I'm convinced I need to try them.
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I'm convinced I need to try them.
OG Bibby lover but switched to the Black Ops this year after my Bibbys finally died. WC of the past few years is super light which I wasn’t looking for with most of my skiing in the PNW.Quote:
Originally Posted by AEV
As far as on a firm day personally I’d be grabbing something less wide but that applies to the Bibby too. I think I’d give the slight edge to the Bibby as they are a quicker ski while still being pretty damp and I don’t ski quite as fast when the snow is shit. This is based on the old Bibby not the current WC though.
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Same deal with me - switch from bibby's to black ops this year. Agree with everything you said.Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW_Skier206
Salomon Blank, blister dropped a review of it a few weeks back. It flex’s nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by AEV
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Blister posted their flash review of the Sender Squad and it is quite positive. Anyone else get more time on those?
PSA: Skookum has the 186 length on sale for $480 CAD and the 176 for $540 CAD.
https://skookum-sa.shoplightspeed.co...969&quantity=1
Has anyone been mainly on a 190cm Bibby/Wildcat prior, or similar 188-190 true length freestyle ski and dropped down to the 184 true length BO118? If so, how are you feeling about the move?
At 6,1 175lbs I was not successful doing that. The BO always felt a touch too short, but with how heavy it is it didn’t provide me with the stability I would have expected either.Quote:
Originally Posted by AEV
Mounted -5cm from TC
I think I might actually buy this bad boy without demoing, but I'm a bit afraid of what you are saying. One of the only skis I feel good about on paper enough to buy. It's almost old school. How did you feel about the 187 Menace 98? I find the menace short, but "just enough" for stability while being a playful quiver ski. I ski them mounted at -3.75 for buttering and spinning around all mountain and learning more park stuff. Thinking the BO118 is the ultimate version of this ski, like I brought up a month ago and you directed towards Candide 3.0. I don't mind a 118mm ski for daily drive at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr_pretzel
You're comment again leads to Moment Wildcats though, I highly appreciate your comments.
I had the 184 Bibby and the 190 Wildcat 108. Purely in terms of length, the BO118 186 feels in between the two. A bit more stable than the 184 Bibby, but a bit easier to turn than the 190 Wildcat 108. I'd say it's also more stable than the 190, but that's mostly because the newer wildcats are pretty light and get kicked around in chop a bit more.Quote:
Originally Posted by AEV
Thanks for the info.Quote:
Originally Posted by toast2266
I'm thinking the 186 Black Ops will be just enough for me at my weight. I'm going to try to lose some weight too, get closer to 200lbs. On deep days, once it gets tracked out and then bumped out (which is not long at Squaw), I actually prefer a slightly short ski that I can manhandle, in order to almost "slither" through the messy stuff before it gets slightly packed down. I like this technique better than driving skis the way I would over small-medium bumps or smoother snow. I find longer skis (if they don't have some tech preventing this IE Billy Goats) to get hung up more or have more drag almost, in those deep thick bumps. 190 Wildcat is about as much ski as I'd want for these types of conditions. When it's more untracked, ya big skis all the way. I never ski untracked lol.
If I can find a deal, I'll probably jump on the BOs for next year. I want Wildcats as my 50/50 skis and BO Gamer for playing around the resort in softer conditions. I like shorter skis (184-186 true length) for actually spinning and buttering too. Again, Wildcats being about as much ski as I'd want for (trying to) jib
I am officially obsessed with idea of the Sender Squad after reading that flash review.Quote:
Originally Posted by CouloirInTheLines
Anyone got some rocker profile pics to help a junky get their fix?
Where is Google when you need a fix no? ;) "sender squad profile" (press the link) TGR delivers in the form of bry and post 563 in the 20/21 gear rumor thread :) If you go through his and other mags posts on the Squads then the feedback is not overwhelmingly positive. I guess you could reach out to bry and others directly to get their 2c :)Quote:
Originally Posted by PowderNoob
Quote:
Originally Posted by bry
SenderQuote:
Originally Posted by bry
Hey AEV, are you in/near Tahoe nowadays? Let me know if you want a used BO118 186cm for $215, nice edges and bases, except drilled twice for FKS...so it will perform great, but might be hard to re-sell it later if you drill it a 3rd time. Not my sale, but I can connect you with the seller in Tahoe.
I wanted to buy it myself, but 186cm is just too short for me.
.
Rossignol BIPOC Ops. Making the best skiers quivers all right - not all white.
Some Black Ops 118 stoke. I will admit, after having not skied them in 18+ months, I was beginning to wonder if I wanted something more playful/lighter for my resort pow ski (I love skiing the Bentchetler 120 as my fat touring setup, and they are 600 gm lighter than the BO 118 per board).
But I took the Black Ops 118s out yesterday at the resort, skiing both perfect pow early and deep chop later. And I fell in love with them all over again. For a skier that doesn’t mind a progressive mount point, they are a surprisingly versatile, chargey, and exceptionally damp ski for deep/soft days of lift access skiing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WvMVwi7h2rQ
Hell yeah.Quote:
Originally Posted by DGamms
Who said thumpers can't float?
Got a pair waiting to be mounted and trying to decide whether to go demo binding to play with mount point or just lock 'em in at rec minus whatever blister suggested.
Probably depends on personal preference for mount point more than anything. I think Luke Koppa likes them at -2cm from rec, which is close to where I have mine.
Also of note, like other posters alluded to above, the 186 cm may not feel like enough ski for bigger humans. If you are taller than 5’ 11” and/or heavier than 180 lbs, the progressive mount point of the BO 118 may not be doing you any favors for float in the 186 length. I’m 5’ 9” and 150 lbs, and prefer a mount point around -4cm from true center. So the 186 cm at -1 cm from rec feels great for me (-3.5cm from TC).
Very helpful. Thanks DG.Quote:
Originally Posted by DGamms
This thread seems focused on the 118 version. Thoughts on the BO Sender Ti 187? I’m looking for something different than my metal lam quiver (191 mantra, 197 katana etc) that can deal with tighter terrain and take a little less work but still has somewhat decent dampness and stability at speed. The online reviews are a bit schizo…my local shop praised it in that dept (ie not as damp and stable as mantra 102 but not bad).
anyone know how the OG Black Ops 118 (all black, maybe 16/17?) version compares with the 19/20/21/22 revision? Blister mentions that the past 4 years are all unchanged but wasnt sure if that held true for the original as well
UnchangedQuote:
Originally Posted by fbw360
perfect - cheersQuote:
Originally Posted by rfconroy
Any reason not to mount Sender Squads on the line?
Which line, lol! I tried both, liked both, preferred the -6 over the -8, if I got another pair I’d go on the -6 line.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dantheman
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Heh, touché. The center "Preferred" line.
Anyone got the inside on the new black ops “108” that’s coming mid winter? I’m so in love with the squad and B118 layup so I’m hoping we’ll get some of the same magic here.
Has anyone been able to compare (and enjoy) the BO118 and the (old thus reasonably-weighed and sturdier/more rugged) Bentchetler 120?
The older iterations of the BC120 is one of my favorite skis/shapes ever, aside from the obviously excellent floating and playfulness I've always appreciated its ability to ski chopped up/tracked snow pretty well (2 big caveats: I am lightweight and I have appreciated forward mounts and non directional skiing all my life so my idea of "chop bashing" is pretty personal).
I like the BO118 on paper/specs but I am still on the fence.
I've only got a day on the older BCs (2013), so take this for what its worth. I found that it is a very capable ski; similar stability at speed when on softer snow, easier to slash and get sideways, similar pop for manualing and landing tail heavy. Biggest thing I noticed was hard snow performance was lacking when compared to the BO118. The BO118 has more camber under foot and a more traditional shape which Ive found carves on firm snow better. I've got a ton of days on the BO118, and I was surprised on how much I liked the slightly shorter BC.Quote:
Originally Posted by oltrepiave
The 2013 shares very little (other than the name) with follow on iterations. It was a great powder and dense snow ski, especially in the 192 length. Lots more backbone than follow on version. I should have never sold mine.Quote:
Originally Posted by rfconroy
Did just pickup some 186 BO118’s so hoping to have something to add to this thread soon.
Just mounted some 163 Blackops 102's 21/22's for the wife. Non Ti version. These replace her 163 ON3P Viciks that were a hand me down from my stepson and working her in the steeper terrain she is venturing into these days.
Went about minus 6.5 which is about 1 behind recommended and 1 in front of their directional line. Looks about right for her. Way ahead of her Black Pearl mounts and a bit behind where her VJJ's are mounted for reference. Also maybe 1 forward from the Viciks.
Hopefully will be able to get enough feedback from her to post a follow up.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...b73c38072a.jpg
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I take this back, most of the more current mentions I've seen on the squad on here over the past year have been fairly glowing.Quote:
Originally Posted by kid-kapow
I have not read FriFlyt's test, but then again I do not rate the written portions of their tests, at all. The graphics are nice though.
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I find the senders to be something I would love to try - both versions :)
I did too - a local shop sold them at a really, really good price - so my resolve not to get them crumbled. Time to see what all the hype is about eh. I am not a huge fan of BG98s though - I prefer the looser MF98s - so it will be fun how I like BO118s when ridden back to back with PR-OTOs and MF118s :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Bandit Man
Interesting to see the sidecut centers vs the mount on the squad and BO.
Makes sense why everyone likes both at -2cm from rec.
Looking at the Corbetts sale and can’t decide if I want some 187 Senders or 188 QST 106s. Want some decent float but not sucky on groomers with the fam.
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I’ve gotten a few DMs about the Black Ops Sender Squad over the past few months. I sold it because I needed to spend a few years away from the mountains. It’s a great ski at both mount points, I’ll probably get another pair and mount them between the two recommended lines.
For me they will be the bit wider then mid-fat ski to pair with my 194 Kastle MX 98s. Those two would cover all conditions for me. If I was working towards a bloated quiver again, I’d like an Uber fat (like the Chipotle Banana) and a narrow twin (Rustler 9) just to have some more options, but I really wouldn’t need more then the Sender Squads.
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Can't give a full review but my wife loves, loves the 102 Black Ops Rallybird (non Ti and 21/22 version which afaik are unchanged for this year except they dropped the BO part of the name in favor of just Rallybird) mounted minus 1 from the recommended line. She looks great skiing them to my eye, similar to the way she looks skiing her Armada VJJ and Black Pearl 78's, two of her other favorites. She describes them as very intuitive and turny with a big sweet spot. We had a 2-inch dust on man made day. All on piste. She skied them all day and didn't find she wanted to switch out once the dust was all gone and back to grippy firmpack.
I referenced this purchase in the metal topsheet thread if anyone is interested in more background on why we put her on these skis.
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Skied the 186 BO 118 today in 12-18” of soft but heavy PNW Pow. Mounted on the line with Look SPX 12’s. I totally get the hype on these. Damp but smeary and playful. Total steamrollers in the heavy snow, but quite loose. These are the closet thing to the ON3P Billy Goat feel I have experienced from another manufacturer. They are really heavy, though, and you feel the weight. I feel like these would fit my style better mounted behind the line, so may remount. I also now understand why people are so hyped on a BO 110 type ski.
Which length BG are you comparing them to? I have 184 BG asyms, and been wanting to try the BO 118, im just worried they will feel short and tip divy with the progressive mount.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bandit Man
Have you tried the Mfree 118 for comparison too?
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They feel a lot like the pre-Asym model in terms of looseness and specifically the 191 due to weight/mass.Quote:
Originally Posted by ma4b86
My son has some Asym 184 BG’s (which I have skied) and they feel like a lot less ski than the 186 BO118. Much easier to manage and pivot/slash.
You aren’t wrong about the mount point. On the line, you have to ski the BO with a centered stance. Driving the tips will sink them. I totally agree with what the Blister guys were saying…mount 2-3-cm back to get the best results.
All that being said, I don’t think the BO118 will displace my BG’s, so I’ve got to decide if remounting is even worth it or if I should just pull a catch and release. Like I said previously, I think the BO110 is the one I look forward to.
Finally, I own some Menace Proto 118’s (189’s; supposed to be the same build as the MF 118) but haven’t skied them yet. I don’t expect the MF to handle heavy, dense snow the way that either the BG or BO118 do, but am intrigued by their “slashy” reputation. I plan to get those out in our next storm cycle.