Junior Trick Skis

[southernextreme]

I am looking for junior trick skis for a 5 year old. I know I must not be the only with a young child wanting to learn. He is currently skis well on 2 skis and will start working on slalom skiing soon. I am guessing from my web search that I will have to get trick skis made for him. I am not a trick skier and have no idea how to proceed. Does anyone know where to find junior trick skis for a very young child or where I can get some made? Does anyone know what specifications would be ideal for trick skiers for a young child (5 years old, about 45lbs)?

[Chef23]

I would teach him to slalom then put him on a single trick. You could start him on. 38" trick most of the manufacturers make those. You could also put him on a small wakeboard. @eleeski will probably have some good thoughts on this.

[eleeski]

I started Kirk on 42 inch skis - one of my castoffs. He was pretty light but a bit older. A 42" D3 is a great starter ski.

 

At very young (5?) I had him on two of my old skis to start with but he didn't go far until I switched him to a wakeboard. That taught him to ski - he transitioned to a slalom ski from the wakeboard. He learned all the basic tricks on a wakeboard (no fins). Wakeboards are the way to go for little ones. Backs and fronts are so easy on a wakeboard. When they get to WOs the trick ski is much easier so transition to trick skis when they are ready. Kirk is not the only kid I've coached to high levels starting with a wakeboard.

 

Trick ski mentality is fully compatible with a wider board and sideways feet - he doesn't need a tattoo.

 

Eric

[southernextreme]

Thank you! I am excited to learn how to teach my son. Any chance you have a wakeboard to recommend. I do not know the first thing about a wakeboard. Relieved to hear that 'no tattoos' are required:)

[eleeski]

@southernextreme To be competition legal the width must be narrower than 30% of the length (a 50" board cannot be wider than 15").

 

Old, cheap and light make the best beginner boards. The bottom should be flat, the boots mounted duck footed and symmetrical and the board relatively light. I got one from the thrift shop, ground off the molded in small fins and watched the UCLA novices enjoy it.

 

The wakeboard shop had a very simple, flat, light and cheap wooden board that looked perfect. I'm not sure that it wasn't a wakeskate with bindings mounted on it. Talk to a wakeboard shop but make sure you get a flat bottom board - it needs to turn easily to prepare for trick skiing. The big molded fin boards lead to tattoos.

 

I custom built Kirk's board...

 

Helmets are a good idea for kids on wakeboards. We named Kirk's board the Whackboard. The soft foam wakeboard helmet (a Pro Tec from the wakeboard shop) really helped with the occasional head slap headache. Trick skis are a lot less painful but start on the wakeboard anyhow.

 

Eric

[southernextreme]

Thank you! I understand what I am looking for. I had no idea that kids should use a helmet or could even hit their heads. Great idea.

[mlusa]

@southernextreme If you need help please call me at Masterline - 407-656-1133. I can help you with skis. I do have some smaller used skis and can help recommend some ideas.

 

My kids started on a Quantum 41" (40 3/4") ski. I don't recommend a wakeboard unless you just want to teach them to get up for the first time and have some experience riding something behind the boat.

 

I started my kids on 1 trick holding them next to the boat and molding them into position. If you haven't done this with trainers then you can use a boom. After skiing beside the boat, I put them on the boom. My son learned ss, rss, back wrap on the boom. You could then go to just a handle on a boom. Less than 5 sets on the boom is usually all this takes and will make skiing behind the boat much easier.

 

One key is use a hardshell boot. Even if it's too large in length, the support at the ankle is the most helpful. I modified a roller blade boot for Anna, but Ryan just used the smallest Reflex boot which seemed like it came to his knee. For the rear binding, I made it from just 2 overlay's and not a rear toe rubber. The smaller size lets them get their foot further into the binding.

 

I've found that the 36" -38" is a little small for the young kids to learn easily. They work for ok for a small 10 year old tricking at a high level, but for starting out the kids can turn a 41" hard edge ski really easy and have lots of surface area for stability. The kids seem to grow into the ski as they progress and by the time they are tricking really good the ski fits them just right.

 

Kids will not need a helmet for tricking. Speed is so slow and falls are usually very easy. 10-12mph at most.

 

 

Russell Gay

Masterline USA, Inc.

407-656-1133

[MrJones]

And there you have it from the best.

I just told my wife yesterday that we are going to have to visit Russell at Nationals and get the kids set up properly for trick.

[Chef23]

I would certainly listen to Russell his daughter has certainly learned well and I saw her 4 years ago or so at Nationals when she was a little bitty thing and could still rip.

[southernextreme]

Thank you Russell! I appreciate the help. I will call you in the next short while. Thank you Eleeski, MrJones and Chef23.

 

[dbojan]

How fast should I be pulling my ten year old son, 70 pounds on my 42" trick ski? He is just begining to learn trick skiing.

 

[mlusa]

70 lbs and 42" ski, you can go about 15 - 16 mph. If he is pretty stable and comfortable you can get closer to 16. If just beginning, keep it just a little slower. Anna is about 80 and 15.2 toes, 16.2 hands.