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October, 2024

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Have no clue what ski to get.. please help! totally lost at it.

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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
i live in whistler and skied all last season on a pair of park skis which really sucked in powder so i'm looking into putting some skis on layaway and slowly paying them off by next season.  looking for some all mt skis that i can still jam in park if i'm up the mt and everything gets tracked so i can play..but something that is going to be decent enough for those real deep days... not too worried about the park side per say.. just keen of something versatile.  i live at the bottom of the gondola so skiing down and switching skis is never a problem

i'm 5'6 and about 140 or 150 lbs.  i'm currently on a pair of arw 161s.

my options at this point are

armada arvw  165cm 120-89-109
4frnt madonnas 165cm 121-90-111
volkl cosmos 169cm 130-92-112

thanks heaps.  i'm so lost.  i've never owned a pair of allmt skis. i'm kind of leaning towards the volkls because i think they are the cheapest and i am broke... but they will get a lot of days because i'm self employed and ski everyday. 
Jul 20 2010 6:14PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Confused on your quiver, you going to keep the ARW's and you're looking for a fatter ski? If you are, I'd jump to something even bigger underfoot than the options you have there...
Jul 20 2010 6:17PM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
keeping the arws cause i love them

just looking for an all around all mt ski that handles well in deep powder but that has the potential of a few runs in the park on occasion.
Jul 20 2010 6:20PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
I'd say something around 100mm waist might be a better call, but its up to you. I cant say I've skied any of your options either, haha.
Jul 20 2010 6:28PM
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JimboSlice.
Posts: 53 - Karma: 10
Look into the armada JJ's....i've never had them but all i've heard about them is good. at 115 underfoot, they'll beable to charge the pow and i've heard they can hadle groomers prety well too.
Jul 20 2010 6:32PM
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kevok2
Posts: 69 - Karma: 14
Like Rowen suggested, go with at least 100 underfoot if you want them more for powder than anything else. From my experience it's almost impossible to have a one-quiver ski without any downfalls because design aspects that may be beneficial in certain conditions tend to detract from other areas (i.e. if you want to rip groomers/chicken heads/park, rocker is not advisable even though it would be nice for pow.) You need to decide if the compromise is closer to off-piste or on-piste. Also, I'm not too familiar with women's models, but check out the Fat-ypus E-Motion (or something along those lines.)

I fail to understand how you live in Whistler and don't already own powder skis though :P
Jul 20 2010 6:37PM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
my boot size is 23.5 (size 4) i think 100-115 underfoot would be huge haha

thanks for the input though.  i can't really pay shipping or anything so i'm somewhat stuck with what we have up here which seems to be a very limited selection on skis... those 3 are just some womens specific i found at one of the shops.

and i was in new zealand and working at tinier shittier mts in bc thats why i don't have allmt skis. :)

i stopped skiing when i was 10 and started again about a two seasons or so ago. 
Jul 20 2010 6:47PM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
correction they are 22.5
Jul 20 2010 6:53PM
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kevok2
Posts: 69 - Karma: 14
I can imagine shipping would get pricey up there. For the ones you're interested in, see if you can find reviews specific to the conditions you'd like to use them in.
Jul 20 2010 6:58PM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
yeah some places wont even ship ski gear to whistler.  it sucks.  could always get it shipped to bellingham washington and just go pick it up at a friends place.

another quick thing... what size should i be looking for if i am looking more to ski powder/trees and what not...

i really don't want to man handle them.
Jul 20 2010 7:34PM
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Ducky.
Posts: 5811 - Karma: 1,420
Line Lizzy's possibly?
Jul 20 2010 8:42PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
171 would be a good pow ski size, you dont want to be on stumpysticks.
Jul 20 2010 9:14PM
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Jimmy.
Posts: 2888 - Karma: 27
171 jeronimo.
Jul 21 2010 10:51AM
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FerrisBueller
Posts: 8280 - Karma: 5,173
Line Blend 2011 sonds like a perfect option for you

[url]http://lineskis.com/skis/blend[/url]
Jul 21 2010 11:18AM
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grambo
Posts: 1125 - Karma: 93
check out the 175cm Armada JJ. I have a friend who is about your size and she loves them. She is a pretty strong skier, but had zero problems with the width. For powder/crud, espceially in Whis when it can be wet/heavy, rocker is going to be as important as width. If you get a normal camber 90mm ski it's going to be alright in pow, but something like the JJ will blow your mind. JJ is still fun on groomed runs too, and when it's high pressure hardpack you will be on your park skis or working anyway. Seriously, go rocker you won't regret it. You can find 175cm JJ's on sale in a few places if you look (online, dunno about in town). Remember the rocker reduces the effective edge of the ski (since the tip/tail is in the air) so a 175cm will ski like a 160cm or less, plus you are on a forward mount.
Jul 21 2010 1:17PM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704

Ya but the JJ in the park = lame.  Since that's one of her preferences and she is looking for waist closer to the 90-100mm range, I would recommend:

-171 Jeronimo

-170ish Rossi Scratch BC (or whatever they call it these days)

-172 Line Celebrity (or you can really beef up the skis and go for the Pandora!)

All of those would be pretty versatile in all areas and hold up well with deep snow in my experience.  The Pandora is a pow ski so it wouldn't be good in a park environment (jumps, rails, jibs, etc.), but it holds an edge well on groomers. 

Jul 21 2010 3:34PM
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king.tubby
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 122
i would think for whistler, and for powder, you would want something fairly wide.  the line pandora has always seemed like one of the sweetest women's skis available
Jul 21 2010 4:19PM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
thanks guys! i'm just going to buck up and buy a pair of strictly powder skis!  it snows here enough!

real keen on the line pandoras but have found a pair of line lizzies for 450$ + maybe get a 20% discount on it cause its through one of the intrawest shops.  so stoked!

needs to start snowing now.  pretty over the sun already.
Jul 23 2010 1:22AM
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kko
Posts: 336 - Karma: 49
If you are able to, I would go for the Pandoras. I have been on them for 3 seasons now and I can't say enough good things about them. I ride on the 172's and have no problem at all with them so I don't think you would have to manhandle them at all seeing as your are a good 5 inches taller than me. And what you said about a 115 underfoot being huge because of your boot size? I don't understand this. It shouldn't make a difference at all. I wear kids race boots and have never had any issues with anything like that. Good luck!
Jul 23 2010 1:35AM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
i said that because i have no clue about ski gear.. i just ride the darn things!

thanks for your input though!  good to hear an opinion from another girl.  i'm pretty stoked on them now.  can't find the pandoras up here though so will have to hope i can find something in the city.
Jul 23 2010 2:00AM
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yeahitsdave
Posts: 1315 - Karma: 10
I second the pandoras, ski is killer. This years, with the early rise tip and tail, are gonna be even better, they plane sooo easy and still kill other conditions. The aspen/poplar core and thin tip make them super light and easy to flick around in tighter trees.

I picked a pair up for my gf, she hasn't been this excited for a pair of skis in a longggg time. She's never skied rocker, she doesn't know what she's in for haha.
Jul 23 2010 10:25AM
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kenzieann
Posts: 1535 - Karma: 391
yeah i have my heart set on the pandoras now. yippie.
Jul 23 2010 1:51PM
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