Intermediate Womens skis (For an 80 year old)

[Akiwi]

In a few weeks I am traveling to New Zealand to celebrate my mums 80th birthday. She has just come back from a 2 week ski holiday in Aspen Colorado.
So I thought I'd make her some custom skis.
Though I'm not sure what needs to be incorporated to make a good ski for an 80 year old.

I am trying to make the cores light by using Ash and Paulowana.

I was looking at the following ski dimensions.
Length 148
Shovel 123
Waist 74
Tail 106
Radius 11.4

I will do Camber with a little rocker in the front.

She will be using it on groomers. In New Zealand there is often very hard snow or ice.

As I understand it, the tighter the radius, the more beginner orientated the ski is. and a larger radius is more for aggressive carving.

Am I understanding things right here.

I figured I would do the core about 2 - 11- 2 or maybe 10 in the middle to try to get a relatively soft ski.

Any comments would be appreciated.

[pmg]

Older people learned to ski on long skis with a very very big radius (>40m). So a lot of them dislike skis with a too tight radius, but like the playfulness of the shorter skis. I would see what skis she currently skis and take them as orientation.
The tighter the radius, the more the ski "helps" to turn when its on the edge, but a tighter radius also makes the ski more nervous when its flat on the snow. Ever tried to ski straight down with a slalom ski? Really sucks :)

A video of her skiing would ne perfect - to see her technique. If she has a very classic, good technique she will dislike short radius skis, but if she skis "normal" she will probably like it because it takes less energy to ride such a ski in a "normal" way.

[Akiwi]

Older people learned to ski on long skis with a very very big radius (>40m). So a lot of them dislike skis with a too tight radius, but like the playfulness of the shorter skis. I would see what skis she currently skis and take them as orientation.
The tighter the radius, the more the ski "helps" to turn when its on the edge, but a tighter radius also makes the ski more nervous when its flat on the snow. Ever tried to ski straight down with a slalom ski? Really sucks

A video of her skiing would ne perfect - to see her technique. If she has a very classic, good technique she will dislike short radius skis, but if she skis "normal" she will probably like it because it takes less energy to ride such a ski in a "normal" way.

Great feedback.. thanks.
As I am living in Germany we haven't skied together for many years. I want to make it a surprise gift, but.. maybe it would be better to go the traditional way and I'll discuss with her so I have more chance of making the perfect ski.

And yes.. I have tried skiing fast on a flat slalom ski.... scary.

I'm trying to find out if there is a video of her skiing...

[heke]

I think that if you make a rocker ski the lenght 141 cm is quite short? http://www.blizzard-ski.com/products/black-pearl/
My wife tested these skies last weekend and the "real" lenght is atleast 30 cm shorter than the ski.

FIS Slalom ski is 13 m as radius and those turn very fast as pmg point out..

When I have been on Alps using big mountain skies I take first turns with slalom skies very carefully as you fly if the weight is too back or you push too hard to turn. Short radius makes skies "boring" as short radius is the only thing you can do with slalom type ski.

I'm planing to make skies to my wife who is not very good skier but can ski on edge, app. 165 cm with tip /tai rocker, she is 157 cm..I will make radius app. 15-16 m.

Your mum can be good in sking on "new style" skies. Anyway I think she will be happy for your gift

[chrislandy]

Id try and keep it a surprise but get her into a conversation where she tells you what she likes in a ski i.e. did she take her own or rent some at the slopes? If she rented them, did she like them, what didn't she like, were they heavy, which ones were they if she can remember etc...

[skidesmond]

Chrislandy, that's what I would do also. Or talk to somebody was skiing with to find out what she was skiing on and if she liked them.

You're right about the tight vs large radius. If she turns by sliding instead of carving/steering a 11-12 meter ski may not work for her because it will want to turn, not slide. I'd also go with a softer ski with Paulowana, although I've never used it. 2-11-2 might be a bit strong for a short ski like that, 10-10.5 might work better.

I've made skis for my daughters that were 2-10-2, 152cm using ash for the sidewalls and binding area, and douglas fir in front and behind the binding area. Firm under foot, but softer in the front and back to bend the ski.

[Akiwi]

Thanks again for the input.
I have found out that she had a vökl ski in Aspen which she loved.
So I have taken the Vökl Vopls as a guide and wil go with the following dimensions.

Length 155
Shovel 123
Waist 74.7
Tail 95
Radius 14.8

I will do Camber with a little rocker in the front.
And 2-10-2 core

Core is ready to be cut and profiled.

[pmg]

Think you mean the Völkl Violas :)

Sounds like a proper radius to me. Interesting that the shovel is nearly 30mm wider than the tail, much more difference than in most other skis.

[Akiwi]

Think you mean the Völkl Violas

Sounds like a proper radius to me. Interesting that the shovel is nearly 30mm wider than the tail, much more difference than in most other skis.

You are quite right. Wish I could type.

Yes, I also found that almost disconcerting.
anyone know of advantages / Disadvantages of having the Shovel so much wider...

I guess It would help initiate turns a bit as the wider shovel would catch earlier.

Also it would add some stiffness to the front with the same core profile as there would be more material to bend.

[heke]

Maybe the tip part on the widest point is not contacting the snow when sking normally? If you make a drawing with these numbers center of radius will be quite back of ski center?

[Akiwi]

Maybe the tip part on the widest point is not contacting the snow when sking normally? If you make a drawing with these numbers center of radius will be quite back of ski center?

It is. I did a design last night, and did some measurements and found the narrowest part of the ski is 15cm back from the middle of the ski.

I am a little worried as to where the bindings need to be mounted on these.

[skidesmond]

That should make for an easy turning ski. I think having such a big difference between the tip and tail will keep the ski from hooking. Meaning when the turn is engaged in 1 direction it's easier to engage the ski in the other direction.

I think if the tail with was closer in size to the tip, the ski will want to keep turning in the same direction until you applied a larger force to change direction.

[MadRussian]

Maybe the tip part on the widest point is not contacting the snow when sking normally? If you make a drawing with these numbers center of radius will be quite back of ski center?

It is. I did a design last night, and did some measurements and found the narrowest part of the ski is 15cm back from the middle of the ski.

I am a little worried as to where the bindings need to be mounted on these.

while I believe proportionally tips to wide.
Measurements I think misleading. Where I consider tip wight in end of the rocker or at contact point not so much on big namebrand skis I noticed they use dimensions such a wight and turn radius without account for the rocker

[Akiwi]

while I believe proportionally tips to wide.
Measurements I think misleading. Where I consider tip wight in end of the rocker or at contact point not so much on big namebrand skis I noticed they use dimensions such a wight and turn radius without account for the rocker

Not sure I completely understand you.
Are you saying that the tip is too wide.
If you take into account the ski has rocker of about 15 cm, that would mean the narrowest part of the ski is in the middle of the part that has contact with the snow.

I am still Faffing around with this.

I found where she rented the skis in Aspen and phoned them up to ask which skis she had.
They said that they were
Vökl RTM 80
And 140cm long.

The RTM 80 exists, but not at 140cm long!! Seems too short for a rockered ski. Still investigating.......
Length Radius Sidecut
161 (14.6) 126_80_107
166 (15.6) 126_80_107
171 (16.7) 126_80_107
176 (17. 126_80_107
181 (18.9) 126_80_107

[heke]

To confuce more.. Im building skies
176 cm
tip 120 mm
waist 90 mm
tail 110 mm
r19 m

Lenght of curved area 1420 mm <> area with camber, rest is tail & tip rocker not touching the snow.

Dimenssion measured from ski.

If change the radius to 16 m

tip would be 115 mm waist 82 mm, tail 105 mm..