People are always asking me what I do all winter, so I thought what better way than to use the web site to let them know and from now on, whenever possible, I'm going to let everyone know what we're up to here on the Shuswap. We'll also talk about various products, and offer tips on gear and coaching, so if you've got a question, e-mail it to us and you may just find the answer right here!
Click here to view archived "What's Happening" stories.
Archived - Slalom Ski Talk
Hey, thanks to everyone calling in on our flyer specials, it's kept so busy it's been tough to find time to write anything new, but I promised some more information on slalom skis and here's a start.
In our unending effort to expand our understanding of what current slalom ski designs work best for what kinds of skiers, we spent several weeks in Florida this past fall. During this time we talked with a wide range of skiers, and designers about the current products on the market and here's the first installment on what I've concluded.
HO's 2 new top end skis introduced in 2005, the Monza and System 8 were our best selling top end skis last season. The Monza, being the most expensive ski in HO's line up, was the one everyone was super keen to ski, while the System 8 definitely took a back seat in terms of skiers giving it a try. I should point out that these skis are made in the identical molds, so they are exactly the same shape. The difference is that the Monza uses HO's new, energetic, lightweight Synaptic core, and weighs just over 3 pounds (without bindings). The System 8 weighs a little over a pound more and that weight, combined with the difference in cores, can make quite a difference in the skis performance under more extreme conditions.
Please pay close attention to what I am about to tell you! When we're talking about the "best" ski, "best" is totally relative to who the ski is for!!!! The most expensive ski and the "best" ski are often not the same thing. Am I telling you anything you haven't heard before, probably not, but please heed my words. BMW and Mercedes make some very nice, fairly expensive SUV's now, but if you want towing power and internal cargo capacity a Chevy Suburban is a better choice. Getting back to skis, bewteen the HO Monza and the System 8, which only have graphic changes for 2006, both could be the "best" ski for you depending on your skiing speed, ability and style.
Quite frankly I've been blown away with how well the Monza works for recreational level skiers. The ski is lightning fast, and yet surprisingly forgiving, a fantastic combination for the average 32 to 34 mph skier. I've watched and instructed a wide range of skiers on this ski. I can say with total confidence that for recreational skiers skiing at 32 to 34 mph, and for course skiers at these speeds and sking to 32 off, this could be the best ski on the market for you. If you're considering a new ski and can afford the price tag, try the HO Monza.
Don't worry I'm not forgetting the System 8 because it may also be the "best" ski for you. If you are a good recreational to competitive level skier and ski at 36 mph, run beyond 32 off at 34 mph or can't justify the cost of the Monza then put the System8 on top of your must try list.
Why this advice? Because most, although not all, of the pro level skiers we've talked to find the Monza too fast for them. Remember they're skiing at 36 mph with very short rope, and are accustomed to generating amazing speed, so they don't need the extra zip the Monza gives to folks like me at 34 mph and needing all the help I can get to make it to that next buoy.
I hope this helps and makes sense but don't be shy about writing or calling with questions..... Next time I'll offer some suggestions about wider skis and explain a few of the many choices availaable.
Archived - What would you like to know about drysuits?
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Drysuits, drysuits and more drysuits:
Our suppliers have all assured me that we sell at least double the number of drysuits of any other dealer in the country.... so thank you for your great support!
Today I want to offer a quick review of the different types of drysuits we sell. What we sell are call surface drysuits, designed for uses where you are primarily on top of, or just floating in the water. Both Bare and O'Neill do make dive drysuits, designed for use diving under the water, but so far we have chosen not to sell this type of suit. The drysuits we sell are great for waterskiing, wakeboarding, kiteboarding, windsurfing, surfing, and we have also had people buy them for kayaking and sailing.
There are three styles of drysuits that we sell. The Baggy Style, so called because of their baggy fit, like the Bare Ultra Dry and the O'Neill Boost. The Neoprene Style, a rugged all neoprene construction, like the O'Neill Fluid, my personal favorite. And the Hybrid Style, which combines the baggy and neoprene to create an, increasingly popular, blend of both types.
People always ask us what the "best" drysuit, ski, wakeboard, etc. is, and I always say there's no such thing as the flat our "best". Everything we sell has numerous good qualities about it, otherwise we wouldn't sell it, so the question should be, what will be the best for you? Of course that depends, and that's why we ask questions and tell you about the advantages and disadvantages of different products.
Baggy Style Drysuits: Have been, by far, the most popular style of surface drysuit. This has been the case because they are very flexible in their use, fitting the widest range of body shapes, allowing lots of layering of clothing underneath to cover a wide temperature use range as well, and because the average store only stock this one style of suit, so people don't get to see the other choices. The baggy style drysuits, like the Bare Ultra Dry (our #1 selling drysuit) and the O'Neill Boost (the 2nd best seller), are reliable, well made, and have proven track records.
Who should go with a baggy style suit? If you are tall and slender or short and very stocky, you'll have a tough time getting a good fit with a Neoprene or Hybrid style, so baggy is the way to go. Most women also go with the baggy style for a couple of reasons. Women tend to be more slender at all the seal points, the neck, wrists and ankles, so the baggy suits, especially the Bare Ultra Dry, with all latex seals, prove to be more water tight, keeping them dryer than the Neoprene or Hybrid styles. A lot of women tend to get cold easier (no fur or insulation like some of us men), and therefore like to add extra layers of clothing under their drysuit to keep them warm and the baggy style suits are ideal for this, with their loose fit.
Bare Ultra Dry compared to O'Neill Boost. Both are great suits but there are some small differences between them. First of all the Bare is a bit less money than the O'Neill so that give it a small price advantage. The Bare's "Nex-Gen" material is super flexible and very easy to move around in, while the O'Neill is just a bit stiffer material, it is also a bit more durable. On this issue big strong types won't care about the difference while smaller, less muscular people may prefer the more flexible Bare. The Bare uses latex seals at all the openings, while the O'Neill has latex at the wrists and ankles but uses a neoprene neck seal. This means the Bare will be more water tight at the neck seal, however many people with larger necks find the neoprene seal more comfortable. Having said that, the neoprene neck seal can not be trimmed back to create a looser fitting seal while the latex seal can. Just a note of caution here, we get lots of phone calls when people try their new drysuit on in their living room, saying that there's no way they'll be able to stand the tight neck seal. We always say to trust us and go actually use it on the water before coming to any conclusion and 90% of them admit they don't even notice the tightness while they're out there using the suit. Finally, the O'Neill Boost does have a cool built in suspender, while Bare uses an elasticized waist band. Not a big deal for most people but if your a stock build, and need to go up a size to fit your chest or stomach properly, advantage O'Neill, because you can adust the suspenders so that the crotch of the suit is not hanging down around you knees.
In summary, assuming price is not an issue, these are two awesome suits and most people could go either way, with the Bare favoring ladies and more slender builds a bit and the O'Neill have a small advantage for stocky folks. Please remember, as I mentioned a couple of days ago, you can trust O'Neill's size chart on the Boost and most people will go one size smaller than the size chart suggests. The link to our drysuit page is www.shuswapsnb.com/O'Neill.html
Neoprene Style Drysuits: All neoprene drysuits, like the O'Neill Fluid, look a lot like a regular wetsuit with their all neoprene construction. Of course they have a zipper across the back shoulder area so you can climb in and seal out the water, just like other drysuits. They are designed to fit snug from the waist down, like a full length wetsuit, and a bit baggier in the upper half so you can put a shirt underneath. With this style of suit the suit is thick enough (usually 2 or 3 MM thick) to keep you warm without the need for additional clothing, and unless it is brutally cold, most people just wear shorts and a t-shirt. Although I'm in the minority of drysuit users, this is my personal favorite style. I have an old sweatshirt that I cut the sleeves off about 3/4 of the way down, and it works great underneath. Some people don't bother with any kind of shirt but you can get a bit sweaty and the shirt will mean you don't have to wash the suit out as often.
There are several advantages to this style of suit. Being snug fitting, there is less drag on deep water starts. Not a big deal for most boarders but any slalom skier who struggles with their starts will appreciate it and if you've never used a drysuit before, they all add a bit of drag, just less with a snug fitting bottom half. A lot of people find this style of suit more comfortable, and I don't think there is any doubt that the neoprene seals are more durable, far less likely to tear or crack, and require almost no maintenance. So why am I in the minority preferring this type of suit. Well there are disadvantages as well. The neoprene seals rarely keep you as dry as the latex seals, as I mentioned before you trade off comfort for water tightness. Many people also find it easier to get in and out of the baggy style suits although I think there's not a lot of difference. Probably the biggest dissadvantage is that you need to be of average build because you have to fit the suit exactly to your body for it to seal up properly. This means if you're long and lean or short and stocky, or want to share the suit with someone a couple of sizes different than yourself, it's unlikely you'll get a decent fit, and since the suits are built for men's frames, most women will not get a decent fit either.
Hybrid Style Drysuits: As the name suggests they are a combination of a snug fitting neoprene bottom and a loose fit baggy top taped and glue together above the waist. Bare has been making hybrid suits with their Tech Dry and Polar Heat models for years, however since O'Neill introduced their Assault Hybrid a year and a half ago, there has been a big upserge in sales. The idea is of course to give you the best of both worlds, a warm, snug fitting bottom with durable seals and reduced drag, and a flexible, easy to move around in top that you can layer clothing underneath according to the demands of the weather.
Now, although these three suits are all hybrids, each is unique in it's own right. The main difference are in the type of seals and the thickness, therefore temperature use range, of the suits.
The Bare Polar Heat is the warmest and most bullet proof of the bunch, also costing a bit more that the other two. It uses a 5 MM thick lower half with a baggy upper and comes with a very nice 14 ounce, removable fleece liner to keep you toasty warm. These suits are especially popular with windsurfers, kiteboarders and surfers who are out there for extended periods of time in pretty cold water, like the north Atlantic off the northeastern US coast. The Polar Heat has neoprene leg seals with an inside gasket to help stop water from shooting up your legs and comes with velcro leg straps which can be used, or not, to further reduce the risk of water seeping in. In the baggy upper half of the suit it uses latex seals at the wrists and a trimmable latex neck seal. Like an all neoprene suits the Polar Heats needs to fit properly but Bare offers several non-standard sizes to help get the right fit. The disadvantages are few but some people will not be able to get the fit the need with this suit, because of the thickness there is a small trade off in freedom of movement and when things warm up you can overheat in this suit.
The Bare Tech Dry is the next level of warmth and durability. If you can imaginge using a 3 MM thick farmer john (full length sleeveless wetsuit) and then adding a water tight baggy upper shell, that's what the Tech Dry is. These suits are most popular with slalom skiers who are chomping at the bit to hit the water as soon as the ice melts off and want to ski late into the fall. The Tech dry also has neoprene leg seals with an inside gasket and comes with velcro leg straps. In the baggy upper half of the suit it uses latex seals at the wrists and a neoprene neck seal. Of course fit is important and Bare offers several non-standard sizes to help get it right. Again some body styles will not be able to get the fit they need but for those who can, this is an awesome suit.
The O'Neill Assault Hybrid is the most affordable, light weight and flexible of these three hybrid drysuits. It's like the drysuit for when it's almost warm enough you don't need a drysuit. The Assault uses a 2 MM neoprene bottom taped and glued to a breathable nylon upper. It uses neoprene neck, wrist and leg seals for maximum durability and comfort but you do trade off staying 100% dry for comfort. It is a great suit for folks not in the frozen north who want something comfortable and a bunch warmer than their full length wetsuit. The only other disadvantage to this suit is its limited fit as it only comes in standard sizes to fit more of the slightly taller than average build from XS to XXL.
By the way of the drysuits I've review above, the O'Neill Boost, and Fluid, as well as the Bare Tech Dry use a long neoprene neck seal, sort of like a turtle neck. With this type of seal, it is intended to be folded inward (the oposite way from a turtle neck shirt) with what would otherwise be the outside surface, folded so it's against the skin to give you the most water tight seal.
Afchived - Buying a New Ski Questions
Here's an example of an e-mail dialogue about slalom skis. Richard bought an HO Burner, one of the Competition Freeride Series skis last year and here's how it went.
Richard: I bought my last ski from your store last year when I started slalom skiing. At the beginning of the year I was not getting any buoys and I was at 15 off. bought the HO burner and by the end of the year was getting six buoys at 33 mph at 15 off and getting six buoys at 30 mph at 22 off.. When I bought the burner the advice I received was it would be good until I got to about 30 mph and then it would get to hard to slow down for the turns. I was wondering if I am at the stage where I need a new ski, and if so could you suggest a couple.
The last advice I got from you guys was bang on and helped me reach my goals, thanks. Great that there's no problem with the starts as it opens up your choices.
Shuswapsnb: Great to hear you're doing so well on the ski, and we're happy to get you something else to try, although I wouldn't say you have to get off the Burner as it could easily get you through another season. When you're consistently running 34 mph and progressing into 22 of at that speed, is when I'd say it's definitely time for a change.
You'll have to remind me what you weigh, as that's another key factor in ski choice, but if we went with 67 inch Burner then we'd likely stay with that length.
Two other skis you might want to consider are the HO Triumph 67, was new in 2005 and is getting great reviews (it definitely helps finish the turn stronger than the Burner). The other is the new for 2006 HO Nitro 67 inch (replacement for the Vengance which is no longer being produced).
If you're usually going to be at 32 or 34 MPH and you never struggle with your deep water starts, popping up easily, the Nitro would be my first suggestion, while if you like a little help with starts and enjoy spending time at 30 to 32 MPH the Triumph could be a better choice. I would say the Triumph will be great into 28 off and 34 MPH, while the Nitro could go as far as 38 off.
Of course which ever way you go we'll be happy to let you try alternative if there's ever any doubt about having made the right decision.
Let me know what you think
Richard: I have no problem with deep water starts and want to have this next ski for a couple of seasons at least. I consistently run 31 mph at 22 off right now, and can't see a problem running 34 mph at 15 off, but frankly the wake is alot better at 22 off so I don't spend much time at 15 off.
I weigh in at 160 lbs and I am 5' 9" tall
A friend told me to check out the HO CDX as well, any comments on it.
So as it stands you would suggest wait until I am at 34 mph and then get a more aggressive ski.
Shuswapsnb: I refer to 34 mph (55 kph) because that is the official maximum boat speed for men 35 to 64 when skiing in the course. However if your wake makes things less fun, I understand why 22 makes sense for you and would not discourage you from skiing at that line length. If you get the chance to ski 34 behind something with no wake, like any of the dedicated tournament ski boats (Nautique is my personal choice), then be sure to take advantage of it.
The CDX is a great ski but is now getting to be old technology and HO took it out of their line 4 years ago. The closest equivalent is the HO System 8 but it is really a completely different ski, although a great one, I've had many fun sets on it myself.
From what you're telling me you obvious want to go with a narrower ski than the Burner and in that case either the Nitro or System 8 would be great to try. Since it seems unlikely you'll ever get out our way so we could set up both skis and let you give them a test drive we should probably focus in on one ski. If I had to pick one, I'd lean toward the Nitro as the next step up from the Burner, without being something that you need to worry about outgrowing for several years at least. If you want to directly to something you'll probably never outgrow, the System 8, and it more high tech version, the Monza have proven to me repeatedly (with far less capable skiers than yourself) that they will not hold you back. This might be easier to explain by phone so call me if you want to.
Sincerely
Mike G
Please Note: We respond to all inquiries immediately, so if you do not receive a response within 24 hours, please contact us again as your message must have not have been received in a form we could respond to.
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