Supershapes, 88's, and Powder Days with Harald

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Supershapes, 88's, and Powder Days with Harald

Postby NipTuckSki » Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:14 pm

Hi all. I had the pleasure of meeting some of you at the race camp in Mt. Hood this year, and have been following the forum, albeit without anything significant to offer. As noted by Harald in the Technique and Super Shapes post, I spent last Friday and Saturday skiing with him at Loveland and A-basin. Some observations that may be of interest:

1) The Supershapes do rock! I never skied true powder till last year at Tahoe, and there relied upon a 184 Volkl Mantra. I bought into the "fat skis are a must for powder" argument, and thought any attempt to ski anything approaching a foot of powder without these skis was impossible for all but the Haralds of the ski world. Wrong! This week I was able to ski a foot of new snow using 165 Supershapes better than I had with the Volkls. The skis floated extraordinarily well, and were extremely forgiving, as evidenced by the fact that my marginal power technique was working well. The Supershapes are great "go anywhere" skis.

2) Supershapes are stable. Upon flexing the the new skis I was suspect of a soft tip, but looks can be deceiving. Under Haralds guidance I transitioned from turning the skis across the fall line at the bottom of the turn to brake my speed, to achieving speed control with High C engagement. Using the High C, especially with counter rotation, I was able to engage my skis earlier, and no longer needed to scrub speed at the bottom of the turn. With a flexed, earlier release at the apex of the turn, I began to ski faster, more comfortably. The lines I was taking at the end of the day were dramatically different than when I started - more direct, in the fall line rather than across it, at higher speed but in control. Certainly a lot more enjoyable and a great leap forward.

3) iM 88's require attention. Day 2 brought us to A-Basin, and my first day on the iM88's, 175cm. On my first run I felt as though all the advances on the first day were gone. Of course, going from seal level to 13,000 feet, and spending a day with Harald at Loveland did leave my wind and legs somewhat lacking, but clearly the new skis were going to be challenge. Harald described them as wide GS race skis. What I found was that they forced me to be more precise in my technique. Whereas the Supershapes were forgiving, the im88's were not. Once I understood the demands of the skis, I began to ski them more efficiently. They require standing on the downhill ski, with uphill ski retraction, pronounced tipping for turn initiation, counter rotation, and great patience. Let's also not forget speed! I realized that I was used to swiveling fat skis across the hill for speed control, basically throwing PMTS out the window. I finally understood what was meant by patience to allow the weighted downhill ski to come around. When I did, the ski was rock solid. Together with Harald, the skis taught me another lesson towards PMTS and skiing proficiency. I started to ski more difficult and steep terrain with greater speed and confidence. There is still a great deal to be understood and mastered, but I felt another leap was taken.

4) No matter how much we may study the texts and DVD's, there is no substitue to skiing with a PMTS Jedi Master. What we (at least I) may feel we understand intellectually, cannot truly be appreciated and incorporated into our skiing without actually doing it under the eye of someone trained to recognize movement patterns and deliver appropriate correction. It is the perfect antidote to another season of improper movement repetition and failed progression. Plus, it was a whole lot of fun. Please forgive the length of this first post, but after the weekend emotions are high. Hope to see you at Mt. Hood!

Alan
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Super Shape super ski

Postby Harald » Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:04 pm

Thank you, Nip & tuck for the overview into two great ski days. I have to say N&T made some really strong moves on the Super Shapes; the steepest Loveland has to offer. I am starting to believe that this ski alone could change how we choose skis. The IM88 is not a toy; it is a real ski that takes real movement precision, as it is a race ski for all mountain skiers. If you can ski this ski correctly you become a discerning skier and one that can select skis that make a performance difference to your skiing, not just a Ski/Skiing Magazine lackey. N&T had strong mastery over this ski by the end of the second day. This is not a ski for everyone, it takes dedication and commitment. I recommend the Super Shape if you are at all concerned about higher speeds and real angles on steep all mountain terrain.
"Maximum Skiing information, Minimum BS
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Postby jbotti » Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:09 pm

Alan, it as if we had identical exoeriences. I spent Wed-Friday skiing with Diana and I also discovered that I could ski a foot of fresh powder on my 165cm length I.SL chips. Like you I was scared to take these skis into the fresh, fearful that the sidecut would cause me untold problems. In reality it was more fun than being on Powder skis.
Now you mention the Jedi thing; I like you also bought a new pair of IM 88's and we also broke them out on the last day. I was also physically shot, but I did really love the ski. I loved how stable they felt on edge. I've never been on a ski that carves so solidly in chopped conditions. Amazingly, I would take these skis out on hard snow because I liked carving on them so much.
Now if I had come home with a pair of super shapes we would both know it was the Vulcan mind thing. Since I didn't, it must be two PMTS ers pushing to new heights on some rockin skis, all in the presence of Yoda and Obi Won.
I'm glad you enjoyed your time as much as I did. And I will definietly see you at race camp again.
How is your sons leg? Is he back on the slopes yet?
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Postby RadRab » Thu Dec 08, 2005 3:11 am

Bs"D

Alan, I'm glad you did finally post, I benefited from it.

I am very interested to also know what everybody's impression of the im88 is as a pure powder ski.
Everybody speaks about its great peformance on the groomed - even hardpack, but fewer speak about how they were in the powder (albeit you mentioned that is so good and stable in the crud/cut up).

Without having skied it yet, I am convinced that it may be one of the best, if not best, carving ski from amoungst the wide bodies. It has the sandwich construction with great torsional rigidity, and is probably also relatively stiff tip to tail, and has a deeper than usual sidecut for a bigger ski. Additionally, it probably has more snap and rebound from its (flex pattern and) liquid metal. But, this is also exactly why one might think that it is worse than other dedicated designs as a powder ski. And then nobody seems to be talking about how great it is in the powder.

If you could only have one ski, and skied a lot of powder and crud, then maybe the im88 wouold be the perfect one ski quiver because it can also handle the piste so well (or the im77, depending on your % mix of snow and terrain). But, if you also have something like the Supershape, which not only takes care of the groomed extremely well, but as you all attest, can even take care of whatever powder you encounter on the transition days after storms - only falling short on true deep powder days, then why not use as your second tool - just for those epic days - a phenominal dedicated powder ski, even if it doesn't have as good on piste performance?

Now, if it anyway is as good (not also good, but as good) in the powder as other more dedicated powder skis, then why not have it either for those times when even on a powder day you might hit groomed areas, or, for the variety, on piste, of a trueer high speed GS type ripper - that even the gresat and versatile SS is less of. Thus the question of how the im88 is as a pure powder ski - discounting its great on piste carving prowess.
Last year I was trying to hear comparisons to the Legend 8800 (also a semi-dedicated moderate fat @ 117/89/110). The 8800 is stable, but less of a carver, but very sweet in the powder and crud. Now that many of you have skied the im88, I'm hoping for some feedback (where I am, its not available for demo, but I could blindly order it and trade in my 8800).

Thanks!
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Postby jbotti » Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:14 am

Rad Rab,
I was phsically shot when I finally broke out the IM 88's last week. I would like to ski them when I am physically fresh, for a better frame of reference. As well, because we were working on so much, we skied almost no untracked that day but we did ski a lot of chop, and it was quite heavy. I can tell you the IM 88's are bulldozers and much of the time I was better off using speed to go through stuff rather than around it. I also found the skis to be fast (the speed at which they move when set on edge)and my frame of reference on this is a pair of pocket rockets that I have.

To give you a good read on the IM 88 as a pure powder ski, I need to ski it in some untracked. Luckily we get tons of this in Tahoe. Next time I get some I will give you my read. In the meantime, maybe Harald and others can respond. I know that Heyoka loves it in the Milk. JB.
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just get it

Postby Heyoka » Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:27 am

Bs"D!

Just get the i88. There can't be a better milk ski out there. No way.

Rad. I know your issues, know what ur feelin. Posse members have the Legends, they don't seem to be throwing them away anytime soon. I skied with this hot chick and her snowboarder boy toy the other day, she was on the Legends. Old habits die hard. Tell me about it.

But the 88 is one bitchin ski for the milk. Dude. I can put them on in the milk, read my email. They're that easy. The damn things just find their way, back to the lift. They look good and feel good on. Kids are even asking me about them.

The other day at the Big Show, riding up Chair 11:
"Monsters? Cool. That ski looks like a lotta fun."

The Monster? It rocks.
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88

Postby SLAVA » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:38 pm

I would agree with HH and Alan the i88 is " PMTS coach" ski .
My first day on 88's was in more then a foot of fresh. The very fist run was some what weird feeling. Since I never ski any thing wider then 75 under foot.

With i88 I realized I don't tip enough at high C and i wasn't patient enough either.. On my way to the second run i had made a task: a. let it them go with higher speed b)be more patient.
My second run was at "rock garden? it?s steep as run under 1st chair at Loveland

I call that run a breaking point in my skiing since the beginning!
Sure I ski that run before but this time i went faster then ever (but with same speed from top to bottom) with consistence rhythm and floating motions.

Then i ski 88's in the crud and soft bumps. Bumps was surprisingly easy to ski with 88's i love this ski they defiantly will make me a better skier.

PS. I will join Alan in regards of skiing with HH. Last April I had 2 days PVT with Harald. Those 2 days was a huge asset for me. Skier Synergy (Jay) told me that I came back a different skier from that trip.

Can?t wait to go to test my i88 in more harder snow and bumps.... :wink:
DOCENDO DISCIMUS.
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