gavski

Heal lifts aren't for everyone...it has a lot to do with femer length ratio...it absolutely does not make you sit back...it will however change your CofG and how you are able to flex... I have had long chats with @FWinter about this and i am convinced it is a major factor in his rediscovery of total awesomeness... A simple test.... 1. stand feet parallel, hip width apart....squat down as far as you can go without toppling back.. 2. As above, but place a 1/4" block (book or flip flop) under the balls of your feet...squat as above.. 3. As above, block under your heals...squat.. Which one allowed you to squat lower without toppling back? Which one gave you the least amount of squat?? The problem with hardshells is they force you into the the 'toes higher' situation = reduced range of vertical movement PLUS, your CofG is now aft = sitting backwards... This is not a new concept...has been in snow skiing for decades...just look at your shoes - raised heal... The correction doesn't have to be huge. I currently have a 3mm heal raise under my reflex...it is a reflex product - so even they know about it....i tried various heights, but settled on 3mm..note, i have a custom footbed that i have cut to 3/4 length - that will add to my heal height.. @ozski - the vapor boots are flat...so unlikely that you will need a heal raise. Just using the footbed will create enough of a lift... Too much lift will feel awful.... @FWinter has a massive heal lift under his footbeds...anyone comparing before and after skiing will notice a big difference in how he stands and moves on his ski...marginal gains....

Good spot....i swear that wasn't there last month....

Great review...interesting that you think you should size down....back in the day i always used to be on a 66", but my last 2 skis have been 67"... i am no heavier (180lbs) and not skiing any slower (36). The reasoning i was given for going longer was that when i drop to 34, the 67" is where i need to be.... When you look at the kd size guide: https://goo.gl/gbS1ad it almost reccomends that i should size up to a 68"...

Have a re-read of this thread: https://goo.gl/FJhE5X Insightful as hell...

@Razorskier1 - try one of these over the TOP of your vest: https://goo.gl/vSihPE i have tried various different styles, but found this one to be the best fit/ ease getting on/off. It is slightly thicker than a rash vest, and since using it i have no wear at all on the inside of my Camaro Top arms.... Plus, it is cheap... i am 5'11 - 185lbs and i use a size M

Would love to see some video when you are not tired, stiff, cold or covered in paint...

A 0.5mm neoprene rash vest or the Camaro Titanium Top (https://goo.gl/mxn8h7) will take the warmth of the camaro suit to a new level... The Camaro Blacktec long sleeve top and the sleeveless (7/8) Camaro long-suit (https://goo.gl/m5xA8P) is an even warmer combo as you have a double layer around your core....the bonus with this set up is if you already have the top, the 7/8 suit is cheaper to buy and converts the top to a longsuit....

@Horton - how's the review coming along? Were you running stock numbers?

Doesn't look too dissimilar to the Denali....both look awesome...

How does one get their mitts on one??

Pilates (look for the reformer machines), and yoga...i took the winter off due to elbow pain - discovered the root cause was from my neck (latent whiplash - all slalom skiers have it). Pilates and yoga couple of times a week throuh the winter..by the time i hit the water again in march, i was strong as an Ox...way stronger than anytime during my season. AND, my form was much better...i am 44 and still skiing into 38'off@36mph...i don't feel broken anymore... I have also noticed this with my daughter - she wake-boarded all last season, althouh i taught her to 'mono-ski' 2 years ago. Pilates & yoga all winter, she started skiing this summer...right from her first deep-water start, her form was amazing..she can run the course easily at 28mph - skiing properly....however, as the summer has progressed, i have noticed that her 'form' has dropped off slightly as she hasn't been keeping up with the pilates.. pilates gives you control of all the little muscles that stabilize - they need to be exercised otherwise you loose the ability to engage them...then then 'big' muscles kick in = try to pull the pole out of the boat etc...

Try these: https://surfears.com Or these: http://www.surfplugs.co.uk Both highly recommended from friends that have perferated their eardrums and/or developed surfers ear....both are skiers....

It is a beautifully designed and machined tool - just be mindful that your DFT numbers will not match any of the 'factory settings' or helpful 'pro's' numbers as they are all measured without this handy little tool.... The DFT measurement is a pain, but following advice from @SkiJay, i can confidently measure and reproduce a constant DFT number.... Just sayin'..

Looks very professional...How do you use it? Can't seem to visualise it...

The orange 'blocks' are the back stops.. they are now fitted to all reflex boots models as standard. They prevent too much rearward movement of the cuff, whilst the Achilles starp prevents too much fwd movement. The canting adjustment is from the ankle rivets. Notice the 'allen key' hole and on the outside of the rivet is an arrow. This indicates where you have rotated the rivet to adjust the cant...not sure if it is fitted on both sides of the ankle. Those that have used this on snow ski boots will recognise this feature. I have the mk1 super shell, and i would like to reftro-fit a canting rivet...so far no macgyver inspiration has come to me.....

Definitely easy looking and smooth....anyone else think there is a bit of tip rise at the end of both turns?? From all the videos i have seen of the ski, it seems to be a common trait...i even compared some old footage of @horton on the 2014 vapor (i couldn't find any on the '16)....no tip rise at all....

Is there a case when the water get s so warm that the skis feels like it is 'ploughing' becaus it is riding so low in the water?? I am regularly transitioning between 66-94 degF water. The ski is dialled in - i ski @36, and expect to run 1/2way down 38...but since the water has reached into the 90's, i am really struggling to get my ski moving. At the colder temps, reducing 1deg of wing helps to restore the 'feel'.. would this work at the 'hotter' temps??

Certainly does....however is was mentioned in The Fin Whisperer...Even Rossi wrote an article about it a few years back....we are talking extreme temp variations - freeze the nuts off to sunburn the bald spot...

10 Deg...interesting. I am lucky travel back and forth between orlando and the UK on a regular basis...So going from warm to cold water is very familiar to me...i have even managed to take a warm water set (83F) and a cold water set (53F) within 18hrs of each other... I have become v sensitive to how different the ski feels through the water. Firstly, Cold water is 'draggy' as hell - i can feel it right from the pull out for my gates..As a result, i have to take 1 deg of wing OFF to get the ski moving without feeling like i am dragging a plastic bag behind me.. Secondly, the ski reacts so much faster - i have to tone down all my movements. As a result, the 1st pass on cold water is always a shocker. Best analogy i can find is you spend 1 week skiing powder all day long long and on the last day - you have nothing but boiler plate ice..... Anyway, i will certainly re-look at adding more wing to the above settings - the ski felt like it was on nitro...had the wind set to 8deg...

Found this the other day on JMac's Blog - http://www.jmacskis.com It made interesting reading.. Which zero off letter and number is best for you? Lots of people don't understand the letters and numbers very well, so picking the right one can be tough. I knew very little about them until last fall, and I have developed a bit of a theory for choosing a letter/number combo. It's a general way to pick a letter because in reality whatever letter you pick you will most likely adapt to the pull type over time. Here's my thoughts on Letter choice: A is a slow speed/long line letter, 32mph or slower. A is on you the latest and the longest, and at those speeds the boat being on you longer is good because you pull longer to carry speed out to the buoy and the zero off will be helping with that. B is a 34mph letter. B is on you sooner than A and releases you sooner as well. At 34mph you need to pull slightly longer than 36, which works well in the B rhythm. C is a 36mph letter. C will pick you up fastest and come off you fastest. The early pick up and the quick release is ideal for the rhythm of a 36mph slalom course, especially at short line. The shorter and faster you go, the less you can pull after the wake, so having the boat release you early frees you up off the wake to let you move without the boat adding late whip/speed. (keep in mind, Zero Off does NOT anticipate your pull, the letters react when you apply pressure which slows the boat) 1, 2, 3 will be adjusted as follows: 1 for small kids that any boat is strong or for teens and adults on a strong boat, basically if you don't pull hard 1 gives you a bit of an edge in the tug of war with the boat. 2 is for a small adjustment if the boat feels too weak at 1 3 is for a boat you know is too weak, it gives the boat its full power to keep the timing of the letter and the speed of the boat perfect. Something I like to do is keep 3 for when you need it. If you're a big guy who pulls hard C 3 might feel best even behind a strong 6.2L Nautique 200, but if you go to a tournament on the weekend and they are pulling 5.3L 200's it'll feel softer and you have no way to adjust it. But if you train on C 1 and you go to a tournament with a weaker boat you have the ability to add power by going C 3. That's what makes sense to me and is how I do it, try it out, and hopefully it helps you in the future! Might give it a try - although i have been a longterm user of A2...and i am a 36mph skier...but that could be a throwback to trying to make the boat feel like they did back in perfect pass days....

Have also cut down the interior flaps on my rear RS-1 boot... Seems there are 2 schools of thought: 1. make the boots stiff as hell. 2. cut boots down to make them move. Started with 1 - liked it, but made the ski too unforgiving at times when i was not on my game - lasted about 6months with this setup. much prefer the current setup - i can fell the ski move. the ski feels progressive as opposed to on/off..

Thanks for all the advice....after rummaging around ACE hardware, i eventually found what i needed..Aluminium threaded spacer - 1/4" in length..

Boot cut down, slots cuts, fore/ aft restrictions cut away - boot moves like a vapor boot..i like the idea of the JB WELD nib....i have managed to find an aluminium threaded spacer - 1-4" in height...

I have a supershell, but i have removed the white horseshoe. I want the boot/ binding system to be a flexible as possible. I just need the pin to 'locate' the heal of the boot in place...the plastic screws aren't upto the job... If my ankle wasn't f**ked, i would be on a vapor boot..

What height/length are they?