What character to look for -- fun & forgiving bump ski

Post your questions/comments about Gear here

What character to look for -- fun & forgiving bump ski

Postby abc » Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:48 pm

Forgive my ignorance, the only gear guide I've come across (before realskiers.com) was by the ski megazines. They break skis down to all mountain and cruisers, groomed or powder, but not the lumpy textured surface we have so many on the east coast!

Although I do go out west, the majority of my skiing will be done near home, which is kind of boring brown hills with, often man-made, white thing resembling real snow. So where the fun? When they form these diamond shaped lumps we call moguls!

So, what makes a ski good for moguls, since I can't find them by flipping the pages of ski mag "gear (mis-)guides"?

Oh, my definition of "good" as a ski that's fun and snappy on the bumps, yet forgiving enough so I don't constantly eat snow! So, what kind of character I should look for? Flex, side cut, waist, etc... Or is it too personal to generalize?
abc
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:08 pm

Postby Icanski » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:05 pm

Yeah, they used to categorize skis and include one for bump skis. Now I guess they expect the "all mountains" will do it all.

It depends a bit on what kind of bumps you like, or have access to. At our little resort, we have a lousy groomer who knocks down any natural nicely shaped bumps and then goes and builds what can only best be described as trying to ski down two Toblerone bars, side by side. Our ski school had to go out with shovels, blades, and I even bought a snow/avalanche saw, to shape the moguls by hand! Now that's dedication. But like you say, when you get bored on little hills, etc., bumps are the only thing to make it interesting.

So, if you have bumps like the pros go down: the knee in the chest, big staircase kind of thing, Hart is still considered an excellent bump ski ( another throw back from the 70's). they are still a lot like straight skis, I believe. Some people use big racing skis. I skied with the guy who was the Vail bump master for several years running. He used 217 Dynastar racing skis and just skimmed along the tops of the bumps like Glen Plake does. Never touched the troughs.

If you caarve through the bumps, a la PMTS style, the supershapes do very well. Otherwise you can use a slalom type ski that turns quickly, but if they're stiff, they can be a tricky ride. So something a bit softer in the tip will ease the transition if you go right at or over the bumps. If you are someone who pivots a lot, then a shorter length, will help. I'd say, demo some skis and take them in the bumps and see what feels good to you.
I don't know if that helps much.
Icanski
Icanski
 
Posts: 478
Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2005 4:58 pm
Location: Toronto, ON

Postby abc » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:28 pm

Thank you soooo much. Your post helps a lot in clarifying what I had in mind.

I do go round the bumps in the "slow" line instead of skimming over them the pro style. So yes, I've already found out the hard way that stiff skis make for harsh punishing rides.

By the "supershapes", does it just mean a lot of side cut? Or a specific shape?
abc
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:08 pm

Postby Max_501 » Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:25 pm

serious wrote:Those who need to brush carve most of our turns in the bumps, will find that the Supershape resists brushing and is not very forgiving in the tail.


This is interesting as I find that the SuperShape brushes without any problem.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Postby SrMike » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:14 pm

I think how the Supershapes ski depends a lot on the tune. I have tried mine with the factory base bevel and 3 side, .5 base and 3 side and 1 base and 3 side. At 1 base and 3 side, it pretty easy to brush carve the ski. At .5 base 3 side, all it wants to do is carve. Also, since I have been skiing more on the FIS SL skis, the Supershapes seem a lot more forgiving than they did when I first got them. YMMV
SrMike
 
Posts: 75
Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:43 am
Location: Dayton, OH

Postby Max_501 » Thu Mar 15, 2007 6:36 pm

SrMike wrote:At .5 base 3 side, all it wants to do is carve.


Interesting...mine are tuned .5/3 and they brush just fine. I suspect its technique and not the ski.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Postby abc » Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:03 pm

Brush vs. carve. I had always niavly thought that's a function of how much pressure you apply to the edge. A lot of edge, it carves; lighter pressure, it'll slide some. Not?
abc
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:08 pm

Postby Max_501 » Thu Mar 15, 2007 7:55 pm

serious wrote:but let's not pretend that the SS is ideal in the bumps. There are better choices for bumps as there are better choices for off-piste skiing.


For the PMTS style of skiing off piste (including bumps and up to 12" of powder) I doubt there is a better ski around than the SuperShape.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm

Postby ChuckT » Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:19 pm

Max_501:
For the PMTS style of skiing off piste (including bumps and up to 12" of powder) I doubt there is a better ski around than the SuperShape.


I think you posted a comparison of the SS and the B5, but I can't quite find it. Would you point me to it? Thanks.
ChuckT
 
Posts: 113
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:06 am

Postby Max_501 » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:45 pm

ChuckT wrote:I think you posted a comparison of the SS and the B5, but I can't quite find it. Would you point me to it? Thanks.


Here you go:

http://realskiers.com/pmtsforum/viewtopic.php?t=1135

That was from about a year ago. A year later I've only skied the B5's 4 or 5 days (they only come out for deep heavy snow...when I say deep I mean 18+ inches). All the rest have been on iSL Chips and the SuperShapes (except for a couple of days on my GS skis).

When the snow turns to spring slush I'll probably bring the B5s out a bit more.
User avatar
Max_501
 
Posts: 4124
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:39 pm


Return to Gear

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests