Atomic Race SL Double Deck 2009/2010 - difficult to handle?

Hello,

I am 185cm (6ft1) , 84kg. I just got myself the 2009/2010 Atomic Race SL Double Deck 170cm. The shop owner suggested that if I am an advanced skier I should get these as they are not too difficult to handle and that they are quite versatile - slalom skis that remain stable at higher speeds when doing GS turns (this is why I got the 170cm pair)

Initially I didn't intend to buy these but I got a great price and I did. Now I am reading some reviews and it appears that they are not that easy to handle at all and they are destined to competition level skiers.

I would consider myself an advanced intermediate/advanced skier and I am now worried that I got overly ambitious and will not be able to enjoy these skis. What do you think?


Thanks


Dean

These are aimed at average club level racers, not elite athletes. I think you'll be fine on them. If you find they hook into turns unexpectedly at first, you may want to detune the tip edges for a few inches, but be conservative, because once you are used to them, you'll want to get the tip edges sharp again. You may well find they ski better for you with the bindings set in the forward position, and you may want to move the binding further forward beyond the regular adjustment (this is quite easy to do and worth experimenting with). The double deck thing is just a flex modifier, and doesn't make them hard to ski.

Start on some conservative terrain, and just roll the skis on edge to get the feel of them. After that, you can figure out how to how to tighten up the turns. They are an sl ski, so will not like very wide (true GS) turns at very high speed, but will just eat up medium radius turns at moderate speed. A lot lot more versatile, and overall fun than a GS ski.

Trencher wrote:These are aimed at average club level racers, not elite athletes. I think you'll be fine on them. If you find they hook into turns unexpectedly at first, you may want to detune the tip edges for a few inches, but be conservative, because once you are used to them, you'll want to get the tip edges sharp again. You may well find they ski better for you with the bindings set in the forward position, and you may want to move the binding further forward beyond the regular adjustment (this is quite easy to do and worth experimenting with). The double deck thing is just a flex modifier, and doesn't make them hard to ski.

Start on some conservative terrain, and just roll the skis on edge to get the feel of them. After that, you can figure out how to how to tighten up the turns. They are an sl ski, so will not like very wide (true GS) turns at very high speed, but will just eat up medium radius turns at moderate speed. A lot lot more versatile, and overall fun than a GS ski.

Trencher, thanks a lot for the tips. Do you think I got the right length? I took the 170cm as I wanted a bit more stability but a couple of friends already told me that I should have gone for the 165cm. I am 6ft1 (185cm) for 83-84 kg.

170 is good, unless you plan to race slalom, in which case the 165 would meet FIS rules. The 12metre sidecut is on the small end of the range for general skiing, but modern side cut designs should make it more versatile than the same radius a few years ago. If I could only have one pair of skis for carving, I'd look for a 13/14metre radius. Generally those are described as an SC race ski, being somewhere in between SL, and GS.
BTW the 165s are 11.5metre radius.

At the level of skiing you suggest you are at, these skis may be a challenge at first, but you should get used to them quickly.

This tutorial http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/content/view/35/50/ might be of use, if want to move the bindings further forward.

SwingBeep wrote:This tutorial http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/content/view/35/50/ might be of use, if want to move the bindings further forward.

Thanks, Trencher. I will be on them very soon and I can't wait

SwingBeep wrote:This tutorial http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/content/view/35/50/ might be of use, if want to move the bindings further forward.

That's a great link. Other rail bindings have different ways the two halves of the binding interlock, but the principle is the same. The Fischers I had needed the binding off the rail to adjust, but still pretty simple. The great thing is that you can move the binding back for powder. It just like the adjust-ability snowboards have always had.