Hi all,
I've been lurking these forums for a few years and have always been impressed with how kind and passionate people here are about skiboards. It's been an invaluable learning resource to me and now I've finally decided to take the plunge and get a pair. I've always rented regular skis in the past, but my girlfriend loves skiing (she has her own) and since we are starting to go more often (3-4x a year), it seems like a worthwhile investment.
Some quick background info on me: I'm 33 and decently fit at 5'9" and 155lbs. I historically have skied once a year, usually in the Northeast as that's where I live. I'd consider myself as an intermediate skier, alternating between blues and single blacks (although maybe that's still beginner to some of you guys ). Far from an expert, but just good enough to make it down the mountain and have fun doing so.
My brother has been skiboarding for more than 10 years, but since he lives in Europe I very rarely ever get a chance to ski with him, so I've unfortunately never had a chance to try his boards. That said, I used to be an amateur figure skater, and from what my brother says skiboards take you much closer to skating in terms of maneuverability and control. I love that idea and have been convinced by him (and you guys) that I should really give skiboarding a shot. If I don't like the boards, my brother said he'll take them off my hands since his are now getting pretty beat up, so I figure it's fairly limited downside for me.
I've narrowed in on the Sticky Icky Icky's as my boards of choice, but am a bit stuck on the bindings. I know I want release as I'm getting older and even at 33 I can tell my knees aren't what they used to be. Also opting for brakes so as to not worry about getting nailed by my own boards in a bad tumble.
The million dollar question is, do I get the Spruce Pro Prime Plus (Attack 13) or Pro Sport (SX 10)? I've run multiple searches on these forums, and I've read valmorel's great thread on the Prime Plus/Attack 13's. He and others love them for the tighter fit and "close to non-release" feel. That said, I still have a few concerns/questions:
1) As an intermediate skier, will I really be able to tell the difference in the feel between the two? I realize this is subjective, but I guess I'm looking to see if there are any new viewpoints on this as valmorel's thread is five years old at this point.
2) How big of a deal is the "0.5mm toe clearance" adjustment that seems to be required for the Attack 13 release to work properly? I've never owned my own skis and am not sure how to adjust that, so not sure if this is a real concern for a newbie. One thing I did notice is that this year the Attack 13's seem to have an all new toe piece "that features a horizontal spring for better power transmission, elastic travel and reliable release", so is this meant to address that particular issue?
3) Will the 130mm wide brakes on the Prime Plus cause issues when turning with the SII's, given they are only 106mm wide? I've been told that brakes shouldn't be more than 10-15mm wider vs. ski width as the brakes will drag when carving. I don't know if this is also the case for skiboards? The 115mm brakes with the Pro Sport would seem to be a better fit in that regard, but again I don't know how big of a deal this is.
4) The Pro Sport has a "TRP" diagonal release system, which I presume means it is designed to release in a wider variety of angles and situations compared with the Prime Plus. Does this make any practical difference in safety? Or is this really not a big deal?
In totality, it kind of seems to me the Pro Sport is likely the better fit for me given that I won't have to worry about the 0.5mm toe clearance issue, the brake width seems to be a better match for the SII's, and is marginally more "injury preventative". That said, I am fortunate enough financially that the $100 difference isn't a deal-breaker, so if there is a case to be made that the Prime Plus/Attack 13's are a better long term investment (especially as I improve) then I can see that being the better choice.
Appreciate any and all responses and opinions!
I've been lurking these forums for a few years and have always been impressed with how kind and passionate people here are about skiboards. It's been an invaluable learning resource to me and now I've finally decided to take the plunge and get a pair. I've always rented regular skis in the past, but my girlfriend loves skiing (she has her own) and since we are starting to go more often (3-4x a year), it seems like a worthwhile investment.
Some quick background info on me: I'm 33 and decently fit at 5'9" and 155lbs. I historically have skied once a year, usually in the Northeast as that's where I live. I'd consider myself as an intermediate skier, alternating between blues and single blacks (although maybe that's still beginner to some of you guys ). Far from an expert, but just good enough to make it down the mountain and have fun doing so.
My brother has been skiboarding for more than 10 years, but since he lives in Europe I very rarely ever get a chance to ski with him, so I've unfortunately never had a chance to try his boards. That said, I used to be an amateur figure skater, and from what my brother says skiboards take you much closer to skating in terms of maneuverability and control. I love that idea and have been convinced by him (and you guys) that I should really give skiboarding a shot. If I don't like the boards, my brother said he'll take them off my hands since his are now getting pretty beat up, so I figure it's fairly limited downside for me.
I've narrowed in on the Sticky Icky Icky's as my boards of choice, but am a bit stuck on the bindings. I know I want release as I'm getting older and even at 33 I can tell my knees aren't what they used to be. Also opting for brakes so as to not worry about getting nailed by my own boards in a bad tumble.
The million dollar question is, do I get the Spruce Pro Prime Plus (Attack 13) or Pro Sport (SX 10)? I've run multiple searches on these forums, and I've read valmorel's great thread on the Prime Plus/Attack 13's. He and others love them for the tighter fit and "close to non-release" feel. That said, I still have a few concerns/questions:
1) As an intermediate skier, will I really be able to tell the difference in the feel between the two? I realize this is subjective, but I guess I'm looking to see if there are any new viewpoints on this as valmorel's thread is five years old at this point.
2) How big of a deal is the "0.5mm toe clearance" adjustment that seems to be required for the Attack 13 release to work properly? I've never owned my own skis and am not sure how to adjust that, so not sure if this is a real concern for a newbie. One thing I did notice is that this year the Attack 13's seem to have an all new toe piece "that features a horizontal spring for better power transmission, elastic travel and reliable release", so is this meant to address that particular issue?
3) Will the 130mm wide brakes on the Prime Plus cause issues when turning with the SII's, given they are only 106mm wide? I've been told that brakes shouldn't be more than 10-15mm wider vs. ski width as the brakes will drag when carving. I don't know if this is also the case for skiboards? The 115mm brakes with the Pro Sport would seem to be a better fit in that regard, but again I don't know how big of a deal this is.
4) The Pro Sport has a "TRP" diagonal release system, which I presume means it is designed to release in a wider variety of angles and situations compared with the Prime Plus. Does this make any practical difference in safety? Or is this really not a big deal?
In totality, it kind of seems to me the Pro Sport is likely the better fit for me given that I won't have to worry about the 0.5mm toe clearance issue, the brake width seems to be a better match for the SII's, and is marginally more "injury preventative". That said, I am fortunate enough financially that the $100 difference isn't a deal-breaker, so if there is a case to be made that the Prime Plus/Attack 13's are a better long term investment (especially as I improve) then I can see that being the better choice.
Appreciate any and all responses and opinions!
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