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There are lots of deals floating around for these online, but little in the way of reviews. I figured people would appreciate some info.
Ski stats:
Stated length: 187
Measured tip-to-tail length: 186
Sidecut: 137-118-128
Radius: 28.6 m
Recommended mounting point: -6 from true centre
I have my skis set up mounted at recommended (-6) with 916s for 292 bsl.
My stats:
5'8" 165 lbs, 31 years old, based in Vancouver, BC. I grew up racing but now I'm washed up.
I generally seek out skis that carve well and perform in a wide variety of conditions and terrain. My favourite skis over the years have been 182 Moment Garbones (112) and 190 Bibby Pros, 188 Rossi S7 and RC 112, 4frnt EHP and Renegade. I haven't found a ski I have hated, but those that don't last long in my quiver usually lack versatility.
Flex, shape and observations
The skis are quite stiff overall, stiffest in the forebody and underfoot. They soften just a touch in the very tips and from just behind the heelpiece back. Overall, they're a hair softer than my Garbones.
Camber/rocker profile is posted at the bottom (credit thatdkid). They have mild tip rocker with relatively little splay, low camber for much of the length of the ski, and a very low tail rocker.
Review (so far)
I have 3 days on my A-Stars. The first day was entirely spent ripping groomers at Manning Park. The second and third days were at Whistler, with 15 cm of fresh, relatively light snow over a hard rain crust, which became chopped up and bumped.
If I had to sum these skis up in a couple words, I would call them a newschool charger.
It took me a few runs to figure these out on groomers. Unlike other skis I have been using recently, the tips don't pull the ski into the turn as strongly at turn initiation. My first few attempts at carving resulted in the outside ski diverging. What I figured out is that, similar to a race GS ski, these ski need a patient turn initiation, letting them run deeper in the turn to establish solid pressure on the outside ski before moving laterally. Once I figured this out, I was railing GS and felt nostalgia for my glory days of running gates. They are powerful and have solid edge hold. They are just maybe not as forgiving a carver as some other options and need some speed and space to come alive.
What surprised me more is how well they do short turns. My recent experience with wider-tipped skis is that of tips biting at initiation, and sliding tails through the turns. In contrast, the tapered, narrow tips are smoothly slid to the desired radius, with strong, carved turn completion from the tails.
These observations on groomers carry over to how the skis perform in other areas. As expected, they are good at ripping big, open turns, but they do well in tight spots and trees. Their tip design, slight tail rise and forward mount make them easy to disengage, but the sidecut and camber keeps them snappy. At low speeds in very tight terrain, they are a bit of work, requiring deliberate movements to make them turn, but they come alive at higher speeds, which allowed me to whip through the trees. They also do well in bumps, which I attribute to the tip shape. Other skis with bigger tips tend to grab and engage in each bump, whereas these allow more of a smear.
I'd like to get them out on a true power day before commenting on float, but a few runs in untouched boot deep snow gave me an idea of what to expect. Because they are stiff, they need some speed to float. But once you let them run, they are smooth and surfy, but the camber makes them somewhat playful.
The big question you probably have is, are these too much ski? I'd say that for someone with a strong technical background, they make a great all-rounder. A softer ski will be more fun and playful in pure pow, but these have enough heft to not fall apart in chop and at high speeds while still being maneuverable. For someone who skis a bit slower or who isn't used to making quick moves while at a good clip, these will likely feel like a lot of ski, and there are probably better options out there.
In comparison to some other skis I have used, they remind me most of the 186 4FRNT Renegade, which was another ski I'd put in the newschool charger category, with a stiff flex and long-ish turn radius, but a forward mount and design that allows them to get loose. My main complaint with the Renegade was their full reverse camber, which resulted in a lack of stability in rough snow, and made them tricky for making snappy turns in trees. The camber on the A-Star helps in both respects, drastically increasing versatility. They are slightly less smooth and surfy in untouched snow, but it's a trade-off I'm fine with.
Compared to my trusty 182 Moment Garbones (112-waist), the A-Star is easier in bumps and tight spots and easier to disengage, but not as solidly locked in or intuitive for high-speed carves on groomed runs.
Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. I will report back again after a few more days on the skis.
Ski stats:
Stated length: 187
Measured tip-to-tail length: 186
Sidecut: 137-118-128
Radius: 28.6 m
Recommended mounting point: -6 from true centre
I have my skis set up mounted at recommended (-6) with 916s for 292 bsl.
My stats:
5'8" 165 lbs, 31 years old, based in Vancouver, BC. I grew up racing but now I'm washed up.
I generally seek out skis that carve well and perform in a wide variety of conditions and terrain. My favourite skis over the years have been 182 Moment Garbones (112) and 190 Bibby Pros, 188 Rossi S7 and RC 112, 4frnt EHP and Renegade. I haven't found a ski I have hated, but those that don't last long in my quiver usually lack versatility.
Flex, shape and observations
The skis are quite stiff overall, stiffest in the forebody and underfoot. They soften just a touch in the very tips and from just behind the heelpiece back. Overall, they're a hair softer than my Garbones.
Camber/rocker profile is posted at the bottom (credit thatdkid). They have mild tip rocker with relatively little splay, low camber for much of the length of the ski, and a very low tail rocker.
Review (so far)
I have 3 days on my A-Stars. The first day was entirely spent ripping groomers at Manning Park. The second and third days were at Whistler, with 15 cm of fresh, relatively light snow over a hard rain crust, which became chopped up and bumped.
If I had to sum these skis up in a couple words, I would call them a newschool charger.
It took me a few runs to figure these out on groomers. Unlike other skis I have been using recently, the tips don't pull the ski into the turn as strongly at turn initiation. My first few attempts at carving resulted in the outside ski diverging. What I figured out is that, similar to a race GS ski, these ski need a patient turn initiation, letting them run deeper in the turn to establish solid pressure on the outside ski before moving laterally. Once I figured this out, I was railing GS and felt nostalgia for my glory days of running gates. They are powerful and have solid edge hold. They are just maybe not as forgiving a carver as some other options and need some speed and space to come alive.
What surprised me more is how well they do short turns. My recent experience with wider-tipped skis is that of tips biting at initiation, and sliding tails through the turns. In contrast, the tapered, narrow tips are smoothly slid to the desired radius, with strong, carved turn completion from the tails.
These observations on groomers carry over to how the skis perform in other areas. As expected, they are good at ripping big, open turns, but they do well in tight spots and trees. Their tip design, slight tail rise and forward mount make them easy to disengage, but the sidecut and camber keeps them snappy. At low speeds in very tight terrain, they are a bit of work, requiring deliberate movements to make them turn, but they come alive at higher speeds, which allowed me to whip through the trees. They also do well in bumps, which I attribute to the tip shape. Other skis with bigger tips tend to grab and engage in each bump, whereas these allow more of a smear.
I'd like to get them out on a true power day before commenting on float, but a few runs in untouched boot deep snow gave me an idea of what to expect. Because they are stiff, they need some speed to float. But once you let them run, they are smooth and surfy, but the camber makes them somewhat playful.
The big question you probably have is, are these too much ski? I'd say that for someone with a strong technical background, they make a great all-rounder. A softer ski will be more fun and playful in pure pow, but these have enough heft to not fall apart in chop and at high speeds while still being maneuverable. For someone who skis a bit slower or who isn't used to making quick moves while at a good clip, these will likely feel like a lot of ski, and there are probably better options out there.
In comparison to some other skis I have used, they remind me most of the 186 4FRNT Renegade, which was another ski I'd put in the newschool charger category, with a stiff flex and long-ish turn radius, but a forward mount and design that allows them to get loose. My main complaint with the Renegade was their full reverse camber, which resulted in a lack of stability in rough snow, and made them tricky for making snappy turns in trees. The camber on the A-Star helps in both respects, drastically increasing versatility. They are slightly less smooth and surfy in untouched snow, but it's a trade-off I'm fine with.
Compared to my trusty 182 Moment Garbones (112-waist), the A-Star is easier in bumps and tight spots and easier to disengage, but not as solidly locked in or intuitive for high-speed carves on groomed runs.
Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. I will report back again after a few more days on the skis.
Like these skis so much, that I will be hauling these up to mountains this winter. Perfect ski for variable snow up here in Finland and Norway. 
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