What Skis for my Girlfriend?

[Turtle]

What skis for my girlfriend? She's a goer but it's only her 3rd year. She was on 157s but I want a bit longer to last her a few years or more,and so she can keep up at high speed better. She's 65-70kg , and 167cm tall.
We mainly ski the runs off the edge where the snows better(Thredbo),but also 50% down cracknsack etc. I want her to be able to ride fresh stuff well or off down the golf course(out to the left at the top of thredders,might not be golf course) etc.
163 Volkl 320 Energy Energy Control Gamma all mountain skis equipped with integrated Marker Motion LT skibindings (din 3-11) - brand new - never used - colour and style, as per photos
- these skis are classified as women's skis but also will work with lighter weight men skiers as well (up to 175 lbs.)
Dimensions:- Tip 105mm - Waist 65mm - Tail 93mm - Turning Radius 15.2 metres
- Volkl Skis are made in Germany for intermediate skiers
- This piste orientated performance carver with double grip construction is for on piste enthusiasts looking for an all round ski that just will not let you down on any groomed slope.
- With solid Volkl construction and a tight 15.2 meter turning radius the 320 loves to carve some serious arcs on the hardpack.
Features: Double Grip LT- With its ultralight construction, the ski has so much height over the edges that the higher pressure can clearly be felt, and the ski is neither too easily influenced nor too aggressive.
Energy Control
Wood Core - a wooden core in the central binding area gives the ski additional shock absorption. The result: controlled skiing performance and easy turning from the middle of the skis. Silence and stability - regardless of the terrain and conditions. Wood cores provide the ultimate smoothness, power and stability and durability.
- Skibindings: these skis come with integrated Marker Motion LT din 3-11 skibindings - they will adjust to almost any size boot within seconds - the integrated track allows the skis to flex freely while the boots are in the bindings

160cm K2 Apache XTR high performance all mountain skis equipped with integrated Marker MOD 11.0 (din 3-11)
- Dimensions: Tip 119mm - Waist 72mm - Tail 103mm - turning radius 13m
- K2’s Apache XTR is made for the athletic skier who excels in all conditions and terrain.
- Extremely versatile, it has one of the widest performance envelopes in the K2 collection. Complete with award winning K2 construction and high performance Marker bindings the XTR is all mountain quiver killer.
- The XTR has a playful 72mm waist that is wide enough to float through the fresh stuff, yet nimble on the hard snow and groomers.
- Bust through the crud, float the fresh, and blast through the bumps on the XTR.
Features- Torsion Box Construction: K2’s most widely used yet simplest lay-up of glass and triaxially braided wood core ski. Wood core skis, are known for their energy and liveliness
-Triaxially braided wood core: Introduced by K2 in 1988 and has withstood the test of time to rise to the top as the best torsion box construction process available. This patented technology wraps an inter-locking fiberglass weave around the ski's wood core to create a strong, lightweight ski with optimum torsional stiffness. The end result is a ski with greater sensitivity, torsional stability, energy, and liveliness than the average ski.
- MOD technology: consists of an elastomeric, shock-absorbing secondary core, independent from the primary wood core of the ski. The secondary core provides mass-dampening benefits without affecting the overall flex of the main core.
- Marker MOD 11.0 Integrated Ski Bindings: With din settings of 3-11 the MOD 11.0 provides high quality security and protection for a large range of advanced and expert skiers

163cm Dynamic (made by Atomic) VR27 Geant, giant slalom racing skis, equipped with integrated Atomic Neox 4.12 ski bindings - brand new - colour + style of skis, as per photos
- Dimensions: Tip 107.8mm - Waist 65mm - Tail 94.5mm - turning radius 14.5m
- Dynamics VR27 Geant is said to be on the affable end of the sociability scale. It forgives mistakes, allows you to carve any type of arc you like, tips into turns without complaint, and holds a decent edge. At full throttle this ski still feels relaxed
- Features: - Momentum Tecnology: a ski stiff underfoot but softer toward both ends
- Air Channel Titanium construction
- Atomic Neox 4.12 bindings: - with DIN settings of 4-12 provides maximum security and protection for a wide range of advanced skiers - these integrated bindings all the skis to flex freely

[SA]

For the variety of terrain you want your g/f to be on, out of those three I'd say the Apache.

But if you're not limited to those 3 skis, I'd also suggest you think about the Elan Magfire 10 in 160 and the Salomon X-Wing Tornado in 162.

[Paul Oberin]

Turtle I don't have the time right now to answer that post fully, but your research is not getting the results you are seeking, the VR27 Dynamic are only suitable to top end racers and then only on very smoothe snow, I doubt you will find a stiffer more unforgiving ski on the market.
Volkl are far from "- Volkl Skis are made in Germany for intermediate skiers" Volkl make some of the highest performance skis on the market, most of which are so high performance that they are unsuitable for an all round ski, but they do also make some great all rounders as well. The same applies to K2 who now own Volkl, they make great skis for both the advanced ski racer to a novice.

Unless you are locked into just those 3 skis to pick from, check out the range on this Snowatch website (Just scroll up) in the new "Equipment Guide" section, you will find quite a few good womans specific skis to pick from.

[size="1"][ 03.05.2008, 03:34 PM: Message edited by: Paul Oberin ][/size]

[Turtle]

I'm buying some K2 Public Enemys for myself from Cannada,and the seller is also selling the choices I mentioned. So I figured I'd save on postage. Thanks for kicking the VR27 off the list,narrows it down a bit.
In regards to my Public Enemys. I'm getting 179s,how will they compare in length to my Bandit 178s,concidering the K2 PEs are twin tips,and I've heard that brands measure differently. I want to use them for everything,and although I'm an okay skiier and don't like my 1080s that are 171s I'm wondering if they'll be too long for my 67kg 5'10 stature.

[Seth]

I don't think your GF would benefit from anything longer than 160cm skis turtle. The way you started explaining it in your first post i thought she was still growing .

If you get your PE's mounted 'normally' rather than centre mounted they will ski pretty well.

[james]

I agree Seth and even 160cm skis are long for someone only 167cms. I thought the usual measuring stick is for the skis to come up to your nose or upper lip these days. I'm 184-185cms tall and 86kgs and only ski on 168s - albeit strong Volkls. If she's a 3rd year skier I don't care how much of a goer she is - she's going to find those top-end stiff skis tough. And the one with the 65mm waist - the Volkls - that waist is pretty narrow for an all mountain ski. If she's gong to do runs like golf course but still ski 50-70% on groomed then she should have at least about a 70-72mm waist. And the turning circle should be about 13-14m.

My Volkls are wood core skis and it makes a huge difference. You get aggressive and they can really kick back and throw you into the next turn - but you'd want to be a pretty decent skier to be able to handle them properly. And they're heavier too of course.

I agree with Paul that Volkls are known as making among the best skis on the market and many expert skiers use them.

There's a great scale floating around to measure your skiing ability - I think Vet puts it up for us.


Having said all that Paul is obviously the one to give you the best advice on here - if not anywhere.

[size="1"][ 05.05.2008, 08:31 PM: Message edited by: james ][/size]

[Turtle]

The last rental skis she had were 157s,so I figured 160-3s would be good progression.Would 163s really be too long for her with good cut?
I'll keep looking I guess.

[james]

My wife is 160cms and advanced and she skis on 147s. If your girlfriend is 167cm tall, then 157s should be long enough. Remember, the shorter they are, the easier they are to turn. And you ewant to make the skiing easier for her, not harder.

I'd reckon say 157 long, waist about 68-70mm and radius no more than 13-14m. If she's a goer, you can get her slightly stiffer skis roughly fitting those parameters.

I went back and checked your first post - you don't need longer skis to keep her speed up. I ski on 168s and I go well and truly fast enough on them.

[Seth]

James, your gf is lucky. she can buy top of the line kids skis which don't suffer anything in performance at less than half the price of adult skis.

[james]

Hadn't thought of that Seth. But she does like the graphics on the ladies' skis.

[size="1"][ 21.05.2008, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: james ][/size]