Perdicis Notes

Choosing a pair of skis

publish Related to Choosing a pair of ski boots.

NOTE: All done here

On 2024-01-08 I bought skis (and ski boots)!

Terminology

X-Y-Z indicates width, in mm, for the front tip, middle, and tail.

The ideal ski for me

95-100 underfoot Lower end of 175ish length Early rise + all-mountain rocker Single plated (light)

Consider:

  • stiffer vs softer
  • big rocker vs small rocker

2023 season demos

Atomic Blackeye T1s

  • 174cm length
  • 16m turn radius
  • 125.5-82-110.5
  • my old skis from 2012

Armada Declivities

  • Chris’ ski
  • 172cm
  • 102 underfoot
  • I never got to demo these, just heard about them through Chris

88 Stormriders

  • rented at sun valley 2023-01-08
  • 128-88-114
  • 175cm length
  • Notes
    • Waaay better at coasting than my K2s. But that’s probably because they’re unscratched.
    • Heavier. That’s a bad thing. I feel more awkward taking jumps and it’s harder to throw my skis side to side.
    • Excellent feeling for coasting down the half-groomed half-powder snowfall on the slopes traveling largely straight with small turns.

Nordica Enforcer 94s

  • 172cm
  • 126.5-94-114.5
  • these felt really good. Easily the best ski I used throughout the Sun Valley trip.
  • can pump
  • no rattling
  • they feel light (single plated?)
  • perform OK on powder

M6 Mantras

  • 177cm
  • 135-96-119
  • these are heavy af.
  • rattle on groomers

Stormrider 95s

  • 175cm
  • perfectly fine skis but I didn’t love them for some reason.

Nordica Enforcers 104 Free

  • 172cm
  • 134-104-123
  • Length seems good
  • Noticably better on powder
  • Seems a bit harder to turn than the 94s.
    • Might just be due to tiredness
  • I found, when I fell, it was often because the back of the ski got caught/I had trouble leaning back somehow. I am guessing this is due to the free rider shape.

Blizzard Rustler 10s

  • 180cm
  • 133-102-122.5
  • No rattling
  • Good on powder but there wasn’t much powder
  • Had a bit of trouble turning while on groomers. But I wasn’t very tired so it might be even harder to turn in reality.
  • Rented 2023-01-21 at Heavenly (when the snow conditions were pretty lame)

2024 Rentals

Nordica Enforcer 94s (again) 172cm 126.5-94-114.5

  • Guy says they’re heavy-ish

Rossignol Sender 94s 172cm 128-94-118

  • No rocker in the back
  • Very thin in the front
  • Good for carving
  • Wide makes it good for po rer

Nordica Enforcer 100s

  • 2024-01-07
  • Way more stable
  • Also way harder to turn. Or maybe I’m just tired from yesterday?
  • Still rattles at high speed.
  • Doesn’t feel meaningfully better on powder due to its weight
  • so I guess a 94 underfoot is right for me and it’s just between the two I tried.

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