Messages posted by : pavelski
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The very best are made by YOU! very cheep to make and unique!
Here is how you can make 10 units ! Go to a sewing show or store! Go to ribbon section and get the most "visible" 1" wide ribbons" I prefer 2 meter long! All mine are fluo / American red white and blue / wild orange etc,,,! Most ski bindings at the rear have a hole or a slot. I sew by hand all my straps to my powder skis since I only need these straps when there is powder up to my chest! On the back of my ski pant legs ( on the inside),,I also sew in an elastic which holds all the straps INSIDE my ski pants! If I fall ( we all do at some point) and the ski is "released",,,the powder strap is released from my pants like a parachute and leaves a "bright" trail for me to locate my ski! One last comment. DO NOT buy the heavy nylon type straps. You want the straps to float on powder snow. Those light ribbon type wild colored straps are so much better. Easy to tuck in, easy to roll and so appealing! Hope this helps you all! Pavel |
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Skiing on ice is actually preferred by many skiers who want "pure speed" ! It is a wonderful feeling to "cruise" with barely any resistance between ski edges and skiing surface!
Two reasons most skiers are "afraid" of ice; mental stress and poor technique. Let me address the second, poor technique! Think of skiing on eggs when on ice! By soft and gentle on ice! I know,,I know,,your brain is screaming, "jam on those edges,,,turn turn,,, too fast,,too fast". DO NOT listen to your brain! This is where technique is vital! DO NOT TRY TO TURN HARD ON ICE!!!!! The ice will always win! Allow skis to pass over ice,,,then set edges on snow AFTER the ice patch! Slow down AFTER the ice,,, That is if it is an ice patch! If you are on slope where it is ice from top to bottom,,well you should NOT be there! Learn to side slip down section! Yes the purist will want a "carving" turn but the expert has many "techniques" fro many ski conditions and ski contexts! Controlled side drift is even practiced by FIS world class racers! Just watch as they come into a GS turn at the apex of the turn! There is a "controlled" two ski side drift just before the ski edges are set for next turn! Now back to the first reason why skiers are afraid or avoid ice! The mental aspect! 80% OF SKIING IS MENTAL!!!! If you are thinking falling, injuries, pain,,,,,well it will happen! What is the key to effective ICE SKIING? 1. Anticipation. Most skiers look 1 meter ahead. Look 5 meters ahead. 2. Experience. Learn to read slope. Like a great golfer,,learn to read slope. Most parts of the center of a slope run are hard if not icy. Why? because skiers are like sheep! They follow each other blindly! Stick to the edges! 3. Technique. Practice CONTROLLED skiing. Soft skiing! Carve skiing! Practice on easy slopes ,,then impress your friends on harder slopes! 4. Believe in yourself! If you apply all of the above,,,you will be able to ski ice. Believe in yourself! Allow the skis to do their thing! Trust them! Finally skiing is fun,,so enjoy yourself! Hope this helps some of you enjoy the ice! Pavel |
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Paul,
These straps are perhaps the most important part of the ski boots for "fine tuning" your boot fit! Also Bandit's comments are very correct and appropriate. May I add my observations and suggestions on this topic! On all my boots I have two straps for each boot. The second one I install myself! Let me explain. If you look very carefully at the first power strap ( which you get when you buy boots) it is fixed to the shell via rivets or screws. When you set this strap it goes just above the first buckle. This in short "fine tunes" the flex feel you get between shell and inner liner. This is a critical zone for skiers since various skiers want unique personall "ski feel" !As Bandit has noted the after market "power strap" has three elastic bands which allow some give. I cut off one of the power elastic straps since my model is for ski racing and far too "tight"! I was a more soft elastic feel! Back to my second strap which I place ON BOOT LINER ! This works only the boot liner flex motion not the boot shell! I am sure you are all wondering , "what is the difference" ? Try this experiment at home! Put on your boots at home on a flat surface. Set buckles to your preference! Get into your skiing position. Yes that "just before I turn position" . Have someone kneel in front of you and insert two fingers between your shins and the INSIDE tongue are of the ski boot liner. You will note that with the fingers inside the liner you have less play before your shins touch boot liner and shell! You have to make less motion to get pressure on inside ski tips for that carving motion. This translates into less effort, less time wasted before ski start to "bite" into turn and most importantly you constantly get "ski feel" as you ski! The best analogy I can give you for this is , think of the rack and pinning steering on the older sports cars such as Austin- Healy's ( for some who know what this car is) or the Porsche 911s. If there is "play" between the steering wheel and the tyres more motion must be done! You do not feel the road as well! If you are not sure about my comments, just try it for one day! It will make you a better skier and you will be more relaxed with less fatique! If you want to know how to sew this strap on I can later give you all instructions! The procedure takes 10 minutes! Hope this helps some of you! Cheers! Pavel |
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Advice at ski shop,,,,,for first ski!
I am not questioning the competence of ski shop staff with this Pavel story, but only illustrating some issues! Met just three weeks ago an women in the 30ish go skied with heart and great desire! After following her for two runs,,,I "happen" to go up with her in the chair lift! After small talk I discovered she was originally a teleskier for 5 years! Now she was trying these need modern skis! She had bought some Volkl "womens" specials since ski shop recommended them! After skiing with her for one hour,,she mentioned that she could not follow my tracks" Skis were "giving" out on her on tight SL type carving turns! I followed her down one fast SL type run! I saw emediately the problem! She was better than the skis! her level of competence. Her fitness. Her technique demanded more from the ski than the ski could give her! It was a top level WOMENS ski,,,however it was too soft at tip. Too soft torsion wise thus every time she tried to set an aggressive SL carving dynamic turn,,,,tip would give in!!!! Many stores sell women short! They think women = soft,,easy slow skiing type! If you are a fit, alpha type women who loves the sport try some top level skis! I lent for 3 weeks a 155cm World Cup SL Fischer ski! She is flying! She is smiling! She is hot!!!! So yes listen to sales persons but,,,,,,,, Respectfully, Pavel |
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This is perhaps the most common problem women skiers have! The lower calf issue!
Her is my solution. Assuming you have boots that fir well everywhere else ( toes, arch, heel),,you will note that most boots have three holes for buckle placement on plastic piece! You can make another 2 holes by drilling plastic! You can also re position side buckle by drilling out buckle unit and placing it closer to medial side! Third solution! depending on buckle type,you can take out buckle lope and insert a cloths hanger wire (which is same size) into buckle unit! My wife's boots all have this modification made! Hope this helps you! Respectfully, Pavel |
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No ski does everything!
Be realistic. Be honest! If you are intermediate skier then you know what skiing you will do! Try reading magazines about skis! Listen to better skiers! Then try some possible units! Pavel |
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Boot drying is essential for serious skiers.
There are two contexts; Home base: I have a unit which is designed for woodsmen, hunters, etc,,It has a 4 to 6 unit hoses, a dial to set for 1-4 hour period and a timer to begin automatically warm air pulse! Salomon (and other companies) make units to heat up boot liners! I got mine from a ski shop that was closing for 10 euros! The second context,that is traveling; most hotels have some type of drying system! All the suggests are correct. The very best is take liners out and place near low heat source! Never but never place near an electric heater such as a base heater! It will burn or melt boots! I have several car units! All are poor units that provide very little heat! Now you are wondering why I state that "heating boots is essential for serious skiers"! Most modern boots,,if not all have a heat generated molding type liner! Once you have skied with a heated boot ONCE,,,you will never again NOT do so! The pleasure of placing a foot into a warm,soft boot liner is special! Do it! |
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Ice,,,,that word brings "shivers" to some skier yet it is easier to ski on this type of condition that snow! Really!
Here are some hints! 1. First make sure your skis are well tuned. If possible by hand! Best is 3 degrees vertical and .5 base! 2. Your mental state is vital when skiing ICE! There are two types of contexts. The hidden patch of ICE among snow slopes! That is called the MINE ICE ! ready to catch you as you set an edge. You must at all times set a soft edge and be ready to transfer your weigh to other ski if you hit such a patch! DO NOT dig in or set your edges harder on ice! In fact on patch of ice it is best to let edges go,,,pass ice patch,,then set edges again on soft snow! Of course if you do body rotation turns on ice you will wipe out, so another reason why not to do body rotation turns ( ski turns are done with knees,,,,not body)! 3. The easiest skiing is when slope is all ice! Really! Ice is more consistent than snow, is faster and is so much more "exciting" ! The key is to pretend you are skiing on eggs! Soft edges! The secret is the line you take! Too much rotation,,,,you will spin too much! You must have confidence in your technique and never but never turn too much too fast! 4. Of course never ,,,but never sit back on ice! Hope this helps you! Respectfully, Pavel |
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