Slalom Ski Recommendations

[sethjon]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

Slalom skis are ALL over priced and you won't benefit from them unless you are really good.Nothing wrong with what you're using now.

 

[WildH2Oskier]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

I disagree Seth. While they are priced high for high end skiis you get what you pay for. No you can't buy a new top end slalom and go run the course without ever trying it before but a better ski/rope and vest will make for a much more pleasurable experience. I could buy a set of clubs like Tiger Woods and no one would offer me money to play golf, but a nicer set does help compared to a 20 year old yard sale set.
Same with skiis.
So where are the pics? We want pics.

 

[nola mike]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

Slalom skis are ALL over priced and you won't benefit from them unless you are really good.Nothing wrong with what you're using now.

wow, is that not true. the difference between ANY dedicated slalom ski and a combo is night and day, even to rec skiers like me. FWIW, i got a 66" obrien syncro with double high wraps last winter for $170--earlier in the summer it was $500. was able to get me and my brother in law (both 6'2", 190#) up behind a 170hp, 4 cyl, 19' i/o without too much drama. i've been pleased by the ski, nice cuts at slower speeds. We were running 31-32 mph.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

wow, is that not true. the difference between ANY dedicated slalom ski and a combo is night and day, even to rec skiers like me. FWIW, i got a 66" obrien syncro with double high wraps last winter for $170--earlier in the summer it was $500. was able to get me and my brother in law (both 6'2", 190#) up behind a 170hp, 4 cyl, 19' i/o without too much drama. i've been pleased by the ski, nice cuts at slower speeds. We were running 31-32 mph.

That's all well and good, but a 66" slalom is way too short for a 190lbs rider. Besides, in general, the longer the ski, the faster it rides; just makes carving the buoys a bit tougher with more board to maneuver. I will say there have been large advances in the past 20 years in skis, and a true slalom will feel different from the slalom out of a combo set due to the placement of the bindings. That being said, a good skier is just like a good golfer/tennis player . . . you can use 20 yr old equipment and produce nearly the same results after a little practice.

 

[skibrain]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

Haulnazz15, Just curious. What brand/model/size slalom ski are you on currently?

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

I currently use an old 1970's wooden slalom from Cypress Gardens called the "Banana Peel" which measures at about 72". That thing will pop me up quick (I'm 215-220lbs) regardless of what I'm skiing behind. I occassionally use the 67" slalom from a combo set that it more modern, but only when I'm behind a boat with more than 200HP so that I don't wear myself out dragging forever to get up.

I have been looking the past few months for a 08-09 HO Triumph in a 69" or possibly a 71" length. I haven't ridden it yet, but it has great reviews. I also hear great things about the Connelly F1X in the 69". Both are comprable skis to each other, with the F1-X being slightly more aggressive. I have used several low-level slaloms from friends, and they are decent, but I want to find one just below the top-tier competition level.

 

[skibrain]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

"....I will say there have been large advances in the past 20 years in skis" (insert thumbs up icon here if I knew how to do that).

I can't agree more. I've been on a slalom since about 1970 and have had a couple of O'Briens, a couple of EPs, an HO, a KD, a couple of D3s now. Every once in a while I return to an old ski. Stuff that was top-shelf competition equip. in it's day and it scares me that I used to feel comfortable on it. No comparison.

I highly recommend making a move. The old skis serve as a cool trophy to great times on the water....but sometimes better left in the trophy case.

 

[Slide]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

A top end ski is absolutely worth the money. They are normally made from composite materials giving you a lighter and stronger ski, and they come with a much better boot. The boot on its own will give you light years of difference; if your boot is not snug on your ankle you are giving up over 50% of your control.

Old wooden skis and the slalom from combos are usually not fully concave. Wood skis tend to be flat-bottomed and combo slaloms have flat skirts with a concave section in the middle, neither is which conducive to competitive slalom skiing. A flat surface will not dig into the water as tightly and you'll end up skipping out in a hard cut. You need a full concave ski with rails that are extremely thin if you're thinking course; anything else is NOT competitive.

You also want to go as short as possible for your weight class. I'm 160 and ride a 65" D3 Custom X. A shorter ski also means you need to go FASTER! (always fun)

Of course, if you're wanting a balance of comfort and performance or you just wan to cruise, throw that advice out the window (except the boot, you always need a good one). Full concave skis are made to be constantly cutting and are not fun to ski straight and flat on. Short skis are much tougher on you physically and will drown if you're not going fast enough.

 

[WildH2Oskier]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

5'11" 195 67 inch HO CDX Double high wraps. And it is way more than "Boot Placement" that separates it from a solo combo ski. I don't consider myself World class but I am an advanced recreational skier and there is no way I replicate the abilities of a top tier ski with an antique woody or low end combo ski.

 

[BigBoatinOkie]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

Well, I finally got a chance to take the Big Daddy for some runs. Guess what, it didn't elevate me from terrible newbie status, but it was a blast anyway. On the first day, it took me about 15 tries to get up on one ski, and by the time I finally figured it out, I was so exhausted that once up, I only skied about a minute and I was done. We didn't have any help from anyone with experience so it just took a while to figure out the technique. The boat had plenty of power, but I had to figure out how to position myself without becoming a crank bait and drinking all the water in the lake on the initial pull. I was so sore after the first day, that I just kicked a ski for the rest of the weekend. I think I've got her down now, so next time I should be able to get up on one ski on the first try and have some energy left to actually work on the skiing part. May sound pretty whimpy to yall, but it's hard being heavy. BTW, my wife got up on her third try on one ski. Punk.

These pics are pretty bad quiality, but here's one of my bro-in-law and me doing tandem slalom.

And one of my bro-in-law cuttin it up on the big daddy.

We didn't take many pics unfortunately, because it was quite windy and choppy.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Slalom Ski Recommendations

Update for me: I just got a deal on a 2005 HO Triumph ski blank for $100! I figure I can pick up some new or slightly used quality bindings for $100 or less and finally get a relatively high-end ski for $200. Seems like a good deal to me.