Unsure about the equipment I can afford.... Advice pls

Hi! I'm posting to the group for the first time, please excuse me if this is
the wrong group for this. I'm asking for advice and criticism regarding my
choice of gear for this year....

I'm a middle-level skiier, can do any black diamond (not gracefully,
perhaps, but...), and I can do bumps middling well. I'd been off skis for
several years (well, 15 years, actually), and I just got back on 4 years
ago. I've put on some pounds, I'm (blush) 227 and 6'2.

The equipment I own now hasn't been appropriate for the Utah hills; I got
suckered into buying a pair of 186cm Atomic 9.18's 2 years ago - "no, no,
they're great for the bumps - just get the softer ones" - bah. I skiied them
a few times, and now they gather dust - they're designed for groomers
without bumps, nothing else. They're like cinderblocks in powder. I've been
renting the cheapies, they generally are like a jeep - ugly, slow, but they
get the job done.

So, I'm going the other way - I'm looking at a pair of Volant Machete Soul
170 cm, 03/04 model. I've read about bent skis, torsion problems,
delaminations, etc. etc. But, I also read that they're rock stable, and are
true "all mountain" skis - powder, crud, groomers, bumps. I know the company
was bought out recently by Atomic; that's why they're so cheap...

Paired with a set of last year's Marker 1100 Titanium bindings, and with
mounting, etc. I could get away with the set for under $300 including tax.
Did I mention I'm on a very strict budget? I'm on a very strict budget - I
want some money left over to pay for lift tickets.

Now, I looked at the Xscream 10 and the Atomic R-EX - I demo'd a pair of
each of these last year and I liked them, but I though the R-EX was not so
good in the bumps. This year, though, they're out of my price range - the
X-screams are $100 more (and only available in 193cm, way too long), the
R-EX I'd have to buy this year's model, so $700 more. I can also get a used
pair of the old yellow Xscream 10 that was so popular - but they're going
for the same $300 I'd spend on the Volants and most of them in my size are
seriously thrashed.

So, does anyone have some sage advice for an aging, admittedly out of shape
(but working on it - 12 lbs so far!) reborn ski buff who wants to ski with
the big dogs at Alta? Do you think that the Volant Machete Soul's could be
my ski? What about the Marker 1100 series - the 1200 costs $100 more - is it
really worth it?

Sorry about the long post, and thanks for any replies!
ECM

ECM wrote:



So, does anyone have some sage advice for an aging, admittedly out of shape
(but working on it - 12 lbs so far!) reborn ski buff who wants to ski with
the big dogs at Alta? Do you think that the Volant Machete Soul's could be
my ski? What about the Marker 1100 series - the 1200 costs $100 more - is it
really worth it?

I'll leave the ski advice to those qualified to comment, but if there's
something I AM qualified to talk about, it's getting bargains

If you really want/need to go cheap, it may involve not your first
choice of ski and binding. But it will be much cheaper. Anyway, if you
make a list of skis that would fit your needs and wants, you can then
scan the online ski retailers and see if you can find one of those, or
something very close, on sale. You can save 40% and more. But you
can't always get your first, or even second choice.

Budget or choice.

Lisa

Lisa Horton wrote in message ...
ECM wrote:



So, does anyone have some sage advice for an aging, admittedly out of shape
(but working on it - 12 lbs so far!) reborn ski buff who wants to ski with
the big dogs at Alta? Do you think that the Volant Machete Soul's could be
my ski? What about the Marker 1100 series - the 1200 costs $100 more - is it
really worth it?

I'll leave the ski advice to those qualified to comment, but if there's
something I AM qualified to talk about, it's getting bargains

If you really want/need to go cheap, it may involve not your first
choice of ski and binding. But it will be much cheaper. Anyway, if you
make a list of skis that would fit your needs and wants, you can then
scan the online ski retailers and see if you can find one of those, or
something very close, on sale. You can save 40% and more. But you
can't always get your first, or even second choice.

Budget or choice.

Lisa

Thanks for the reply, Lisa!

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm doing.... If I had a choice, I'd get a
pair of R-EX's for $600-700 with a nice $200 binding and be done with
buying skis for the next 10 years. I know, I know, right now I'm
looking at $300 for a ski for 2-3 years, doesn't really make sense,
but the cash for the good new skis just isn't there.

Perhaps it would be better if I asked directly - What do the people
think about the Volant Machete Soul as an "All Mountain" ski for an
intermediate skier looking to improve?

And is a Salomon X-scream ca. 2000 ski that much better a ski? I've
also come across some old used Bandit X for $220 and some used Bandit
B1's and B2's for $400, all with Rossignol rental-type bindings -
should I consider these?

Peace!
ECM

ECM wrote:
Lisa Horton wrote in message ...

ECM wrote:



So, does anyone have some sage advice for an aging, admittedly out of shape
(but working on it - 12 lbs so far!) reborn ski buff who wants to ski with
the big dogs at Alta? Do you think that the Volant Machete Soul's could be
my ski? What about the Marker 1100 series - the 1200 costs $100 more - is it
really worth it?

I'll leave the ski advice to those qualified to comment, but if there's
something I AM qualified to talk about, it's getting bargains

If you really want/need to go cheap, it may involve not your first
choice of ski and binding. But it will be much cheaper. Anyway, if you
make a list of skis that would fit your needs and wants, you can then
scan the online ski retailers and see if you can find one of those, or
something very close, on sale. You can save 40% and more. But you
can't always get your first, or even second choice.

Budget or choice.

Lisa


Thanks for the reply, Lisa!

Yeah, that's kind of what I'm doing.... If I had a choice, I'd get a
pair of R-EX's for $600-700 with a nice $200 binding and be done with
buying skis for the next 10 years. I know, I know, right now I'm
looking at $300 for a ski for 2-3 years, doesn't really make sense,
but the cash for the good new skis just isn't there.

Perhaps it would be better if I asked directly - What do the people
think about the Volant Machete Soul as an "All Mountain" ski for an
intermediate skier looking to improve?

And is a Salomon X-scream ca. 2000 ski that much better a ski? I've
also come across some old used Bandit X for $220 and some used Bandit
B1's and B2's for $400, all with Rossignol rental-type bindings -
should I consider these?

Problem is skiing style and therefore appropriate skis is personal - you
won't really know until you ski on them a bit. That's why most folks
recommend demoing skis before buying.

For me, from the skis mentioned I'd grab the XScreams, IF they were
relatively new (by that I mean under-used for their age) and beefy
enough for me (i.e. I personally would ski them a bit longer than
recommended.) I've tried Bandits in a few versions and Volants and have
been under-impressed; however other folks rave about each, so who knows.

If you plan to ski 10-12 days this year you are right about
break-even[*]; your best bet would be to rent demo skis from a top shop
every time you go out. Try a bunch of different skis and in the spring
buy something you will genuinely like. Note however that your first
purchase should be a pair of really good, well-fitted boots, not skis.
[*] estimated cost of ownership vs. demo rental. Does not include the
convenience factor of owning skis.

lal_truckee wrote in message ...
SNIP!
If you plan to ski 10-12 days this year you are right about
break-even[*]; your best bet would be to rent demo skis from a top shop
every time you go out. Try a bunch of different skis and in the spring
buy something you will genuinely like. Note however that your first
purchase should be a pair of really good, well-fitted boots, not skis.

SNIP!

Yep, spent a wad on the boots last year, got them fitting just right
when the snow melted.

I ski about 20-25 half days a year; one problem with all this is that
my ski time is very limited - most days I have to struggle to get done
in time for a 1/2 day ticket worth of skiing. The demos add 20-60
minutes to the process, depending on whether I go to the pro shop at
the hill or a shop in town. Feels like a lifetime when the conditions
are perfect.... I demo'd a few last year but I couldn't (and still
can't) afford to buy the ones I liked, ie. the Salomon XScream 10's
and the Atomic R-EX. The other days I just rented cheapies.

Oh well. I'm probably going to go for the Volants; at least if they're
crap I've only wasted $150 on them, and I'll have a decent pair of
bindings for next year. If I ski them even 5 times I've got my money
out of them.

Thanks for all the help!
ECM

"ECM" wrote in message ...
Hi! I'm posting to the group for the first time, please excuse me if this is
the wrong group for this. I'm asking for advice and criticism regarding my
choice of gear for this year....

I'm a middle-level skiier, can do any black diamond (not gracefully,
perhaps, but...), and I can do bumps middling well. I'd been off skis for
several years (well, 15 years, actually), and I just got back on 4 years
ago. I've put on some pounds, I'm (blush) 227 and 6'2.

The equipment I own now hasn't been appropriate for the Utah hills; I got
suckered into buying a pair of 186cm Atomic 9.18's 2 years ago - "no, no,
they're great for the bumps - just get the softer ones" - bah. I skiied them
a few times, and now they gather dust - they're designed for groomers
without bumps, nothing else. They're like cinderblocks in powder. I've been
renting the cheapies, they generally are like a jeep - ugly, slow, but they
get the job done.

So, I'm going the other way - I'm looking at a pair of Volant Machete Soul
170 cm, 03/04 model. I've read about bent skis, torsion problems,
delaminations, etc. etc. But, I also read that they're rock stable, and are
true "all mountain" skis - powder, crud, groomers, bumps. I know the company
was bought out recently by Atomic; that's why they're so cheap...

Paired with a set of last year's Marker 1100 Titanium bindings, and with
mounting, etc. I could get away with the set for under $300 including tax.
Did I mention I'm on a very strict budget? I'm on a very strict budget - I
want some money left over to pay for lift tickets.

Now, I looked at the Xscream 10 and the Atomic R-EX - I demo'd a pair of
each of these last year and I liked them, but I though the R-EX was not so
good in the bumps. This year, though, they're out of my price range - the
X-screams are $100 more (and only available in 193cm, way too long), the
R-EX I'd have to buy this year's model, so $700 more. I can also get a used
pair of the old yellow Xscream 10 that was so popular - but they're going
for the same $300 I'd spend on the Volants and most of them in my size are
seriously thrashed.

So, does anyone have some sage advice for an aging, admittedly out of shape
(but working on it - 12 lbs so far!) reborn ski buff who wants to ski with
the big dogs at Alta? Do you think that the Volant Machete Soul's could be
my ski? What about the Marker 1100 series - the 1200 costs $100 more - is it
really worth it?

Sorry about the long post, and thanks for any replies!
ECM



You can get the REX for $449 on ebay right now with nice bindings.
Assume you have been to GART or Sports Authority. They are blowing
out the leftover Volants. If they have the Machete Sin in a 175 or
185, grab a set, they would be closer to the REX and a bit more
versatile since they are 81 in the waist vs 84 on the REX. If you
want something narrower, the Souls should work too. Hard to beat $180
for brand new mid-fats.