Race slalom skis?

[Benny Profane]

I'm thinking of taking a drive in a few weeks and hitting the Killington ski swap. I'm focusing on a pair of used race slalom skis. Always wanted a pair, but couldn't justify the expense, especially since they would only be used maybe four or five days a year, depending on conditions, and would only be and eastern ski. Never could demo a pair, any race shop I've asked just don't, for some reason. Currently I'm on a pair of ten year old Elan Fusion something or other consumer race slaloms that I got real cheap from an instructor, and I love them on ice days, but, just want to experience the real thing at an affordable price. You know, cheap ice skates.

So, what should I be looking for? Which brands, models? 6ft., 200 pounds. My Elans are 165. Lord, they are heavy, with the integrated bindings. Are slalom skis supposed to be heavy?

[charles martel]

I'm thinking of taking a drive in a few weeks and hitting the Killington ski swap. I'm focusing on a pair of used race slalom skis. Always wanted a pair, but couldn't justify the expense, especially since they would only be used maybe four or five days a year, depending on conditions, and would only be and eastern ski. Never could demo a pair, any race shop I've asked just don't, for some reason. Currently I'm on a pair of ten year old Elan Fusion something or other consumer race slaloms that I got real cheap from an instructor, and I love them on ice days, but, just want to experience the real thing at an affordable price. You know, cheap ice skates.

So, what should I be looking for? Which brands, models? 6ft., 200 pounds. My Elans are 165. Lord, they are heavy, with the integrated bindings. Are slalom skis supposed to be heavy?

Heavy? Yes.

I have a friend who used to run a ski shop out of his garage here. He's originally from the Boston area and was a New England College ski racer. He had actual World Cup Nordica slalom skis. They didn't have the consumer plastic played on them. They had a metal plate. They were heavy as fuck. I mean really heavy.

If you look at the World Cup racers, both male and female, going through the slalom Gates, they are really hauling ass. And they are generating incredible edge angles.

So, I'd be on the lookout for something like that. Also, if you want, my buddy is now beginning a ski shop in Connecticut. If you want, I can put you in touch with him.

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[CascadeLuke]

Race skis sound cool and all but I’d rather mob a Kastle MX84 type ski. Hammers hardpack, rips off piste and crud. Old school design flat square tail, mild early rise tip. Less of a one-trick pony. Can more than handle the duties you’re after..

[east or bust]

I have a pair of older (I think 2011) Nordica WC slaloms. They made skiing in central PA worthwhile. Regardless of where I live in the future I will never not have a pair, they're that much fun.

I have skied the MX88 and IMO they are not even on the same playing field if you're talking about hardpack performance. YRMV

[skiitsbetter]

They are pretty fun if not for just the tight radius and never having to skid a turn. All of my other skis are 25m+, and it is fun being able to lay down some carves on a steeper groomer while keeping the speed somewhat reasonable. Coming into moguls on edge is an interesting experience.

[detrusor]

I went one step down (masters?) SL. Way more user friendly and still like being on rails. I couldn’t control the rebound on the WC models.


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[Timberridge]

You're kinda old Benny. You sure you have the energy level for them?
They'll tire you out after a 1/2 hr of skiing.

[::: :::]

skis.com always seems to have past seasons' race skis for cheap (tho i haven't checked this year)


also, pm jonesy...he was talking to me last spring about doing some race resell...maybe he's got something for you

and mntlion had a link to outlet stuff that had race skis

[Benny Profane]

You're kinda old Benny. You sure you have the energy level for them?
They'll tire you out after a 1/2 hr of skiing.

Well Mr. Snark, I accept that these things may be too much for me. That's why I don't want to pay retail to find out. But, I doubt it. Great thing about retirement is that I work out every fucking day. I'm in pretty awesome shape, if I do say so.

[ill-advised strategy]

Regardless of where I live in the future I will never not have a pair, they're that much fun.

same here. I don't make slalom turns with mine, I lay them over into drawn out tight arcs like a hardboot snowboarder. It feels amazing.

I don't like mine on ice, they're almost too precise on ice. I like soft corduroy, where you can lay a couple-inch-deep trench and actually control some speed through that deep trenching carve.

They will be 165, they should be heavy. If you like to carve you're going to be shocked at how much fun they are to deep carve. If you want an old-style J-turn skid-and-stomp kind of slalom ski, they're going to throw you like a rodeo bull.

[ill-advised strategy]

You're kinda old Benny. You sure you have the energy level for them?
They'll tire you out after a 1/2 hr of skiing.

I'm so fucking lazy on mine. No sarcasm, totally mean it. They carve so easily I just relaaaxxxx and leaaaan ovverrrrrr and I'm arcing with my inside elbow at snow level without any effort. Carve it around a full, full arc, I even take it uphill a bit and they zip snap across the fall line right into another lazy easy carve.
Snapping tight slalom turns on them is another game. That takes some athleticism and precision.

[Timberridge]

Well Mr. Snark, I accept that these things may be too much for me. That's why I don't want to pay retail to find out. But, I doubt it. Great thing about retirement is that I work out every fucking day. I'm in pretty awesome shape, if I do say so.

Perfect, then you should be ok. The Full-Tilts maybe not so much. I've never tried race SL skis with Full-Tilt's.

Snapping tight slalom turns on them is another game. That takes some athleticism and precision.

I always found it hard not to do this once you pick up some speed. They seem to want to rebound hard and bounce from turn to turn like a crazed bunny.

[The Tortoise]

For a brief period Rossignol made a 170cm version of their 9s Radical, the white and black ones. I always thought that would be the bees knees. All the edge grip with a slightly wider turning radius and more stability.

I have a pair of 165 slaloms and while they are fun, they are also relentless. Like playing tennis against a wall.

[nyskirat]

Here's the thing, they're going to require you to work or they're not going to be any fun. You can't really get lazy on a race ski and ski it the way it was meant to be skied. You can obviously throw out the tail a little bit, but the tips will quickly engage (if they're sharp and you're forward) and you can get tossed around a bit. You can let the ski run and turn naturally with its radius, but where is the fun in that? You can do that with almost any other ski. What makes SL skis fun is being able to snap quick precise turns and feel the energy in those turns. IMO it's one of the best feelings out there for skiing, right up there with bottomless pow. There's something awesome about feeling that snap and release and speeding forward.

But if you really want to ski it properly, you need to have solid modern technique. You can't ski with your knees and feet glued together and stivot every turn. You need to have your knees and hips forward, feet anywhere from hip to near-shoulder width apart (the trend in FIS racing has been a narrower stance but that's only important in gates IMO), and drive the tip and keep a solid downhill ski.

I'd also say boot choice is really important as well. You want a stiff boot, both laterally and longitudinally (if that's the right word), as it will help you work that ski more. A lot of WC racers will ski a stiffer boot for SL than other events.

The skis are going to be heavy, the bindings are almost all integrated these days. The nice thing in recent years however is that you can find a SL ski in 3 different sizes, 155, 158, and 165. The 155 and 158 are geared towards women, but if you're a smaller and lighter male they may be more appropriate. They'll be slightly softer but that's about it.

A key to keeping SL skis fun is always keep those edges sharp.

I'd say get a pair and enjoy them. SL skis really haven't changed much, if at all, in the past 10 years or so, so any ski since then should be fine.

[SumJongGuy]

I've got some Head Supershape iWorldcup in a 170 cm 12 meter that are pretty good for icy days that are too crowded for high speed GS turns..i.e. icy but not crowded. I've skied true race stock GS and SL skis, these aren't quite that demanding, but as mentioned above, they will keep you honest. You need to drive them.. park and ride, tip and turn, can end badly for the lazy or distracted. The 12 meter iWorldcup is good for shredding little loops at moderate speed, slicing and dicing tight turns between the more crowded spaces on a busy day, or wide open on smaller hills where a GS ski would be five turns then back at the corral.

[teledad]

Perfect, then you should be ok. The Full-Tilts maybe not so much. I've never tried race SL skis with Full-Tilt's.

I manage to ski mine (165 Elan SLX World Cup) in tele boots so Full Tilts should be OK with good technique. A stiffer boot would obviously be better but whatever. Main thing is to stay forward and drive the tips, lean back and you'll be sitting on your ass. Super fun once you get the hang of it though.

Reminds me I need to tune my skis before groomer season starts.

[iriponsnow]

Any 165 SL will be fun for ya- but if you want to hunt the unicorn look for the real deal World Cup 168 slaloms.

[turnfarmer]

Slalom skis are BIG fun on groomed. I was amazed how well they handled speed and longer radius turns. But there was always the risk of hooking up the wrong way at speed. They are to groomed as RR are to soft snow.

I hated my pair in anything else. But there is a guy I've met that skis them well, constantly in bumps. So YMMV.

Almost ripped a knee when I blew it and tried to skid them in a bad situation. I'm waiting for a fixed knee binding from Rick Howell before I go there again.

[Benny Profane]

I hated my pair in anything else. But there is a guy I've met that skis them well, constantly in bumps. So YMMV.

There's a crew at Gore in NY that cut the tree lines, and one of the dudes goes in there on race skis. They seem to be his one stop quiver. They say he's really good. I like a little softer, myself.

[skiitsbetter]

I was using some 10 year old Salomon equipe 10 3v, maybe not the full on race stock version, but I found that I could absolutely be lazy on them. After a morning of empty groomers, skiing directly onto the lift and I was kindof bored and not all that tired. Grabbed my other skis and skied the off piste chalk to get some leg burn. I have done some masters racing training and you should see the shit eating grins those guys have on their faces showboating under the lift.

[comish]

Slalom skis are BIG fun on groomed. I was amazed how well they handled speed and longer radius turns. But there was always the risk of hooking up the wrong way at speed. They are to groomed as RR are to soft snow.

I hated my pair in anything else. But there is a guy I've met that skis them well, constantly in bumps. So YMMV.

Almost ripped a knee when I blew it and tried to skid them in a bad situation. I'm waiting for a fixed knee binding from Rick Howell before I go there again.

This. They are fun, but man, watch out. They hook up sooo easily, that if you are booging and not ready for it they will turn your knee inside out.

Last year in the Mammoth GVC (geriatric village championships) that runs with the kids junior village championships, a buddy, ex-Dartmouth ski team, was hauling and his slaloms hooked up leaving his knee in bits (torn tibial plateau). Another buddy almost had the same thing happen. They are fun, but be careful.

[Ver iz ze money LePowski?]

Bumping this old thread to throw out that I’ve got some brand new 165 cm Fischer World Cup RC4 SL that I would be willing to cut a deal on. Not on gear swap as it’s not exactly a TGR ski. PM me if you are interested and I can send some pics and we can talk price.


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[m2711c]

i wonder what skis benny ended up with....

[dunfree]

Pizza

[SoVT Joey]

Pizza

benny is still better then you, you fucking useless cunt.