A Pro’s Guide to Choosing Your Next Skis

Central Theme

This discussion, featuring Phil Pugi from SkiTalk.com, addresses the common goal of choosing the right new skis. The central message is that when you demo a ski, you are not just testing the ski itself, but a combination of four critical, often-overlooked factors that significantly influence its performance and feel.

Key Points & Arguments

To make an informed decision, a skier must consider four distinct elements they are testing simultaneously:

1. The Conditions: Snow conditions change daily. To get a proper baseline, the speaker advises skiing your own skis first on a demo day. This helps you isolate the feelings coming from the new gear versus the snow itself.
2. The Ski Tune: Demo skis, especially from high-volume resort rental centers, often have a poor tune (e.g., dull or burred edges, aggressive base bevel). A “grabby” or “hooky” feeling is often a sign of a bad tune, not a flawed ski design. This can give a completely false impression of the ski.
3. The Binding: This is a major, yet frequently ignored, factor. You are testing the binding’s influence as much as the ski’s. Key binding characteristics include:
   • Stack Height: The height of the binding off the ski, which affects leverage.
   • Delta: The height difference between the toe and heel piece. This changes your stance and how you pressure the tip of the ski, and its effect can vary depending on your boot size. Inconsistent deltas between a demo binding and a retail binding can make the same ski feel completely different.
4. The Ski Itself: Once the other factors are accounted for, you can focus on the ski. A key concept introduced is the difference between:
   • “Wide Narrow” Skis: Carving-oriented skis made wider (e.g., Fischer The Curv GT). These excel on-piste and are designed to be driven.
   • “Narrow Wide” Skis: All-mountain/freeride skis made narrower (e.g., Fischer Ranger 84). These are more finesse-oriented, better in varied conditions and moguls due to more gradual tip/tail shapes, and are more forgiving.

Significant Conclusions & Takeaways

• Rethink Your “Daily Driver”: Many skiers hinder their progress by using skis that are too wide (95-105mm) for everyday conditions. A ski in the 80-88mm range is often a far better tool for improving technique, especially carving, on typical resort days.
• Be an Informed Consumer: Don’t just demo skis; analyze the entire setup. Check the tune and be aware of the binding’s characteristics. Understand the design philosophy (e.g., “wide narrow” vs. “narrow wide”) to match the ski to your goals (e.g., carving improvement vs. mogul proficiency).
• Source of Information Matters: Be cautious of advice from shop employees who may have sales incentives or limited experience. Resources like the SkiTalk.com forums provide access to a community of experienced skiers and industry insiders for more objective information.

Mentoring Question

Phil argues that many people choose skis for the conditions they hope to get, not the conditions they actually get. Are your current skis truly your “daily driver,” or are they holding back your progress on 90% of the days you ski? How might a different type of ski in the ~85mm range better align with your specific improvement goals?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sY2V5PSEaYo&si=CAsvKVZSUFbu855v