What ski am I? Honka-chonk edition

Time for the yearly inevitable pontification on the best planks for unreasonably specific use cases

The skier: 6'2. Dad bod. No racing experience. Style and technique have been described as "Quad-dominant bull in a china shop". Lots of slashing and throwing things sideways to get me where I want to go. Prefer a directional mount.

Scenario 1) Bulletproof crust with skied-out cold smoke from last week. In some places it's soft, in others you need ice skates. The terrain is somewhat steep, somewhat open, but there is at least some billygoating required to get to the last of the goods.

Scenario 2) It snowed, but then the freezing level shot up and everything froze solid. Coral reef frozen dog shit. But you're a glutton for punishment so you're skiing the same semi-steep terrain out of spite and frustration.

Skis owned/liked/Dislike. And why they're not -quite- right

Moment Countach 110: My favorite, daily. Mount is perfect. Not heavy enough/need metal to perform the above mission. Ride is harsh if not on soft snow
Moment Wildcat 108: Same ride complaints as above with the added annoyance of limited ability to drive/set an edge due to forward mount
Nordica Enforcer 94: I heart them. They do work on smooth icy bumps and groom, but I'm looking for a ski that's looser and has more body to it for punchy spots. Like if I could marry this ski and Countach, add metal give it a sharp edge and make it weigh like 2300g, that's what I'm after.
Volkl Blaze 94: The layup felt kind of dead to me. Very competent, not a ton of energy. Mom/dad ski.
Rosi Sender 99Ti -Same notes as above with the caveat that I skied them in powder as a brief demo at Jackson.
Solly Blank 194- I love, love this ski for big open terrain in soft conditions. Cork is magic.
Black crows Atris: Floppy noodle ski. Disappoint sad face.

So in summary: Looking for a 108 class, metal-laden, loose-ish coral reef destroyer with good edge hold and pleasant Ride quality.

Short list:
Volkl Katana: Is it quite loose enough to keep me out of trouble? I've also heard they're a little boring. Are they boring?
Nordica Unleashed 108: Pretttttty darn close. Maybe a little on the lightweight side.
4Frnt MSP 107 - Very, very, very curious on these. Anybody demo them in the PNW?




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Heritage Labs FL105 v2 or the AM110 depending on how much soft vs hard snow you typically get. The FL105 is more trad mount style at -10.5 where the AM110 is more loose but still would deliver a damp ride. IMO can't go wrong with either.

So you want skis for coral reef and bullet proof crust. Uh huh.

But seriously, for those conditions you want XC skating skis to work on improving that dad bod.

1.) why? Like mofro said, that’s a great time to xc ski, or fat bike, or just stay low and go regular mountain bike, or something.

2.) if you must, HL has the RC95 and R99 comp in the outlet available now. I think both could make you tolerate those conditions.

3.) I’d shy away from anything wider than 100mm personally. I’d also shy away from anything overly turny if you are really committed to skiing off piste in that shit.

4.) have you thought about buying a groomer ski from basically any manufacturer and skiing groomers in these conditions instead?

Lift served or touring during periods of high pressure?

Flat camber Corvus

That’s the one.

I've been down this road by buying skis suited to shit I don't want to ski in the first place. I've transitioned to buying skis for the shit I do like to ski, only. When conditions are shit, I golf.

Two skis Ive been on that could work:

Atomic Maverick. Directional but still fun. Too direcitonal for me, but sounds like you might love them.

Line Optic 94. I have the 104s and really like them. Halfway between surfy and forward mount, which is one reason why I like them. But they have a metal top and you can crank em, and I think even my 104s do well on ice for what they are.

Bonus third: Line Supernatural if you can find a pair. I have some of these lying around in a mid 90s width (92 maybe?) and they do well cutting through coral. Quite directional, which is why I rarely ski them.

EDIT - just noticed these are listed here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...s-(Used-Twice)

After reading that, prior to the seeing the skis you have/are familiar with. I was gonna say Contact 110. All of that being said, I have done perfectly fine on a Meridian in those garbage conditions. Just fine to GTFO of those garbage conditions and wonder why I was there in the first place.

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Originally Posted by L8APX

Heritage Labs FL105 v2.

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Borderline GS radius and 2400g OK yeah you got my attention. How do I get my feet on a pair of these battleships?

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Originally Posted by TAFKALVS

1.) Have you thought about buying a groomer ski from basically any manufacturer and skiing groomers in these conditions instead?

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Why does a goat eat a sock? Because it can.

Also that spot is already occupied

If it’s actually frozen I like my bonafides in those conditions but they are not loose. I bought v1 fl105s for mid condition but they were a lot of work in heavy snow so I’m trading out for r110s next year. If you want a middle ground maybe try anomaly 102s or wren 102ti?

Why would you want to ski frozen coral reef, and is there any ski that truly makes that manageable? Those days are groomer only days, or do something other than skiing days, IMHO.

For crud crushing, however, I can't recommend the Head A-Star highly enough. Amazing ski.

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Originally Posted by Mofro261

So you want skis for coral reef and bullet proof crust. Uh huh.

But seriously, for those conditions you want XC skating skis to work on improving that dad bod.

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Don't hate me because I'm beautiful

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Commander 108 is the ski you're looking for - I guess the 102 in their current lineup. Skis are like a cheat code in marginal conditions if your legs can handle them, just enough rocker in the tip to scrub em sideways when needed.

At 200lbs I like the OG Blizzard Bodacious the most these days.
It hacks and slashes and absolutely demolishes everything in it's path. Is it kinda wide for most days? Yeah, but I don't care. Do they carve? Not really, but neither do I. It's the ski I want to be on.

Blizzard Cochise

Corral reef, bullet proof and guys are recommending skis at 108 underfoot. Wtf, lol! Option 2 from TAFKALVS is the best one. Personally I would rather zoom groomers and keep my fillings, knees and spine in solid working order.


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Eh, even at my age, fifty seven, I sometimes seek out and enjoy shit fuck skiing.

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As a fellow &#39;classically built&#39; skier who likes crap conditions, I&#39;ve been thru an insane amount of skis in the 100ish waist category looking for this ski. I&#39;ve got a soft spot in my heart for the A-star, nice to see it gets a shout here. The Head Monster series is great for this type of skiing if you can jive with a very traditional ski.. and find a pair that&#39;s isn&#39;t thrashed. They aren&#39;t made anymore. Currently I&#39;m skiing on a 188 stockli storm rider 105. Great for shit conditions, a bit soft for when it&#39;s cruddy but the softer flex provides some great suspension in the shitf*ck snow conditions. Only downside is I cracked both sidewalls and wasn&#39;t even sure how. Also have some 191cm kore99s, actual waist width 102, they ski crap conditions well and the light weight is nice for tight turns. Not the greatest in pow as they ski it like an old school charger, gotta drive the ski into the snow, not much float. Very solid jack of all trades ski. I&#39;ve got the am100 in 187 as well as the v2 fl105 in 192 on order for next fall.. gonna try to switch the dailys over to HL skis and pretty excited about it.</p>
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Id also give an honorable mention to the Salomon stance 102 in 190, solid rippin ski until it does the classic Salomon thing and goes dead after a while, but fun while it lasts.</p>

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Originally Posted by MagnificentUnicorn

Eh, even at my age, fifty seven, I sometimes seek out and enjoy shit fuck skiing.

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Sometimes you just want a spicy meatball, a hard nut to crack. And you want a ski that says "I wasn't asking".

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Originally Posted by 2FUNKY

Corral reef, bullet proof and guys are recommending skis at 108 underfoot. Wtf, lol! Option 2 from TAFKALVS is the best one. Personally I would rather zoom groomers and keep my fillings, knees and spine in solid working order.


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Right? If not HL, how about OG LPs, og bonafides, monster 98s or 88s… 108? Lmao

Quotes are jacked. OG Cochise popped into my head when I read op’s post.

Buy these head monster 98s: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...8-BCA-FLoat-32

OP, If you’re trying to negotiate those conditions to get to good or better snow I get it but I would think about skiing steep hard snow with lots of objective hazard below. I’m speaking from experience, an uncontrolled slide over rocks and through trees is not fun.

Yeah - Original, full flipcore, full metal lam Cochise is the answer. Specifically in the one-ninety-three

The newer Cochise one-oh-six is relatively close to the original…

I have the skinny MSP. Only a few days on it. They are in general more “casual” and “modern” than a traditional euro made metal lam ski… I would assume the same for the fatter guys… I think the wider MSP would be an awesome ski, but not exactly what your looking for. More of a Swiss army knife than anything specific…


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OP from the orignal ask if you liked the Enforcer 94 why not just go Enforcer 99? It is going to be the similar ski, but more approachable for off-piste. It's incredibly precise for those type of shit conditions where you don't have margin for error, but with the more forward MP and gain in tail splay from the previous model (Enforcer 100) it is easier to break loose as needed.

After some more consideration, I think the Black Crows Solis would fit the bill of currently available skis.

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Originally Posted by MNazWIcoWA

OP from the orignal ask if you liked the Enforcer 94 why not just go Enforcer 99? It is going to be the similar ski, but more approachable for off-piste. It's incredibly precise for those type of shit conditions where you don't have margin for error, but with the more forward MP and gain in tail splay from the previous model (Enforcer 100) it is easier to break loose as needed.

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Flat flat tails seem like they become a bit more of a liability in 3D crap. Take an enforcer, but give it a little more tail splay and mass. (Chonk referring to the preferred heft of the ski not the skier, I don't need a mobility scooter quite yet). More mass = more width, hence 1-oh-x class.

Cochise is a super interesting thought. Where to find a vintage non-clapped example...hmm.

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Originally Posted by nickwm21

Yeah - Original, full flipcore, full metal lam Cochise is the answer. Specifically in the one-ninety-three

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This is what I'm currently using for this slot in the quiver, but there are two caveats the OP should be aware of. One, this is definitely a "boring" ski. Doesn't bother me, but the OP calls out other skis as boring. Two, the full reverse camber can be jarring when transitioning to icy chunks. Not a huge deal very often here in CO, but YMMV.

Also I've seen the bodacious mentioned. It is my favorite ski of all time, but when it is truly firm I don't think it is the right call. Just not enough edge hold. It certainly works, but not my first choice. Now 4-6" on shitfuck ice? It gets the call every time.

Echo the Black Crows Solis suggestion.
My husband just got a set and when I asked him about their characteristics he said it was his “ski scary stuff in shitfuck conditions ski”

Maybe check in on the dynastar thread. The new MPro?


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Originally Posted by nickwm21

Maybe check in on the dynastar thread. The new MPro?


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Naw, those skis are more playful all mountain than damp ice destroying planks.

Husky just buy those monster 98s I posted up thread. Or the r99 comp from HL currently on his outlet.

I echo the R ninety nine comp. You will ski it more than you can imagine. PNW weapon

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Originally Posted by Huskier

Flat flat tails seem like they become a bit more of a liability in 3D crap. Take an enforcer, but give it a little more tail splay and mass. More mass = more width, hence 1-oh-x class.

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Wren102ti

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HL R105 could be your huckleberry.

PS Honka-chonk is funny.

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Originally Posted by nickwm21

Yeah - Original, full flipcore, full metal lam Cochise is the answer. Specifically in the one-ninety-three The newer Cochise one-oh-six is relatively close to the original&hellip; I have the skinny MSP. Only a few days on it. They are in general more &ldquo;casual&rdquo; and &ldquo;modern&rdquo; than a traditional euro made metal lam ski&hellip; I would assume the same for the fatter guys&hellip; I think the wider MSP would be an awesome ski, but not exactly what your looking for. More of a Swiss army knife than anything specific&hellip; Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

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Originally Posted by snowaddict91

This is what Im currently using for this slot in the quiver, but there are two caveats the OP should be aware of. One, this is definitely a &quot;boring&quot; ski. Doesnt bother me, but the OP calls out other skis as boring. Two, the full reverse camber can be jarring when transitioning to icy chunks. Not a huge deal very often here in CO, but YMMV. Also Ive seen the bodacious mentioned. It is my favorite ski of all time, but when it is truly firm I dont think it is the right call. Just not enough edge hold. It certainly works, but not my first choice. Now 4-6&quot; on shitfuck ice? It gets the call every time.

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I daily drove the heavy and damp OG Cochise, that is flat underfoot w long tip rocker and pretty low tail rocker, for a few seasons specifcally for crappy maritime snow that gets hammered by boatloads of tourists, then sets up after periods of high pressure and cold temps, and agree they ski pretty well in those conditions.</p>
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But snowaddict is on the money--they are also boring and kinda dead feeling with minimal rebound, and also boardy without the suspension that camber offers.</p>
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Ive got Heritage FR110 and AM R99 (not the stiffer Comp build) and would bet the house that the R110 and AM110 are way more fun and have better suspension than the OG Cochise.</p>
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But like funky and TAFKALVS said, why look for a mid-100s ski for this slot?</p>
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Grab that 188 R99 Comp (or 187 Comp build RC95 if youve got the mass or strength for it) from the HL Outlet, or preorder the stock RC95 (or the AM100 if you want something more forgiving) and call it good.</p>

Mantra 102?