"Lightweight" Pow Touring Skis

<p>
Looking for a reasonably lightweight fat ski to use on longer outings or days when I am already gassed. I mostly ski Renegades and love how easy they are in weird snow, but I feel the weight on big tours and after consecutive days. Rough specs I have in mind are ~1800-1900g/ski, 185cm+, and 110+ width. I bought a BG tour for this slot, but so far the loose tail that I love inbounds is not my favorite for variable backcountry snow (they will likely be listed in gearswap soon). Whats out there? La Machine 4 or 5? Wildcat Tour? I cant keep up with the Heritage Lab options</p>

I'm a fan of the wildcat tour. Handles firm fine for its width. Floats pretty well. Pivots easily. It's stiff enough without feeling like a difficult ski.

On the whole, it's less that it does anything spectacularly and more that it does everything pretty well. Which is what I want for a ski that will likely see a wide variety of conditions.

You can Line vision 118s for pretty cheap these days if you like the shape.


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Voile v[emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]]


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I think HL has UT122s in stock in both 183 and 190. OG renegades but 1750g in the 183 length,

Seconded for WC Tour. I run a lightweight race binding and often ski them with a f[emoji637] LT. Super fun and versatile kit. Use a bigger boot and it’s easily a mid winter DD in the [emoji637][emoji[emoji6[emoji640][emoji638]][emoji640][emoji640]][emoji640] length.


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A bit lighter renegade = HL ultra taper122

A sweet option if you're staying on soft stuff. If by variable you mean some hard pack thrown in, or are otherwise interested in saving some more weight (IMO 1850g is still heavy for a long day/tired legs ski), HL BC110. More sidecut so a bit less surfy as a pure pow tool, but it still has the reverse camber which is clutch for variable snow.

Vwerks katana, best ski i ever had

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Get a 2020-2024 Bent Chetler 120.

1800-1850gSki weird snow really good (extensive alps testing).

I think they ski like a super easy going renegade. And they can be had used for a great price.

Can&#39;t vouch for the updated 2025 version.

As others have said HL BC110 is great in pow and all kinds of variable. I also have Voile Hyper V8 which is significantly lighter and gets a ton of use, it is fantastic in pow and surprisingly good in variable if it isn&#39;t firm or icy, and it is just about the worst ski ever in those conditions. The Voile is a more specialized tool but there is nothing better for stacking pow laps on tired legs. They float amazingly for their width and make breaking trail in deep snow way easier.

Volkl BMT 122s if you can find a pair

I had the same thought as OP, just need a bit shorter length.

I had one-eight-four Wolf Renegades with Duke PT’s that I think I just sold, as I’m patiently waiting the imminent arrival of one-eighty-three HL UT One Twenty Twos and one-eighty HL BC One Tens. Putting ATKs on both.

I don’t think one could go wrong with Bentchetler One Twentys either.

KC

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Second the Katana v-werks. Expensive, but can be found much cheaper used/off season. 112mm, kinda full rocker that rips all conditions, mine were 1850 grams, 2150 with Alpinists. Also holding up to all manner of poor treatment.

Good recs thanks. I wasn't aware of the UT122 and wouldn't have thought of the Benchetler. My buddy has a pair that he's never using. I'll have to try those.

+3 on VWK

Vwerks Katana is the highest performing ski in this class though like any ski it may or may not fit your skiing style. It is a total GOAT for burly touring skis. Probably because it is a top of the line inbounds ski that is light enough to tour and gives up nothing in performance to obtain it’s lighter no metal weight.

BMT122 mentioned above is very similar but a lot harder to find. A little better in deep low density (no surprise), but skinning any firm sidehilling is surprisingly worse for just the +10mm waist width. More surfy, just as chargy, more rockered.

These have been my main 2 touring skis this year and have skied a lot of 6-16” of pow days. I love them both but the VWK is certainly more versatile and skis pow 95% as well as the BMT. Weights are within 10g of eachother BMT vs VWK.


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The bmt series are less torsionally stiff then the katanas. This affects edge hold on firm snow

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Just mounted a pair of 2021 184 vwk with raider 15evos, average ski weight was 1942g, weight with evos 2370g. ~2016 Bmt 122 186 with 15 evos, no brakes are 1966g average flat, 2358g with bindings.

Only one tour on the wvk so far, mounted +1.5, but wow. Hype is real. One wonders about vwk + a 200g class binding...

Recently got some vwk + tectons to use as a travel ski, this is making me very excited to get out on them.

Whenever I hear "weird snow" I think flat/reverse camber, so BMTs, vwk, and some of the HL touring offerings.

What was the issue with the BG tails? I love my BG tours but do find the tails can wash out if I get too far forward.

I owned VWK and agree with every positive comment. Those skis killed it everywhere. Im now on BMT109s as my main touring ski and havent noticed any lack or torsional stiffness but perhaps Im not as sensitive to notice.

How about the newest version of the Atomic Backland 109? They seem to work pretty well for that use case...

Bent Chetler is pretty soft IME, not a fan but I weigh 190 lbs. my current fave in this category is the G3 Slayr 114 in a 190. Around 1750 g on my scale as I recall. G3, like black crows, uses polyurethane to make these lighter skis somewhat damper. I’ve noticed a lot of Slayr users in regions that get significant storms. During a moderate storm cycle I prefer to tour in a 106-108 waisted ski.

The cosmetic blem Slayrs are pretty cheap, just have to keep an eye on their site. But with the corporate challenges I’m not sure what the future looks like for them.

<p>
I agree the OP needs to define needs a bit more. And what region. &nbsp;I get the sense by &lsquo;variable&rsquo; you mean deep days but with wind affect on ridges, or manky deep snow down low. But if you mean variable in the sense of hardpack zones on a pow day, keep it under 110. But I think you know that.</p>
<p>
Since Moment is local and sorta in my social circle I&#39;ve been tempted by the wildcat tour at 118 underfoot, but just over 1900 g is not my jam for touring. &nbsp;Sometimes when we have 3 or 4 feet of new snow in 24 hrs I&#39;ll do sidecountry on a 124 waist Scott with Kingpins. &nbsp;My point is that in a 190 cm ski, IME the skinning tradeoffs are noticeable as you get heavier than 1700ish grams and I&#39;d rather go fully into a damp alpine ski that does not have the tradeoffs on the descent of a touring construction. &nbsp;</p>

OP just saw this while doomscrolling. https://www.powder7.com/Faction-Agen...-Skis/for-sale


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I rock the Katanas with Shifts and the BMTs 109 with Trab Vario. The Katanas with Shifts are fucking awesome, especially for sloppy thirds on couloirs. The Shifts feel a bit too mainstream for me, and I considered switching to TR1s for a lighter setup. Not sure if the gunship feel of the Katanas comes from the ski itself or the binding compared to the BMTs with Varios. Either way, they’re light enough to haul up a bootpack when there’s no new snow.

Lotus one thirty eight rocker one


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by JRainey

Get a 2020-2024 Bent Chetler 120.

1800-1850gSki weird snow really good (extensive alps testing).

I think they ski like a super easy going renegade. And they can be had used for a great price.

Can't vouch for the updated 2025 version.

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How far behind true center you mount your binding for with that ski? Thinking -7cm (-4cm behind recommended)

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Variable in my case means different types of soft snow including upside down pow, recycled facet pow, and all types of wind affected snow. Rarely find myself on actual hardpack before April and I have different skis for that.</p>
<p>
I am light at ~160lbs. Stance is pretty forward from past racing days, but I get along with skis that work with a centered stance ie hoji stuff. Skinning on wide skis does not bother me. Prefer 115+ touring skis to 110s for CO winter snow and snowpack. Still searching for the sweet spot on the BG Tours. In upside down pow the front of the ski felt very engaged and the pintail very loose and I seesawed in between those opposing feelings trying to find a predictable medium. I skied an older pair of asyms a few seasons ago and remember them feeling a bit too loose at times but not to this degree.</p>
<p>
Other touring skis that I have owned and enjoyed:</p>
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186 EHP</p>
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187 Red/White Hoji - wished it was offered in a 191</p>
<p>
188 Orange QST</p>
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200 Lotus 138</p>
<p>
191 Wolf Renegade</p>

Fav lightweight-ish deep pow touring ski is a 190 nocta w MTN pure


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for those on the vwk katana, how light a boot can you get away with? does it need a boot with more mass/stifness? will it respond to finesse in a lighter boot (f1 xt or similar)

The heritage UT122 is a no brainer here

• The Moonlight Cruiser stands out amongst the flock if you have a relatively traditional mount/posture. 120mm, 186cm, and super duper lightweight... Blister (Paul Forward) has some content on this but no formal reviews yet.
• Also the Faction La Machine 4 (117mm) and 5 (126mm) are uber lightweight. I would love to get on the 117mm but know I wont be happy with such a very directional ski (very soft and tapered tip, short firm tail). Its probably awesome though for many skiers.
• Bit of a shame that ALL properly lightweight skis are so &quot;traditional&quot;, when such a big portion of skiers prefers more symetrical shapes with -5-7cm mounts...
• The Majesty Vanguard Carbon is wide (116-118mm) and comes in sizing up to 194cm with a forward mount point. Its light but far from ultralight and the shovel is surprisingly much softer than the tail. (by hand flex)
• I had the G3 Slayr 195cm and loved but hated it. 1880g on my scales. I wrote a long-form review here. Sounds like a lot of other people have gotten along well with that ski which makes me jealous...
• I mostly tour on 2200g skis with 375g bindings and find this to be acceptable most of the time.
• 2023 Vision108 189cm floats really well for its width though (wide shovel) and tips the scales at an astonishing 1665g :)
• I briefly had some 2024 Vision118s which averaged 2075g in 189cm length.

RE: North:
Your variable snow description matches my midwinter touring snow. I also have a forward stance but don't get along with forward mounts, only traditional mounts need apply.

If you have a chance to try the 184cm VWK it will excel in everything you mentioned. Flat tails, low continuous rocker, traditional tip with no separate early rise means it does not see-saw. You can push the front of the ski like it's a metal layered GS ski and it will ask for more; then it can amazingly still pivot and smear when asked. And if you find yourself on hardpack you will find it amazingly capable for the weight/width (no flop, no chatter, all business!). It can ski low angle trees but prefers some speed to feel alive and more responsive. I don't have experience with the other skis you mentioned so I cannot compare to them. I was skiing rain crust on upside down snow a few months ago and my wife was ready to die on her Moments; in comparison I was actually still having some fun on the VWK!

RE: TG: I am skiing my 184 VWK with a two buckle La Sportiva Spitfire 2.1 which is a similar class of boot to the F1 XT. I do 95% of my touring in this boot. Yes, you can ski harder with a beefier boot (for me that's the Dynafit Vulcan) but for soft snow touring the Spitfires are fine. FYI for my size the 184 is more a touring size, if this was my inbounds ski I would probably be on the 191 and I surmise the 191 would be best suited to my Vulcans if I was to tour on them.

That sounds about right. minimal time on em, but i dont find the vwk to be very demanding, and they pivot fantastically when run bases flat. Theyre not noodles though, and an F1lt type boot will probably (definitely) flex out well before the ski. FWIW, Ive only skied em with old gen ZGTP and GFTs. Kinda beefy setup but not sure the performance/weight gets any better. And ditto re sizing, im a ~185cm and the 184cm is definitely a touring size, would ski 191cm in bounds.

I use the generation of 4FRNT Inthaynes that were lighter than the OG version but still full reverse for this. The latest version has some camber.

I have the 181s and I believe they’re ~1750 grams a ski. I’d use the 188s if I lived out west and I like them so much for this role that I’m considering getting a set of 188s if I can find them.

This is the version I’ve got:

https://www.newschoolers.com/ski-gea...s/331/Inthayne

Quote:

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Originally Posted by skis_the_trees

RE: North:
Your variable snow description matches my midwinter touring snow. I also have a forward stance but don't get along with forward mounts, only traditional mounts need apply.

If you have a chance to try the 184cm VWK it will excel in everything you mentioned. Flat tails, low continuous rocker, traditional tip with no separate early rise means it does not see-saw. You can push the front of the ski like it's a metal layered GS ski and it will ask for more; then it can amazingly still pivot and smear when asked. And if you find yourself on hardpack you will find it amazingly capable for the weight/width (no flop, no chatter, all business!). It can ski low any trees but prefers some speed to feel alive and more responsive. I don't have experience with the other skis you mentioned so I cannot compare to them. I was skiing rain crust on upside down snow a few months ago and my wife was ready to die on her Moments; in comparison I was actually still having some fun on the VWK!

RE: TG: I am skiing my 184 VWK with a two buckle La Sportiva Spitfire 2.1 which is a similar class of boot to the F1 XT. I do 95% of my touring in this boot. Yes, you can ski harder with a beefier boot (for me that's the Dynafit Vulcan) but for soft snow touring the Spitfires are fine. FYI for my size the 184 is more a touring size, if this was my inbounds ski I would probably be on the 191 and I surmise the 191 would be best suited to my Vulcans if I was to tour on them.

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Or the dynafit hoji 130, which is what i have, 2 pairs


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