Women’s Skis - Liberty, Nordica, ON3P?

[Toro]

I would like to buy my wife a new set of skis for this upcoming season, but want it to be a surprise. She has been on Volkl Attivas for many years (something like a 75mm waist) and loves groomers, but isn't afraid to go off-piste. I want to get her something wider as an option that she can still rail on the groomers but give more stability and float off-piste. We ski out west almost exclusively. Based on what I've seen the sweet spot for this mid-fat waist in women's is the mid 90s, so I tried to stick to that while also bearing in mind her current skis are crazy-narrow (from my perspective anyway, I only ski 105+) and don't want to go too fat too fast.

I think I have narrowed it down to the following skis and am curious if anyone has experience with them and is willing to share their thoughts

Liberty Genesis 96

ON3P Jessie 96

Nordica Santa Ana 93/100

If there are others you think I should look into, I'm definitely open to that as well. Thank you for any input you can provide!

[XXX-er]

http://blistergearreview.com/gear-re...iberty-genesis

we got a set of these for a buddy of mine but they are 116 underfoot if you want more of a powski

she had been on a borrowed pair of yvettes but she liked the genisis better, a little more forgiving a little easy to turn

they might be cheap as last years ski cuz that modle won't be around next year i was told

[GimpToo]

Definitely Nordica Santa Ana - go with the 93 since she is used to 75 . . . it'll be a breeze going wider!! If her current skis are short, go up a size - it skis like a shorter ski! If you hit too hard of hardpack - hence, ice - they work great!!

[bigdude2468]

Give Moment a look, they have last years skis on sale for 30% off. Only have 172 CM remaining in their women's line. My wife and daughter in law both ski the Sierra which is 99 underfoot. My wife is tiny, 4'11" and since she switched to the Sierra's she has gone from strictly skiing groomers to skiing just about everything at Alta. My daughter in law is an ex-college racer, she skis them in a longer length and skis them like you would expect a racer to ski on groomers with big GS turns. She also rip's it up in soft snow & powder. If you want more underfoot they have the Bella which is 107mm.

[auvgeek]

Does she prefer a more traditional mount point or a more forward one? Does she have a driving stance or a neutral one? Does she like light, poppy skis or heavy, damp skis? Does she prefer camber or not? Does she prefer the feel of metal skis? If you don’t know the answer to this stuff, then either have her demo some or maybe just surprise her a pair she’ll think are pretty...

[Toro]

Does she prefer a more traditional mount point or a more forward one? Does she have a driving stance or a neutral one? Does she like light, poppy skis or heavy, damp skis? Does she prefer camber or not? Does she prefer the feel of metal skis? If you don’t know the answer to this stuff, then either have her demo some or maybe just surprise her a pair she’ll think are pretty...

Definitely traditional mount, more neutral stance. Don't know whether poppy or heavy. Needs camber, her current skis are traditional full camber. Unclear on metal. She is not petite at 5'10" so I am less worried about getting her something a little more hefty in weight. She basically loves bombing groomers, but I take her off-piste a bit and want to get her something that can provide the float without being overly wide (from her experience) in getting edge to edge on her more normal terrain. I don't think she will be getting rid of her current skis, so these would be more of a supplement with the potential to be a replacement as daily driver.

Regarding the topsheet, that's why the Moment Sierras are out haha.

[auvgeek]

A traditional mount and a neutral stance are kind of opposites. The Jessie has a progressive mount and rewards lateral motion as opposed to driving the tips.

If she’s 5’10”, she doesn’t need a women’s ski. I’d look at the 179 Wren 96 or the 177 Enforcer 100.

[MHSP1497]

The ON3P Jessie 96 might work, if she’s ok with twin tip skis. If she’s more into a driver’s ski, a custom Wrenegade 96 with softer fiberglass and carbon might work. It’s what my wife rides in the old Wren 88 that they no longer make. She has a very traditional slalom-style (with that annoyingly perfect form too), but drives her skis/tips more than most. As a result, she’s more forward than neutral and it makes it harder for her to ski off-piste on them. This season she’s considering either Jessie 108’s or some custom BG’s if they offer them in the women’s layup that was referenced on the Blister podcast, since she and her friend want to take some powder clinics this season.

[Toro]

Thank you all for the replies.

auvgeek:I guess when I said neutral I mean she has such good form, its not what I think of as a 'driving' stance (I ski gorilla-style, as a former snowboarder I never quite got the 'traditional' stance right).

Since two people mentioned the Wrens independently I suppose I could look into those. Never really considered "men's" skis, I figured that since the Liberty and the Nordica have carbon/metal they were good options as women's skis, and she skis her women's skis now no problem.

[MHSP1497]

My wife skied her 177cm Nordica Wild Fire’s for 3 days before asking me to find her a different ski. She simply hated them in every way. I’ve asked her to try to pinpoint it and her response was simple: “they just feel like shitty skis.” Not sure if they’ve gotten any better, but thought I’d throw that feedback your way.

Still have them, drilled for STH2, sitting in the corner of the garage gathering dust...

[Bruce Springskiin]

I loaned out some of my Jeffrey 114’s to my sister on a powder day a couple years ago. She returned them calling them cake makers. The Jessie a similar ski is a fun all around ski. Worth her trying them. I have some Jessie 98 in 171, from last years demo fleet that I was hoping to give my girlfriend a chance to try. But if you were keen I could consider getting them your way.


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[OregonDead]

Skis don't actually have genders so don't get hung up on that part. Sometimes there is a pink tax and sometimes dudes that like purple skis can get a hell of a deal.

FWIW my wife's favorite ski is the blizzard samba. It's a pretty solid all wood ski from a couple years back. Might still be able to find 'em or the men's topsheet which had a different name but the same specs.

[mntlion]

http://nordicaskioutlet.com/browse.p...at=11&season=2

[bigdude2468]

Definitely traditional mount, more neutral stance. Don't know whether poppy or heavy. Needs camber, her current skis are traditional full camber. Unclear on metal. She is not petite at 5'10" so I am less worried about getting her something a little more hefty in weight. She basically loves bombing groomers, but I take her off-piste a bit and want to get her something that can provide the float without being overly wide (from her experience) in getting edge to edge on her more normal terrain. I don't think she will be getting rid of her current skis, so these would be more of a supplement with the potential to be a replacement as daily driver.

Regarding the topsheet, that's why the Moment Sierras are out haha.

I love the Triple Camber (still call it the dirty mustached rocker) of the DW, Sierra is women's version.