2018-19 Praxis Skis Info and Resource Thread

For resort use, when in doubt, go heavy hitter core (other than Powderboard, Protest or BPS super fats). Praxis run on the light side to begin with, and with this crowds preference for heavy, damp skis, I think many would enjoy them with the HH. You hardly ever see a review of a Praxis ski on here where someone complains about them being too heavy or lifeless, but you often see talk of excessive chatter/reactivity.

My everyday touring ski is a 182 skinny Quixote with the heavy/carbon/veneer construction. If I could do that ski over again, I wouldn't opt for a lighter core. It's light enough with a light boot and binding, the carbon makes it really energetic in soft snow (which I love, I hate how lifeless most skis feel in powder), but the heavy core is beneficial when the snow isn't as ideal.

I've also owned and skied 188 MVP's in flex 4 enduro/carbon/nylon and 187 Protests in flex 3+ enduro/carbon/nylon, and a pair of early 190 Powderboards.

I find the enduro core to be too light and reactive for inbounds use, particularly in stiffer flexes but I also weigh around 155 pounds and am 5'7". I feel like skiing is damn near a different sport for the 225+ pound crowd, so if you fall into that category, disregard.

I added a standard width Quixote with enduro/carbon/veneer for this coming season as a deep snow touring ski. It should weigh about the same as my skinny Q with the heavy core, while offering a little more energy and buoyancy in the deep'n'light.

FWIW, I love the rocker profile on the Quixote.

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Originally Posted by slowroastin

Anyone ski the 9D?

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Love that ski. It's quick, carves very well, and is totally fun in shin-deep powder.

Praxis's "D" line gets fringe love here, but the love it gets is very well deserved. A few years ago, as my kids grew to 7 or 8, I began skiing a lot more inbounds and I grabbed sub-100 skis. I have been on the 9D, 9D8, and SND. All sweet and fun skis. The SND is now my spring ski, in and out of bounds. It holds an edge so well and is great in corn and great when I couldn't keep it in my pants and got out way too early for the snow to soften up.

I go between the 9D and my Super Bros for no new snow days. Two totally different skis as you would expect. Picked up the 9Ds as something to use when I was skiing with my brother/sister and their kids. It's perfect for that. Holds and edge, quick in the bumps, just a fun all around ski that gets more use than I originally planned on. Traded out for a couple runs with my brother who was skiing K2 Shreditors and the 9Ds were superior in every way. Almost didn't get them back.

A couple things I would change if I could. Wish they came in a longer length. At 182 they ski a bit short for me. At 5'9" 200 lbs it does have a speed limit. Mine are non carbon veneer with a flex of 3+. Probably should have gone with a 4 or perhaps a 5 but thats what my super Bros are for.

Not that you really ever need to rationalize or justify a new pair of skis, because after all is there such a thing as too many skis? Nevertheless I am trying to at least feel better about ordering a pair of Praxis, which I have never been on before. The current skis that I actually use 181 J Skis Masterblaster, 179 K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 182 ON3P Woodsie 116 and 184 ON3P BG. As last season wore on I found myself grabbing the K2 on a non-snow day way more than the Masterblasters. So maybe replace the Masterblaster......

I like the Masterblaster a lot, maybe 2/3cm longer would be nice. Wondering if anybody who has skied both the Masterblaster and the 9D8 in standard lay up could offer their thoughts comparing the two skis as it seems to me they are both designed achieve the same objective..

Anyone done a CCR RX or Q. Seems like it could be a variable crusher...

A better question, how dramatic is the ccr rocker? Anyone have a photo?

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Originally Posted by chaka

as I lack the expertise and 100 day seasons to join these nuanced custom debates, I think I fall in the "Easy" custom bucket. Would a 182 GPO in standard flex be a horrible idea for a 70/30 resort/bc soft snow machine with Shifts? Heavy i know but 'too heavy'? I never mind putting in extra effort. I learned 'stupid' by years of exclusive ss mtb distance racing....

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Thanks for the comments on GPO. Those familiar with both the RX and GPO.... help me decide? The traditionalist in me is forcing indecision between "jump on the GPO, try a new shape" and "fuck it, go more traditional like your other skis and get RX". Would be standard flex/core, 182 GPO or 179/84 RX.

Do I 'need' to expand the quiver? No... but sure seems like a good time to support our faithful indie builders....

^RX in the stock layup is what I've been using as my DD for the last couple years, no qualms whatsoever. Never skied the GPO.


Still can't decide if I want to put a veneer on the FRD, I'd imagine the weight savings in the 194 would be at the upper end of what's advertised on the website. However these are going to be more or less a resort one trick pony for crudbusting and going fast, so don't think reducing weight will be that important.

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Originally Posted by east or bust

^RX in the stock layup is what I've been using as my DD for the last couple years, no qualms whatsoever. Never skied the GPO.


Still can't decide if I want to put a veneer on the FRD, I'd imagine the weight savings in the 194 would be at the upper end of what's advertised on the website. However these are going to be more or less a resort one trick pony for crudbusting and going fast, so don't think reducing weight will be that important.

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But they look amazing.

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Originally Posted by chaka

Thanks for the comments on GPO. Those familiar with both the RX and GPO.... help me decide? The traditionalist in me is forcing indecision between "jump on the GPO, try a new shape" and "fuck it, go more traditional like your other skis and get RX". Would be standard flex/core, 182 GPO or 179/84 RX.

Do I 'need' to expand the quiver? No... but sure seems like a good time to support our faithful indie builders....

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I have not skied the RX, but like you said it is a choice between traditional ski shape/style and a new shape. I think the GPO is very easy to ski, and like many attest: extremely versatile. If you want to branch out it would be the best possible choice.

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Originally Posted by chaka

Thanks for the comments on GPO. Those familiar with both the RX and GPO.... help me decide? The traditionalist in me is forcing indecision between "jump on the GPO, try a new shape" and "fuck it, go more traditional like your other skis and get RX". Would be standard flex/core, 182 GPO or 179/84 RX.

Do I 'need' to expand the quiver? No... but sure seems like a good time to support our faithful indie builders....

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You know what ski blends the characteristics of those two nicely...? :FIREdevil

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Originally Posted by glademaster

You know what ski blends the characteristics of those two nicely...? :FIREdevil

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soul 7?

Haha, no. I don't think you can go wrong with either ski. If you're serious about ordering a pair, don't hesitate to contact Keith directly for his advice.

I'm partial to the Quixote, which has been described as a blend of the RX and GPO in terms of its attributes, which is what I was insinuating. But I'm biased.

Yah bro. Quixote - rx on the inside edge, gpo on the outside

The do it all touring ski I want doesn't exist and I'm pretty sure it's a skinny q. I'm thinking enduro core, carbon, veneer. The standard q's w/ veneer in 188 weigh ~2200g. The mid-100 offerings like mvp and freeride suggest ~8.8 lbs in a standard build. On the website, veneer saves 3 oz, enduro w/ carbon saves three ounces - sounds like I end up around 8.4 lbs or ~1900g a ski. Bigass radius, loose in snow, light enough to drive w a touring boot.... hmmmm

Now just gotta scrounge up /justify the monies

Skinny Rx, 182.5 cm, #4, enduro with carbon, maple veneer = 1915g/ski. Fantastic daily driver and winter touring ski.

Thanks dschane - That's the 184 - 1cm in length, right?

For those of you who are as superficial as I am and also struggling to decide what graphic to pair up with veneer, Keith emailed me links to the relevant facebook albums. A lot of very good looking skis in there, and gives you a good idea of what colours come out best. Also a link to one of the threads in this forum that has a bunch of Praxis graphics (thanks Grinch).

https://www.facebook.com/pg/praxissk...54261156816323

https://www.facebook.com/pg/praxissk...57975393681323

https://www.facebook.com/pg/praxissk...56934012256323

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...Picture-Thread

Keith mentioned that lighter, brighter colours (red, green and yellow in particular) come out best with veneer. Cf Mall Walker's skis with veneer on top of cubes graphic. The nylon graphic looks way too bright for me, but with veneer looks insane.

Personally thinking about going with Alpenglow, colours aren't quite as bright as I'd like them to be to pair up with veneer, but I really like the graphic.

Also, for the nerds out there, I asked Keith if the type of veneer would have an impact on skiability, and he reckons all the veneers ski the same.

I really like Ibex with veneer (the Yeti was printed Ibex with veneer the first season), and Reindeer too. Both are minimalist designs that really let the wood grain stand out. I tend to prefer those in veneer over the busier designs. I bet Mystic Mountain would like sick too.
I also like Tsunami - think that looks awesome. I remember someone posted here on tgr their Max topsheet veneers - those were choice too.

Bet Alpenglow would look cool too.

Can confirm, mystic mountain looks great on veneer. It's the design I have on my BCs, posted a few pages back in this thread. Shrooms graphic looks awesome too.

I’m partial to darker colors on veneer personally...

Attachment 324732

I also looked up the wood hardness when I picked my veneer types, maple is pretty solid

Solid quiver Muggydude. What are the woods in this picture?

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Originally Posted by powder_to_the_people

Solid quiver Muggydude. What are the woods in this picture?

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I think that's a PM Gear Lhasa... beautiful

The light colored ones are all birds eye maple. The dark one is one of the limited run Praxis x PM Gear Lhasa Fat collab skis. Curly tineo veneer


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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Originally Posted by sruffian

Thanks dschane - That's the 184 - 1cm in length, right?

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Yes.

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Originally Posted by Muggydude

I also looked up the wood hardness when I picked my veneer types, maple is pretty solid

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The bird's eye maple veneer has been the most durable topsheet I've had. I would love to have gotten my hands on the bubinga he used for a few pairs.