LaSportiva Hi-5

[shirk]

Anyone get some time in on the Hi-5 last season?

http://www.sportiva.com/products/ski/skis/hi5

Interested to hear more about how this ski feels.

[fool]

I'm interested as well. Haven't heard much about it, but there's a few comments here and there at Cold Thistle (http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/).

[Jonathan S.]

You already saw this, right?
http://www.wildsnow.com/5292/la-spor...i5-ski-review/

[Scotsman50]

You already saw this, right?
http://www.wildsnow.com/5292/la-spor...i5-ski-review/

Pretty worthless review IMHO. Lou's pretty old school and doesn't really like fat skis and according to Lee Lau..just a meadow skipper now!

[JONG Q Public]

I have a pair sitting right next to me. I have not skied them yet but I am looking forward to. In a perfect world I think they should have a little less rocker but other then that I think they are the perfect BC ski for me.

[Scotsman50]

^^^^post a review when you ski them...I'm interested in this ski as well.

[randosteve]

i skied the Hi5 at the OR demo day last year at solitude and really liked it. pretty easy skiing ski that was buttery smooth. didn't really ski them at high speeds, but it was a pretty predictable ski at moderate speeds.

[Turnipking]

I'm eyeing a pair as well. Jong Q Public, what length did you end up getting? I usually ski a ~180 cm (5'11", 175 lbs) and trying to figure out the effect that the early rise will have. I know that full rocker you can add 5~10 cm... so I'm aiming for the 188 cm.

[JONG Q Public]

I'm eyeing a pair as well. Jong Q Public, what length did you end up getting? I usually ski a ~180 cm (5'11", 175 lbs) and trying to figure out the effect that the early rise will have. I know that full rocker you can add 5~10 cm... so I'm aiming for the 188 cm.

188 which is what I would get if I were you. At 450 mm they have quite a bit of rocker

[shirk]

Hey James can you post up some rocker pics vs Super Turbo's and Trust.

Fondled a pair of Trusts on Friday night next to some Goliaths. Now very confused of what I want to get...

Get those Hi-5's out on some firm nasty snow, I don't doubt they'll rock in pow, wondering how they'll do in some bad snow.

[LeeLau]

Pretty worthless review IMHO. Lou's pretty old school and doesn't really like fat skis and according to Lee Lau..just a meadow skipper now!

I haven't tried the ski but to clarify I haven't had the chance to ski with Lou. I joke with him about being a meadow skipper - sorry for the confusion. He is a pretty light guy though so take that into account

[JONG Q Public]

Hey James can you post up some rocker pics vs Super Turbo's and Trust.

Fondled a pair of Trusts on Friday night next to some Goliaths. Now very confused of what I want to get...

Get those Hi-5's out on some firm nasty snow, I don't doubt they'll rock in pow, wondering how they'll do in some bad snow.

186 Trust versus 192 Super Turbo

[shirk]

I see no Hi-5's there man

Same rocker as the Super's? Or more like the Trust?

[gunniride]

/\/\ More like the Fly Swatter tip, with a flat tail. Kind of odd combo appearance wise- I'd have given them a profile closer to the Drifters.

[JONG Q Public]

Hi 5, Trust and Super Turbo

[thin cover]

I haven't tried the ski but to clarify I haven't had the chance to ski with Lou. I joke with him about being a meadow skipper - sorry for the confusion. He is a pretty light guy though so take that into account

doesnt he have fused ankles??? awesome that he does what he does at all. I know that having a basically fused knee relegates me to pretty rudimentary terrain.

[YB]

I got to ski with Lou for a day up Independence last May/June and he skis fine, I couldn't tell he has a fused ankle. I considered myself lucky to get a chance to tour with him and I'm sure in pow he has no problems.

I've ordered the Hi5 in 188 to replace the original Coomba's that I sold at the beginning of the season last year and never replaced. Going to try them with a light "race" style binding and my TLT5P's. I feel like I can go anywhere with my Manaslu's but they don't really float.

And there's times when I don't want to dig a pit and don't want to ski with other people and that's when I go meadow skipping. That's one reason I went for the Hi5 and not the Nunataq, I think full rocker planes out slower, ie requires a degree or two more slope angle to get you going sometimes. When I'm trying to toboggan across some 22 degree meadow I assume the bigger the flat under foot, the more I can get on top.

[indyjones]

Anyone got (more) time on these? I'm wondering about the torsional strength and/or getting bounced around in crud given the weight.

[under the radar]

Also, can anyone chime in where you mounted the 188 and did you like it there? Thanks!

[Besniwod]

Thought I would revive this to see what people's long-term comments on the Hi5s are. There has been some recent discussion in the comments for the Wildsnow article. They have been described as surfy in fresh snow but hooky and unpredictable in variable. They are also soft and have a speed limit. Not many people have been commenting on how they ski, however. How have people found these skis in variable snow conditions now that they have been around a few seasons and people have spent more time on them?

[Dry]

I've skied them and offered an opinion as well.

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2011...-hi5-skis.html

Quiver ski imo but depends on your own use.

Two skis from La Sportiva I really like are the Hang5 and the GTR.

[Besniwod]

Thanks. I see your review is from two years ago. Do you have any other comments on how they handle variable snow now that you have been skiing them for another two seasons? How are they on breakable crust?

Other than speed, what don't they do well?

[Dry]

I was part of the Wild Snow discussion again recently. My thoughts are there. I found them a stable and quick turning ski with a definative speed limit for me and not in any way hooky as some had offered. They do ski short.

Breakable crust? You chitting me? What ski does well in breakable crust? I have a dozen fat skis (up to 138s) and prefer something more along the lines of a 115 than a 105 as a dailey. Nasty and real breakable crust? BC makes them all suck. But in general fatter is better there. R/R skis like the Lotus 138 make breakable almost fun. But they weight more.

I've been skiing a lot on the other La Sportiva skis this winter, along with Dynafit and DPS in my rotations. Hi5 is still a good ski. It has a soft, huge rocker tip and a stiff square tail. For the right skier, in the right conditions , it is a very good ski imo.

I never really got to ski mine in fresh uncut snow. I did ski it in some pretty terrible and deep conditons and was thrilled with the performance. First fat ski I used very much. Now I don't even consider it a mid fat let alone a FAT ski.

What kind of skiing do you want the Hi5 for?