Is a 120mm+ waist ski too much for most resort skiing?

[skime]

Dont sweat it. 120 + skis will work fine. It all depends on what ski not the width alone. I got my Whitedot Redeemers (128mm) for all my skiing. Got an old pair if Dyna LP raceroom editions for harder days. They didn't come out at all last season. So go big when you've got a pair of 98s from before.

[angler99]

My skinny ski for everyday in Colorado is 121mm underfoot.

My pow skis is 141mm underfoot.

[davieboot]

Same questions and arguments since skis started getting wider. When those blue pocket rockets (90mm waist IIRC) first got the scene, most people only considered them for the deepest days. At that time, even people who skied a 90mm ski everyday would have thought 120mm was way too big. And so it goes. Ski construction hasn't changed so much, but people have gotten more used to fatter skis. Maybe they've changed their style too. Whatever the reason, the answer is "whatever you have the most fun on." And that isn't something an internet forum can answer for you.






But go with the wider ski. You'll be fine.

[icelanticskier]

many people these days wouldn't know how to properly ski/handle a 90mm waisted ski in the deep. but they have no problem pivot skidding 120+ barrel staves on groomers and non deep

ya, fun.

rog

[Carpe Canem]

Pollard's Opus handle packed very nicely. I mean snow that's been really worked over and flattened, but I'm not talking ice. Just remember they ski about 10 CM short.

[BigLineSeeker]

I have blizzard bonafide and squad 7s as my two ski resort setup for Fernie. I will probably add a GS ski for skits and giggles but doubt they will get much use. The bones and squads cover everything I have come across for the last two years on the hill. Get a carveable ~120 ski like squads and you can ski them days after storms and still enjoy then.

[BC13]

Valid point, but FTR, 110mm waist does ski in pow if you weigh 240 lbs.

I second this for complete truth.

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[bendtheski]

91, 112, 126. Pretty much covers it. Barons on the 126, but only because the 112's have no ER/rocker.

In a perfect world I'd add a 105, and a bump ski, and put inserts in all but the bump skis to accept touring binders, and prolly 2 sets of skins.

[Skihuckster]

If you're not racing or trying to win the Grand Traverse......it don't much matter.

Buy for your BEST snow days. What you pick will work for everything your current pair can't handle.

Besides, when you have a pair you'd rather shower with than your gf, you'll be finding excuses to chase storms and then you'll be posting rad TRs here instead of asking about "optimum waist", hey?

[kc_7777]

Guys at Glacier Ski Shop say 110mm all day every day. I agree if I was going for a one ski quiver.

I have too many skis, and have gone to some very wide waisted ones this year (119mm YLEs and 122mm Rens and 135mm Comis) but some of my best pow days last year were on 112mm waisted Hojis. 112mm was enough width to surf a bit, but still "porpoise" through the powder (thx for that term DC). I also skiied the Deathwishes (also 112mm waist) most groomer days.

So add a 112.....then maybe will sell the 98mm waist and then can always add a 120+ later.

K

[Toadman]

There's only been 2 days that I've skied in the PNW over the past few years, where I wish I had a bigger waisted ski than my 108 Legend XXL's. Those were heavy wet classic cascade cement or where the pow was upside down, aka heavier on top, or light breakable crust with lighter pow underneath. In that case, I saw folks on S7's and other 120ish waisted skis having a bitch of a time too. Only the fully rockered 140mm plus seemed to be surviving that type of snow.

I have a 98mm and 110 waisted quiver, and a pair of 79mm rock skis for the very early season stuff. Or if it hasn't snowed in weeks. But that never happens in the PNW....

[fat yeti]

120 its going to depend on the ski, but I have been on skis form the moment Bibby at 115 Atomic Thug at 120, Bluehouse Pricent at 116 and Fischer Wata 120 all in the width and I say most days I was prefect only on firm days do I want something skinnier.

[neufox47]

Low angle and trees, get a RR. I luv my 138's. Skied them about 12-15 days last year in the East. Never regretted bringing them out. A couple days I switched to another ski late in the day. I'd bring the 138's out in less snow than many pow skis.

[123ski]

I ski 127mm as my everday ski - 190cm Magic J - Utah

[holtad]

I would agree with the 115'ish. I moved up from a 98 underfoot to 115 range for a daily about 4 years ago and would never go back down. ObSethed became then JJs, now GPO. Only a select few days a year where you want 120+

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[Gaperious Basterd]

What benefits do you guys notice in the 115+ when the crud gets hellish* (or do you guys simply not ski in such conditions)?

*Coral-Reef, Almond-butter, and other bad conditions?

[BC13]

I have 84 for hard EC days, 105s for the majority of east coast days and 123s for anything more than 6 inches. The wider skis are just too much fun. Sure they don't carve like and 84 or even a 105, but they are FUN and make 6 inches of fluff feel like a foot of powder.

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[jerr]

What benefits do you guys notice in the 115+ when the crud gets hellish* (or do you guys simply not ski in such conditions)?

*Coral-Reef, Almond-butter, and other bad conditions?

Just ski it on your edges rather than flat - cuts through kunk just fine. I've found a >mid-20's radius and low profile or sturdy tip helps too.

I'd bought a ninthward early rise powder ski as a low cost uncomplicated floater - 121 underfoot, and it became my go to resort ski in the past NZ season. The cochise only got out on opening day! Poor cochise.

If the cut, flex and camber profile work you can pretty much go as fat as you want is my feeling these days. So far this is only proven on 121

[tone capone]

Get a carveable ~120 ski like squads and you can ski them days after storms and still enjoy then.

Every time I go back to a skinnier ski in the quiver I quickly realize the Squad 7 is better for pretty much anything I'd actually want to ski.

[skime]

Even on harder snowpack days you'll find some soft snow pockets. Then suddenly 2 inches feel like tons of fresh. And this is why you adopted the wide ski in the first place.

[Hugh Conway]

this shits overkill if you are skiing hood, but you'll fit right in with the PDX crowd

[bridge]

120 seems to be my sweet spot for a powder ski. Plus you really can't tell the difference between a 115 mm and 122 mm underfoot ski if you are having a good time. Stop thinking so much and buy some new boards

[gPasca]

I believe it really depends on the geometry of the ski. If doesn't have much sidecut or camber i'm not sure if 120+ is good for resort. But if you're not going on groomed too much than you can even get a Spoon for resort!!

[RockChalk]

I rode the cochise last year in a 185, those things literally crushed every condition but I never had any real Deeeeeep days.

Im trying to justify a resort pow ski but im not sure it is necessary, ski Kirkwood mostly.

Anyone else riding the cochise as a do everything ski? Quiver reccomendations for a pow ski?

[JD May]

Kind of depends on the resort, but given you're in the PNW if you were doing a one ski thing I'd say 110 would be my max. I'd be on Jeffreys (and in fact am) for most resort days. But who the hell only rides one pair of skis?