I've never really enjoyed anything but narrow race skis, at least not on the New England icy surfaces I ski most. My current rides are old Head World Cup GS - 183cm 25meter, 66 underfoot, heavy Vist Plate. I have a pair of 165 iSL for very crowded days. Both are well tuned and work as well as they ever did.
However, they're neither of them really any fun except when well lit-up, both are mediocre in crud and just awful off-piste. On top of which, at 66 years old I'm not as strong as I was (PSIA Certified back in the '70s and still can get down anything. 5'10/215) on top of which I don't get much time on the snow so I haven't opportunity to demo and hate to waste any day on poor equipment. I spend about half of my limited time on snow on narrow hardboot snowboards, so I value a really pure carve and an aggressive approach.
So I'm looking for something more versatile as an OSQ, probably between 174 and 184CM. I think I can go as wide as 88 even though most of my time will be on hard snow. Budget is a factor so I'm looking at ex-Demo as well as new. On the list are what I suppose are the usual suspects: Fischer RC ONE 86 or 82, Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB, Head iTitan or eTitan (is the I maybe a better ski than the E?), Elan Wingman 82 CTI (maybe too floppy for me?) Deacon 84. Anything I should add or subtract? Is it crazy to go from a lifetime of 65cm skis to 86? I've enjoyed skis as wide as 94 when out west, so...
However, they're neither of them really any fun except when well lit-up, both are mediocre in crud and just awful off-piste. On top of which, at 66 years old I'm not as strong as I was (PSIA Certified back in the '70s and still can get down anything. 5'10/215) on top of which I don't get much time on the snow so I haven't opportunity to demo and hate to waste any day on poor equipment. I spend about half of my limited time on snow on narrow hardboot snowboards, so I value a really pure carve and an aggressive approach.
So I'm looking for something more versatile as an OSQ, probably between 174 and 184CM. I think I can go as wide as 88 even though most of my time will be on hard snow. Budget is a factor so I'm looking at ex-Demo as well as new. On the list are what I suppose are the usual suspects: Fischer RC ONE 86 or 82, Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB, Head iTitan or eTitan (is the I maybe a better ski than the E?), Elan Wingman 82 CTI (maybe too floppy for me?) Deacon 84. Anything I should add or subtract? Is it crazy to go from a lifetime of 65cm skis to 86? I've enjoyed skis as wide as 94 when out west, so...