When you are "in between"

[IronR1]

Hi, I'm 5'11 tall, weight 154lbs. I'm a 34MPH skier and I close 35" in my good days. I always hesitate between a smaller ski with harder flex who turns better and a taller ski with softer flex more stable and slightly faster. What do you prefer?

[Horton]

@IronR1 I'm going to have to challenge the premise of your post. The perfect ski for you may be much stiffer or softer. The challenge is to find a ski that has a balance that works for you. You may find that balance in a very stiff or a very soft ski. Balance in ski design is so much more important than any one component.

 

[Horton]

I believe it is KLP who is quoted telling people to always ride the biggest ski they can turn. I'm assuming by your thread title you are also unsure what size you should ride. I would strongly push you towards a 66 if you are tempted by a 65. A 67 would seem pretty darn big are your weight.

[IronR1]

it also depends of the shape of the ski...65,25 XT woks for me, 66 green Vapor or 66 HO VTR nope...and my old 67" D3 X7 was fine! And when you can't try before to pay, you have to choice between smaller or bigger...

[mwetskier]

@Horton -klp may have said it too but blp made that statement during an on line h.o. video interview / pitch a couple years ago.

[mwetskier]

correction. . . it was in this written todd r. interview with blp in 2012 -about half way down the page

 

waterskimag.com/features/2012/10/08/the-king-of-rd-bob-lapoint-shares-his-knowledge-of-ski-design

 

 

[Zman]

Been said by many long before 2012....

[mwetskier]

@Zman -links?

[Zman]

No links. A Big Dawg told me the same thing in 2008 when I was considering what length ski to use. He said, use as much ski as you can turn well.

And, I'm sure he knew that for years. As for sure BLP and KLP did as well.

Just noting this is not anything new. Some subsribe to it, some don't, as there are other factors besides ski length.