Help wanted for New Skis

[Schotty]

Hi All,
I was lucky enough to win myself a new Ski package, Boots, Skis, Bindings, Poles, Clothing and want some advice on the skis to chose.
The options I have got are:

Atomic Metron B5
Atomic Metron M10
Rossignol Mutix 11
Rossignol B2
Volkl 05/06 All Star
Volkl AC4

I'm 178cm and weigh about 82Kgs.
I'm an intermediate to advanced skier but curently not as fit as I need to be :D aren't we all???

We currently ski Cardrona in NZ every few (3/4) years and Australia every couple of years and have spent a year working and skiing in Whistler.
So while not being the world's best skier, I'm not the worst. Normally I ski intermediate and advanced (Blue's and Black Runs) both on piste and off.

Does anyone have any suggestions on which ski would be a good match to my ability and ski level?

[Wolverine]

Ummm...at a guess...

Rossi B2's
and
Volkl AC4's

might be the go..

But wait for others to give you a better idea.

Question:
Apart from Volkl 05/06 All Star, are the rest 06/07 or later models?

[Rednut]

sorry wolvy, gonna have to disagree there...

B2 is a foam core ski and is better for lighter weight skiers, and the AC4 is a big heavy wood core ski designed for the overweight american market ;)

The atomics would probably be best as an all mountain ski... Volkl All Star for a piste only ski...

Wouldn't go longer than 170 either!

[Schotty]

I was thinking the Atomics but Have to work out which one. Having never owned a new set of skis before, this is going to be quite an experience.
I'm currently skiing on a pair of K2 Xplorer's that have had about 100+ days of skiing on them.
I bought them Ex demo and put 70 days skiing in Whistler on them + another 15-20 days here in Oz & NZ on them.
They also have a Rental binding so are really quite heavy.

[Rednut]

I think the B5 will be the stiffer of the 2 skis... but if the 9 holds a decent edge for a bigger bloke... you should be right either way :D

[John Deere]

Metron B5 has an 11m radius!!!!!!!!! I reckon the metron 10's would be the pick.

[Rednut]

10 is only 13.5...

[Taxman]

As Nutter has mentioned, last years AC4 was uber stiff and would not suit unless you were 100kg. Ths year the ski has been softened and may be a goer. Reviews at Epicski liken the AC4 to a fat Allstar. If you choose the AC4, ski it about 15cm below head height, I'm 185cm tall/86kg and had the 177cm as a crud buster and it way too stiff. For me the 170cm (the same as my AC3's) would have been ideal.

I skiied the Allstar a couple of years ago and it rips. It wants to go fast and lay down high G turns. Has an on-piste biase but is a great ski.

Metron B5. The AC4 is the ski the B5 should have been. Too much side cut, consequently doesn't like going straight.

Metron M10. Would be the pick of the Metron skis and probably the best of the all mountian skis mentioned by you.

Rossi Multix 11, cannot comment on.

Rossi B2. This is a great ski, it just that they turn into noodles due to the foam core construction. Best skiied when new and then dumped.

Schotty, IMO all mountian skis are okay, but they are a comprimise. If you can, its nice to have skis dedicated to conditions. Personally I'd take the Allstar and buy a fat ski for the steep and deep days.

[Schotty]

This is the choice (I think) of the Ski Models I have to chose from.

Atomic Metron B5
SKI TYPE: Mid-fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 152cm, 162cm, 172cm

Atomic Metron M10
SKI TYPE: Mid-fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 157cm, 164cm, 171cm

Atomic Balanze B 5:3
SKI TYPE: Women's carve
Beginner/Intermediate
LENGTHS: 132cm, 141cm, 150cm

Rossignol Mutix 11
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 155cm, 165cm, 175cm

Rossignol B2
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 158cm, 166cm, 174cm

Rossignol B2 Womens
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat Women's carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 148cm, 158cm, 166cm

Volkl Racetiger SC
SKI TYPE: Slalom Race carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 158cm, 168cm

Volkl 05/06 All Star
SKI TYPE: All mountain carve
Expert
LENGTHS: 161cm, 168cm, 175cm

Volkl Attiva S4
SKI TYPE: Women's carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 147cm, 154cm

Volkl AC4
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 177cm, 184cm

Volkl S2
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Beginner/Intermediate
LENGTHS: 156cm, 163cm

I think these are the only models I have to chose from. At least this is the range of Demo skis from Falls Creek Sports. It doesn't make sense for them to not demo skis they have for sale or demo skis they don't have.
Obviously I've discarded the women's skis as well as the Beginner skis. I enjoy going hard and fast on piste with my wife but also like blasting down off piste and through the trees.

I don't think the Volkl Race skis would be appiopraite given I'll not be racing on them but will be stopping to wait for my wife as it is.

We have asked about getting 2 sets of skis but looking at the women's skis, my wife doesn't like the look of them or they aren't the right type of ski for her. (She's intermediate to advanced but wants a "pretty" ski)

[Rednut]

Originally posted by Schotty:
This is the choice (I think) of the Ski Models I have to chose from.

Atomic Metron B5
SKI TYPE: Mid-fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 152cm, 162cm, 172cm

Atomic Metron M10
SKI TYPE: Mid-fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 157cm, 164cm, 171cm

<strike>Atomic Balanze B 5:3
SKI TYPE: Women's carve
Beginner/Intermediate
LENGTHS: 132cm, 141cm, 150cm

Rossignol Mutix 11
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 155cm, 165cm, 175cm

Rossignol B2
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 158cm, 166cm, 174cm

Rossignol B2 Womens
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat Women's carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 148cm, 158cm, 166cm</strike>

Volkl Racetiger SC
SKI TYPE: Slalom Race carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 158cm, 168cm

Volkl 05/06 All Star
SKI TYPE: All mountain carve
Expert
LENGTHS: 161cm, 168cm, 175cm

<strike>Volkl Attiva S4
SKI TYPE: Women's carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 147cm, 154cm

Volkl AC4
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Intermediate/Expert
LENGTHS: 177cm, 184cm

Volkl S2
SKI TYPE: Mid-Fat carve
Beginner/Intermediate
LENGTHS: 156cm, 163cm</strike>

I think these are the only models I have to chose from. At least this is the range of Demo skis from Falls Creek Sports. It doesn't make sense for them to not demo skis they have for sale or demo skis they don't have.
Obviously I've discarded the women's skis as well as the Beginner skis. I enjoy going hard and fast on piste with my wife but also like blasting down off piste and through the trees.

I don't think the Volkl Race skis would be appiopraite given I'll not be racing on them but will be stopping to wait for my wife as it is.

We have asked about getting 2 sets of skis but looking at the women's skis, my wife doesn't like the look of them or they aren't the right type of ski for her. (She's intermediate to advanced but wants a "pretty" ski) Have a look at the Volkl AC2 Attiva for the wife... pretty ski, and aimed at the inter/advanced woman...

[Rednut]

Racetiger looks ok for predominantly piste...

14.7 Radius

65 underfoot might be a bit narrower than you would have liked...

[Taxman]

Attiva AC2 for +1, Racetiger for self and buy a fatty.

When you don't have a SL/GS carver in the ski quiver, you really miss it (my next purchase).

[ 19.07.2007, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: Taxman ]

[Schotty]

I'll show her the AC2 Attiva but as the Falls Creek Sports shop doesn't do them, she may have to wait for our next ski trip to get them... Hopefully I can afford them by then.

[SA]

My pick would be the M10.

[Schotty]

SA,
Why would you recommend the M10???

Apart from the K2 Xplorer's I don't have, and can't afford, a pair of fat ski's for the quiver.

It would be nice, but I'm no longer skiing enough to be able to justify buying a second pair of skis. I'm just grateful that I won this pair.... If I didn't I'd be skiing on the K2s.

[ 19.07.2007, 11:49 AM: Message edited by: Schotty ]

[SA]

A number of reasons:

- You're after a one ski quiver for your preferred terrain. That means all-mountain. The M10 is fairly versatile on/off-piste - which also means it won't perform as well as a dedicated SL/GS on-piste, or a fatty like the AC4 in pow. Generalising, I think it would serve you well for 90% of the time, on 90% of the terrain you are likely to encounter.

- That eliminates the Racetiger and the All Star. The women's specific ones I haven't really considered and the S2 is not for your level.

- The metron B5 is a beast of a ski, really heavy and with a very radical sidecut. It locks you into smaller radius turns.

- I've always found the B2s (several years' models now) a competent ski without being all that exciting. Edgehold on the M10 is better than the B2s IME. I guess the foam thing figures into it, if you're going to keep it for a number of years.

- The Mutix could be a bit of a dark-horse. I haven't skiied it myself so I'm not sure how it would go. At first I thought the replaceable arms thing was a gimmick but I've talked to a few people who say it actually does work. You might want to demo this. I spoke to a ski-tech in Canada this year who had seen instances of the arm being dislodged in use.

See if you can try both the M10 and the Mutix...

[John Deere]

Originally posted by Rednut:
10 is only 13.5... Thats 2.5 more than 11 tongue.gif

I'd prefer a 15-17 for big turns, but 13.5 is not too bad for an all rounder.

[SA]

Originally posted by John Deere:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Rednut:
10 is only 13.5... Thats 2.5 more than 11 tongue.gif </font>[/QUOTE]I wonder if nutter hears that a bit?

graemlins/outtahere.gif