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Help! New to OR, Good Skier, First AT Ski Recomnd'

  • PappyD
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12 years 11 months ago #208730 by PappyD
Howdy, I'm new to the forum and just moved to the Pacific NW for work. I'm looking for some good advice and lessons learned for a first AT ski. Although mostly on the east coast, I've ski'd since I was 4 and spent well over 100 days a year on the slopes to include the full gambit of ski and board competitions. I'm tired of resorts and lift tickets, and I'm looking for something new and to join my new buds at work (or any of you that need a ski buddy).

Here's what I've got:
-I'm 28, 6'0" and 165...I ride an older pair of Rossi race skis and have relatively stiff alpine boots.
-I'm looking to get a full on AT setup, boots, skis and dynafits (overwhelming recommendations so far).
-I'm pretty committed to Black Diamond, for multiple personal reasons and I would just really like to stick within their lines.

-I've had a few folks at gear shops or online retailers recommend the Black Diamond Justice.
-I've looked a lot at the Drift, Ascent, Revert and Amperage and had handfulls of recommendations for each.

-I've always liked speed (2 weeks ago I was trying to get the most speed, while carving and not tucking, I could down CO's blacks and double blacks at Beaver Creek and Keystone).
-The only huge western powder I've seen was at Tahoe 2 years ago and I was on rentlals; so I don't have a huge preference or knowledge base on AT powder skis.
-I've always enjoyed trees at the resorts that have them open and I do like speed and thigh burning turns/carving.
-But, I've never ski'd like I know I'm going to experience here with the Volcanoes, Cascades, etc.

? Thoughts on ski shapes, camber, widths, etc?
? Is the Justice too fat underfoot?
? Is the Amperage too soft?
? Drift?

Ahhhh! I don't know what to do!

Please give me all the info and opinion you can or will. I'm struggling to make the decision and I don't have the money right now to buy multiple skis...I know the one ski quiver is hard to find, I'm just looking for the best first arrow.

Thanks,
Paps

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  • Charlie Hagedorn
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12 years 11 months ago #208732 by Charlie Hagedorn
Replied by Charlie Hagedorn on topic Re: Help! New to OR, Good Skier, First AT Ski Recomnd'
90-105 underfoot, depending on your taste for powder vs spring. Not too much sidecut, not too little. Lighter is better. I like a neutral ski, not too stiff, not too soft, that I can ski well when I'm tired. Go shorter rather than longer if you're not sure which length to choose; it's lighter, works better on your pack, and helps on treed exits.

Demo a few skis if you can, then you'll know.

Search around the forum a little - you'll find recommendations for spring skis, pow skis, etc.

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  • Andrew Carey
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12 years 11 months ago #208734 by Andrew Carey
Two skis, one like CH says but one nice lightweight carver for spring, summer, and a little of fall; visit wildsnow.com and read the recent review of the Kastle TX77 (TX 87 is good too); see proguiding.com review of the K2 Backup (82 mm waist); other choices include Volkl (I use the 76 mm waist Snowwolf, there are newer models), Movement Random, Random-X; Ski Trab Tour Rando, etc. These are the bomb for corn. Tons of fun.

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  • CascadeClimber
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12 years 11 months ago #208736 by CascadeClimber
Replied by CascadeClimber on topic Re: Help! New to OR, Good Skier, First AT Ski Recomnd'
Had a pair of Trab Free Rando Lights and never liked them. Moved (no pun intended) on to a pair of Movement Logic X and couldn't be happier. I'm more of a climber who skis than a skier who climbs, but the Logic Xes are the best ski (for me) that I've ever owned. Dynafit Speed Radicals mounted on them and Dynafit TLT5s on my feet. So light it feels like cheating.

:)

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  • Pete_H
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12 years 11 months ago #208739 by Pete_H
I'd get the Justices for a mid-winter / powder bias and the Drift for a more versatile / spring and summer ski bias. Slap some Dynafits on those puppies and you're good to go.

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