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Mantra 102 - where to mount it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bandit Man
Seems like you figured out the M102. It really is a quite accessible charger. Glad the forward mount works for you, too. I agree that the ski has a large sweet spot. I like that you spent so much time on it at Blackcomb...it’s made for that terrain and typical Blackcomb conditions. The 104 Free and M102 is a really effective daily driver combo for a place like WB. With your Rustler 11 and Proto to take in the deep days, you really have the span of PNW conditions covered. Now go try the K108 and tell us what you think. [emoji6]
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Don't tempt me. I had a code for Corbett's that makes the 2021 K108 $660CDN. I would love to own a K108, but the M102 specs are pretty perfect for what I want this ski to do. Which is to be my zoomer groomer ski at Whistler-Blackcomb when it hasn't snowed in awhile and the snow conditions can vary so much in a day. If it's deep and/or soft the R11s and Protos will be more fun.
Also glad I have the Enforcer 104 Free to complement the Mantra 102, for the days when I want to ski like a mortal.
I was considering getting an Enforcer 93 for groomer days but definitely don't need that now. The M102 is too awesome on groomers.
So I'm pretty happy with everything about my M102 experience. Really surprised that I didn't even notice the -9.0cm mount. Ha
And ya it's burly, but is very very skiable. The M102 has a feel that no other ski in my quiver has....it loves long arcs and hard snow and holds up through chop. It loves being on edge and going fast. So much stability, torsional stiffness....super solid and did I say they like going really fast ....without any vibration.
Loved it when you roll the M102 on edge on a fast groomer run and its 140mm tip locks in, then the whole ski does, and you can just press into your shin down through the ski and the speed gets crazy! Yet you feel so secure. There were also times yesterday that I would be railing a big turn on a groomer at mach looney and marvelling at how it holds an edge so well, but then I could stand up and throw it sideways too.
I also liked them on steep/chalky, spaced out bumps that had some ice patches underneath.....the M102 has amazing stability and edge hold; as I could get bite wherever and whenever I wanted....the only variable is your commitment (and remaining leg strength....I skied 30,000 vert feet on these yesterday, mostly at fairly stupidly high speeds, and ya I was pretty tired at the end of the day).
But my legs feel fine today...and +40cm new overnight and still snowing so it's a Proto day.....just woke up to this:
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Mantra 102 - where to mount it?
Similar tastes...
I’m running three skis for Daily Drivers now....all measure approx. 179cm...similar "specs" but different skis:
- M102 (140-102-123) - with STHs, for dust on crust, variable snow, icy groomers, raging
- Nordica Enforcer 104 (134-104-124) - with STHs, all around everything DD
- Elan Ripsticks 106 (143-106-120) - with Shifts, when I want a lighter ski for a DD and am going sidecountry
All the options/conditions are covered with those three.
For deeper snow days I have the R11 and Proto 118, both with Pivots. Just sold my Chetlers.
All I can say is my buddy bought my Bentchetlers cause I wasn’t using them because the Protos are so pivoty and good making the Chetlers redundant) and my green 2019 R11s are getting very jealous (pun....green?) as the Protos alway get pulled out for the pow days.
Why? The Protos rip the deep (more float) better than the R11s and where the Protos really excel (vs R11s) is slithering and slashing and slarving through powdery bumps (ie Fraggle on Blackcomb) at speed. The R11 tails do release nicely, but the Protos tails more so.
So I would say the Proto 118 is more fun than the R11s when shorter, quicker, non-carved (ie slarved), turns are also required, in addition to carving. The R11 is better if it’s a mix of hard pack, groomers, steeps and open pow.
My last two ski days last Sun/Mon (below) were on the Protos, which were so awesome....I know wrong thread/drift but man the Protos just make you look cool in pics.
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Mantra 102 - where to mount it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bandit Man
kc....please stop posting your awesome Whistler stoke. It gives me too much FOMO. 🤪
Haha. Sorry. Sunday was so good we skipped work/school on Monday to ski.
Heading back up to Whistler again tomorrow.... but laying very low (not leaving the cabin except to ski) as Whistler is a Covid hotspot right now.
And I really hope this Covid bs ends and you get back up here. We need to ski together one day with our similar quivers.
btw....looking like perfect M102 conditions....no fresh in a few days.
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Mantra 102 - where to mount it?
btw....my 5’6”, 128lb wife skied my M102s today.
She said they are “easy to ski”.
She loved them.
But she is a badass skier.
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Mantra 102 - where to mount it?
Skied my “177cm” M102s today....and yes they are really 179cm. I put them beside my 179cm Enforcers and 180cm Rustler 11s and the M102s are right between those. So they are not 177cm...I measure them at 179.5cm.
Perfect M102 conditions....3”-5” fresh pow at Whistler on some harder stuff underneath today. No one was there on BC Family Day and US Presidents Day.....maybe had one 10 min lineup at Harmony. Skied Peak chair most of the day. I’m getting close to 30 days in at Whistler...skiing under Covid....been able to reserve every day I want....and other than the gong show line getting up in the am it’s better. As there are less lines all day.
Back to the M102 ski. Yes these absolutely rip. They've made me love dust on crust. Great edge hold on tough snow. And it’s really up to me as the skier as to how fast I want to go. The only times these don’t “perform” well is when you get a bit lazy. Which I can do...and I have a tweaked knee. So mostly it’s my fault. But what I’ve found is that they still will let you live even if you stand up and just throw them sideways. They will look a bit sad/disappointed if you slither and slide more than a few turns. They’re like “come on” we can do this. Just drive me. And go faster please. One interesting thing...skiing these in zero visibility is not fun....they need to be skied, and driven, so when you are schlepping down steeps, in a white-out they can be hard to manage...as you can't see where to ski., and they are not forgiving in those moments.
To be honest I think I am a better overall skier on my Nordica Enforcer 104s....simply as I feel we’re equals. I know that is like blasphemy to admit on tgr....but on the Enforcer 104 I rip hard anywhere, at any speed and turn type and I feel that they are part of me. That I am in control. They are easy yet still pretty solid.
In comparison, there’s times on the M102, when I’m hauling ass down something at a stupid speed, it’s steep and icy and I somehow have forgotten to slow down (the M102s trick you as they are so stable, your brain doesn’t realize you are going way too fast). Then I’m like.... one of us is gonna get hurt here. And it’s not the ski. You can tell in your legs too when you've skiied the M102s hard all day.
PS I’m mounted a bit forward (+0.5cm) of the +2cm line. They ski fine there. I’d even go a bit more forward. ie to +1cm in front of front line to make them a bit more pivoty... if I were to mount again. But I like them where I am too.
For those of you missing Whistler....here’s the view of last rock pitch just before you get off Peak Chair....seen through some M102s.
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