Amateur skiing speeds

[Amateurish]

ATG said:

I would be a bit suspicious about GPS ski speed readings. Firstly GPS can't triangulate altitude changes very effectively ... coz all them bleedin satellites are above you. Secondly, I wonder just how good the GPS's reception is? When you're tucked, where exactly did you have the GPS? Middle of your back, back of your head? Anywhere else and it is going to get a badly obstructed view of the sky. When the signal is obstructed, your measured position starts jumping around. This can make peak speed measurements highly innacurate.

This is what I use:

X300

It straps onto the sleeve of your coat. Max speeds seemeto be pretty consistent, enough to be sure there were no "blips".

[Gylen]

mylesmcd said:

Gylen said:

mylesmcd said:

Gylen said:

mylesmcd said:

I dont see why people are completely trusting their GPS for speed calculations?

Why not?

Sorry, I am immediately presuming were talking about a Tom Tom like device?

If we are, I really wouldnt be taking that for an acurate speed calculation.


edit; spelling

Edited by mylesmcd on Tuesday 23 February 19:24

It was a GPS application on a Smart phone but interested in why you wouldn't trust a TomTom or similar? My in-car TomTom is way more accurate than my speedo, for example. I'd have thought they would do the job for skiing?

Yea, for sure. Car speedos are less accurate, but smart phone GPS, or even Tom Tom GPS less so. I would prefere to see two stopwatches and a clipboard!!

I still think its a 'I m faster than yo' story.

Could be wrong tho!!!

Fair enough but within the realms of practicality, surely they must be able to give you a decent ballpark figure? For example, if it said 68mph, I think we could let them off with anywhere between 63 upwards, no? Surely they're close enough for that?

[mylesmcd]

Gylen said:

mylesmcd said:

Gylen said:

mylesmcd said:

Gylen said:

mylesmcd said:

I dont see why people are completely trusting their GPS for speed calculations?

Why not?

Sorry, I am immediately presuming were talking about a Tom Tom like device?

If we are, I really wouldnt be taking that for an acurate speed calculation.


edit; spelling

Edited by mylesmcd on Tuesday 23 February 19:24

It was a GPS application on a Smart phone but interested in why you wouldn't trust a TomTom or similar? My in-car TomTom is way more accurate than my speedo, for example. I'd have thought they would do the job for skiing?

Yea, for sure. Car speedos are less accurate, but smart phone GPS, or even Tom Tom GPS less so. I would prefere to see two stopwatches and a clipboard!!

I still think its a 'I m faster than yo' story.

Could be wrong tho!!!

Fair enough but within the realms of practicality, surely they must be able to give you a decent ballpark figure? For example, if it said 68mph, I think we could let them off with anywhere between 63 upwards, no? Surely they're close enough for that?

For the realms of practicality, A stopwatch and clipboard wins!! But, yea, I guess the would be close enough for that kind of estimate. However, a beginner, on rental carver skis? waay to fast to be true!

IMHO, DYOR of course!

[chalky_white]

Hi all.

I ski race for the British Army. I have achieved speeds of up to 75mph while racing a Downhill. This is really fast! However on a closed race prepped piste with no one else on it and 215cm Downhill race skis, Helmet and all the other relevent saftey measures in place. I was still on edge.

So whoever punts around a mountain claiming to do 68mph is very stupid as it is so dangerous! Imagine colliding with a kid at that speed! You would not be in enough control to stop/avoid if someone got in the way.

To achieve that speed you would have to have longer than average skis on and a good steep and straight slope.

[Asterix]

chalky_white said:

Hi all.

I ski race for the British Army. I have achieved speeds of up to 75mph while racing a Downhill. This is really fast! However on a closed race prepped piste with no one else on it and 215cm Downhill race skis, Helmet and all the other relevent saftey measures in place. I was still on edge.

Good stuff - used to do the same - you taken your JSDSI courses? Might be called something else now? I did my Nordic instructors first and spent some great times telemarking

It was great as the Army also paid for my BASI courses - III for Nordic and II for Alpine.

[s1rallyemark]

I went straight down a few world cup runs in Tignes and i'm sure it felt at least 50ish mph so i guess 68 may be possible with good aero. Would love to go over 100kph on skis

[mylesmcd]

what your guy above said. 68 mph? no way. believe me, i was in the selection squad for my country









(although i live in northern ireland and the competition wasnt exactly, stiff?)