Suggestions on intermediate skis

New to the fourm. Looking for suggestions on an intermediate ski as this will be my first pair. I typically get to ski only 1 week a year . I typically stay with groomed runs but occasionally venture into the loose stuff. I demo'd Volkl 6 star last year and the new Supersport this year. They both felt alittle stiff for my abilities at this point. I am considering Volkl 5 star. Any feedback on this or other brands/models would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

i've skied the 6 star but not the five, but i can't imagine either being a good intermediate ski. maybe upper intermediate that really likes to carve up the groomed. if you're only skiing one week a year, it may be better in the long run to just rent. you could probably get a high performance demo ski (latest model every year) for less than $150 for the week. you would likely upgrade within a few years any ways if you push into the upper intermediate or expert realm. then again, owning a ski is a lot easier and feels better than having to rent. but if i only skied one week a year, i definitely would consider just getting demos every time i skied so you can pick your ski and always have the latest and greatest. then again, that might be not as much of a factor if you're looking at intermediate level boards...

I'm with you on the renting thing, it will be more cost effective in the long run. As for a ski suggestion, you might want to check out the Volkl 724 Pro. I skied on it earlier this year and it was superb on the groomed, but its got a little girth 77mm so it should also be quite good in crud / powder / loose snow conditions.

Also, just to add if you are looking to buy anything, I'd recommend picking up your own poles and boots. With the boots, get some custom cork footbeds. With this equipment, renting skis will be very easy, you just have to worry about the ski and not if they have the right boot for you, etc. A good foot bed is gonna run you about $150 extra, but it's well worth it. Plus a cork footbed will practically last forever, meaning you can use it another set of boots if you upgrade in a few years.

I took the plung to buy equipment this year (I ski about 17 days a year). My ability level at the beggining of the season when I bought my equipment was intermediate - I could do the whole mountaint at places like wintergreen, whitetail, and liberty (crappy mid-atlantic resorts) but wasn't trully carving my turns as much as I thought I was and had no idea how to do moguls. I got boots above my ability level (2004 Nodica Beasts, $300 in the barking bear ski forum, advanced/expert category) which assuming my feet don't start growing (haven't grown for two years) should last me a VERY long time. This made the most difference in my skiing and I highly recommend you get your own boots. I also use my orthodics for my shoes in the boots when I ski, one day I forgot to put them in and what a difference orthodics make, especially if you have foot and knee problems. As for skis, I got skis with not much room to grow (intermediate carver) - 2003 K2 Escape 5500 w/ Marker M5.2, but they also ended up being $80 on ebay. However, they were a great ski to master carving with. In my opinoin, unless you're really advanced, racing, or have extra money lieing around pick up the cheapest poles you can find, I got a pair of scott synergy poles at ski chalet for $30. So far in the season, my ability has improved tremendously, I can carve on pretty much everthing except ice sheets, and can actually do mogul runs correctly. I was at Mont Tremblant last weekend, and was rather proud of myself that my skiing had improved enought this season to do all the blacks and most of the double blacks they had open quite comfortably. Also think about shopping for the stuff during the summer, that when I got all my gear, and it was significantly cheaper then the prices I see now. Look around in forums, and ebay and consider buying used, I got everything but my poles used. Just remember with boots fit is most important, so even if you don't plan to buy from the local shop, make sure you try a boot on before your buy it.

Back40":bu15chhf said:

New to the fourm. Looking for suggestions on an intermediate ski as this will be my first pair. I typically get to ski only 1 week a year .

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If you only ski 1 week a year it's best to rent. Pay the extra money for "performance" rentals, as the generic fleet skis are generally pretty low-end.

Should you decide to ski a couple weeks a year, the best equipment investment you can make is boots.

I think you meant to say you demo'd the Superspeeds and the 6-Star. I have demo'd the superspeeds and 5-stars. As a ski, I just love the superspeed, it's like a magnet on ice. The 5-star has a lot more flex and is much less stable (relatively speaking) at speed than the superspeed. The superspeeds took my breath away - very fast, large-radius turns, incredibly stable.

Having dispensed with my superlatives, I'd agree with the others, you're way above your needs with these skis. As you accurately perceived, they ARE very stiff skis and would give you a lot of trouble in bumps, glades and any other short turns or even in powder you'd be hard pressed to manage them well.

I will diverge a bit with the recommendation to rent. If you only ski your weekall in one contiguous shot then I go with renting, hands-down. Gives you a lot of experience with various skis before you drop the bid wad. If you're a day-tripper, it's another matter. Comes down to your time or your money. Renting is great if you've got the time and propensity to put up with stopping at a shop each time you ski. That's what I am doing right now while I hunt for my next ski.

Having said all that, a fair compromise would be to buy some very good boots and rent your skis. That way you're assured your foot fit and comfort and you only have to bother with a quick binding adjustment when you rent.

I haven't been in intermediate skis for years, so I'll leave the recommendations to others. If you're dead set on owning a pair, a good idea is to call a ski shop near to a resort and ask their opinion. Best if you can talk with the buyer. The shops closest to the mountains have reps who actually ski all the gear in the shop and are more committed to the sport (and more skilled) in general than urban/suburban reps.

would be interested in hearing what you end up doing and why.

My thoughts are a good set of intermediates should atleast provide 5-7 seasons of service. Plus if I have my own skis I would be more inclined to do a few long weekend in WV. I have been spending my last 5 1 week seasons in Park City Utah. The ski shop I rent from which is located in the lodge cost me $380 for skis, boots and poles in January for 6 days. So new skis would pay for themselves in just 3 seasons even if I only go 1 week a year.