Help me pick a firm snow ski

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Originally Posted by Quandary

Try the Fischer RS One 86GTs. They have a little bit of tip and tail rocker to add some versatility that the Fischer Curve lacks. The 86GTs just rip. They are constructed with a top and bottom layer of .8mm titanal (most non race skis use .5mm) and bunch of other really interesting build materials. They carve beautifully any size turn you want, are incredibly stable and an amazing amount of fun. I have even skied them off the T-Bar at Breck. They wouldn't be my first choice for that application but weren't bad. I am 6' 170 and ski the 175 (all my other skis are 185ish) and have found they don't lack stability at speed. That said the 182 would also be fun but given how stiff and heavy they are I could see the 182s being a bit of a handful off piste.

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Well I pulled the Fisher 86 GT (182) first time this season. I have around 200 days on these and about 40 on the Fisher 76mm CURV (182.) The fun comes at different ends of the turn radius btwn these 2 skis. The 86's at 18m w a less radical side cut are easier to confidently ski at speed vs the 76. They shine w med and longer radius turns. I agree w the assessment about off piste.

The 76 otoh is a slasher - the radical sidecut and narrow waist makes it extremely nimble so when you do find those patches of good snow it's easy to make a lot of turns. When the resort is crowded you can zip around at sufficiently high speeds to take advantage of the best snow available, w/out skiing too fast. It's probably a better soft bump ski than the 86.

I'm happy I own both, empty weekday at the opening bell pull the 86, holidays and weekends use the 76.

Attachment 403035

^Just mounted these up. Sharing as for a turny’er output, I went +1cm on this 183 / 25meter rocket. My 188s are on the line. Jerry’s as gates all day long. Go ahead on some of these longer radius sleds if you want an all mtn / non closed trail effect.

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Originally Posted by iriponsnow

Attachment 403035

^Just mounted these up. Sharing as for a turny’er output, I went +1cm on this 183 / 25meter rocket. My 188s are on the line. Jerry’s as gates all day long. Go ahead on some of these longer radius sleds if you want an all mtn / non closed trail effect.

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Yeah man!!!

Bought some 1st gen Mx 83s in 182 from kootenai here. What a phenomenal hard snow ski. Smooth and quiet with no speed limit but still poppy if you load them up. Pretty versatile in regards to different turn shape but prefers longer at 20.5 m. Surprisingly friendly at lower speed and really surprising how easy they are to through sideways and scrub speed.


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I picked up these Stockli Stormrider DP Pros in 184 earlier today. Bases are minty, edges are sharp. They have a 29.4m radius, so I guess I'll find out if I really like long radius skis.


https://i.ibb.co/hBjWPrd/IMG-1731.jpg

I love those dp pros. If you don’t like em , let me know.

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Originally Posted by fool

A follow up to Rossi Experience 88 Basalts (generic info page), since I didn't pull the trigger last week. The skis are still up for sale for $350 Canadian ($275 US). 5-6 years old, used sounds like less than 10 times.

I'm an advanced-expert skier, 6'2, ~195 pounds; usually prefer off piste but now wanting to carve when there's no new snow. Not a racer but have been leaning over my DDs (Enforcer 104 Frees) and want a bit more of that. Ski would be used for Whistler this season and then West coast groomers (CA, CO, WA).

Re: Conundrum, thanks for the thoughts. No, I don't think I'm looking for a loose tail. I've felt on my Enforcers that I wanted to continue the carve but they just let me go (which I understand why...but I'm currently doing my best trying to use them as carving skis).

1 - without being too nit picky, these seem like a good choice for what I'm looking for, right? I think a short turning radius (~17) will be fun, and I'm not trying to go 70mph. 188 seems like a reasonable length and I don't think 88cm is too wide, though maybe closer to 78 would be better. (I haven't been on a resort on a ski under 99 in forever).

2 - what is a reasonable price? I was thinking of offering $250 Canadian. Thoughts?

Anything else I should be considering? I don't think I want to buy a brand new set of carving/groomer skis - but do want something of reasonable quality - so this seems like a good option. Curious to hear from the collective.

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A little late, but I'd say no on those and here's why. Everything about that ski is right save for the construction. It has zero metal. It weighs 2450g in a 180 and that is with the plate and the binding. You have ~1000g of binding and plate on there and that leaves you with a not much ski it's screwed to. You're 195 lbs. You will have no problem bending any double metal ski and such skis should be easy to find. These sorts of skis have not changed much in last many years other than addition of subtle rocker.

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Originally Posted by FlimFlamvanHam

A little late, but I'd say no on those and here's why. Everything about that ski is right save for the construction. It has zero metal. It weighs 2450g in a 180 and that is with the plate and the binding. You have ~1000g of binding and plate on there and that leaves you with a not much ski it's screwed to. You're 195 lbs. You will have no problem bending any double metal ski and such skis should be easy to find. These sorts of skis have not changed much in last many years other than addition of subtle rocker.

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Awesome. Thanks for this! I just assumed it would have metal in it, but clearly I assumed wrong.

I’ll keep an eye out. There is a pair of racing skis - Nordic’s GS 188s - on sale near me too. But they’re race skis - 63 under foot, 30m radius - and they sound a bit specific / too much for me, since I’m not a racer.


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Originally Posted by Pinned

I picked up these Stockli Stormrider DP Pros in 184 earlier today. Bases are minty, edges are sharp. They have a 29.4m radius, so I guess I'll find out if I really like long radius skis.


https://i.ibb.co/hBjWPrd/IMG-1731.jpg

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Got out on these for the first time today - I really like them. They're damp, blast through whatever, great edge hold, very stable at speed, but still pretty easy to drift. They roost like crazy and feel long compared to everything else I own. Definitely have not reached whatever speed limit they may have. They're not super hard to ski or unapproachable or anything, but definitely gotta be on top of them and no backseat skiing.

Current mount puts me back about 1cm from the line. I think I'd like them better a bit further forward. I'll plan to remount +2 of the line in the near future.

After two days of skiing frontside skis on firm to very firm snow at the recent WWSRA demo days, I'd have to say it's hard to beat the Stöckli Stormrider 88 for this category - and there's some pretty stiff competition. If you want carvier, the new Atomic Redster Q 9.8 is awesome but the 14.5m radius limits the versatility.

Nice score with those DPs, OP. I echo what you said about them. They can drift and also flexed into a tighter turning radius with relative ease. They feel long and punish backseat skiing.

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Originally Posted by Self Jupiter

Nice score with those DPs, OP. I echo what you said about them. They can drift and also flexed into a tighter turning radius with relative ease. They feel long and punish backseat skiing.

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Got some more time in on the Stormrider DPs today - really fun ski. Very easy to slash, slide, or get them into a smaller turn but you can also make nice long arcs easily. Even some pretty moderate chop did nothing to knock them off line or throw them around. Wouldn't be my first choice for dense trees, but at Mammoth they're awesome. They don't really work well if you're trying to cruise around slowly, but they're not that much work either.

I'd say today was easily the fastest I've skied on average across the whole day, really stoked on these. Thanks to everyone for the advice, ideas, and knowledge. Curious to try some more skis (Head Monster specifically) but these Stocklis are a blast for right now.

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Originally Posted by Pinned

Curious to try some more skis (Head Monster specifically) but these Stocklis are a blast for right now.

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Order some Heritage Lab R99’s and tell us how they ride—

https://heritagelabskis.com/products/r99

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Originally Posted by FlimFlamvanHam

A little late, but I'd say no on those and here's why. Everything about that ski is right save for the construction. It has zero metal. It weighs 2450g in a 180 and that is with the plate and the binding. You have ~1000g of binding and plate on there and that leaves you with a not much ski it's screwed to. You're 195 lbs. You will have no problem bending any double metal ski and such skis should be easy to find. These sorts of skis have not changed much in last many years other than addition of subtle rocker.

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Thoughts on the Atomic X9? Ti laminate, 3000+g. Seems pretty aggressive (75 under foot) and fast, but looks fun for what I’m thinking about: pure on piste carving.

https://shop.atomic.com/en/products/...gw-aa5419.html

Looking at a 181, which is the longest length they have, so I assume it’s long enough for me (195#, adv-expert). Found a decent used pair locally.


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Originally Posted by fool

Thoughts on the Atomic X9? Ti laminate, 3000+g. Seems pretty aggressive (75 under foot) and fast, but looks fun for what I’m thinking about: pure on piste carving.

https://shop.atomic.com/en/products/...gw-aa5419.html

Looking at a 181, which is the longest length they have, so I assume it’s long enough for me (195#, adv-expert). Found a decent used pair locally.


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I've got the previous (non-Revoshock) version in a 167. They're pretty similar to the retail slalom (S9 with the metal tip protector), with a little more width. The additional width is nice to have for small amounts of fresh on the groom or for days when the groom is falling apart (either soft or crumbly).

If you're willing to put the effort in, a real FIS slalom ski is a better choice, IMO. If you want to rip arcs without a ton of effort, the retail G9 (non FIS, metal tip protector) is a better choice, IMO, as it stays stable at higher speeds (the X9 WB and retail S9 will hang on at speeds well above ideal for their radius, but if you get going quick and then try to stand on them hard, they don't hold like a race ski).

Granted, I am a former racer and current coach, but my X9 WBs haven't seen much use since I picked up the retail G9s. By the time I want something wider, I'm usually going right to the Bent Chet 100.

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Originally Posted by anotherVTskibum

I've got the previous (non-Revoshock) version in a 167. They're pretty similar to the retail slalom (S9 with the metal tip protector), with a little more width. The additional width is nice to have for small amounts of fresh on the groom or for days when the groom is falling apart (either soft or crumbly).

If you're willing to put the effort in, a real FIS slalom ski is a better choice, IMO. If you want to rip arcs without a ton of effort, the retail G9 (non FIS, metal tip protector) is a better choice, IMO, as it stays stable at higher speeds (the X9 WB and retail S9 will hang on at speeds well above ideal for their radius, but if you get going quick and then try to stand on them hard, they don't hold like a race ski).

Granted, I am a former racer and current coach, but my X9 WBs haven't seen much use since I picked up the retail G9s. By the time I want something wider, I'm usually going right to the Bent Chet 100.

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Thanks, VT ski bum. I think the ones that are listed on CL are also the non-Revoshock version since they're 3 years old. They're also 65 underfoot. That being said, I'm not a racer - and never was - so the more I think about it, the more the X9s might be a bit too specific and (possibly) just too much ski for me. Appreciate your insight into G9, S9, and X9. I just don't think that I can accurately speak to them - and even what I might like in those types of skis - because I haven't been on slalom or race skis before.

FlimFlamvanHam (thanks!) found a few used skis locally that I'm going to research a bit more. Head M83, M88, and Supershape in addition to a Volkl RTM. Obviously a lot of the collective loves the Monsters, so want to learn a bit more about the Supershape and RTM. I feel like any of those might be a better entry to the "firm snow ski" category than going pure racer from the start. (And to the credit of the seller of the X9s, he agreed).

Bump - Is anyone on the MSP 91 for this quiver slot?


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I’m trying to choose between Kastle MX88 (178) and MX98 (184) for this slot. If I don’t keep both, one pair will go up on Gear Swap


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Sitting on an Kastle MX84 (176) and a Fischer RC One 82 GT (180) for this slot.

Still trying to get use to the Fischers, but I'm pretty sure I far prefer the MX84s. Maybe the 86GT was the better choice, but I bought the 82s cheap, mostly for the bindings (needed gripwalk for new boots, these use the same binding track system as the Kastles so I can just sell whichever ski I don't like with the non-GW clamps)

Fischers don't seem quite as strong or as lively (presumably because they thin out the metal sheets a bit and taper them off the tip).

Conversely, I find the Fischers much harder to manage off the groom. Don't know if it is the relative stiffness or the tail shape, but it is way easier to get locked in and thrown into the back seat despite the fact that the MX84 should be the burlier ski on paper. Maybe it is just the extra 4cm of length? MX84s are a blast to ski on a good groomer and are acceptable if you get tempted by the trees or the bumps.


That said...I skied a Stockli Montero AR for a couple days recently (the 84 underfoot version) and...if it weren't for the ridiculous Stockli pricing, that's the fucking ski. 10/10.
Attachment 489695
Not sure what length I would pick, but that thing RIPPED the groomers and felt pretty OK in old off-piste snow turning into corn...so seems like a killer for those spring days that start with hard groomers in the morning but see more terrain opening up as the sun bakes it.

Volkl Kendo 184, 88mm underfoot is skinny enough for hardpack but wide enough to handle hardish snow off piste, heavy metal and flex that's not planky make it super smooth, 3d radius gives it versatility in turn shape and speed. You can slarve with control when you want, zipper through bumps when you want, you can make big carve turns at speed, and as you get your edge angles up it carves a tighter turn. For me, it's the perfect combination of compromises for a hardpack ski that doesn't fall in the trap of trying to maintain it's affiliation to a particular niche, whether that's "all mountain" or "race heritage" or "freeride". I'm mounted at +2 from recommended for a more balanced feel. Really dig them.

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Originally Posted by singlesline

Sitting on an Kastle MX84 (176) and a Fischer RC One 82 GT (180) for this slot.

Still trying to get use to the Fischers, but I'm pretty sure I far prefer the MX84s. Maybe the 86GT was the better choice, but I bought the 82s cheap, mostly for the bindings (needed gripwalk for new boots, these use the same binding track system as the Kastles so I can just sell whichever ski I don't like with the non-GW clamps)

Fischers don't seem quite as strong or as lively (presumably because they thin out the metal sheets a bit and taper them off the tip).

Conversely, I find the Fischers much harder to manage off the groom. Don't know if it is the relative stiffness or the tail shape, but it is way easier to get locked in and thrown into the back seat despite the fact that the MX84 should be the burlier ski on paper. Maybe it is just the extra 4cm of length? MX84s are a blast to ski on a good groomer and are acceptable if you get tempted by the trees or the bumps.


That said...I skied a Stockli Montero AR for a couple days recently (the 84 underfoot version) and...if it weren't for the ridiculous Stockli pricing, that's the fucking ski. 10/10.
Attachment 489695
Not sure what length I would pick, but that thing RIPPED the groomers and felt pretty OK in old off-piste snow turning into corn...so seems like a killer for those spring days that start with hard groomers in the morning but see more terrain opening up as the sun bakes it.

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182 Laser AR (what the Montero comes from/was before the rename)have any interest to you? I have a pair that is surplus to my needs that will be more affordable than a new Montero. PM me.

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Originally Posted by 54-46

I’m trying to choose between Kastle MX88 (178) and MX98 (184) for this slot. If I don’t keep both, one pair will go up on Gear Swap


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Depending on which MX98, I really like the MX88 (189 orange tip) as my hard snow ski. The MX98 (184 red tip) just was a bit boring where the MX88 ripped edge to edge for me.


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BC orb

Renoun Atlas for a fun carver that is versatile in bumps, some crud & powder too. The Vibe Stop is real and stiffens with vibration. They've been my go-tos due to low snow year but still fun for sloppy seconds after a storm. They love firm groomers, chalky bumps and a real front side biased all-mountain ski. They're on sale for $300 off now.

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Originally Posted by waxman

182 Laser AR (what the Montero comes from/was before the rename)have any interest to you? I have a pair that is surplus to my needs that will be more affordable than a new Montero. PM me.

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Thanks, but given I already have 2 skis vying for that slot, I think I’ll give it some time and maybe pick up a montero cheap in a couple seasons!

They were a blast but if the weather is cooperating it’s not a ski I’d be on more than a few times per year.