Classic & Vintage - C & V ski forum?

Slightly OT, but I know there's a lot of crossover: does anybody know a skiing forum with a similar sensibility to this one (nice people, decent grammar, appreciation for the old school)? Thanks!

not sure, but would be interested to see one

http://i.imgur.com/nftGE.jpg

I'd be interested in checking one out too, but it seems to me like there would be fewer reasons to stick with c&v ski equipment than c&v bikes. I'm not sure if there is a direct parallel between the safety advances in modern binding technology (i.e. protecting against backwards twisting falls) and modern bike components.

It's not just binding technology. Ski shape and design has changed radically in the last 10-15 years. A much more radical change in basic functionality than has occurred with bikes IMHO.

I hang out on EpicSki.com sometimes.

That a nice sentiment about C&V, but you should throw-out the appreciation of old-school. That’s one think that C&V bikes have going for them, even though they are 20-30 years old, they still ride nice. However, I wouldn’t go anywhere near the slopes with my old Olin Mark IV’s. The new radius side-cut skis are a completely different animal from the old ankles-together hip-swingers of yesteryear. I think ski pole manufacturers’ knees must be shaking because you almost don’t need poles with the new skis. (Unfortunately, very little snow this year.):(

who skis anyways, snowboarding is what's in

My ski patrol activities keep me more than busy with conversation, education, and training opportunities -- not to mention the actual patrolling days. Great bunch of people and always those with the history of skiing in their legs.

Concur with others about the older ski gear. Tack it to the wall. Alpine & nordic.

You skiers should join a local patrol. Bonus: never stand in a crowded lift line.

(Unfortunately, very little snow this year.):(

Need snow?? -- come to western WA. Not Utah/CO powder but plentiful, and above 4,000ft the snow has been good.

Kind of limited subject matter and I agree re performance advances and safety. BTW, snow definitely sucks in AZ high country and in CO.

Not much snow in SE MI either. And no ice! The ice-fishing report is "non-existent".

So, regarding vintage skis: you're all saying that I should never buy those old skis offered at the thrift stores where I used to get my C&V bikes?

While vintage downhill skis may be unsafe, or at least their bindings are, why not vintage cross-country (Nordic)? It's not exactly a forum, but http://www.woodenskis.com/ offers a site with information on the topic. There are skiers still who use them.

There are certainly collectors out there. I once found a set of Finnish-made wooden skis at the Salvation Army and thought twice about the $35 price tag. I went home, researched them online, realized they were desirable; then I went back and they were gone, of course.

Speaking of Finnish-made items: there's a C&V bike made in Finland advertised on my local CL that I have been trying in vain to get a friend interested in, because her family is from Finland. Unlike us on C&V, she's not interested in owning a road bike, or +1 bike. Regarding the C&V wooden skis -- in the 70's, she went to college at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan; she said she realized she was really Up North and in the sticks when the daily local radio weather reports included which color ski wax to use that day.

It's not just binding technology. Ski shape and design has changed radically in the last 10-15 years. A much more radical change in basic functionality than has occurred with bikes IMHO.

I hang out on EpicSki.com sometimes.

I lurk there as well.

No vintage ski gear in this house. We buy new every third year.

It gets super spendy with the our boys growing out of boots by the end of a season though.

Growing up within 30 minutes of 3 small ski areas (no mountains in WI), I was intimately familiar with the skis that came from Montgomery Wards, Sears, and K-mart. We could ski on night passes for $3 and rent skis, boots, bindings for another $5, so purchasing skis never entered my mind.

Once I picked up a used 6-man toboggan, my ski interest waned. They are fun, light, and have a random chance of disaster that is enough for me. They also float when you shoot across thinner ice than you reckoned it was.

I've never even seen a snowboard. My brother used to sail one of those things with 3 skates and a sail, which are amazingly fast and pretty randomly violent, as well. My last snow fun was screwing sheet metal screws into the knobbies of my CanAm and riding on frozen lakes. We also used to put the garden hose on the silo for a week and then climb the ice rocket.

Grady and others can probably relate to boredom-induced winter fun that only seems fun if there's an element of risk.

I've got a much better chance of winning the TdF than getting back on skis.
I moved here for a reason.

EpicSki? I know a few guys from Milwaukee, but I don't know him.

Yeah, I agree about old skis, boots and bindings -- good for wall decor and not much else. But there's something to be said for old-fashioned ski areas -- I'm kinda partial to the single chair at Mad River Glen, and in CO I like A-Basin -- places that don't have giant corporate lodges, and that do have kind odd, iffy, slightly more natural grading to the trails, etc. I like backcountry nordic, and I want to learn telemark. Will check out EpicSki.com. Thanks!

who skis anyways, snowboarding is what's in

No, dude -- monoski. That's where it's at.
http://www.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://idata.over-blog.com/3/56/22/10/monoski.jpg&sa=X&ei=toUlT5e-IJGisQKM39yMAg&ved=0CAwQ8wc4Hw&usg=AFQjCNEQ8PxH8t6wMqCF-Mmc6f5q_DOprg

I'm still lamenting that I gave away a pair of Dynamic VR27's...the boxed wood core, the carbon dampening layer, segmented edges.....If there ever was a steel lugged equivalent for ski's they were it! Try epicski at http://www.epicski.com/t/69076/more-retro-memories for all our " I can beieve I sold those memories"
http://cdn.epicski.com/5/58/58907a42_Dynamic+VR-27.jpg (http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=07dc6ebd9de99576c8cf6e6453e102f9&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epicski.com%2Ft%2F69076%2Fmore-retro-memories%2F1980&v=1&libid=1327859664297&out=http%3A%2F%2Ficechewing.huddler.com%2Fimgrepo%2Fthumbs%2F5%2F58%2FDynamic%2520VR-27.jpg%2F1000x800px-LL-Dynamic%2520VR-27.jpg&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.comcast.net%2F%3Fq%3Ddynamic%20vr%2027%26cat%3Dimages&title=More%20Retro%20memories%3F%3F%3F%3F&txt=%3CIMG%20alt%3D%22%22%20src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.epicski.com%2F5%2F58%2F58907a42_Dynamic%2BVR-27.jpg%22%20width%3D1200%20height%3D1200%3E&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13278598155152)

Growing up within 30 minutes of 3 small ski areas (no mountains in WI), I was intimately familiar with the skis that came from Montgomery Wards, Sears, and K-mart. We could ski on night passes for $3 and rent skis, boots, bindings for another $5, so purchasing skis never entered my mind.

Once I picked up a used 6-man toboggan, my ski interest waned. They are fun, light, and have a random chance of disaster that is enough for me. They also float when you shoot across thinner ice than you reckoned it was.

I've never even seen a snowboard. My brother used to sail one of those things with 3 skates and a sail, which are amazingly fast and pretty randomly violent, as well. My last snow fun was screwing sheet metal screws into the knobbies of my CanAm and riding on frozen lakes. We also used to put the garden hose on the silo for a week and then climb the ice rocket.

Grady and others can probably relate to boredom-induced winter fun that only seems fun if there's an element of risk.

I've got a much better chance of winning the TdF than getting back on skis.
I moved here for a reason.

EpicSki? I know a few guys from Milwaukee, but I don't know him.

Robbie,

If it would snow more here, I'd take out the toboggan pronto.

What a joke of a winter here in Minnesota!

A winter for wimps, that's for sure.

I'm going for a bike ride in an hour. :)

We grew up with "Snurfers" I still have a couple of them and my kids ride these C & V boards on the local sledding hills even though they seem to have some value.

We had a tobaggan slide in the back yard with a ramp built off an old chicken coop. Carried many a bucket of water to pour down it get it good and fast. Rode the snufers and the tobaggans down that thing.

I still have my Yamaha downhill skis W/Solamon 444's I bought in '78 and took them to a trip at Granite peak last winter. It was the first pair of skis I ever used with brakes and not leashes. Most of our old skis around here are now screwed to the back wall of ice fishing shacks to pull them around.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SNURFER-SNOWBOARD-BRUNSWICK-OFFICIAL-SUPER-RACING-MODEL-PATENT-PENDING-1965-RARE-/330679221886?pt=Snowboarding&hash=item4cfe047e7e


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Brunswick-Snurfer-Snow-Board-Skiing-Sled-Snurfing-Vintage-Toy-Trade-AD-/260913561363?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbfa8ff13

I hate to say it, my old Rosignol S6? are great skis (to me anyway). The place that tunes them offered me new equipment to use and I tried them but it looked like big purple spiders were eating my feet. I am not a good skier and I am more confident on my old skis.

Yeah.......like compact frames, I can't figure out the new short skis out there with blunt rounded tips and agressive sidecuts. Last skis I really enjoyed were my Kastle Mid 80s from my college days!....The new skis tend to have such quick transition that they've high sided me a few times when I tried them out.......Surprised to find out too that boot design look like they've regressed back to side seamed shells with lots of buckles and high tops. I have to admit that the new (much more comfortable boots) is a development I really like!
C&V skis and boots??! I dunno........My C&V San Marco boots (cool looking white ones with the black steel mesh buckle straps) "Asploded" apart on the ski hill a few years ago......victim of plasticizer outgassing.....I suspect....I dunno if I'd want to ski plastic and foam cored 20+ year old skis either after that happened!
Only C&V equipment that might still have life in them would be older wooden skis and bindings that have zero plastic in them......Just my thoughts on C&V skis....

Chombi

20 posts and no mention of K2's....Hmmmmph, go figure?

20 posts and no mention of K2's....Hmmmmph, go figure?

Behhh........The flash and hollywood-like porpularity of the Mahre brothers back then seems to have preceded any technical merits that K2 would have pushed out there about their skis.....:rolleyes::D:D.

Chombi

I'm thinking true C&V skiing would have to be done on wood skis, leater boots with a free heel, wearing wool & carving beautiful turns on a double black diamond

I'm thinking true C&V skiing would have to be done on wood skis, leater boots with a free heel, wearing wool & carving beautiful turns on a double black diamond
Isn't that style of skiing more like "Telemarking" ?
I always thought telemark skiing looked so much more challenging and beautiful to watch than "regular" downhill skiing.

Chombi

What was that about K2?? Kinda makes me Piste Off(K2)! I'm a pin head and proud! LOL!! Terminator boots, Riva II bindings and K2 Piste Off boards(yah they're a few years old now) Kinda like being a knee dragger, but the grand kids what me to be one of those knuckle draggers. If I went back regular boards...I would splurge on the bindings.. Free the heal, free the mind

I skied on Hart Kings with Look bindings for our downhill team in high school.

This would have been in the mid-70s.

Bright purple with gold accents. Homely, noodley skis.

Impossible edge sets, and to top it off, they were 210s.

I'll never forget my first trip to Lake Tahoe.

I thought I knew it all till I tried skiing in fresh powder with those miserable beasts.

My new this year "shaped" Atomics are thirty times nicer than those, but those sure were great times to be 18, away from home, and skiing out west.

Oh, the stories I could tell. :)

Isn't that style of skiing more like "Telemarking" ?
I always thought telemark skiing looked so much more challenging and beautiful to watch than "regular" downhill skiing.

Chombi
1. Yes
2. Yes it is, isn't it. Until this happens.........
http://jimdockery.com/graphics/misc_pics/skiflop.jpg

1. Yes
2. Yes it is, isn't it. Until this happens.........
http://jimdockery.com/graphics/misc_pics/skiflop.jpg

This could be a picture of me lol! I Tele-crashed for 25+ yrs!
I wish I had cash for the retail cost of all the old Tele/Rando/Alpine gear stashed in my attic/garage, I could buy a Weigle or a new Herse with all the goodies! However, those were some good times ;)

Cheers,
Chris

Free the heal, free the mind

I would modify that saying to --- "free the mind, cable the heel"

i don't know any old ski addicts, but i regret throwing away my Phil Mahre 710FO's. Anyone knows a source for NOS Olin Mark VI? :)

20 posts and no mention of K2's....Hmmmmph, go figure?

Whoa! you are bringing back some memories for me. I owned a pair of K2's for years when I was a teenager.

My parents, bless 'em, got the idea that the whole family should learn how to ski. Not just my mom and dad and my younger brother and me, but my mom's sisters and their husbands and kids also. In those days, the late '60's and early '70's, skiing was booming in popularity for everyone -- with the advent of the local ski resorts, it wasn't just for rich and famous anymore. Our local paper, the Detroit Free Press, sponsored a ski school at several local ski areas, and we all went to the Mt. Brighton ski area, near Brighton, Michigan, about an hour's drive away.

We rented skis for the lessons, which were weekly for about six to eight weeks, I think. I was still in grade school, about eleven or twelve years old, and mostly I remember being very cold, and one night my hands hurting so much I cried. Looking back, I realize the clothing we wore was just so inadequate compared to today's skiwear.

The year following, my dad determined to quit renting skis and buy us our own equipment. Somehow he "knew a guy" who sold new equipment from his basement. I remember it set up just like a store with displays, posters, and pamphlets. My skis were white with a black stripe up the middle, with Salomon bindings. My dad's were blue, which I inherited after I grew taller and my dad quit skiing. In those days, your skis standing upright were supposed to be as tall as you could reach over your head.

I used those skis all through college and the first few years of marriage. I believe the fiberglass begain chipping off the top layer, and we got rid of them ages ago.

Now my sons ski and they have their own high-tech modern trick skis. To them, it isn't skiing unless they're flying off something. And they assure me that I can't go skiing with them because "you can't keep up with us, Dad." As if!

I still kinda miss the days of the Atomic red sled 207 GS and my fluorescent green Vokl rentiger 210s Go to the top, point em down and go fast.

the new skis are good.... and If I can get up more often I will upgrade, I am on newish ski (10 years old...but the bindings checked out ok last year when I got new boots)...... Dyna star cross 66's 194.

What I miss is the fluorescent colors and actual stretch ski pants. But I here the colors are coming back, much to my wife's chagrin and I probably don't look as good as I did in stretch ski pants

Oh, the stories I could tell. :)

You and me, both. Hanging around ski resorts in the late 70's/80's had to be experienced to be believed. :)

I used to have a pair of Olin Mk III S that I loved. I skied them all over the western US, and after several seasons of faithful and extremely fun service, I managed to snap one in half in a mogul field.Went ant bought a (then) brand new pair of K2 512's..... a whole different animal than the Olin's but ton o' fun in a different, new kind of way. Skied the hell out of those, too - Utah, Idaho, Colorado.... even one memorable trip to Innsbruck in 1987. Spent a day jumping out of a helicopter on them too, one fine day in Alberta Canada. That was a hoot.

Anyway, for various reasons we gravitated away from skiing, right about when snowboarding became all the rage. I still have the K2's, and I skied them a couple of years ago. Same as I remembered, but my best friend Vic says I really need to try the new skis... he says they are a totally different experience. If I ever take up skiing again, I probably will.

Strange when I told the ski store guy a couple of years ago that I'm skiing again after 25 years and need new skis at least 190cm long......."advanced" level skier I was, you know.........I walked out of the store with 145s totally humbled and wondering, "why did I just buy these kiddy skis"??:twitchy::D:D

Chombi

My kids are in ski club but we really haven't been this year due the the frequent warmups. I'm glad they ski, the snowboarders are annoying. Ok, well not all of them, but there are a bunch that seem to spend all their time sitting on the slope chatting to each other and just being in the way.

I lost my taste for downhill skiing in the mid 80's, after I discovered cross country skiing and my getting more seriously into cycling to some extent. All of the sudden, going up and down a hill or mountain on skis for whole days and sometimes nights, without really getting anywhere, just didn't make that much sense anymore. It suddenly felt like I was just on some sort of winter carnival ride......... Maybe if we had much bigger hills and mountains to ski on in the midwest, I'd felt different??:rolleyes:
I never got tired of cross country skiing though, it related very well with my cycling. By the 90's I just didn't have time and energy to do it anymore because of work. It did not help that cross country ski trails are not as accesible in CA as they were in Wisconsin.:(
Oh to be in your teens and twenties again!:o

Chombi

I'm not into skiing but I do have an old ass set of wooden skis! 30s? 40s maybe?

Yep, C&V Skiing is long and skinny, big packs, no lifts - in other words 'earn your turns'.

Pics from a trip to the summit of Mt. Baker, WA.

8000' of vertical; top was icy, middle corn, bottom slush :

http://fivenineclimber.com/images/baker/near_crater.jpg

http://fivenineclimber.com/images/baker/summit.jpg

http://fivenineclimber.com/images/baker/payback.jpg

You and me, both. Hanging around ski resorts in the late 70's/80's had to be experienced to be believed. :)

I used to have a pair of Olin Mk III S that I loved. I skied them all over the western US, and after several seasons of faithful and extremely fun service, I managed to snap one in half in a mogul field.Went ant bought a (then) brand new pair of K2 512's..... a whole different animal than the Olin's but ton o' fun in a different, new kind of way. Skied the hell out of those, too - Utah, Idaho, Colorado.... even one memorable trip to Innsbruck in 1987. Spent a day jumping out of a helicopter on them too, one fine day in Alberta Canada. That was a hoot.

Anyway, for various reasons we gravitated away from skiing, right about when snowboarding became all the rage. I still have the K2's, and I skied them a couple of years ago. Same as I remembered, but my best friend Vic says I really need to try the new skis... he says they are a totally different experience. If I ever take up skiing again, I probably will.


My wife does not allow me to talk about any of our ski trips to California, Nevada, Colorado, or Montana in front of the kids. :)

As for shaped skis, I picked up these Atomic Crimson ti's, and I've probably never skied "better" in my whole life.

Not as fast or as wild as I used to be, but these babies will let me cruise all day long in all sorts of terrain.

http://www.atomic.com/static/images/Productfinder2011/detail/AA0013780_1.png

http://www.atomic.com/static/images/Productfinder2011/technology/en/technology_adaptive_rocker.png

The modern boots are so comfortable as well, and allow for fantastic edge control in all terrain.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/Nordica/Boots/Boots+2011-2012/Main+Image/FIREARROW-F3_050144007H7.jpg

Yeah, I loved skiing back in the day, but the modern equipment is simply fantastic.

My wife does not allow me to talk about any of our ski trips to California, Nevada, Colorado, or Montana in front of the kids. :)

snip
.

Where in Montana?....... if it was Big Mountain, then the Bierstube was the place for a beer after skiing. The only place I know with headrests above the urinals.

So how about C&V ski bars?

Where in Montana?....... if it was Big Mountain, then the Bierstube was the place for a beer after skiing. The only place I know with headrests above the urinals.

So how about C&V ski bars?

Do you mean the one in Whitefish?

That's a fun spot. Decent food as well.

We usually drove out to Red Lodge though.

Slept at a friend's cabin. Skiing was dirt cheap.

Do you mean the one in Whitefish?

That's a fun spot. Decent food as well.

We usually drove out to Red Lodge though.

Slept at a friend's cabin. Skiing was dirt cheap.

yes , the bierstube in Whitefish..... ski area is Big Mountain.

yes , the bierstube in Whitefish..... ski area is Big Mountain.

Pretty in the summer as well.

Heading out to do a little fly fishing this summer with some friends.

Looks like for $100, you and a freind can hit the slopes this weekend for the first annual C&V ski tour....does anyone still run a rope toe?



http://i.ebayimg.com/t/two-pair-skis-dynamic-vr27-kastle-fw1-polo-/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/$(KGrHqN,!oME8Vb!EgeUBPH0kcvHO!~~60_35.JPG

[/URL]
two pair of skis dynamic vr27/ kastle fw1 polo



Starting bid:US $75.00Your max bid:US $
Place bidPlace bidPlace bid
(Enter US $75.00 or more)
Price:US $100.00Buy It Now[URL="http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?BinConfirm&_trksid=p4340.l1356&rev=0&item=150743463649&pt=Skiing&fromPage=4340&quantity=1&fb=1"]Buy It Now (http://cgi5.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?SellLikeItem&_trksid=p4340.l2567&rt=nc&item=150743463649)Buy It Now

On good snow days I break out my 205 E99's and Three pin the lifts.

I find the new skis have gotten too wide and have too side cut for my style. I look for those early 00's skis with such names like heli stinx, piste stinx, and anything TUA.

Me on cino de mayo. Three pin, wool and a chivas jersey. Yes, I forgot to adjust the poles.....

http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk255/escii/crop290.jpg

My wife does not allow me to talk about any of our ski trips to California, Nevada, Colorado, or Montana in front of the kids. :)

One time, in Vail, a busload of Texans blew into town. I happened to fall in with a few of them one night, and they happened to know where a sorority was having a apres ski party.

Let me just say this..... those Texan boys knew how to have fun, and if they liked you they made sure you had fun, too. :) Based on that one experience so many years ago, you will never, ever hear me say a bad thing about Texas or Texans.

you will never, ever hear me say a bad thing about Texas or Texans.

I don’t think you can ‘ski’ in Texas…it’s some kind’a law I think.

I don’t think you can ‘ski’ in Texas…it’s some kind’a law I think.

Wasn't Bandini Mtn in Texas?

Wasn't Bandini Mtn in Texas?

Well sure, if you’ve got enough wax, I suppose you can ski on anything…even Bandini.

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww1/rothenfield/MMSKis.jpg

...
The modern boots are so comfortable as well, and allow for fantastic edge control in all terrain.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/Nordica/Boots/Boots+2011-2012/Main+Image/FIREARROW-F3_050144007H7.jpg

+

Well sure, if you’ve got enough wax, I suppose you can ski on anything…even Bandini.

http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww1/rothenfield/MMSKis.jpg

=

http://a59.idata.over-blog.com/416x500/1/43/45/86/2011/Atomic-2011.jpg

(not exactly C&V content, I know, but because I saw these in an advertising poster in France just two weeks ago, I thought it might fit in here)