Super Worldcup Supershapes

[Harald]

I am sorry; I thought Paul answered the question when he said I think HH skis on 170cm, which I do. This is a little long for real slalom although I have run slalom on them. I have a real pair of new World Cup iSL skis that are 166cm, just fantastic. Diana is skiing on my last year?s 166cm World Cup slalom skis as everyday teaching skis, she loves them. I ski on my super shapes everyday, as I know I will never be stuck with the wrong ski on any mountain or snow with them. I still love the iSL chip, I skied it for the last three seasons. I skied the regular iSL before that.

The iM comes out in January for the all mountain camps, when the powder is more consistent, but the SS is still a great powder ski. I ski the iM88 in 176cm, I don?t need 184cm for anything but Valdez.

Sorry, I?m a little slow responding these days I?m skiing everyday. Happy Thanks giving and go Broncos

[Heyoka]

Heya My man,

Great stuff. I share your opinions -- may i?

I'm sure HH has the ski in a 170. I'd betcha 5 bucks. Tommi said it good about the SS -- it's all about balance. What size for you? If you're a few inches shorter, a few pounds lighter, and just as crazy, my guess would be the 170.

Yes, it is the goods. I continue to be impressed by it. It's pure skiing, skiing in it's purest form. Exact quote, me and Harald on day 1 meeting each other at Copper, circa 1999.

Me:
"I feel like I'm skiing with a skiing icon".
Harald:
"You are".

Now that folks, is Harald in a nutshell, wouldn't you all agree?

My recommendation is follow it exactly. It's not just for intermediates and beginners. I like to think I've moved along, I'm still focusing on it entirely. I see lots of skiers -- good skiers -- who would benefit from some PMTS in their quiver. Just one thang(Rusty) though. Have someone with a trained eye watch you. Take lots of video, too. Be religous about the movements. It's not all in the books and vids so make sure you ski with someone in the know, to get to the "rest of the story".

I'm just now starting to watch myself on video. I'm not near as bad as I thought. Matter of fact, I'll be putting some clips up soon.

I'm off to the Beav today, then down to Denver for the Stones concert. I'm making turns with our very own jbotti, tomorrow at the Beav.

10-4

[RadRab]

Bs"D
Harald, my sincere thanks for the last full answer on length. I finally can put this to bed - actually, onto snow!

Heyoka, thanks for your imput as well (and, 10-4 on the rest).
What a combo, the Icon & the Legend. Together they are one perfect person!

And remember, everyday is a day to give thanks for all we have.
Blessings to all.

[rbrooks]

Happy Thanksgiving all--

Be careful, Harald, Doherty already owes me beers from the Cowboys-Eagles game (byw, Bill, did you get your skis yet?). I'm sure you can afford a beer for me at Sol VIsta this February.

See you there. Best to Diana

Randy

[Billy Dee NJ]

No, didn't get em yet Randy.....but I have finally decided that 163 is the length for me.

Flying out to CO tomorrow morning to ski Sat/Sun/Mon. Most likely with Hobbit at Keystone on Sat evening and Sunday. Looks like Loveland for Sat and Breck for Mon....if I'm still alive!

Looking to demo some Head XRC 800's or iM 70's or 72's while I'm there. Trying to touch base with Chris at the shop to line it up....

Happy Holiday all!

[John Mason]

Heyoka asked me to post this movie for him:

http://www.fototime.com/EB3A8FCFB9BD95D/orig.mov

Supershapes in crud

[jclayton]

John ,
which tree was Heyoka ?

[Harald]

Sorry Paul but I couldn't see you in the video, as was stated earlier, which of the trees was you skiing?

[Harald]

The Super Shape is a strong ski that will hold on any ice, but you have to get the side bevel to 3 degrees. The real fun begins in powder and bumps.

[Heyoka]

Eh, my first vid didn't come out so good. Faisal used Quick time, maybe that's why. I got many more coming. I'm making a server now.

Stay tuned...

[Heyoka]

I just keep loving the Supershape more. Yesterday I was on it with jb, the snow was stiffer than the day before -- in spots. The ski just blast through it, providing it's not sideways. So long as the tips are pointed even the slightest degree downhill, it goes through it. I just keep loving it more in da bumpies and for carving. It's a fab bump ski for me, I love it way more than the ic160 -- which I really loved. What a ski, I love it.

One thing.

Harald, you may want to give Head a head's up. I've got a couple of places where the graphic has chipped away from the side. Nothing major, it wasn't even pilot error. I think the way the graphic is -- it's just a little prone to chipping. Maybe Head can improve that?

BTW, the graphic is bitchin. It's like a texture of liquid metal drops, really neato.

[jbotti]

I have to say I was immensely impressed watching Heyoka ski the bumps on the super shapes yesterday. He rocked. He aslo takes the hardest line down the hill, every time, no matter. It is truly impressive and I improved just sking one day with him.
As for the super shapes, I tried these skis at the end of last season at Heavenly in the morning on nothoing but ice. I skied it in a 170 (and I am 6 2" 185 although I was lighter then probably 175). It was alot of ski, and it required enegry and focus and speed to get it to perform. After watching Heyoka on them, I realize that I would like to try these skis on some softer snow. I also for the first time realized the potential beauty of an all montain ski with a tight turning radius. I was on IM 75's at 177 and these skis will not cut the arcs that the 12m turn radius will on the Super Shapes (at least not with me at the helm). This is a real advantage in the bumps.
As well, the race design of the super shapes looks like it gives super stability in the crud and chop and that was evident yesterday as Heyoka couldn't find any crud that he didn't insist on charging through.

In some ways I think the super shapes may be Head's upper end answer to the Metron B5's, which is for the first time a ski that I would like to demo.

I know that my i.sl chips have made me a better skier. I can see that the super shapes have made Heyoka a better skier as there is no comparison to the way he skied at race camp on ic 160's vs the way he is now skiing on the super shapes.

I guess lastly I have decided that a tight turning radius in an all mountain ski is actually preferable as long as the ski has real beef and stability. One thing the super shapes are not lacking is beef and stablity (and I am aware that this is in contrast to what Peter Keelty has said in his review and what Joseph said afetr trying them.) Perhaps they both skied it on ice and I noticed Harald's comment that they don't hold great until you go to three degrees on the sides.

[Max_501]

In some ways I think the super shapes may be Head's upper end answer to the Metron B5's, which is for the first time a ski that I would like to demo.

I guess lastly I have decided that a tight turning radius in an all mountain ski is actually preferable as long as the ski has real beef and stability.

Based on measurements I'm guessing that the SuperShape is similar in performance to the Atomic SL9. I ski the SL9 as my early season ski and it does very well in all conditions (had it out today in 8+ inches of powder and chop and it just rocked). I think the B5 with 76mm under the foot would feel a bit different than the SuperShape. But that's just a guess. When I demo the SuperShape I'll compare it to the B5 and SL9. BTW, the B5 skis alot like the SL9 but it does a better job of plowing through crud and floats more in powder.

I also have found that the SL radius is the best all mountain shape for my skiing. But if I was skiing somewhere with wide open bowls and no trees I think the IM77 would be my all mountain ski.

[Heyoka]

Like Harald says, I'll be pulling out my "im" quiver once the snow gets deeper.

For example today, with 10" of new stuff @ the Big Show! I'm so there.

Oh. One more...thang(Rusty). I certainly don't want to imply that the SS is the only ski, or the best ski. I'm just saying that I'm having a ball on it and that the he/she/its may also. You know, to avoid someone popping in and going, "Now he's saying the SS is the best all mountain ski. See how brainwashed they all are?".

I also want to sell some skis for Head. I can tell you (like I wasn't going to?) that Head has always treated me great -- and i"m Heyoka for cryin out loud. They replace skis even when it's pilot error, the customer service is excellent. I can call someone in the company and talk about skis (not him again!). The Head rep Eric Rutishauer is way cool, a real stand up guy. Also, my Dad's first pair of skis were the Head Standards in a 223. I have them. It's a great company.

No, I'm not saying Head is the best company -- "Now he's saying Head is the best. See how brainwashed they are", just that they're great.

Making turns at the Big Show today, in da milk. Make some turns wherever you are.

[Max_501]

Heyoka, I think Head makes excellent skis and whenever I buy a new pair it always comes down to a choice between Atomic and Head. I don't know why but I really like the feel of skis made by the those two companies...even though they feel 'different' they both have a certain energy to them that works with my skiing.

Do you know anyone that skis an SL9 in a 170cm? The bindings are easy to resize. It would be interesting to see what you think of those and the Metron B5 given your experience skiing the Heads.