I need some new skis – help...!

I've been talking about upgrading my skis for a few years now and going round in circles with regards to doing so.

A bit of background....
I'm 5'6, female and a decent intermediate skier – happy on most things pisted and getting better in small amounts of powder (<knee high) and when it's cut up and bumpy. Am keen to improve enough to eventually ski some limited off piste. I bought my current skis 'blind' in 2008. Learnt to ski in the January, decided I loved it, bought boots (which are still great) and asked which skis they would recommend. I ended up with Solomon Fever 152s (112-65-95) which would initially suggest a bit short for my height. However all reviews said 'go a bit shorter' with this model and they suited me just fine for a few seasons.

As I've progressed they are still OK on piste when not going too fast but I have no confidence in them when it's cut up and bumpy or when there is powder on the piste - I feel every bump.

So, I decided this year I was going to research all mountain skis. Read some reviews and decided I liked the look of the Nordica Belle to Belles. 154 length (124-78-108 ), not too wide, good on and off piste according to reviews. Decided I would like to try some.

Having skied current models for 7 days of perfect pistes and sunshine day 8 of our trip had a lot of snow (knee high powder on piste). I was hopeless and not helped by fogged up goggles (later solved by rearrangement of hat). After a panicked few minutes thinking I wasn't going to be able to get home pushed on and improved a bit but still not happy.
:(
Decided enough was enough and I needed some more suitable skis. Asked about the Nordicas I liked the look of but being a small resort (Arabba) didn't hold out much hope. Eventually ended up with some Dynastar 6th Sense Serial (twin tip) skis in a 158 (110-80-108 ), mainly as I thought the length more suitable than the other options – I had not read anything about them previously so no idea what I was taking on. They took a run or two to get used to but ended up loving these in the powder and they were great in cut up and bumpy conditions. I was flying down everything, including a mogulled black at the end of the day with a big smile on my face. Was surprised when I got back and googled them that they are actually marketed as a beginner, men's park ski (I have NO intention of playing in the park – I'm too likely to break something!) I have a feeling that these may not be great on piste at speed as they were quite soft and springy but didn't get the chance to try them. Anyone skied these on piste?

So, I'm confused. I know I need to go longer but how much so? 158 felt better than my 152s but they were twin tips which I believe need to be longer anyway? Do I actually want twin tips – didn't think so but enjoyed skiing on them? The Nordicas I like the look of come in 154 or 162 – I now think 154 is too short but is 162 too big a jump? Other options I've looked at come in 159 or 160 which may be better? I also don't want anything too heavy as the walk to the lifts in my favourite resort is uphill.

Whatever I buy should last me a few seasons so within reason cost isn't an issue – it's definitely going to be cheaper than hiring for 2 or more weeks per season and flying KLM ski carriage doesn't cost me anything at the moment.

I don't think I'm going to get away again this season (despite lots of pleading) so how on earth do I make a decision? I don't think testing in a snowdome is going to tell me a lot as I can't test them in cut up conditions. I also don't want to do another season on mine and even if I do try and test in resort next year there's no guarantee I can test my short list.
How do others choose skis when they can't easily test them? Buying blind worked last time but I was an inexperienced skier on suitable skis and even if they'd been a disaster weren't that expensive. I don't want to get it wrong as this purchase will likely cost several hundred pounds.

Current short (or long list) is:

Nordica Belle to Belle (124-78-108 ) in 154 or 162
Blizzard Black Pearl (123-88-110) in 159 or 166 which several reviews suggest is better
K2 Superfree or Superific (120-76-104) (K2s seem to have a reputation as being heavy??) in 160
Atomic Affinity Storm (127.5-84-107) in 159
Salomon Origins Bamboo (123-74-103) in 159
Atomic Elysian (126-95-115) in 159

Any comments on the above models/what to do?

Thanks! -)

Ps. Before anyone suggests I need lessons to improve I plan to take some in powder but am likely to be hindered if my skis aren't really suitable.
>

Look at the ladies skis Scott make for all mountain skiing.
Also mrs h skis on k2 miss demeanour which get great reviews for all mountain, and she loves them on and off piste.
Everyone likes different things though.

I'm sure you'll be told to try before you buy by many on here.

Sport Conrad have some fantastic deals.

Blizzards are getting rave reviews and this is the ski I am seriously considering to buy for next season provided I can find them here in Switzerland (I don't see many Blizzards on the rack let alone in ski shops here). I am the same height as you are and all my current skis are in the 163-175 range. I think if you are looking at BP 166 will be a good length. Generally if you are finishing your turns rather than twist the tails you will find longer length quite easy to adjust. 162 or even 166 is only 4-5 inches longer than what you've skied before. Twin tips are very easy to ski. They are easier to turn due to reduced contact surface. Can be pain in the behind to fit in ski bins in gondolas though. I separate mine.

verbier_ski_bum wrote:Blizzards are getting rave reviews and this is the ski I am seriously considering to buy for next season provided I can find them here in Switzerland (I don't see many Blizzards on the rack let alone in ski shops here). I am the same height as you are and all my current skis are in the 163-175 range. I think if you are looking at BP 166 will be a good length. Generally if you are finishing your turns rather than twist the tails you will find longer length quite easy to adjust. 162 or even 166 is only 4-5 inches longer than what you've skied before. Twin tips are very easy to ski. They are easier to turn due to reduced contact surface. Can be pain in the behind to fit in ski bins in gondolas though. I separate mine.

I still have my eye on some bushwackers

Yes, major annoyance putting twin tips in the gondola bins

Thanks for your comments, much appreciated. Having read up on them the K2 Miss Demeanours are now on the shortlist too – did like skiing on twin tips, though agree about them being a pain for gondolas with ski bins (fortunately there are very few of these where I usually ski).

The good thing about the all mountain category is that there appear to be few 'bad' skis in this range with most getting good write ups, so anything I choose should be OK. The down side is it comes down to personal preference which gives me a LOT of skis to try. Maybe I do need a morning in a snow dome to narrow it down a bit, Castleford seem to have most of them available apart from the Nordicas....

I think the current favourite is the Black Pearls as everyone seems to rave about them. My credit card may be taking a beating in the very near future.... :shock:

http://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php

Take a look at this site. Be careful with the Black Pearls. Lots of folks saying they are great in the powder but not so great on the hard, packed pistes that are more usually the norm in Europe. Might not be a problem for you as long as you know what you require from your skis.

Sport Conrad doing the Koa 78 with bindings mounted (always liked Fischers) for 299€.

MMmmm difficult one this Mrs W loves her twin tips 93mm under foot but don't ski behind her or get off a chair next to her when she decided to snowplough for some reason .... back on point Bandit on here told me a couple of years ago if you have dodgy knees like me stay under 90mm as over will put more strain on my poor old knees.
All mountain skis do we really need them apart from this year for me not had good powder to ski for 2/3 years, so that can be hit or miss.
My old skis are still going strong 81 mm under foot float fine in powder and performs well on piste at all speeds ..... It all depends on what suits you
don't get your head turned by all the PR you hear they will have you changing skis every year !!!!!

Ian Wickham wrote:MMmmm
All mountain skis do we really need them apart from this year for me not had good powder to ski for 2/3 years, so that can be hit or miss.
My old skis are still going strong 81 mm under foot float fine in powder and performs well on piste at all speeds ..... It all depends on what suits you
don't get your head turned by all the PR you hear they will have you changing skis every year !!!!!

All good points. I've read/been told countless times that with good technique you can ski off-piste on practically any skis. The problem for most of us is that we don't get to ski enough to acquire that technique. This is where the 'early rise', 'rocker', 'reverse camber' etc. (and the marketing) comes in.

Here is my personal experience: good (I think), aggressive, intermediate skier; not quite 'stuck on the plateau' but only making incremental gains with each trip. Had two weeks (over two years) of lessons with a good instructor in Folgarida and felt that my control was so much better. Went to Gressoney thinking I was 'the dog's'; went off-piste with a guide and very quickly realised that I wasn't :lol: . Felt like I was at the beginner stage between snowplough and parallel :cry: . Persevered,got a little better and started to enjoy myself but knew, deep down, that I was getting by on fitness and physical strength. My weapons of choice were Fischer AMC76 'all-mountain' skis.Had them about seven years. They got rave reviews when they came out and I got on with them like a house on fire from day one.

Went to Tignes (Dec 12) took the AMCs with me but seized the opportunity to try some of the newer, wider all-mountain skis. I had a morning on a pair of Movement Buzz (99mm waist) and, while I was disappointed that I was unable to venture off-piste with them due to the lack of visibility, I was amazed at just how well they skied on-piste. My buddy had a pair of Movement Trust (108 waist) and on the day we went over to Val d'Isere, he was flying on them.I was back on my AMCs grinning from ear to ear while wondering how he was managing to go so fast on those Trusts. I can still hardly believe how responsive and confidence-inspiring they both were on the piste.

Now the best bit -) . The next day I was back on the Buzz(es). Visibility had improved and it was time to take them off-piste. We skied to Val d'Isere again, this time grabbing every opportunity to go off-piste and/or through the trees. Back to Tignes, where I broke a convention and grabbed a burger 'on the hoof' :oops: oops, I mean 'on the go' for lunch ( I wanted to make the most of the skis and the conditions), before joining up with my off-piste class. I was feeling pretty confident before the lesson but boy did those skis help me. Where my AMCs would start to sink in the powder while I was plucking up the courage to commit to the next turn the Movements would float, buying me that little bit of extra time that I needed before 'diving down the hill'. It's no exaggeration to say that they transformed my off-piste skiing! When the lesson was over, I stayed out with the more advanced group. Granted, I was the 'muppet' of the group but I was just thrilled to still be out there and the fact that I was still out there was, in no small part, down to those skis. We stayed out till the last lift closed and I went back happy and exhausted.

I guess the point I an trying to make, in my usual long-winded manner is that while there is lots of hype and ,dare I say, b*11$^!t, surrounding these newer, fatter all-mountain skis , I for one am a convert. If they provide a 'short cut' to help me get to the level I want to be at then fine. Most of us don't have the time, money or lifestyle to learn to ski off-piste on GS skis. I'm going to keep up with the lessons though. I don't want to be joining the 'Allthegearandnoidea Club'! -)