Educate me on the Rossi Dirty Bird

[Carpe Canem]

Hi, Wondering if someone could educate me on the Rossi Dirty Bird? Found a pair in very nice shape in the local used market. Drilled once, nice bases and edges, top-sheets not even in very bad shape.

Anyone care to fill me in on the basic skiing characteristics of these on Tele? Specifically, what are they like initiating and releasing from a turn? How well do they hold an edge? How soft or stiff are they in the tips and tails?

I would mount them with Hammerheads for groomers and hardpack when there is nothing soft (as per Rocky Mtns conditions). Even so, with knee surgery less than two years ago, I'm not looking for something too unforgiving if I get in the back-seat or otherwise mess up a turn.

Not expecting to get too aggressive on these, not at least till I feel more confident with the knee.

Happy to hear whatever you can offer. Thanks

[Dostie]

It has been awhile, but if memory serves me correctly that was in the era of the Powderbird and Sickbird. I remember pretty much everyone testing those skis liked 'em, and they all skied pretty much the same except for the differences you would expect with different widths. Don't remember what width the Dirty was. I do remember they all had a smooth, even flex, and Rossi was experimenting with rockered tails. At the time this was a new sensation and we all (the Couloir test team) were pretty psyched about how easily they released from a turn. Hope that helps a bit.

[Tomahawk]

I've still got a pair of Powderbirds on the wall. If I recall, the widths increased from Dirty to Powder to Sick. Powderbirds performed great on resort terrain. Quick and responsive come to mind, but despite its name, not a ski I'd choose to ski in powder.

[Carpe Canem]

Thanks guys. Pulled the trigger today. These Dirty Birds are 78 underfoot. Pretty thin by contemporary standards, but I plan on using them on the frontside when there has not been much snow for a while and the snowpack is hard. I have some fatter stuff for the BC powder. We are still building toward critical mass here on this board, so I appreciate the replies.

[Hindfoot]

For a year or so I have been skiing tele on a pair of Rossi Altibirds, mainly packed snow or corn. Does anyone know where they fall in this bird theme, as far as primary purpose and chronology? They measure 119-83-109mm.

[stoneman]

These were considered pretty good "hard pack" tele skis when they were still in production. I'm talking East coast resort type conditions... you know... crappy.
Wouldn't mind finding a pair myself, to replace my aging World Pistes.

[Hindfoot]

If you are referring to the Altibirds, Stoneman, yup, they were recommended for groomed by the shop that sold them to me, lightly used. I only bought them because they seemed more capable than my only other skis at the time, some Annums, and the season was coming to an end and I wanted to get some turns in with my new Voo Doos. They do seem to work OK on piste and on corn. They have a lot of sidecut, and for me they are tricky to ski in difficult backcountry conditions such as breakable crust or re-frozen, rough snow. But I am a relative newb to tele, so likely those conditions are going to be tough on any skis, for most skiers. Hoping my new Helix skis with tip rocker will handle sub-optimal BC snow much better than the Altibirds, because that's mainly what we get here in NW CA.