Super Blue Camp Skis?

[windyducat]

I am at Harb's Super Blue Camp this winter and want to have the best skis to learn the most. I am considering the Head Rev 80 Pro in 170cm.

A little more about me. I took the blue camp last year and found it transformed my skiing. I am now competent in all five elements - not expert. The first day of the class I was on Kastle MX83 in a 173 and they were dog slow for learning the basics. The second day and on I was on Rossignol Hero Elite in a 167 and they made all the difference. They are now my go to ski on groomers out west. I never thought I could skis as well with a shorter ski, but with PMTS I am much more stable and nimble. I am 5'9" 150 lbs and growing up in Minnesota I am at home on groomed and ice.

That brings me back to the Head Rev 80 Pro and the Super Blue Camp, which is for bumps, powder, groomed, ungroomed, and steeps. I can get down most anything ungroome but it is not always fun and sometimes a lot of work, so I expect to be tested and learn a lot during the off piste sessions. It seems that the Head Rev 80 Pro is a good ski for me to learn on. Am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance. Windy

[jbotti]

I think you will be much better off on a carving ski which will be much better in bumps. Also remember that the goal of the Super Blue is to get skiers capable of skiing powder, bumps, steeps etc well with solid PMTS technique. For almost everyone this involves a lot of drill work on groomers and you should expect a good deal of this at the camp.

[windyducat]

Then do you recommend the Rossignol Hero Elite for the Super Blue? I have skied them is everything. but in power they are two narrow and not enough float. I thought the Head Rev 80 was an all mountain ski which includes good carving characteristics.

Thanks! Cal

[windyducat]

I also have a pair of Kastle MX83 which are awesome carving skies...but are a strong full camber and again not the best in powder...or maybe it is my technique.

[sym95734]

The chance for you to get powder during the camp is very low so if you feel comfortable carving your MX83 I'll just use them for the camp, the MX83 is a great ski.

[Max_501]

Generally speaking, when we say "carving ski" we mean a ski with a waist width between 66 and 72mm and a turn radius of 14M or less.

[Mac]

I made the same mistake at the last Super Blue camp I went to. My thinking being that Super Blue meant all mountain conditions that would benefit from a wider all mountain ski. I had a choice between the wider all mountain ski and a pair of SS Magnums (71 mm waist) that I had at the time. I ended up bringing the wider ski, and there is no doubt in my mind that I would have been far better off with the narrower ski. I feel that I really did myself a disservice by bringing the wider ski, and for all the reasons Jbotti stated above.

[jbotti]

I also have a pair of Kastle MX83 which are awesome carving skies...but are a strong full camber and again not the best in powder...or maybe it is my technique.

I have no idea what your skill level is but I will say that Max and i have skied the MX 83 and we both agree that it's too stiff. Max commented on what we mean by a carving ski. I did two days of bumps lessons with Diana last year and I skied my TT 80's in the 170 length (66mm underfoot and a 13.5m TR) and they were perfect.

Most people have a mistaken concept about off piste skiing. The best off piste skiing involves high energy, high edge angle turns with incredible pop coming out of the turns. As well as has been talked about on this forum, good PMTS off piste skiing is done at terminal velocity with tight, almost slalom like turns which control the speed.

So when we look at this outcome that we are shooting for (as outlined just above ie, slalom turns at high angles ), wide skis that require more effort to get to higher edge angles, which are slower edge to edge actually work against the learning PMTS skier. Good (blue and black level) PMTS skiers can and do at times ski with wider skis but unless its awfully deep or awfully heavy most will chose something thinner especially if they are a lot of bumps.

Here is a thread you can read on Off Piste skiing that discusses what I have touched on.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3994&hilit=off+piste+skiing

[windyducat]

Thanks everyone who provided comments and suggestions. I definitely will bring my Rossignol Hero Elite ST.

The thing I learned most at the Blue camp was to let go of everything I thought I knew about skiing and trust PMTS. I am excited to learn how the PMTS movements off piste and really enjoy off piste skiing.

Cheers! Windy.

[skijim13]

I purchased HEAD World Cup Rebel skis for this years short turn camp based on Harald's recommendation of a good ski for PMTS skiing

[sym95734]

Hi skijim13,

Did you get the Worldcup Rebels i.Speed or the Worldcup Rebels i.SL?
I purchased the i.Supershape Speed 2016 more in the performance category instead of the racing category.

[skijim13]

Yes I also got the none racing model, both my wife and I purchased a pair can't wait to try them this winter when our mountain opens.