J Skis Discussion

I own 4 pairs of J Skis at this point, and the original Black Ops 118.

The J Skis all have a strong family resemblance.

Fairly soft, especially at the tips and tails. Heavy for their waist widths (outside of their touring line up). Excellent to best in class suspension/damping in rough snow. Easy to ski at slow speeds but with an impressive top end speed limit given their softer flex. Mount points of -4cm to -7.5cm from TC. Big sweet spots, not particularly sensitive to ski stance or mount point variations.

I love my BO 118s, but would also like to try the Friend at some point. If I have to nitpick the BO 118, I would say the recommended mount point is 1-2 cm too far forward and the tails are 5mm too wide. I have to consciously widen my stance not to have their tails overlap when I use them.

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Originally Posted by DGamms

I own 4 pairs of J Skis at this point, and the original Black Ops 118.

The J Skis all have a strong family resemblance.

Fairly soft, especially at the tips and tails. Heavy for their waist widths (outside of their touring line up). Excellent to best in class suspension/damping in rough snow. Easy to ski at slow speeds but with an impressive top end speed limit given their softer flex. Mount points of -4cm to -7.5cm from TC. Big sweet spots, not particularly sensitive to ski stance or mount point variations.

I love my BO 118s, but would also like to try the Friend at some point. If I have to nitpick the BO 118, I would say the recommended mount point is 1-2 cm too far forward and the tails are 5mm too wide. I have to consciously widen my stance not to have their tails overlap when I use them.

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Helpful feedback, thanks. Out of curiousity what models/lengths are your 4 pairs of J’s?

Joyride 182cm (90mm underfoot)
AllPlay 184cm (98mm underfoot)
Vacation 186cm (104mm underfoot)
Metals 186cm (106mm underfoot)

I bought the Vacations first, and used them as my Park City daily driver for two seasons. But I need to sell them now, too much overlap between the Allplays and Metals.

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Originally Posted by DGamms

I own 4 pairs of J Skis at this point, and the original Black Ops 118.

The J Skis all have a strong family resemblance.

Fairly soft, especially at the tips and tails. Heavy for their waist widths (outside of their touring line up). Excellent to best in class suspension/damping in rough snow. Easy to ski at slow speeds but with an impressive top end speed limit given their softer flex. Mount points of -4cm to -7.5cm from TC. Big sweet spots, not particularly sensitive to ski stance or mount point variations.

I love my BO 118s, but would also like to try the Friend at some point. If I have to nitpick the BO 118, I would say the recommended mount point is 1-2 cm too far forward and the tails are 5mm too wide. I have to consciously widen my stance not to have their tails overlap when I use them.

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I've been skiing a pair of masterblaster's since 2017 and when it dies/retires, I'll be replacing it with another. Your description is spot on. I think the suspension can be attributed to the heavy use of maple in the core. Reminds me ON3P's and their bamboo construction.

I’ll post here too -

Anyone have any good comparison for the Fastforward vs the Masterblaster?

Seems like the fastforward would be a better choice for a purely hardpack /no new snow and spring skiing use case? I like to ski a lot of bumps and trees, ski pretty fast but not always driving the tips super hard. These will be for low tide days and spring skiing in Tahoe - so some warm mashed potatoes, crud, and refrozen are all on the menu.

Wondering which ski will end up being more stable and better busting through chop. More heft but also more rocker for the Masterblaster it looks like.

5’10 200lbs


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Anybody been on the updated longest length of the master blaster? 181 mounted on the line is too short for me. But I want this to be a fun ski at moderate speeds not a beast charger.

Maybe weird question but does the masterblaster remind anyone of the old kastle fx95hp?

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Originally Posted by MD12

Anybody been on the updated longest length of the master blaster? 181 mounted on the line is too short for me. But I want this to be a fun ski at moderate speeds not a beast charger.

Maybe weird question but does the masterblaster remind anyone of the old kastle fx95hp?

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What are your height/weight/ability stats? Where do you ski usually

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Originally Posted by Muggydude

What are your height/weight/ability stats? Where do you ski usually

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6’2, 210, all over n America. 30-40 days each year, split between east coast, Wyoming, Utah and sometimes Colorado.

I ski a lot of skis. Shortest length I like is usually 183-184 (actual measurement) for traditional mounted skis - 184 m102, 184 m6, 184 fx106ti, 186 e104, 186 zx115, 190 wildcat 108s. I have 183 hotshots and love them for very lazy east coast spring conditions, but they’re a tiny bit too short. Maybe it’s mental but feels like I’m on snowblades when I try to go shorter than what I know I like. Fwiw I don’t mind the swingweight on the hotshot at all.

Thanks in advance for thoughts.

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Originally Posted by Muggydude

I’ll post here too -

Anyone have any good comparison for the Fastforward vs the Masterblaster?

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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No personal experience, but my buddy bought the last available pair of Fastforward 181cm Flyers a few weeks ago. It wasn’t well advertised, but they came with a free pair of matching Pivot 14s.

Pretty great deal from J Skis! I’ll pick his brain when he gets some days on them.

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Originally Posted by MD12

6’2, 210, all over n America. 30-40 days each year, split between east coast, Wyoming, Utah and sometimes Colorado.

I ski a lot of skis. Shortest length I like is usually 183-184 (actual measurement) for traditional mounted skis - 184 m102, 184 m6, 184 fx106ti, 186 e104, 186 zx115, 190 wildcat 108s. I have 183 hotshots and love them for very lazy east coast spring conditions, but they’re a tiny bit too short. Maybe it’s mental but feels like I’m on snowblades when I try to go shorter than what I know I like. Fwiw I don’t mind the swingweight on the hotshot at all.

Thanks in advance for thoughts.

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Size up, I’m 5’11” 165 and the OG Masterblaster felt slightly too short. The current one doesn’t have the carbon fiber in it and is a bit softer. I’m also on the 183 Hotshot and I could have/should have gone longer.

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Originally Posted by SacTo

Size up, I’m 5’11” 165 and the OG Masterblaster felt slightly too short.

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I would agree with that. I’m 5’ 10” and 150lbs on a good day. And I wouldn’t want to ski anything under 180cm from J Skis lineup.

Sizing thoughts for the Friend? I'm 6', 155lbs wet. My daily drivers have all been 184-185 for the last two seasons. Currently daily is a 185 Enforcer 110. I'm worried that the 183 will be short, but the 189 is a lot of (heavy) ski.

This will be a soft snow, do it all, ski. I have La Machine Max's for bottomless days, so I want something for resort pow and day after cleanup duty. A lot of that time will be in trees so I'm leaning short and maneuverable.

183?

Edit to add: I'm a pretty strong skier and Big Mountain Ski Coach, which involves a lot of sweeping and low speed baby sitting on deep days, mixed with charging and scoping lines.

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Originally Posted by samp

Yes the hotshot is intended as a replacement, E110s relegated to rock ski after this years low-tide conditions at Whistler.

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I'd be very interested in a head-to-head with the E110's. I'm a ski whore and I'm absolutely loving the 110's ability to do everything on the mountain. I'd like to add some Friends for the soft days and maybe replace E110's with Hotshots when the time comes.

E110 little better float.
Hotshot slightly better in crud and tighter arc on edge.
I ski both and think a Hotshot could be a quiver replacement for an E104/110

I was thinking of grabbing the e110 next year (like the all black). Now I’m thinking 189 hotshot instead.

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Originally Posted by MD12

I was thinking of grabbing the e110 next year (like the all black). Now I’m thinking 189 hotshot instead.

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Oh man... I agree, I like the all black.

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Originally Posted by Fishskisurf

E110 little better float.
Hotshot slightly better in crud and tighter arc on edge.
I ski both and think a Hotshot could be a quiver replacement for an E104/110

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Interesting. My opinion of the E110 is that it's a big mountain quiver killer, but that it's a bit light on float when the going gets deep. That's why I wanted to add the Friend into the mix. That would create some overlap with the E110. Then it would make sense to downsize to the E104 or Hotshot.

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Originally Posted by SnowMachine

Interesting. My opinion of the E110 is that it's a big mountain quiver killer, but that it's a bit light on float when the going gets deep. That's why I wanted to add the Friend into the mix. That would create some overlap with the E110. Then it would make sense to downsize to the E104 or Hotshot.

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Hotshot is gonna be more playful and poppy than the e110. Friend is fun, but I think it needs metal.

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Originally Posted by SacTo

Hotshot is gonna be more playful and poppy than the e110. Friend is fun, but I think it needs metal.

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Can you drive the tips of the Hotshot like the E110?

My 110's are mounted +1. I can drive the front of the ski and still break them loose. Really no complaints with them, but I like to change skis up every year.

What do you feel like is lacking with the Friend? Not stiff enough?

FWIW, my pow skis are light and no metal in sight. Definitely not damp. (Bent Chetler 120 for touring and Faction La Machine Max for deep).

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Originally Posted by SnowMachine

Can you drive the tips of the Hotshot like the E110?

My 110's are mounted +1. I can drive the front of the ski and still break them loose. Really no complaints with them, but I like to change skis up every year.

What do you feel like is lacking with the Friend? Not stiff enough?

FWIW, my pow skis are light and no metal in sight. Definitely not damp. (Bent Chetler 120 for touring and Faction La Machine Max for deep).

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Absolutely, I’m mounted on recommended at 5’11” 165 with Pivot 15s on the 183 and it can be driven hard. Detune the tips and tails for sure though. Haven’t found a speed limit yet. I wouldn’t mind the 189s though for some extra top end and blasting power.

I probably should have gotten the 189 Friends, just felt they were lacking something in the 183 and that the turning radius was shorter than I wanted. My powder ski is the 188 Rustler 11its just a better ski. To be fair, I mounted them with Attack 13s and I may have liked them better with Pivots, skis always feel longer and arc rounder with Pivots to me.

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Originally Posted by SacTo

Absolutely, I’m mounted on recommended at 5’11” 165 with Pivot 15s on the 183 and it can be driven hard. Detune the tips and tails for sure though. Haven’t found a speed limit yet. I wouldn’t mind the 189s though for some extra top end and blasting power.

I probably should have gotten the 189 Friends, just felt they were lacking something in the 183 and that the turning radius was shorter than I wanted. My powder ski is the 188 Rustler 11its just a better ski. To be fair, I mounted them with Attack 13s and I may have liked them better with Pivots, skis always feel longer and arc rounder with Pivots to me.

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Hmmmm.... It looks like the 189's measure a true 186. I think I'm leaning that direction unless I go a different direction altogether. The E110 has left me with a bit of a quandary on my hands: it's so good 90% of the time. Even in the deep snow I've gotten it into this year (every other day out it feels like). Then it cleans up really well, too. I've only had a couple of days where I really needed my La Machine's this year and they just feel so out of place when things get choppy that I end up swapping for the E110's at lunch. I mounted that ski on the "new school" line, but I still think it needs to go further forward. Hmmm. Maybe I should just go Enforcer Pro... :rolleyes:

Dilemmas.

Sounds like, by way of a TGR member, that I have some 183’s on their way. Hard deal to pass. I’m looking forward to skiing them seeing how the size works for me. Not sure if we’ll see more soft snow this year or not. Fingers crossed.

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Originally Posted by SnowMachine

I'd be very interested in a head-to-head with the E110's. I'm a ski whore and I'm absolutely loving the 110's ability to do everything on the mountain. I'd like to add some Friends for the soft days and maybe replace E110's with Hotshots when the time comes.

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As Fishskisurf said, comparing the 185 E110 to the 183 Hotshots, the E110 floats better. Based on Blister's measurements the E110's mount point is 183.4/2+8.7=100.4cm from the tip vs 180.6/+7.6=97.9 cm and that plus the width you can definitely tell the difference. On hardpack the Hotshot is noticeably damper, and despite being shorter felt like it had more edge (my E110s need a tune though).

Hotshots are great for all round inbounds use but for fresh snow days I'll keep using the E110s.

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Originally Posted by SnowMachine

Sounds like, by way of a TGR member, that I have some 183’s on their way. Hard deal to pass. I’m looking forward to skiing them seeing how the size works for me. Not sure if we’ll see more soft snow this year or not. Fingers crossed.

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You will love them!
Interested to hear your thoughts though.

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Originally Posted by samp

As Fishskisurf said, comparing the 185 E110 to the 183 Hotshots, the E110 floats better. Based on Blister's measurements the E110's mount point is 183.4/2+8.7=100.4cm from the tip vs 180.6/+7.6=97.9 cm and that plus the width you can definitely tell the difference. On hardpack the Hotshot is noticeably damper, and despite being shorter felt like it had more edge (my E110s need a tune though).

Hotshots are great for all round inbounds use but for fresh snow days I'll keep using the E110s.

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If I like these Friends, then my decision next year will be E110's (love the new black top sheet for '24/5) or Hotshot as my DD. There is some redundancy between the Hotshot, E110 and Friend.

FWIW, my E110 185 are mounted +1 and I get along great with them there.