HO Syndicate Omni - 30th Wedding Anniversary Present

[Sivota]

 

Not only has my wife tolerated me for 30 years' of marriage, she bought me an HO Syndicate Omni as an anniversary present.

Following the usual advice to change only one thing, I transferred my current bindings from my faithful, but old, D3 Fusion.

Perhaps the Omni is more suited to my skiing - PB, 3@55 15 off. Until now I have got into 55 only a handful of times, usually because when I do run 52, until now, it often has been on my last pass.

Already that has changed. This weekend I ran 3x52 consecutively for the first time. The ski moves effortlessly outbound, the spray now comes from the front of my binding, my wife says I look less dangerous. In a weekend I have become more upright, less rear sticking out, and more relaxed. Whilst I overshot some buoys and let go of the handle [leaning too long and just flew passed] there were no crashes. After skiing I felt much less fatigued. I am using the recommended settings. I'll have a couple more sets this weekend and then off to warmer climes for a week of waterskiing. I'll post whether I continue to improve, but on the current showing I am very optimistic.

[76SS]

Congratulations on the new ski but, most of all, 30 years of marriage. Our 30th is tomorrow and I have a D3 on the way for my anniversary present.

[Chef23]

Congratulations on the anniversary and the new ski.

[Bill22]

Awesome! What size Omni are on?

[Sivota]

@"76S&S" Thank you, and many congratulations to you too. Enjoy tomorrow and I hope you enjoy your new ski as much as I have done so far. Maybe we are setting a trend for anniversary presents - well, 30th anniversary presents anyway!

@Chef23 Thank you.

@Bill22 Thank you - 67", I'm 170lbs and just shy of 6'.

 

[bogboy]

Congratulations @Sivota, please keep us up to date on how you like your new omni, and its comparison to your other skis.

[savaiusini]

Gorgeous ski!

[Sivota]

@bogbo Thank you and I shall.

@savaiusini Unsurprisingly, I agree:

 

[Andre]

New ski for 30 th ?

I would keep her for another 30 years!!!

Congrats on the anniversary,the ski and the skiing!

[oldjeep]

Congrats

 

Sounds like I should plant the seed for a new ski or snow skis in three years;)

[Sivota]

@andre Thank you. I certainly plan on keeping her for another 30 [if we are both still around]. I just might hope for another new ski before then, however well this one works out!

@oldjeep Thanks, don't let reality get in the way of ambition - why not both? It could be a BoS right of passage for anyone who makes it to their Pearl Anniversary :)

[Sivota]

Already it is a PB ski ...

[savaiusini]

@Sivota Congrats! More of them are in your future, I sense.

[Sivota]

@dvskier ????? how can you disagree - I did achieve a personal best on it. You might dislike that, albeit it would be unusual for someone on BoS not to want someone to progress.

[dvskier]

@Sivota so sorry late night fat finger on the iPad. Issue has been resolved.

[Sivota]

No Problem, thanks.

[dvskier]

Congrats on your PB as well.

[HighAltitude]

Can't wait to hear more about this ski! Interested to hear how it turns (smoother arc versus hook) and angle across the wake. Does it feel fairly stable compared to your old ski?

[Sivota]

@dvskier Thank you.

@HighAltitude I am not sure my ability qualifies me to comment in any detail. I had my last [slightly colder] ski today before I go to Spain for a week and so may be able to help a little more after that. So far:

Undoubtedly my hips are further forward on this ski. Don't ask me why, but they are.

I am far less fatigued at the end of a set.

When I remember and I manage to roll my ankles to edge change smoothly, the ski has a smooth clean arc. When that happens I am very early at the buoy with all the time in the world.

If I straighten my front leg in the turn the ski immediately starts to stall. The ski has not thrown me out of the front as it does keep moving but immediately I have been aware that the ski is reacting to my straight leg.

I have only crashed once, when I was pushing it too much as I approached my PB.

My previously very rare visits to 34mph have become regular visits.

I'll keep you posted

[sunvalleylaw]

Congratulations on the new ski and on your anniversary! Notable for sure!

[Sivota]

I am back from Spain and warmer waters.

The ski performed as I described above.

Marcus was mildly chastised for being off topic when he responded to an different posting, but thought that an improvement of 4-6 buoys was possible on this ski. He was right.

In Spain I ran 34mph [55kph] @ 15 off for the first time - so a PB.

In my last set I ran 34 and then got 3 @ 22 off twice - another PB.

My previous PB before this ski was 3 1/2 @34, 15 off and I had only been into 34 a few times.

Since my return to colder water I have skied twice, the first time I got 4 @ 34, 15 off - a PB on that lake and I got into 34 again today.

I can't comment re other skis in any meaningful way, and clearly the coaching I have received at home and abroad is the most vital part - but this ski certainly has helped me progress. I am told I am in a better position and look as though I am skiing better on it. I am more confident on the Omni and am enjoying myself enormously :) .