A question for those of you that tele and alpine. When buying a do-all tele ski, do you buy skis that are shorter, longer or the same length as your do-all alpine skis?
I started to tele last year and tried several different lengths ranging from 173 to 181ish. Now I am torn between buying something in the lower 170s or the 80, 83 range, i.e., 173 Havocs or 183 Havocs; 172 T-Rocks or 180 T-Rocks.
I go the same length tele as alpine. You can always surf long tips. Currently tele on 190cm WorkStinx, 190cm Nordica W9.1FF, and 193cm NKO's @ 6'2'' ~175#.
I ski the same length, but my tele skis are a bit softer. This is more due to me sucking at tele more than I suck at alpine than anything else.
It depends on how stiff the ski is
for alpine i like a 190ish stiff ass fuck
but for tele if it is a stiffer ski I like 180ish ski (tankers explosiv's)
when it is a softer ski i like it longer like 190ish (gotama's shanouks)
if you are better at one, them go longer/stiffer.
for most people that makes there alpine skis longer....
my tele skis are the same length as what I would alpine ski on. 194 big daddies, 188 bromodels, etc.
It's more a function of what tele boot you're using. If you're using a recent T1 or T race or EnerG, and you're a decent tele skier or expect to be soon, then go with what you'd get for alpine.
'tele specific' skis are basically a marketing gimmick. That T-rock, for example, is simply the women's Volkl with a different topsheet. a 180 T rock would be easy for most guys to ski.
Exactly the same skis for both alpine and tele the last few years; I tend to be on the lastest incanation of the Big Daddy no matter what.
Tend to go shorter and skinner (within reason!) for tele, but only because if its going off, I know I'm gonna be on alpine gear as I'm currently more comfortable on them.
However as I get more time on on the misery sticks (!), I envision going to the same set-up - width, length etc. esp as Fro states, I'll be on a beefy boot and binding combo (T1/bombers)
I run 10 cm shorter.
Well, at the moment my most of my tele-quiver is longer/stiffer/wider than my AT-skis, even though I am more confident with my heels locked, when things get dicey.
Still, as I spend majority of m time on tele's, I have a tele quiver and only rarely use my AT-rig.
But, as many have stated getting something slightly shorter or less stiff for tele might not be a bad idea... after all the control you have on yer skis with tele-binders isn't gonna be as presice as yer AT/alpine.
For what it's worth, I'd pick up the 180 TRocks, or the 18? Karma's... Don't like the Havocs... And I'm ~5' 9" and 155 lbs.
I tend to go slightly shorter for tele skis these days. My tele's are 176-180 instead of 185-190 alpine. This my sound dumb but, I feel that when you are in a tele turn you have in a sense created one really long ski. Mabey its in my head. I haven't alpined in 2 years now. I did learn to tele on 186's but have way more fun on the shorter ones. I'm 5'8' 160# and ski northern Vt. When I skied in yurp I preferd the longer skis.
FYI: the T-Rocks measure kinda short. I skied them last year in 180 and held one up to a 174 work stinx and they were the exact same size.
tele skis should be longer than your normal alpine skis because your heel ain't locked down you need the extra lenght for added stability.
really you should demo and find a ski that is comfortably sized for your proficiency level and aggressivness quotient
I like to go the same on Tele as alpine I usually start out with my skis alpine and recycle them through unto my tele setup. i figure if you like the ski and can do both then you'll do just as fine teleing as alpining on them.