Breaking it all down to build it back up

[UWSkier]

Last year, I made the switch from double boots to RTP, and my skiing has not been the same since.  I was regularly running 22, getting well down the line at 28, and occasionally getting into 32 on my double boots.  Unfortunately, I was faced with the options of hip surgery, or start kicking in on my starts, which is how I skied until college.  Easy choice.  Go RTP.

But after making the switch, I've gotten into 28 once in close to a year of skiing.  I miss my opener 50% of the time.  I started skiing tournaments again last year after making the switch, was kindof an embarrassing waste of money.  At 250 lbs, I can't really slow the boat much below 32 on my Senate, and I actually ski better on it at 34 MPH.

As luck would have it, the-house.com is going out of business and had some wild deals on their in-stock inventory.  I picked up a Radar Terrain for $137 and put an old binding on it, thinking I'd be able to experiment at slower boat speeds with it.

It's a little humbling going from a 34 MPH, 32 off skier to a 28 MPH, 22 off skier, but it's actually super fun to run the course with some time to think about more than a single key.  The idea is to reconstruct my muscle memory with better habits and techniques before going all out again.

I never thought a wide-ride could be so fun, and hopefully helpful.  Anyone else ever tried this?

The "Camo Cruiser" with my Senate Pro.  She's a fattie!

Edited April 19, 2023 by UWSkier

[Sethro]

That’s awesome!  I skied on a 67” Radar  Union last summer and actually did quite well with it…just free skiing. But it made me wonder about putting my bindings on an appropriately sized Union (or Terrain) and seeing how I liked it. I’m not a fin tweaker, but could the adjustable fin be installed on that ski?

[UWSkier]

1 hour ago, Sethro said:

That’s awesome!  I skied on a 67” Radar  Union last summer and actually did quite well with it…just free skiing. But it made me wonder about putting my bindings on an appropriately sized Union (or Terrain) and seeing how I liked it. I’m not a fin tweaker, but could the adjustable fin be installed on that ski?

I actually put an adjustable fin on there and someone wiser than me told me to take it off and try it with the freeride fin first. It worked fine with that setup for what I'm looking for.  No problem with holding power when I bobbled a 4 ball turn and mad scramble pulled to get to 5. 

[Sethro]

My next door neighbor is now skiing 28mph in tournaments (86 years old) and still on his Senate, and has been struggling.  He’s about 180lbs I think. He refuses to listen to me that he should try a Union or Terrain…or any other wider ski for that matter. I really think it would benefit him greatly. 

[lpskier]

I tried to transition from double hardshells to a Reflex and a kicker. That didn’t work well. I lost a whole pass even after giving it a four month long try. I detransitioned right back to double hardshells. Point being, that’s a hard switch for many of us to make, so don’t feel bad that you had a hard time, too. 

[RichardDoane]

one of my ski partners tried the switch to Reflex and a rtp, and just like @lpskier learned, it was not pretty to watch, and also did not go well.   sadly, the only benefit that came out of that idea, was that someone on the BOS got a great deal on some barely used binders

[Sethro]

I made the switch 6-7 years ago to a rear toe plate and it was successful. The first few sets were horrendous, but actually increased PB after that.   I also had to change my grip to right palm up a couple years ago (RFF) and that also took a few sets to adjust. One of these days I want to try LFF just for fun, but have no intention of switching. 

[jjackkrash]

I am going to give the switch a go.   Fingers crossed.  

[Fam-man]

Was in between skis last year so borrowed my father in laws session. Was interesting as I ski a senate and found performance commonalities between the two where as other brands felt foreign. Was fun to run the course at low speed, but definitely found the performance threshold at 30+ mph. Seemed like there was no longer enough ski in the water to reliably turn. At 26 and 28 mph seemed to pull out and wait ffffoooorrreever on the gates, amazing what difference a few mph makes. 
Definitely fun to switch it up. 

[customski]

Going from double boots to an rtp is hard but swapping  to a hrt from double boots was pretty much seamless.. 

[Ski_Dad]

Interesting thread!  I was very sick in 2021 and barely skied.  I switched to a Session last year (same ski only wider) and I used it to get my muscle memory and confidence back.  I had to grimace when I showed up the course with that behemoth LOL.  Back on a normal ski now.

On a different note I have a hard time getting my wide foot all the way into a radar artp so i switched to a Wiley wide rtp this season - gets my toes closer - i noticed a difference right away with my stance.

Edited April 22, 2023 by Ski_Dad

[coach3]

@customski I have been considering an HRT. How did it feel going from double boots? Able to ski up the line. Any specific drama?

[customski]

@coach3 no it was a very easy transition for both of us, was recommended to get out of double boots for better hip mobility and I believe it was good advice. No noticeable score difference at all..