I Skiied For The First Time In 20 Years

[Tim Hancock]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

I've been out of the game for nearly 10 years, but was a PSIA instructor and occasional racer for many years. Thinking of a trip to Colorado next season. Had not heard of Blossom so I looked it up and was surprised to see the link to Persenico Skis in Italy. This was the company eventually bought out by Spalding who produced the bright orange Sideral racing skis in the 70s (I still have a pair!). They even co-opted some of the Spalding names - Squadra Corse (I skied several of these fantastic skis in the late 80s/early 90s), the Numero Uno (the tag line for Gustavo Thoeni and the Siderals) and the Formula (sort of like the Spalding Formidable).

Interesting.... I worked as a ski tech in that time frame and never heard of Spalding skis.

Back then I skied on Elan Comprex S Slalom 200cm race skis with Geze G90R bindings as we got em cheap as employees from the ski reps who worked with our shop.

[CurtEgerer]

Tim, the Spalding Squadra Corse were not a big player in the US market. They first became available to me via a "Pro Form" for instructors in the late 80s where you bought directly from the manufacturer for next to nothing. Then a year or 2 later, they showed up at one of the big box sporting goods stores (maybe Dunham's or MC Sports). They didn't even sell racing skis but must have bought out Spalding's previous season's inventory. I think I bought 3 or 4 additional pairs including some 223cm DH versions and some 212cm Super Gs! I think they were around $75! Loved those skis, particularly the SGs.

[unclebilly]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Interesting.... I worked as a ski tech in that time frame and never heard of Spalding skis.

Back then I skied on Elan Comprex S Slalom 200cm race skis with Geze G90R bindings as we got em cheap as employees from the ski reps who worked with our shop.

Wait wut?

200cm SL skis? Seriously? How far apart were the gates supposed to be? Are you sure they weren’t GS or SG skis?

These days I think the longest SL skis are 175. I have some older 165 Dynastar SL skis with an 13m turning radius and my son is on 156 Head SL skis.

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Wait wut?

200cm SL skis? Seriously? How far apart were the gates supposed to be? Are you sure they weren’t GS or SG skis?

These days I think the longest SL skis are 175. I have some older 165 Dynastar SL skis with an 13m turning radius and my son is on 156 Head SL skis.

I did some (club) racing on 195s, Volkl RennTigers. Stout.

[TimT]

I loved the Spalding Squadra Course.. I bought two pair so I had a spare set...I think they were 203's...

I also loved the Dynamic GS ski that had the red damper on the tips..Oops I mean the Dynastar Course



If these were longer they might have been mine..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285584816152

The craziest pair of skis I ever had were K2 Downhills.. with Marker Explodomat bindings.. 223cm.... Turning these was a workout

I remember when the Shape Ski trend was taking off I was skiing on Nishizawa GS skis, 207cm..

When I finally went with the new skis I got K2 Axis XT 174cm w/18mm sidecut
and had tpo relearn how to ski.. sort of..

[jyl]

Originally Posted by TimT

When I finally went with the new skis I got K2 Axis XT 174cm w/18mm sidecut
and had tpo relearn how to ski.. sort of..

That's what I've been doing all season - relearning. Last skis back in the 90s were Rossi 3G GS 205 cm (?) and K2 Extreme 195 cm (?). First skis of the 20s are Stockli Montero AR 180 cm (17m radius?) and Blossom RC One 170 cm (13 m radius?). Of course, being 30 years old and dimensions less fit/light/speedy than back then, for me its been more learning than relearning. And crashing. Funny I was talking to a friend today who had just bought his first ski helmet and was thinking about whether to use it. I told him this year I've hit my head hard twice, once hard enough to break the helmet visor, so yeah wear your new helmet.

[gregpark]

Always skied on long boards. The shaped shorties are cool but I've gone back to my Dynamic GS 210s. I missed the graceful carving feel and have more edge in the steeps (and anyone can turn short skis). I get weird looks and plenty of comments these days on my gigantic dinosaursic sleds

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by unclebilly

Wait wut?

200cm SL skis? Seriously? How far apart were the gates supposed to be? Are you sure they weren’t GS or SG skis?

These days I think the longest SL skis are 175. I have some older 165 Dynastar SL skis with an 13m turning radius and my son is on 156 Head SL skis.

In the long-ski era, I skied on 203cm slalom skis all the time and I'm only 5'9". K2 VO Slaloms were my favorite - often described as 2x4s with bindings In reality, they had nearly the same sidecut as the legendary Dynamic VR17s and were made famous by the Mahre brothers.

[gregpark]

My ancient 210 Dynamic VR27s with wood core. Their side cut was ahead of its time.
I don't ski bumps with these out of fear of breaking them. I doubt you can even buy a similar ski anymore

[TimT]

Dynamic VR27s

That's the ski I couldn't remember

I had Dynamic VR17 210cm

[unclebilly]

I had no idea... https://www.vintageskiworld.com/category-s/239.htm those are some long skis for SL...

You guys keep your skis way too long. My Kore 105s are clapped out and I'm onto Paradise 105s now. 4-5 years and 120 - 150 days and they are done.

Skis aren't made to last much more than 100 days.

[gregpark]

I remember skiing on a few pairs of 204cm Atomic SLs back in the day. The dark blue ones. Great ski but I broke them all. I bent several pairs of Pre and Rossignol skis too. Metal tops. I used to be hard on skis but I've mellowed

[Tim Hancock]

Here is a repost of a pic I posted earlier here showing my various older skis starting with my old 200cm Elan Comprex S slalom skis from the late 80's on right. Then my newer skis moving left acquired over the next 30 years or so. MyAtomic GS skis are way shorter than the old slaloms. Lol. The Comprex's in this pic were my second new pair. I wish I still had my first pair of Comprex's which were pink for nostalgia.



I presently typically ski only about 3-4 times a year and usually am on a pair of twin tip park skis.... 2023 172cm Line Honey Badgers. On occasion I will hop on the old Atomic GS skis to make a few Nastar runs, but most of my skiing now is screwing around in the terrain park and a bit of moguls. I am 5'8" 160 and 57 years old. My ski days are not open to close like they were in my youth. I can still ski hard for short bursts, but I am not as hard core as I once was. Lots of beer breaks now at the lodge bar or firepit. Lol

Still have fun hitting some jumps

[gregpark]

I spent time on Atomic GS skis. In the '70s the bumble bee and in the '80s the red sleds. Long, straight, heavy boards. We dented some car roofs with 4 sets of those on those horrible suction cup racks ha ha

[3rd_gear_Ted]

Snow Biking is the new thing.

https://sno-go.us/