too.

Authier Vampires. They had some black matte ones and some wood grained ones (see the link above). Just for the heck of it I decided to try these retro looking jobs. (Wood Laminated Tops, GS Style Board)

#1 They were HEAVY. Like they weighed almost twice what most other skis weighed.
#2 They proved to be super responsive and stable. VERY forgiving. If you catch an edge you have the time and mass to pick up the errant ski and put it back down without missing a beat.
#3 They were FAST and carved like a dream come true.

After the first day of skiing perfection I asked the guy how much a pair of them were going to run me.

#4 They were EXPENSIVE something like $1200 for the boards.

I have a physical problem. Both of my ankles are fused due to a auto accident so a lot of my turning and control has to be on the tails. I skiied like a total demon when I was younger and struggled hard (for 8 years) to get to where I could ski again. I still can't run or jump. With these skis on I am back to my old form, cutting, carving and slamming my way down the slopes at max speed and in total control.

I can "do" any slope except "bumps" because I can't get centered over my feet. I also have problems with goat paths for the same reason.

After comping these skis for a week I went in and bought a pair. Its funny to look down and see these wood laminated skis ripping through the snow as I carve my way down some of the toughest trails. I am not a shussbanger, I work the entire slope where possible. Its even funnier to have people laughing at my skis in the lift lines and lifts and then to see the look on their faces when I scream past them and they don't stand even a minute chance to catch me until the bottom. Here goes this older guy in crummy wood skis, blue jeans and a beat up parka leaving all their pretty junk behind. I get a lot more respect once they finally arrive.

Oh ... I have my old pair of Kneissel Whites that I use for "beater" skis too.

My 205cm Rossignol 7XK. I also have a pair of 207cm Rossignol 4S Slalom Special (black). They were the first new skis I've owned and I still have them even though I haven't skied them in 20 years.

ALL OF THEM !!!