Modern equivalent to 12/13 Bodacious

All -

I'm turning 50 this winter and am treating myself to a trip to Japan or a long western trip. Home mountain is now Mt. Ashland after 30 years at Bachelor.

Current powder ski is a 12/13 Bodacious that's in reasonably good condition and rips. Awesome ski! However, it's getting a bit heavy on the knees/hips on the days it's needed so I'm looking to replace with something lighter.

Skis I've considered:

Salomon Blank
Blizzard Rustler
Atomic Maverick
Black Crows Nocta
Others??

I've been looking for used, newer Bodacious in good condition but that's hard to find. Any suggestions from this group is appreciated.

Thanks

If I were in your shoes I’d check out rustler 11 - lighter pow ski offering from blizz that still has charging chops. I’m curious if anybody closer to Ashland has a different perspective.

All of those have a lot shorter turn radius and are somewhat softer. Not modern equivalents as such. I’ve only skied the Rustler 11 and it’s not a Japan ski for me. Doesn’t float all that well for a 114 waisted ski.
You could check out the mfree 118. Not similar as such, but less demanding with less sidecut than the other you mention. And more grad mount point.

Maybe contact HL skis. I believe he’ll release something interesting soon…

Nocta for sure if not a DD imo.

If you want to stay under 120ish and its more of s DD
then your 2025 model Atomic 115 looks compelling from your list.
would add:
Ranger 116
Bacon 115
Unleashed 114

112 and under Blank






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Let's pay attention to your first sentence-- Going to JP or the West. = Have money, will travel.

Don't replace your Bodacious. Keep that ski forever.

Buy an HL FR120ST to supplement your existing quiver. Rent a hard snow ski when it matters.

I have a pair of og bodes 2 mounts skied 5 days. Almost mint. Too much for me these days. Pm me if you want them.

FWIW, I took Nocta V2 to Japan and it was great there. Great in/on untouched pow on a cat day at Castle (AB), too. But, it’s pretty light and doesn’t give much suspension for a 50+ dude in chop/heavier snow.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ashland

All -

I'm turning 50 this winter and am treating myself to a trip to Japan or a long western trip. Home mountain is now Mt. Ashland after 30 years at Bachelor.

Current powder ski is a 12/13 Bodacious that's in reasonably good condition and rips. Awesome ski! However, it's getting a bit heavy on the knees/hips on the days it's needed so I'm looking to replace with something lighter.

Skis I've considered:

Salomon Blank
Blizzard Rustler
Atomic Maverick
Black Crows Nocta
Others??

I've been looking for used, newer Bodacious in good condition but that's hard to find. Any suggestions from this group is appreciated.

Thanks

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All of those are great, but if you want to keep the waist at ~115mm you should look at the QST X instead of the Blank and Anima instead of the Nocta. Add the Nordica Unleashed 114 and Line Blade Optic 114.

It's not just weight that makes the Bodacious a handful, the new skis have more rocker at both ends and less torsional stiffness in addition to being 200-300 grams lighter. If you really need another Bodacious, I have a mint 186 Black Arne Backstrom Memorial ski (same ski as 2013) with Warden 13's on it I might sell, PM me. There's still nothing better for 6 inches of windbuff over a chunky frozen base IMO.

I’ve owned a pair of OG Bodacious and liked them (once I moved the mount +1.5, based them on the line). The Blank is nothing like the bodacious but it is an awesome ski. It can rip absolutely any condition and is my travel ski with CAST. I’d personally probably take something bigger to Japan (but I own way more pow shoes than anyone should), but the Blank skis pow really well, is good in tight trees, plus you can have fun on it in basically any condition. I have no experience with the other skis on your list.

I too spent quite some time on the 186 OG Bodes. I wouldn't call them a pow ski per se, but brilliant for what they were!

So what is out there now? I have never been on the Blade Optic 114, but I can sure see their merits as a replacement. From personal experience, HL FL113 comes to mind (if they can be found), no metal, but such a sweet build. A bit narrower, but low slung rocker and a moderate sidecut. And why not the latest iteration of Down Countdown 114? That could be a good match me thinks. Going even narrower, how about Countach 110?

Staying closer to 118, whatever you do, don't overlook Praxis GPO! Quite a bit more versatile than the Bodes if you ask me.

Rossi sender squad is a pretty direct comparison and easier to ski than the 186 Bode. I think they've also stopped making it though?

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Originally Posted by waxoff

I too spent quite some time on the 186 OG Bodes. I wouldn't call them a pow ski per se, but brilliant for what they were!

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This. Ive spent some time on the Bodacious, I would also not call it a powder ski. No taper, heavy, very little splay. In this day and age, there are much better skis you can get that are pow specific.

However, I can confidently say the Bodacious is the one the best skis ever for going VERY fast with little to no hesitation. Off the top at Mammoth, I've laid down absolutely massive super G turns faster then I could have ever imagined. It was almost surreal. At that was on the 186. The 196? Good god, I cant even fathom...

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Originally Posted by jdadour

This. Ive spent some time on the Bodacious, I would also not call it a powder ski. No taper, heavy, very little splay. In this day and age, there are much better skis you can get that are pow specific.

However, I can confidently say the Bodacious is the one the best skis ever for going VERY fast with little to no hesitation. Off the top at Mammoth, I've laid down absolutely massive super G turns faster then I could have ever imagined. It was almost surreal. At that was on the 186. The 196? Good god, I cant even fathom...

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Yep, that was just what I wanted to communicate but put in better words!

I'm on the 186 Bodes in my avatar, and for that type of skiing, I could not fathom a better pair of sticks. (Hmm, maybe Confessions come close, but still not as quiet as Bodes). Off-piste GS, is what what they're built for. Point and shoot, and shoot again!

For the parameters set forth, I personally would be looking for a ski that has better power performance than the Bodes. They are a killer ski but I also don’t consider them a pow ski.
Some skis already suggested are excellent choices. Other examples could be the MFREE112, MPRO108, its 110 underfoot in the adult length. The Rossi Sender free 110, HLR110 or even FR110 if you like full rocker.
Honestly what I would do is add a full on pow ski and keep the bodes. Something like a Protest in 4 flex.


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I ski Hood and Bachelor also skied Shasta and Ashland when I lived in KFalls. For these areas a resort pow ski has to do double duty as a crud buster. Did 2 weeks in Hokkaido last winter and its a whole other world, not that you are skiing untracked all day, but even the chop is so light it doesn’t take much to blast through it. Agree with 2FUNKY go with a full on pow ski. Depending on how deep you want to sink into the pow go with 108 or wider. I was on a 116 and had a blast.

Forgot to add, Ashland rules. Grew up in NorCal skiing Ashland and Shasta. Such a fun little hill.


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Funny. Mt. A is my home mountain and I've been wanting to try Bodes since I got here. Never pulled the trigger, but thought they'd be a good candidate for going fast in the chop. I ride 188 Rustler 11's or 184 Devastator's (the older ones) most days up there in the variable snow. The 11's are a pretty good powder ski for me, but would't consider them a true pow ripper (nor the Bodacious). I take both when I ski other areas in the West. Another ski I really want to try is the Chipotle Banana - think that could be a super fun ski in the fluff. I suck at skiing though, so there's that.

Thanks all for the info. I'll check out what you've suggested. I'm on a Corvus FB most days and rarely pull out the Bod unless needed. I was in Tahoe last year for the epic storm cycle and they were awesome, glad I had those beasts.

I had the Bodacious 196 and other similar 19x long skis like the El Dictator and Head m103 for decades. The Bodacious were by far the worst of the bunch, there has to be a better modern version of that ski out there that you'll love! A lotta people loved them though so maybe WTF do I know. When you find these better skis that are also heavy and damp, and not a new light big ski like a Rustler 11 that gets deflected in light chop, lemme me know. I'm old too.

I bought the Bodacious from MyPetPowderGoat - miss that guy on this board.

ashland, do you have the 196cm Bodacious? Or 186? Or what? Both lengths are heavy, but the 196 is VERY heavy.

Pretty much ALL new skis nowadays are lighter than the old Bodacious, and they get knocked around more at high speeds, in rough/dense snow, etc.

So, maybe pick a new ski that people nowadays say is "heavy" (by today's standards), and it will still be lighter and easier than your Bodacious, yet won't get knocked around as badly as whatever skis are called "light" and "medium weight" nowadays.

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Originally Posted by ashland

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Atomic Maverick
...
Others??

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The new Maverick 115 is fun, can be easy loose & pivoty when you want it to be, but I think it will feel too light (and too unstable at speed on rough snow) for you, coming off a Bodacious.

Revolt 114: might be heavy enough for you, as long as you like it's tail (which is more rockered and loose than Bodacious). But there are probably no super-cheap used pairs out there yet.

Moment Wildcat: might be heavy & stable enough for you if you can enjoy a very rockered tail and a -6cm mount.

BlackOps 118 (which is now the new "Sender Free 118"): If you can enjoy a very rockered tail like the Wildcat, and if 186cm works for you (even with the runningLength shortened by that rocker tail) ---then the BlackOps 118 could be the match here. The 186cm BlackOps 118 is heavier than the Bodacious 186, but MUCH lighter and easier than the 196cm Bodacious. ...But for this, you also need to be able to enjoy a more upright stance to work with the BlackOps 118's forward mount point---but it's that rocker tail & forward mount point that make this heavy ski easier than a Bodacious, while still getting that great suspension at speed.

QST Blank: might not be wide enough for powder, compared to your Bodacious.

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Originally Posted by Crystal Skier

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Ranger 116
Bacon 115
Unleashed 114

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Ranger 116: Could be a good call. My experience with an older Ranger 115 is that it's very light, but punches above its weight for stability/suspension at speed, etc...and it's pretty darn good in many ways, without any glaring weaknesses. But still probably too light, coming off of a Bodacious.

Bacon 115: Fun in powder, and kinda heavy enough, but you gotta be OK with it's forward mount position. And its very soft rockered tail is fun in *almost all* powder maneuvers, except I found the tail to be too unsupportive for landing airs into deep snow. With a short tip ahead of you (-4cm mount point), you can't afford to lean forward too much on landings, so then eventually I would land airs a tiny bit backseat, and other skis with supportive tails would have bailed me out no problem, but on the Bacon 115 I would sometimes backslap and hot tub in deep powder. If I had ever tried such airs on shallower snow days, I'm guessing I would eventually wheelie out on some landings. Other than that, it's very fun at many different speeds in many snow conditions, including deep powder.

Unleashed 114: A great all-around design for someone coming off the Bodacious. It might be the one that's very close to being a great match here, but again....the Unleashed 114 is not just a little bit lighter --- it's too light at speed in rough or dense stuff., if you're accustomed to a Bodacious. I dunno...maybe if you sized up on the Unleashed 114, then it might deliver enough stability/suspension in non-smooth snow for you. I wish Nordica had built it to be >= 2400g, but they didn't.

.

You want a Salomon QST X to take to Japan.

I have Bodacious in 186 and 196.

My 2540g-ish BO118s are more damp and more steamroller-like than the 186 Bodacious, but less drivable with the center mount. Even if you go back another -2cm, not gonna be as drivable as the Bodacious. Both of these feel kind of planky on piste in my opinion, although still pretty darn versatile and fairly precise for 118s. I actually think the 186 Bodacious has a lighter swing weight feel than Blackops, I think because less of a beefy tail behind me. I've seen a couple places list the new Sender Free 118 closer to 2400g/ski, which has me intrigued if they keep most of the steam roller feel.

I like the Moment Wildcat recommendation. 190 Wildcats are much more drivable compared to 186 Blackops, more similar to 186 Bodacious. I tried 190 WCs at -7cm from center and they felt pretty directional, without NEEDING to be driven. The 190 WCs are 118mm underfoot, but they feel more like an all mountain ski to me compared to Blackops 118 or Bodacious. WCs are lighter, less planky, more precise, and more versatile for me. Wildcats are less damp, but damp enough for me..Very stable, I can ski the 190 WCs faster than 186 Blackops/Bodacious. None of these 3 are great in fluffy, dry untracked pow, they all shine more in chop (of all varieties) and dense snow if untracked. These are all some of my favorite skis for "Sierra Cement", or crusty, or upside down or refrozen pow. Long turn radius with lots of rocker.

Declivity X 115 rip pretty hard and float amazing in all types of powder. Very versatile for ice and all mountain, more so than the Blackops/Bodacious, and they have better edge grip than Wildcats.

Unleashed 114s and Rustlers look pretty darn good, but they are light. I don't think they'd be as damp as even the Moments (maybe since Blizzard/Nordica heritage), and they aren't as stiff based on hand flexing, nor do they have nearly as long of a turn radius. QST Blanks seem damp, but that turn radius.. Although I have heard they ski long turns pretty well, and aren't noticeably hooky. Blade Optic 114 is another option, and Revolt 114.

Possibly these https://www.sierra.com/dps-koala-118...Fdps~b~4870%2F

Heritage Labs R110 look awesome.

If you are trying to replace the 196 Bodacious, that's a different discussion. Moment makes the Wildcat in 196, I want to try.

Renegades


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Heritagelab R110s are super-duper fun.

Haven't skied the bodes.

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Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn

Renegades


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Like he said, Renegades.

The Renegades are a better planing powder ski and work better in most other conditions too, except heavy chop.

For a bit of JP local thought process -- (sorry if I'm a broken record, I do try to limit my input.)

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Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn

Renegades.

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Originally Posted by tenB

Like he said, Renegades.

The Renegades are a better planing powder ski and work better in most other conditions too, except heavy chop.

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Which is why I ordered the...

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Originally Posted by pfluffenmeister

Heritagelab R110s are super-duper fun.

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...for my JP, one-two punch resort pow/soft snow quiver.

But I could easily see an HL 120ST in place of my Ren and am actually considering buying one while I can as my Ren is from 2013 and I'm scared of breaking things. They've had a great run so far. /fingers-crossed.

Before I ordered the R110 I had the M102 for four seasons and was just never happy with it as my soft-snow DD. It carved groomers great, but just wasn't as surfy as I like for all mountain stuff. I got it before the K108 was released, which I did secretly crave... until MO released the R110.

Also before the R110 I considered the Countach, Revolt, Hoji, Woodsman, MPro, and searched a bit for a used BMX105. All of those were kind of a 7-8/10 on the attention scale with the MPro being a solid 9/10.

FWIW, I did have the M102 in the forests in some boot-knee deep days over the years. It was okay, but kinda boring as I know what reverse camber feels like now. Even those side stashes under the lifts were underwhelming. Back to reverse camber for all soft snow needs.

So— all that to say HL 110 or 120 should be your next ski assuming you come to JP.

I’m a stiff directional charger guy, likes the 196 Bodes, but couldn’t justify the weight for what I was doing at that time.

I really liked my Blanks and wished I kept them. If I can get to Japan this winter I’ll probably take just Blanks with CAST. They were great easy one ski for soft out west skiing ski. The R11 seems to be right there and I’d be fine with them too. If GregL says check out the new QST X, I’d listen. He has never steered me wrong.


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Originally Posted by muted reborn

...When you find these better skis that are also heavy and damp, and not a new light big ski like a Rustler 11 that gets deflected in light chop, lemme me know. I'm old too....

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One surprisingly great approach for heavy-metal charging skiers who are getting older nowadays, yet still aren't impressed with newer, lighter ski models... Just think of the heavy, damp charger that you wish you could still handle in the longest length (e.g. 193cm m103 2700g), and then just get on the next shorter length of that exact same old model (e.g. 183cm m103).

This approach sounds like such an obvious "duh", but then if you actually do it, it's surprisingly awesome. You get exactly what you'd "theoretically" expect --- WAY more maneuverability in tight spots by sizing down, and sure, the top end gets watered down ---but when you're getting older, it feels like the amount of top end lost from these heavy-metal chargers isn't as big as the gain in maneuverability in tight spots on the shorter length. I've experienced this multiple times...on 2 lengths of m103, 2 lengths of old LegendPros, 2 lengths of old metal Mantras, etc. ...but then I always go back to the longest length anyway, and I keep telling myself I'm still young enough, haha.

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Originally Posted by forumskier

...Moment makes the Wildcat in 196, I want to try.

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I tried it, with open mind, ready for the 196cm to have a slightly altered personality compared to the 190cm And it surprised me by feeling SO EXACTLY like a 190 Wildcat but longer, haha. However, it reminded me that if I'm on any "playful" 196cm, then I want the faraway tip to have a slightly more manageable design than a 190cm. I already knew that I want a 192-194cm Wildcat, but Iearned that I really don't want a 196 --- unless that faraway tip gets slightly more taper &/or rocker. Surely this would irk Luke at Moment, who has joked in the past about people being too picky by clamoring for tiny length increments, haha.

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Attachment 501794
Attachment 501795

Saw these bad boys at Tahoe Sports Hub. Seemed like a tune would have these in good shape, somebody should grab them.

Death machines.

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Originally Posted by byates1

Death machines.

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Death for everyone in front of you! :)
[I skied/released out of one of my 196's in the steeps and just laid it down on my next turn and it glided down and hit me in the side of the head. That was practically "deadly" too.]

One thought - it's a wildly different ski - not made any more, but IMO never got a lot of love.
The Volkl One, or Two. Yes, it's not as stable as the Bodes, but once you lean them over, they're amazingly stable.

And for tighter areas, and more pow specific, they're very good, IMO.
Hell, you can borrow my Two's in 186 for the trip if you want. I'm in PDX. (I think I've only skied them twice in the last couple of years. They're a lot of fun on the right day. But it's not often I'd opt for them instead of my Bodes.)

As for a Bodes replacement. There's a 196 in the gold/stars in Idaho!
Use search tempest and search facebook.

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Originally Posted by gregorys

One thought - it's a wildly different ski - not made any more, but IMO never got a lot of love.
The Volkl One, or Two. Yes, it's not as stable as the Bodes, but once you lean them over, they're amazingly stable.

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The One didn't deserve any love, it was a sloppy noodle. The Two was pretty decent. The Confession was a serious charger that some considered a Bodacious replacement, but it was kind of balky compared to the Bodacious and never really took off.

Just to add, because today is today... A tad lighter than Bodes, similar longish sidecut. Stellar ski builder. Why not:
http://www.praxisskis.com/skis/discount-skis/rx-184-cm/

I had a pair of custom Rx with the heavy core and #5 flex, they were amazing skis!

Praxis Rx