Relying on ski technology...

I would like to take credit for the idea behind this post, but unfortunately I can't.  I was talking to one of my coaches last week after session, and we were discussing my skis.  I ski on an old FIS GS ski.  I think it is a man's ski actually.  It is a 186cm, 21m atomic GS ski with a full plate on it.  It is a bit of a step up from my other skiis that were a 182cm, 23m ski without a full plate.  At the beginning of the season I was looking for a ski comparable to my older ski but I can't afford new skis.  I bought them off a guy for $200 and he is of course a bit larger and stronger than myself.  I wanted a 21m radius ski but not necessarily a full FIS ski, with the plate.  When buying used you take what you can get, and these skis were in great shape, so I bought them.  It wasn't really hard to adjust to skiing on them, however I do note that they are a bit beefier than my older skiis, probably due to the plate and the extra 4cm.  I was telling my coach last weekend that I switched to skiing on a FIS a few years ago for the simple reason that I found two reasons why I liked it better.  First the mysterious switch resulted in faster times, and second the skis were more stable at high speeds.  No, unfortunately the FIS didn't make me ski better, in fact it was just the opposite.  I found the FIS skis challenging to ski on, especially at speeds less than 80% of maximum, which is usually how I ski.  I was telling my coach that people always seem surprised that I choose to ski on them.  The truth is that I like them because they only work when everything is working right.  And this is especially true at speeds less than 80% of maximum.  I find that the FIS skis are such a picky ski, that unless the "recipe is correct," meaning my stance, my timing, my pressure control, my edging and pivoting are all working correctly in unison, there is no sweet spot and no impulse to work with.  To a recreational skier this would be bad because what is fun about skiing would be gone.  Finding the sweet spot and generating the impulse is what is fun about skiing, and on a non-FIS ski, these things happen even when.things aren't working perfectly.  This is what my coach calls:  "relying on ski technology."  As a racer the last thing you want to do is rely on ski technology.  The closer you become to perfect ski technique the faster speeds you will be able to generate and maintain as you ski through a course.  As a masters racer, your ski technique will probably never become perfect, however if you choose to ski on a FIS ski, you have a better chance at achieving mastery.  Why?  Because a FIS will not work properly without good technique where as a non-FIS ski will.  You will probably have more bad days with an FIS ski, however your good days with be really good because you know your technique is better.  So if you haven't already, give an FIS ski a try, it might take an adjustment, but it is guaranteed to improve your technique.