Ski Advice

[FredA]

I would like some advice on skis from this forum.

I am 62 years old, 210 lbs, 6 ft, and have been skiing for about 35 years. My wife and I now live in Ohio and ski some in the Mid West but have managed to spend about 2 weeks in Alta Utah every year for the last 18 years. So we ski on both hard artificial snow and the light natural stuff. We are very comfortable on 30-35 deg slopes with packed, crud, or powder snow.

Last December I found http://www.harbskisystems.com by chance. I have purchased and read Expert 1, Expert 2, and Elements as well as all the DVD’s that come with the books and the Elements 3 disk series. I now have a much better understanding of what I am trying to do and have been able to truly carve mid to long radius turns for the first time, on my current skis.

For the last several years I have been skiing on Volkl AC-4s at 184 cm. I like them because they go where they are pointed, particularly in chopped up powder. But, they are now two generations old. This year I tried some Volkl AC-50s and thought they tracked better in crud and held much better on hard pack. I was ready to buy a pair.

After reading all the favorable comments about Head skis in this forum I have been trying, without success, to find a pair to demo. Last week I did ski on some next year’s Blizzard Supersonics and Magnum 8.1s on very hard snow and found them to be a totally different skiing experience from my Volkl’s. Either pair of Blizzards would respond to PMTS movements and rail a turn. It was the first time that I could clearly say that I could rail shorter or longer radius turns at will. PMTS and these skis were a different ski experience for me.

With all this input, I am ready to purchase a pair of Head’s just to try. But, what do I want: iSupershape, iSupershape Speed, iSupershape Magnum, Monster iM 78 or the Blizzard’s that I did like. I would like a ski that carves short turns on packed snow, can be skied by a big guy with some velocity (the need for speed does not die with age), and can be taken into boot-top powder and crud.

Input anyone on my ski selection? Also, does anyone know of any late winter deals to be had?

[jbotti]

FredA, it is always hard to choose a ski without demoing and even harder to reccomend a ski for someone that you have never seen ski. A very good sign is that you noticed a big difference between the Vokl's and the blizzards. I and most PMTS followers in general hate Vokl skis. They are overly stiff and the flex pattern is very limiting (unless you weigh 250 pounds it is almost impossible to pressure the tips and get any bend, in fact they tend to bounce one back and off the tips).

To answer your question about Head skis, the most versatile ski in the lineup is the IM 78. It is a great ski, it does everything well (also nothing great) and in my opinion it is the best all mountain ski that has been made. It will carve beautifully on hard snow but also skis crud, chop and powder quite well. It also has a shorter turn radius than most skis in the category with more sidecut. You won't be disaapointed with this ski.

If you really wnat to ski slalomish turns, the Head Supershape and the SS Magnum are great skis. The Magnum is a little wider and slightly burlier. Neither skis is gerat in GS type turns, but in tight carves on hard snow they both rock. Both will aslo ski off piste reasonably well, though not nearly as easy as the IM 78's.

The Supershape Speeds are really a hard snow ski with less versatility than the others. They are awesome in GS turns at speed on hard snow.They are a bit stiff for off piste.

2 other skis to throow in the mix would be the Fischer Progressor 9+ and the Fischer Watea 84. The Progressors are a great hard snow ski that can almost do slalom turns, and is rock slolid in GS turns at speed. They also are great off piste in crud and chop and up to 8-10 inches of fresh. The Watea 84's are similar to the IM 78's. They are very versatile. They will carve tight arcs (if you preasure the tips) and they will go anywhere off piste and hold up great.

You can't go wrong with any of them. Choose the ones that fit the profile of what you are looking for best.

[ToddW]

FredA,

Just a quick follow-up on Jbotti's post.

Head is discontinuing the Monster line of skis including the IM 78 and replacing it with a new line with less metal in the skis. I'm unaware of any early reviews of the new line by pmts-style skiers although there are a few generic shop tester comments, both positive and negative, to be found on the internet. The classic supershape, supershape magnum, and supershape speed reportedly continue in next year's lineup. So, if you decide on the IM 78 it's best to purchase soon to avoid disappointment. (I've never skied the IM 78, so don't take this post as a recommendation for or against the 78.)

[jbotti]

I will also say that less metal in some of Heads all mountain skis is a mixed bag. The Im 88 is a ski that might be more versatile with a little less metal and that appears to be what they are trying to accomplish with next years replacement. Ditto for the IM 82. And both are IMO great skis, incredibly solid and stable, both just a little stiff. The iM 78 IMO does not need less metal. It is already a fairly soft and freindly ski. I agree if you are inclined to get the IM 78, buy this years. Deals on them abound everywhere.

[FredA]

I would like to thank the people who responded to my question both as posts and in PM. I ended up buying a pair of Supershape Magnums.

Thank you all.

FredA