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| That's Peter |
Peter Oien manages our Minnesota Avenue store, which is the epicenter of our winter sports offerings.
Ski season may be over, but the gear is already ramping up for next season. We asked Peter to tell us about some of cool stuff that's coming for next season.
One of the perks of the job is getting to try out new skis and other products before they hit the market.
Here's Peter's insight:
We realize that this is a new thing and lots of people are not familiar with our winter sports side. That’s OK. We weren’t familiar with it at all when we started last year as well.
With the benefit of hindsight, I’m amazed at the awesome lineup of skis that we put on the wall. Before I talk about that, I should back up. How do we decide to carry the skis that we carry, and why?
It starts with experience. We need to prepare skiers of all levels, new to expert, for a great time on the mountain. What makes a great ski for a beginner might hinder a more expert skier. The terrain that someone skis in also makes a difference. Wide skis float better, but aren’t that much fun on Midwest ice.
Ski shapes have also changed throughout the years. I’ve been skiing for 30 years now, so I’ve seen it all; from straight long boards to the first rockered powder skis. When we look at carrying a ski, we try to think how we might upgrade someone's game on the slopes. What might a new shape of ski mean for a skier? New turn shapes? New areas of the resort are now possible? What about just a plain badass ski to make everyone feel like Tanner Hall?
This is the fun part of selling skis, upping peoples’ stoke for the slopes. Below are three skis for the coming season that will be incredible. Most of them are so killer that I’m purchasing them myself. Some are limited releases, some might complete someone’s quiver. Whatever you are looking for, we have something worth checking out.
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| Armada Whitewalker |
Armada Whitewalker
This ski. How do I sum up this ski? Easy: The best pair of skis I have ever skied on. Why? All of the contradictions that are normally detractors in a ski combine in the Whitewalker to create the most capable, fun ski I have ever spent a day on. Wide enough for deep stuff, cambered and stiff through the tails for great carving. Lightweight but with powerful stiffness. Precise and demanding but playful and fun. This ski kept me up till 5 a.m. replaying my runs on it in my head. When was the last time a piece of gear did that to you?
Atomic Maverick 95 T
Sometimes there is a ski that just works. No matter what you throw at it, it skis with aplomb. Chopped up cruddy powder? Blast right through it. Surfy, windblown fresh? Smear and slash. Fifty degree corn/slush? Blast through it. Short of the race course, there isn’t much the Maverick series doesn’t handle. Is it the fastest between the gates? No. Does it float on an all-time dump day? Not like a wide fatter ski would. Short of those two extremes, this ski is amazing. Damp and powerful, yet poppy and smeary when you want it, this thing is a quiver of one. If you're looking for a new ski to take anywhere in the world, this is it.
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| Rossignol Black Ops 92 |
The new Black Ops series from Rossignol is a super interesting ski to me. What is it? A twin-tip park ski? Sure, but not really with its stock mounting location. An all-mountain shredder? Eh, a little soft and a little too much rocker in the rear for ripping the groomers. An intermediate, Swiss Army Knife of a ski? Yep! Moderate flex and width combine to make a ski that can be fun whatever the rider and mountain throw at it. I love the forgiving feel of the ski, without it feeling neutered. This ski will carve as hard as you want, and still feel like it's helping you out. Definitely not a ski that should ever feel too long for someone. If a person is looking for a ski to progress them to new parts of the mountain - whether that is the park, trees, steeps or softs - this can be an awesome option.
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