New skis for Level 6 Intermediate: Head Xenon 9.0, Volkl AC20, other?

After 5 years of low intensity rental skiing I am ready to buy my first pair of skis and would really appreciate any guidance/recommendations.

 

Me: 36 y.o., 6", 175 lbs male. Approximately Level 6 intermediate. Live on the east coast and that's where I expect to ski the most.
 

What I am looking for: a pair of dependable, forgiving, fun and (hopefully) affordable skis that carve well and would help me become more comfortable on black slopes. Two models I've researched that seem to fit the description are the Head Xenon 9.0 (or 8.0) and the Volkl AC20. Both of these seem to sell for around $400. Which of these two would people recommend? What other options should I consider? Is it realistic to find a pair of new skis in this category for $300 or so (bindings included)?

Thanks.

If you can, demo.  And get good boots first!  Great skis are worthless if your boots suck.

I liked the Xenons (of a couple years ago) in softer snow, but if it's icy you may find they're not stiff enough.  (But I'm also 6'6", 260, so 'stiff' for you may be different.)  The Icon or Supershape models (the Magnum is a little more of an all-around ski than the others) will probably hold up better to really hard snow, but will be somewhat more demanding.  The Peak line (which were the "Monster" skis until this year) have been very popular as 'do-everything' skis, but the wider models are probably not appropriate for most east coast conditions.

I can't stand the Volkl AC20/AC30, but a lot of people like them.

I really like the Dynastar Contacts (I'm on the "limited edition" version from a couple years ago) and the Fischer Progressors as east coast frontside/all-around skis.  The Dynastar Contact 4x4 has also been very popular lately -- a little wider and stiffer, probably better at cutting through slushy crud.

You're probably not going to find a brand-new intermediate/advanced ski for $400.  The good news is that you can probably find brand-new overstock from last year, or lightly used skis from a year or two ago in that price range.

Thanks a lot for your reply Matthias. A few follow-up questions:

1) I already have boots, the Rossignol Carve Z (flex index 70), which I like a lot (in terms of fit and comfort). Since these are my first and only ski boots (besides rentals), however, I am not sure if these are truly appropriate for my level (the sales guy said they are, but then again, he was a sales guy). If you know anything about them, would love your comments.

2) Most of the skis you recommend are geared towards Advanced to Expert skiers. Are these still appropriate for Level 6 (comfortable on blues, exploring blacks but not quite comfortable there yet) types like me? Particularly curious about the Contact 4x4s, there are some decent deals on used ones for this model. Are these "forgiving" enough to compensate for the occasional (or not so occasional) sloppy turn?

3) Please elaborate on your view of the AC20s. You are the first person I've met to strongly opine against them

4) Can you comment on the Nordica Speedmachine Mach 1/Mach 2 and the Atomic Drive 7/Drive 9? 

5) Overstock is just fine with me, as are gently used skis, and these are available on ebay and elsewhere in my price range. The 2008 AC20s in some sizes can be found for as low as $350.

Thanks!

Quote: With my size 17 feet, my boot choices and experience are pretty limited.    You might try asking in the bootfitting forum.  The important thing with boots is comfort and a solid, well-balanced fit.  If you're not aligned well, or you're in agony, they'll hold you back.


I was in the same boat a couple years ago.  The short answer is "yes", at least if you're trying to improve further.  You'll get punished a little bit if you get real sloppy, but higher-end skis will offer much higher performance when they're used right.  Comparing, say, the Head Xenon to the Supershape Magnum -- the Xenon was a fun ski, and you could do a lot on it, but it did NOT hold nearly as well on anything resembling ice.  (OTOH, you had to be more precise to get the SS Magnum to perform well at low speeds.)

If you're concerned, I'd recommend staying away from very, very stiff skis or ones marketed for racing.  I tried an Elan Magfire 14, the highest-end model, a couple seasons ago -- I'm sure it would hold terrifically on ice and cut through nasty crud, but it was so stiff that it kicked me into the back seat on every other turn.

I'd still strongly recommend demoing if you can.  There are few 'bad' skis these days, but some will probably mesh with your style/technique much better than others.


I've stayed away from them after a terrible experience demoing AC30s.  They're stiff and very damp, and I had trouble initiating turns cleanly on them.  The Dynastar Contacts were much more responsive for me, and felt a lot more secure.

Again, it's not a bad ski, just not one that worked well for me.  A lot of people like the Volkl 'feel'.  I had a similar (bad) experience with the Salomon X-Wing Tornado, another very popular ski.


I demoed the Mach2 (I think -- it might have been the Mach3) last season.  Fun, especially if you like to go fast.  Performed pretty well at high speeds, but just okay when going slow.

I have not skied Atomic at all in the last few years.


Like I mentioned, it can be worth trying before buying if you can.  (You might have to demo the latest version, but skis don't usually change that much in just a year.)  If you find something you like, I would not be concerned at all buying the 'same' ski from a year or two back.  And most recreational skiers will sell skis long before they're worn out.

If demoing is difficult, you can also buy a subscription to realskiers.com.  They have probably the most accurate and unbiased ski reviews of almost everything on the market.  I think it's something like $15 for a year.