Need help on time line for fatties

**Glisseur** · 09-05-2006, 02:36 AM

I've managed to infiltrate the Scandinavian ski media in a big way, call me Deep Throat from now on

Right now I'm writing a story on the evolution of fat skis over the past 15 years. I'm pretty well covered from 97 and on but would appreciate some board expertise on the early years. What models were floating around in the early/mid 90's and about when did they come out onto the market?

Atomic Powder Ride, Plus, Heli Dog
RD
Völkl Explosive
Rossi Axiom
Dynastar Big
Volant Chubb
K2 Kahuna

I've probably missed a bunch, would be cool if you could fill me in and help me enlighten the ever so uninformed and misled dark mass of Scandi piste skiers.

**ill-advised strategy** · 09-05-2006, 02:57 AM

Elan Fudd

**jonski** · 09-05-2006, 03:58 AM

*Think* that the SnowRanger was a bit before 97 originally...and it was fat fot then!

**philippeR** · 09-05-2006, 03:59 AM

You could PM Flexon Phil. As far as I can tell from his Epic's posts, he's a living encyclopedia of ski gear history.

**El Chupacabra** · 09-05-2006, 08:13 AM

Wolf "Cold Smoke" is somewhere in the mid-90s too. Sidecut similar to the Rossi Axiom.

**Glisseur** · 09-05-2006, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

Wolf "Cold Smoke" is somewhere in the mid-90s too. Sidecut similar to the Rossi Axiom.

Think I've seen those ones, black topsheets right? Short and soft like hell, asymmetric mounting. Yikes

Originally Posted by jonski

*Think* that the SnowRanger was a bit before 97 originally...and it was fat fot then!

How could I forget, even had a pair myself. A clear contender for the Ugliest Ski Ever award, but rode well.

**ggski** · 09-05-2006, 08:37 AM

Rossi Cut 11.5...mid 90's...evolved into the XXX...considered huge and unwieldy at the time...grin

**ulty_guy** · 09-05-2006, 08:38 AM

rossi cut 10.5?

btw, gliss, your box was full so i couldn't reply, but thanks for the shells!

**lemon boy** · 09-05-2006, 08:38 AM

IIRC: original Kahuna = reskinned Explosiv

**Buster Highmen** · 09-05-2006, 09:00 AM

RD Heli-Dog (there were I, II and II phases).

**upallnight** · 09-05-2006, 10:23 AM

i remember seeing the volant chubb in shops in 95/96 for sure...and i believe at least the prior season.

**El Chupacabra** · 09-05-2006, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Glisseur

Think I've seen those ones, black topsheets right? Short and soft like hell, asymmetric mounting. Yikes

The ones I've seen have been 170s and 180s (approx), all with white topsheets, standard mounting (though that may have been changed by the owners).

If you're going back to the start of "fat" skis, what's your baseline for a fattie? A powder-specific design? --> Miller Soft ? (though not fat by any means today)

**Glisseur** · 09-05-2006, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by ulty_guy

rossi cut 10.5?

Great ski at the time, just ask Brant Moles.

What about Atomic Powder Plus/Ride/Heli Guide? Any clue when the first ones of these showed up? Or what they were called for that matter...

Originally Posted by El Chupacabra

If you're going back to the start of "fat" skis, what's your baseline for a fattie? A powder-specific design? --> Miller Soft ? (though not fat by any means today)

I'd say a powder-specific design, wider than all other skis at the time.

**Keoni** · 09-05-2006, 10:52 AM

Back with the Miller Softs, there was the Rossi Haute Route. Olin made one in the early 90's, can't remember the name right now.

edit: Yostmark & Voile too.

edit x2: Hagen Dolphin

**ryanvdonk** · 09-05-2006, 11:03 AM

what about the old fat boys (it's what it says on the skis), there's a pair sitting in my uncles garage

**waxman** · 09-05-2006, 11:33 AM

Miller Softs late 70s all of the 80s early 90s orange top sheet and base very very "cool" and definite insider ski (CMH used to used them as the "beginner" ski when guides got mad at less than accomplished skiers holding up groups)
the cut 10.5 was a carver
the cut 11.5 (or 11.3) was the fatty that followed the axiom in rossiland...

**Professor** · 09-05-2006, 11:37 AM

I started working in a ski shop the winter of 95-96. Snowrangers were the rage that winter at snowbird. We also had some Atomics that were assym mounted and were black, with stripes of blue and green. Volkl also had the Exsplosiv (original) as well as the Explosiv II which was a blue topsheet with stripes of yellow. We couldnt get rid of anything wider than the Snowranger until the winter of 96-97. By that point a few of local rockstars had been to AK and come back looking for the fattest thing they could get. The first XXXs I believe showed up the winter of 97 or 98. Which means the Rossi Cuts would have been the winter before and Rossi Axioms would have started showing up in 1996. Whatever was the first winter that LB came out to Salt Lake would be when the Ak Rockets showed up since the first day I skied with him was the first day I skied my 200 Rockets. Hope that helps.

**Keoni** · 09-05-2006, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by waxman

Miller Softs late 80s early 90s

Mid to late 70's

**lemon boy** · 09-05-2006, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Professor

Whatever was the first winter that LB came out to Salt Lake would be when the Ak Rockets showed up since the first day I skied with him was the first day I skied my 200 Rockets.

dude, those are way too big to tele on. winter of 99/00

**Professor** · 09-05-2006, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

dude, those are way too big to tele on. winter of 99/00

Yup, that first day just proved what a bad idea that was

**waxman** · 09-05-2006, 01:55 PM

"Mid to late 70's"
really? we were selling them new or used 87-91 from CMH i didn't realize they went back that far....

**Woodsy** · 09-05-2006, 02:02 PM

pretty small production range but Evoloution Wide Glides were out in the mid 90s.
They wer 110ish under foot and short, 167 and 181 only I think.
Heavy as hell but were seen around a lot in UT when everyone else said they were too short and too fat
(me too at the time, i had to get Evoloution's Uinta in a 203. testosterone poisoning I tell ya. then when I bent the shit outa those I "warrantied "down" to a 198 U2)

**marshalolson** · 09-05-2006, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Keoni

Back with the Miller Softs, there was the Rossi Haute Route. Olin made one in the early 90's, can't remember the name right now.

edit: Yostmark & Voile too.

edit x2: Hagen Dolphin

1st gen olin outer limit: 88mm wiast? circa 1996?