Hi, I needed some help on skis. I have been talking to a lot of people and it just made me all confused. Every sales person I talk to has their own opinion and probably just wants to sell anything. Don't know which brand is good for a female beginner to intermediate skier like me. Any opinion on this? I ski in groomed areas only. Not aggressive, but also wants to advance my skill. 5'6 ft. tall and weighs 130 lbs. Any honest opinion and help would be appreciated.

My wife as a beginner/low intermediate bought Volkl Vectris V.10s (@ 163 cm) a few years ago and she loves them. They hold an edge really well and have grown with her as she got better. I think the closest new model to the V.10 is the "Carver V2." Atomic also makes a good ski. unless you ski out West more than half the time I would get a carving ski and stay away from mid-fats. I would recommend either brand.

My wife is 4'11 and 125# and and skis 163s. You might do well with something in the 160 cm length.

Also if you haven't already bought boots, you should spend some time getting properly fitted boots. Ski Center in DC does a good job. You will get better service if you go some time during the week.

Good Luck.

Add the Head Cyber Lightning to the list provided by DC-Skier. It's a wonderful carving ski: light and very forgiving...

Thanks for all the help. I will look into your suggestions. I heard so many good reviews on the Volkl Carver V2 20/20s. Any say on the Dynastar Exclusive 8 skis??? I also heard that they're good (at least from two of the Salespersons I spoke to), but I haven't seen any good reviews about it.

I recently bought Volkl Carver Motion 20/20 after demoing just about everything out there. IMHO these are totally dynamite. I am rated a solid level 5 skier and the Carver Motion are a bit over my level, but they ski so beautifully, I am growing into them sooner than I thought. My sister who skis at about a level 7-8 bought Salomon Scream W Pilots and she is very happy with her choice.
My suggestion is to take your time, start doing the demo days at the various resorts. Or take a long weekend at a bigger resort like Snowshoe or 7 Springs and book a demo package of performance skis. Usually these packages allow you to swap out and try any skis for the duration of the package
Another thing to keep in mind is the length of the newer skis. The optimum length is based on your height (measured from between your chin and the top of your head), your weight (heavier being longer) and ability (higher level is longer). So your range should be between 152 to 167 cm. For example I am 5'6"/145lbs and ride 156 while my sister is 5'8"/155lbs and rides 161. And ... I poo-poed the lighter women's skis until I tried them ... but what a difference! Unless you are a Level 9+ wild woman and have the power to crank those men's skis I thoroughly recommend going with women specific skis. You will be grateful for the lesser weight by day's end.

By all means please buy a woman's ski if you are female. There is a difference.

I would second a recommendation of the Volkls. Very nice product.

Please, please, please don't spend money on skis if you need boots. Also, don't be too afraid of getting a ski that is too "advanced" for you. As an intermediate, it is pretty hard to buy a ski that is too much for you to handle until you get very close to the highest performing skis.