Help adjusting to new ski

[WBLskier]

Hi all,

 

So I took my first ride on my new Radar Strada 66 inch the other night. I am in Minnesota and we went a few days after the ice went out with only a shorty spring suit. Water temp was probably 35 degrees. Needless to say I skied pretty conservatively. I have been skiing on a 65 inch HO VTR from 1994. I felt very clumsy on the new ski (not surprising as first run in 5 months, new ski, cold water). I have always skied the old style of slowing down at the buoy, sharp turn, high rope load, etc., with pretty good success (into 38 off at 34). I am going to be trying to learn to ski efficiently this summer. My question is this. Has the technology on the skis changed such that skiing "efficiently" is really a necessity on these skis? Don't get me wrong, I expect it to take some time for me to get comfortable on the new ski, but I am hoping that my struggles were not from having the wrong size ski (i.e. moving from 65 inch to 66 inch). I am 5'9" and 160 lbs and I ski primarily at 34mph, sometimes 36, but less and less often. Any advice on how to settle into this new ski as fast as possible? Should I expect to be able to ski my old style on this new ski until I get used to the ski before trying to work on new technique? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Horton]

You just need a few rides to settle in. First rides on any new ski are strange. First rides of year are strange. Skiing in cold sucks.

 

The new skis are not that different - just better. Relax - just go ski - get like 10 sets in - then evaluate.

 

Stay at stock settings until the water is warmer and are at home on the ski.

[Old MS Accout]

WBL.

Where are you at in Mn? You have the right size Strada and it will take a few sets to get the feel of the ski after being on the HO you were on for so long. It is early in the season and its cold out.

[PJ]

You should get a drysuit. Best investment for skiing in MN I've ever made.

[PBD]

35 degrees in a shorty? You're either a lot tougher than me or just frick'n crazy.

 

I ski all year long here in CA and have never been in water that cold with anything other than a drysuit.

 

I don't think I could get anything to work in those conditions with that little amount of insulation. Give the new ski a chance in some normal conditions.

[Old MS Accout]

I have seen Thager get in water about 45 with a shorty. Back in the day (Late 70s) I skied Lake Wacoina in a shorty while there was ice on 1/2 the lake. Shrinkage......................

[WBLskier]

Thanks all. The ski season can be short here so we try to stretch it from ice out to ice in. No dry suit puts a lot of emphasis on not falling, which is not generally the best thing to do to improve, so I should probably pick one up. Still fun though, and we always have the lake to ourselves this time of year.

[9400]

I use a drysuit in the southeast, how you can get away with being a skier in Minnesota (or any other M state, besides Mississippi) without a drysuit is a mystery to me.

[RichardDoane]

wbl - warm muscles are happy muscles, and comfort is not over-rated. Get yourself a drysuit and wear your fleece underneath, you'll have a much better time skiing, and your improvement will happen faster.

[Nick Sullivan]

Skied in my shorts today. Water temp was somewhere around 55-60. I froze! My knees didn't want to work when I got out. Got in the truck and cranked the heat on the way home. In the 15 minute drive home I never warmed up.