Women’s FIS SL skis

[nnowak]

Isn’t the soft SL the one with the two midfoot screws installed and 4 gliding heel bushings? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one set up that way on the rack,

That is one way. The most common mounting is two fixed heel bushings, two gliding heel bushings, and no midfoot screws.

The primary way to adjust flex is via the plastic "flex element" that sits in between the plate and the ski. The further forward, the softer the flex. It should already be fully forward from the factory. If you look at the side of the piston plate at the rear where it starts to taper upward, you should see only a small bit of plastic plate on top of the ski. Her 149cm should be the same. The Marker Tech manual only suggests moving the flex element rearward to stiffen up GS/SG/DH skis.

 

[nnowak]

Very helpful response. She’s about 130 right now and this is her second season on the 149s. They are the WC version. You’re right about Nordica having similar names for different products, I suspect that is intentional so everyone can feel like they are on the “real deal”.

I believe the shop stocks both versions of the 156 (10/14mm plate). I think the 10mm is just a longer version of what she has now (what I would call the “tweener” ski). I think her coach wants her on the “real” FIS ski (14mm), but I’ll double check.

Thanks!

Both versions are technically FIS skis. The softer version of the 156 should still be stiffer than her current 149. Heck, a new 149 would be stiffer than her 2 year old 149. Either version of the 156 will be an upgrade for her.

I would talk to your daughter and see what her preference would be for stiffness. If she is apprehensive about the move to longer skis, get the 10mm plate version. If she is complaining her current skis feel like wet noodles and is begging for something more aggressive, go with the 14mm plate version. Does she get excited when conditions are brutally cold and icy, or does she prefer warm and soft snow?

 

[MNskier]

Both versions are technically FIS skis. The softer version of the 156 should still be stiffer than her current 149. Heck, a new 149 would be stiffer than her 2 year old 149. Either version of the 156 will be an upgrade for her.

I would talk to your daughter and see what her preference would be for stiffness. If she is apprehensive about the move to longer skis, get the 10mm plate version. If she is complaining her current skis feel like wet noodles and is begging for something more aggressive, go with the 14mm plate version. Does she get excited when conditions are brutally cold and icy, or does she prefer warm and soft snow?

Yes, as you said her current skis are have the flex element in the slalom (position 1) configuration. So I guess that's the baseline slalom configuration and adding the fixed middle screws and swapping the two fixed bushings for sliding bushings would be the "soft slalom" configuration?

As far as her preference for conditions, she definitely prefers cold and icey. This season had way too much warm and soft for her liking. Mine too, as far as that goes. Supposed to be 60f here tomorrow!

Thanks!

 

[nnowak]

Yes, as you said her current skis are have the flex element in the slalom (position 1) configuration. So I guess that's the baseline slalom configuration and adding the fixed middle screws and swapping the two fixed bushings for sliding bushings would be the "soft slalom" configuration?

It is not spelled out in the tech manual, but using the fixed middle screws and four sliding bushings would be the slightly stiffer setting. Realistically, it is not worth messing with different screw patterns or flex elements on the piston plate. If she was really worried about the ski being too stiff, then just get the softer version of the ski. I don't think the stiffness will be an issue for her. If she was coming from a Fischer youth ski to a Nordica FIS ski, I might be concerned. She is already used to the feel of a Nordica, and the 156 will feel the same, but amplified.

As far as her preference for conditions, she definitely prefers cold and icey. This season had way too much warm and soft for her liking. Mine too, as far as that goes. Supposed to be 60f here tomorrow!

Thanks!

Either version of the 156 will be fine then, and I would not worry about trying to make them softer.

We just got back from the UP where it was 8F yesterday morning for a SG race. Tomorrow it is forecast to be 64F and our local hill is shutting down for 2 days to try and preserve the remaining snowpack. This has been a truly crazy winter with some of the worst ever and some of the best ever race conditions. Sometimes only a week apart.

 

[Primoz]

Why do people want to steer her away from what she wants and is comfortable on and have confidence in?

Because realistically this what she will be switching to has absolutely nothing in common with this what she's currently skiing with... except for maybe topsheet colors. So when switching from "her 149 cm Nordica tweener SL skis to a pair of women's FIS skis" is such difference that it really doesn't matter to what brand she switches, as new FIS Nordica, will be just as different as FIS Atomic, Fischer, Rossi... compared to what she's skiing now. So her "confidence" in current ski has nothing to do with new skis. So unless skiing and confidence is based on color, then it's really irrelevant to what brand she will be switching to.

 

[MNskier]

It is not spelled out in the tech manual, but using the fixed middle screws and four sliding bushings would be the slightly stiffer setting. Realistically, it is not worth messing with different screw patterns or flex elements on the piston plate. If she was really worried about the ski being too stiff, then just get the softer version of the ski. I don't think the stiffness will be an issue for her. If she was coming from a Fischer youth ski to a Nordica FIS ski, I might be concerned. She is already used to the feel of a Nordica, and the 156 will feel the same, but amplified.

Either version of the 156 will be fine then, and I would not worry about trying to make them softer.

We just got back from the UP where it was 8F yesterday morning for a SG race. Tomorrow it is forecast to be 64F and our local hill is shutting down for 2 days to try and preserve the remaining snowpack. This has been a truly crazy winter with some of the worst ever and some of the best ever race conditions. Sometimes only a week apart.

Yeah, it's been nuts. I was salting a course in January not long after freezing my butt off as a referee. Thanks for all the info, I'm just a tinkerer by nature so I was curious about how the piston plate works. The tech manual is pretty bad when it comes to explaining the different effects, I suppose because most people shouldn't bother anyway, and the ones that should probably have support.

 

[nnowak]

Yeah, it's been nuts. I was salting a course in January not long after freezing my butt off as a referee. Thanks for all the info, I'm just a tinkerer by nature so I was curious about how the piston plate works. The tech manual is pretty bad when it comes to explaining the different effects, I suppose because most people shouldn't bother anyway, and the ones that should probably have support.

With an engineering background, I totally understand the urge to tinker. Those red pieces in the photo I posted above are 3D printed nylon binding spacers. Fortunately my daughter is amenable to my tinkering and we can work together on testing and modifications that help her race gear works better for her.