Stats: 38, M, 6' 170 lbs.
Level: In reviews here, its customary to give a level rating. I am not real big on ratings but probably am somwhere around a Level 8, I think.
Boots: Salomon Falcon 10 with Intution powerwraps.
Skis: RX8 175, Rossi Z9 170, Head IM77, 88, both 178.
Style: My day always starts on the bunny hill fwith one-footed techniques to check my balance point and edging and to get my boots set. I am not a speed merchant and and do not live for speed. I enjoy a moderate pace, high energy quick turns, and light bump runs.
Steep and fast bump runs and really tight glades do not aggree with me in any way --50% technique issues, 20% poor knees, 30% fear of death and dismemberment. Also, the older I have got, the more consrevative I have become. My comfort zone ends at roughly 35 mph on the speedometer. I rarely ski this fast anyways.
Boots: Salomon Falcon 10 with Intution powerwraps.
Having never skied the contact series, I thought I would give it a try. Was going to demo the 4x4 but couldn't get hold of one yesterday -- very popular demo. Pretty much all the hot models were taken. The only thing available was last years Contact 9 in 172. Reluctantly, I gave them a try for $15.
Killlington Conditions: Ice, Ice, and Ice, pretty much everywhere except for areas of hard, broken up chop.
Given the light weight, I was really expecting a wimpy ride and a lot of washout. I was pretty astonished at the edgehold and agility on the ice. Snapping out quick slalom turns was a breeze, even on most steeps. The skis would carve a clean edge on the ice and allow you to break free without the slightest break in rythym. No tip drift at all.
While not as grippy as the RX8 on stepper sections, they were more nimble, quick, and versaile. Suprisingly, I had no tip deflection in the broken up chop at spots where the RX8 was getting a little squirelly earlier in the day.
Choosing turn shape and using foot steering were also much easier with th 9 over the RX8. The only washout ocurred on the steepest pitches and at the high end of my speed comfort zone, where the RX8 would still hold.
The Contact 9 lacked the power of the RX8 but I was actually having more fun with it yesterday. The 9 handled the bumps a lot easier than the RX8.
This was a LOT of ski for what is termed an intermediate model. Easy to use, stable, quick, and fast. In fact, I kepy looking at the topsheet to see the specs --perhaps they handed me last years contact limited. People usually attach adjectives to skis to describe their abilities -- precise, strong, powerfull, etc etc. I would say the Contact 9 is just fun - one of those skis with decent performance you can just take out and throw around and enjoy the scenery without always having to constantly stay on top of things.
If the 9 is this good, I really need to try the 10 and 4x4. The contact 9 is probably not for high end speed freaks but Icould see this ski having a very wide range of use for a lot of skier types. Very well balanced all around.
Then again, I probably should not demo the 4x4 as I really cannot afford another pair of skis. I might just pick up the Contact 9 used at the shop for $220.
Level: In reviews here, its customary to give a level rating. I am not real big on ratings but probably am somwhere around a Level 8, I think.
Boots: Salomon Falcon 10 with Intution powerwraps.
Skis: RX8 175, Rossi Z9 170, Head IM77, 88, both 178.
Style: My day always starts on the bunny hill fwith one-footed techniques to check my balance point and edging and to get my boots set. I am not a speed merchant and and do not live for speed. I enjoy a moderate pace, high energy quick turns, and light bump runs.
Steep and fast bump runs and really tight glades do not aggree with me in any way --50% technique issues, 20% poor knees, 30% fear of death and dismemberment. Also, the older I have got, the more consrevative I have become. My comfort zone ends at roughly 35 mph on the speedometer. I rarely ski this fast anyways.
Boots: Salomon Falcon 10 with Intution powerwraps.
Having never skied the contact series, I thought I would give it a try. Was going to demo the 4x4 but couldn't get hold of one yesterday -- very popular demo. Pretty much all the hot models were taken. The only thing available was last years Contact 9 in 172. Reluctantly, I gave them a try for $15.
Killlington Conditions: Ice, Ice, and Ice, pretty much everywhere except for areas of hard, broken up chop.
Given the light weight, I was really expecting a wimpy ride and a lot of washout. I was pretty astonished at the edgehold and agility on the ice. Snapping out quick slalom turns was a breeze, even on most steeps. The skis would carve a clean edge on the ice and allow you to break free without the slightest break in rythym. No tip drift at all.
While not as grippy as the RX8 on stepper sections, they were more nimble, quick, and versaile. Suprisingly, I had no tip deflection in the broken up chop at spots where the RX8 was getting a little squirelly earlier in the day.
Choosing turn shape and using foot steering were also much easier with th 9 over the RX8. The only washout ocurred on the steepest pitches and at the high end of my speed comfort zone, where the RX8 would still hold.
The Contact 9 lacked the power of the RX8 but I was actually having more fun with it yesterday. The 9 handled the bumps a lot easier than the RX8.
This was a LOT of ski for what is termed an intermediate model. Easy to use, stable, quick, and fast. In fact, I kepy looking at the topsheet to see the specs --perhaps they handed me last years contact limited. People usually attach adjectives to skis to describe their abilities -- precise, strong, powerfull, etc etc. I would say the Contact 9 is just fun - one of those skis with decent performance you can just take out and throw around and enjoy the scenery without always having to constantly stay on top of things.
If the 9 is this good, I really need to try the 10 and 4x4. The contact 9 is probably not for high end speed freaks but Icould see this ski having a very wide range of use for a lot of skier types. Very well balanced all around.
Then again, I probably should not demo the 4x4 as I really cannot afford another pair of skis. I might just pick up the Contact 9 used at the shop for $220.
