Dad's!!! Youth POW skis. Get in here.

[SnowMachine]

My 11YO is spoiled by having DD's and pow skis. He was on Salomon QST Rippers the last two seasons (147). He's finally gotten to the point that he's outgrown them. I'd like to get him onto a 155-ish ski for this season (his DD is the Salomon QST Blank JR 152).

On the radar:
Armada Tantrum JR (99WW)
Volkl Revolt JR (100WW)
LINE Bacon Shorty (107WW !!!)

The Tantrum is the easy call as it's basically the same shape as the Ripper that he loves. Super long tip rocker. The Revolt has a very different rocker pattern, much more abrupt. The Bacon is crazy wide. 107 feels like a lot of width for a 80lb kid.

He's a really strong skier. He gets about 80 days per year and this will be his second season doing freeride comps.

Does anybody have firsthand experience with these skis?? Thanks!!

[Bandit Man]

My son tried the earlier version of the Bacon shorty at around that same size and age. It turned out to be too wide for him to manage. Changed over to the Shiro Jr (100-mm predecessor to the Revolt Jr) and he loved those. Plenty of float and much easier to handle. Really improved his powder skiing chops at an early age. He loved the smeary loose feel of the Shiro.

[J. Barron DeJong]

My son tried the earlier version of the Bacon shorty at around that same size and age. It turned out to be too wide for him to manage. Changed over to the Shiro Jr (100-mm predecessor to the Revolt Jr) and he loved those. Plenty of float and much easier to handle. Really improved his powder skiing chops at an early age. He loved the smeary loose feel of the Shiro.

I don’t have experience with the other’s, but my son was on a Revolt last year, and will be again this year.

I don’t think it’s a good option as a powder specific ski. It’s really more of a park twin I think - the camber extends well out toward the tip and tail.

[ASmileyFace]

I mount skis for an 12 year old local ripper. He is sponsored by Armada so I have experience with the Tantrum Jr. It seems like a rad ski for what you are describing. I wouldn't hesitate since you know he is familiar with that shape and style of ski.

[SnowMachine]

My son tried the earlier version of the Bacon shorty at around that same size and age. It turned out to be too wide for him to manage. Changed over to the Shiro Jr (100-mm predecessor to the Revolt Jr) and he loved those. Plenty of float and much easier to handle. Really improved his powder skiing chops at an early age. He loved the smeary loose feel of the Shiro.

Exactly what I was thinking based off of weight and width.

[SnowMachine]

I don’t have experience with the other’s, but my son was on a Revolt last year, and will be again this year.

I don’t think it’s a good option as a powder specific ski. It’s really more of a park twin I think - the camber extends well out toward the tip and tail.

I think there are multiple Revolts. The 100 JR is flat camber, I think. I handled it at the shop and the shape didn't really get me excited. I'd like it to have more taper like the Revolt 114.

[SnowMachine]

I mount skis for an 12 year old local ripper. He is sponsored by Armada so I have experience with the Tantrum Jr. It seems like a rad ski for what you are describing. I wouldn't hesitate since you know he is familiar with that shape and style of ski.

I was thinking this, also. I'm not positive I can get my hands on that ski. Our shop had them last year. I'll have to see if they're bringing them back in.

Edit: the Armada site only shows the 147 as available and it's last years graphic. I wonder if that ski is being discontinued alongside the Ripper. I probably should have grabbed the longer one last year and stashed it.

[SnowMachine]

I might add the Devastator JR to the list, but I consider it more of a wide all-mountain ski instead of a pure powder ski. I would have to go 157 on that ski. I'm a bit worried that it could be a lot of ski for him. He's 150cm tall right now.

[SnowMachine]

To make it more confusing, Volkl's web site shows a Revolt 100 Jr that looks like the 114. Evo shows the 114 when you select the 100 Jr. I've handled a 100 Jr in the shop that definitely doesn't have the taper shown in either of those pics, but they do have the same graphics.

[Power_Sauce]

Praxis MVP Jr


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[SnowMachine]

Praxis MVP Jr


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Keith only makes a 120 and 130 as far as I can tell.

[J. Barron DeJong]

I think there are multiple Revolts. The 100 JR is flat camber, I think. I handled it at the shop and the shape didn't really get me excited. I'd like it to have more taper like the Revolt 114.

Ahh, ok, my sons aren’t the 100s.

[FloridaSnow]

Going to throw in another recommendation. Moment Wildcat 101. Going to be playful like he’s use to but a little more back bone over all. Being a 101 going to be super useful all over the mountain as well. Decent float for a 101 as well. They currently have the 164 onsale and he’ll have some room to grow with them too. If he’s a stronger skier like mentioned he’ll have no issues with them.

https://www.momentskis.com/collectio...24-wildcat-101

[SnowMachine]

Ahh, ok, my sons aren’t the 100s.

My son skied Revolts a few years back that were flat camber, twin, all-mountain skis. I think Volkl throws that name on everything.

I'm going to stop by the shop this afternoon to see if the 100's are still there.

[SnowMachine]

Going to throw in another recommendation. Moment Wildcat 101. Going to be playful like he’s use to but a little more back bone over all. Being a 101 going to be super useful all over the mountain as well. Decent float for a 101 as well. They currently have the 164 onsale and he’ll have some room to grow with them too. If he’s a stronger skier like mentioned he’ll have no issues with them.

https://www.momentskis.com/collectio...24-wildcat-101

He's getting really close. I think his next skis will be grownup skis, but the difference in weight between youth gear and grownup gear for an 11 year old is huge. I'm going to have him ski his Mom's QST Luxe this year to see what he thinks. Same size as his Blanks, but a lot heavier with their layup and Warden's.

I did consider putting him on a Sierra as a DD, but the small one is a 91 waist (too narrow for a dedicated pow ski?!?). This year's graphic is very unisex. I could have gone that way, but geez, I only paid $150 for his Blanks and when you're buying skis for multiple kids it all adds up.

[FloridaSnow]

He's getting really close. I think his next skis will be grownup skis, but the difference in weight between youth gear and grownup gear for an 11 year old is huge. I'm going to have him ski his Mom's QST Luxe this year to see what he thinks. Same size as his Blanks, but a lot heavier with their layup and Warden's.

I did consider putting him on a Sierra as a DD, but the small one is a 91 waist (too narrow for a dedicated pow ski?!?). This year's graphic is very unisex. I could have gone that way, but geez, I only paid $150 for his Blanks and when you're buying skis for multiple kids it all adds up.

200g bump per ski for the cat 101 in 164.

[Going Coastal]

My girls have been arguing over who gets to use an older pair of Bacon Shorty's for the last 7yrs or so. None of them are particularly strong skiers and it certainly hasn't made them better on groomers, but the width makes it a lot easier for them in conditions that I like and they don't just wallow around and get stuck every 20ft when it gets deep and not so steep. So the wider ski has definitely made my experience better lol.

[FloridaSnow]

They also got a Bella in 152 on sale. Basically the same weight he’s on now per ski but a 106 and much higher build quality than the juniors.

https://www.momentskis.com/collectio...-24-bella-blem

[SnowMachine]

They also got a Bella in 152 on sale. Basically the same weight he’s on now per ski but a 106 and much higher build quality than the juniors.

Back to the debate: is 106 too wide for a 80lb grom? I wonder what that is equivalent to for a 160lb grownup? I'm perfectly happy ripping 120's on a pow day, even though I know I rarely need more ski inbounds than a 110 (Deathwish is my cold, dead hands ski if I could have just one).

[SnowMachine]

My girls have been arguing over who gets to use an older pair of Bacon Shorty's for the last 7yrs or so. None of them are particularly strong skiers and it certainly hasn't made them better on groomers, but the width makes it a lot easier for them in conditions that I like and they don't just wallow around and get stuck every 20ft when it gets deep and not so steep. So the wider ski has definitely made my experience better lol.

Were they as wide back then? They've definitely made the newer ones heavier. I used to ski the old, light 107 SFB. That ski was epic fun in soft snow. I wonder how the kids ski "lines" up.

[FloridaSnow]

Back to the debate: is 106 too wide for a 80lb grom? I wonder what that is equivalent to for a 160lb grownup? I'm perfectly happy ripping 120's on a pow day, even though I know I rarely need more ski inbounds than a 110 (Deathwish is my cold, dead hands ski if I could have just one).

well the pro is the fact they’re the same weight ski wise he’s on now. So it’s just matter of getting use to the new width. If he’s a solid skier as you say I would think adjusting to a new width shouldn’t be a problem.

[Going Coastal]

It is this model, says a 107 waist.

https://www.getboards.com/line-sir-f...uth-skis-2016/

[alias_rice]

My 12 year old at the time had the Line’s last year. On pow days he loved them until about noon. Just a bit too big and unwieldy though when the mountain was cut up, so he’d switch back to his Carson’s at lunch.

[SnowMachine]

Thanks to everybody for the input. I went into the shop yesterday and talked to the crew.

They are bringing in Tantrums this years, but only the smaller sizes. I think Armada may have discontinued the ski, but has stock in a couple of sizes left over.

I looked at the K2 Juvi and the Volkl's. The Volkl's are left over '23/4 skis, so they were 50% off. It's hard to pass that up. It's a full reverse ski, for sure. Tip/tail profile are kinda similar to the old Hell Bent. Not much taper. 100 waist.

I grabbed some look SPX's to go on them.

We'll see how it goes. It'll be interesting to get him on a reverse ski and see what he thinks. The Ripper (and Tantrum) is a bit of an anomaly. It has a crazy wide shovel, really tight sidecut and a lot of springy camber. The reverse ski should be really smeary in comparison and will probably take a more neutral stance.

It's interesting buying skis for a kid. The feedback loop is funny. It's usually: "I like these" or "I hate these." Luckily, he's been pretty easy to buy skis for.

I still wasnt quite ready to put him on 107's.

[FloridaSnow]

Thanks to everybody for the input. I went into the shop yesterday and talked to the crew.

They are bringing in Tantrums this years, but only the smaller sizes. I think Armada may have discontinued the ski, but has stock in a couple of sizes left over.

I looked at the K2 Juvi and the Volkl's. The Volkl's are left over '23/4 skis, so they were 50% off. It's hard to pass that up. It's a full reverse ski, for sure. Tip/tail profile are kinda similar to the old Hell Bent. Not much taper. 100 waist.

I grabbed some look SPX's to go on them.

We'll see how it goes. It'll be interesting to get him on a reverse ski and see what he thinks. The Ripper (and Tantrum) is a bit of an anomaly. It has a crazy wide shovel, really tight sidecut and a lot of springy camber. The reverse ski should be really smeary in comparison and will probably take a more neutral stance.

It's interesting buying skis for a kid. The feedback loop is funny. It's usually: "I like these" or "I hate these." Luckily, he's been pretty easy to buy skis for.

I still wasnt quite ready to put him on 107's.

sounds fun. Sure he’ll enjoy them