Do I need new skis?

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Do I need new skis?

Postby nwhitta » Wed Feb 26, 2014 2:18 am

Instead of the usual "what skis should I buy?" question, I would like to turn the question around and discover if I really need to buy any new skis at all.
I am very interested in improving my skiing, especially carving, and PMTS looks to be a sound way forward, even if some of the jargon is a little confusing without more explanation.
I currently ski on a pair of Head XRC800, which were discontinued by the manufacturer some time ago. However in terms of width and sidecut (mine are 117-66-101 with radius 12.2m) they appear remarkably similar to the various new skis I see recommended here. I suspect that newer models are driven by marketing reasons as much as technical reasons and that my current skis may be perfectly adequate. Am I being overly optimistic?
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby Skiasaurus Rex » Wed Feb 26, 2014 6:45 am

'Our wants are many but our Needs are few"-Master Kong

Skiing as a whole comes under 'wants' and not 'needs.' So, do you want new skis? You don't have to justify it through any sort of pragmatic confirmation. Buying gear is one of fun parts of a fun pastime.

That model you're on is pretty old, nothing wrong with the design then or now, but skis like everything made of matter have a shelf life and use limit, after which their inherent performance deteriorates. They loose snap, rebound (or sometimes get a little thin in the bases and edges) over years of use. Your sticks may be getting close to 'rock ski' status…but hey, very one 'needs' a good set of rock skis.

The question I think you want to ask is: Will a new set of skis boost my performance or learning trajectories or both? My answer is, if you select the right skis, yes. But that's me, others here will differ for sure.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby Smackboy1 » Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:34 am

nwhitta wrote:I am very interested in improving my skiing, especially carving, and PMTS looks to be a sound way forward. . .


If that is the #1 priority, then I would probably recommend first allocating resources going to PMTS camp or getting private instruction. Also study the books and videos. If your boot alignment makes 1 footed skiing difficult, then that should be fixed. If your current skis are not broken, they should be fine for learning.
Skiing: falling down the mountain with style.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby Mac » Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:44 am

I was a fan of the Head XRC series of skis. But those skis haven't been around for a while, so it may come down to how many days you have on them. The XRC 800 was a middle of the road ski in that line, so not as much metal in them (if any) so they would tend to break down over time, especially if you are a larger or more aggressive skier. So if those skis have over 60 days on them, they may be nearing the end of the line. Of course, when it comes to skis, at least in my case, it's never so much that I need new ones, it's more that I just want new ones. But the new Head stuff is really sensational, IMO.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby nwhitta » Wed Feb 26, 2014 11:06 pm

Thanks for the replies. I think the want vs need debate is interesting. Of course a set of shiny new skis would be very nice :-). I guess the point I was trying to make is would I notice much of a difference?
My skis are 6 seasons old and I have put 100+ days on them and there is not a great deal of camber evident when I put them together. However I have just returned from skiing in St Anton, and they seemed OK. I used to ski 20-30 days per year but that has reduced recently as I no longer live within driving distance of a ski resort (indoor snow is not the same).
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby Mac » Thu Feb 27, 2014 7:40 am

If that's the case, I'm sure you would notice a big difference. I've had a chance to try a lot of the new Head skis this year. They seem to get better and better every year, and this year's stuff is a real game changer. They would be a quantum leap from the pair of six year old skis you have now.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby go_large_or_go_home » Thu Feb 27, 2014 8:29 am

nwhitta wrote:I used to ski 20-30 days per year but that has reduced recently as I no longer live within driving distance of a ski resort (indoor snow is not the same).


You would be surprised what you can achieve on indoor snow/ dry-slope. It provides the perfect opportunity/ environment for you to work your way through the books/ exercises as the 'lure' of the playing on the big mountain has been removed. Similar to a golfer on a driving range, you can really dedicate your time to each exercise in a controlled fashion.

As for new skis - personally, i would consign the old set to an honourable retirement and invest in a 'PMTS recommended' pair when the sales start. I bought a new pair of Head TT80's for $230 last summer. If you were a runner, how often would you replace your running shoes? You can debate 'want vs need' for ever, but if you are serious about your hobby, sport, pastime etc, then debate over....you won't regret it...The sooner you start down the PMTS route, the bigger the 'grin' on your face...
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby nwhitta » Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:32 am

Mmmm.... Supershape Magnum in 163cm length looks tempting.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby Max_501 » Wed Mar 05, 2014 9:09 am

nwhitta, do you have any video of your skiing? If not can you describe the type of turns you make? Are you already well on your way to tipping and getting up on edge to make a turn or do you have the tendency to stem or pivot a flatter ski to make your turns?

One way to test if your skis are dead is to rent new skis for one day and compare them to your XRC. If the XRC is dead you should notice the difference right away.

A proper fitting and aligned boot is very important so be sure to take care of that too.

Mac wrote:If that's the case, I'm sure you would notice a big difference. I've had a chance to try a lot of the new Head skis this year. They seem to get better and better every year, and this year's stuff is a real game changer. They would be a quantum leap from the pair of six year old skis you have now.


Mac, without seeing video it's impossible to say if new skis would make much, if any, difference for this skier. IMO Head's new lineup isn't any better than previous years and quite frankly is worse than some now that the gold standard SuperShape and RnR are no longer available. I can't think of anything in the Head line-up that I would describe as a game changer although they still make great skis.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby nwhitta » Thu Mar 06, 2014 4:38 am

Unfortunately I don't have any video. I am trying to carve and improving but still tending to skid out at the end of my turns so obviously not tipping enough. I have read Harald's first book (strangely it made more sense to me after reading Lito's book). I drive my kids crazy with my determination to carve (they ski much better than me but they just get on with it with little interest in formal tuition - youth is wasted on the young).
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby cheesehead » Thu Mar 06, 2014 7:12 pm

Just about any digital camera these days will take adequate video. One run of 20 seconds is enough. Have your camera perso stand halfway down the hill
--- aka John Carey
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby nwhitta » Sun Mar 09, 2014 3:48 am

Camera is one thing. Persuading my wife to take her gloves off whilst filming video is another.
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby go_large_or_go_home » Mon Mar 10, 2014 2:22 am

I feel your pain. And, it takes practice to get decent/ useable footage. It's not as easy/ simple as it looks. I took lots of footage of the wife/ kids before I worked out what worked best - then gave the wife a crash course..

If you have an iPhone 5, it will have digital zoom. The 4s does not, but you can try the app called MoviePro - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/moviepro-video-recorder-pause/id547101144?mt=8. Assuming you have an iPhone..

It might be worth buying some iGloves (or equivalent) see here:

http://iglove.co.uk/index.php?route=common/home

This should solve the 'taking gloves off issue'. You can get these in silk/ merino to wear inside your gloves/ mitts..

In the end, after much experimentation/ advice, I settled for a hand held/ pocket HD camera that was simple to use, even with gloves on...

As for analysis, I highly recommend Ubersense. Free and very powerful app. Perfect for us amateurs...

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/ubersense-coach-slow-motion/id470428362?mt=8

Unfortunately, my ski season is over (only 2 more snow days left)...back to the plastic and 'drill' City...
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Re: Do I need new skis?

Postby nwhitta » Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:07 pm

My son skied on my XRC800's and told me there was no "pop" left in them. Inspired by his words, I have now ordered a brand new pair of the orginal Head Supershapes (2013 model) from a German ebay trader.
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