Obsethed, Pon2oon, Hellbent
Hi this is my first post. This my story and Q.
Next winter i'll be 67. I am intermediate ski, still hoping to ski better.
I am a big fan of Obsethed. I have 3 pairs in different degree of wear. All 179, for resort. To me it is not a pow ski, but a crud ski. Because there is no powder day inside, only first half an hour is, and powder day in resort really means a crud day. And from my point of view Obsethed is amazing in crud converting it almost in the powder. Also what is amazing to me in Obsethed is forgiveness. Like when you sit deep on the inner ski, and the next thing will be a side slide on your hip, and then boom - the wide tip bites the snow, the soft rocker bends in an arc like a recurve bow, and voila you are standing again, as if it never happened.
But my Q is not about resort, but exclusively backcountry snow skiing. For BC (i.e. real pow) I also have Obsethed (well Missdirected), but 169, i.e. 10 cm shorter. I am absolutely happy with the ski, but I'll be upgrading my G3 Onyx binder next winter (thinking Atomic Backland). As I'll do, I am thinking, but what about ski, may be Pontoon or Hellbent?
So all my following concerns are exclusively about real powder skiing, this ski will never see a resort (well only in gondola).
I have read all I possibly can, and my impression is that Hellbent is basically a very similar in feel to Obsethed, only bigger.
And Pon2oon is for faster skiing, it is stiffer and allows more charging.
There are two types of backcountry skiing I do. First is very low aspect terrain. Absolutely not exposed. Mostly do it completely alone. Easy walk up, mellow runs, you draw a beautiful line on the snow, make a picture or two, repeat couple times, take a solo skiout under gondola when everyone gone and sleep well. This is actually where I think the bigger ski will be beneficial. On good snow my Missdirected flows nicely on this terrain, but on wetter snow there are section when it is barely enough for floating. Will Poon2oon or Hellbent float earlier? Am I correct? or it will be the same and I should not bother, just remount new binders 2 cm back from current holes (currently on +2)??
The second type of BC skiing is a 45 degree chute. I go with a friend who knows those by heart, lucky to have a personal guide of highest quality. I am extremely conservative there. It is not real skiing, it is from one stop to another, may be a sequence of linked jump turns, radically different from what I would do in resort on the open section. I actually think the kind of ski doesn't matter for that, it will be the same, Hellbents or Poon2oons or Obsetheds.. But again I don't know.
So the Q is, for that kind of skiing I do, will Pontoon or hellbent be beneficial? Is it possible that I will regret going away from my Obsetheds? (Can't think it may be worse feel, but who knows, stranger things happened... )
Weight wise Pon2oon is actually the same weight as Missdirected, so I can probably go even 179 (thinking even more float, and because the mounting point is few cm back from Obsethed it will be not that detrimental for my steep jumps) and because I'll save like 600 grams on new binders it will be lighter. Hellbent 169 will be 400 grams heavier than Obsethed so I end up slightly lighter than my current setup.
But I understand that all of this is a theory, so I am asking practical advice from those of your who skied those three (at least two) models. Thank you.
1 Attachment(s)
Obsethed, Pon2oon, Hellbent
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Andrew_1954
just got my Line Pescado today. with atomic backland. Pescado is as big as Pontoon, but weights 1 kilo less, 3600 gr on my scale. Plus from what I read on TGF in other threads its perfect for low angle terrain. And indeed the shape is unique... huge shovel, mounting point back, huge dimension. So for me the case is closed, no hellbents or pontoons this time. As for right conditions - this will be skied in backcountry only, my Obsethed will be for inbounds. Atomic Backland - is 800 gr per pair. And 120 break (their biggest) just fits on my 125 Pescado. May be ill bent it 1 mm, but may be even not. Ill have some Qs about the mounting point but Ill ask those in appropriate Pescado threads
Not the Peacado and would love to own if I could justify its width (if I make to Japan they will be purchased), but have 2 pairs of the Sakana... This is usually not my type of ski but had a chance try them and immediately fell in love... The ski is fun as hell, carves like a champ and ended up being a killer spring corn/cream cheese ski... I am 6’4” and 205lb and had it in 6+ inches a couple of times and floated like a champ and was so splashy - smiles all day... Still not parting with my chargers but loved the Sakana so much purchased a back up pair with Pollards departure from line...
For what you are looking for the Pescado seems like a perfect fit... Still would love to have a need for that ski...Attachment 376317
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Obsethed, Pon2oon, Hellbent
Hoard them all to your pleasure, as well as Gold Gotamas. Keep your swallow tails, too.
But I'm going to go ahead and say it-- There is one ski for Japan and it's a Renegade. (I've never been on a Protest, but those kids claim the same thing.)
