193 Bigdaddies:What else compares

I skied my bigdaddies (1st gen w/ mount anything plate) for the first time yesterday and they were about as perfect as I can imagine a ski to be. I was a little scurred because of their rep, but found them incredibly easy to ski. No fresh snow(go Bigsky!), but they came around nicely on steep stuff and were quick in some trees. Absolutely powered over choppy snow. Very confidence inspiring. Found them to automatically know and go exactly where I wanted them to.

What else compares?
Ant's? Squads?

Skis & thoughts
King Salmon: Nice ski, Poppy
179 Bro:Same as above, better float
Both of these have their place in uber tight lines/moguls but have left something to be desired in open terrain

188 Ak Launcher: Soft, Easy, scary at speed on groomers (could be the tune, or lack thereof... or the compressed edge)
188 Bro's: Mounted with NX01, Withholding judgement because I think the Naxo's were flexy as hell. Nice light/quick ski.

I think Squads have the stability and limitless speed of the BDs, but I don't think they're as easy to ski when you're not pushing it 100%. I think a better stand-in would be the 193 EHP because it is easy to ski. Of course all of this speculation is probably worthless because I haven't actually skied either the squads or the ehps.

from talking to people, ANTs are very similar. They ski a little shorter, and according to the flex index, are a little softer, with very similar dimensions. I've heard it's a more playful version of the BD.

Although they're nearly the same dimensions, I like the ANTs a lot more. I had first-gen Big Daddies, hated them: dead, planky (stiff but not in a good way). I like the ANTs well enough to keep them; they're not a favorite (prefer Explosivs), but they're nearly ideal as a quiver-of-one.

Dead is a way to describe them. I did think that they lacked "energy" for being as stiff as they were. I only noticed it on the groomed runouts when carving. It doesn't matter to me so much there. I did get some good "pop" in transitions between short turns on steep terrain.
Looks like I'm keeping my eyes open for the cheaper Ants. Does the year matter? Seems to a decent change from last year to this year

06 and 07 ANTs are the same from what I've read, other than the graphic. Armada's site says the 07 is softened up a bit but people seem to think it's identical or an extremely minor change. I ski the 06 (flower graphic) and hand flexed the 07 and it feels the same to me. It's a great versatile ski, good stiffness but still soft enough to through around. It does ski short, does not feel like 191 at all (due to twin tip).

I will second the EHP idea. I had the original BDs and other than not handling groomers as well, the EHP has a lot of the same characteristics, especially in soft snow.