[Feb 24, 2023] Weekly Discussion: Ask your gear, travel, conditions and other ski-related questions

[u/AutoModerator]

Welcome! This is the place to ask your skiing questions! You can also search for previously asked questions or use one of our resources covered below.

• The guide for beginners by a professional bootfitter and tech.
• The sidebar and related ski subreddits.
• Wondering what gear to buy? We recommend you start by reading Blister's annual Winter Buying Guide. Also, consider asking any questions at r/skigear.
• For real-time chat, check out our Discord

Use this thread for simple questions that aren't necessarily worthy of their own thread -- quick conditions update? Basic gear question? Got some new gear stoke?

If you want to search the sub you can use a Google's Subreddit Specific search

Search previous threads here.

[u/McBoogish]

Looking for new skis. I use my grandfathers old K2 razor amp and my friends tell me that I should get a new pair.

I would call myself an intermediate skier with little experience off pist. I would like to have a pair of skis that can do a bit of everything. I would like to nor be able to think ”do my skis work in this condition or am i gonna be screwed?”

Found a pair of salomons qst 106 for only 350 euros which is a steal and my friend told me that those are amazing. But I fearit will be hard for me cause they are much wider than my current ones.

[u/regular_gonzalez → u/McBoogish]

As a fellow intermediate skier, I think the trend of 90+ mm all-mountain one-ski-quiver is hugely counterintuitive and unhelpful, especially for intermediates.

90-100ish lengths are the compact SUVs of skiing, the RAV4 or CR-V. Ok at pretty much everything but not really good at any one thing. The cheapest Honda Civic is more fun to drive on a decent road then any RAV4. Can't really go off-roading in a RAV4, not like with a Jeep or Tacoma TRD.

I started with an all-mountain, 94 mm ski and it is ok. It's fine. But I just picked up a mid-80s width ski and it's so much better (and mid-80s was considered all-mountain width until recently). And performance in crud and powder less than 6" is just as good overall, and they're so, so much better as an intermediate at turning, agility, and overall control.

Unless you're regularly skiing 12" of powder I strongly recommend 86mm or narrower and spending instead on lessons and good boots if you don't already have them. And looking at high 70s to mid 80s width skis. I can strongly recommend the Elan Wingman skis - I got a used pair from Lone Pine Gear Exchange and they've been a revelation, and are my choice over my 94mm Sick Days in anything under 6" of fresh powder. I went with the 86mm Wingmans but if I could do it over again I'd go even narrower and get the 82mms. And this is in SW Colorado which has not lacked for snow this year.