The Benefits of Having a One Ski Quiver ?

Not having to worry about which ski/skis to bring gives you one less thing to worry about and thus reduces stress and makes skiing more recreationally effective and enjoyable. 

Ghost, very good point.  I will not respond either way, let's just say in advance that this thread will get very interesting!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILOJ 
Interested in hearing if anyone feels there is a 'benefit' of a one ski quiver ?

 

 

Yes, lots of peeps see a benefit.  My wife is one example.

I like the idea for all of the above reasons and living in Wisconsin makes it very doable - my MX78's cover all the bases experienced here.

Isn't this one reason why wider carvers have gained so much popularity? I met a guy last winter with probably 40 years experience on skis. It was on a powder day. Others in the group were enjoying their fat skis. I was struggling with my not so wide carvers. He was on his midfat carvers-going everywhere- keeping up with anyone. He lived on the mountain so I asked him why he didn't choose his fatter skis. He said he did not have any. One size fit all for him.

After that experience I bought a pair of Blizzard "The One's". I skied 10-12 more days after the purchase and used them every day. I tried my old skis on two different mornings but went back to the new Blizzard's.

I think more and more folks will have a one ski quiver with a little rocker technology. Look for something in the 85-95 waist range - a little longer than your last everyday ski and a little rocker so it skis about the same length as your old ski on the hard-pack and you will be good to go. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveturner 

Isn't this one reason why wider carvers have gained so much popularity? I met a guy last winter with probably 40 years experience on skis. It was on a powder day. Others in the group were enjoying their fat skis. I was struggling with my not so wide carvers. He was on his midfat carvers-going everywhere- keeping up with anyone. He lived on the mountain so I asked him why he didn't choose his fatter skis. He said he did not have any. One size fit all for him.

After that experience I bought a pair of Blizzard "The One's". I skied 10-12 more days after the purchase and used them every day. I tried my old skis on two different mornings but went back to the new Blizzard's.

I think more and more folks will have a one ski quiver with a little rocker technology. Look for something in the 85-95 waist range - a little longer than your last everyday ski and a little rocker so it skis about the same length as your old ski on the hard-pack and you will be good to go. 

Yeah, I've been thinking that ski technology is getting so good that manufacturers are making quivers unnecessary. Probably not a good business model, but I guess most skiers don't have quivers anyway.

beside cheaper there is no advantage to a one ski quiver.

There are alot of good all around skis out there but IMO there are times where even the best all around skis will leave you hanging.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushwackerinPA 

beside cheaper there is no advantage to a one ski quiver.

 

There are alot of good all around skis out there but IMO there are times where even the best all around skis will leave you hanging.

Sure there is.  airline bag fee goes up and up and up.  I have read up to $75 each way, plus another  $175 for overweight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent.5 

Sure there is.  airline bag fee goes up and up and up.  I have read up to $75 each way, plus another  $175 for overweight.

I think that falls under "cheaper".

I ski my 89mm sticks 90% or days, but I do have a narrower pair and I'm getting a wider, pure soft snow ski for next season.  I'll see if I spend an inordinate amount of time fretting over which ski to bring, but I doubt it will be too much an issue. 

I own three (relatively current) skis, but I only used one this past season (except about two runs on my previous favorite, after which I went back to the car to switch).

The main reasons are noted above:

• You 'master' your one ski.  (Actually, I'd phrase it as becoming fully comfortable with...)
• Not having to worry about which ski/skis to bring gives you one less thing to worry about and thus reduces stress and makes skiing more recreationally effective and enjoyable. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by bumpfreaq 

Yes, lots of peeps see a benefit.  My wife is one example.

Thanks.  Now come clean my screen off.  

this mastering one ski thing is BS IMO.

With in a a couple turns I can normally tell how a ski is going to handle in most conditions. Also we adapt so quickly to new things that I really do disagree with mastering one ski. Why master one when you can master every ski on the planet?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

 

 

There are at least a half dozen skis that I could confidently recommend and capable one ski quiver skis. Any would cover 85% of the skiing conditions that any skier would experience. Sure the lists would vary, west, NW, NE. Mid-Atlantic and also by skiers needs. Most any 2 ski quiver is going to cover max 95% of the terrain. So, what is the cost of that extra 10%?

 

For those of us who only ski 20 or so days, indeed there isn't enough time to "get to know" more than one pair.
 

And in those 20 days, what's 10% means? 2 day! Even if I do own another pair of ski for "that" conditions (whatever "that" is), those 2 days are barely enough to be comfortable on it.

Might as well rent if it comes down to it.

While I disagree with BW, even if you do get very good at skiing your one ski (I won't say master, because to me that implies too high a level of perfection, a worthy goal, but always just beyond reach), it still will be a compromise ski and will never perform as well as a "specialist" ski in its element.

That being said, the one-ski quiver ski will be cheaper than the best ski for X, Y or Z.  The one-ski quiver ski won't be good enough at X, Y, or Z to command a high price.  The best performers and most expesive skis are very good at what they do and command high price because of it, but they move the "compromise" to one end of the scale. You can buy a ski several years old, as a 1-ski quiver.

I have a two ski quiver - the good skis and the rock skis.  I wish I could justify the second or third pair, but as already stated by at_nyc, 15-20 days a year means I miss out on only a couple days max of not having exactly the right board.  No worries, mate.  I should be spending that extra $$ on better boots anyway.

Let me try:

$$ best spend on:  Boots ... lesson ... 1st skis ... more lesson ... next skis ... better lesson ... 3rd or more skis

Ski days/year:            5-7         7-10        10-15         15-30             30+              40-50                   50+

Quote:

Originally Posted by at_nyc 

Let me try:

 

$$ best spend on:  Boots ... lesson ... 1st skis ... more lesson ... next skis ... better lesson ... 3rd or more skis

 

Ski days/year:            5-7         7-10        10-15         15-30             30+              40-50                   50+

                               

$$ best spend on: Beer

Ski days/year: 60+

I used 5 different skis this year (Powder, Everyday, Firm Rock Ski, Soft-snow Rock Ski, Spring Touring), but since I'll be living in Europe next season, I'll be doing the one ski quiver thing. It'll definitely reduce some stress about choosing the right ski, and even if they aren't ideal in every condition, 186 Lhasa Pows can handle every condition out there pretty easily.

Will I miss my Praxis Powders in the trees on storm days? Of course. Will icy 50 degree couloirs be somewhat terrifying on a ski with a 112mm waist? Yes (but not considerably more than on a narrower ski). Do I really NEED a narrower ski for groomers and firm bumps? Probably, and most of you would say I do, but in reality, the Lhasa Pow is almost as good as long as you're not making small turns.

Then again, I'll never have to worry about not trusting my skis in any situation, and since I know that bringing other skis isn't an option, I think I'll enjoy the one ski quiver overall.

I think that a lot of people I see who have a large quiver spend too much time and energy worrying about which ski would be optimal through out the day.  IMO a 2-3 ski quiver is more than enough for most people.  Even if a ski is not optimal all the time, a skier will get better by learning to adapt a broader range of skills and tactics rather than constantly running back to the car to change gear.  Just my opinion.  For those who enjoy being gear heads, go get some more.  I skied on two alpine skis last season over more than 100 days.  I had an S7 at 115mm and a Contact Limited at 72mm.  Very different skis.  In a pinch, I could use either one on any day of the season.

My best Friend/ski buddy is one of the best skiers in Aspen and he kills it on everything.   I've known him over thirty years and he's always just skied one ski all season.

When I moved away and stopped skiing everyday, my skills and conditioning started to deteriorate and I needed an edge to ski at the same level.    That's when I started acquiring a quiver. 

Heck yes, I wish I could get away with just one ski, but my ego won't let me!

Utilizing a quiver properly is a skill - some are good at  it, some aren't, some don't want to be bothered. 

.... and some of us just like to work on/play with as many as possible even when there's no snow (the truly obsessed). 

Quote:

Originally Posted by segbrown 

Yeah, I've been thinking that ski technology is getting so good that manufacturers are making quivers unnecessary. Probably not a good business model, but I guess most skiers don't have quivers anyway.

I had two one ski quivers, now I have three.

The basement one ski quiver, Atomic Izor 72mm x159 didn't get on the snow last year but i leave them there for powder nights at Oglebay, 165' verticle 5 minutes from home.

The work one ski quiver, Atomic Crimson 86mm x169, this was my everyday, rock, tree, pow, groomer, bump ski the last two years. I work about three hours from home, these stay at work. I didn't think I'd find anything better for someone who ski's 40-50 days in the east and only 6-7 days on big mountains in the west but then I found

One ski quiver #3, the One. I think this will be the car ski as in where I go they go. I've only skied them three days, one day on very firm groomers, the other two on soft spring snow and i really think they will make a fine everyday ski for me. This ski does everything the Crimson did at least as well and more. The One is a much better ski for me out west i need to get more western days next season. Not sure if I want to teach in them but I also hate changing skis during the day.
 

There are definitely benefits to having a OSQ, but IMO skis/bindings are pretty cheap compared to everything else.  I spend more every year on each other category of expense for my family than I do/did to buy/maintain the second pair of skis. 

The other categories include:  gas/ground transport, airfare, lodging, meals, lessons.  Some years, we also spend more money on my family's ski clothing/boots, etc as well. 

After all of that, what's another few bucks for the second pair?...

I think a lot of skiers have their main ski that they'll probably use 80% (or more) of the time.  Then if it's dumping and it's going to be a deep powder day, they'll break out the fat powder skis, or if it hasn't snowed in a while and it's icy, they might opt for something narrower.  That's my approach anyway.  I'd say I'm still able to master my all-mountain ski just the same, since on a "regular" day I may still come across some ice in the shade or a deep powder stash.

none. 

Even the benefit of cheaper (the supposed given here) doesn't stand up. Once you own several pairs, by skiing each less than you would ski one pair, they all last longer, unless your top sheet goes out of style. 

And still, if you want to keep it simple, a 95 to105 mm width ski is so versatile now that you can ski it every day (speaking to the Western skier).