21/22 Gear Rumors

It says 2200g at 186. I'll be buying it, looks just about perfect for a PNW DD and it comes in a mid 180 size unlike the Rustler 11. I also like the simple topsheet design.

Blister just released a review of the Blank 186

Unless you get a solly pro deal I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone would buy the blank over something like the woodsman 108


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

Unless you get a solly pro deal I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone would buy the blank over something like the woodsman 108


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Because it comes in a length (that's not the actual length) for people that still think they need that length (but really don't). Then they wish the next length down came in a different length, even though they are opining for the longest length. Typical TGR Retarfuckery.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sessiøn

Because it comes in a length (that's not the actual length) for people that still think they need that length (but really don't). Then they wish the next length down came in a different length, even though they are opining for the longest length. Typical TGR Retarfuckery.

---

Lolz I think you nailed it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

Unless you get a solly pro deal I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone would buy the blank over something like the woodsman 108


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

For the same reason that I would get a lot of skis over the woodsman, more playful, larger sweet spot, but gives up less than you think stability wise. Kudos if the woodsman is the ski for you, but it’s not for everyone and more companies are creating good playful skis with a backbone. I’m no Salomon fan boy, just that about 110mm underfoot mix of stable and playful is my favorite category of ski so it’s nice to see another option.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sessiøn

Because it comes in a length (that's not the actual length) for people that still think they need that length (but really don't). Then they wish the next length down came in a different length, even though they are opining for the longest length. Typical TGR Retarfuckery.

---

Love the honest commentary...pegs the entertainment meter. [emoji6]

...

Apparently there is no Dalbello Lupo 130 c next tear and they are just doing the 130HD. Can anyone confirm that?

Also, all kryptons have tech inserts

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GoldenBC

Apparently there is no Dalbello Lupo 130 c next tear and they are just doing the 130HD. Can anyone confirm that?

Also, all kryptons have tech inserts

---

Interesting. I would be curious if the Lupo Pro HD and the new Krypton have the exact same lower clog, and the only difference is the cuff. Would make iriponsnow's Kryptolupo hack even more legit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

186 QST Blank vs 187 ON3P Woodsman 108

“It wouldn’t be a huge stretch to think of the Woodsman 108 as a more consistently stiff, longer-radius QST Blank. The heavier 19/20 Woodsman 108 we tested offered similar suspension to the QST Blank, but the Woodsman 108’s longer sidecut radius and stiffer shovels make it a bit more stable in chop and crud. In terms of maneuverability, we’d say the QST Blank is easier to slash around in soft snow, but the Woodsman is a bit easier in tighter, firmer moguls. Both tread the line between freestyle and directional skis, and we’d say they’re similarly playful overall. Both float really well in deep snow and we’re not sure there’s a clear winner there, though the Blank does feel more maneuverable in deep conditions. We’d give the nod to the QST Blank when it comes to carving turns on piste, particularly on more moderate-angle slopes. We’re very curious to see how the updated, slightly lighter Woodsman 108 compares, but we think it could be a good alternative to the QST Blank if you want something a bit narrower and stable when making bigger, faster turns.”


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

---

So woodsman is just as playful, but more stable and skis faster longer turns. Sounds like the QST blank is a pussified version - and I hope when someone buys it they can remember that every time they ski it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

Unless you get a solly pro deal I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone would buy the blank over something like the woodsman 108


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

I just don't understand the 17m radius. It's a great width and weight for a fat do-it-all/all mountain ski, a bit of metal is nice, the lengths are there, and I'm sure it can be had a lot cheaper than a woodsman via Amersports proform, but the radius seems weird for their fattest ski (also their fattest ski is 112 now?). Its like a Salomon Wailer 112. I feel like Salomon hasn't had a decent lineup since they had the rocker2, q115 and qlab series. I thought that lineup at least made sense even if I wasn't a fan of all the skis.

The Q115 was a 21m in the 188. It's pretty close. I still ski the 115 and find that it can make many different turn shapes with out problems. They are a fun everything ski that rips on soft groomers too. It does sound like it's not the ski for you but that doesn't mean it's a bad ski. It seems there are some skiers that like thw shape and design.

Seems like an easy enough thing for Dalbello to drop the Lupo Air off that mold and beef up the plastic and hardware on the Quantum mold if it's got a (way) better ROM and will perform well enough to tourers' tastes that want a 1300g boot. Seems like a good competitor to the LS Skorpius. Post a thread when you're able to get them on snow!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

Unless you get a solly pro deal I can’t for the life of me figure out why someone would buy the blank over something like the woodsman 108


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

I read the whole Blister review and with Jonathon and Luke rehashing every aspect of the ski with very bland, average takes, they could’ve edited the whole thing down to “Solly releases the Toyota Camry of 110+ skis.”


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alpinevibes

I read the whole Blister review and with Jonathon and Luke rehashing every aspect of the ski with very bland, average takes, they could’ve edited the whole thing down to “Solly releases the Toyota Camry of 110+ skis.”

---

You know how many Camrys they sell a year? (actually the Blank skis better than the Camry drives)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gregL

You know how many Camrys they sell a year?

---

Nobody wants a Camry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TeleBeaver

I just don't understand the 17m radius. It's a great width and weight for a fat do-it-all/all mountain ski, a bit of metal is nice, the lengths are there, and I'm sure it can be had a lot cheaper than a woodsman via Amersports proform, but the radius seems weird for their fattest ski (also their fattest ski is 112 now?). Its like a Salomon Wailer 112. I feel like Salomon hasn't had a decent lineup since they had the rocker2, q115 and qlab series. I thought that lineup at least made sense even if I wasn't a fan of all the skis.

---

They’re producing a versatile soft snow ski, that they can manufacture in large numbers at a low price, that lots of skiers are going to buy and love, while leaving the specialty niches (chargers, super deep, tricksters, shit snow) for the smaller companies. Seems like a great strategy for making huge corporate profits. They’ll sell 10 times as many of these as they did QST118s (which I thought were a mediocre ski). The Blank could be a daily driver for 50% of the skiers at my local, while only a few obsessives (like myself) will justify a quiver of wider skis.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kootenayskier

They’re producing a versatile soft snow ski, that they can manufacture in large numbers at a low price, that lots of skiers are going to buy and love, while leaving the specialty niches (chargers, super deep, tricksters, shit snow) for the smaller companies. Seems like a great strategy for making huge corporate profits. They’ll sell 10 times as many of these as they did QST118s (which I thought were a mediocre ski). The Blank could be a daily driver for 50% of the skiers at my local, while only a few obsessives (like myself) will justify a quiver of wider skis.

---

I’d hate to be a solly athlete right now. Not a single good ski in the lineup. How can any of them ski a legit AK line with their widest option at 112 and a turn radius that tight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

Nobody wants a Camry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

LIke nobody wanted the Soul 7 . . .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gregL

You know how many Camrys they sell a year? (actually the Blank skis better than the Camry drives)

---

That's my point - I'm not saying it's a bad thing.

I don't doubt that I would like the Blank in a 186, but it sounds like a Camry; remarkably average, but great at what it does and likeable. Blister put up a long review with a lot of copy on the page and prosaic observations about it's general-ness.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sessiøn

Because it comes in a length (that's not the actual length) for people that still think they need that length (but really don't). Then they wish the next length down came in a different length, even though they are opining for the longest length. Typical TGR Retarfuckery.

---

Like the Q-Lab


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

I’d hate to be a solly athlete right now. Not a single good ski in the lineup. How can any of them ski a legit AK line with their widest option at 112 and a turn radius that tight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Salomon’s stable of “mature” influencers will all be served adequately by the Blank. I’ll give you it doesn’t seem like a FWT calibre ski, but that’s obviously not where they’re putting their marketing $. Scroll down to Our Team.

https://www.salomon.com/en-us/freeride-touring

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn

Like the Q-Lab


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

---

Blank is going to crush sales. I had a set of mint 190 Q Labs with matching green P18s that I basically had to give away. The fringes tug on the masses, yet the masses buy skis that fit their yum.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kootenayskier

They’re producing a versatile soft snow ski, that they can manufacture in large numbers at a low price, that lots of skiers are going to buy and love, while leaving the specialty niches (chargers, super deep, tricksters, shit snow) for the smaller companies. Seems like a great strategy for making huge corporate profits. They’ll sell 10 times as many of these as they did QST118s (which I thought were a mediocre ski). The Blank could be a daily driver for 50% of the skiers at my local, while only a few obsessives (like myself) will justify a quiver of wider skis.

---

I’m not saying it’s a bad strategy - my question had more to do with why on earth anyone on here is even talking about this ski


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kootenayskier

Salomon’s stable of “mature” influencers will all be served adequately by the Blank. I’ll give you it doesn’t seem like a FWT calibre ski, but that’s obviously not where they’re putting their marketing $. Scroll down to Our Team.

https://www.salomon.com/en-us/freeride-touring

---

How will all the park skiers on that list fair now that there isn’t a twin tip in the lineup?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

I’d hate to be a solly athlete right now. Not a single good ski in the lineup. How can any of them ski a legit AK line with their widest option at 112 and a turn radius that tight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

You're joking... right?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKmZTCnp...=18v1xuqfoi0vz

Jamie Pierre skied AK on fucking pocket rockets.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gregL

LIke nobody wanted the Soul 7 . . .

---

This...I don’t think I want a QST blank, but I bet a lot of people will. The turn radius is a little confusing to me, but maybe the magic is found in the skiing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by iriponsnow

Blank is going to crush sales. I had a set of mint 190 Q Labs with matching green P18s that I basically had to give away. The fringes tug on the masses, yet the masses buy skis that fit their yum.

---

Man, the QLab is such a great ski that hardly anyone skied. I have a pair I will likely never sell just because they aren't worth anything.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

I’d hate to be a solly athlete right now. Not a single good ski in the lineup. How can any of them ski a legit AK line with their widest option at 112 and a turn radius that tight?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Yeah, sure. I mean its got to really suck for solly athletes like alkasquawlik who are really being held back by their gear. Not like they could possibly attempt anything cool and legit way beyond the ability of mere mortals and keyboard warriors.[emoji57]

I heard Salomon is doing a run of 118s for athletes for next winter. The Blank is going to sell really well, but isn’t the ski for athletes small use case. Cody put up a post on his IG that illustrates this pretty well. He said something to the effect of: ‘I’ve been skiing the 118 more and am skiing more aggressively in the fall line’. I’m clearly paraphrasing here, but I remember him attributing this to the turn radius.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TCK

I heard Salomon is doing a run of 118s for athletes for next winter. The Blank is going to sell really well, but isn’t the ski for athletes small use case. Cody put up a post on his IG that illustrates this pretty well. He said something to the effect of: ‘I’ve been skiing the 118 more and am skiing more aggressively in the fall line’. I’m clearly paraphrasing here, but I remember him attributing this to the turn radius.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

---

I bet Cody will ski an pro athlete-specific QST118 with a Blank top sheet.


Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums

Salomon would be shooting themselves in the foot if they had Cody on skis they don't sell to the public

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

I bet Cody will ski an pro athlete-specific QST118 with a Blank top sheet.

---

This. I don't think we need to worry about the athletes getting access to the equipment they want or need.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Benneke10

Salomon would be shooting themselves in the foot if they had Cody on skis they don't sell to the public

---

As if pros skied the same skis their brand sell lol

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

The dimensions and rocker profile of the QST 112 reminds me of the old Voile Charger with a burlier layup. Sounds fun to me.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kootenayskier

They’re producing a versatile soft snow ski, that they can manufacture in large numbers at a low price, that lots of skiers are going to buy and love, while leaving the specialty niches (chargers, super deep, tricksters, shit snow) for the smaller companies. Seems like a great strategy for making huge corporate profits. They’ll sell 10 times as many of these as they did QST118s (which I thought were a mediocre ski). The Blank could be a daily driver for 50% of the skiers at my local, while only a few obsessives (like myself) will justify a quiver of wider skis.

---

You're very right actually. I guess I wasn't thinking about it from that perspective.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 123ski

I’d hate to be a solly athlete right now. Not a single good ski in the lineup. How can any of them ski a legit AK line with their widest option at 112 and a turn radius that tight?

---

I was more thinking of it from this perspective. Then again Cody could probably ski 2x4s better than I could ski the blank so I'm sure they will make do.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by alpinevibes

I read the whole Blister review and with Jonathon and Luke rehashing every aspect of the ski with very bland, average takes, they could’ve edited the whole thing down to “Solly releases the Toyota Camry of 110+ skis.”


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

---

FWIW, I'm not sure where the "Camry" analogy comes up from our review + our Deep Dive? I'd personally take the Blank over most ~112mm-wide skis currently on the market. The Blank has some guts and some weight to it, and if people buy it thinking they're getting a Wailer 112RP or a Rossi S7, they'll be mistaken. Anyway, I certainly don't care at all what ski you buy, but wanted to clarify that the 3 of us who've skied this so far don't think that the Blank is some milk toast ski.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by iriponsnow

Blank is going to crush sales. I had a set of mint 190 Q Labs with matching green P18s that I basically had to give away. The fringes tug on the masses, yet the masses buy skis that fit their yum.

---

I meant that the QLab was labeled 190 and was really like 185ish. My 188 Invictus were noticeably longer. A “longer” ski sells better to some people.

I liked the Qlab but it really seemed like a fat carver.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JFE24

FWIW, I'm not sure where the "Camry" analogy comes up from our review + our Deep Dive? I'd personally take the Blank over most ~112mm-wide skis currently on the market. The Blank has some guts and some weight to it, and if people buy it thinking they're getting a Wailer 112RP or a Rossi S7, they'll be mistaken. Anyway, I certainly don't care at all what ski you buy, but wanted to clarify that the 3 of us who've skied this so far don't think that the Blank is some milk toast ski.

---

Alright alright, my hot take first thing this morning was a little too much jest your way. :fmicon:

FWIW, I think it was a great, thorough review and captured what [I imagine] the ski to be perfectly. I'm not knocking what you actually said, just that the "Who's It For" boils down to everyone except a beginner or 38m radius charger-type. Insert joke: Camry crowd. Again... Camry does not mean bad/milquetoast, just means middle of the road. In your own words: " I think it’s safe to say that the Blank lives nearer to the middle of that spectrum."

It's a crowd pleaser ski, that will sell a lot and make many posters whine that Solly doesn't make a real ski (see above). My quiver has included 189 Atris, 186Volkl One, 183 original Gotama, 187 MX108 - I'm sure I would love the Blank.