Gear Trends 15-16

Ski Magazine reporting trend towards waist widths to start getting smaller not bigger for first time in almost 20 years

Hottest selling width is between 80 and 90mm.  That is the perfect width for a one ski quiver in my thinking.  My everyday ski is going to be 84mm under foot this season.

2 years ago when I was getting my new boots, my boot fitter predicted we would see this shift. He said it had to stop somewhere and apparently it has.

That magazine is for gapers.

^  1

I get it for free, but it really gets worse and worse every year. 20 page Deer Valley ad in the first issue of the season? Ugh.

One ski quiver doesn't exist. Do you golf with one club

Nope and I have a 4 or 5 ski quiver

My number 1 ski is still in the mid 80mm range because that width is by far the best for everyday skiing in the East.  Any wider and you seriously give up edge hold and have to really adjust your skill blend.  Any narrower and the ski is not versatile enough.

I have narrower skis for  bullet proof days and wider for pow and spring skiing.  I ski about 60 something days so my race skis see about 5 days my pow / spring skis about 10 days, 5 days on rock skis and 40 on my mid 80 width.  

I do agree with Matt that I found the 20 page ad for Deer Valley sickening

I have a total of 6 pairs of skis I use, but the ones I use most tend to be in the 80 range. I have tried a lot, but this is what I have settled in on as being the most versatile.

skimore wrote

One ski quiver doesn't exist. Do you golf with one club

I used to be on that band wagon. But then I stopped skiing when conditions were sub-par and decided just buying new skis every three years and enjoying every turn was better than skiing on beaters early/late season. If you opt not to ski when the on piste is hard pack groomers only, then one pair of do it all natural snow type skis is fine. Though I have two touring ski setups I also use but I think that is a different beast. I only ski on one pair on piste when I used to bring a three pair quiver.

No surprise widths have leveled off. There obviously is a general range for the average skier that is between a race ski and a snowboard. I'm surprised the average ski width got so large in the first place considering the average skier is groomers only... though those of us chasing powder are probably more likely to invest in more skis more often.

riverc0il wrote

skimore wrote

One ski quiver doesn't exist. Do you golf with one club

But then I stopped skiing when conditions were sub-par

I'm with ya in that camp, but still find I need more than one. I have a light weight touring 120mm that's my favorite. Then another light AT 105 setup for some days. Then a beefier  AT 110  for the resort pow days and side country. Also a 95mm for spring bumps

Being a Junior skier I only need one ski really. I have a pair of Armada's with a 98mm waist width. They old an edge extremely well for their size, and I spend most of my time off the groomers so they work well for me.

Big trend for me personally is happening.  Earlier in the year Dalbello was purchased by Volkl.  I was asked by the sales rep who came over from elan to stay with Dalbello along with Volkl Marker as a pro rep.  I've been with Elan for 15 years so this is a big change for me.  I'm going to a meeting in a few weeks to learn more about Volkl.  Looks like well made and technically advanced gear.  Planning to get a RTM84 and a Kendo.

Cute line they have #Iwant my MDV

Clearing out my workshop of my current skis so if you are looking for a bargain shoot me an email.  Will be posting some gear over on the for sale section as well.

Volkl makes really nice skis, I don't think you'd be hard-pressed to find some in the lineup you'd like. They also range the gamut from affordable options for kids and lighter types to super technical weirdo carbon stuff that I've yet to try. But I usually enjoy the shapes and designs they come up with, it's probably my favorite 'major league' producer.

ml242 wrote

Volkl makes really nice skis, I don't think you'd be hard-pressed to find some in the lineup you'd like. They also range the gamut from affordable options for kids and lighter types to super technical weirdo carbon stuff that I've yet to try. But I usually enjoy the shapes and designs they come up with, it's probably my favorite 'major league' producer.

Sorry ml, they're not made in the USA, so they're not for you .

I would like to know Z's opinions on the 90Eight and how they compare with the Mantra in terms of edge hold on Eastern Ice. Thinking about a bomber Tele setup with the new 22 designs Outlaw and those skis for a certain tryout that I'll be doing in April.

I'll be learning about these at the meeting in a few weeks.  Are you a Volkl pro rep as well Matt?

I don't know much about Tele though.  

From talking to the sales rep I'm going going to buying a the RTM84 and a Kendo.  

Coach Z wrote

I'll be learning about these at the meeting in a few weeks.  Are you a Volkl pro rep as well Matt?

I don't know much about Tele though.  

From talking to the sales rep I'm going going to buying a the RTM84 and a Kendo.

I'm not, but I know some people who are. I'm no good at being a rep because I hate selling people shit, I hate promotion, and I hate talking things up. Ace and I are both on Dev teams (me tele, her alpine), but neither of us have any gear affiliation. If someone wants to give us free skis, cool, but neither of us are really interested in selling, and she's not what you would consider someone who is a big gear head.

The new RTM is supposed to be great (a vast improvement over the old, mediocre one), I just always have a problem with integrated binding systems (I always break them), plus I need a flat ski so I can put a Tele binding on them. The 84 is a perfect all mountain ski for Whiteface.

I know lots of people that are happy with the Kendo (but were happier before they introduced rocker to that and the Mantra). Ace has two pairs of Kenjas (women's version of the Kendo) because she likes them so much.

I assume by breaking an integrated binding you mean when you are skiing alpine fir a change.  Where / how does it break?  I've had dozens of them and never broken one and I'm a bigger guy than you.

 I love gear and talking about it and I'm a sales person for a living so it's a natural thing for me.  It's a very soft sell more of telling staff and clients about the line and models based on experience and helping with ski selection, sizing, and referring to a local shop.  I see my role as being a resource for both the supplier and the skier.

I got my level 3 cert skiing on Volkl so returning is a great thing for me.

Coach Z wrote

I assume by breaking an integrated binding you mean when you are skiing alpine fir a change.  Where / how does it break?  I've had dozens of them and never broken one and I'm a bigger guy than you.

Yes, these are alpine bindings. I've broken 3 pairs (all Marker bindings) in the toepiece, one, completely ripped off (plastic destroyed - but I've done that to normal bindings, too) and one was on rails and just stopped being attached (some metal retaining clip broke) and slid along the rails, making it impossible to click in. I sent them back, got "better" bindings, and they broke in the exact same way.

You're bigger than me, but I'm taller, and I think that I must lever them off the front (if that makes any sense). Like I said, I've destroyed alpine bindings in the same way. Plus I probably ski more aggressively than you

I have had three sets of system binding and two failed.  Both times I blew threw the toe pieces.  

I think you just got an upgrade from Elan to Voilki.  

Coach Z wrote

I assume by breaking an integrated binding you mean when you are skiing alpine fir a change.  Where / how does it break?  I've had dozens of them and never broken one and I'm a bigger guy than you.

 I love gear and talking about it and I'm a sales person for a living so it's a natural thing for me.  It's a very soft sell more of telling staff and clients about the line and models based on experience and helping with ski selection, sizing, and referring to a local shop.  I see my role as being a resource for both the supplier and the skier.

I got my level 3 cert skiing on Volkl so returning is a great thing for me.

Hmmm....Aaron D. reps for Volkl....so now there is 2 in Ski School? How's that work?

In the past there were 3 Volkl  pro reps at WF.- Aleks, Bart and Pat.  Aaron and I are working together.   It's a big line with Marker Dalbello and Volkl plus helmets and goggles.  Time to beat back the Rossi hoard around these parts.

I want my MDV!