I’m glad I saw that. It will help me justify buying more
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I’m glad I saw that. It will help me justify buying more
SKI QUIVER PRINCIPLES:
Every ski must be “hell yeah!” when I grab it from the truck. If not, sell it.
Don’t talk about gear with non-gear people. For instance, if someone says “you have “XX” pairs of skis???” Or if their 1st question is “what did those skis cost”? Immediately change the subject. Those people will NEVER get it. Don’t waste time explaining. Go post on tgr if you want to get feedback.
To me ~9 skis in a quiver is ideal (in 3 categories…..with ~3 skis in each category). I’ve had larger quivers (up to 12 skis) and it just gets confusing as to what to ski.
My 3 ski categories are:
Pow (deep snow specialty) skis ~120mm
After-pow soft-snow daily driver skis ~112-116mm
Low-tide skis ~ <105mm
Note re skis with a waist width ~106mm – 110mm..... I’ve owned lots of good skis in that waist width in the past. But when on that middle ground width I often find I either want narrower or wider ski? My preference is always to go wider, as we ski Baker, Whitewater, Red and WB the most.
In each ski category:
1 full rocker/flat rocker ski,
1 heavier ski,
1 lighter ski = 1 ski you can walk on (Duke PT or CAST).
For some reason I seem to kinda like at least 2 skis from a single manufacturer? Themes/brands I like…
4FRNT – always loved Hoji’s shapes (and have a CPA company called Forefront Consulting Ltd.)
Nordica - build is pretty durable, the Enforcer shapes work for me.
Season - I’ve always liked Eric Pollard’s stuff. The Aero and Pass fit my style perfectly.
Line – had Opuses, Bacons in the past....newBlade Optic fits my style…burly yet easy to ski,
Armada - like the beveled tips, the Whitewater is a crazy ski...gotta have one crazy in the quiver
Faction Candide 5.0 – great pow ski...that can ski anywhere....though the Season Pass is giving it a run. This may get sold to get a Renegade again.
Clamps:
A like mix of Pivot 15s, STH 16s, Duke PT 15s and/or CAST for inbounds/sidecountry. No Shifts. Never had a problem with Shifts in the past, it’s just the strength and durability seems suspect and I prefer Duke PTs in that role?
I like ATK for specific backcountry…I currently have a pair of ATK 14s that are looking for a ski (which will likely be a Hoji 4-Lock next year).
Lengths and mount positions:
I'm 5'7", 167 lbs. Pow and rockered skis are the longest skis in the quiver (~183-185cm). Other skis (179-181cm). My mount point sweet spots are -4 cm to -7 cm.
2023 QUIVER:
CATEGORY 1: DEEP POW (>116mm)
————————————------------------
183 cm Faction Candide 5.0 + STH -5.0 148/122/140
183 cm Armada Whitewalker 121 + CAST -6.0 141/121/137
183 cm Season Forma + Pivot -6.7 148/118/138
Wondering if the Seasons Pass replaces the CT5? Thinking of buying a Renegade again (if sell the Candide).
CATEGORY 2: TRACKED OUT RESORT POW and/or AFTER-POW DD (107mm - 116mm)
———————————----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
185cm Season Pass + Duke PT -4.0 148/116/144
178/180cm Line Blade Optic + STH -7.0 139/114/132
184cm 4FRNT Hoji + Pivot -6.7 128/112/120
CATEGORY 3: LOW-TIDE DD (<105mm)
---------------------------------------------------------
184 cm 4FRNT Raven + Duke PT -5.8 121/104/112
180 cm Season Aero + STH -3.3 125/96/122
179 cm Nordica Enforcer 88 + Pivot -7.1 122/88/111
Prolly selling the E88....skied it 1 day. Prefer the Aero. Maybe a Line Optic 104?
Nice quiver! Well thought out, well put together.Quote:
Originally Posted by kc_7777
“Note re skis with a waist width ~106mm – 110mm..... I’ve owned lots of good skis in that waist width in the past. But when on that middle ground width I often find I either want narrower or wider ski?”
I have had this same feeling for years. Keep trying 106-110mm wide skis and they always are meh. I don’t hate them for touring, but even then it’s only to save some grams on the up. I’m probably going to put up for sale my ZX108s for this reason. Just aren’t quite right inbounds or for lift access backcountry.
Interesting re: the 106-110. That’s been my sweet spot in recent years and some of my favorite skis - ranger 107, Corvus, and Q Lab have occupied that slot.
Seems like I need to get on more 11X skis.
^^^ that Hoji / P18 color match is beautiful
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I like your theory KC. Too many/too much overlap for me personally but it is well thought out. I feel exactly the same way about skis 100-110. They are quiver killers. I want my low tide skis to be sub 100 so I can get a proper grip on groomers, and if it is a soft day, 110+ is just as bad on firm as 106/108, but so much better in the deep. I run one ski per each of your categories, but have a touring and an inbounds quiver so 6 total. Works well for me.
To add to my "quiver theory/principles"….Quote:
Originally Posted by TeleBeaver
I don’t ski groomers all day. When I do its just for a couple of runs until the alpine opens. Then a 96mm ski with metal is enough. Just sold my Enforcer 88s to a buddy. Great ski. But too narrow. Cause the 96mm Aero provides plenty of grip on groomers, and is still pretty damp and powerful enough for skiing fast. But rips better off piste at 96mm...for where we ski.
I think my ideal quiver looks like this:
CATEGORY 1
3 - 4 cult skis~116mm-122mm for deep pow:
- 1 swallowtail,
- 1 heavy (>2,200gm+ per ski?),
- 1 lighter (~1,800gm) with CAST or Duke PT.
- 1 freakin’ wide (>130mm),
CATEGORY 2
3 skis ~112mm-114mm for resort pow and soft/packed pow:
- 1 rockered,
- 1 heavy with metal (~2,200 gm per ski),
- 1 playful ski for trees.
CATEGORY 3
3 skis ~96mm-104mm for after-pow, low-tide, hard snow:
- 1 rockered,
- 1 heavier with metal (~2,100 gm per ski) ,
- 1 with CAST or Duke PT.
Sold the Candide 5.0 and bot a Pon2oon.
Sold the E88 and bot a K2 Reckoner 112 as the playful ski in Category 2.
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Awesome quiver Norseman! Love the orange fks on those Comp R99s
Great quiver :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Norseman
Glad the BMT94s have a spot in that lineup
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Attachment 455483
Need to clear out a bit & reorganize for 23/24
177cm Black Crows Divus : wife has stolen this ski
180cm Heritage Lab’s r99
184cm custom (extra metal / 2x glass) Renoun Endurance 88
184cm Volkl Kendo
183 Blizzard Bonofide Retro Shop Version
184 Black Crows Atris - Swiss Cheese
188 Black Crows Corvus
Attachment 455484
^plus a bunch of race skis :)
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...09d8eac13e.jpg
Rounded out the season with the best 5-ski quiver I can come up with. I ski the Ravens or the Daemon’s almost 90% of the time.
-187 OG 4FRNT Hoji with Pivot 15’s
(added this ski this year as I have never had a dedicated pow ski, and loved it.
-183 Black Crows Daemon with STH13’s
(Super versatile and fun resort ski, absolutely crushes in bumps/crud but can still rail on groomers)
-184 4FRNT Ravens with Trab Titan 1.0
(Favorite ski of the bunch, super easy to ski in bad conditions, and really fun in good conditions. Also the Trab 1.0 binding is the GOAT of beefy race bindings)
-178 Blizzard Zero G 95 with Trab Titan 2.0
(Great for steep, technical stuff in firm conditions. More precise than the Raven with better edge hold. I used to have the old version of this ski and liked it even better. The Titan 2.0 is nearly as good as the original, but not quite as solid)
-171 Blizzard Zero G 85 with Dyna-Plum
(Great for long walks in May or June) I don’t ski these that often, but it’s super nice to have a solid ski that is so light. Excellent mountain tools.
Boots: Scarpa Quattro XT and F1 LT
What else do I need? I’d love to add an even wider, dedicated touring ski like a Renegade, but I’m not sure how often I’d use them. Another ski I’ve been hunting for is the last generation La Sportiva Vapor Nano, as I think that is an ideal ski for low-angle powder touring, which I end up doing a lot of most seasons.
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Nice quiver PJ5! I think we share similar taste in long sidecut, long rocker skis. I agree that you should consider a fat and light flotation device. I resisted until this season when I got Voile Hyper V8s, which I have really enjoyed and gotten a lot of use out of. They kind of go against everything I believe in when it comes to ski shape, but they are cheap and durable, and I only use them in great snow. They are the worst firm snow skis I have ever used, by far. I know they are light years more robust than the Vapor Nano. Someday I'd love a full carbon Moonlight Cruiser, but the price is nuts.
This years quiver
Attachment 456475
From right to left.
Backcountry:
188cm QST 106 w/MTN @ +1.75. Was my touring DD. Retired at this point. Just never really got along with it as well as I would liked.
189cm Steeple 102s w/MTN. My longest standing ski in the quiver. Recently remounted after spending the last 3 seasons as my rock skis with maybe 10 total days. Easily 275 days at this point on them overall, figured I was done with the QSTs and I'd rather use the Steeples for spring touring and early season touring next year. Really glad I did, these things fucking rip.
184cm Black Crows Camox Birdie w/ATK Haute Route. Company provided "light" touring sticks. I like them quite a bit in consistent soft snow but I don't think they fit in my quiver enough to hold on too. Need something a little more ski mountaineering focused in this spot.
184cm Wagner Customs w/MTN. 105mm underfoot, about 2kg mounted. These were my best friend's that he had made to honor our close friend who passed away. I couldn't leave them unmounted after he passed too... and it turns out they are great for for soft snow hunting in low angle trees and below treeline chutes. They do what the Black Crows do better with a bit more weight. Always feels good to get them out on a bit of an adventure that my friends would have enjoyed.
Inbounds:
186cm Sickles w/CAST. One of the greatest skis ever made, IYKYK. Mine are pretty clapped at this point, almost as much PTex as base material and one cracked edge. Have a pre-order in for Marshall's FR110 to replace these potentially, but we'll see if they have the same do-it-all magic.
192cm MFree 108s w/Pivot 15. Picked these up this year as a potential Sickle replacement, ended up daily driving them most of the rest of the season. I get the hype, easy to slash and slarve while loving the fall line and handling chop/chunder with composure. Makes you want to jump off every little side hit and cliff in sight while seek out soft snow piles. They don't love the tight trees and funk like the Sickles but few skis do. These will continue to be my go-to for anything from firm-ish to 8" of fresh overnight on a soft base.
184cm ASYM Billy Goats w/STH 16. Favorite resort pow ski of all time. Where I ski when it's deep pow we are often in the trees and the 184cm size just eats that kind of terrain up. Fast turns or slow it will come around and do what you need and be a blast in the process. I kind of want a longer version of this ski these days. Wish I could find a SG when I have enough money to justify it.
200cm Kastle from 1988 (?). Best free box score EVER. They somehow fit my boots and I've had a blast ripping them during night skiing and in the spring slush in costume. Every skier needs to try a pair of real straights to know how far we've come.
Thoughts for next year...
With the FR110s on the way I think my inbound quiver is solid for now. I spent maybe 5% of my total skiing this year on a groomer and my quiver works great for that. I don't see the need for anything else outside of maybe a Super Goat style ski for big alpine pow days/charging and after reading that pow skis thread I'm think that maybe I'm missing out on having something larger than 120mm though.
My touring quiver needs work. I need something fatter than 110 for how much pow touring I actually do (at least 30-40 days a year, mostly low angle considering how SW Colorado's snowpack is). Tough to narrow down what that ski will be at this point though. I also need something skinnier for spring too. Lots of skis to consider in that category as well, but I have a lot of time to think on that one before next spring.
You're welcome to try my 187 Woodsman 110 tours, though it's not really the season for it. I probably should have remembered to make that offer earlier in the season. Given your love for the Steeple, it does seem like the 187 BGT 118 would be worth a gander.Quote:
Originally Posted by ASmileyFace
I'm awfully sorry to hear about your friends passing. That sucks.
Not a fully mounted quiver, but they are skis, and what I'll be skiing next season.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...748030963f.jpg
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What’s the flex on the c90 like?
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Damnit Arild, that's hawt. I got so much want for R87Comp, C90, and FL105 I don't know even where to begin...Quote:
Originally Posted by arild
Heehee. We need to ski together at some point.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...271e5c7625.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by waxoff
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These are protos, and pretty damn stiff! I'm trying to source some lightweight bindings for them on the cheap before all the snow is gone.Quote:
Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn
Tip rocker profile is reminiscent of a scaled down 132, except with a camber pocket, then the tail rocker is long and low. Marshal is working at refining them after skiing them for a bit, though, and from what I've seen, they'll turn out great.
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Yeah, that'd be great 😃👍Quote:
Originally Posted by arild
Very curious about the C90 as well. I’m split between the 177 and 184. Do they ski pretty short? I feel like my 184 ravens are just right, but going down to a 177 would be really nice for the spring.Quote:
Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn
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Weekend warrior mostly skiing at Mammoth.
Attachment 462411
Attachment 462416
Nice quiver. Always will respect seeing a Sickle in the wild.Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerMonkey
The Stranger is a great ski for what it's meant for. I might need something like that to make taking it easy on groomers a little more interesting once I get the go ahead.
Will be interested to see what you think of the FR110 as I am looking for a replacement for these soon as well. Have tried Volkl Ones, 4frnt devs, mfrees, all looking for something close but no cigar. There's no other ski I would rather take when I have to travel and can only bring 1 pair.Quote:
Originally Posted by ASmileyFace
I picked up the strangers this year and have only a few days so far but they are a definite recommend from me. Some days your with a shredder crew and thats when the pro-riders come out. But most days the crew you are with is slower than you, so you use these to carve back and forth across the entire run, pop off sidehits, and do wheelies and butters. They also get more comments in the lift line than the swallow-tail pescados.
I am so hyped for the FR110, they have everything a new age Sickle should have. Sadly I had to cancel my pre-order. I broke my femur in an accident on April 28th and I needed the cash influx more than a new pair of skis for next season. If everything goes perfectly I might be lightly skiing groomers by January. I'll be patiently waiting to hear everyone's feedback in the Heritage Lab thread. If all goes to plan I'll try and pick up a pair around the spring once I'm back to full speed. I also might be in the market for a Stranger type ski to fill that chill cruiser category.Quote:
Originally Posted by KillerMonkey
Fingers crossed I have a reason to buy a couple pairs of skis next season.
Attachment 469434
Quiver is coming together nicely.
Original 183 Bentchetler
183 Volkl Katana
180 Rossignol Sender Ti
174 Fischer Motiv 95
178 Black Crows Captis
Katana and Bentchetlers were my new adds this week.
Sender Ti are just wow and work really well for me.
The other two my get changed out later this year.
I sized down after the ankle break. So far no regrets and my skiing benefited from it.
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Current quiverAttachment 469460
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Nice quiver with some good skis. Good to see an even dozen pair, of fairly recent models in one quiver. I'm at 11 pair and want to go +1. This somehow makes me feel better.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr C
KC
Love the reckoner next to the m102.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr C
How do you choose between the black ops, wildcat and deathwish?
BO was a late season pick up and is phenomenal. It has me thinking of dumping the WC, but keeping the DW for the triple camber novelty, which I like. May dump both the Moments if I can get on the Sender 110 and it is anything like a narrow BO…that is better in firmer conditions.
Actually also have unmounted Brahma 82 and JJ 116. So feel good about going +3.
Here was what I was going into this winter season with.
Just sold off the caught and released the volkls. Still looking for a more playful inbounds pow ski to replace/complement the BGs but decided the r121s weren't it.
Planning to move the voyagers from the bg108t to the wrapped dwts and sell those off as well.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...4b51a6419c.jpg
What would you call the r121's?Quote:
Originally Posted by eSock
They probably fit in that category but looking for something a little more...versatile? looking at maybe mfree 118, vision 118, jeff 118, or if i still wanna go 12X width, reason rc 120. who knows, maybe the r121 was the right choice but found a mag looking for the exact model I had and I was on the fence so I let em go.
Reckoner 122Quote:
Originally Posted by eSock
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Did some ski organizing today. Kids now and in waiting……
Attachment 472189
Custom Charlie Murphy’s? Damn those are nice. Nice kid quiverQuote:
Originally Posted by Doremite
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Pretty sure I scored those from Optics whose kid grew out of them quicker than he anticipated. At that time ON3P offered a few different top sheet options “stock,” so our kids aren’t THAT spoiled =)Quote:
Originally Posted by nickbokhoven
Going through the same thing when I got my BO 118. My 21 Wildcats weren’t used at all last season as the BO 118 are much more versatile. I even picked up a backup pair of them at 45% last Spring from Tatum Monod’s family store thanks to a Corbetts price match.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr C
Picked up a set of Sender Free 110 off my Corbetts contact this summer that I know I’ll love too. Almost exact same rocker profile, effective edge and flex pattern(just a bit stiffer throughout) to the BO 118. They won’t have the same mass but the rubber damping tip/tail does extend into the tip/tail area which was a concern of mine and the air tip makes the swing weight insanely low. Think they will be awesome in the trees!
Awesome quiver btw!
Like the BO 118, the heavy builds 21 CT 2.0 and CT 1.0 made me eliminate my former Enforcer 104/93, Rustler 9, Kendo 88, Menace 98, Fisher 102 FR etc.
Disappointing they only made these for 1 year before their weights dropped 400gr the next year and glad I have backups of both.