If you
are a beginner it is unlikely you will appreciate what you would get in a
high end racing ski. On the other hand it wouldn't do to get a ski that you
will quickly outgrow.
For the
beginner we tend to suggest the Fischer SCS,
Madshus TrH or the Atomic
Beta Skate. The first two are more durable and turn into good training
or rock skis but the Atomic Beta may take you further without having to upgrade.
The bases
on the TrH are not quite as good as on the SCS and arguably (our ski mechanics
seem to think so) the best base is on the Beta Skate.
The Fischer
SCS needs to be flexed stiff for performance which in turn makes it a poor
soft trail ski but climbs like a dream on good hard trails. The Atomic Beta
Skate has the widest shovel and tail by far and needs to be flexed soft. Probably
our best intro ski for varied trail conditions and with such a wide shovel
and tail it can be fit short and still have as much ski on the snow as a much
longer ski (more ski on the ground gives better control is faster down hill).
A short ski is much better if you are skiing snow machine or otherwise narrow
trails and is easier to control. The Madshus TrH is a traditional shaped ski
that has been proven over many years and is considerably cheaper.
If you
have the disposable income, are usually fanatical about activities you get
into and just like top end gear you may consider our other skate skis but
we would still encourage you to get one of the three mentioned above, they
turn into good rock skis and when you are ready you will appreciate the performance
of a top end ski a lot more.
A.M.H.
does not carry true beginner skis. The reason is due to our conditions here.
We have long seasons and 200 kilometers of groomed trails (almost 100 lighted).
Even beginners tend to ski a lot here. If you will ski only a few times a
year we really do not have a true beginner ski for you. Do we have what is
right? You would not be disappointed with what we sold you but you could find
something less expensive.
If you
are an intermediate skier the choices are many. Any skate ski we sell would
work well. If you are a racer you may appreciate the high end racing skis
like the Atomic Beta Race Skate,
Fischer RCS Skate Cut or the
Madshus Hypersonic. At that level
of ski there are no dogs. These skis are expensive and not as durable as the
entry level racing skis but the ski much better and at your level you can
definitely tell the difference. Are they worth it? Only you can tell. See
our section on expert skis.
We have
only one true midrange ski. The Madshus
Supersonic. Many intermediate skiers will not even be able to tell the
difference between this and a high end racing ski. Definitely a value. If
you want to move up but don't want to pay a lot but race or ski hard for fun
this may be for you.
The entry
level racing skis we sell will work fine for most. These skis are not just
for the budget minded. They last longer than their higher end siblings. They
are heavier but if you are doing this mainly for exercise that could be construed
as a plus. Some of us just don't like to buy skis every 2 or 3 years and just
don't care if we have the best of everything. These skis also turn into great
training and rock skis if you become a regular racer. The skis are the Madshus
TrH, the Fischer SCS and the Atomic
Beta Skate. See out section on beginner skis.
If you
are an expert you can get any ski you want. You can probably even contribute
some thoughts to this page but we would probably argue that the ski for you
is one of the high end skis. You will appreciate everything about them. Even
if you do not race you will really like any of these skis. They are usually
livelier, more responsive, lighter, and flexed out stiff like most expert
skiers do (unless you ski very soft trails and even then they are flexed stiffer
than beginners and intermediates) you will get greater energy return in the
kick phase. If you have any feedback on this page please email
us.
There are
no dogs in this category and regardless of trail conditions, snow conditions
and fasion you will get a great ski with any of them. That said they all ski
very differently.
The Madshus
Hypersonic is new this year and as of this writing we have have no snow but
we skied them last year for a couple of days. They were an absolute blast.
They climbed very well and handled the down hills excellently. The tips and
tails are the thinnest (top to bottom not side to side) of the skis we sell.
Big really strong guys that ski a lot might want to think about the other
two top end skis we sell but every one else will love how it gives the ski
a smooth and forgiving ride despite their zippy(a technical term) feel. Flexed
a little soft this ski will handle softer trails well, while flexed stiff
they perform very well on hard groomed trails.
The Fischer
RCS is our best selling top end ski. It is probably more durable than the
Hypersonic and is at least as durable as the Atomic Beta Race Skate. It climbs
like a dream and is easily handled in the gilde phase. Due to its double side
cut shape this ski needs to be flexed really stiff. This is what makes it
climb so well but it also makes the skis plow in softer conditions. In Anchorage's
trail system this is a great ski but if you have soft or lightly groomed trails
this is probably not the ski for you.
We flex
the Atomic Beta Race skate softer than any other skis we sell due to its shape
and Beta Construction for the best performance it softer snow conditions.
Even flexed soft these skis are great on the hard stuff as well. If you have
varied conditions this is the ski. The Beta Race has the widest shovel and
tail in the category and as such can be skied short and still have as much
ski on the ground as a longer thinner ski. This makes it handle better and
is definetly the ski of choice for those of us who ski a lot of snowmachine
trails or just narrow trails.
Look at
the characteristics of the skis and choose the one you think will do best.
You especially need to tell us the type of trails you ski on. We tend to fit
expert skis really stiff.