Why Suggest FIS Skis?

[KingGrump]

I do not. Those who do it on a regular basis are the same handful of people.
[cough] grumps[/cough]

I do not generally participate unless the OP of the thread claims to turn it up to 11 on a regular basis and want something suitable to keep it at 11.

 

[Pasha]

….

Imagine an SL with a sh*t tune under a so-so bootfit and questionable body mechanics.

jerry-of-the-day:

 

[4ster]

jerry-of-the-day:

No way would that have happened had he been on FIS SL skis!

 

[Pasha]

No way would that have happened had he been on FIS SL skis!

 

[KingGrump]

No way would that have happened had he been on FIS SL skis!

He would have caught an edge and wiped out much further up the hill.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I totally get this & agree. I also get the small hill with icy conditions.
One of my sayings is that a FIS SL ski can make a mountain out of a molehill! If that’s what you looking for (& I am) then there’s nothing better. The fact that “it requires so many turns” is a plus as far as I’m concerned. I can always quit when they wear me out or switch to a more forgiving ski which for me right now is a Stockli AR but it could be any ski in that radius/width family.
& they’re not as sensitive when it gets soft…
View attachment 216156

Yes exactly!
Make runs long again!

 

[Philpug]

Most suggestions here...

A. FIS SL
B. Taos
C. Stockli AX
D. Look Pivot

Please feel free to rank in order.

 

[Tony Storaro]

He would have caught an edge and wiped out much further up the hill.

Skiing FIS SL ski like that is damn scary.

 

[Prosper]

Most suggestions here...

A. FIS SL
B. Taos
C. Stockli AX
D. Look Pivot

Please feel free to rank in order.

E. See a good bootfitter
F. Take a lesson with a full cert

 

[François Pugh]

That's because a FIS SL or one step down if you are a lighter adult and don't want to always be skiing at SL race speeds IS the best tool for the Job, if the job IS carving turns on the front side. We, well most of us anyway, don't recommend it if someone is asking for a ski to ski moguls (in the usual manner) on the front side, and we (most of us) don't recommend it for powder, or even for deep untouched wet snow.

Maybe it is that when you combine the words "carving" and "front side" we interpret the word carving as edge-locked arc-2-arc carving, or if not that at least turning with a very significant force applied between the ski and a groomed slope, and the ski bent, because that is the most fun way to carve on the front side, and unless you have a physical disability you are able to do it quite easily.

Also, a lot of people who can ski a FIS SL seem to think that skiing a FIS SL is something only top athletes can accomplish. To those people, stop flattering yourselves; you really aren't that special; it's not that hard. And to the people who can't ski a FIS SL properly and weigh more than 100 lbs, Learn how to ski. It's really not that hard. Tip and rip with a little balance and fore-aft weight distribution thrown in. is all it is.

 

[jt10000]

And to the people who can't ski a FIS SL properly and weigh more than 100 lbs, Learn how to ski. It's really not that hard.

Thanks bro.

 

[silverback]

FIS SL aren't just for groomers
View attachment 216157

Yep, heavy on your shoulders if you hike to it though.

 

[mdf]

Yep, heavy on your shoulders if you hike to it though.

and heavy to lug through the airport...

 

[Dfish]

I dunno, I kind of feel like there is some idol worship going on here. An S-works epic is not the ideal MTB for most riders and it would be silly to recommend it to many people, it's a racing tool. It's cool you can buy the same ski as Henrick or Mikaela, but why is an FIS SL ski somehow the end all be all of front side carving? Especially in race stock form, it's a tool for water-injected race courses and I doubt most people can actually flex one or put it on edge like it's meant to. I don't recall ever seeing someone skiing a FIS SL ski well who wasn't kitted up for racing or was an obvious former racer. Not to say you can't buy one and have fun on it, but outside the confines of gates there are many other skis that may be more enjoyable.

All of my former teammates and competitors were on worldcup stock FIS skis at 14-15 years old, and trained/raced 15-20 hours a week on them. After retiring from racing, nobody went out and bought FIS SL skis for fun carving. Only those who coached kept them around for forerunning the course you set, and they were given to us/pro deals.

If you have a FIS ski and enjoy it, great! But if you're looking for new front-side ski, no matter how good of a skier you are, don't think that a FIS ski is somehow the pinnacle of carving performance. There are lots of skis nowadays that may better suit you.

 

[Tom K.]

many are quick to suggest an FIS Slalom ski. I am curious as to why?

"Dude" factor.

 

[KingGrump]

Skiing FIS SL like that is damn scary.

FIFY.

 

[KingGrump]

and heavy to lug through the airport...

Too cheap to buy a bag with wheels?

 

[mdf]

"Dude" factor.

LOL. A lot of us (including me, a 200 lb male) ski on the women's FIS SL.

 

[KingGrump]

LOL. A lot of us (including me, a 200 lb male) ski on the women's FIS SL.

The 157 is more versatile off piste. Where we usually hang out.
The 165 provides more rebound out of a turn. The 157 is more agile.
The choice is based on utility rather than dude factor.

Bottom line is, the 157 is more fun for the skiing and terrain we like to ski.
I know at least one "dude" who is moving from a 165 to a 157 this coming season.
It's not about image. It's about how we feel on skis.
If it feels good. It must be right.

 

[jt10000]

E. See a good bootfitter
F. Take a lesson with a full cert

G. Well, then don't ski on weekends.