What skis have provided the biggest jump in performance over the years

[slow]

I’ve probably had ten different skis that I skied at least one season over the years. Most have been incrementally better. Some were worse that I was convinced would eventually get better, but looked cool so I kept riding them. The Phantom Truth checked that box. My biggest jump in performance to date was going from a 2002 Mapple to the original Sixam. I’ve had better skis since then but none that seemed radically different and were easy to ski. Thinking of trying the Denali.

[Chef23]

I never skied in it but what I have heard was the Goode 9100 was revolutionary. I wasn’t skiing then so missed it. I made a big jump when I went from a late 70s Stinger to the original Connelly HP.

[ballsohard]

The 2018 Radar Vapor changed the game for me!

[DW]

The 9100 was a pretty big leap forward, probably if not the, one of the biggest single step improvements. All thanks to carbon fiber & a good design.

[Horton]

Most important skis since 1975? Hmmmm

 

Taperflex Apex

Kidder Redline

EP Stiletto

Connelly HP

Goode 9100

O'Brien Sixam

HO Monza

HO A1

D3 X7

Connelly F1

Goode Nano 1

 

I may edit this later....

 

[slow]

The Connelly F1 was the most stable ski I’ve ever been on but exhausting. Loved watching Jamie on it. He was a beast. Miss watching him ski more than anyone.

[brettmainer]

GOODE 9500. Went from several years of occasional 35 then 2@38 to consistent 35 plus more than 3@38. Then I got hurt, had 3 busy kids and the wheels fell off. 15 years down the road and typing this with jacked up ribs from being stupid, that was still the ski that gave me the “Eureka” moment.

[brettmainer]

Regarding @Horton’s list. For an ‘80s skier, he pretty much glossed over the ‘80s w only the Redline. Horton must have been concentrating on jump and trick back then.

[Drago]

@Horton KD7000 instead of Redline.?

D3 X5 instead of Z7?

EP Comp X2

[Horton]

@brettmainer 80s were a dark time for slalom skis... or I was jumping or both

 

@drago X5 yes maybe but X7 is where Nate ran all those first 41s

[CBR51]

@Horton. Might go Connelly Concept instead of HP. And what about HO CDX. Starting dock used be loaded with them. And agree with Drago on KD 7000 but I am pretty sure it was a bit later than the Kidder Redline. The Apex and the Redline were huge jumps for me in performance

[rogerw]

For me it was the EP comp 1 back in the late seventies. And may or may not still still be available here ...

http://www.epwaterskis.com

[Stevie Boy]

Going back I can remember a lot of people skiing on the KD CR7 and then of course there was the Sixam courtsey of O,Brien and the Great Andy Mapple

[bkreis]

for me they were..

obrien sixam

goode 9800

maple T1

goode nano 1xt 2017

kd platinum 2018

 

 

[BlueSki]

I think we also need to consider skis that helped skiers make the transition from PP to ZO. Perhaps the HO A1 was one of those skis. I am not sure because I was on the S2. For the recent year entries, I think the 2016 Vapor should be on the list.

[ALPJr]

After time on the water and good coaching, for me it's been these:

EP Comp X2

Connelly Concept

HO VTX (1994 version)

HO Phantom (basically a carbon wrapped CDX)

HO V-typeR

[The_MS]

Cypress Gardens Tech 1

Redline

KD CR7

Monza

N1

[Wish]

I'll predict that fin shape will be a future game changer vs the standard fin that we have had for the better part of 4 decades. CG fin seems to be making some waves. Could be a game changer on a lot of diff manufactures skis.

[Chef23]

The Comp 1 was my first non-wood slalom. Got a 64” Comp 1 when I was 13.

 

The EP Stiletto was an 80s ski I know I got mine in the 80s. I preferred it to the HP but I think the HP was the first ski with carbon in it that I had.

[The_MS]

Lots of so called Game Changers have come and gone In a hurry

[sunvalleylaw]

Even with my lesser knowledge, I would have put the Redline, and one of the new D3 variants on the list. I like seeing them on @Horton 's.

 

For me personally, the big ones were my Redline, and the D3 Nomad leading to my ARC that comes from the X7. Oh, and the first big one was the Connelly Shortline, the first real fiberglass slalom ski I ever skied. It was the first time I could feel like I could "cut". The Connelly wood hook started it all for me, but I didn't get very far on that set up.

[RINLE]

For the 80s, I would add the HO Mach 1 in the list for both the ski and bindings.

 

I definitely concur with the Kidder Redline Graphite

 

I think I would drop O'Brien Competitor from the list. It was pretty, but did it really move ski technology forward?

 

I might also replace the Stiletto with the EP GX3 Turboglass. I believe it was their first full concave ski with graphite, versus a tunnel concave.

 

 

[Horton]

@RINLE okay I dropped a competitor back off my list and frankly I can't think of much that I think was great in the eighties. Skis were already composite but not yet carbon and looking back most designs were not breakthroughs. I know I'm forgetting something but I just don't know what it is

[Than_Bogan]

Tons of great stuff has made my skiing feel easier, better, or even more fun. But I can only point to three skis that measurably improved my scores:

 

original Connelly HP (the black one with a multicolored squiggly)

Goode 9100

Goode N1

 

And even the N1 is a little dubious to put on the list, as it didn't get me a score I had never seen before, but did cause me to run -38 more times in one season that I previously had in my entire life.

[MrJones]

Connelly Shadow

STiletto

HO VTX

X7

9100

Nano

 

These are obviously from my years in the sport only. Lots of other really great skis. These are the ones that come to mind as game changers.

[Drago]

@RINLE yes Mach 1, GX3 though, game changer the wrong way

[Drago]

@Horton good point on the X7, but Nate was the only one on one.

[Jaypro]

To look at it from a different perspective, I stopped skiing around 1990 on a O'Brien TRC then started skiing again 2016. I skied an HO TX superlite, I felt like I was cheating. Granted it 26 years of technology I was catching up on, but damn, what a difference. It made me want to start skiing again.

[Rpc29]

Surprised people are mentioning the Monza over the A1. The A1 was a huge step forward shape wise at the time.

[sunvalleylaw]

@Drago go back and look at the Terry Winter quarter speed vid. X7 all the way.

[FSSPCat]

I haven’t skied very many different skis, but my old Concept never let me down.

 

[UCFskier]

for me in the early 80's it had to be JOBE. They were not afraid to deviate from the norm and try new shapes.... remember the Carbon V? as well they brought out the opentoe binding with rear zipper.

 

after that in the 90's it was HO's slalom design hands down the best.

[RINLE]

Jobe even had wedge plates to cant to bindings side to side. That being said, I do not recall a ton of people on them in the tournaments.

[PatM]

I never skied on the 9100 but when I got on my first Goode (the 9500) that was a game changer

[Horton]

@Rpc29 yea I agree the A1 will be added to my list. Good catch.

[B_S]

Get the Denali, and give it a few rides. Unlike anything I've ever been on, and it took about 3 or 4 rides to get my head wrapped around it, but when it did, wow!

[wtrskier197]

Connelly shortline... That ski is fast and cuts!

[slow]

Horton. Surprised to see the Connelly F1 on rhere, a ski I liked as well. Felt like I was riding on rails with what ski.

[Hockdog]

+1 on the Denali, just rode one today......

Crazy good and forgiving... the Two Adams have one heck of a ski concept with their Denali, don’t be afraid.