Need advice...

(Hmm - for some reason this thread caught my eye)

WS - Skis have changed a lot in 14 years. Technique has changed a lot too. There's so much that has changed, it's too much to cover in a posting and you're liable to get way too many (and likely conflicting) suggestions in an online forum. But for starters, we do more two footed skiing (i.e. not so much radical unweighting) and more speed control through turn shape than through skidding. When you try to ski todays skis with yesterdays technique, you're going to get some very sorry performance out of your skis. The bottom line is that (in general) you need to do more edging and less (rotary) turning of the skis.

You can learn this stuff on your own or even through this forum, but you'll pick it up a lot faster in a lesson. When the shape skis first came out, many instructors took "lessons" to learn how to ski them effectively and how to teach the public how to ski them. A knowledgable and watchful eye and careful selection out of the grab bag of training drills can help you make the technique transition very quickly. It worked for us, it's worked for our students over the past few years and it will likely work for you.

There are a few different options for skiing the bumps at speed with confidence, but they kind of boil down to using either finesse or brute strength. With a 15 year absence from the sport, it sounds like you might need some work before you're ready to apply either approach.

Your mileage may vary. It's hard to know exactly what you're doing through the words you've given us. If we see video, we can help a lot more. From your other posts, it sounds like you damaged your skis fairly significantly too. This probably did not help your turns much. Find a good shop, ask them their opinion on getting your skis fixed. If their fixable, ok. (they'll probably say something like we can't make promises, it won't be good as new, the patch might not hold, etc.) If not, you've learned an expensive lesson about using "rock skis" during early season conditions. Then take a lesson. Either a group or private should be ok, but tell the instructor your story so that they know you need the transition from straight to shaped skis. I think you'll find this is the quickest way to get the fun back into your turns. In the meantime, welcome back. With a little patience, you'll find things have changed a lot for the better.

I haven't been on the SX11 (though I am considering it) and I don't know how much you weigh, so I'm only guessing here, but here goes.

Either your skis are so stiff and you are so light that you can only bend one of them at a time into the proper shape unless you go very very fast and use inertia OR by putting all your weight on the outside ski you are not bending them, but pushing them sideways (mostly with your heel).

The second case seems more likely. If that's the case, then, like rusty said, you need more edging. Experiment by putting them one edge(cross section view from the rear -------> / / to turn left _ _ to go straight, and \ \ to turn right). Don't try to skid them, let them pull you around the corner they want to make when you have them angled.

You may have noticed inadvertantly that when you did put them on edge they really turned; "got away from me" was what you posted. Get a feel for turning them by putting them on edge on a smooth groomed slope before going back into the bumps. Also notice how they behave differently at different speeds; they may just not like going slow.

Good luck

Sorry to say, but you may want to consider getting a different ski. As you noticed, The SX11 turns much better at speed. It's way too strong/stiff, and IMO, just sucks as a moguls ski. A first ski back for someone with traditional technique should be able to skid better than the SX-11. And you'll find the new technique easier to learn. The SX-11 will probably hold you back.

Since you've busted the SX-11, You should probably go shorter. Definately go softer. Suggest you demo these:

Dynastar (157/165) Omecarve 9, Skicross 9, Elan S8 160/168.

To be perfectly honest, I would suggest not spending the money on the Dynastars if you have any aspirations about learning to carve now that you've started skiing again. They may sound like a good deal, but would hold you back, just in a different way than the SX11's. Yes, they would suit your traditional style of skiing more, but they are not very shaped by today's standards and the length would be a handful in the bumps. They are not a high-performance ski. I agree with Big E's list. Go for a shorter, more forgiving carver and you'll be much happier.

I ski in the East on 160's that are plenty stable at speed and I typically ski pretty fast all the time. I haven't skied enough different skis, nor do I ski often enough to make any real specific recommendations, but to help with your search I would suggest giving us more details about yourself, ie: weight, ability (even from 14 years ago), where you ski, how you ski, etc.

I'm curious how you ended up with the SX11's. If it was based on the shop's recommendation I'd say they did you a real disservice especially considering your long layoff from the sport.

First, add the Head i160 to the list. You'll probably really like it.

The Omecarve 9 has been raved about at www.skispressworld.com as a great all around ski, moguls included. The Elan S-8 is easy to turn and can help you learn to carve properly.

You have to clarify something:

What do you mean by "at speed in the bumps"? What's your bump skiing style? Does at speed mean world class zipper-line or slowly/smoothly skiing through? OR is a bump just a pile of crud?

Seems like you have two choices: ski faster, or get a shorter radius ski so you can carve short-enough turns to check your speed through bumps. If you insist on checking your speed by half-skidding then you may need to look at skipressworld and find a stable ski that has the least sidecut. Nevertheles, I found the Rossignol 9S Oversize could be made to do just about anything I wanted it to quite well (except highspeed LR turns). It seemed quite flexible and forgiving to me, but if you've been over-skied once, maybe you should try it first.

They probably advised the SX11 for you because you told them you wanted highspeed stability and good performance at LR turns. We all want it all.

No matter what you get, you have to pay some attention to the terrain. Don't bother with the cheap Dynastars. They are simply too long for you. And the added length will make it easy to trip up. Ever wonder why they are so cheap and still there?

If you insist on ignoring the cut-up stuff and plowing like a tank, you will have to sacrifice something else, like ease of turning. There are skis that will do that, but, they can also make learning much harder. If I were you, I would not try to buy my last ski first. I'd buy something versatile that you can learn to carve with, and also learn to choose turn locations more wisely.

The three I suggested, are all very good. The Rossi 9s oversize may be too much ski right now. That's not meant to be nasty, it's just that the 9S expects that you know how to control speed with turn shape. That's much easier to learn, but not a gimme, on a more versatile ski.

Whatever you do, you should demo all three, as close to 165 or less. (Head i160 at 160 NOT at 170 that's too long for you from Head. Elan S8 at 160 or maybe 168).

Any of those should keep you happy for quite a while, but it's better to try before you buy.

Good luck!

Things have changed with respect to length. I have been skiing since the mid - 60s and through the 80s skied on race oriented, 205+ cm skis. I still ski a 186 in powder, but my daily ski is a 168 cm Volkl Supersport 6*. Pretty amazing if you think about all the preconceptions I had to leave behind to go that short. I am 6'2" 200 lbs and have not yet overpowered this ski. This is a fast stable ski that can rail blue cruisers, tackle the double blacks or black moguls in control or straightline when necessary and still check speed quickly and predictably. This may not be the right ski for you, but it can't hurt to try a few different skis before committing money to another pair.

It would be best if you could demo some skis in different lengths. With today's equipment, longer is not necessarily better for stability and dampness at speed. The ability to push speed seems more to come from within rather than equipment limits. Shorter advanced skis bring versatility to manuever in tight spots and moguls while maintaining the capabilty for high speed and carving. Leave the prejudice about needing a long ski behind and try out some of the shorter all-mountain skis. You really need to experience a variety of skis; especially considering how much equipment has changed since the early 90s. It may take several days to adjust to the increased turn response and edge hold, but it sounds like you hit it off pretty well with the SX11s.

Hope your warranty issue works out. Good luck.

I second that advice about the Head i.C160 - absolutely great ski. Pretty much anyone can ski it and be very happy. Great carver, and it really goes through crud without any effort. I've skiied it at 163cm for the past two seasons, and it's never failed me, whether I'm demonstrating low level skiing (ie lots of skidding, which you seem to want), or laying down railroad tracks, or breezing through bad crud.

I noticed a policy in a ski shop last year. I think it was Head or Salomon, but I'm not sure. The policy was a guarantee that if you don't like the ski (and don't ruin it) you can exchange it for full credit on another model. Might be something to look into.

Answer:

Atomic is doing this with Metrons this year.