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Should I buy an FIS SL ski for drills/training?

BmbrMcGnrly

Putting on skis
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Jan 17, 2022
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PA
Situation: Debating getting an FIS SL ski and using it primarily as a training tool.

I ski primarily in the US Mountain West (42 days and counting this season!), but live on the US East Coast, close enough to the indoor ski slope at the American Dream mall. On my visits to the indoor slopes, I've seen some jr racers practicing on SLs so I am thinking of getting an FIS SL ski to use a training tool in the summer time on the 160 feet of vertical they have there. My thinking is it will keep my in shape for the winter as well as give me something to really hone my skills on. In the winter I can use it on East Coast mountains, but I probably won't bring it on trips out West (I prefer longer turns).

Questions:

1. Is an FIS SL ski the best tool to take my skiing to the next level? Obviously there are other components here, like instruction/knowledge/practice, but this post is really focused on the "tool" aspect.
2. I already have a Stockli Laser WRT in 180cm, with a 16.3m radius. Should I just use this as my training tool? The indoor slope is 300m long, which means (in a perfect world) I'll get 9 turns out of the WRT, and 12 from the SL FIS.
3. If I decide to snag an FIS ski, which should I brand go for? For context, I am 6'3", 215lbs, early 30's athletic build.

Thanks
 

Smear

Getting off the lift
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Mar 15, 2016
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238
1. YES
I would be very bored at our indoor hill without my SL-skis. But have considered getting a pair of cheap used twintips and try to learn how to rail and do tricks. Would be a perfect way to further embarrass the kids. The 11-year olds response to that idea was just "No dad, please no". But I never listen anyway.

2. NO

3. Probably 165 cm but try to find a not WC stiff pair. I'm 155lbs and on 157cm and mine are plenty agile/nimble.I don't think brand matters much, but perhaps someone can suggest a brand that is generally softer in the plain vanilla option. If you buy used ask for the history behind how they where picked and selected. All brands have different stuff with the same top sheet for athletes.
 
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Tony Storaro

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Using 180 WRT on indoors slope is like driving a Ferrari in an underground parking lot.

Better get a go-kart

Of course you should get a FIS SL ski, no better tool for working on your skiing.
 

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
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Do it.
That is a pretty steep average slope. 160 vertical and 300 long (whether the 300' is the hypotenuse or the horizontal). I didn't realize they would have that in an indoor slope. I hope the steeper section is at the top if it varies.
And you will get more turns in because the turn size goes down when you tip the ski to a higher angle.
 
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anders_nor

Making fresh tracks
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Jan 18, 2020
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on snow
Do it.
That is a pretty steep average slope. 160 vertical and 300 long (whether the 300' is the hypotenuse or the horizontal). I didn't realize they would have that in an indoor slope. I hope the steeper section is at the top if it varies.
And you will get more turns in because they turn size goes down when you tip the ski to a higher angle.
our local indoor is 500 meters long, and I find that to be short, good for SL trianing and park jumps though, and for summer when you dont wanna drive 2-3 hours for summer skiiing.
 

Tony Storaro

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our local indoor is 500 meters long, and I find that to be short, good for SL trianing and park jumps though, and for summer when you dont wanna drive 2-3 hours for summer skiiing.

500 meters is plenty for FIS SL, that’s lots of turns. As opposed to your 185 Laser GS on which you can make about 3 :ogbiggrin:
 

jt10000

步步高升
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That is a pretty steep average slope. 160 vertical and 300 long (whether the 300' is the hypotenuse or the horizontal). I didn't realize they would have that in an indoor slope. I hope the steeper section is at the top if it varies.
The steep section is at the top. It's a bit daunting for new skiers, though they have an area served by a magic carpet down at the bottom.

if I had a car midweek (I don't - my wife needs it) I'd head over there in the fall - it's really great when it's not crowded. But the runs are so short that if there is a line of more than a couple chairs for the lift it seems like an eternity to wait. This is common on weekend.
 

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