Super long skis... how long will the fun last..?

[Laurence C]

Wanted to post something on ski length today and couldn't find a title that wasn't a bad pun.

Second year on the forum. Did some distance on skis not knowing what I was doing, just started last year to try telemark techniques with BC skis.

Noticed that some people here seem to prefer super long skis, or at least longer than what manufacturers suggest. And those who talk about it are talking fun and kind of a passionate way.made me think of old north Europe winter military footage where people had tree-like skis under their feet, looked cool indeed...

So ok, lets try it...but what am I looking for, not sure I get it. I mean, full ski compression is kind of hard or impossible for me if I go passed a certain length for all skis I see... Maybe I don't need full compression if it's just for downhill in a lot of snow, and with a lot of space to turn (depending on other parameters)? Am I right, you guys use super long skis only for that? And from that assumption, how long do you go? Say I'm 5'9 (172), 72kg (155), sky is the limit? Was looking to hear about the use and the "when it was too much" for you.

So, depending on the answers, right now I plan to find the longest used cheap skis and put an nnnnbc fix (won't buy new boots for it).. is it suicide for a newbe, or just irrelevant? Cause I can try to find the best ski... Or I can try things... But would love to get your experience on too long skis to guide my experiments.thanks

[Nick BC]

Do you have a medical plan?

[Laurence C]

Yeah I get that it can go south and fast and be hard to control in many conditions, but since some do it I guess it's humanly possible to learn it and love it. Would like not to use the plan

[Woodserson]

I use long skis for trucking in K&G mode. I use shorter skis when I want to turn. What's your application, exactly?

I have 210 Gammes. I can't bend them, I can't fully compress them. I use them for fast travel over flat terrain.

I have 188 FT62s that are awesome for turning down narrow paths and slow as all get out on the flats. Depends on what I'm doing.

[trashcat]

...and just to elaborate on the above post, I think most people actually use longer and narrower skis for efficiency on the flats and not for their downhill capabilities. If the snow is pretty deep or un-tracked you don't need full compression to get decent grip and the longer, narrower profile creates less drag through the snow. I don't think anyone prefers longer skis for downhill except when it comes to maximum speed/fore-aft stability (which aren't major concerns for most BC skiers).

...Of course I have no first hand experience with this b/c I've only skied on skis that are the recommended length for my weight, so take this with a grain of salt.

[Woodserson]

...and just to elaborate on the above post, I think most people actually use longer and narrower skis for efficiency on the flats and not for their downhill capabilities. If the snow is pretty deep or un-tracked you don't need full compression to get decent grip and the longer, narrower profile creates less drag through the snow. I don't think anyone prefers longer skis for downhill except when it comes to maximum speed/fore-aft stability (which aren't major concerns for most BC skiers).

...Of course I have no first hand experience with this b/c I've only skied on skis that are the recommended length for my weight, so take this with a grain of salt.

Nailed it

[greatgt]

Weren't doing tele when I got my first E99....They were 215's and they proved to be FAST and that was my need....After seeing my first telemark turn while cruising a thousand or two acres of "Old Growth"....it became an obsession....Used and owned Tuckerman's Raving along with the Tele boys...Telepole....Teleking....Telekid....Telewheels....Smashed knee tele....It was wild and just a blast....And it took years of skiing to get to that level...."Years".....As an oldie now it's like the "OLD GROWTH" forest, gone!....Now it's get out there and get the FEEL of a double camber long (205-215) 99's on a wonderful powder day in the bush....Mostly because of age spend a lot of time on 190 109's....(easier to control) because as I age the skis just get better as I get weaker....Still for the Feel skinnies are (99's)....DYNOMITE!...TM

[fisheater]

Teleman, I’ve been reading about you skiing the 190cm for a while now. Just curious what you weigh?

[12gaugesage]

No real secrets or sorcery, longer and thinner is more efficient for lower angle distance oriented duty, harder (like sometimes really hard) to maneuver at speed downhill. If your snow is good and your woods wide open I'd suppose its doable, but there is a reason DH skis are different.

Forests were different 100+ years ago too. Old growth, big trees, wide open spaces may have been more common.

Camber plays a big role too, most of those older, longer skis (older military and down mountain stuff) aren't double or camber and a half, they are rather alpine in nature. IME they are more like a narrow alpine ski.

All that being said, if the skis are cheap and the snow is soft (impact absorbing, lol), experimenting is always fun.

Long skis are fast, thats for sure.

Personally I'm moving in the other direction, I want to find the perfect OTBD ski for my woods, hills, trees and crust, longer skis aren't the ticket.

[Woodserson]

Personally I'm moving in the other direction, I want to find the perfect OTBD ski for my woods, hills, trees and crust, longer skis aren't the ticket.

Altai KOM

The ultimate New England crusty snow tight tree ski. As long as K&G is nowhere near the priority list. But boy you can make those babies sing with a cheap cable binding and some T4's/Excursions. I'm not exaggerating.