Liquid Metal Leak?

[Gary]

Having been a huge fan of my Head SS, I'm perplexed at a strange problem that gradually creeped up.

I started to notice at Whistler on some end of the day hardpack the edges were not holding as good as I've come to expect.
Got to Holimont in Ellicottville, Ny and and quite a bit of hard pack, glare ice to ski and again I was taken back by the lack of edge hold. Got on my nephews 170 RX8's and there I was , hard craving across hard pack. Even got out my 90mm waist Pilgrims and the edge hold was better.

What it feels like: it feels like when I look to create pressure underfoot the ski gives me nothing back...no resitance of the edge to the snow, it just slides away. It's like I'm on a mush ski.....this was not a mush ski.

Repairs: took it into the shop and had the base restructured thinking that maybe there was a belly in the base so that it wasn't flat to the surface. I had the edges done and re-did them myself to 1 base and 2 side and still....no better. They still refused to hold an edge....Rejection sucks!

Awakened: Sunday morning at 4:30am I awoke thinking, "I've solved the problem"....I need to plane the sidewalls cause theres too much material there and it's not letting the edges get solid to the snow. Did the work and got on the mountain at 8:30 and 2 runs later...I ran to the car and got out the Pilgrims.

I just got off the phone with the Head company and they said to go to my local shop and have them call the local Head guy...there's a 2 year warrenty with the ski and she thought it sounded like there was something wrong with the ski. Send the skis back.

Action taken: since these skis are 2 years old, about 90 times out...I figured I would bite the bulllet and order a new pair of skis. I purhcased the next generation to the RX8, the Fischer Progressor 8. Since I had been thinking of going a bit wider underfoot without sacrifice turning radius, and I like the fantastic edge hold of Fischers...this seem like a good choice. Going from 66 to 72 underfoot will make bump skiing a bit more controlable, ( I actually ski the bumps on the Pilgrims better than I do the SS) and more versiatility (if that's even possible). For the most part, I was just frustrated and honestly, disappointed the SS I knew just went away.? So...I should hear something from Head I'm guessing in a couple of months and the Progessors, well they'll be in this week.

Side Bar: Fischer is now doing their edge tunning: 1 degree base and 3 degree sidebevel. Same with my wifes new Kastle MX78. Can't wait to test out the Fischers and write a review.

If anyone has had this kind of experience with any other Head ski or any ski period....if you have any thoughts on what could have happened, I'd appreciate your thoughts....I'm totally wigged out by this!

Best,
G

[gregmerz]

Say it ain't so...? Maybe you just took all they had to give and they're ready for the rocking chair.

90 days does seem a little short.? I had been prepared to purchase another pair of these for the future as I wonder how long it will be before Head discontinues this one but I'm getting rather enamored of the Supershape Speed in the same length.? Given my size, that additional "backbone" is entertaining.

Hey, see ya next week !

[Gary]

Hey Greg....Ron said the same thing...Guess I'll have to wait and see what Head says....its just one of those things I just gotta know!

Oh yeah...looking forward to Steamboat and the conditions look good.

See ya soon,
G

[Gary]

As a follow up, I called Head and they said the skis have a 2 year warrenty on them and to send them in via our local ski shop.

I stopped there today to pick up my wifes new Kastles MX78's and while they were setting up her skis, my Progressors arrived...so cool and they set them up as well.

The manager came out looked at the sickly SS, placed them on a flat surface and first thing he said...there's no camber...yup...I know...the lifeforce is gone from these former beauties.

SO...off they go the Head...we will see what they say. I wait patiently.

In the meantime....I'm all over my Fischer Progressor 8's this weekend at Holiday Valley and Steamboat next week.

Yahooo.......

oh yeah...and my spiffy poles!

Now....let's get some!

G

[jbotti]

Gary, I have never had that problem, but I never get 90 days on any ski. I can tell you that I own the Progressors (I own last years which are this yers 9's) and it is one awesome ski!!! I have not been on the 8's, but the 9 is a very powerful and also very forgiving ski. Since all my Fischer skis are 3 and 1, I have since made all my non powder skis 3 and 1. What I like most about the progessors is the ability to vary turn shape. My 175's with a 16m turn radius will do edge locked carved slalom turns, but will also be very stable at speed in GS turns (and the SS's are not, they only hold up well at speed in slalom turns). I actually rarely ski my SS's anymore. I think you will love them.

[Gary]

THanks Jay...great comments....I've been an "ice hold"edge fan of Fischers for years. I have really enjoyed the SS too, skied quite a variety of east and west terrain on them...but I now what you mean by edge lock....let um roll and let um go..sweet!

Very glad to hear you like the 9's.....The Progessor 8 for me could be another great transition ski. I'm thinking I'm going to like that 3 degree side bevel and follow your lead for our non powder skis. Seems that's the way most manufacturers are moving. I'm enamored with the P8's dimensions as I've also had a chance to ski the SS Magnum....very similar dims but I'm guessing different performing skis. THis weekend will tell.

Will post back on the P8's performance...can't wait to saddle up! Hope you're getting your fair of turns this season! We're back at Steamboat next week,...if there's any chance you're in that neck of the wood......

Best,
G

[ToddW]

 (and the SS's are not, they only hold up well at speed in slalom turns). I actually rarely ski my SS's anymore.

Quick thread hijack.

John,

Last summer you posted about your experience with some Head RD slalom skis at a Mt Hood race camp and mentioned that you planned to play some with them on the frontside this season.? Did you ever get out on them this season ... or were you blessed with too much powder?? What's your current assessment of them?

thanks,

-todd

[jbotti]

Todd, that is another reason that I rarely ski the SS's. When I want to ski slalom turns I go to the Rd's, and they absolutely rock!! On the steepest groomed terrain at my hill in MT, the RD's will carve really tight turns at speed (if I stay on them and really nail it with my skiing). The SS's are just slower edge to edge and much harder to release (as they engage slower and seem to need to finish the turn before releasing). The only negative that I can find with the Rd's is that they can wear me out if I ski them all day because the pretty much only do 1 or 2 turn shapes (slalom flushes and slalom turns). If I am skiing groomers on a given day, I usually ski these at least for a morning or afternoon.

So my favorite skis in no particular order:

Head ISL RD
Fischer Progressor 9
Fischer Watea 84 (I love this ski becaise it can do so many differnt things. When I ski with my family and I iwll slip away to ski off piste this ski does it all. It carves amazingly tight arcs on groomed and is quite friendly off piste and in bumps)
PM Gear Lhasa Pow (as mentioned in my review, this is a great powder ski!!)

I still love my iM78's and I might use them more if they were 177's (instead of the 171's) which might be a little more versatile off piste.

[Ron]

nice list..
Icelantic
pilgrims
Nomads
Shamans...

Now I still want to demo some partial Rockers....JJ's....

[gregmerz]

Head's got pretty good warranty service.  I'm guessing the "G" man is gonna end up with the P8's and a new pair of SS's to go with them...

[Gary]

Now that's a nice thought Greg....P8's and SS...hmmmm???

I'll be on the P8's Saturday and Sunday so looking forward to making the comparison.

Interesting tail on the P8's....turned up quite a bit more than the RX8......it's a mini mini mini twin~

See you with them next week....oh yeah....I could never leave my Pilgrims behind....

oh yeah.....and my spify new poles!.

G

[Philpug]

Leak? Did it look like this?

[Gary]

Yeowzer.....that's gotta hurt....

But....I think you've nailed it Phil!

G

[Gary]

Just heard back from SKi Company....Head said they'd give the store a full credit on my returned and liquid metal drained Super Shapes. The guys in the store said I could apply that towards anything I need this or next year....I'm cool with that.

Head did not say what was wrong with the skis and that's something I really wanted to know. Anyways, it shows Head is an honorable company for sure.

Now...what to buy...hmmmm...what to buy....

G

[Philpug]

replace with some Blizzard 8.1's