Hell yeah...Quote:
Originally Posted by marshalolson
Shoot me a PM with your Tele # again, I destroyed my old phone and lost all of my numbers.
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Hell yeah...Quote:
Originally Posted by marshalolson
Shoot me a PM with your Tele # again, I destroyed my old phone and lost all of my numbers.
According to this big haus (235 pounds): http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=240 and Lou Dawson's expirement: http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=379Quote:
Originally Posted by shasti
"I skied these bindings with my Lange Comp 120 alpine boots and could feel no difference flex-wise between the NX21 and my Marker Comp 1400’s. This is a solid clamp."
and
... "Due to inherent error in any mechanical testing system, I’m confident in saying the Marker alpine (Marker M1100 Titanium), Freeride and Naxo Nx21 bindings are all essentially equal in lateral twisting stiffness, while the Pure and Naxo NXO1 are clearly much looser. Marker and Dynafit are the clear winners overall — stiffer than the alpine binding and the Freeride"
I'm not planning on running these on groomers, bumps and park... I'm looking for nice snow in the backcountry. I hope that Naxos don't get thrown out w/ the duke revolution bath-water.
I think I'm going with NX21s on my praxis, after Lemon Boy recommended putting touring bindings on fun shapes. I'm pretty sure I'm not a good enough skier to notice any extra slop :) Can't see that skinning reverse camber/reverse sidecut skis will be any problem. Sure icy traverses aren't going to happen but thats not what these will be for, and a little reverse camber might actually help settle the underfoot part of the ski better.
I'd kinda like to put some turntables on but the brake bending looks like a PITA.
Tried my new Pontoons for the first time yesterday, just on groomers (barely any natural snow yet) to find out what I was in for. Figured they'd be hell and I'd need to practice before skiing with anyone else, but was pleasantly surprised - maybe because I expected them to be almost unskiable on harder snow.
Conditions were spring-like: sun-softened to a few inches depth. The clown shoes actually CARVED and weren't that spooky at all. They seem to like really short radius turns, maybe the edge of the ski underfoot was sinking enough that the tip and tail edge could touch the snow and wham - they'd load up and snap out a turn. Can't imagine how well they must turn in deep pow, gotta be incredible. They don't inspire hauling ass on groomers or hitting park stunts, but they get down to the lift perfectly fine. They do begin to hurt the inside of your legs at the boot tops after working on carving for awhile, the wide waists transfer a lot of pressure. Had enough after two hours and went back to regular mid-fats -cruising speed quadrupled.
On a side note, you know Mt High, CA is 99% snowboarders when NOBODY notices a pair of Pontoons in the lift line, on a zero-powder day no less. Just another "dork skier" I guess.
^^^^^Pontoons at Mt Dry! Love it! (Spent the better part of my life in Whittier...with a Mt. Dry Season Pass, now spending the best part in WA)
Pontoons are surprising easy to ski on groomers and in the fluff they are magical. It's the in between that I'm not sure about. Curious how useful you'll find them at a place like Mammoth, were more often then not it is skied out crud. I'm not that big of a fan of the Toons here in WA when it gets tracked out...
185 Praxis on the other hand...they seem to ski it all (rip in the tracked out), but groomers are more or less survival skiing.
Yesterday AKBruin and I swapped skis for a few runs: my 189 Pontoons and his 195 Praxis.
IMHO both ski more similar than different. "Rocker" is the key here. I think we both had concurring thoughts, in ascending order of importance:
Pontoons
- goes over the crud
- perhaps better for straightlining
- easier to handle on groomers and runouts to the lifts
- larger tip and forebody provides greater surface area on the top sheet allowing more room for stickers
Praxis
- goes through the crud rather than smearing over it
- easier to turn on the dime
- prettier graphics
Pontoons
I've had mine for about 1-1/2 seasons and I beat the crap out of them. I've skied over and down rock chutes, across rock windblown runouts, etc. They are durable.
Perfect in pow; decent in groomers and soft bumps. All you need is soft.
In cut up pow they are work (isn't any ski?) and the tips ride up and bounce around. But once you get used to it, it's like water skiing over choppy water but not as bad I would have feared. A bit unorthodox but very tolerable. However, the chopped up pow is where I think the Praxis may outshine the Pontoon providing a smoother ride
I have not skied the DP Lotus; Armada ARG does not appeal to me because it's too short. I am interested in the Solly Rocker.
FYI: 6'2" 190 lbs
Spats since 05
DP138 since 07
Got some EHP186 this season too
I've also skied DP120s, Toon179, and El Jefes
I've examed the Praxis and ARG really close up.
Spat is an incredible crud buster because of its weight. I love my spats still.
I imagine the ARG and Praxis ski very similar... and inbetween the 138 and Spat.
Toon179 was weak in anything except open and uncut... it didn't like cutup or trees as much as spats or 138s. I was not impressed with the toons. I also rode 189s at one point.. more stable but still not impressed. The tips are retardedly wide anthis amplifies all kimpacts.
138 is the ultimate ski in the race.
We'll have to see how next year is since every ski company out there will have a reverse reverse or at least a rockered ski
I scored some pro model toons a few weeks ago, and they are noticeably stiffer than the consumer version a friend of mine has (but still soft). So far so sweet, I love them in trees and being able to bounce out of the snow whenever :D
I looked a the DP Skis website. To make matters more confusing, they offer two different Rockers for the Lotus and different flexes. Gah!
Jim S - if you look up the 200 120s/202 138s proposal thread Stephan goes through a lengthy discussion of all that.
Thanks! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by lemon boy
Praxis vs Pontoon
I've had two-three days on the 195cm Praxis and a lot more days on the 189cm Pontoon.
Me 6'2" and 190lbs, ski very fast and hard, hucks up to 30 feet but usually smaller, never switch, never park.
In a nutshell:
Pontoon
-Easier learning curve if any at all. A retard could jump on these and kill the pow. I am proof of this.
-Fast to float and all you need is soft; it does not need to be deep
-Softer than the Praxis so less jarring to the body but flappier in crud or junk; more forgiving when going mach 6
-Better on flats, groomers back to the chair, and traverses
-Prone to wheelies which I LOVE!!!! Really fun.
-A bit odd in hop turns on steep chutes... perhaps because you have the huge tip and pintail?
-Hucking is brainless (micro hucks are what I do)
-A tad more playful with my style (or lack thereof) of skiing
Praxis
-Definitely skis different than regular skis or the Pontoon and a bit more of a learning curve but not much
-Dang similar in the pow to the Pontoons: they surf effortlessly
-A bit easier on steep (>50 degrees) hop turns in chutes
-Better in crud and chopped pow with less tip flap.
-Stiffer so a bit more force transmitted to your body in crud but not crazy stiff. 99% of the people here won't care.
-Weird on the flats or groomers but tolerable.
-Hucking is brainless like Pontoons. Very easy to land and stomp.
-Can scrub speed unbelievable fast and change direction in the pow as if you can defy the laws of physics.
Which to buy? I don't know. But you can't go wrong either way. If you are a pig like me you'll have both and enjoy both. Praxis may have a slight advantage for lift-served once things get chopped up.
Which am I taking to AK in 3 weeks? I don't know.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim S
I'd also add that the Praxis sideslip better than any ski I've been on. This might sound like an odd positive, but there are times in tight technical lines that being able to slide at speed and in complete control to the exact spot where you want or need to make a turn is invaluable. I know that it's changed the way I ski and think about certain lines. They now look like fun and are approached with a full tilt charge where previously they would have been questionable and skied tentatively.
This to me was one of the major benefits I saw in my whole 3 or 4 runs on the Praxis. I could envision turning, side sliping, etc in weird techy places I definitely would have been nervous about before. Places that fall into the "awkward" realm for me. You should be able to do it, but your brain says, " what if you catch the tail on the jump turn into the crux" kinda situation. With the Praxis I felt I could turn / sideslip, if it was steep & pow filled when ever. Kinda cool. Prolly won't make me go back to them, but definitely a benefit.Quote:
Originally Posted by truth
Now back to the comparisons since I haven't skied the other "funshapes"
ya i'd love to see some more on the arg's. i know there are a few reviews out there, but nowhere near as many opinions on those as the praxis/toons.Quote:
Now back to the comparisons since I haven't skied the other "funshapes"
FWIW with T.Hall buying into Retallack they had a fleet of them on hand as rentals. Many of the guides were on them and seemed pleased.Quote:
Originally Posted by todug27
Funny to read this thread now after a near full season on 195 praxis. I had 3 previous seasons on spats which I loved, but went to the praxis for a longer, stiffer spat with a wide point slightly more forward. My Experience:
I love these things, seriously, I've got nearly 30 days on them this season and they kill it. The major improvements over the spats for me were:
They absolutely stomp everything, my skiing has improved, but not that much, I am stomping stuff I wouldn't have even jumped off on the spats.
They handle speed really really well, straightline no problem. I'm sure this helps with the stomping, I'm totally confident skiing out of anything.
More float, more fun.
I did jump back on my spats (gave them to my brother with the same sole length). Oddly enough they felt much lighter on my feet, most likely due to the swing weight, though my praxis are mounted with dukes.
I can vouch for the durability of the Toons. I have the 06/07 model and I have over 50 days on them . I also have them mounted with Fritchis so they see lots of slackcountry action. Hands down the most fun ski I have ever ridden. They are also the best trailbreaking tool out there!
Unfortunately I cant compare to the reverse sidecut shapes cos I havent tried them.
One day I hope to get around to it
Agreed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Huckin eh?
I have taken my Pontoons over a rock bed with no snow several times, beat them to death as if they were
Dick Cheney strapped to my left foot and George Bush strapped to my right foot, and they are bomber.
And as I said, incredibly playful and fun.
.
The Toons are bomb, i must agree. i can take these skis anywhere on the mountain and ski them just fine. everyone knows they kill soft snow and pow. they are ok in the crud and ok on the groomers. as far a durability goes they are holding up, i have had 5 days so not a good benchmark. the praxis i would say are better for the crud AND pow, but this is because they are a bit stiffer throughout the ski( where the toons are stiff under foot only). to me i could rip on either ski, truthfully i wish i went with the powder boards for the better "all around" ability. still i love the clown feet.
Skiied pontoon and ARG.
Toons are faster and more stable. Less work in most conditions of a normal pow day. however, the ARG is quicker in trees, and more playful. Also very stable, but I can not hit mach looney on ARG without some fear. Toons are pretty much no speed limit in most pow and tracked pow. I have both because at smaller resports like June or solitude teh ARGs are more nimble. But at Alta or Pow mow, toons all day and i really never get tired in so much pow.
praxis are a differnt animal. Not as light in wastach or Wyoming. I believe Praxis ws more designed for mammoth, tahoe and PAC NW. Howver, they do surf well, minor tip dive