You can compare for days on end. But without video how do you know if one position is better than another? Unfortunately feel has nothing do with it (unless you happen to be at HH's level).
Hmmm....interesting comment. I agree that video is a great learning tool, and I don't disagree that it won't show up shortcomings in stance, etc.. You are correct that video would be an excellent fine tuning tool for stance and balance. But I don't think I need video to confirm that my bindings are too far back when the tips of my skis start flapping around at speed and deflecting in crud. Or video to tell me when they are too far forward and the tails are washing out in short carved turns. I can see it and feel it.
And I can feel it when I hit the sweet spot of balance on the ski, whether it's binding position or forward lean in my boots or ramp angle. It just
feels right. I don't feel like I have to force my body into an unnatural stance to stay centered and balanced. I don't feel like I have to exert extra pressure on the shovels or tails to get them to exert even pressure on the snow.
John, I can relate to what you said about the skiing on the Rock-n-Rolls and how you mentioned you were more patient with them. I experienced exactly the same thing last year skiing at Banff with Gary and Alice. I had been skiing hard snow all week on my Progressor 9's, which, as you know, are very quick, snappy, agile and lively. Then after Day 5 I switched to my Mythics, and after only 1 run both G and A commented how much better I was skiing on them. I certainly didn't feel it, as coming off of 5 days on the P-9's, the Mythics felt ponderous and heavy and sluggish (but appropriately stable for the off-piste crud conditions that day). But.....the Mythics forced me to be more patient, more measured in my movements, less abrupt and hurried. This taught me a valuable lesson about how to ski better on my P-9's -- smoother transitions, more fluid edge changes, letting the skis run flat between turns just for a whisker, letting the sidecut carve nice round arcs....you get the picture.
I still have a blast on my P-9's, but am learning that I actually ski better (most days) on skis that are smoother and more damp, have a rounder and more even sidecut and more even flex pattern. My Mach 3's are like that, and that is one reason why I like them so much.
Cheers,
Svend
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