Skis for the West: where to start?

[SallyCat]

I don't really know the difference between all-mountain, big mountain, and powder skis. 

It looks like I may be lucky enough to end up with a job next year that would put me in proximity to the Tetons, Sierras, Cascades, or southern Rockies (NM). 

I have Volkl RTM 84s and Nordica Soul RIders (97 waist).

If/when I get out there, am I going to really wish I had some other type of ski? Or is what I have fine? 

This is just non-essential daydreaming, obviously, but I am sort of curious.

Edited February 8, 2018 by SallyCat

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

You'll want powder skis for the powder days and the chop later in a pow day/day after.  Unless it's a huge freaking snowy winter 75-80%+ of your ski days out west you'll be fine without powder skis but for the big days they excel and even a day like yesterday at Blue.  

[Shadows]

Thats a decent quiver anywhere really.  Those nordicas will prob be your everyday ski out there. No sense in buying new skis till you get out there and see whats up. You dont seem like you charge too hard to warrant a 1000$ super serious pow sticks; no offense.

like jlaw said in my thread. Its all bullshit. Pick your specs and choose a ski.

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Powder skis are generally cheaper than RTM type skis.  If you live out west you're gonna want powder skis..actually not even live out west just ski out west. 

[SallyCat]

8 minutes ago, Shadows said:

 You dont seem like you charge too hard to warrant a 1000$ super serious pow sticks; no offense.

 

No offense taken, I am not a hard charger at all but do want to be on the most reasonably appropriate ski for conditions just so as not to make things harder than they need to be. 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

11 minutes ago, SallyCat said:

No offense taken, I am not a hard charger at all but do want to be on the most reasonably appropriate ski for conditions just so as not to make things harder than they need to be. 

I'd sell you my Shiros cause I'm getting new pow skis next season but they're 193s..I had first generation pow skis Nordica blowers several years back that were not rockered and 110 underfoot and I thought they were decent until I saw Atomic Jeff and my Montana friend Tom effortlessly ski through chop on Shiros and Super 7's respectively..My shiros are 119 underfoot and great in anything but solid ice and tight bumps..I'd rather ski groomers on my shiros than powder on my mantras. 

 

Pow skis have nothing to do with skiing style they're just another Tool..when it's a groomer day out west the RTMs will be sick..

Edited February 9, 2018 by GrilledSteezeSandwich

[SallyCat]

Thanks, that's all helpful. It looks like what I have will be fine until I get good enough to realize I want something else. I can always rent fat skis if there's powder. I had a lot of fun on the RTMs yesterday until it turned to wet mashed potatoes. Not sure any ski would have been more fun at that point, because my problem was technique anyway. 

Edited February 9, 2018 by SallyCat

[Shadows]

Why the move?

[JFskiDan]

34 minutes ago, Shadows said:

Thats a decent quiver anywhere really.  Those nordicas will prob be your everyday ski out there. No sense in buying new skis till you get out there and see whats up. You dont seem like you charge too hard to warrant a 1000$ super serious pow sticks; no offense.

like jlaw said in my thread. Its all bullshit. Pick your specs and choose a ski.

These would be my thoughts as well.  Soul Riders for daily driver, and look at something a little wider.  And kind of what Doug touched on - maybe something like 50/50 powder and after powder ski.  

[NMSKI]

Call me crazy, but something like a Cham 107 could be real nice. Huge shovel and tapered tail that does well beyond what you would think for its width in powder and keep the rtms for hardback days. Probably find yourself on the 107s often, but watch out for your knees, fat skis are the devil!


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[SallyCat]

6 minutes ago, Shadows said:

Why the move?

I've been thinking about it for a couple of years and finally got fed up with things at my current job. I love teaching history too much to stay in a situation that's going to make me cynical, and last semester I was starting to get pretty cynical.  I also want to get back into working with an outing program and to live someplace new and different that I can be really excited about. I'm not from this area; I just randomly ended up here after Hurricane Katrina because there was a job offer. I have family in Oregon--my brother and his family, so it would be nice to be able to see my niece and nephew more often as well. 

[Shadows]

Oh katrina ok. Crazy didnt know that.

oregon is a piece of shit

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

1 minute ago, Shadows said:

Oh katrina ok. Crazy didnt know that.

oregon is a piece of shit

I thought people love Oregon. Mountains, ocean, legal weed...you ever see Portlandia??  Near year round skiing on Mount Hood..

[Shadows]

Ok. You ever live there? Poor ass state

[SallyCat]

Fellas. Hug it out.

I think it was Jesus who said "Let he whose state is without underground coal fire cast the first stone."

[indiggio]

Ski with what you got until you decide on where you're gonna live/ski. Then, depending on what type of conditions you encounter, check out what locals are skiing, demo them & others, then decide.

[SallyCat]

53 minutes ago, indiggio said:

Ski with what you got until you decide on where you're gonna live/ski. Then, depending on what type of conditions you encounter, check out what locals are skiing, demo them & others, then decide.

Oh, absolutely. I'm not buying anything without a compelling reason and a lot of demo-ing. I was just curious as to how important it was to have wider skis. 

[Shadows]

Pretty important on 7"+ days. You end up sinking when you need to be moving to get to the next place from flat points.

plus the whole fun thing on deep days

[moe ghoul]

Get new Mantras, they have rocker, are a solid all around ski for groomers and powder.

[SallyCat]

1 hour ago, moe ghoul said:

Get new Mantras, they have rocker, are a solid all around ski for groomers and powder.

Thanks, I'll keep that and the Cham in mind. Like I said, I'm just daydreaming for now, but it sure is fun.

[toast21602]

Yolo


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[indiggio]

5 hours ago, SallyCat said:

Thanks, I'll keep that and the Cham in mind. Like I said, I'm just daydreaming for now, but it sure is fun.

Seems like everyone out West like the Rossi freeride skis, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a pair.
Guess there's something to them, but not for out here.

[SallyCat]

1 minute ago, indiggio said:

Seems like everyone out West like the Rossi freeride skis, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a pair.
Guess there's something to them, but not for out here.

I actually asked the shop at Blue  Wednesday if they had the Soul 7s for demo just because I see them everywhere and was curious. They didn't have 'em though. 

[indiggio]

2 minutes ago, SallyCat said:

I actually asked the shop at Blue  Wednesday if they had the Soul 7s for demo just because I see them everywhere and was curious. They didn't have 'em though. 

It's a wonder Blue's shop carries anything beyond groomer and/or race skis...

[SallyCat]

1 hour ago, indiggio said:

It's a wonder Blue's shop carries anything beyond groomer and/or race skis...

Well, they sell the Soul 7s, so they have a bunch in the shop, just no demos. I don't know who would be buying them, but whatever.