Lhasa Pow Stoke

**parkmeister** · 02-27-2012, 08:21 AM

Good times.

Low tide and firm conditions at Kirkwood, but the lhasas killed it!

**powder11** · 02-28-2012, 11:30 AM

Lhasa pow at Blackcomb the last few days. Here's some 196'er shots!

Powder11 slashing the stash

Powder11 airing out chainsaw ridge

Powder11 skiing a finger chute off Decker ridge in the Blackcomb slackcountry

Powder11 finds the steeps in CBC

**PhilM** · 02-29-2012, 01:52 AM

Second day on a pair of 196...

Edit is a bit crap, did it in a rush. Skis on the other hand...I think I may have just found a new favourite ski. Stable, floaty, easy to turn, tough edges and stupidly light. Will write a proper review in the next few days.

**PhilM** · 03-01-2012, 02:26 AM

Very non-technical Lhasa 196 Review:

Me: 6'1" 170lbs. Fairly aggressive, like open faces, steep chutes and drops a lot more than tight trees.

Other pow skis I like: 193 EHPs (08 version I think), original Sally Rockers with swallowtail, older Gotamas, Bentchetlers.
Other pow skis I don't like: S7s, hellbents, soft noodles and almost anything with a turning radius of less than 25m.

I was slightly dubious about all of the hype over the Lhasas but couldn't resist the temptation of a great deal from Oldschool1080s. I was worried that they'd be too turny / hooky and not damp enough.

First off the weight: stupidly light. Decided to mount with sTH 16 instead of 916s to keep the setup super light. Mounted at 109 from tip (instead of 110) due to hole conflict. Compared to EHPs or rockers, they almost feel like park skis on your feet in terms of swing weight.

Powder: The tip floats really well and definitely not hooky like I thought they might be (whilst I liked my Bentchetlers, I sold them as I found they were too hooky / turny at speed). They happily ski any shape of turn and are easy to slash quick turns to kill speed quickly. Very lively ski with lots of pop. Good in fast chutes and tight trees. Very versatile.

Chop / crud: Handle it very well with the stiffish flex, but don't have the weight of the EHP or Rocker to completely destroy it; they skim over the top a little more rather than busting through. Can't relax quite as much on the Lhasas as the EHP or Rocker.

Landings: Very solid platform. Hit a range between 5' and 40' and didn't go over the bars once. If you get caught backseat you have to get your weight forward quickly though or you'll get spanked.

Groomers: No problem. Seem able to do shorter radius turns a lot easier than Rockers or EHPs.

Durability: Can't tell long term yet but I hit a rock the other day and thought I'd knackered the edge. Had a look at the bottom and couldn't even work out where I'd hit.

Other: Only my third day on them now, but being my first ski with the bullet nose shape, I do find that on some steep icy sideslip / side step maneuvers the edges don't bite quite as well as a ski with a straighter sidecut; I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Finally: Think I've just found my new go-to ski. Thanks Pat for making a great ski!

**powder11** · 03-01-2012, 10:17 AM

I noticed some big Lhasa's in the lineup at Blackcomb yesterday. That you?

**PhilM** · 03-01-2012, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by powder11

I noticed some big Lhasa's in the lineup at Blackcomb yesterday. That you?

Yeah, that was me, I figured that someone with 196 black carbon Lhasas with FKS must have been someone on here.

**Boonshackle** · 03-01-2012, 01:55 PM

Re-runs from Canadian Rockies thread. My Lhasas are lonely at Castle.
Bottom of Zero or -1

North Bowl trees, holding my pink rental pole like a gimp because I am one.

**powder11** · 03-01-2012, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by PhilM

Yeah, that was me, I figured that someone with 196 black carbon Lhasas with FKS must have been someone on here.

right on, always good to see more Lhasa's on the hill... was most of your footage taken on sunbowl? Hard to really tell, but I think I recognized a couple of those drops!

**PhilM** · 03-02-2012, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by powder11

right on, always good to see more Lhasa's on the hill... was most of your footage taken on sunbowl? Hard to really tell, but I think I recognized a couple of those drops!

Arm drop (skiers left of Domanski's), peak waterfall, sun bowl, sun bowl, harmony ridge, harmony waterfall. I also skied a couple of those sunbowl lines a year or two ago when dendrite were doing some filming, was that you then?

**auvgeek** · 03-02-2012, 01:52 AM

Dammit, now I want a pair of 196 Lhasas too. I wanna join the cool kids club!

**locknload** · 03-05-2012, 08:23 AM

These things are so sweet. I have the 191s and rode them all last week at Jackson Hole as it dumped day after day. They are so incredibly versatile for resort POW skiing. They provide such nice float and slashability in the trees, glades and bowls. I am also surprised at how well they do handle harder snow--not that I bought them for that...but its a nice bonus. They really come to life in 3d snow and allow you to change directions very quickly for such a large ski. The carbon fiber makes for such a light setup and for short hikes in-bounds they don't break your shoulder when you sling me up there and climb. I'm really impressed. I told Splat that there may be something better out there, but I don't know what it is and I don't plan on wasting any time trying to find it.

**TripleT** · 03-05-2012, 04:41 PM

loving my green 186's, I'll throw in some stoke

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might have to write a review but there are so many I wouldn't contribute much...

I would however, love to have the top sheet graphic explained...Never though much of it until a buddy of mine who is down with buddhism told me pretty much everything on there has significance in tibetan buddhism.

Tried to do a search on the origins of the design but to no avail, maybe it's buried 4-5 years deep when the move was made from blue bombers to the tibetan symbols?

Can anyone enlighten me? Splat?

**splat** · 03-05-2012, 07:54 PM

The rays on the tips are from the Tibetan flag. The Tibetan snow lions are below on the shovel of the ski. The snow lion represents unconditional cheerfulness, a mind free of doubt, clear and precise. It has a beauty and dignity resulting from a body and mind that are synchronized with a youthful, vibrant energy of goodness and a natural sense of delight. The snow lion's main quality is fearlessness and dominance over mountains. On the tails of the skis is the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of Tibet. Lhasa means 'place of the gods'.

**TurxSki** · 03-05-2012, 08:26 PM

^^^ Nice bit of decoding there.

After a long wait, my 179's got their first 3 days on snow.
Wednesday at Sierra was just euphoric!!
Saturday, the morning was pretty sweet (Northstar...don't ask) , and yesterday was much better than I expected (KW).
But yes, some rocks were clipped. But it felt like I'd waited long enough.
Felt like skiing on smooth, soft ball-bearings. So quick to respond.

Thank You Splat

EDIT: 'tini(Dakini) comments on the Colors used on the 179 topsheet:

The colors of the skis (yellow-orange and burgundy) are the traditional colors of the monastics, which in Tibet were the scholars, as the monasteries were the places of higher learning.

**BaNosser** · 03-05-2012, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by splat

The rays on the tips are from the Tibetan flag. The Tibetan snow lions are below on the shovel of the ski. The snow lion represents unconditional cheerfulness, a mind free of doubt, clear and precise. It has a beauty and dignity resulting from a body and mind that are synchronized with a youthful, vibrant energy of goodness and a natural sense of delight. The snow lion's main quality is fearlessness and dominance over mountains. On the tails of the skis is the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of Tibet. Lhasa means 'place of the gods'.

clarity at last..

**TripleT** · 03-05-2012, 10:41 PM

Exactly what I was looking for, thanks Splat.
Any significance to the "vase with bombs attached" that the snow lion holds? Also, my buddy seems to think the pm gear mountain logo is a mtn of note?

Originally Posted by splat

The rays on the tips are from the Tibetan flag. The Tibetan snow lions are below on the shovel of the ski. The snow lion represents unconditional cheerfulness, a mind free of doubt, clear and precise. It has a beauty and dignity resulting from a body and mind that are synchronized with a youthful, vibrant energy of goodness and a natural sense of delight. The snow lion's main quality is fearlessness and dominance over mountains. On the tails of the skis is the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of Tibet. Lhasa means 'place of the gods'.

**parkmeister** · 03-06-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by TripleT

...Any significance to the "vase with bombs attached" that the snow lion holds?

Possibly this: The raised jewel symbolizes Tibet's reverence for the three Precious Gems: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. (except on the lhasas there are only two 'gems')

sum mo gaper pov:

**bern43** · 03-08-2012, 08:10 PM

Hey Pat, stupid question. Most of the topsheet edges on my 186s have a nice bevel on them. A good portion doesn't though. Any problem with lightly filing away the rough edge to prevent some topsheet chipping? I'm more of a hack than I'd like to admit.

**splat** · 03-08-2012, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by bern43

Hey Pat, stupid question. Most of the topsheet edges on my 186s have a nice bevel on them. A good portion doesn't though. Any problem with lightly filing away the rough edge to prevent some topsheet chipping? I'm more of a hack than I'd like to admit.

Hey, bern, just do it.
They were sanded on a machine or carved to a bevel with a razor knife, but prolly the best thing to use would be a wood block and 120 grit sandpaper.
You'll get the feel for it and I bet you impress yourself once you've tried.

Parkmeister - 99 steps, yeah!