ski advice question from a newbie

Oh, one other option might be a Salomon Scream 10 Pilot Xtra Hot at 175 cm,
but is it better to go with a shorter, more advanced ski (versus the Scream
8 at 180)?

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 09:53:38 -0700, "Bill Kraus"
wrote:

Hi -

I need some ski purchasing advice for a newbie. I have an opportunity to
pick up a pair of Scream 8 Pilots at a really good price, but they are 180
cm - from what I can gather from reading past posts to this newsgroup as
well as the using the ski selector on the Salomon website, I might be better
off with 170s. Will the 10 cm make a huge difference? Would I be better off
getting a Rossi B1 at 170 cm instead? Other suggestions? I don't want to be
penny-wise, pound foolish.

I'm a 44 yr old, 5'11", 174 lbs, intermediate who enjoys carving short turns
more than straight speed runs (which would seem to favor the shorter skis).
I ski in the Tahoe area. While last year was the first year I skied downhill
(carving turns on blue and a few easy black runs using some shaped K2 skis
with telemark bindings no less! - and no, I'm not a teleskier), I have been
an avid nordic skier for a five years now, participating in numerous citizen
races here and in Norway (talk about squirrelly - try the run down from
Sjusoen into Lillehammer Olympic stadium on 205 cm skinny skis). This year I
decided to take the plunge and buy real alpine gear and dedicate myself to
getting proficient on the downhills. I'm the kind of person who goes full
bore if I enjoy something (I've got 8 pairs of nordic skis and do all my own
wax/tuning - I anticipate that I'll eventually have several pairs of alpine
skis and I also plan on doing my own waxing/tuning for these guys). So I
want a pair of skis that aren't too much for me (i.e. allow me to learn) but
also don't hold me back. Realistically, this season will be spend on the
groomers, getting comfortable on the black diamond runs, with an occasional
powder day (as much as we get them in Tahoe). I anticipate that I will
eventually be going off piste when I am ready for it.

While in the best possible worlds, I'd demo a bunch of skis and pick the
best one, I know myself well enough to know that I do best by just getting a
set of good skis that are 'good enough' and go out to the slopes, working
hard on technique, and then do the demo route only after I get to a point
skill-wise where I can really appreciate the differences.

The 10 cm will make a small difference. But if these are a "starter"
ski, you're willing to adapt to them, you're already doing alright
(freeheeling black slopes), and you expect to move on fairly soon,
then if the price is a lot lower than your alternatives, I'd say go
for it (especially if the price difference will pay for a lesson you'd
otherwise not take, or a day you'd otherwise not ski at all). IMHO,
my 2 cents, YMMV, but it doesn't sound like you need to get hung up on
the 10cm difference.

bw

Bill Kraus wrote:

While in the best possible worlds, I'd demo a bunch of skis and pick the
best one, I know myself well enough to know that I do best by just getting a
set of good skis that are 'good enough' and go out to the slopes, working
hard on technique, and then do the demo route only after I get to a point
skill-wise where I can really appreciate the differences.

The usual advice is to rent for the first season or so until your skills
improve enough to know what ski to buy. But in your case I'd say:

Just get a set of good skis that are 'good enough' and go out to the
slopes, working
hard on technique, and then do the demo route only after you get to a
point
skill-wise where you can really appreciate the differences.

There's no substitute for time on the snow. The 180cm Scream 8's should
be fine. You'll probably want to move up (and go shorter) in a season
or two. Buy boots first.


--
//-Walt
//
// "Fair and Balanced"