J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dshenberger

I finally decided to spend some money, and buy my own skis. I will make a suggestion to anyone out there who is renting skis. Just go buy your own; it will make a world of difference!

I just picked up a pair of Volkl Supersport S4s. Wow! What a difference! They actually make it EASY to carve. Just put them on edge and you are flying through a beautiful arc! So much smoother and more stable than rentals. Also, the edge grip is incredible; I have a lot more confidence now. :)

So, anyone out there who can't bring themselves to do it - just take the plunge! You'll have way more fun.

Hey Trencher, I don't know if you have seen anything like this, but check out:
http://extremecarving.com/movies/movies.html That makes boarding look like fun! :)

Just an idea from someone who really doesn't have much experience, but anyway. Wouldn't using the outside edge only become a real possibility when using extreme angulation at very high speeds, and on very firm snow. It seems, at my level, the major cause of falls is due to that outside edge getting hung up in soft snow, and taking my weight off of my outside ski.

Either way, it seems unlikely, and extremely difficult, to be able to evenly distribute weight between both skis. Even though I am not sure which way really makes more sense, I am not about to start calling Trencher a "close minded snowboarder" who will only ever achieve "intermediate" skill. If one does a little reading on this forum, I think his knowledge and experience speaks for itself.

Of course, my confidence in Pavelski makes me want to believe he has the most reliable info. :)

Wow, that was a painful experience! I have not fallen that many times on skis in my entire life. :) I guess I could post this question in the snowboard forum, but did the three inches of fresh snow/sleet make my evening more of a nightmare? It just seemed impossible to get that board to turn by edging! Maybe next year I will put a little time into again. :)

Thanks again to all who posted in response to my ski length question. I skied again the other night on 160's and had a much better experience. Skied much faster and with more control. I would say I may have done actual carving about 5% of the time! Haha.

Now a new question for all of you multisport guys out there (Trencher:). I have some friends who want to try snowboarding, and want me to also. So, how bad is it going to be? I finally think I am beginning to understand angulation in relation to skiing, but does snowboarding require primarily body angulation? Am I making any sense at all?! Basically, any suggestions anyone might have would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all for your help! I plan to make a purchase after the season ends. I need to do a lot of rereading of the posts, as well as a lot more research into all the different product offerings out there. Again, thank you all!

Dean

Well, considering I weigh in at about 150. . . :lol: The weight doesn't always come with the height!

I am curious as to why ski length relates to height and not just skiing ablility? One of the difficulties I have run into is that I am fairly tall (6'2") which would in theory put me on approx. 180cm skis. But this seems to make it difficult for me to control them. I have not skied a lot, and tried again this year for the first time in several years. My rentals were 150's which were extremely easy to stop/skid with. Please don't yell at me Pavelski! The concept of carving fascinates me, but I don't know how realistic it is for a beginner at an east coast resort with only manmade snow(ice if you prefer) and rental skis.

I plan on buying skis and boots after this season is over. I also plan on trying to tune them myself since apparently with my local snow conditions sharp edges are a must. One of my other sports is mountain biking, and I do all my own work on my bike, including lacing up my own wheels. So, sharpening/waxing my own skis should not be out of my reach.

Any advice I could get on skis to look for would be great! I want to learn to ski well, and not have to buy skis in two years because I "outgrew" my first ones.

I hope this all makes some kind of sense! Pavelski - what part of the country are you from? I want lessons! I very much enjoy reading you and Trencher's posts. True professionals have a certain way about them, and you all convey that easily.

Thanks!

Dean