An Open Letter To Shane McConkey

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 03:51 AM

Thank you.

Thanks for the twelve hours of skiing I did on the Volant Spatulas that prompted me to text message my wife telling her I never wanted to ski another ski.

Thanks for the memories of watching far better skiers than me eating it in breakable crust last week as I skimmed overhead, making gratuitously annoying wiggly turns just to rub it in.

Thanks for the buzz of watching European lifties stand stupefied as they loaded the Spats onto a gondola.

Thanks for just having the vision to build a ski that is more fun, more versatile and more confidence inspiring than I could have hoped for in any best case scenario.

I understand work is pretty well advanced on the K2 Pontoon. This now becomes the only pair of skis I really want. Because I know if I source another pair of Spatulas that this is going to happen within a matter of hours.

If it's not too late, can you burl up the Pontoons for apes like me?

**vertigo** · 12-14-2005, 04:26 AM

I've got a single stormrider that you're welcome to try out with your single Spat. It would be an experience if nothing else...

**verbier61** · 12-14-2005, 04:48 AM

hey, roo, WHERE and HOW did it happen

?
I knew ALL volants are prone to this... but a 12-hour life (or, in other words, a 6-hour half life....) looks quite short

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 05:35 AM

Some info here.

I took air off a high cat track and touched down on a steepish ramp of snow that joined another piste. As soon as I hit the flat the ski just snapped right in front of the toe piece. I then crashed into Brownmonkey, giving him a good pranging. Ski completely totalled.

**Arno** · 12-14-2005, 05:41 AM

Believe it or not, last time I was there (end of last season) there was a shop in ADH with a pair of Spats in stock. Want me to see if they're still there when I head out at the end of Jan?

**ulty_guy** · 12-14-2005, 05:44 AM

and just think, you had been trying to hoof the on ebay all autumn for £280

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Arno

Believe it or not, last time I was there (end of last season) there was a shop in ADH with a pair of Spats in stock. Want me to see if they're still there when I head out at the end of Jan?

If I'd have known before I could have burgled it. Worth a look to see what they're knocking them out for. Thanks.

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by ulty_guy

and just think, you had been trying to hoof the on ebay all autumn for £280

That was before I knew how good they were to ski.

**Mrs Roo** · 12-14-2005, 06:26 AM

But you trashed those Head monsters last season as well (not to mention LPH's ski pole). Never mind bullet proof, skis have to be Roo-proof these days.

He's costing me a fortune in dining chairs.

**ill-advised strategy** · 12-14-2005, 07:32 AM

Originally Posted by bad_roo

I then crashed into Brownmonkey, giving him a good pranging.

teehee....this phrase made me laugh.

**iceman** · 12-14-2005, 08:14 AM

I blame the U.K. ski tech monkey who mounted them, were there any extra holes drilled in them?

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 08:15 AM

I'm going to take the binding off tonight and have a look...

**ill-advised strategy** · 12-14-2005, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

I blame the U.K. ski tech monkey who mounted them, were there any extra holes drilled in them?

wow, I bet you're right. Such a waste.

**Cornholio** · 12-14-2005, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Mrs Roo

But you trashed those Head monsters last season as well (not to mention LPH's ski pole). Never mind bullet proof, skis have to be Roo-proof these days.

He's costing me a fortune in dining chairs.

You should see what he costs his employer.

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 09:21 AM

Many a true word is spoken in jest.

**0BernhardFranz** · 12-14-2005, 09:26 AM

I payed only 100 $ for the Volant Genesis Gold and skied only 5 days so far but no bending - but Cham was emptied of jumps and the park the mountain ranger doodes kept me out of.I am more careful have no problem though I was pretty much fastest skier I saw there.But you SHOULD not land on a ramp simply and you can´t use a ski that is solid Titanium.But I think this is due to the fact it is very stiff.The 9th Ward developer said theirs were stiff and would break if oyu tried to bend them and "trashy" Liberty, Line etc or so 4 skie brands all came from the same trash mill that made ski he could bend tip to tip touching each other.Volant ain´t if he was not joking of such trashy bending quality.In bumps they got a D or E and I got to admit I did a bumbs run with them no problem but with the Head I had RX 20 years ago i did bump runs maybe 10 times as good ( Head Matrix are supposed to be best for bumps ).I bought them to descent from Mustagh Ata at 7600 and in Cham these Volants were in a manner special in terms of hardness I have no comparison.Just for beiing able to ski were other skies can´t be skied at all.

I am so dangerous as I just joined Everest 91 with the Ja Ko team with no climbing training at all for example.I take risks above my level of savety ( I try to change ).

**Mcwop** · 12-14-2005, 09:30 AM

I swear that I saw Shane eating in the Peruvian dining room two weekends ago.

I stole his dirty spoon as a keepsake.

**bad_roo** · 12-14-2005, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by 0BernhardFranz

I am so dangerous as I just joined Everest 91 with the Ja Ko team with no climbing training at all for example.I take risks above my level of savety ( I try to change ).

Are you the Random Chaz Factor?

**Capt_Oblivious** · 12-14-2005, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by 0BernhardFranz

...I did a bumbs run with them no problem but with the Head I had...

OK. I don't have any idea of the other stuff this guy said but I know I'm very interested in this part.

**Monique** · 12-14-2005, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by bad_roo

Thanks for the memories of watching far better skiers than me eating it in breakable crust last week as I skimmed overhead, making gratuitously annoying wiggly turns just to rub it in.

An open letter to Bad Roo: Thanks for the phrase, "gratuitously annoying wiggly turns."

**Franz Klammer** · 12-14-2005, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Mrs Roo

But you trashed those Head monsters last season as well (not to mention LPH's ski pole). Never mind bullet proof, skis have to be Roo-proof these days.

Wow, you totalled some Monsters. That is seriously impressive. Maybe those SuperMojos will withstand the Roo.

**PNWbrit** · 12-14-2005, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by bad_roo

I then crashed into Brownmonkey, giving him a good pranging.

It's impossible to use the term "pranging" without sounding like Group Captain Lionel Mandrake from Dr Strangelove.

**alto** · 12-14-2005, 11:11 AM

if that happens to mine i will cry.

**Evil E** · 12-14-2005, 11:15 AM

Ive got 2 seasons on mine so far and they keep taking a beating year after year. I bought a backup pair that I still have in the plastic thinking that someday they will bust, but so far no breaky ( and no im not selling any )

sorry about the death of your spats.

**lemon boy** · 12-14-2005, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Evil E

Ive got 2 seasons on mine so far and they keep taking a beating year after year. I bought a backup pair that I still have in the plastic thinking that someday they will bust, but so far no breaky ( and no im not selling any )

Whoa Jinxboy!

You should ask HOP about his unbreakable poles.

Admittedly, the B/U pair is powerful anti-jinx-mojo