Praxis Protest..just how cool is it?

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Originally Posted by margotron

Finish the thought? What about the protest is made to plane?

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I mean I'm really just talking about anything with a heavy dose of rocker/reverse camber. I don't think it needs to me made plank stiff but making it stiff enough to not flex so much under the rider that it completely changes profile is a good thing imo.

The taper on the protest certainly reduces float at low speed but there's still 50 or 55cm of tip rocker. It's certainly not shaped to be a submarine. it's not like it needs a deep flexing to porpoise back to the surface, wouldn't you agree?

^ Yes I would...
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ProTest just fuggin rule. So intuitive and easy to ski in pow. Just mash the gas and ski, don’t think, just do.

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Originally Posted by SupreChicken

Props for the continued optimism. My patience for non intuitive skis is vanishing as I age. Hope they click for you. If not,

ON3P C&D

I’m slowly evolving into flowing alpy.

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Wait 'till you get to be my age :eek:

I looked at my quiver today and being down by 1 pair of skis (sold 2, bought 1), I actually felt better.

... Thom

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Originally Posted by jmars

Checking back in here...I’m going to mount 1.5 back. I’m 175lbs nude but I enjoy stiffer skis...love my Concept 187cm (4), PJ is a 4 (184cm) and my SnD is 5 (185cm). As for binding I run the warden on everything pretty much(not on the SnD). Another “stiff” ski I am on is a Salomon QLab 190, the tail is beast if that ski and it’s on me of my favorites (STH2 16 on the lab).

I have to assume this is all me and just my pure lack of time on the ski, I noted day 2 was great so I’m defaulting to the me here.

That sluggish feeling skibrd mentioned rang true with me but on the flip side the ski is beyond fast...just gets up and goes.

Maybe this is the first time that mounting a ski on the line isn’t for me. Soon to find out but seems to be the right path.

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The QLab is one of my all time favorite skis. I love the tail. I had a pair of 196 Protest, flex 4. Liked the flex but never clicked with the ski. I think it was a combo of length (want to try a 192) and mount point. I pulled the plug and got some 191 BGs. Liking them after 2 days. The tail reminded me of a pow ski version of the QLab. Still hoping to get a cheap 192 Protest to compare.

The tail ln the Q is a beast too and the mount point is rather forward as well (I’m on line) which is why I come back to me on the protest.

I was exhausted out of the gate on my first day with the protest...late night, early morning. Like I noted earlier day 2 was a much better day, just more fun...so I’m leaving it be and giving it a few more goes.

Mash the gas is right though...the ski hauls.

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Originally Posted by 2FUNKY

^ Yes I would...
Attachment 269145
ProTest just fuggin rule. So intuitive and easy to ski in pow. Just mash the gas and ski, don’t think, just do.

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Didn't get to ski as much with you on Sunday so we could gush Protest love but hot damn they are so good!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e58db28dfc.jpg

Appreciate all the comments on the stiff Protest. Anybody have a 4 or 5 flex in Tahoe to do a comparo?

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Originally Posted by steveski

Didn't get to ski as much with you on Sunday so we could gush Protest love but hot damn they are so good!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e58db28dfc.jpg

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Yeah, that made me sad...

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I found my fun as well :)

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Originally Posted by meter-man

Appreciate all the comments on the stiff Protest. Anybody have a 4 or 5 flex in Tahoe to do a comparo?

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I will be up Mar 3-7 at Squaw. 192 flex #4 mounted with a pair of STH2 for a 326 bsl on the line. If you fit in the bindings, happy to let you make some laps on them.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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Originally Posted by meter-man

Appreciate all the comments on the stiff Protest. Anybody have a 4 or 5 flex in Tahoe to do a comparo?

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Have a 4 flex (enduro, carbon, veneer) in Tahoe. At AM this weekend. Mounted for 316

Thanks for the offers fellas!

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Originally Posted by theetruscan

Have a 4 flex (enduro, carbon, veneer) in Tahoe. At AM this weekend. Mounted for 316

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I have a 327 BSL (alpine) and 322 (AT), but this weekend, I'll be in SoCal...in Encinitas, which brings me to:

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Originally Posted by nickbokhoven

I will be up Mar 3-7 at Squaw. 192 flex #4 mounted with a pair of STH2 for a 326 bsl on the line. If you fit in the bindings, happy to let you make some laps on them.

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Nice spot! Lucky dude. Thanks for the offer - holler when you're up. You can try out some Bibbys and GPOs of mine (mounted alpine), or my Protests with Kingpins.

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Originally Posted by jmars

Attachment 269409

I found my fun as well :)

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Look at all that tip dive.[emoji6]

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Originally Posted by 2FUNKY

Look at all that tip dive.[emoji6]

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[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Tip dive sure wasn’t my issue!

Finally had a day with the 192 cm, #4 Flex, UL hybid core (Beefier for my weight 220 lbs).
Incredible. Surfy. Slashy. No hookiness on tails or tips. Very wonderful ski flex with enough beef to get me airborne jumping and turning on the cut up pow stashes.

Untracked was mega sno-boner. The Protests float me like i’ve never floated even on reverse camber skis.

The snow was some of the best I’ve ever ridden. Kirkwood was delectable today and the Protests dominated the shit outta Cornice chair.

Very Cool

192, veneer, 4 flex, enduro, mounted -1

dead easy to ski, great float, very stable at speed, easy to turn, holds edge well in packed soft snow

Ran into some wind affected pow cake top layer today. Planed, got speed, then just popped up and down throwing bows and hollering with joy. Never ski’d wind effect pow like that either.

No flaws detected yet. Agree with previous post: Great to and from pow on soft groomers. I don’t feel the 128 underfoot on the groom.

Just incredible.

I have now had 5/6 days on the Protest I built this past summer. 4 Flex, 192 with some carbon and wood veneer. Beyond the fact they are sexy AF (and seriously are one of the best looking skis ever), I was hesitant on moving to a pretty tapered look ski after my beloved Megawatt for deep snow skiing. On top of this, the mount was put on the line, instead of -1 as I had asked for which only multiplied the difference from my previous pow specific skis.

Did a day of resort skiing (which actually had the deepest run of all on a rope drop), and four days Cat Skiing. In the lowest density super deep rope drop, nothing has ever skied better than my Mega's, and these were still not up to the task in the same way as a nearly 160mm tipped ski.

But other than that, Holy mother was I impressed. These things ski big radius open face incredibly well, though with a little adapting to ski a bit more underfoot than driving the tongues still. Honestly, this learning curve did not take long....at all, understanding this might be just for this user, but within a run, felt this ski was not going to take much getting used to.

Where I was most impressed, was in the tighter trees and pillowy fun lines with a 192cm monster of a ski. I was initially rattled at the messed up mount (by a guy that I have trusted for decades) but it may have been a blessing in disguise. They looked a little far forward for my style, and historical skis, but never felt it while skiing and I never had any tip dive issues, and was able to push them without too much alteration in my style. They felt lively, poppy, and like a fucking ninja letting them ride flat, arch big boys, and slash and slip in tight spaces. The biggest thing to get used to was on some well supported pow, the odd time, they wanted to go past my turn initiation and glide a bit past where intended (which on the solid tail of the MW would have a natural end). This didn't take a long time to get used to figure out where they sweet spot was, honestly one run, and then I loved it so much how intuitive they were and able to rail long radius or pop into and out of tight little guys. I thought the longer tail would feel weird and ogger in a bit, but they just rallied down lines so well and never felt the Pinner was impeding. Found landing drops really supported and predictable. Nothing crazy (15 feet tops maybe) and felt exactly as they should. The 4 flex was a little more meat to not wheelie out like some guys have mentioned.

In super low angle pow, I could see how a further back mount might benefit some people, but I don't want to ski low angle pow, so why would I build a ski for that. Low angle pow needs big shovels to succeed in my opinion, while this shape loves some speed. They love going fast, and come to life when you get them up in the revs a bit. I am honestly not sure I would change a thing. There is something to be said for a ski not changing for 7ish years, and the ability to customize them to your preference now is just insane. Keith is a magician, and I think found perfection or as close to it as I have found in a pow stick. I am not sure how to say this, but I skied different types of powder better than I ever have, and any time a ski makes me ski better, I think that is a great thing. I know that sounds fan boy, and I think I am ok with that as I age.

Definitely the most fun ski I’ve ever been on. At 5’8”/140# i tour on 177s, and find myself skiing them more and more each year.

The 177 is definitely too short to get after it inbounds, and even now and then touring, but makes kickturns and general touring fuckery easy.

I’m always surprised how well they do in non pow as well. Totally reasonable.

Picked up some 187's on here, awaiting their arrival. Couldn't pass them up. 2200 grams per ski, the conundrum is do I mount them alpine and make them my inbounds soft ski or go Shifts/Vipec/Tecton for Japan next winter. I had every intention of picking up 184 Benchetlers (1700g) for Japan inbounds/touring. Now I've just confused myself. Irregardless, I look forward to them.

Insert them for both?

I vote touring binders! They're fun and capable inbounds, but they are just unreal outside the ropes... You could go Shift and split the diff of course.

Tectons.

Extra weight worth it I suppose?!

It's been almost a decade since I skied Japan, most of our skins were pretty short so I'm guess it won't be a huge deal.