Jim
1. your right most have some really big skis, even at stowe some people I ski with have 130-150mm underfoot monsters that would make no sense unless you were us. With that said I would say our 100mm skis our the ones that come out to play most often. For me I feel I can ski better than 95 percent of people on piste on them, and puts me in the 1 percent category off trail. The 100 mm waist width many of which our actually 98mm is by far the most versatile skis you can buy. With sharp edges on 98mm skis I never have an issue getting an edge on any surface.
Good, and what I expected.
But you can then apply the "calculator" information to determine that his wife could get more float out of 85-95 waist widths than you and your friends get from 100mm waists. (all other factors being equal).
And I use that to support my contention that she's fine with the skis she has, unless she demos something in the 95-100 range that she falls in love with.
And I agree with what you said, I don't think she should go above 100.
Gary, what does Alice use for her powder ski?
Lynn's are 84mm Fischer Muanga's.
this is why I HATE the calculator and it not because the math isnt solid because it is.
The reason why we use 100 mm ski most of the time is the largest ski any of can use and still have great(in our opinions) edge grip. Doesnt matter what size or sex we all use that same waist width. It has more to do with compromise for edge grip than how much float we needed. Like I said you can never have enough float. If I was 100 lb there is no way I would be on anything less than 100 mm for an everyday ski. Because my edge quickness would still be the same as a 170lb person but I could float that much better.
An example from last year. One of my new best friend in stowe was a D1 racer, that was and still is damn good at skiing. she had never been on skier wider than 65mm till last year. After countless demos from everything from 75mm to 110mm she settled on 98 "the Crushes" , the deal on blizzards end up winning over the Bridges she also liked alot. she is barely 120lb and 5'2 she loved the float of the bigger skis she tried but did not like what they did to her knees on groomers or the tradeoff.
she freeskis those crushes 100 percent of the time now. Any day, any time. she is glad to have the extra float(proportionately) when skiing with us.
I come from the Tim Allen school of engineering. get the most float you can no matter what.