intermediate skier, looking for advice on what to purchase

[SailorDave17]

I am 30 about 185 (loosing weight) intermediate in skill. Looking to purchase my own ski. My brother has a 94 EP Comp that I used to ski on looking for any advice I can get. His ski had double bindings, and a fin on the fin. ( sorry I don't know the lingo) I skied on an older HO with a rear toe plate and my foot felt really loose. Any advice please. ...want to get better fast!

[ozski]

Whats your budget, what type of skiing do you plan on doing and how much better do you want to get? Take a look at the Radar Senate http://www.radarskis.com/ and you probably can't go wrong, its going to take you a long way up the food chain before you need to change again.

[kingshredd]

I went from a 20 year old EP Comp to the HO CX SUPERLIGHT this summer and it is to different worlds. I demo'd the Radar Senate C and The HO standard CX also. The CX SUPERLIGHT was the best feeling for me and fast. This ski will give me room to improve with out going top end in the course and out! For 2015 nothing has changed about this ski except the color.

[ricski39]

I agree with @ozski above. You can get a Radar Senate that's used for relatively cheap and you'll be able to use is for years to come before you start to outperform the ski.

[TallSkinnyGuy]

I purchased the Connelly V and was influenced heavily by Horton's review:

http://www.ballofspray.com/2012-ski-test/574-connelly-v-review

 

[MISkier]

In 2005, I went from a circa-1980 EP Super 2 to a Goode 9100. I felt that ski was not too squirrely for me and really helped me transition well to the new technology. There are a lot of Goodes used on ski-it-again.com. The models I liked are 9100, 9300 (36 mph version), 9500, 9960. All of those can be drilled for bindings instead of requiring dual lock.

 

For bindings, I've used Wileys double boots for years. Binding preferences vary wildly, but I wouldn't recommend any hardshells for you just yet.

 

The "fin on the fin" is known as the "wing".

 

Try to demo some skis. Radar seems to be very user friendly and typically available for demo at boat dealers/watersports retail locations. HO may be similar in accessibility.

 

I don't know anyone who is skiing well on a Connelly. And, I don't see it around very much. So, I don't have a good basis for a recommendation.

 

Once you find a solid, newer ski, your next purchase should be professional coaching. If you have money to invest in upgrading your equipment, upgrade your mind as well.

[SailorDave17]

Ozski: I was hoping to keep it under $700 including bindings. I will be skiing behind a 4 winns type boat, on lakes, pretty flat water, want to get to the point that I am taking lengths out of the rope on the course. (At this point I have never skied on a course)

[SailorDave17]

Can someone tell me what the wing helps accomplish? And do I need a ski that has one, the ep comp I used had one, it also had double boots.

[wtrskior]

@SailorDave17‌ the wing helps the ski decelerate and also acts as a stabilizer. You do not need it at this point in your skiing most likely, but almost all decent skis come with a wing (2 screws and its on or off). It really wont make much of a difference to you if its on or off. Take it off if in doubt.

 

so many good skis that will work great for you, don't stress over it. Make sure you get the right size!!!! perfski.com is a sponsor here, they can hook you up.

 

I'm a fan of putting guys like you into the Radar Vector boot. The HO attack is a similar boot from that company. Go double boot if that is what you are used to, but many are going back to RTPs, I never felt comfortable in one, always worried my foot would come out (and they can), so I have been on a DBL forever.

[SailorDave17]

Is the wing slowing the ski down what helps prevent the slack in the rope, when I transition? I noticed quite a bit more when I went from the ep with a wing to the ho without, what ever happened to ep?

[zippin_2]

Wing is designed to decrease speed. Almost any ski you purchase today will have one. It will not affect your skiing at this point in your game. So never mind the wing thingy and concentrate on wise ski purchase. I was where you are a few years ago and I went through several grand before learning my lesson.

 

You can easily get into a brand new ski/binding package, for under $700, which would satisfy your current need and provide you plenty of room to grow (increase performance) before an upgrade would be required. TRUE

You can also find deals on top quality used skis and bindings at ski-it-again.com or ebay, which could put you into a great package for less. (typically with no warranty) TRUE

But with so many choices (brands/models/lengths) on skis, not to mention the various combinations of bindings to 'boot', and with so many places to buy them it can get confusing (and tempting) fast.

 

#1 There is absolutely no better way to buy a ski than to test drive one.

You can contact any ski mfg's/retail/pro shop/ski school for information on their demo (try-before-you-buy) program. Any and all of them will offer invaluable information and recommendations. So this is where I would begin. If, on the other hand, you just want to buy a ski (or 2 or 3 or 4...) I have several that I would be more than happy to sell you.

 

#2 Professional coaching once you have made your purchase. IMO @MISkier is correct. Coach said "quit listening to those yeah-who's on the dock and pay attention". You will not be able to perform like a pro after a week of school (take notes) or a summer of coaching. You will, however, have something to build on.

 

My 2-cents