Made 'n ak..what size???

[teosickrider]

Hi buddies..well i have a terrible doubt:i've found a pair of made'ns 179 cm for cheap but i don't really know if the size fits my way of skiing.
I am 1 meter 76 cm tall and weigh 72 kilos.. i like powerful big mountain skiing(big turns etc..)..some backcountry freestyle and skiing switch.
Do you think that the size is gonna be allright or i should go bigger???
Thanks for your help!!
teo

[Below Zero]

Warning!

Flood of "Bigger is better" is on the way!

[Z]

189 for sure

they are twinned, and pretty soft....they will ski short

[LaramieSkiBum]

didn't you just buy seth pistols?

160lbs and like 5'7" i would go 179....but i've never skied made'ns, so that doesnt really mean anything

[Lok]

What Z said.

I am the same height and weight as you and wouldn't go shorter than the 189 cm.

[Jim S]

I'm 6'2" and 190 lbs and have the 179cm Pistol and the 189cm Maden.

Maden is very soft and for powder I'd go long: 189cm.

I don't think the Maden is the best choice for an every day ski.
As the Pistol was mentioned above, I think it's more versatile.

Tangentially, my everyday ski is the Volkl Explosiv 180cm.

[bossass]

I have 189 Seth Pistols and 179 Made'ns. I think a 189 Made'n would be too long. I have mine mounted at 3.5cm forward and they feel perfect and are just as stable as the 189 SPs at high speeds in crud. I might go 189 if all I skied was open bowls of fresh pow, but that's what Spatulas are for. Since Made'ns are soft, I think the 189 would be too floppy. A shorter length by default makes it a tad stiffer. I say get the 179s and make sure you mount them at least 2 cm forward. I'm 6 foot 1 inch and 195 pounds by the way.

[Plakespear]

Do you plan on doing as lot of tree skiing with them? As a skier who gets the majority of his ski days in Eastern North America, I would probably choose the 179 ski for maneuverability in tight tree runs (i.e Jay Peak). But if I was skiing a lot of more open terrain, than I'd probably prefer the 189's.

FYI I skied the 178 B3 with Wastach Powderbirds Heli-Skiing, and liked it a lot, but than again I'm a gaper when I ski out west.

[Jim S]

I have 189 Seth Pistols and 179 Made'ns. I think a 189 Made'n would be too long. I have mine mounted at 3.5cm forward and they feel perfect and are just as stable as the 189 SPs at high speeds in crud. I might go 189 if all I skied was open bowls of fresh pow, but that's what Spatulas are for. Since Made'ns are soft, I think the 189 would be too floppy. A shorter length by default makes it a tad stiffer. I say get the 179s and make sure you mount them at least 2 cm forward. I'm 6 foot 1 inch and 195 pounds by the way.

My 189 Maden are OK in the trees and tight chutes but certainly 179 would be better. For hauling ass at high speed down bowls and anything in deep powder though, I like the 189. However, they are soft and towards the mid day when things get cut up, the tips do flop around quite a bit at speed.

Gee, I'm not really helping here, am I?

[teosickrider]

Yeah..i just got the pistols and they're great for everyday skiing!!!The made 'ns would be for big days...here in Italy we don't have many trees so they'd be for open bowls,and for that i'd get the 89.But i'd like to use them for skiing switch and for stompin some tricks(and ski Alta and Snowbird!!!) so i'm afraid that the 89 is gonna be too long and second thing here we don't have powder(i mean the deep one) kind of 10 days a year...i'm gonna have to buy a pair of each size!!!
No..seriously...i'd like a pair of skis i can ski everywhere mostly(on big days!!),and not just open bowls...
(oh..i am 5'8" in american units..don't know the weight!!)
Ciao!

[hop]

189's are fine for me at 5'10", 150#. Easy to ski. Mount them 3cm forward.

[skibum193]

how much can u get them for??

[ak_powder_monkey]

179 shoould be fine I ski on 178 PEs and am 2 metres and 100 kilos

[teosickrider]

I can get the 179s for 365 euros....not that bad...i'd go big but i've found that deal only...(so if you know any.. )

[adam]

dude, i'm 5'8 and 135 pounds, and i skied the 189's no problem, and planning to get some. They are huge noodles. I skied them at +4, with a s914. They are awesome. Not just powder sticks either. They go through anything. But watch out, in the bumps, if you get back, they kick you.

[teosickrider]

thanks Adam...i think i'm gonna look for a pair of 189....

[altarip55]

If I were you I would go for the 179. There is no need for you to be on the 189. It won't give you any advantage. Bragging rights I understand, but it's overkill. The 179's will be just as stable, and a bit less weight to throw around. With as much surface area as the made n' ak has, there really is no need for you to go big. If you were 6'0, 200lbs and asked the same question, I would go with the 189, but your not. Look at it this way, Pollards new Elizabeth is a 172. When you go fatter and softer, you can shave off length, keeping weight down and improving maneverability. Just my thoughts.

It is always killer when you have some of the biggest, fattest skis in the snowbird tram though.

[bossass]

If I were you I would go for the 179. There is no need for you to be on the 189. It won't give you any advantage. Bragging rights I understand, but it's overkill. The 179's will be just as stable, and a bit less weight to throw around. With as much surface area as the made n' ak has, there really is no need for you to go big. If you were 6'0, 200lbs and asked the same question, I would go with the 189, but your not. Look at it this way, Pollards new Elizabeth is a 172. When you go fatter and softer, you can shave off length, keeping weight down and improving maneverability. Just my thoughts.

It is always killer when you have some of the biggest, fattest skis in the snowbird tram though.

I'm those dimensions and I still go 179. Especially if you are landing/skiing backwards or plan on doing any park stuff, like spinning, go 179. The 179 are just as stable, there's no way your gonna bury those tips and there's less ski to throw around, and it's not like the 179s aren't already boats to throw around. IMO, the only reason you'd need a 189 in this ski is if you were my size and primarily skiing at very high speeds in very smooth and deep powder on wide open faces. Unless you are heli skiing, I doubt this makes up the majority of your vert. And with that said, I would feel just fine making such turns on 179s.

[teosickrider]

Ummmm...i'm still thinkin about what size...i really wanted to go for the 189(big is better!!! ) but i've found a 179 only...and probably i'll grab it...

[bossass]

You can always pick up the 189 later if you decide you need it. The AK returns next year the same with slightly different (but hardly noticable if you don't have an eye for that sort of thing) graphics. You could probably sell the 179s for darn near what you put into them, assuming you're getting a sick deal. Especially if you can unload them on one of those gaper Brits.

[skibum193]

if u get a deal. sell em on ebay for twice as much. they will prolly sell.

[teosickrider]

Not here in Europe(yeah maybe the the Brits would buy'em...)...and for Americans(on ebay) the price would be really too high...

[Jim S]

Is this even an issue? I take it you can only get a deal on the 179cm? Go for it.

[teosickrider]

Do you guys think that i should mount my brand new made 'ns at +3 or what??I mean,what do you suggest??
Thanks!

[hop]

I have a pair of 189's mounted at 0 and they have too much tip, not enough tail. My other pair of 189's is mounted at +3 and it feels about right, but they also have stiffer than normal tails.