- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 6,340
Sounds like a lot of gatekeeping to me. Skiing is fun and not everyone cares about being an expert so much as they care about having the best time on the mountain that they can possibly have skiing the conditions they love to ski. In addition "expert" is quite subjective when it comes to skiing as there are many different types of skiing. If you're talking about becoming an "expert" racer then sure narrow is the way to go, but what about expert freestyle, freeride, and park skiing? That same narrow and heavy ski just isn't going to be up to par with "expert" skiers who are skiing on the right tool for the right location and application (unless that expert skier is racing on-pise).
My advice is to pick a ski for the conditions you love skiing the most which often means owning multiple skis in different widths and styles but starting with a width that you can have fun on during low snow days up to 4".
I find Kipp's videos nigh on unwatchable. He's so intent on maximising his appeal to the reactionary older crowd and fluffing their egos that they alone can be expert skiers that he's almost a cartoon. Meanwhile anyone under 40 probably hasn't even heard of him or his opinion and are skiing what they damn well please.
That said I bought a "grown up" ski this year at 94mm and it's been good on the groomed and skier packed days in Tahoe.
Not to say he might know his stuff when it comes to racing or coaching but his anti wide ski schtick and his gurning gets old real fast.
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