Scratch Girl BC

I'm still looking into skis for Robbie, my wife. She is a strong intermediate 49 y/o who is starting to venture more often into some interesting steeps, glades, and deeper snow. Her skiing has impoved greatly over the past two years (it better with over 70 days for her last year). She liked her B2 (unisex version) in a 170.

I've heard good things about the Scratch Girl BC from a retailer (who I think might not know much about the ski). Does anyone have any comments about this ski? or other suggestions for Robbie?

The magazines like that ski. Another to look at is the Roxy Black Majic. It is the female version of the Dynastar Big Trouble.

Not really equipped to recommend women's skis, but a few women I was skiing with last year loved the Head Sweet Fat Thang. It's a women-specific version of the Mojo 90. Similar dimensions to the Scratch Girl BC, but narrower by a couple mm, depending on length.

I think Volkl also has a women's specific twin around that size too - Attiva Aura maybe? Someone with better Volkl knowledge should chime in though.

Those are just a couple suggestions based on what I've heard, women's midfats aren't exactly the category of choice for a male ex-racer/instructor skiing on Ontario hardpack 90% of the time

Thanks MJB & CanuckInstructor - I'll Look into the skis you mentioned - I just read some of the revies of the Scratch and the reviewers seemed to like them.

I rented the K2 Phat Luv this year and just loved them. I rented them to go heli-skiing in powder but unfotunately the weather put a stop to that, but used them in deep spring snow conditions and they were awesome.

Another ski I demo'ed this year and enjoyed was the Rossignol Attraxion, a very light ski was easy to throw around, and wide up front. Handled crud and groomed slopes really well, no powder to try it out in. I tried them after I skied with a woman who has them and she raved about them - she always skis off piste where possible. Not as wide underfoot (74?), might be more suited to NZ conditions than Canada.

I currently ski on head monsters IM70, but are only 70 underfoot, I want something wider underfoot. I have demo'ed the iM77 and this years Every Thang, last years Wild Thang. I enjoyed all of them and would be happy to pay money for any of them. I did not try demo sweet fat thang cause it was not powder day, but it would be more suited to your conditions and you want something wide underfoot if she is venturing into the powder. If you get wider underfoot then it means she can go shorter, and you can throw them around quicker, something that really helped me when I first ventured into the trees.

I would not buy skis without demo'ing them. Another lady friend demo'ed some skis I liked and she did not like them, and we skiied similar terrain.

In NZ we have lots of free demo days where the shops line up the skis at the bottom of the lift and you can take them for free for an hour. Last time I demo'ed in the US it cost money :-( Make sure you demo them in conditions that are typical of what she is going to ski

scratch

I too demoed the phat luv under similiar circumstances and loved it, great in deep snow, ended up buying a pair. I also own a pair of all mountain skis that I will continue to use on average days though. As for the scratches. I tried these for a few runs on area and they really were fun. The phats will be my first women specific and somewhat forgiving ski, I ussually ski on pretty stiff skis, the rossignols felt very stable to me for a womens ski and they were just fun, easy turning and very predictable, loved them in the bumps. To me they were a nice mix between the two extremes. I would definately recommend them for someone looking for enough but not too much ski. I think the width is good for spannning alot of terrain and conditions too. 90 underfoot I think.....Enough for floatability but not too much for average days.

I know 3 women expert skiers that have Phat Luvs, on the east coast and love them. Watch Steep and Cheap, they've had them off and on for under $300. or check out E-bay, I'm sure one of the SAC privateers will have them for sale.

We have those demo days in the US also, but they're infrequent, and usually in the beginning of the season. If you go to a shop, you pay for the privilege.

Thanks for the INFO

After much research, I ordered the Jade Jewel in a 172. Other runner ups included the Atomic Fat Mama and Rossignol B83w. I liked the feel and dimensions of the Salomon Jade Jewel (124 - 85 - 114). It seemed that the Atomic might be better on hardpack, while the Salomon might be better in variable snow conditions. For my wife, who is a good intermediate and is beginning to ski dynamically, I thought that she might have the most fun on the Salomon, and these skis would help her when she skis the backside. I thought that the woman's B83s felt like noodles.

As an added bonus, the ski store owner told me he would take the skis back at full price in trade for another if she didn't like them! Good ski stores are hard to find, and I have been a repeat customer at this store for a long time.

 anyone know the difference between the scratch girl bc and the team edition, other than the dimensions?

I try to keep up on women's powder skis for my girl friend and daughter.  I took a serious look at the Scratch Girl BC last year talking to some local college kids that have them.  As with many fat skis aimed at intermediate skiers they are sort of clunky on groomers and underperformers on ice when compared to other fat skis.  They are forgiving in powder and crud with decent performance in both.  They would probably be a safe bet for an intermediate female as long as she isn't planning on using them for her everyday ski.