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New Ski to follow my 5 kids!

pitarg

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Jan 13, 2021
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Colorado
Hi,
I am looking for an "every day" Ski so I can follow my 5 kids from 4 to 12. As you can imagine, conditions change every day depending on who comes to ski with me. Typically we do most groomed runs, a lot of trees, some bumps and 2 o 3 park (jump) runs a day. We try to take advantage of fresh snow and powder but it is not every day. I plan to have a separate Powder Ski and a separate 70-80 waist for quicker turns, faster groomed, etc.
With Covid now I am on my 13th day of this ski season and plan to ski for another 15-20 days at least. I have demoed many skis but could use your advice... I think something between 88 and 100 waist could work but it needs to be versatile, playful for park, trees and bumps, while fast for carving in groomers. I would like to know more about these options (too many maybe!!):
+ Enforcer 94
+ Enforcer 88
+ Stormrider 88
+ Mindbender 90
+ Mindbender 99
+ Declivity 92
+ Kore 93

All in or around 165 cm.

My comments on demos:
+ Stockli Stormrider 95 @ 166 - Did feel very good on groomers and speed, did not feel great on bumps or powder. I really wanted this to feel great but it just didn't!
+ Armada Tracer 98 @ 164 cm - Very good overall, not as great on groomers as Stockli

I mainly ski in the Vail, CO area and can ski in any condition as an advanced skier.

Thanks for your comments!
 

tball

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Navigator 80 has been a great Dad ski for me and far more versatile than I ever expected after buying them to ski with my kids following recommendations here. I've written a bunch about them:




 
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TS
pitarg

pitarg

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Will read on! Any suggestions on sizing? Same as usual ski or go a bit less just because its a Dad ski?? With 5"7' a 172 be OK or go down to 165?
 

Flo

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Rustler 9. Great dad ski.
+1 I really like them to skis whith my wife on groomers or low angle trails. They are fun at slow speed and allow you to speed up a bit on groomers. I enjoy to look for small jumps on the side of the trail, learn to ski switch... Downside is that they want to pull you into a turn as soon as you get some speed and that their soft tips does not help in crud.
 

tball

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Will read on! Any suggestions on sizing? Same as usual ski or go a bit less just because its a Dad ski?? With 5"7' a 172 be OK or go down to 165?
For a Dad ski, in general, I think it's probably a good idea to pick the shorter ski if choosing between two sizes. It will be easier and more fun to make slow turns.

My 172 Navigator 80's are on the short side for that reason and I'm super happy with the length. I'm up to a Covid 185 lbs and still enjoying them. I did buy a Navigator 90 in 179 but don't intend to ski those with my kids unless it's after I pick them up from ski school in the afternoon (hopefully next season post-Covid).
 

Tony S

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Will read on! Any suggestions on sizing? Same as usual ski or go a bit less just because its a Dad ski?? With 5"7' a 172 be OK or go down to 165?
How much do you weigh? This will inform models as well as lengths.

In general, my observation it's that we're all over the map on what kind of ski is the target. The two you mentioned (SR95 and Tracer 98) are imo slightly on the wide side for a smaller person if you already have a pow ski and ...

groomed runs, a lot of trees, some bumps and 2 o 3 park (jump) runs a day

The Rustler and Navigator are both great suggestions. I might think about the Navigator 85 rather than the 80, since you say you already have a carver-width pair.

I think if it were me I'd be leaning toward freeride-y designs if I were following kids through trees, rather than carve-y models. The SR95 is on the carve side, as you observed.

What skis have you loved in the past?
 
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pitarg

pitarg

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Colorado
How much do you weigh? This will inform models as well as lengths.

In general, my observation it's that we're all over the map on what kind of ski is the target. The two you mentioned (SR95 and Tracer 98) are imo slightly on the wide side for a smaller person if you already have a pow ski and ...



The Rustler and Navigator are both great suggestions. I might think about the Navigator 85 rather than the 80, since you say you already have a carver-width pair.

I think if it were me I'd be leaning toward freeride-y designs if I were following kids through trees, rather than carve-y models. The SR95 is on the carve side, as you observed.

What skis have you loved in the past?
I am 5"7' with 153 lbs. In the past I had a pair of Atomic Crimson, but that was when I just went downhill fast and really enjoyed it, no kids do!!
Out of my options, what do you consider freeride-y?? None of them?? more like a twin tip?
 
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pitarg

pitarg

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For a Dad ski, in general, I think it's probably a good idea to pick the shorter ski if choosing between two sizes. It will be easier and more fun to make slow turns.

My 172 Navigator 80's are on the short side for that reason and I'm super happy with the length. I'm up to a Covid 185 lbs and still enjoying them. I did buy a Navigator 90 in 179 but don't intend to ski those with my kids unless it's after I pick them up from ski school in the afternoon (hopefully next season post-Covid).
Yes, going down one if in between was my first thought!! thanks!
 

Tony S

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I am 5"7' with 153 lbs. In the past I had a pair of Atomic Crimson, but that was when I just went downhill fast and really enjoyed it, no kids do!!
Out of my options, what do you consider freeride-y?? None of them?? more like a twin tip?
We're close to the same size. Your proposed choices are okay, especially since it sounds like you're leaning short. (Full disclosure: I've only tried a couple of those personally.) I might drop the Mindbender 99 for being too fat.

By "freeride-y" I simply meant something with a design that has meaningful rocker and tip taper and a flex pattern that's friendly at low speeds - i.e., not the Crimson.

There is a tendency on this site to recommend models that are Very Manly Boards, as defined by the Board of Very Manly Men, and to treat anything else with a certain amount of conspicuous neglect. Your initial list reflects that to some extent. Between your (our) size and your intended use, that tendency might not serve you well in every case. That's what my comments are really about.

@tball has an admirably independent and thoughtful turn of mind about ski choice, which is reflected in his comments about the Navigator, so definitely consider that and the Rustler. The Ripstick 88 is another candidate in the "less serious" bucket.

With all this in mind, if you wanted to rewrite your list I might revise it as follows. They're all good skis, of course, so this is just a question of which particular kind of fun you end up in. Enjoy.

First Pass
Navigator 80/85
Rustler 9
Declivity 92
Kore 93

Second Pass (if no luck above)
Ripstick 88
Enforcer 94/88
Stormrider 88
Mindbender 90
 

markojp

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The declivity 92's a ripper! Super light, fun, but tips up and lays'em down when asked.

Where the rustler wins is chasing kids on the little bobsled tracks through the trees.

Nav 80-85 for smack in the middle of thise two. The Navigator series are some of the best skis that never got a lick of marketing love from their own maker. Sad. (Stay away from the Navigator CA's though... no titanal in those and they need some to work well.)
 

jo3st3

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your list of skis are the best of the best and maybe too hard charging to doing a centipede with kids. get something with less metal and lower swing weight that you don't mind kids scratching the top sheets.
 
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pitarg

pitarg

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Colorado
The declivity 92's a ripper! Super light, fun, but tips up and lays'em down when asked.

Where the rustler wins is chasing kids on the little bobsled tracks through the trees.

Nav 80-85 for smack in the middle of thise two. The Navigator series are some of the best skis that never got a lick of marketing love from their own maker. Sad. (Stay away from the Navigator CA's though... no titanal in those and they need some to work well.)
Will try to demo those 3! But this weekend will try Declivity for sure!
 

Prosper

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We sound a lot alike. I’m virtually the same height, a couple of lbs less and am a CO EpicLocal pass holder. I’ve been in the same dad ski situation as you for the past 15 years or so since I have 5 kids who range in ages from 19yo to 5yo. The vast majority of the days I ski with my kids I ski on my Nrgy 80 170cm (which is the precursor to the Navigator 80) or Liberty V76 165cm. They work absolutely fine for the groomers, trees, moguls and luge runs that my kids like to ski in anything up to 6” of fresh. Any more than that and I pull out my fat sticks mostly because they’re just more fun. Nav 80 or 85 or something similar would likely suit your needs just fine. If Sierra still has the Liberty V76 or V82 in 165cm or 172cm on sale either would work perfectly.
 

DB Cooper

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Jan 31, 2017
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134
Hi,
I am looking for an "every day" Ski so I can follow my 5 kids from 4 to 12. As you can imagine, conditions change every day depending on who comes to ski with me. Typically we do most groomed runs, a lot of trees, some bumps and 2 o 3 park (jump) runs a day. We try to take advantage of fresh snow and powder but it is not every day. I plan to have a separate Powder Ski and a separate 70-80 waist for quicker turns, faster groomed, etc.
With Covid now I am on my 13th day of this ski season and plan to ski for another 15-20 days at least. I have demoed many skis but could use your advice... I think something between 88 and 100 waist could work but it needs to be versatile, playful for park, trees and bumps, while fast for carving in groomers. I would like to know more about these options (too many maybe!!):
+ Enforcer 94
+ Enforcer 88
+ Stormrider 88
+ Mindbender 90
+ Mindbender 99
+ Declivity 92
+ Kore 93

All in or around 165 cm.

My comments on demos:
+ Stöckli Stormrider 95 @ 166 - Did feel very good on groomers and speed, did not feel great on bumps or powder. I really wanted this to feel great but it just didn't!
+ Armada Tracer 98 @ 164 cm - Very good overall, not as great on groomers as Stöckli

I mainly ski in the Vail, CO area and can ski in any condition as an advanced skier.

Thanks for your comments!
I ski an enforcer 88 as my dad ski ( and regular daily driver) with my 4 and 6 year old. I’m able to go slowly and make different turn shapes no problem and when I want to turn it on, they blast off. I ride the 186 so I can’t comment on the shorter lengths.
 

Prosper

This is the way.
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Ken Caryl, CO
I plan to have a separate Powder Ski and a separate 70-80 waist for quicker turns, faster groomed, etc.
With Covid now I am on my 13th day of this ski season and plan to ski for another 15-20 days at least. I have demoed many skis but could use your advice... I think something between 88 and 100 waist could work but it needs to be versatile, playful for park, trees and bumps, while fast for carving in groomers. I would like to know more about these options (too many maybe!!):
+ Enforcer 94
+ Enforcer 88
+ Stormrider 88
+ Mindbender 90
+ 99
+ Declivity 92
+ Kore 93

All in or around 165 cm.
Sounds like you’re trying to put together a 3 ski quiver: 70-80mm carver, 90-100mm all mtn and 110+mm powder. Like I mentioned in my previous post I think you’ll be able to do most of your skiing with your kids with your narrow ski provided it’s more of a recreational carver. Since you’ll have a firm snow carver, for the 90-100mm all mtn consider getting a more soft snow biased ski, less of a charger and using it for those 4-10” new snow days with or without kids. Anything less than that and you’ll probably ski your carver and more than that you’ll be on your powder skis. Skis like the Rustler 9, Liberty Origin 96, J Skis Masterblaster, ON3P Woodsman 96, DPS Pagoda Piste 94, Fischer Ranger 94FR, Armada Declivity 92 would fit the bill. I think most of the skis you have on your list are more charger oriented and would be harder to handle in the trees and bumps. For length, depending on your ability level 170cm-180cm sounds about right to me. 165cm is probably a little short for an all mtn ski.
 

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