Good info here. One other thing worth pointing out is that the size of the skier is also a factor, a big guy 6' 4'' tall and 220 lbs would likely find a 115mm wide ski easier to handle (even in softer conditions) than a 5' 7'' tall 150 lbs skier even though the smaller skier might be skiing a shorter length. For the smaller skier, 105-110mm is plenty wide for soft snow and powder, especially once the powder gets skied out and turns to crud.
There ARE some skis that are so well engineered and so versatile that there's almost no trade offs. My Nordica Enforcer 100's are floaty AND they edge almost as easily and reliably as my 80mm "eastern" skis. As close to "one quiver" as it gets.
Steve Liberman I’m using the M4 Mantra (Volkl) for the same reasons. There are tradeoffs but to me they aren’t significant. I live on the coast of BC and ski at an advanced/expert level.
I have some Icelantic Nomads 115 width. They carve well and really keep you on top on powder and crud. They do feel like a lot of ski under foot as you would expect.
Please help me in choosing the right ski I'm let's say intermediate to advanced skier and I want to buy a new pair of skis I stopped at: - Fischer RC4 The Curv Race TI + RSc10GW - Rossignol Pursuit 700bTI + NX12K Dualb2018 M - Elan GSX PRO PS + ELS 11 GRN All from above are at the same price I'm 1.80 cm and 82kg looking for 170cm ski. I apreciate if you can help me choose.
Reality for the vast majority of skiers. When the ski shop salesperson tells you the correct length and category is best suited for you, pick the skis you like the best, the ones who's colors best match your wardrobe, rent them, ski on them for a day and then buy the one's that best suited your skiing ability. Really, that's it.
When I get a job ima save up for like 4 months and get wide tiped all mountain ski and a strict groomer ski for when I end up going to Utah or Colorado
I have a set of Head kore 105 for everyday, and Head I-Magnum for throwing down groomers when there's no powder. Now looking at getting a set of Freestyles for the park 🤣
i just switched to a pair of factions that are 100mm underfoot and 136 tips and they are great right now in utah! been a totally new experience switching up from carving skis.
the biggest issue people face when picking out their next see is avoiding the marketing of what is right for you. The fact is, that most of your days on your local mountain is going to be mixed through out the year at more of a 50/50 mix of soft/firm snow days. The idea of spending huge money to have fat ski's, look cool, doesnt cut the fact that half your ski days will not be on that magical powder we all seek. People need to reflect their choice on being pratical and not what they dream every day is going to be. Fatter ski's are not as agile and serving as maybe a max 100 or smaller ski waist. I always hear, "hey man, your ski's are skinny", no I bought a smarter, more all mountain, everyday ski.
Thanks for the reply! Totally fair and a lot of our customers are looking for that perfect "all-mountain one ski quiver." However in reality, no one ski is going to be perfect in all conditions! That lucky person who can afford to have more than one ski in their quiver may want that fat ski that can slash and surf on those magical powder days we all dream of and chase. Give us a call anytime, we love to chat about different skis all day long! Ski on!
So I skied an supershape 170cm length and loved it. I then found an amazing deal on a pair of 177cm. I'm 5-11", 180. Would you shy away from some thing that long?
Head Supershapes are a ton of fun, and length is always a personal preference. At your size-and assuming you're an advanced to expert skier-jumping up to the 177cm length is not outrageous, at all. For reference, I'm 5'9", 140lbs, and I ski the Supershape family in that same 177cm size. That being said, the best recommendation you can ever get for any ski is if you've already been on it and you loved it. Sounds like you had a great time on the 170cm size, and it'll be a bit quicker-turning and more nimble than the 177cm (and easier to handle, overall). If you want the highest speed limit possible, though, the 177cm will give it to you. Depending on how smoking the deal is, it might be worth rolling the dice on that longer size.
If I may. I can understand ski length being related to stability, especially when it comes to soft snow skis, but when it comes to dedicated carvers like the Supershapes the difference in length is not so much about stability but turn radius and should be recommended with that as the main deciding factor.
5'10" & 210 lbs. I know my weight be a factor when choosing width. What width recommendation for groomers (on piste), mostly Colorado, Wyoming and Montana skiing? Beginner/intermediate skier.
Hi Beau! Based on that information, a good range to consider would be 82mm-90mm. The mid to upper 80's will excel on groomers while still giving you a wide enough platform to learn on and advance. If you are looking to explore the rest of the mountain then a ski on the higher end of that range will often perform better off-trail compared to skinnier more carving oriented skis. If you have any other questions please give us a call at (720)674-5443 or send an email to info@powder7.com!
Trickz n Flips carve skis have a flat tail. It gives them a better edge hold. Freestyle skis/park skis have a tall tail for skiing backwards. They don't hold as good of edge but are a little softer and more playful
Is there a big difference between a 105 and 110 or a 110 and 115? I tried a pair of 110s on a powder day in Verbier and it was great. On piste of course I found them awful compared to my race skis so wouldn't use them for that . Then I thought maybe 115 is something I should try since i'll be avoiding using them on piste anyway.
Personally, I find that 105-110 is the perfect range for a Colorado "one ski quiver" and can still perform pretty well on the groomers, although not nearly as well as a race ski. Going above 110 is definitely getting into that pure powder ski territory, depending on the construction of the ski as well. Skis this wide tend to have a lot of rocker and less camber, lending themselves to be more maneuverable, but harder to carve on.
Thank you for the video. I want to buy new skies and was looking at the stormrider 88. Is this a good ski for me. I’m 15 and 55kg and 178cm. I want a ski that I can ski on piste but also in powder. Can you guys help me with what skis are the best for me?
Thanks so much for reaching out, Tom! The Stormrider 88 is an excellent ski. If you are more on the aggressive side and typically spend at least 75% of your time on piste, the Stormrider 88 would be fine. In deeper snow, though, you may notice it doesn't float quite as well as say the Stormrider 95. There's certainly a few other factors that come into play when picking the right ski for you, such as where you ski, what you like to do the most, your ability level, and any other personal preferences. If you want to give us a call at (303) 237-7547 or send us an email at info@powder7.com, we'd be more than happy to talk you through all of this!
Some of our favorite powder skis here in the shop are 120mm+ wide and reverse cambered. That fully rockered shape is outstanding for surfy turns in deep snow. Worthwhile options in this category include the Blizzard Spur, Icelantic Nomad 125, Black Crows Nocta, Majesty Lumberjack, Volkl Revolt 124, and the venerable K2 Pon2oon. If you're looking for a bit more versatility, the Volkl V-Werks Katana puts its reverse camber shape to good use in a more manageable 112mm-wide footprint. All of those a ton of fun, though.
We would be happy to help you find the right carving skis! If you give us a call at 303-237-7547 we can talk through some details about what you are looking for and recommend some specific options.
A great range for those conditions would be 98-108mm under foot. In this size range, the width of the ski provides flotation in powder and retains some of the maneuverability of skis that are smaller underfoot. Certainly, this range is good for most conditions, but if you are looking for something even more powder specific, wider can be better. If you have more questions regarding skis in this range, feel free to send us a message at info@powder7.com or give us a call!
Hey, there isn't an industry-standard flex rating system. Various ski manufacturers and reviewers (like Blister Gear Review) use their own metrics to give consumers a sense. We do this too-on our site, the "ability level" measurement roughly represents the skis' flex...more advanced skis are (generally) stiffer. If you're wondering about the flex pattern of a particular ski, feel free to give us a call! 303-237-7547
Yes Blister does a flex rating for each part of the ski. One of the best ways to judge its stiffness is to just hold one end of the ski and flex it with your hand in the middle.
There are several things to look for in terms of ski flex. The use of metal laminates will definitely make for a firm flex. This will be in the description of the skis core. A ski like the Blizzard Brahma or Bonafide has two sheets of metal. The Blizzard Rustler 9,10 and 11 has a single sheet of metal that only extends to just the beginning of the shovel and tail. The wider the model the less it extends making the ski softer in the shovel and tail for softer snow. Some ski manufacturers like Volkl or K2 build a metal frame that allows for more flex or more support in certain areas of the ski. Best to talk to a knowledgeable ski shop person. For great ski reviews on RUclips try skiessentials.com Their reviews are as good as any ski company representative would give you.
Is 95 really enough for powder? I ski 90% of the time on groomers but really want to get more off piste and into the powder. My current 177cm 18.5 Redster GS skis make that extremely difficult so I want something to help me get the confidence and float to where I'm skiing 50/50 or even more towards the off piste bias. I want something more fun, more manovrable in moguls and trees, playful and less fatiguing. 180cm 220lbs Anwarter level 2 skier - decent enough on piste, not great at big densely packed moguls and horrible off piste. I've skied 187 104 underfoot and found them very manageable but I didn't encounter off piste or moguls.
95 or so under foot is definitely enough ski for everything but the deepest days! As with everything in life and skiing there is always a trade off, but somewhere in that 95-115 waist width will work great if you are looking for something to spend more of your time off piste. As we go wider in this range you are going to get more float in soft snow, but sacrifice edge hold and quickness on harder and groomed snow. Wider will also be more work to flip around in tighter areas like trees and moguls.
I have the bentchetler in a 100mm and they are really really good in powder. In my opinion the shape of the rocker is very important for the skis abilities in powder
I can ski like a beast in powder on my old Rosi Bandits. My buddy's skis are fat and weigh a ton, there is no need whats so ever other than selling skis, such BS.
@@Bocsaphoto People have been skiing with beautiful form in powder for decades in powder, look up some old powder 8 competition films, you will probably see me in a few of them. Narrower skis are way more fun in powder. Today's skis are all about marketing and sales, and they are heavy as hell.
@@rterry2752 okay and? Have you tried wider skis? And you don't have to get the thickest skis, any ski with 90-100mm underfoot is perfect for everything. And wouldn't you think they take weight into consideration when designing wide skis? They're not even that heavy, it's in your head
Good info here. One other thing worth pointing out is that the size of the skier is also a factor, a big guy 6' 4'' tall and 220 lbs would likely find a 115mm wide ski easier to handle (even in softer conditions) than a 5' 7'' tall 150 lbs skier even though the smaller skier might be skiing a shorter length. For the smaller skier, 105-110mm is plenty wide for soft snow and powder, especially once the powder gets skied out and turns to crud.
Finally...an actually truly informative and helpful video. Excellent work. Not joking, this was very helpful.
There ARE some skis that are so well engineered and so versatile that there's almost no trade offs. My Nordica Enforcer 100's are floaty AND they edge almost as easily and reliably as my 80mm "eastern" skis. As close to "one quiver" as it gets.
Steve Liberman I’m using the M4 Mantra (Volkl) for the same reasons. There are tradeoffs but to me they aren’t significant. I live on the coast of BC and ski at an advanced/expert level.
Once he said for Vermonters skiing glades in Jay Peak, I was like sweet, thanks I'm all set
This is what i was looking for!
What I couldn’t find on google, your video answered in seconds. God I love RUclips
This is the video have been looking for weeks!
I have some Icelantic Nomads 115 width. They carve well and really keep you on top on powder and crud. They do feel like a lot of ski under foot as you would expect.
Clear, simple yet comprehensive info’…..thanks.
i got poweder twin tip skis and i think ill enjoy them this year hopefully im correct lol
Please help me in choosing the right ski
I'm let's say intermediate to advanced skier and I want to buy a new pair of skis
I stopped at:
- Fischer RC4 The Curv Race TI + RSc10GW
- Rossignol Pursuit 700bTI + NX12K Dualb2018 M
- Elan GSX PRO PS + ELS 11 GRN
All from above are at the same price
I'm 1.80 cm and 82kg looking for 170cm ski.
I apreciate if you can help me choose.
Great guide!
Reality for the vast majority of skiers. When the ski shop salesperson tells you the correct length and category is best suited for you, pick the skis you like the best, the ones who's colors best match your wardrobe, rent them, ski on them for a day and then buy the one's that best suited your skiing ability. Really, that's it.
When I get a job ima save up for like 4 months and get wide tiped all mountain ski and a strict groomer ski for when I end up going to Utah or Colorado
I have a set of Head kore 105 for everyday, and Head I-Magnum for throwing down groomers when there's no powder. Now looking at getting a set of Freestyles for the park 🤣
i just switched to a pair of factions that are 100mm underfoot and 136 tips and they are great right now in utah! been a totally new experience switching up from carving skis.
why do carving skis tend to have track bindings?
the biggest issue people face when picking out their next see is avoiding the marketing of what is right for you. The fact is, that most of your days on your local mountain is going to be mixed through out the year at more of a 50/50 mix of soft/firm snow days. The idea of spending huge money to have fat ski's, look cool, doesnt cut the fact that half your ski days will not be on that magical powder we all seek. People need to reflect their choice on being pratical and not what they dream every day is going to be. Fatter ski's are not as agile and serving as maybe a max 100 or smaller ski waist. I always hear, "hey man, your ski's are skinny", no I bought a smarter, more all mountain, everyday ski.
Thanks for the reply! Totally fair and a lot of our customers are looking for that perfect "all-mountain one ski quiver." However in reality, no one ski is going to be perfect in all conditions! That lucky person who can afford to have more than one ski in their quiver may want that fat ski that can slash and surf on those magical powder days we all dream of and chase. Give us a call anytime, we love to chat about different skis all day long! Ski on!
Thank you!
So I skied an supershape 170cm length and loved it. I then found an amazing deal on a pair of 177cm. I'm 5-11", 180. Would you shy away from some thing that long?
Head Supershapes are a ton of fun, and length is always a personal preference. At your size-and assuming you're an advanced to expert skier-jumping up to the 177cm length is not outrageous, at all. For reference, I'm 5'9", 140lbs, and I ski the Supershape family in that same 177cm size. That being said, the best recommendation you can ever get for any ski is if you've already been on it and you loved it. Sounds like you had a great time on the 170cm size, and it'll be a bit quicker-turning and more nimble than the 177cm (and easier to handle, overall). If you want the highest speed limit possible, though, the 177cm will give it to you. Depending on how smoking the deal is, it might be worth rolling the dice on that longer size.
I’m just barely taller and heavier than you. I use 184cm Volkl M4 Mantra (100mm under foot). I’m an Advanced/expert level skier.
If I may. I can understand ski length being related to stability, especially when it comes to soft snow skis, but when it comes to dedicated carvers like the Supershapes the difference in length is not so much about stability but turn radius and should be recommended with that as the main deciding factor.
very helpfull
Best ski width for the PNW for free ride? Also feel free to recommend specific types of skis
unanswerable question
I’m up in Seattle and grew up in Bend, my Nordica Enforcers are 93mm and they can take on anything our mountains throw at us
Great info
5'10" & 210 lbs. I know my weight be a factor when choosing width. What width recommendation for groomers (on piste), mostly Colorado, Wyoming and Montana skiing? Beginner/intermediate skier.
Hi Beau!
Based on that information, a good range to consider would be 82mm-90mm. The mid to upper 80's will excel on groomers while still giving you a wide enough platform to learn on and advance. If you are looking to explore the rest of the mountain then a ski on the higher end of that range will often perform better off-trail compared to skinnier more carving oriented skis.
If you have any other questions please give us a call at (720)674-5443 or send an email to info@powder7.com!
@Powder7 i use the bent chetler as a everyday guy, because in my case there is nearly every day pow😉
Mt Baker? Japan? Your dreams? Where is this mythical place you type of?
@@FlimFlamvanHam its in austria
What’s the difference between carving skis and freestyle skis?
Trickz n Flips carve skis have a flat tail. It gives them a better edge hold. Freestyle skis/park skis have a tall tail for skiing backwards. They don't hold as good of edge but are a little softer and more playful
Thx so much
Trickz n Flips no problem dude. Hoped it helped a bit
Is there a big difference between a 105 and 110 or a 110 and 115? I tried a pair of 110s on a powder day in Verbier and it was great. On piste of course I found them awful compared to my race skis so wouldn't use them for that . Then I thought maybe 115 is something I should try since i'll be avoiding using them on piste anyway.
Personally, I find that 105-110 is the perfect range for a Colorado "one ski quiver" and can still perform pretty well on the groomers, although not nearly as well as a race ski. Going above 110 is definitely getting into that pure powder ski territory, depending on the construction of the ski as well. Skis this wide tend to have a lot of rocker and less camber, lending themselves to be more maneuverable, but harder to carve on.
Thank you for the video. I want to buy new skies and was looking at the stormrider 88. Is this a good ski for me. I’m 15 and 55kg and 178cm. I want a ski that I can ski on piste but also in powder. Can you guys help me with what skis are the best for me?
Thanks so much for reaching out, Tom! The Stormrider 88 is an excellent ski. If you are more on the aggressive side and typically spend at least 75% of your time on piste, the Stormrider 88 would be fine. In deeper snow, though, you may notice it doesn't float quite as well as say the Stormrider 95. There's certainly a few other factors that come into play when picking the right ski for you, such as where you ski, what you like to do the most, your ability level, and any other personal preferences. If you want to give us a call at (303) 237-7547 or send us an email at info@powder7.com, we'd be more than happy to talk you through all of this!
What fat skis are 120 plus underfoot with NO chamber??
Some of our favorite powder skis here in the shop are 120mm+ wide and reverse cambered. That fully rockered shape is outstanding for surfy turns in deep snow. Worthwhile options in this category include the Blizzard Spur, Icelantic Nomad 125, Black Crows Nocta, Majesty Lumberjack, Volkl Revolt 124, and the venerable K2 Pon2oon. If you're looking for a bit more versatility, the Volkl V-Werks Katana puts its reverse camber shape to good use in a more manageable 112mm-wide footprint. All of those a ton of fun, though.
Thank you for this video. I'm looking for very light carving skis. Would you be able to point me to a couple?
We would be happy to help you find the right carving skis! If you give us a call at 303-237-7547 we can talk through some details about what you are looking for and recommend some specific options.
light doesnt go in pair with carving
K2 Ikonic
What kind of width is good for skiing off piste / powder in the alps?
A great range for those conditions would be 98-108mm under foot. In this size range, the width of the ski provides flotation in powder and retains some of the maneuverability of skis that are smaller underfoot. Certainly, this range is good for most conditions, but if you are looking for something even more powder specific, wider can be better. If you have more questions regarding skis in this range, feel free to send us a message at info@powder7.com or give us a call!
Phat
how can i check if a ski pair is soft or hard? Is there a number that shows its rigidity?
Hey, there isn't an industry-standard flex rating system. Various ski manufacturers and reviewers (like Blister Gear Review) use their own metrics to give consumers a sense. We do this too-on our site, the "ability level" measurement roughly represents the skis' flex...more advanced skis are (generally) stiffer. If you're wondering about the flex pattern of a particular ski, feel free to give us a call! 303-237-7547
Yes Blister does a flex rating for each part of the ski. One of the best ways to judge its stiffness is to just hold one end of the ski and flex it with your hand in the middle.
Powder7 Also skis dedicated to power tend to be less stiff.
There are several things to look for in terms of ski flex. The use of metal laminates will definitely make for a firm flex. This will be in the description of the skis core. A ski like the Blizzard Brahma or Bonafide has two sheets of metal. The Blizzard Rustler 9,10 and 11 has a single sheet of metal that only extends to just the beginning of the shovel and tail. The wider the model the less it extends making the ski softer in the shovel and tail for softer snow. Some ski manufacturers like Volkl or K2 build a metal frame that allows for more flex or more support in certain areas of the ski. Best to talk to a knowledgeable ski shop person. For great ski reviews on RUclips try skiessentials.com Their reviews are as good as any ski company representative would give you.
I got ones that are 190 cm in lenght and 7cm wide and Im 170tall
Is 95 really enough for powder? I ski 90% of the time on groomers but really want to get more off piste and into the powder. My current 177cm 18.5 Redster GS skis make that extremely difficult so I want something to help me get the confidence and float to where I'm skiing 50/50 or even more towards the off piste bias. I want something more fun, more manovrable in moguls and trees, playful and less fatiguing. 180cm 220lbs Anwarter level 2 skier - decent enough on piste, not great at big densely packed moguls and horrible off piste. I've skied 187 104 underfoot and found them very manageable but I didn't encounter off piste or moguls.
95 or so under foot is definitely enough ski for everything but the deepest days! As with everything in life and skiing there is always a trade off, but somewhere in that 95-115 waist width will work great if you are looking for something to spend more of your time off piste. As we go wider in this range you are going to get more float in soft snow, but sacrifice edge hold and quickness on harder and groomed snow. Wider will also be more work to flip around in tighter areas like trees and moguls.
I have the bentchetler in a 100mm and they are really really good in powder. In my opinion the shape of the rocker is very important for the skis abilities in powder
tom Yes you are right. But the right rocker for powder hurts you on the groomers...
@@tomtellem same here !
Volkl katana at Jay Peak
We all know "those" Yahoos you're talking about
I can confirm Head skis are the best for light snow
I can ski like a beast in powder on my old Rosi Bandits. My buddy's skis are fat and weigh a ton, there is no need whats so ever other than selling skis, such BS.
You probably ski really backseated in powder
@@Bocsaphoto People have been skiing with beautiful form in powder for decades in powder, look up some old powder 8 competition films, you will probably see me in a few of them. Narrower skis are way more fun in powder. Today's skis are all about marketing and sales, and they are heavy as hell.
@@Bocsaphoto Look at films from 20 years ago. See all the powder 8 competitions? NO ONE is leaning back !
@@rterry2752 okay and? Have you tried wider skis? And you don't have to get the thickest skis, any ski with 90-100mm underfoot is perfect for everything. And wouldn't you think they take weight into consideration when designing wide skis? They're not even that heavy, it's in your head
@@Bocsaphoto I ski with a buddy who has the latest skis and when he grabs my Bandits he says " here are your feathers ". So yes they are quite heavy.