Ski Radius

[JPK]

Harald: Is there a particular radius that you suggest???...thanks in advance for the input.

[jbotti]

Read this:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2859

The magic spot (or rather the PMTS sweet spot) is 12-13M TR on skis that are 65-68mm underfoot. The Head Super Shapes (both with KERS and the old ones without) and the Head Icon TT 80 are great examples of excellent skis for PMTS and ones that many on the forum have had great results with.

[JPK]

Thanks for the information...Ive been skiing a pair of Volkl 6 Stars with a radius of 14.5 for the past 5 yrs.... looking about for some ideas on what to replace them with.

[jbotti]

Having been on 6 stars a few times over the years, the one thing you will notice that is quite different in the PMTS recommended Head Skis, is the flex pattern. The flex pattern on most Volkl carving skis is quite severe. The tips are so stiff that unless you weigh 240 lbs and are a great skier, it is impossible to bend them. I am 6 3 185 and it's not just that I can't bend the the ski, the tips are so stiff that they pushe me back off them, and I have to constantly fight to stay forward. I don't find this even on RD race skis, so to me that flex pattern is just wrong. You will find on the Heads that you can stay forward and with proper technique and fore aft balance you will be able to bend the ski and tighten the arc of the turn. The difference for me is really night and day.

[JPK]

Thanks for the timely responses...OK...you have me tempted: need model etc of HEAD SKI pmts suggests....Im closer to the 240 than I would like, but not the "great skier" part.

[Mac]

I don't mean to pile on here, but JBotti's accessment of Volkls is spot on. I remember back to the days when I was skiing Volkl's along with Technica boots. Talk about the deck being stacked against you. Practically impossible to make a decent turn with that set up.

[jbotti]

The two most popular PMTS skis right now are the Head Super Shapes and the Head Icon TT 80. Both are wonderful skis. With the Head Suer Shape they changed the ski this year. The new ski which comes with KERS (I have forgotten what the acronym stands for somthing to do with Kinetic Energy) is more like a race ski. It has huge high end power but is not nearly as forgiving as the original super shape. If you can find any previous years super shapes, that is the perfect PMTS tool for improving your technique and practicing drills, and it's a fun ski as well. Harald may have a pair or two still left for sale. If not sometimes you can find them on Ebay.

The Icon TT 80 is also a super ski and is quite forgiving as is the original Super Shape.

[seskelson]

KERS ---- Kinetic Energy Recovery System. Came out in F1 cars a couple of years ago. Dropped this year and will be back with a vengence this coming season in 2011.

Also interesting to note that the Austrian backed Red Bull/Renault team won the drivers championship. Should make Harald proud.

[h.harb]

Kers is just a new name for a beefed up Intelligence system, it works to stiffen the tail before release to help with rebound and release. I think the ski is less forgiving in some of the off piste situations because it has a stiffer tail, but on groomed runs it is like a "super charged", Super Shape, very much fun.

[chris719]

Do you find there is value in switching to a more GS radius ski occasionally? I have a pair of Fischer RX8 (13M @ 165) and I have some Atomic SX11 (17M @ 170). I never got along with the SX11, mostly because my boot setup had me in the back seat for the past few years. I'm thinking about just keeping them around and using them occasionally to see if I can perform the same movements on them.

Also, has anyone compared the Fischer WC SC to the new Supershape with KERS?

[h.harb]

I have a pair of iSpeeds 177cm fun big turn ski, but still can crank out slalom turns. Remember if you are on a slalom ski, 12 meter radius or so, you had better be making really short turns or you'll get the response:

"Those are really nice GS turns you are making on those slalom skis"

[François]

Do you find there is value in switching to a more GS radius ski occasionally? I have a pair of Fischer RX8 (13M @ 165) and I have some Atomic SX11 (17M @ 170). I never got along with the SX11, mostly because my boot setup had me in the back seat for the past few years. I'm thinking about just keeping them around and using them occasionally to see if I can perform the same movements on them.

Also, has anyone compared the Fischer WC SC to the new Supershape with KERS?

Keep the SX11s. After spending a few dozen days exclusively on 13 m skis, I found it great fun to take out some longer radius skis and apply the same movements, but at twice the speed. It's absolutely thrilling. On second thought they are absolutely useless; give me your e-mail address and I'll arrange to pay for shipping to take them off your hands.