rockered skis can not carve.

[bushwacka]

I do not have a recent video of me skiing like this. I feel I use flexion alot but honestly on this slope this day I was probably coming up as flexion just feel forced on easier slopes...

In fact watching her, she use more flex normally than this video show, especially on SL skis.

[HeluvaSkier]

In fact watching her, she use more flex normally than this video show, especially on SL skis.

I'd be willing to bet that this has a lot to do with the skis and how a wide partially rockered ski releases...

[ToddW]

yes she can rip. D1 collegiete 100 point FIS racer. when I watch her on groomers I always think she is better than me. She has yet to beat me at a local race though, and it surprises me everytime I would say she is clearly in the 1 percent.

Josh,

I just got around to watching the video.  As always, thanks for posting video.

If you want to help your friend beat you at the local Stowe GS races, take a look at her alignment, especially the right leg, the next time you see her on her GS skis.  It may be different on skinnier skis, but she has some issues on the wider ski in the video.

[jbotti]

I hate to be contrary and ornery, but keeping it real, are we supposed to be impressed by her skiing in this video? Or are we supposed to be impressed that she can ride the sidecut of a wide ski and keep the edges locked while she is riding?

I realize that the video is only 17 seconds long and its shot from behind (less preferable than from in front IMO) and it is on terrible snow, but the skiing is not impressive. Counter acting forces are for the most part absent, she doesn't maintain the same angle with both skis mainly because she is weighting the inside ski way too much in transition causing it to a take a tighter line than the stance ski and she has a pronounced up move to her skiing. This is far from the model that I aspire to.

As well, let's define carving. I do not consider riding the sidecut carving. If you aren't bending the ski, tightening the radius of the turn beyond the stated TR, and getting substantial rebound out of the ski, you are riding the sidecut and NOT "carving".

I will admit in advance that the snow looks horrible and it would take some great skiing to do this on this snow especially on these skis. So why post this video? It shows both the shortcomings of the skier and of the skis and does nothing to actually confirm your point.

Again I don't want to be a jerk (although I'm sure you are certain that it comes naturaly to me) but lets keep it real. Max and Helluvaskier and I look at video every day of some of the best skiers in the world with rocking technique that we all aspire to. This is neither that or a video of what we call "carving".

[pratap]

I'm not a rocker bigot or zealot - I believe that they have their place in a quiver, but they sure aren't my tools of choice for a heavy carving day.

How would the Elan Amphibio fit in this discussion.  Seeing it has both worlds covered.

[HeluvaSkier]

All-Mountain: A common descriptive term for boots or skis that are designed to perform equally poorly under a variety of conditions and over many different types of terrain.

[Liam]

All-Mountain: A common descriptive term for boots or skis that are designed to perform equally poorly under a variety of conditions and over many different types of terrain.

Yep, I've read that one before (applied to mountain bikes as well as skis).  It's amusingly clever...but untrue.

I'm not quite sure where the confusion stems from.

If you want to ski the terrain in your video working on race-oriented carving and you want to do it well, You'll want a powerful race room (or race ready) ski, race plates, heavy metal binding with boots to match.

If you want to the sort of terrain in the videos of Bushwacka and his crew...you'll want something else.

I think the point of Bush's video in this thread isn't to say that Rockered skis are the equivalent of race skis on low angled groomer carving, but merely to say they can be adequately pressed into service on hard  snow when the need arises and they'll hold just fine on edge throughout a turn, provided they are under a skilled skier.   Since Bush and his crew are generally only skiiing the firm or the groomed on their way to and from much more exciting terrain, the wider, more rockered ski is an appropriate All mountain choice.

The girl in Bush's video is skiing some very nasty snow, in a fairly confined space and she's doing it with her big skis on edge.  In Balance and with more than adequate speed.   In other words, they give her more than enough of what she needs to do well in those conditions, and plenty of what she wants to ski the conditions she is really seeking.  That's a pretty good endorsement for one ski.

I'm coming to appreciate the limits of video-that girl can ski--and I bet, over a long day in the trees and bumps of Stowe (or anywhere else) she'd put a beatdown on just about every poster here.  And her ski choice would help her do it.

[HeluvaSkier]

Yep, I've read that one before (applied to mountain bikes as well as skis).  It's amusingly clever...but untrue.

I'm not quite sure where the confusion stems from.

If you want to ski the terrain in your video working on race-oriented carving and you want to do it well, You'll want a powerful race room (or race ready) ski, race plates, heavy metal binding with boots to match.

If you want to the sort of terrain in the videos of Bushwacka and his crew...you'll want something else.

There is no confusion. I posted the comment in response to the Elan Amphibio.

The point is that this day in age, an 'all-mountain' ski is going to be a compromise at everything because there are skis out there specifically designed for certain terrain, and even conditions. Even you said it above, you choose different skis for different tasks - specialized skis. The statement is perfectly true.

I'm coming to appreciate the limits of video-that girl can ski--and I bet, over a long day in the trees and bumps of Stowe (or anywhere else) she'd put a beatdown on just about every poster here.  And her ski choice would help her do it.

Speak for yourself. Not everyone. If ski choice is helping her, she's choosing a tool for the task and in this case it isn't an all-mountain ski.

[LivingProof]

How would the Elan Amphibio fit in this discussion.  Seeing it has both worlds covered.

"Both worlds covered" is a marketing tool. I've stated before that I've been impressed with the Elan carving skis that I've demo'd, and I do not recall skiing an Amphibio. I think the ski would work on the terrain Liz is skiing in Bush's video, but, the skill of the person driving the ski is the dominant factor in those conditions. Elan makes the Amphibio in two widths, 74 and 82, so it lives between Helluva's carving world and Bush's 100 waist Blizzards.

What I don't like about the Elan design is there is a dedicated right and left ski, cambered on the inside edge and twisted to rocker on the outside edge. Way too much engineering for me and I like being able to use both edges over the life of a ski. I have to get on it and fall in love prior to buying.

[pratap]

"What I don't like about the Elan design is there is a dedicated right and left ski,

Will agree that the Amphibio has right and left marked on the skis.   That didn't stop me from switching skis went I went out on them.  They performed great both ways.  When they are switched you have a softer feeling on the inside with less grip but plenty enough grip.  If you want max grip put them on them on with the camber edge to the inside.

Just Ski It from ski it

[ToddW]

I'm coming to appreciate the limits of video-that girl can ski--and I bet, over a long day in the trees and bumps of Stowe (or anywhere else) she'd put a beatdown on just about every poster here.  And her ski choice would help her do it.

The turns in the video provide a clear upper bound on her performance in advanced conditions.  The video speaks volumes.  It's not about how she compares to other skiers, but about what room for improvement she still has as a skier and whether she elects to pursue improvement.

She didn't ask for MA and this is a gear forum, not a technique forum.  I'll just say that if she were interested in going back to basics and reassembling her skiing carefully from the ground up that she could achieve greater outcomes (and better FIS points.)  But maybe she likes how she skis now, and that's fine too.