The Ski Luddite Thread - Page 2

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taxman 

Is it Luddite, or that some of us just haven't fallen for the Koolaide. 

Amen!

To put it another way... "In the master's chamber they gathered for the feast.  They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast."  -Eagles

Or... "Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny." -Yoda

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

So in your estimation at that price if the skis were in decent shape would those bindings preclude them being of value,

Not at all.    They're still a decent fluffy bump/tree ski that doesn't get discombobulated by frozen chicken heads, and that is soft enough to make steered turns of almost any shape without too much chattering.       

I was merely noticing that we don't seem to have a go-to-cheap-but-functional-binding with 90+mm brakes that would fit the Luddite category, unless we start bending Look Axial brakes or Salomon brakes, or start putting Railflex on everything.

Quote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

 

 

Also, to fill in a blank on my understanding, what exactly does "optical" refer to?

The swirly white-and-dark zebrastripes-on-acid pattern on the bases that plays havoc with the eyesight of people used to rapid reading.    Involuntary saccadic movements of their eyes lead to a moire pattern in their retinas' afterimage when looking at these bases.   Kinda like those coffee bean images that appear to jiggle and move.

The plastic sheet is thin, doesn't stiffen the ski much at all and its mostly there to give binding screws enough meat to bite into without going through the ski.   Will work with any binding.

I got a pair of these Stockli Spirit SC 's for $99 at Mt Bachelor on my way to the Tahoe Gathering.  I'm not sure of the age; the demo shop guy said that he had been a Stockli rep and they were his personal skis.  Haven't used them yet.

uhhh all the talk about powder skis vs front side vs all mountain... wasnt it about 20 years ago that all skis were basically same shape/width..?

am i going to sink in powder if i use a frontside ski with 75 in the waist...?  did they sink in the 70s/80s with those old skis....?

Last year, I picked up a pair of 190 Big Kahunas (not the rebadged Volkl Explosiv version).  I put the de-bindinged skis in the locker room at Alpine Meadows with a "FREE" label.  I hope whoever picked them up is having fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

Anyone still skiing on Marker Piston Bindings? Seems like I read somewhere they can have problems with the oil leaking out of the piston?

 

I came across a pair of Legend 8000's with Marker 1200 Piston Titanium Bindings. Considering snagging them, but wondering about those bindings.

 

TIA for any feedback.

Yes.  In fact mine decided to make some yellow snow last year.  Took it to REI, who contacted Marker.  Marker sent a replacement part, and REI did the repair, billed to Marker.  No charges to me.  Very good experience.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

Thx folks for the feedback. Guess maybe the piston leaking isn't such an issue.

 

As long as we're talking about the Marker Pistons, do they really have an impact and feel differently when skiing, or is that just marketing hype?

In my experience the piston does make a small, but noticeable difference.  It tends to dampen the vibrations in conditions like frozen corduroy.  But the difference is small enough, that I wouldn't worry about skiing on them without the oil.

Luddite?  Are we going to crash snow cats into ski racks to learn them yung'ens a thing or two?

Not so sure about that on the other hand if you convince them to put all the boards in one place I might be up for a bit of historical reenactment.

Anyway as a walk down memory lane I worked an entire summer in a dry goods store on Fulton st in lower Manhattan to buy a pair of Dynastar Freestyle and Rachle boots from Spiegel sporting goods

I broke one of those skis at Hidden valley. The next summer I did it again and bought a pair of Head Masters from Herman's sporting goods in Queens.- 

I could turn those skis by f I made an early enough appointment  ( btw I ran into Joe Ramone there)

Do I want any of those back...nahhhh, but I am seriously thinking of rocking a brick red puffer down jacket with jeans and  a bandana wrapped on my boot....

Now if could find a  pair if  Olin MK IV with Look turntable bindings an a pair of Hansens

Now your talking Rossi Smash territory here.  I'll bet if you ask nicely Hell post up a pic or two of this exact setup.

Royal

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDad 

Last year, I picked up a pair of 190 Big Kahunas (not the rebadged Volkl Explosiv version).  I put the de-bindinged skis in the locker room at Alpine Meadows with a "FREE" label.  I hope whoever picked them up is having fun.

I'm sure they are. I love mine. Fabulous ski, with a side cut 15 years ahead of its time. 88mm seems to be very popular right now, and the Kahuna is 26m. I've been oggling over a pair of Jerry Kahunas on eBay.

Quote:

Originally Posted by royal 

Now your talking Rossi Smash territory here.  I'll bet if you ask nicely Hell post up a pic or two of this exact setup.

 

Royal

 

brick red puffer jeans and bandana to boot?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

Hey T-Rod, as with money, age, and steepness, it's all relative!

 

 

 

 

PSA

 

A bunch of 2007 Rossignol B3 demo skis are up on eBay now, including some at 176cm and 184cm lengths.

 

 Click Pic To See Make Offer/Buy It Now Listings

 

Funny I was just looking at those

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesiredUsername 

 

I got a pair of these Stockli Spirit SC 's for $99 at Mt Bachelor on my way to the Tahoe Gathering.  I'm not sure of the age; the demo shop guy said that he had been a Stockli rep and they were his personal skis.  Haven't used them yet.

 

 

Those 10 year-old skis you bought are as well built as anything made today, and they will carve turns just fine. Their camber proves a well made foam core will not break down. Your skis even have chrome tips.  I had a pair that was stolen in 2004 (I think) and replaced them with the Spirit Pro II that I still have and use on occasion.  I bought the Spirit Pro off eBay for $200 from some guy selling a bunch of older Stocklis (maybe the rep) in 2007 and I can't get rid of it with the bottoms looking so good. 

Luddite?  How much has the below technology changed?  In the last 40 years the Grand Prix "turntable" became the Pivot, but a spring in a functional design is still a spring in a functional design.  I still think the old Grand Prix looks better than the Goth-lettered Pivot.  Getting that heel piece technology right 40 years ago lags three decades behind what is now True Temper getting the Dynamic shaft right for golfers.  Many golfers will still pay up for new shafts (and seeing no improvement in scoring) while many top pros still play a TT Dynamic shaft designed before their parents were born.

Picked these up on Ebay for like $50 just to get back to q little bit  of that ol' school feel. Unfortunately I'll have to wait 'til next year.

Looks like you got new bump skis

I got these 7 year old beauties still in shrink wrap for a great price off of ebay in December 2011.  They were the first new ones in 178 I had seen in years.  I'm extremely happy with the purchase.

Left a pair of Legend 8800's in Kashmir a few years ago, thought it an appropriate place for them to find a good home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

 

 

 

Such a clean, simple design, and the older Legends seem to almost universally be held in high regard.

 

Have you actually skied them yet?

Yes, I have.  I had them mounted with new Look P14s that had a 2005 manufacture date printed on the box.

For a bit of nostalgia, I used old skis for my inspections skis at training and races over the last 4 days. Thursday: 223cm Descente DHs w/red N17s, Friday: 223cm Rossignol DHs with MRRs and simplex(?) heel, Saturday: 205cm RD Bad Dogs with MRR bindings with step in heel M46 bindings, Sunday: 180 Volant Chubbs with the zebra on acid bases and Marker Titanium bindings.

I've actually been trolling some for a pair of inexpensive A/T bindings to screw to my RD Coyote Helidog 183s.  A/T demand seems pretty high at the moment though.  I'll wait til I can get something usable for fifty bucks and ski them as is til then.

Is she trying to say she likes to be mount flat?  Is she trying to say she doesn't enjoy riding risers?  Or both?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc-ski 

 Something else?

polyurethane