Are Race Skis Still "Fun"?

Remember not-so-long ago back when skis were looooong and straight? Anything under 200cm sucked. And if you wanted a ski that you knew was going to really perform in the pow and steeps, it better say "GS Race" on it somewhere, unless it was a K2 model that was used by one of the pros (then you knew it was cool).

Since those days I have not hardly even clicked into a modern 'race' ski, other than the pair of 198cm Dynastar Speed SF (GS) skis I had right after the "shaped" thing started. (I had those skis for a couple weeks and sold them to buy some K2 Xplorers).

I have noticed that the new pure race designs are much shorter with deeper side cuts and while still having narrow waists. What I was wondering is... is it still fun to have a GS race ski in the quiver even if you don't race? Do you have one? Do you still go out and rail at scary speeds? Or do you just use your midfats for days like that? And if you do have a race model that you ski on from time to time, do you still take 'em into the pow and crud and steeps?

Sure race skis can still be fun. However I personally have had some really good runs on the new higher-end carving skis. (A-la 6 star.) 80% or the race-like performance without as much of the punishment when you mess up. IMHO that breed of skis is more fun than race skis outside of their element. (i.e. SL skis for slalom turns on bulletproof, GS skis for GS turns on bulletproof, etc.) This is, however, and opinion.

Over the past several years race skis haven't really gained too much shape since the side cut is FIS regulated. GS skis having 21m radius and SL having I think 14 or 15m. The unregulated "race" skis though definitely have crazy sidecut with the "SL" being like 12m and "GS" being like 17m or 18m. Neither ski powder well, but the slalom skis tend to do better due to their huge shovels.

I think they are super fun skis if you can power and carve the ski enough to get the huge pop/rebound out of them.

I agree. I sold my GS skis when I moved out west... Atomic beta race 10.26 from about 6 years ago... they ripped on groomers, but other than that, they didn't serve much of a purpose. IThey're just not versatile and they're too much work if you take them off the groomers. If you want a good carving ski that will give you near-race stability, I'd say go with a cross ski or something of the like... like those black Volkl superspeeds (? don't remember the name), or maybe the G4/AC4. I just use my mid-fats, even used them in our employee race series and they work just fine. If you live in the east I could see where maybe a gs ski could be fun, but not necessary out west.

they can be fun to go fast on, if you are looking fora pair PM me

Oh yeah, the high end Volkl carving skis are quite fun. I picked up a pair of Allstars here from 300hp last spring and had a ball carving fast arcs all over the place. First day I was on them there was 6-8" of fresh and they were actually good all over the mountain. Surprisingly versatile but of course they shine on wide open smoother stuff where you can just flick them edge to edge instantly. Perfect for inbounds days when it hasn't snowed in a while.

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Originally Posted by 72Twenty

Remember not-so-long ago back when skis were looooong and straight? Anything under 200cm sucked. And if you wanted a ski that you knew was going to really perform in the pow and steeps, it better say "GS Race" on it somewhere, unless it was a K2 model that was used by one of the pros (then you knew it was cool).

Since those days I have not hardly even clicked into a modern 'race' ski, other than the pair of 198cm Dynastar Speed SF (GS) skis I had right after the "shaped" thing started. (I had those skis for a couple weeks and sold them to buy some K2 Xplorers).

I have noticed that the new pure race designs are much shorter with deeper side cuts and while still having narrow waists. What I was wondering is... is it still fun to have a GS race ski in the quiver even if you don't race? Do you have one? Do you still go out and rail at scary speeds? Or do you just use your midfats for days like that? And if you do have a race model that you ski on from time to time, do you still take 'em into the pow and crud and steeps?

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I'm still a fan of a fast GS ski. Of course I see a lot more ice in the midwest but I took my Rossi 9x to Montana and had a blast this spring. With the melt/freezing we saw a fair amount of ice in the mornings and cruisin a groomer on GS skis is fun. I patrol on my 9x's and they do a great job, best I've found for midwest skiing. I still break out the Rossi 4s skis from high school ski team every now and then. Makes the racers nervous to see a race ski of 205cm.

Good Luck,
Jay

I have a pair of Rossignol 9X World Cup full on race room skis. They are super fun on those bullet proof days to scare yourself early in the morning when the groomers are fresh.

Sack up. There's nothing like getting some 217 or longer DH/SG boards going fast enough to work. That's fun.




















Don't fall though.

SG and DH skis kick ass. Hauling is fun.

agreed, nothing can replace the feeling of a speed ski for straight-up hauling.

Nothing can handle speed like a good GS/SG ski. Too heavy & not enough float for the powder though. But then I'd say that a race ski would do better in the powder than a powder ski in on pack. You could never go as fast (comfortably, at least) on a powder ski as you can on a race ski. I ride my race skis just about as much as the fatties. I never really did believe in the mid-fat; it's somewhat like buying an "all mountain" ski that's supposed to do everything but does everything half as well.

Speed rules.. if you want it get long ass race skis.

After I stopped racing, never really went back to a race ski after all them there changes in sidecut/ turn radisuses x Pi etc. After riding waist of around 90 and lenghts of 190 for the past six or so years, i got to play on my sister's bfs (race coach guy) fischer sl skis last year.

i have to say they were fun. damn! i was popping out of turns and they turned so short! haha. it was really really awesome. that being said, they are kind of a one trick pony and i wouldn't really want them in powder, bumps, or anything else. however, it could be said them crystal whatchamacalems are fat waisted short slalom skiis for east coast trees and those could be a lot of fun.

Yep, they're still fun. Just like a big mountain ski handles pow/big terrain better than a race ski, a race ski handles hardpack (groomed/ice) better than a big mtn ski. The rebound and the amount of force you can create on a race ski (in the right conditions) is pretty fun. Making big GS turns down a groomer floating over rollers isn’t a bad way to spend some time.

For my size I think cross skis are a lot of fun, and are stable at stupid speeds, but for someone on the big side they can usually be overpowered at mach looney.

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Originally Posted by adam

SG and DH skis kick ass. Hauling is fun.

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buy your own or steal you sisters, quit bumming mine

fischer rx9 will be more forgiving than a race ski and shines at about 30 miles and hour, even if it's only the 170cm, and it only comes up to 180cm. In my limited expirience with rediculous sidecuts, the rx8's tail hangs up sometimes and doesn't consistantly release from turns in choppy snow, due to it's wide ass.
gaper out

I've got a pair of dynastar omecarve 10 in 165, they're a blast to rail carves on hardpack at really high speeds-but that's about all they're good for

Race skis are too much of a 'one trick pony' now. I remember when a 203 SL ski was the shit. Then once the GS skis started getting some shape (G9, Max GS, S9100 1S, ect) they were the bomb. Back then all mountain skis were "Doctor Skis", now they are much more fun.

I have had some of the funnest days on my P60SL`s. Almost booting out on every turn during last springs slushy days still has me smiling .:biggrin:

you have to ski the hill & the ski now: sure my head 103s rip crud & pow/slop, but when that is no where to be found a SL ski will carve up the hardpack & launch you down the hill.....

I hove found being a quver snob, that I have no use for the middle of the road guys any more. I either want to be carving->SL ski 63mm or bombing->103mm. 70-90 mm do everything, but nothing great.

As if GS skis were not lame enough, FIS pushed the raiudus up to 28

If you're at the ski-area often enough to encounter days that aren't the best, and you don't feel like jibbing, some GS boards are one of the most fun things you can ski. If you're a decent skier, most allow you to still rip off pretty medium-short radius turns, and still haul balls. I still ski them in the West, but I wouldn't pay much money for them.

Mofro confessional: I still love GS boards, it's all I skied powder on from 1986-1998.

I skied an Atomic GS11 ~20 (of 70) days last season and they ripped. I got them pretty cheap ~$400 for ski/binder for Beer league racing, after not ski racing since 1986. For me, smaller guy on the 183cm (65 mm waist), they are stable up to somewhere ~65-75 mph. I can't get them much faster w/o stripping down. I miss my old SG/DH boards and some of the old GS skis 205-210cm.
Like Bakerboy said, GS skis make the power arc turn and can whip med-short turns so they are more versital IMO than a SL. I usually ski them when the area is just opened, low people on the hill when I can rip with impunity.

I got a pair of Ken Reads old race stock skis from 2001 or 02. 217s, each ski is about as stiff and heavy as both of my big daddies put together (no exaggeration). They have a very obvious MINIMUM speed limit of about 60km/h (40mph-ish). I have not found a max speed limit yet that is for sure even though I tried it out .

I mounted them up with tele bindings and scared the shit out of myself at the end of the year at louise. I can't wait to get back on them.

A ski for only a couple of days in the year but sooooooo much fun.