KERS and Supershapes

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KERS and Supershapes

Postby jbotti » Sun Aug 22, 2010 3:02 pm

We are definitely getting closer to ski season. I had the gerat joy to both ski on and acquire the new Head SS's with KERS technology. The positives (and they are many) have been discussed in depth before. I was reading on Peter Keelty's site about this years skis as his reviews are up. He also acknowledges that getting the new SS's will be difficult as Harald ordered a few pairs (that will go quick) and I have herad that one site will special order them. What Peter also mentioned on his site is the the SS Magnum will also have KERS technology. I own a pair of the old magnums and they are great skis. When you add the KERS they will just rock. I prefer this ski in the tighter turn radius that the SS (non magnum has) but the SS Magnum will still be an excellent ski.

Again, I will add the disclaimer that the new SS's are not for everyone. They are less forgiving, with much more kick, torque and horsepower. But again for the right driver, what a ride!!
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby h.harb » Thu Aug 26, 2010 5:25 pm

We have a limited supply of Super Shapes 2010 or 2009 and Icons. Few shops will carry these skis in 2010. In my "Free Ski" video I'm calling it "Performance Skiing " you will see how amazing the icon really is, it skis everything.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby fredm8 » Fri Aug 27, 2010 2:28 am

My 05 SS are due for a replacement. They are great skis on Turoa's icy slopes but the skis are starting to show their age.
My local shop has 2010 model year KERS enabled iTitans, Magnums & SS.

Choices & recommendations from the community ??


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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby h.harb » Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:50 am

Stay away from the Titans.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby jbotti » Fri Aug 27, 2010 8:16 pm

I would grab the SS's with KERS. I truly believe that this is the best high end carver ever made!!
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby fredm8 » Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:35 am

I had let my subscription to Peter Keely's Expert Skiers site lapse, but have since renewed.
After reading Peter's new descriptions, it seems that the New England ICE icon & description fits Turoa's profile nicely.

Given that I can get the Head 2011 SuperShapes, Magnums & Titans all with KERS around NZ at present, I guess that the Magnums with KERS is probably going to be the way to go.

End of year sale time :-)
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby newskier » Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:00 pm

Given that I have never skied any Head skis and demo is not possible. Between Icon TT 80 and 2011 iSuperShape, which one should I get? I don't care about price now as the difference is not much.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby h.harb » Mon Sep 27, 2010 10:45 pm

Tough choice everted, get both.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby newskier » Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:22 pm

I guess that means I'll get the one that costs less first. Thanks
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby h.harb » Thu Sep 30, 2010 4:03 pm

The Icon is a more versatile around ski, but it still carves very well. Check my you tube videos as of January 2010 all done on Icons. The SS Kers is a very specific ski, but it's so good at what it does it's a keeper.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby Mikey B » Thu Sep 30, 2010 6:01 pm

I am glad HH has put it out there that the TT Icon is much more versatile than the new SS with Kers. I have been reading the posts, and although JBotti does issue a disclaimer, I have also seen many posts with no disclaimer that just say"greatest carving tool ever made" or something like it.

I worked with HH and Co. in the shop last season, and was lucky enough to get to test drive this years Head skis last March. The new SS may be a hell of a ski, especially when it comes to serious carving or even racing, but it is imo, definitely way too much ski for probably 80 or 85% of those that attend our camps. If you are in the back seat at all this ski will take you for a ride. The old SS was just more forgiving. Also, if you ski all mountain and not just the groomers, this ski is definitely tougher to handle than the previous SS off piste. HH, Diana and skiers of their ability...sure no problem, but for most...they would simply not be able to handle it, and the ski is not much fun.

Before last season I had attended 10 all mtn camps and skied appprox 15 - 20 days per season. Last season I was lucky enough to be in Colorado and manged about 70 days. My experience with the new SS was; Wow, this is lots different from my SS...more ski, faster...and for me, who has been struggling with fore aft, the ski can get away from you, especially off piste. When on top of the ski, it carves like a champ, extremely solid with lots of kick. Really rips on the groomed...made me want a closed trail so I could just let it fly.

I know JBotti is a dedicated skier, but I would bet that had he not addressed his fore aft issues with equipment modifications just this past winter, he would not be promoting this ski so enthusiastically. This is nothing against John! He has made himself a good skier....my fear was that many would follow suit, not demo, or see HH skiing the new SS and buy...when either they are not ready and imo may hinder the learning skier, or think they are ready and have no business being on that ski. Yes, it is a fantastic ski, but definitely not for everyone. Demo first as always, and take a sober look at where you are with your skiing and where you want to go with it. The TT Icon, for the large majority of Harb campers, is the better choice.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby h.harb » Thu Sep 30, 2010 8:56 pm

I guess I need to respond by saying, we have some, very few, last year's SS left (much more forgiving, but not as much pop). Possibly one in each size.

Also, I have made very clear in previous posts, last spring for example, so Mickey's post should be no surprise to anyone, stating that the new SS Kers ski, was not for everyone. I called it the RD of recreational skis. RD in Head parlance means, "Race Department".
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby jbotti » Thu Sep 30, 2010 9:26 pm

I agree on everything that Mikey B has said. I also agree that if my fore aft balance was aft, these skis would not be that much fun (actually they would suck!!). For me, they showed up at the perfect time and I was very dialed in with them in 4 days of skiing with Harald, Diana and Max. It is definitely a turbo charged ski and Max posted some video of what happened to me when I got back for a split second at speed on these. The tails have serious pop and they popped me right into the air.

I will say that at the point where your fore aft balance can stay resonably dialed in, the feedback from a ski like this is exceptional and it will let you know very quickly if you are aft. Lots of tremendous feedback if you know how to self correct in motion.

My enthusiasm has been unbridled at times. Max has attempted to reign it in some and I have put up a few disclaimers as you have said. It is a Supershape RD, and it is definitely not the right tool for many skiers. When skied well, these ski do rock at a level of fun I have hardly experienced before, but I agree that these comments need to be reigned in some so we don't have a whole host of skiers hating life on these skis.

I do love these skis so much I have trouble not telling everyone to own a pair.
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby fredm8 » Fri Oct 22, 2010 1:10 am

I got to demo the iSuperShape Magnums (the Green ones) vs the iSuperShape Titans (the Blue ones) on Turoa a couple of weeks ago. I have a pair of 05 SuperShapes as my normal skis.
The snow was typical Turoa spring corn, starting the morning as yesterday's frozen slush, groomed, hard & very icy. As the sun hit the slopes (there are NO trees on Mt Ruapehu) the snow softened quickly and turned to slush by the end of the day, to freeze overnight & do it all again tomorrow.
Both sets of skis were 170cm in length.
I'm male, 95kg (210 lbs).

Anyway, my thoughts.
1. Both new KERS skis will give you grief if you ski in the back seat. Neither are very forgiving in that regard. Both force you to ski in a good position, or you end up feeling like you are going to fall (or you do fall).
2. I skied mainly on groomed (see above) trails mid morning on for about 1/2 hour. The narrower Magnum was much closer to my now old SuperShapes. The biggest change was the feeling under foot, where I could feel where the edge of the ski was. On the Magnums (71mm underfoot) it felt much closer to holding an edge under the boot, just like on my SuperShapes (68mm underfoot). On the wider Titans I felt like my foot was elevated off the hard pack icy snow, which was a completely different feeling. My centre of balance and contact on the snow felt like I was skiing a couple of inches outside of the outside of my boot. Weird feeling.
3. The Titans gave my a lot more confidence to ski off piste, onto a bit more challenging terrain, whereas the Magnums felt like a much better, but newer version of the old SuperShapes to be used on groomed slopes.
4. Both skis held an edge on the hard packed icy snow that Turoa throws up regularly - I think Turoa is similar from the descriptions I've read on the forum to the New England ice pack. My SuperShapes are now struggling to hold an edge on the same slope, having demo'ed the new skis then jumped back on my own just confirmed the feeling.
5. The KERS gives a huge amount of energy at the end of a turn, great feeling when you get it right.

If I was going to ski on trail, then the Magnums would be my choice.
If I was going to look to ski more off trail then I would consider a shorter (maybe a 163) Titan.

Hanging out for an end of season sale... :-)
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Re: KERS and Supershapes

Postby federico » Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:58 am

I'm seriously wandering about buyng a non kers WC Ispeed 180 r18 (not the supershape ispeed),
this masters racing season they fixed a minimal lenght but did not a minimal radius (only a indication not a rule).

Being structurally identical to a GS WC I think it could be a big advantage.

What do you think about?

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