Recommendation for a set of combo skis

[convergent]

I haven't skied in years, but just bought a boat and although the kids are liking tubing, I'm going to want to try and teach them to ski this summer. I would like to buy a good set of combo skis for under $200 that will be decent for my 14-23 year old kids to learn on as first time skiers, and also be able to use the single ski to slalom on myself... if I remember how to do it. My boat is in my sig... so not a huge horsepower deal here. I'm looking at the Obrien Vortex and Obrien Competitor... anyone have either of those or recommend something else?

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

The competitor has some pretty bad reviews on Overtons - mostly durability issues.

We've got 2 sets of combos, one standard type (HO Team 2006?) and a smaller set of the O'Brien shaped skis (Vortex Jr). The parabolic shaped skis can be pretty ungainly for slalom if you learned on a regular ski and had so much flotation that the smaller kids had issues with them and I can actually use them with out sinking at all.

I'd look at the Eclypse
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...Connelly_Eclypse_Combo&aID=600A2&merchID=4006

And the HO Team
http://www.bartswatersports.com/cat...is/_HO_Team_Combo_Water_Skis_HH9C22/index.asp

 

[convergent]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't see the feedback on the Competitor, but the Vortex feedback looked really good.

I haven't tried the parabolic skis before, but a couple of things led me to think they may be good for us. I have 4 teen/young adults that have not skied at all (or barely) and for them, the easier to get up type ski would be better I think. I know some of them will also want to try to slalom. For me, I slalomed for years, but was not an aggressive competitive type slalom skier... I probably never got past what most would call beginner to intermediate level, and my ski wasn't aggressive... it was called "Easy Rider" if my memory is correct. I could do deep water starts back then, but not without perfect conditions. My boat now is not that big and powerful, and so I'm thinking the parabolic slalom may be easier for me to get up on and more stable once I'm there.

Can you describe a little more what you don't like about the parabolic skis?

I will look at those you've recommended too, and scratch the Competitor from the list of options.

 

[commander315]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

I think O'Brien Celebrities are a great choice. The bindings are very comfortable and highly adjustable. They are awesome for beginners and even the most advanced skiers could have a great time with them. They are also very easy to find. BTW, West Marine has them in sale!!!

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

Can you describe a little more what you don't like about the parabolic skis?

I will look at those you've recommended too, and scratch the Competitor from the list of options.

It's the extreme parabolic skis that I don't personally care for. Both of my Slalom skis are actually slight parabolics.

My kids are all tall and skinny, had a heck of a time with the Vertex Jrs because they have too much surface area and really seemed to flop around a lot. When I switched them off the Vortex Jr's onto the adult sized combos (HO Team) it was actually easier for them to control the skiis.

Your milage may vary, I've skied on the Vortex Jr's a couple times just screwing around and I was amazed at how much floation they had and they were fine with 185 lbs on them(they really shouldn't have been). I'd be curious to see what the adult sized Vortex skis feel like.


I'd look around for a local waterski store, you may be able to try out a couple sets before you purchase. Or try to make friends with some other boat owners who might let you try out their skis.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

Personally I think any decent pair of combos is as good as the other. I have a pair of "Contender 67" skis that we have had for almost 20 years. The boots are still in excellent shape, and the only thing I ever had to replace was one of the universal fins because it broke while riding in the footwell of a jetski. You don't need special bindings or adjustable fins for combo skis, especially for beginners or amatuers.

As far as being able to use the combo ski as a slolam, I will just say it's easier to just get a dedicated slolam. The problem is usually related to the fact that 90% of combo skis are 67" in length. I have used the slolam on my pair of combo skis multiple times, but for a guy 200+lbs, you better have a strong boat to get up on a 67" ski. I use an old Cypress Gardens Banana Peel (wood ski) that measures out at 72" and the difference in getting out of the water is night/day even though the ski is 3+ decades old. I am getting ready to purchase a higher-end slolam ski, but I will not go below 68", preferably 69".

So it's up to you on the choice of a combo set, but be prepared to have to drop a ski in order to slolam, or buy a cheap/used slolam for those that want to do deep water starts.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

If you are looking for a slalom ski for an underpowered boat, try to find a new old stock KD Powercarve. It's a pretty high performance ski, but with a lot more surface area. Skis like the "Big Daddy" also work behind low powered boats, but suffer in turning ability.

Personally I've got a Powercarve 69" that I use behind my boat when I don't feel like working real hard and an Obrien Evidence 69" for when I want to really crank turns behind my in-laws Malibu or work a little harder getting up behind my 3.0L

 

[convergent]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

You might be right about just getting a dedicated slalom ski. I just don't know at this point how much I'll use it and our boat is pretty small on storage space so I wanted to minimize the stuff we are hauling around. I used to have an "Easy Rider" which I think was made by Cypress Gardens... doing a little bit of googling I found this - http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-CYPRESS...ultDomain_0&hash=item5634961683#ht_2278wt_913 which looks a lot like my old ski, so if this is correct then the ski was 67", but I also skied behind some big sterndrive boats back then.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

Well let me put it this way, I am an amatuer on slolam in that I don't run courses or anything, but I've been doing it for over a decade. I can get up on the 67" combo ski behind my boat, and behind a jet ski with about 150HP or more. I have tried to get up on it behind a couple of bass boats with less than 120HP and have gotten up, but darn near wore myself out doing so having to fight to stay up until the boat planed out.

I have gotten up on the old 72" slolam first time, every time no matter what I was behind. I even got up behind a 17' heavy tri-hull bass boat with a 90HP with ease. If you have people at or around the 200lbs range, its worth the extra money to get a separate ski, and the balance and comfort of being on a ski made solely for slolam is a world of difference, too. As for carrying the extra gear, just leave it in the truck or at home if you don't plan on using it. One more ski isn't much different than the two skis you will already be carrying.

 

[convergent]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

Good point. I will likely eventually get a slalom ski IF I can get someone in the family trained to pull me!

But in the mean time, I'll try to get a set of combo skis that are on the longer side of the spectrum. I'm about 190 pounds and with 115 HP on a bass boat style hull, I will probably be worn out before I get up, although that gets back to the technique of the driver. When I was doing this more, I had figured out with the guy that pulled me exactly how he had to start to get me out of the water the easiest and so I would usually do OK... but put me behind someone else and was a different story.

It will be fun to try it again now that I'm an old fart!

 

[commander315]

Re: Recommendation for a set of combo skis

I think O'Brien Celebrities are a great choice. The bindings are very comfortable and highly adjustable. They are awesome for beginners and even the most advanced skiers could have a great time with them. They are also very easy to find. BTW, West Marine has them in sale!!!