Skis recommendation

Question
Hi Cynthia, thank you in advance for your help.

BACKGROUND INFO: Age 46 (in very good athletic shape), Weight 180-200 lb, height 5'7", Country USA (CA), Skill level: expert, skied for 40 years, black diamonds, recreational aggressive. Skis I loved the most: Fischer C4 Competion 180 cm for down hill (in 1975, NOT parabolic), with which I even won slalom races when younger (which means I can 'turn' anything).  Currently I have a pair of Volkl P19 competition 185 cm (bought 10 years ago) and I "hate them": unless I keep them always 'on edge', they feel flimsy and uncontrollable, especially at high speed, even though they are great in moguls (I believe they are designed for sharp turns at low speed, which is the opposite of my style). I like going fast, with BOTH long-radius turns AND quick 'serpentines'. I do moguls, and I do not like fresh powder. Cost of equipment is not a major factor. My feet are very wide (EEE) and they tend to get cold. I also have a very high instep (arch). When I go skiing, I ski 7-8 hours but with my age now boots are getting painful. In a whole ski season I fall once or twice in total.

QUESTION 1: WHAT ARE THE BEST SKIS FOR ME, MODEL AND LENGTH?
I am thinking Fischer RC4 Worldcup RC Pro 175 cm or maybe 170 cm?

QUESTION # 2: WHAT ARE THE BEST BOOTS FOR ME?
I am thinking "Surefoot Fluid 140" or "Apex". I tried MANY boots over the years, and none of them have been comfortable.  Both the above boots (even though over $ 1K) promise state-of-the-art custom fitting and unparallel comfort.

QUESTION # 3: WHAT ARE THE BEST BINDERS FOR ME?
I am thinking the ones that come with the skis, Fischer RC4 Z17, But I am unclear on one thing: Using different charts on the internet I computed my DIN setting at around 7. Do I need to have the Z17 or I would be ok with the Z13 (on the surface it appears that 13 DIN should be plenty). I was racing as a youngster, but now my primary concern is safety (guaranteed release and not freezing).

Thank you
--- Enzo.

Answer
Dear Enzo --

The Volkls you are skiing sound like the slalom version, and therefor great for moguls and quick turns on harder snow. However, you will have to work very hard to keep them on edge in a long fast carve.  This is especially true since you are very muscular so weigh a lot for your height.  You probably damp the camber out very early in the turn, and then get some torsional bending of the ski as you try to hold the carve in the turn.

Since you have liked Fischer performance for a long time, I recommend staying with Fischer.  The skis I think would work best for you (high speeds and all-mountain skiing) is the Progressor 9+ Flowflex, the RC4 Race RC Pro Railflex, or the RC4 Competition Pro Railflex SP.  The RC4 Race ski will be most demanding, but most dependable at high speeds.  It will be a bit more difficult to maneuver through the moguls, as it is the stiffest ski of the three.

All top ski manufacturers are designing ski-binding systems, and this is a great innovation for ski performance.  The binding you need should have your required DIN setting near the middle of its settings.  This will give you dependable performance in your range of skiing aggressiveness and speed.

Most modern boots are warmer and more comfortable, even at a higher performance levels.  So if you are upgrading from a boot that is more than 10 years old, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  However, it is very difficult to recommend a boot for you because your foot shape and size will make an enormous difference in which boots will work with your foot and skiing style.  I recommend working with a shop that will hand-fit you to a boot, rather than a shop that will try to force you into a boot via computer system.  However, if either of the boots you are considering provides you with a full custom insert, and you can afford them, they do offer a means to ensure comfortable fit with positive control for your skiing.  For any non-custom boot, I recommend that you get custom footbeds.  Footbeds will allow you to get neutral in your boot and should eliminate slipping in the boot.  Cold feet are usually due to boots that are clamped too tight across the arch or the cuff to eliminate slip.  

Please write back, if I need to clarify anything or you want to discuss any options further.  Have fun skiing!