Anyone still ski and love vintage equipment?

I direct your attention here......

 

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/69076/more-retro-memories 

Yes.  I love my old SGs, but I haven't seen too many DG/SG skis at the demo tent to compare to .   Strange that .

 

You're obviously not married, or else your wife would have thrown away most of that good stuff a long time ago. 

I'm always way behind the gear curve and didn't actually switch to skiing shaped skis full time until '02-03 season.

since this is about actually skiing the gear from back in the day, I'll add in. I like to take my Atomic Arc RS Bionic out on big groomers. I wouldn't be interested in an old slalom ski as they add nothing beyond what I have in my quiver now, but a classic speed ski is so much faster than what I currently own that it truly ads a unique experience. When the kids are racing super G training, I'll bring them out and I get some positive comments. The kids are quite generous, modest, and friendly: they'll say: hey man, can I take a run on those; I bet they are fast. Yeah, except compared to those Super G boards you are on, I'll think.

      Of course my knees scream uncle after a couple hours.

Welcome eperot!

 

I went for a tour at a resort a couple days ago on some 205cm Phoenix Wilderness skis (1984, about 63/58/60 tip/waist/tail) with Voile 3-pin bindings and the original Scarpa T2. It was fun both up and down.

 

Last season I raced my 1977 Rossi DHs with Marker MRR bindings using modern boots. They were about 4 seconds slower than modern skis. The course wasn't overly turny (pretty much a tuck from top to bottom) so the 108 m radius wasn't a big problem.

 

I also raced in a vintage race on mint 1977 Rossi ROCs, Marker M4-15s and Langes from the 70s. I raced against Billy Kidd, (it was a memorial for his team mate Jimmy Heuga) who along with Franz Klammer was one of my idols when I was racing as a kid. I also have the matching 1977 STs which are in fine shape, again with Markers. The whole 1977 quiver. Too bad the Nordica GPs fell to pieces and I broke the Yamaha poles.

 

I have some Head 360s with Cubcos and leather lace up boots with the Cubco pieces on them along with some very tall (by today's standards) Head poles. I hope to take them out sometime when the conditions are perfect. Tons of other skis as posted in More Retro Memories and I keep adding them. I picked up a pretty pair of Blizzard Fan 2000 and some blue Rossi Stratos out of recycling the other day.

 

As far as realistically using old gear, I pretty much only use my Atomic Powder Plus 165s (1990ish) regularly. I keep the old bindings on the old skis and the bindings are the gating factor for what I'll ski or not. At the vintage race many people had mounted modern bindings on wood skis. I considered it kind of sacrilege.

 

BTW, this is the first time I've noticed NOS: Never On Snow?

MR....

 

No, the NOS actually means New Old Stock......but I kinda like your Never On Snow too!

I have lots of fond memories of skis in my past. Skis that I absolutely loved when I had them. Olin Mark IV Comps, Olin Race Comp CRX, K2 KVC Comps, Saloman 9000 Equipe 2S etc. But do I want to ski them again now that I am on modern shape skis? No way! I have always gotten rid of my old skis when I bought knew ones. Maybe I would hold onto them for an extra season as rock skis, but eventually they made it to a swap or land fill.

I also don't want to go back to driving a car without power steering or brakes. OK I do enjoy driving a stick, but I am full of contradictions.

Rick G

I find it interesting how many "don't want to go back". I enjoy every moment on the snow, new gear or older. My smile is the same if the skis were made in the 70's or the 10's.

Sure it is different, that to me is half the fun. Variety is the spice of life, so live a little! Everything new is not better....sometimes just different.

 

I say enjoy them all!

I refuse to tell anyone what length skis to buy since I can ski anything from 150cm to 205cm.

Like jamesj I was also late to shaped ski's -maybe 2002 to 2003.

 

Still have Look Nevada N77 bindings in basement (were way ahead of their time)- not sure what to do with them!

 

Still puzzled about wide fatties since I can ski powder fine without them.

Powder pivot slips?

I hear ya, I have a decently large stash of old gear I acquired.  Love the race inspired graphics and even the materials and construction on these older skis; the funky bases are the best.  I dont use them, in fact my whole reason for getting them was to chop them up to make an Adirondack chair, but have yet to do it.   One reason is that while many of the skis are pretty trashed some still look like with a good tune and wax could rip again.   Whether I will actually be capable to ski them is another story.  Last time I skied un-shaped skis was in the early 80s.  

 

Yes Rossi Smash I have not forgotten you, everything is still untouched.

I would really love to take my old mans Olin mark V's out for a spin. The skis I ride are vintage to me lol, didnt even know how to ski when they were made, 2002 rossi bandit XXX 193's, theyre a blast but I would love to see how i can ski on my old mans skis. If i could match what he used to do on those (no way in hell) I would amaze myself.

If I can help you with this problem.....let me know 

Concerning bindings, I would never ever under any circumstances go back to the Marker Explodamatics, the one where both the toe and the heal would literally explode when you crashed (these were my first set of bindings on Blizzard Specials in 1972) and as I was just learning I crashed a lot. Some days I swear I spend as much time putting those bindings back together as I did skiing. I was so turned off of Marker Bindings it took me almost 30 years to buy another Marker. Ironically all 3 pairs of my current skis have Marker System bindings. 2 from Volkl and 1 from Blizzard.

Rick G

Hello folks, this is my first post, though I have been lurking for a month or so.  I've just returned to the sport after about 15 years.  I’ve got kids (7 and 9) that have just started skiing and I am thrilled.

 

Now, said kids require a good pile of cash to outfit and provide lessons for, so I’ve decided to not spend any significant money on myself for a couple years so the kids can take more lessons and catch up to me in skill.

 

I consider myself about a level 7 skier, though I need to get myself back in shape.  I am 6’3” and 195 pounds, and don’t see myself skiing outside New England any time soon.

 

I started the season off with my skis from college:

Head Radial SC, Racing, 200cm, with Tyrolia SFF bindings.  I love these skis and had used them for everything, because frankly, I couldn’t afford to own more than one pair.

 

For fun, I started acquiring free (or nearly so) skis to demo.  I’ve now got 8 pairs to mess around with.  My plan is to develop a quiver of old free skis that would have been sweet back 20 years ago.   The problem is, I lack the tribal knowledge to know which skis would have been favored in certain terrain and conditions.  I’ve been frustrated trying to research older skis because most folks don’t care enough to bother posting info or old sales literature.

 

So, I ask you folks who may be knowledgeable in “obsolete” technology to help me out in sorting what I have and suggesting skis that I should be looking for.  I would like to be able to pull out a special ski for powder, icy hard pack, moguls, corduroy, off piste etc.

 

This is what I’ve got (so far)….

1. Atomic ARC Racing, Team HV3 SL, 200cm, Salomon equipe 747 (well used)
2. Head Radial SC, Racing, 200cm, Tyrolia SFF, FreeFlex (maybe 25 days)
3. K2 5500 Unlimited Carbon 7.8, 200cm, Marker M31 Twincam (maybe 25 days)
4. Atomic ARC, Premiere, 191cm, Marker M41 (maybe 25 days)
5. Atomic ARC PC M   Powercap, 198cm, Marker M31 Twincam (maybe 25 days)
6. Volkl Targa R ,195cm, Look ZP Turntable (maybe 50 days)
7. Elan MBX 16, 200cm, Marker M41 Twincam (clean, little use)
8. Olin DXT, 205cm, (same as K2 TNC?) Marker M51 Twincam Graphite (demo mount) (clean, little use)

 

Yes, I know that new skis are “better”, and I will get some in a couple years, but for now, help me to be happily ignorant.

 

Thanks for any guidance.

None of my skis have rocker or early rise.  I suppose that now makes them old school.

Until you prang them.

 

On a Volkl maybe, but not on a Stockli or Blizzard. 

Hey I came across your post after doing some research on a vintage pair of Olin Mark IV's I found in my basement. They come with a vintage Lange bag, Soloman zippered bag for bottom of ski's and japanese rubber strap also to keep skis together. I have posted on eBay, am including the link. If you have any interest feel free to e-mail me at breadandbudder@gmail.com. If you want to deal outside of ebay I can probably save you a little $ going direct thru paypal. Here's the link http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250863636072&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT

 

Thanks, Brandon

 

OMG, I'd be too embarrassed to admit some of these skiis and bindings are in my basement.     Including just about every Look

binding ever made.   I was also just a bit slow to get to shaped skis- maybe 6 years ago

Remember Safety straps & Snowlife Brakes.     My  Rossi 4S were never used.

 

 

I've got my 190 cm Dynastar Freestyle with Tyrolia 360 bindings from 1979, made in France.  (It even has the date they were made printed on the sidewall.)    I'm tempted to get new bindings mounted and use them for bumps, which is what I originally got them for back in 1979   or as a pair of rock skis.   Thoughts? Feedback? 

 

PS.  also still have my Raichle RX-8 boots from early 1980's.  

I took 1999-2006 off of skiing altogether.  When I returned I padded my quiver with lots of dirt cheap but practically un skied models I coveted.  I also picked up several 2-4 year old newer models at pretty good discounts.  I skied mostly newer stuff while taking out the older ones once in a blue moon and always on the last day of the season between 2007 and 2010.  As of late I've decided that I had to consolidate and regain closet space for other hoarding activities. I've retired many of my old straight skis and a couple early shaped ones to the fence out back for dry land worship and sacrifice to Ulhr

 

As little as I can actually ski I prefer that time be spent on the best performing gear I can afford (which is still several years out of full retail circulation).

 

Ski on whatever you enjoy and can afford (in that order)

 

Welcome to EpicSki.

 

 

Brand	Model	Length	Type	Waist	Radius	Bindings	Status
Head	iSuperShape WC	170	Race SL	Sub 70	12	Head FF	Active
K2	Public Enemy	179	Twin/All Mountain	80	19.5	Salomon	Active
K2	CaBrawler	179	Bump Ski	Sub 70	21	Salomon	Active
Nordica	GSR  Doberman WC	181	Race GS	Sub 70	21	Salomon	Active
Nordica	W80	178	MidFat	80	22	Marker	Active
Elan	M999	192	Powder	99	28	Rossi	Active
RD	Coyote HeliDog	183	Powder	91	32	Marker	Active
Salomon	Scream 10 Pilot	186	All Mountain	70	19	Salomon	Retired
K2	Four	193	Race GS	Sub 70	21	Marker	Retired
Hart	F-17	177	Bump Ski	Sub 70	Straight	Look	Retired
K2	VO Slalom	204	Race SL	Sub 70	Straight	Look	Retired
K2	812	195	Race GS	Sub 70	Straight	Salomon	Retired
hart	Freespirit	150	Freestyle	Sub 70	Straight	Salomon	Retired

 

Thanks.

 

Just to clarify, I have K2 Apache Outlaws and Full Tilt Konflict boots and love them both.  

 

 

The most recent pair of (my own) skis that I skied on were my Atomic red sled 205s They were my second pair. After having my first pair stolen around 1988, a buddy of mine knew a guy who hated his and sold them to me very cheap. I love those skis. I'm retooling now because of the equipment cascade that started with my boot shell rupturing when I tried to buckle in to my 1983 Nordica 905s (or something like that). So, talk about new to the shaped ski scene! (My first post, great site!)

Ski?  No.

 

But I still have my old school Dynastar Bigs.  They were huge!

I laughed.