The skis are really different I would suggest starting from the HO A1 Recommended Fin and Binding Settings

Probably some others have some more specific input on your question.

Todd,

I went from an 07 Monza to an A1 this year, so not exactly what youre looking for.  I believe the 05 ad 07 Monzas are quite similar, so perhaps its a good comparison.  Take it for what it's worth.

Just to preface, I am not much of a tweaker, so I may not have achieved full potential out of either ski.

On the Monza I developed a style with significant skier input in the turns.  I would get on it hard and push it around and it usually stuck with me and set me up into a slingshot across the wakes and plenty of time to try and kill the next buoy.  Worked well, got me through -35 at 36 mph. 

At the end of last season, the ski started to delam near the tail and I sent it back to HO.  They stepped up big time and sent me a new 09 Monza.  I skied a few sets on it to begin this season and it just didnt feel like my 07.  So, with the added value of the 09 I decided to trade up to an A1.

On the A1 I left the fin at stock and got the bindings as close to the stock numbers as I could (middle hole).  I couldnt ski it.  Every time I tried to turn the ski would create excessive angle and break me at the waist.  I had heard that the A1 was different from the Monza as it was a carving turn shape as opposed to a skidded turn shape.  This couldnt be more accurate.  I was so used to pushing the Monza around in the turn that when I tried that on the A1, it kept dumping me.  I had to refocus and rework my style.  This ski rewards patience and a quiet turn.  If you try to ski it like a Monza, pushing on it, it won't work. 

After some time I focused on just keeping head and shoulders up and movings downcourse, and WAITING.  The ski comes around on a dime and as long as I slide my hips through the turn without rotating, I ski back to handle and am off and running.  It's a great ski, but IMO is the complete opposite of the Monza. 

If the Monza style is engrained in your technique, it will take some time and a good deal patience to get used to the A1.

Sorry for the long post.  Hope this helps.

AL

Wade,

"Better" might be too objective a term.  My buoy count on the A1 is actually lower than on the Monza.  When I ski it right, it feels smoother, but I cant scrap on it like I could on my Monza.

AL

From a technical standpoint, I think most coaches out there will agree you can run more buoys if you're not pushing your ski. Even if it is a temporary step backwards, this fundamental change should help you in the long run.

I can second that.

HO did their homework and made a very good ski. If you stay open to the boat and patient in the turn, you will love the A1. If that makes any sense, I feel like you ski the Monza and you just ride the A1. 

There is a very noticeable and beneficial change in performance with the A1 if you let it carry out a bit wider than you would with the Monza. When you ski slightly narrow it will fell good but not great, probably about the same as the Monza. You definitely have to tone it down in the turn. The ski scrubs too much speed and turns to far if you get antsy on the ski.

Wade is undoubtedly correct.  Skiing with proper technique is more rewarded on the A1 than the Monza and the A1 is therefore "better."  However, being the hack that I am, I inevitably revert to my scrappy technique as the rope gets shorter.  On the Monza I could get away with it, on the A1 I'm in the drink.  I have been forced to be a better skier on the A1, which will pay dividends in the long run, I hope.  As Wade says, one step back for 2 steps forward.  Its just frustrating that I feel I'm skiing better, but my buoy count is still down.

AL

What about the speed of the A-1 is it faster than the monza.

I had an older F-1 connelly and it turns well, but it always felt slow especially compared to the monza.

Why do I feel Fast Into Buoys?

Does it require more or less effort to maintain your direction into the wakes?

(refer back to Wades previous post, cranking on any ski will load the line and then the line will unload you)

I have been told by skiers better than me that they were more tired after a set with the A1 than with the Monza, but while they were skiing they did not feel like they had to work any harder to get where they needed. The general feeling is that the A1 gets you wider easier.

HO 410 wrote:

Does it require more or less effort to maintain your direction into the wakes?

I'm not sure what you mean by that.  If I try to push the A1 around the turn, itll create excessive angle and stop which result in a loss of direction and later line into the next buoy.  If I let it carve, the transition from the completion of the turn to the wakes is seamless and the wake crossings are effortless.  On the Monza, I was cranking the turns, which cause hesitation out of the buoy and forced me to push the ski hard through the wakes.  As we know, too much load exerted on the ski at any point will result in an abrupt unload, which makes it difficult to remain balanced and efficient.

I think the reason I'm not running as many buoys is two-fold.  The main reason is me.  I'm not skiing it consistently.  One pass I'll do everything right and it feels great.  The next pass Ill try to do too much and the ski won't have it.  I still havent unlearned the "push-the-ski" technique that I developed on the
Monza.  When I do I think I will be rewarded with more buoys and shorter lines.

The second reason is set up.  I'd love to blame it entirely on this, but the reason I'm not running -38 likely rests on my faults not the skis.  However, ski set up is important and I just havent given it the effort to really tinker.  Honestly, its because of is laziness. I ask myself, if Will Asher, or any pro could get on my ski set up as is, could he run -38?  In all likelihood, the answer is yes.  If so, if I skied properly I could run it too, so why bother with .0001 of an inch.  Instead, I continue to go out there and bang my head against a wall.

All that being said, I do believe that my potential on the A1 is greater than on the Monza.  The A1 rewards, and in a way forces, proper technique.  Proper technique should untimately result in more buoys.

Chef,

I think your point illustrates that different skis suit different styles.  You say that "if you just stay countered" then you could make up time.  I agree.  It seems your tendency is to be countered and patient, and you just need to "stay" that way. Good on you, thats proper technique and the A1 will reward that.

However, my tendency was to not be countered in the first place.  On the Monza I would rotate my shoulders and push the ski around, and I got away with it.  On the A1 I need to be very conscious of keeping the handle tight off the second wake and keeping my shoulders countered and facing down course.  If I dont exaggerate that, I revert to my Monza habits and rotate my shoulders.