Message #725

[brussell11]

Ron,

Thanks for the quick response!  Weight is about 190 lbs, and height is 5'8". I like to ski fast (not ridiculously so) but am generally a strong and stable skier with solid technique.  What I want out of a ski is something that I can use on the trails (not just use, i guess, REALLY use) but that can also function off-piste.  For trail skiing, i like nothing better than big sweeping GS turns on something steep, but not outrageously so. I also enjoy the short turns on occasion.  But what I really want to do this year is LEARN how to ski off piste.  Switzerland is not Utah; there are very rarely the big champagne pow days, but I know an average day is in mid-weight powder possibly knee high, or a bit more.  More likely to be encountered is the heavier crud by the end of the day.
So let me now answer the questions directly.  To meet my requirements of learning more off-piste technique, I would like:
Power, energy, float, carving ability, agility, and ease (in that order, if i had to choose). I'm comfortable with a 'hard' ski, though have never used a ski quite so wide as the mid-fats.  Skiing terrain will most likely be 50% trail, and then mixed pow and crud.  No bumps! (at least, not a real driver for me).  And, finally, I tend to ski more old style but am working on edging technique a bit more..

So, i guess the best way to sum up is I'm not the smalles guy in the world, but I ski strong and aggressive, I love the groomed, can make a big ski turn, but also enjoy the quickness on groomed,  go fast, but want to really move into learning new off piste (crud/pow) techniques to open up new doors.  So, in your opinion...1. do i go with the I.m 77 or bump to the 82s? And if the 77s, should I get the 177 length, or the 170?

Thanks again!!

First off, I hate you.    Ok, now that my jealousy is somewhat under control....

weight height,
what do you want out of that ski? Power, energy, float, ease, carving ability, agility? 
Where will you ski it? Big open terrain, steeps with pow, mixed pow and crud and broken, trees, bumps, etc
How do you ski? Aggressive, mixed, laid back/  Do  you use your edges, more old style

then I can answer