SL Skis Experience

[tomahawkins]

I'm an OK skier. Live in the Midwest so don't ski powder and there aren't a ton of bump runs to practice on (learning to ski moguls is an aspirational goal). I'm NOT versatile, but can hold my own pretty well on groomers in all conditions, and have learned how to bend a ski and carve pretty well. Anyway, I've had a pair of Elan Wingman 86cti's for almost four years, which have been really fun do-everything skis. Two things over the last couple years, though, made me want to get a pair of "real" slalom skis: 1) our big hills are 500' tall, so maximizing my number of turns is a benefit, and 2) watching race kids from the lift zip their skis back and forth across their bodies looked like so much fun!

This past fall I bought a new pair of Head e-sl's. I know...they're not FIS, and they're not even the pro model, but they are short, heavy, stiff, and have a 12m turn radius. As far as I can tell, they're no joke, and here's the point of my post. If you are already a competent skier, but want to learn how to really manage balance, tip pressure, ankle/knee rolling, timing, and body movement, do yourself a favor and get a pair of this type of ski. If your edge angles aren't similar, they will let you know. If you get in the backseat while carrying any type of speed, they definitely will let you know when they try to shoot out from under you and launch you into next week. They are the most fun I've ever had on skis, and they've made me better because they are so good at revealing technical flaws.

TL;DR- if you've already skied a bit and want a coach attached to your boots, buy SL skis and start ripping short turns.

Nice job finding the eSLs. We don’t talk about them much here, but they are excellent.

 

[Tom K.]

Nah, you are just destroying groomers on a ski that you can make carve. That doesn’t mean they are groomer destroyers by nature.

Well, thank you, but I gotta say I had a very-surprising-to-me experience a few weeks ago (when the corn was perfect).

I started out on my beloved Head Titans (signed by A. J. Kitt, no less!) and was having fun. Then, for kicks, I swapped to my new Mindbender 89tis. They were more fun, and carved a bit tighter arc than the Titans. Admittedly, they lose their mojo at a lower speed than the Titans, and are probably too "poppy" for a proper, serious European carving ski, but they also come alive at a much lower speed.

Sorry, I'll quit now.

 

[Bill Talbot]

SS I think your Washington state location colored a lot of that post, and that's what folks are reacting to.

All your description were a level off, or two, for much of the rest of North America. You'll see many fewer 95+ daily drivers in some places in the Rockies, and almost none in the east.

And 80+ is sort of wide in the east... carvers are sub-80, and some are sub-70.

This

 

[Jelder]

As a follow up, I was able to get to Winter Park for a few days between Christmas and New Year's. I only brought my Elans and they were a ton of fun. BUT, every time I skied after that back in Michigan I only rode the e-SLs. I brought the Elans a few times thinking they would be better in the afternoons when the snow got pushed around and my legs were tired, but nope, never used them again for the rest of the year. Groomers? Lay them over and let them rip. Fresh snow? Didn't care- went fast and hard. Late days with piled up snow? Just let them sink and keep turning.

I {heart} short, heavy, narrow skis that turn on a dime.

 

[Snowplow Skip]

Gee…I seldom see posts in this forum so full of points I wholeheartedly disagree with. Well done!

You completely lost me here:



There is no such animal in nature. Skis are either 80 mm underfoot or carving groomer destroyers. Can’t be both.

This is what carving groomers destroyers look like:

Exhibit A:

View attachment 230764


Exhibit B:

View attachment 230765


80 mm underfoot is a a fat AM skis.

You haven't seen me ripping up a steep groomer on my Dobermann's!
Not to say I wouldn't absolutely love an opportunity to slay the slopes on a pair of Stockli Laser WRT Pro or ST, Nordica Spitfire DC74 Pro FTD, Volkl Deacon 76, Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB LTD or Atomic Redstar X9 or G9 Revoshock. I have never skied either a Stockli or Atomic or Volkl ski; but I hear they are all screamers on the hardpack! Also, very curious about the new Peak 78 by Bode!

 

[Tony Storaro]

You haven't seen me ripping up a steep groomer on my Dobermann's!
Not to say I wouldn't absolutely love an opportunity to slay the slopes on a pair of Stockli Laser WRT Pro or ST, Nordica Spitfire DC74 Pro FTD, Volkl Deacon 76, Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB LTD or Atomic Redstar X9 or G9 Revoshock. I have never skied either a Stockli or Atomic or Volkl ski; but I hear they are all screamers on the hardpack! Also, very curious about the new Peak 78 by Bode!

I strongly encourage you to try a proper 65-68 mm carver. I promise you, the ripping will be taken up at least 3 notches. 80mm ski are…meh in comparison.

 

[Snowplow Skip]

Nonsense!
"Back in the day, if you wanted a top end ski it invariably said "Comp" on it. "
Actually, it said, "KASTLE RX National Team SG" on it AND

View attachment 230774

Of course, the meaning of short turns was a little different back then.

Gee…I seldom see posts in this forum so full of points I wholeheartedly disagree with. Well done!

You completely lost me here:



There is no such animal in nature. Skis are either 80 mm underfoot or carving groomer destroyers. Can’t be both.

This is what carving groomers destroyers look like:

Exhibit A:

View attachment 230764


Exhibit B:

View attachment 230765


80 mm underfoot is a a fat AM skis.

I'm talking the skis we skied back in the 70's before the Super G even existed!
Hart Competition, Hexcel Competition, K2 Four Competition, Rossignol ST Competition, Head HRP Comp, Fischer Competition, Kneissl Res Star Racer SL, Blizzard Racer RS, Kastle CPM National Team, Volkl Targa SL, Atomic-Atomic (all ranging from 67.5-71 underfoot and skied in lengths 200-210.) When names like, Killy, Sabich, Kidd, Klammer, Stenmark, Kashiwa, Schranz, Russi, Lafferty, Barbara Cochran, Moser-Proll and Wenzel were bandied about as were freestyle legends like, Airbourne Eddie Ferguson, Wayne Wong, Scott Brooksbank, Penelope Street and Suzi Chaffe.
The Mahre Brothers were still unknown, other 80's legends Armstrong, Schmidt, Plake, also still getting their chops. Moseley. McConkey, Moe, Picabo Street, Rahlves, Scholpy, and Meir were all children. Miller and Vonn weren't born yet!

 

[Snowplow Skip]

This

This

I know there is more ice and hard snow back there and mostly narrower skies. Around here 100's are often one of the narrower skis in the line. Lots of 104, 106 108 112, far fewer 70-90 widths. That is my point though about many folks being on too wide a ski. The other point was that you don't need to be on a race ski. Once that was the option for performance; but now you have a ton of options to fit the conditions, terrain and your style of skiing. For instance, a perfect park ski would not be a good fit for my style. or needs.

 

[Snowplow Skip]

I strongly encourage you to try a proper 65-68 mm carver. I promise you, the ripping will be taken up at least 3 notches. 80mm ski are…meh in comparison.

I'd be happy to try some, maybe I'll get a chance to demo some next season.