by RadRab » Thu Jan 12, 2006 12:06 pm
Bs"D
Whoa, HH has done it again! He just blasted up-main-stream against the whole world, shattering misconceptions, deceptions, and sterring his flock safetly around the serious errors of the less well instructed. Thank you.
We can't do it on our own. We need to hear it from someone with the shoulders to make these definative statements. Even if we thought we had a discenting theory, we wouldn't be confident enough in ourselves to act on it - all the more so when we are blind sided by revolution (or, actually, a bringing back to conventional wisdom). Harald gives us that confidence to know we are going in the right direction. Its precious.
But, I don't understand one thing. Since a person who has two pairs of skis - a slalom ski and a powder only ski (either because he gets enough powder or can afford to have it even for one day), then this is the situation that even you agree a wider ski is beneficial in. Again, as long as you use it only in soft snow. But then why do you use and recommend the im88 whose unique greatness seems to lie in its hardpack groomer versatility? On anything except a true powder day, you will be on your Supershapes. If your second ski will only be for powder alone, why not already use an even more deicated for powder design - at least then a wider, softer in the tip, more evenly flexed, shallower sidecuted ski?
I have been spending too much time trying to figure out if I should stick with my 8800 to compliment my Supershapes, or go to the im88 or Volkl Mantra or the like, gaining that groomer versatility since, besides heliskiing, there really is no pure powder day. But, according to what you have revealed to us today (a wider/longer ski should only be used in powder), I should either stay with the 8800, or go to an even more dedicated design and just save them only for those very few days. Actually, those who have discussed this with me on the gear forum know that I have been saying that since the Supershapes are so versatile, also handling moderate powder, you don't need something like the im88. And, when the real powder day comes, there are better real powder skis (unless you want it for fast big turn big mountain style powder skiing).
So, could you please elaborate on your choice of the im88?