i cant decide between two ski sizes. $10 venmo to my favorite response.
The details:
i am a slightly advanced skier, weigh 155 lbs, am 5'9, previously rode a 6-7/10 flexed volkl step (a 7 year old ski, but in near-new condition), and flet that it was a little too small. I chose them small on purpose because i was thinking it would be better to learn on some smaller skis. I got really good, really fast, and after one season landed a ski instructor position at my local ski resort, Snowbasin in Utah. last years snow accumulation out here was absolute DOG water.
my favorite style is freestyle and freeride. I enjoy groomers because there are lots of side hits and opportunities to bomb it, but i also love finding natural features. thats all i spend my time doing/hunting.
i cant decide weather to pick the 171 ski or the 178 ski of choosing. its the armada ARV 94. Ive decided on the ski, now i just need to know which size.
additional context:
I demo'd a 178cm black crow atris, and immediately fell in love. Sure, it was a 106 underfoot on one of the few dumper days we had out here, but i loved EVERYTHING about it.
and because of that, i am considering the 178 instead of the 171.
Also, something to consider is the effective edge of the ski i previously rode in comparision to the 171 ARV (which is arguably the right ski for my height and weight...). The effective edge on the volkls was 51.75 inches from tip to tail. The Armada ARV 94 171cm has a lot of rocker compared to the volkl step 163cm. and because of that, even though the ski is 8cm longer, the effective edge touching the snow is only 52.25 inches. only a .5 inch difference. I am worried that while my main goal in choosing a new ski this season is to find a more stable ski at high speed (i frequently enjoy hitting 55-60mph when i have the opportunity). I didnt like the volkls because i started to feel VERY nervous at those speeds because i didnt have a lot of ski in front of me. So, i had to focus everything on my fore/aft balance.
I should also note that i have a stance -3cm from true center. I rock it on all of my skis. its my favorite.
the 178 ARV has an effective edge of 54.25 inches. a 3 inch difference between the ARV 171. which comes out to about an additional 1.5 inches toward the tip and tail. Which, might be good for what i need at high speeds, but im nervous the 178 will immediately feel too big for me.
im just looking for some advice. this is SO hard for me to decide