Ski advice needed - cruiser/ high performance ?

Hello,
I am returning to sking after a 17 year hiatus......20 years and 50 lbs ago I was on the college race team out east
currently 250 lbs, 6 ft. tall ski midwest hard pack and Ice like to chase the kids all around...put in a Nastar run here
and there. Picked up a pair of Head Rs raptor supshape boots and love them....need a pair of skiis to match
My list is still long so I'm looking for some feed back to narrow it down

Nordica Speed Machine Mach 3
Fischer Progressor 9
Dynastar Contact groove
K2 Recon/crossfire
Volkl tigershark 10 or 12
Atomic D2 VF 82 select
Head SuperShape
Blizzard G-ForceSonic IQ

I doubt I will ever see powder or evenmuch New snow, I am also comfortable with narrower skis
Thanks for any input or advice

Couple of points.

1) You haven't skied in 17 years? What are you on now? Just trying to get a sense of how much time / experience you have with the "new" technique that has emerged along with shaped skis.

2) Think you have some apples-to-oranges going here with your ski choices. I would group the skis you name as follows (except the Atomic, with which I'm not familiar):

stiffish medium-radius hard snow skis that are good at speed

• Nordica Speed Machine Mach 3
• Fischer Progressor 9
• Volkl tigershark 10 or 12 [my notes speak to the 10/11 more than to the discontinued 12]
• Blizzard G-ForceSonic IQ [NOTE: There is a Supersonic and a Sonic. The Supersonic is the one that fits better with the group above.]

slalom-esqe hard snow skis that like short-radius carved turns on firm snow:

• Dynastar Contact groove
• Head SuperShape [EDIT: assume you are talking about the "plain" SuperShape, not the Magnum or Speed variants.]

slightly wider ski with a bit less shape; more at home with a variety of turn styles and snow conditions; not as much racer blood as the others, probably not as strong on real east coast ice:

• K2 Recon/crossfire

If you are just trying to get on board with the world of clean carving, the short-radius skis will make it easiest to learn, in my opinion. If you are a confirmed speed head, something in the first group might be better. I own the Supersonics and like them. They may be the lightest and quickest, but not the most stable, of the first group.

I disagree with respect to the crossfire. Its a laminate ski that skis like one. And would tear up east coast conditions.

Right. I guess I was focusing more on the Recon. Reference to Crossfire kind of slid by me.

Right now skking on rentals demos and old K2's EL comp and VO slalom
Like many others I'm seeking the "one" ski to do it all
I still like to ski fast but I'm not sure I'm still willing to put in all the effort I used to
Recons felt wide but more forgiving...much easier to ski at the end of the day
when my legs are fading ... crossfire felt nice but didn't have the snap or
energy I would have expected... I know my list is scattered... It's made up of
recomendations and skiis I have demo'd     as for shape skiis...I think they turn much easier,
less effort to initiate a turn but (at least the skiis I have demo'd) lack stability at speed
I would say I expect to cruise vs. nastar 50/50

Thanks for any input

Backatit,

From a K2 VO Slalom to a shaped ski  -   wow are you in for a suprise  !    Enjoy.   Demo before you buy.  Welcome to epic and back to skiing.

Any other skiis come to mind which may fit the bill for me

also any specific bindings to stay away from or seek out??

On account of a season ending injury, I have a pair of 170 mach 3's in mint condition w/bindings that are going on the selling block. PM me if interested.

+1 on the SC Pro. But you have to be alert! Not an autopilot ski.

Backatit, you might find this thread interesting. If you are coming directly off straight skis, I can almost guarantee that you are not yet skiing in a way that will allow you to make as good a decision about ski choice as you will be able to after a few days with some new-style turns under you. Your somewhat blase comment that "I think they turn much easier, less effort to initiate a turn but (at least the skiis I have demo'd) lack stability at speed" reinforces my guess. If you had properly tasted the Kool Aid, you'd be a lot more excited than that. Do not kid yourself that a strong pair of today's 175s is not as stable as yesterday's 200s. This is not a dig at your ability at all; I'm sure you're a good skier. It's just the reality that you probably haven't had that "Ah ha, NOW I understand" moment yet. With this in mind, one option is to get on any halfway decent pair of boards with a good tune - preferably, for this purpose, something short radius (my opinion; others flame away if you want). Then take a couple of serious lessons with the explicit objective of learning how to start carving clean turns on green terrain. Pretty soon you will "get it" and end up with a huge grin on your face. After a couple days of that, THEN do your final demos and pick something. Otherwise you may end up finding that you have picked a ski whose outstanding attribute is letting you ski the way you always used to, instead of one that encourages you to ski the way you will certainly start wanting to.

Thanks for the advice.....great thread.....I'm planning on a lesson or two while skiing this weekend

THANKS!!!

QC thats a great point as relates toi technique. If you haven't been able to lay them on edge and pressure them hard then you won't be getting the most out of this type of ski. Its somethign that I have been trying to improve this season and its silly how stable a 165 SL ski can be when you really get them up on edge.

Hello,
Back from a weekend at shanty creek, chasing the kids around....fun to watch them as they learn to ski. I took a quick lesson as recomended....I learned alot in a short time.....as some suspected I was skiing the "new" skis the old way. The instructor said I was skiing in the back seat, skidding way more than I should......anyways I demoed the K2 crossfire It wasn't bad
I think I have narrowed my single ski choices to;

Fischer progressor 9
Head Supershape
Blizzard Supersonic
K2 Crossfire

Still trying to find the balance of cruise vs nastar

Then the instructor gives me an idea that just complicates things further...LOL

He said why not instead of buying one set of new skiis...get 2 used sets

According to him it is common for instructors to use int./advanced skis when teaching
something softer and more responsive at slower speeds. He thought I could use such a pair and then pick up a lower level "race" ski for nastar

Wow decisions, decisions

any thoughts??????

Yeah-is the instructor selling skis?
No, he had a good point. The ski you want for cruising with the kids won't satisfy that "need for speed" on the NASTAR course. I would get the cruising ski first and really get your new technique down, then you demo to your heart content for a racing ski