george

Thank you all!! That's great information! I'll be keeping my eyes on SIA as well as any deals on new ones at the end of the season (though I sense there aren't many closeouts on trick skis - is this accurate?)

About the front binding, do I need a trick-specific binding, or are they the same as for slalom skis?

Looking to get my first trick ski. Can anybody point me to resources such as a review or a buying guide, or recommend what I should be looking for?

I waterski about 10 times per year, and the idea is to get one trick set each time I am out. The last time I trick skied--about 10 years ago, I could get up, cross the wakes, and spin.

Also if anyone is selling a good but cheap 43" trick ski, please let me know.

Thank you @MichaelWiebe!

@jhughes message sent

Hi Alex! A friend and I ski on the Illinois River off William G. Stratton State Park, which is just over an hour from downtown Chicago. We typically ski once a week on a weekday so there's less traffic. There's no course but miles & miles of flat water most of the time. Let us know if you'd like to join us sometime.

Hi all! We are on the market for a home in the Chicago north suburbs and I am trying to figure out if there are any residential ski lakes that allow skiing.

There are some homes on the market in Highland Park, Lake Forest, Northbrook, etc on relatively small man-made lakes, but none that I have come across allow motorized boats, let alone one going 36mph.

Thank you guys! Unfortunately the MOB and other such systems are out of my price range.

Any thoughts on the HO vMax's? They were the top of the line HO boot a few years ago and Bart's has '15 and '16 models at a steep discount.

Good point - didn't think of that.

I ski behind a 200x Moomba Outback. I don't remember what the wake feels like at 34mph, but it feels noticeably better at 28 off compared to 22 off.

Thank you very much guys! I like the idea of a ski that allows me to ski longer sets, so I guess I'll be slowing down to 34mph and going with an Animal in the front and RTP in the back.

(I used to ski with an RTP before moving to double boots with the Monza, so I am sure I can get used it again.)

I am hoping for some advice on a new ski & binding choice. I have been skiing on an HO Monza with Approach bindings for the past 10 years, and I plan on updating my equipment for the next year. I ski almost exclusively open-water on the Illinois river, 36mph. (As a point of reference, I have run 22 off.)

So I have two questions:

1. I am thinking of an HO Omni (Syndicate or Carbon?). Which of these would be a better choice? Any other alternatives I should be looking at?

2. At the end of this season, I ruptured my (back foot) achilles tendon, so I assume I should move to a RTP? And for safer release of the front, should I prefer Animals over a binding such as xMax? (With the Approach's I've had some bad crashes in which they didn't release. To keep my feet from moving around, I need to have them quite tight.)

Thank you! :)

Thank you all!! Had my first ski-day on the Illinois river yesterday. Will check out the Liquid Edge maybe next week.

Chris & mateja - I live in downtown Chicago, but I am happy to drive over if you are looking for a ski buddy / someone to share costs / driver.

Hello!

I just moved to Chicago and I am looking for any ski schools or people willing to rent out slalom sets nearby.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!! :smile: