AT setup-Mantras, Gotamas, Bros?

[upallnight]

go FR+, due to price + your lightweight, assuming your drops are into pow and not park type of $hit.

[skifree]

yeah, I definately won't be taking this setup into the park, not even BC booters for that matter. I have an older pair of soli screams that I'll use on BC hits, my AT seup will probably only be used on drops that are part of my line.

[upallnight]

yeah, I definately won't be taking this setup into the park, not even BC booters for that matter. I have an older pair of soli screams that I'll use on BC hits, my AT seup will probably only be used on drops that are part of my line.

if you're integrating the air into the line and skiing smooth, it's no problem.

big aif + backseat landing (+big guy) = more trouble.

4-point landing = a good thing. backslap? well...not so much with freerides.

[skifree]

well sounds like it shouldn't be a problem.
what skis do you have as AT setups? As mentionned before in this forum, I'm now thinking of getting some 179 Bros, but am still undecided.

[upallnight]

well sounds like it shouldn't be a problem.
what skis do you have as AT setups? As mentionned before in this forum, I'm now thinking of getting some 179 Bros, but am still undecided.

every setup for me is an AT setup, as i exclusively use AT boots and all have the potential for hiking/sidecountry (although certain setups i would definitely not skin with for obvious reasons)...so:

* 190 gotama + freeride
* 190 g40 + freeride plus
* spat + freeride
* 179 seth vicious + dynafit
* 170 (light) dynafit d712 + dynafit
* 190 explosiv + freeride plus
* 179 bro (on the way) which will have dynafits
* dp 138 (on the way) + freeride plus
* dp 120 (also on the way) + .... possibly dynafits

my wife uses naxos, and she may 'inherit' the spats.

[skifree]

uan, based on my previous info, would i be more at home on a pair of soft or stiff bros?

[pechelman]

25footers + 70% inbounds sounds like a good candidate for a stiff ski.

[skifree]

what are the advantages of stiff over soft for someone my size (150 lbs)?

[pechelman]

what are the advantages of stiff over soft for someone my size (150 lbs)?

well it might be pretty small to begin with so you want to make the best use of what you got...and stiff is the only way thats gonna happen.

[/sarcasm]

have you tried searching at all?

[upallnight]

this year's 179 "stiff" is stiffer than the 05-06 stiff (according to Splat in a separate thread).

from other threads, that means the soft should be slightly softer than an explosiv, and a stiff should be slightly stiffer than said reference ski.

many folks who weigh more than you were happy with their (ski that was equivalent to) 06-07 179 Soft, but of course that is affected by terrain, technique, ability, and aggressiveness.

if it's helpful to you: i'm heavier than you, and i'm going with a soft (partially to save weight) because this will be used as a BC ski, although the terrain it will see will be demanding. i simply believe that a 99mm-waist ski that is reasonably damp should be able to handle any terrain thrown at it, albeit at a slightly lower speed limit than a slightly stiffer ski of the same dimensions.

[Rontele]

Just some thoughts because I ski both BROs and Mantras. The Mantras are, I believe, the standard for the quiver of one ski. They ski everything from groomers to the backcountry, frontside to backside, very well. The 184s are a little short for a true big mountain ski for someonem my size, so I do notice a speed limit. But I find the round, even flex of the ski to be nearly perfect to my skiing style.

The BROs are everything that the Mantras are not. They are stiffer, can be skied considerably faster and are my choice for day after storm, crud, chopped power conditions. I don't think the shovel is big enough for it to be a dedicated powder ski, but the lack of shape and stiff make for a ski that begs to be skied fast.

[skifree]

Rontele, what stiffness of Bro do you ski?

[upallnight]

Rontele, what stiffness of Bro do you ski?

be sure to ask him his weight, too, as i think it's a *wee* bit more than you.

[skifree]

oh yeah, and your ski length

[pechelman]

im pretty sure rontele is on the 188 Stiffs at around 220ish maybe

[skifree]

thanks pechelman, i did some reseach like you suggested, and I think I'm going to go with 179 softs, it sounds like they've stiffened them up for this year.

[upallnight]

thanks pechelman, i did some reseach like you suggested, and I think I'm going to go with 179 softs, it sounds like they've stiffened them up for this year.

sort of -- it's really just a name change.

technically, the 179 "soft" for this year is the same ski as last year's 179 stiff, and this year's stiff is even stiffer. (according to splat, the intention was to make last year's 179s stiffer, but it didn't work out quite that way.)

[skier666]

As for burliness, honestly, I feel better pushing my limits on regular alpine binders. If the tour day brings say some 20fts or so with medium speed, I'd feel content on them, but if the conditions get gnarl, or if you want to start trying to land bigger drops on harder packed snow, you want want to stick to alpine binders. However, I'm 6-2 around 190, so I've got a lot ore force on my feet, so for a lot of people they may be perfect.

If I'm going to tour to a cliff or a super exposed line, I'd much rather tour with some 916's and the old trekkers. Sure, the naxos feel pretty burl, but you still don't get get solid snap-in as with a set of high din binders. Just my $.02.

[skiitsbetter]

Yeah Steve (skifree, we are both searching, you may have notice my "Pow Skis" thread), I've decided to remove the 999's from my list, they are a perfect ski for MT.

^^^666 does have a point, and hearing more about those BRO's makes them sound even more enticing.

And what Rontell says about the BROs, the average Sunshine day (even sometimes when it dumps) does not require a "dedicated powder ski".

[mtaylor]

you know, it doesnt happen often, but i agree with pete up there!

[skifree]

Yeah, I'm starting to think that using this setup exclusively for pow days/touring will be the way to go. I'll use my other skis for hucking.

[skiitsbetter]

What I meant was, a dedicated pow ski would be too much for Sunshine, you would only log a couple of days skiing on them. Kindof a waste if you ask me. I know you have your other sticks, but I'm pretty sure that you would want to use the skis you spent a lot more money on more often. Freeride Plus' are still fine, you can use your other skis for hucking when the snow is scarcer and the landings are harder.

[upallnight]

As for burliness, honestly, I feel better pushing my limits on regular alpine binders.

this shouldn't be a shock to anyone. nothing's going to be as solid as a metal alpine binding...but his testimony that the naxo is good for mid-size leaps should be a testament to the bindings. i think freerides are good in the same range, for reference.

how often do most folks jump >25' to firm landings? keep that in mind.

[skifree]

how often do most folks jump >25' to firm landings? keep that in mind.

Good point UAN, I think my knees would give out even if my bindings didn't. I'm pretty much decided on the Freeride plusses, and most likely the 179 soft bros. Do you know what kind of warranty PM gear gives? I know diamir gives your typical 1 year parts and labour..

[upallnight]

Good point UAN, I think my knees would give out even if my bindings didn't. I'm pretty much decided on the Freeride plusses, and most likely the 179 soft bros. Do you know what kind of warranty PM gear gives? I know diamir gives your typical 1 year parts and labour..

basically, all of pmgear is on the board and past evidence is that they'll do everything reasonable (and sometimes beyond reasonable) to take care of their customers to the point where they're satisfied.

based on that, i wouldn't worry about their warranty -- whereas the warranty of some bigger, faceless corporations can be more of an issue.