SnowSlider - Blogging From the mountains by ise

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As Les Diablerets / Glacier 3000 had a lift running it was an excellent chance to get out and test my new ski boots, a pair of Garmont Endorphins.

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I’ve added another review, this one is for the old model Stöckli Laser SC, a FIS masters style ski.

Stockli Laser SC (2004)

Name : Stockli Laser SC (really it’s Stöckli or course, and better rendered as Stoeckli)

Manufacturer Web site : http://www.stoeckli.ch/index_fr.htm

First Use : March 2005

Size(cm) / Radius(m) : 158/11 168/13 178/15

Side cut : 107-63-90

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Why : I’d had a pair of Volkl 5 star’s that I was really unhappy with, after a very short time they’d suffered a lot of damage so I wanted to replace them. Living in Switzerland the idea of a Swiss ski appealed and I went along to a test at Les Mosses where I tried some Laser SL’s and some Laser Cross Pro’s, the SL’s impressed me a lot while I didn’t really get on with the Cross Pro’s at all. A few days later I picked a pair of SC’s up for a test at Torgon and immediately liked them, I took another test at Meiringen mostly to check I’d got the right length and then bought some.

There’s several reasons why I like Stockli skis, they are a simple no-nonsense design, hand-made in Switzerland. They’re robust and solid, my Stockli Lasers are at around 100 days usage and look good for next season and I can’t say I’m especially careful about where I ski. Here in Switzerland the customer service is just exceptional, it takes a little time to select skis like the Lasers or Stormriders as being hand made the flex or stiffness of the ski alters a little between each pair, the guys in the store always take the time to ensure you’ve the right pair. When I holed my Lasers badly and beyond my ability to repair I expected to need a new pair but the local Stockli store looked at them and repaired them for a nominal charge, a repair’s that’s so good I can hardly see it and one that certainly feels good to ski on.

The Laser range are competition orientated skis, ie there is a GS model and SL model as well as some DH skis not on general release. The SC is basically a FIS Masters ski with turn radius and performance lying somewhere between the GS and SL’s. This should, on paper, make it an ideal piste ski for a reasonably fit skier, the flex is never going to be forgiving enough for a lighter recreational skier though. One of the main things that makes this such a great ski on piste is the edge hold, this is so consistent across a variety of surfaces that you almost become unaware of the surface below. On the most icy days you’re only aware of hard icy sections when you come across other skiers stationary or if it’s quiet enough you can hear the edges slicing into the ice.

While this is not a forgiving ski it doesn’t punish you as severely as some race slalom skis if you do get the weight slightly wrong however compared to some of the mass market skis with softer flexes the Laser SC does require you to be very close to the optimum position and weighting to control the ski.

After a suggestion from a trainer I’ve actually been skiing these off piste and in powder and having a great time, it takes a little work and practice but it’s tremendous fun. In all but the deepest of powder the added agility of the Lasers has increased my enjoyment of the day beyond measure in fact.

My SC’s have Tyrolia Free Flex Plus 15 X bindings on a Tyrolia race plate.

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The bindings are superb particularly with the plate which acts as a limited shock absorber ironing out some of the more extreme feedback when traveling quickly on hard pack surfaces.

The Good : a versatile ski perfectly adjusted for a strong skier, fantastic performance and, for me, the most perfect piste ski I’ve ever tried. A consistent flex and a powerful rebound out of each turn that makes ever turn exhilarating.

The Bad : very little, the ski needs a lot of work to get the most from so it’s not for everyone.

Notes : Like most Stockli skis this runs on a two year life cycle, this model was actually the 2003/04 2004/05 ski and was replaced by a new model SC for 2005/2006 which is the current model. I’ve not had a chance to try the new model so far.

Most ski reviews are fairly poor, they tend to based on a few minutes impression on some limited terrain by the tester. Most reviews read like the advertising the manufacturer produces or at the very least that advertising, or market positioning, massively influences the reviewer.

For myself, I find I need to use a ski for sometime in a variety of conditions to have an idea about where it’s strengths and weaknesses lie. There’s really no substitute for testing a ski on real snow on a real mountain and most hire shops can provide a selection of skis to try. In the end, most modern skis are actually quite good and even the latest model won’t have the effect that the same money spend with a decent instructor will.

I’ve decided to join the fray myself in a limited way and write up my experiences of some of the hardware I use. I’ve made a list of the various skis and accessories I’ve used in the last season and how they’ve worked for me.

It will take me some time to complete all the write ups but I’ve made a start .