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Monday, November 9, 2009
A huge perk of being a professional skier is the amount of gear we will receive from our sponsors. Salomon is no exception and in fact are one of the better companies in making sure their athletes have exactly what they need. Thus, I basically have the entire Salomon Freeski line in my garage with a whole range of skis to select from. So what do I choose? This is the question that I would like to discuss and give my personal review of what I ride and why.
Basically I ride the Geisha 75% of the time, the Czar 22% and the Lady or Mai Tai the other 3%. Here is my explanation as to why...
The GEISHA
dimensions: 128-99-118 mm
lengths: 164, 173 cm
300 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore with a layer of bamboo
Basalt dampening system
The Geisha is the twin sister ski to the men's Shogun. The skis are exactly the same except for the graphics. This ski is a replacement of the Gun and Scarlet, a ski I would ride a lot, but with much needed improvements (like a switch to a full woodcore instead of a foam core). I ski on the 182 length, which isn't going to production due to the lack of interest by the buyers, but if you're a charging female that wants a longer ski just opt for the Shogun. If you can't find the Geisha in your size, get the Shogun because you don't want to miss out on this ski.
This is the ski I choose to ride about 75% of the time. The reason I prefer this ski the most is it is the most all-around ski in my quiver. The ski is playful from the bamboo giving it a pop-like response yet it's still stiff enough due to it's full woodcore, I know this sounds like an advertisement but both of these components of construction really make a difference. I find that the Geisha rallies really well off the groomers (off piste)- in powder, crud, ice, whatever- and totally rips on groomers/hard pack just as well.
When I compete on the Freeride World Tour I never veer away from this ski. This is due to the fact that if I was to hit an icy or more hard pack section in my run, I am more confident that these skis will hold.
When I film I choose the Geisha the majority of the time because I can stomp cliffs better than on the Czars. Due to me being lighter in weight I have a hard time sinking the Czars thus being more prone to either wheeling-out or back-slapping, neither of which I want to do. The unfortunate side to choosing the Geisha over the Czar, however, is the potential to really butter turns or float quite the same way you can on the Czar or other reverse camber skis. The Geisha has a little bit of reverse camber in the front of the ski, which makes it better for powder than the traditional camber ski, but it's not the ski I choose for the ultimate deep powder day. That ski would be the Czar...
The CZAR
dimensions: 131-111-121 mm
lengths: 166, 174, 182, 190 cm
670 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore
I believe the Czar is an approachable reverse camber ski that just about anyone can have fun on. I admit, the first run I ever took on these skis a few years ago I wasn't that excited, but then I adjusted to the ski and found them opening up a side of skiing I wasn't accustomed to, the reverse camber. The reason this ski works for all skiing abilities is the fact that there is only reverse camber in the front half of the ski, thus allowing the ski to be able to handle hard pack, groomers and crud much better than a full reverse camber ski. I'm not fond of feeling like a gaper when I hit groomers or a funky patch of snow that was affected by the sun in the backcountry, so I particularly like the reverse-camber-only-in-the-tip feature because it makes the ski more versatile. Another factor of versatility that I have found is the dimensions of the ski, it's not ginormous underfoot so I'm able to manage the ski, not let the ski control me.
I also find this ski to be very playful. It's a ski that is really easy to maneuver. The Czar took my potential to throw my ski sideways and butter a turn to a level I had never experienced before, so much fun! The skis seem to have a lot of pop to them as well. I feel like I can bounce and catch air off of anything.
I ski the Czar on different lengths, depending on the circumstances. I generally ride the 174, but when I get lucky and head up to Alaska to ski bigger lines I ski on the 182. I feel that since I am smaller in size the 182 Czars are like my version of the big daddy Rockers.
The LADY:
dimensions: 128-86-114 mm
lengths: 153, 161, 169 cm
210 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore
The Lady skis are great all-around skis, but I don't ski on them very much because I prefer the beefier Geisha. The Lady skis feel lighter and less stiff than the Geishas and thus turn easier. I think this is a good ski if someone chooses to ski groomers a lot more than off-piste. They do not handle speed and crud like the Geishas do, but I expect the female that would like these skis better does not prefer to ever ski the crud or be the fastest person on the groomers. The times I choose to ride this ski is when it's a softer spring day and I plan to go in the park to hit the pipe or jumps. This ski is a little stiffer than a park & pipe ski due to its full woodcore, and thus a more all-around ski than a park specific ski.
Basically I ride the Geisha 75% of the time, the Czar 22% and the Lady or Mai Tai the other 3%. Here is my explanation as to why...
The GEISHA
dimensions: 128-99-118 mm
lengths: 164, 173 cm
300 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore with a layer of bamboo
Basalt dampening system
The Geisha is the twin sister ski to the men's Shogun. The skis are exactly the same except for the graphics. This ski is a replacement of the Gun and Scarlet, a ski I would ride a lot, but with much needed improvements (like a switch to a full woodcore instead of a foam core). I ski on the 182 length, which isn't going to production due to the lack of interest by the buyers, but if you're a charging female that wants a longer ski just opt for the Shogun. If you can't find the Geisha in your size, get the Shogun because you don't want to miss out on this ski.This is the ski I choose to ride about 75% of the time. The reason I prefer this ski the most is it is the most all-around ski in my quiver. The ski is playful from the bamboo giving it a pop-like response yet it's still stiff enough due to it's full woodcore, I know this sounds like an advertisement but both of these components of construction really make a difference. I find that the Geisha rallies really well off the groomers (off piste)- in powder, crud, ice, whatever- and totally rips on groomers/hard pack just as well.
When I compete on the Freeride World Tour I never veer away from this ski. This is due to the fact that if I was to hit an icy or more hard pack section in my run, I am more confident that these skis will hold.
When I film I choose the Geisha the majority of the time because I can stomp cliffs better than on the Czars. Due to me being lighter in weight I have a hard time sinking the Czars thus being more prone to either wheeling-out or back-slapping, neither of which I want to do. The unfortunate side to choosing the Geisha over the Czar, however, is the potential to really butter turns or float quite the same way you can on the Czar or other reverse camber skis. The Geisha has a little bit of reverse camber in the front of the ski, which makes it better for powder than the traditional camber ski, but it's not the ski I choose for the ultimate deep powder day. That ski would be the Czar...
The CZAR
dimensions: 131-111-121 mm
lengths: 166, 174, 182, 190 cm
670 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore
I believe the Czar is an approachable reverse camber ski that just about anyone can have fun on. I admit, the first run I ever took on these skis a few years ago I wasn't that excited, but then I adjusted to the ski and found them opening up a side of skiing I wasn't accustomed to, the reverse camber. The reason this ski works for all skiing abilities is the fact that there is only reverse camber in the front half of the ski, thus allowing the ski to be able to handle hard pack, groomers and crud much better than a full reverse camber ski. I'm not fond of feeling like a gaper when I hit groomers or a funky patch of snow that was affected by the sun in the backcountry, so I particularly like the reverse-camber-only-in-the-tip feature because it makes the ski more versatile. Another factor of versatility that I have found is the dimensions of the ski, it's not ginormous underfoot so I'm able to manage the ski, not let the ski control me.I also find this ski to be very playful. It's a ski that is really easy to maneuver. The Czar took my potential to throw my ski sideways and butter a turn to a level I had never experienced before, so much fun! The skis seem to have a lot of pop to them as well. I feel like I can bounce and catch air off of anything.
I ski the Czar on different lengths, depending on the circumstances. I generally ride the 174, but when I get lucky and head up to Alaska to ski bigger lines I ski on the 182. I feel that since I am smaller in size the 182 Czars are like my version of the big daddy Rockers.
The LADY:
dimensions: 128-86-114 mm
lengths: 153, 161, 169 cm
210 mm of rocker in tip
Full woodcore
The Lady skis are great all-around skis, but I don't ski on them very much because I prefer the beefier Geisha. The Lady skis feel lighter and less stiff than the Geishas and thus turn easier. I think this is a good ski if someone chooses to ski groomers a lot more than off-piste. They do not handle speed and crud like the Geishas do, but I expect the female that would like these skis better does not prefer to ever ski the crud or be the fastest person on the groomers. The times I choose to ride this ski is when it's a softer spring day and I plan to go in the park to hit the pipe or jumps. This ski is a little stiffer than a park & pipe ski due to its full woodcore, and thus a more all-around ski than a park specific ski.
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