Best Beginner Combo Skis For Adults 130 lbs + Need Help Please

[BrianKennedy91]

I recently was trying to teach an adult to ski. I was using a pair of Obrien combo skis with adjustable heel piece rubber type bindings. I feel I am a pretty good coach and boat driver for teaching people to ski. The person was semi athletic and of normal weight to height ratio so I expected this to be a breeze. Over about 25 attempts with most times the result being the skier popped up on top of the water but had trouble balancing on the skis. I was so surprised they were having so much trouble but I just figured we should try again another day. Just out of coincidence the combo skis were on the dock and I decided to ski on them. I ride jump skis often but it had probably been 35 years since I had been on any type of combo skis. I was shocked at how difficult if felt for me to ski on the combos. They seemed to be very slick and the little bid of rubber they call a binding was terrible. It felt like the skis were constantly trying to come off and absolutely no ankle support. I also felt that it was very uncomfortable that there was no padding underneath the feet. All this from the point of view of someone used to skiing on good slalom and jump binders. I decided to do some searching of Overton's and Bart's websites in search of the best combo skis money could buy and I didn't see anything that looked even close to being much better than what I currently had. I'm wondering if anyone out there has decided to step back in time and play around on some combo skis they my have hanging in the rafters of the boathouse and let me know what you think.

 

If there is anyone out there who knows what the best combo skis are that would have the best shape, size and binding comfort and security I would really like to know what is best and where to purchase. I'm willing to spend even $300-$400 or more if it will be a help to teaching a new person to ski.

[Jetsetr]

I have an old pair of HO combos I use for teaching...there’s nothing special about them, but I’ve discovered the BEST tool for new skiers is a barefoot boom. It eliminates the rope variable, let’s them find their balance much easier and are close to the boat for verbal instruction...seems like there is just that split seconds where they just can’t find their balance quickly enough and results in a fall (and frustration).

Probably not what you’re looking for but suggest trying it...

[skibrain]

We have a 1/2 dozen different combo options, from wide-body skis, to O’Brien Performers to older HO with higher quality bindings, to ancient wood skis with vinyl bindings.

 

Not a huge amount of difference in success based on which pair of skis. We typically try bindings on on the dock and orient the skier to mechanics of getting their skis on.

 

Then there is a lot of finesse required from driver. Light start squeezing into throttle and backing off smoothly to skiing speed as boat comes on plane. Boat driver has a huge factor on success.

[Bruce_Butterfield]

The wide, shaped skis are great for beginners. Yeah most of the bindings suck, but beginners struggle to get even those on. I think Obrien vortex or similar would be your best bet. I have a pair specifically for teaching beginners and they work great.

 

https://www.overtons.com/obrien-65.5-vortex-waterski-with-x-7-bindings-288346.html?msclkid=209a3037cb0c10fbbba55117fd6d817d&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=%5Badv%3A%20Overton%27s%5D%20%5Bplt%3A%20Bing%5D%20%5Bfun%3A%20Performance%5D%20%5Bini%3A%20Watersports%5D%20%5Bstr%3A%20PROSP%5D%20%5Btgt%3A%20Shopping%5D%20%5Bcou%3A%20US%5D&utm_term=4580702888899132&utm_content=O%20-%20Watersports%20-%20Product%20IDs&gclid=209a3037cb0c10fbbba55117fd6d817d&gclsrc=3p.ds

[Wish]

+1 for wide shaped skis. Add weight to the tail of the skis (on top of course). HO sells them but if you can find some heavy plate material, just screw that on each one

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[MrJones]

We teach all newbies on jumpers. Adults on 72". Kids on 60". Decent but not super tight Wiley's on both.

[Cooper_Trelawney]

I second using old jumpers to teach beginners. Using older EP type low wraps or loose-ish old school Kidder/Wiley bindings. Jumpers have the width to get on plane and are easier to control.

[Cent]

The weights work.

Skis float tips up. I have then on an old set of Jobe doubles that came with them.

 

Jumpers work one your up but can be a lot to handle floating in the water; a set with weights would be very good.

[ALPJr]

We had great success with HO Blast combos from beginners to novice slalom course skiers.

[6balls]

If you have jumpers yeah the best (hard to find tho if you don't have 'em). A boom, too(not hard to find, but worth it's weight in gold over the years). Combo's kinda suck....and never use the solo combo with a rear toe plate as a slalom--so bad.

[chrislandy]

If they're athletic, then they are trying to fight the boat. I've always found that - the unfit, slightly pudgy chap that loves a pint of beer - gets up first time, the scrawny fitness addict flails around, falls left/right/forward/backward/diagonally.

 

It's got pretyt much nothing to do with the skis, beginner skis are crap, they're heavy, the bindings are rubbish etc but that actually works for a beginner - the O'Brien Vortex combos are great for getting up and teaching deepwater start on mono, but once thats done, they need to move to a proper slalom ski asap

[ReallyGottaSki]

My retro-mods from craigslist and marketplace, they ski great and bindings I selected feel like bunny slippers

 

I concur about tail weights, made some many years ago by melting lead sinkers in tuna can molds, then painted, for my daughter's trainers

 

 

 

 

 

 

[elr]

Yep - show boards ^^^ are what I would use.

[6balls]

Show boards wud work great are they available generally?

[elr]

@6balls - Lake Elmo Sports has them new, show ski teams may have some used.

[6balls]

@elr how pricey--that's the problem with jumpers--Show boards are a great alternative. I still have my college jumpers and used 'em to teach countless people to ski--I've run the slalom course with 'em too just for fun.

[BrianKennedy91]

I would Love to get my hands on some reasonably priced short jumpers that could be used to teach newcomers to the sport. The only way I’m going to grow the sport in my area is to recruit some total newbies but I’m excited about seeing some new blood in the sport.

[Cooper_Trelawney]

Check into Flyman skis. They are making short jumpers for show skiers at about the same price 20-40 yr old used jumpers are listed on ski-it-again. Lots of kids on my home lake are riding Flymans for wake jumping and in the local ski show.

[elr]

@6balls - yep they’re pricey new but still less then 1/2 the cost of jumpers. Our jumpers are too long to use for new skiers.