Rocker vs Reverse/Reverse in crust/heavy snow

**laseranimal** · 02-13-2008, 03:09 PM

which is better?

After skiing Magic today I've decided next year I'm pulling the trigger on a funshape type ski

it was fun today on my Heli Daddies but I think with the rain/ice crust it could have been funner on a reverse/reverse or rockered ski

I'm leaning towards a reverse/reverse ski due to the added maneuverability in EC trees, but I've read on here that tip rockered skis are a little better in the crud/tracked up.

Advice?

**pechelman** · 02-13-2008, 03:16 PM

Rockered skis with sharknose type tips, ala dp120, 186 rocker, and even partially the k2 AP, are a little better in my experience in crusts than traditional skis. (only ridden the 186, so im extrapolating a bit) Not exceptionally better, but they do it a little better.

If you really want this to be a crust specific ski, you will have more fun and control on a R\R. I mean thats what theyre designed to do best. No question there.

**laseranimal** · 02-13-2008, 03:29 PM

like a crust/pow ski

I've got Heli daddies as my everyday boards but when its really funky or softer snow I'd like to be more slarvy/surfy

**pechelman** · 02-13-2008, 03:41 PM

crust\pow\funky\slarvy\surfy = R\R for sure

how\man\y\more\slash\es\can\i\us\e\i\n\a\post?\\

**laseranimal** · 02-13-2008, 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

crust\pow\funky\slarvy\surfy = R\R for sure

how\man\y\more\slash\es\can\i\us\e\i\n\a\post?\\

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**lemon boy** · 02-13-2008, 04:08 PM

IME (190 & 200 120s) rockered skis are quite a bit better than just nominally better than trad skis in crusty munkey. But I can't compare them with r/r skis.

**pechelman** · 02-13-2008, 04:18 PM

^
id wager the 120 is better in crusts than my rockers simply due to the tip camber profile and lesser sidecut despite the sharknose profile being less drastic.

also, not all crusts are the same. Ive only had them in a 5/10 sucky crust on the sucky crust scale where 10 is the worst. similarly, not all trad skis are the same in crusts.

generally speaking though, the less there is on either end to hook or get caught underneath crusts, the better they do. eliminate the chance that tips\tails can rebound or flop around and end up below the crust (ie R\R), and the more control youll have.

**2nd mate** · 02-13-2008, 04:23 PM

ANY funshape will be a great addition to your quiver.
I have only been on Hellbents but i am looking forward to trying a few more this season.

**Skidog** · 02-13-2008, 04:35 PM

Was at Powder Mountain last week after a few days of SERIOUS wind. The entire place had a wind crust for about 3-4"...brought out the spatulas and they worked like a charm.

Laser didnt you powsplatapus some POW +'s? dont they slarve for you?

M

**laseranimal** · 02-13-2008, 04:41 PM

yep I did and I love them

I'm just gonna go for real funshape

plus the pow+ are now mounted with 977's and I haven't been able to get the release values consistent enough for my liking with a FR Aero

so I figure something R/R w/ either Freerides or Dukes are in my future next season

**BrianGriffin** · 02-13-2008, 04:46 PM

186 EHP's would probably be exactly what you're looking for.

**StuntCok** · 02-13-2008, 04:51 PM

I have tried both the regular rockered skis in the crust (new Seths) and reverse reverse skis (ARGs) and the reverse reverse is by far the winner in crust.

**Daikon** · 02-13-2008, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by pechelman

how\man\y\more\slash\es\can\i\us\e\i\n\a\post?\\

You haven't used any yet. You've just misused those awful MS-DOS 2.0 backslashes.

**Tele'ndaboat** · 02-13-2008, 05:41 PM

being on the melees the one thing I notice is that I wish I had a non-reverse tail every once in a while, ie steeps and backseat landings. They definately are a good tool for making me ski more centered though.

**leroy jenkins** · 02-13-2008, 05:45 PM

My comi kazis are hands down my favorite ski ever.

I've had them in wet heavy pow, and some really strange wind affected pow today, and they made it feel like butter.

**JeffreyJim** · 02-13-2008, 06:14 PM

Although any funshape will be good, nothing will slay crust/mank like a full reverse reverse ski.

See Shane's "Brain Flossing" for the explination.

**Whipper** · 02-13-2008, 08:18 PM

I just got back a few an hour ago skiing some funky crap to!! Are you guys saying theres a ski that will accully ski this crap. Two days ago we got some heavy pow about a foot. Yesterday it went up to almost 40deg and rained!! {freaky weather change} Yesterday it got skied a bit and was great because it never froze till last night. It went down to -6 and this morrning and all day it was -3. The old clumps left from yesterday were like rocks and the untracked had a crust from hell! I tried it thinking if I could just bust threw on my turns I would be smiling but way to grabby and unpredictable weather or not you could bust threw or you got thrown around from the tracked. is this the kind of conditions that can be skied with R/R your saying?? I cant see how it if your talking snow like this?

**frorider** · 02-14-2008, 12:00 AM

based on owning praxis and comi kazis, i would say that IF the ski in question has serious waist girth (like the CK's do..136 mm) then a rockered forebody / trad shape ski handles the mank and crust damn well...almost as well as an inverse ski like the praxis.

and the CK's kill the skier-packed / skier-trenched crud, and groomers, much better than inverse skis.

the only caveat to my comparison above is that tahoe snow has been consistently good this year, and so i've not had many days in weird snow w/ the comi kazis. however, i have had them in some wind-affected slab-over-powder, and in some sun-crust-over-powder conditions, and they worked pretty well. almost as well as the praxis in similar conditions.

**Whipper** · 02-14-2008, 03:18 AM

My skis are Hart Boss with 120/92/110 189cm. They absolutely crush skier packed pow with trenches and clumps when it -10 and hasnt warmed up. They have little side cut so charge hard and maintain an edge as fast as you dare i love that! it was just one of those days I guess. No one not even a boarder tryed this run so I figured i would show em how its done.

It was OK to start then got ugly as the run progressed. I tried just turning but thats was usless because there was no give so I though i would just pound it fast and when in the air make my turns. I was doing OK then hit some glued snow on the steeps and at the rate I was going just went head first for about 10+ft right on my shoulder!OUchh. Ya we have had the best snow also all winter but yesterday it went from -19 at night with snow every night to in the 40,s during the day and bellow zero at night with some rain yesterday.Iced up melted powder that was previously skied. Sucks but it going to get back to normal in a few days. Thanks for your reply. James

**marshalolson** · 02-14-2008, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by lemon boy

IME (190 & 200 120s) rockered skis are quite a bit better than just nominally better than trad skis in crusty munkey. But I can't compare them with r/r skis.

138s >> 120s in heavy/setup/windbuff for sure.
so i think you can use that as a general design feature (ie. 138, praxxis, spats, arg vs. 120, ehp etc)

**Dromond** · 02-14-2008, 08:39 AM

A crust specific ski, eh? Where are you skiing most of the time?

Juuuuust kidding! I bet I'll wish that I had one this weekend...

**laseranimal** · 02-14-2008, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Dromond

A crust specific ski, eh? Where are you skiing most of the time?

Juuuuust kidding! I bet I'll wish that I had one this weekend...

ha ha ha ha

well at least I'm not sugar coating it

I'm just looking at the amount of times we'll get a thaw freeze cycle, or rain freeze event, or pow turning to sleet and then freezing rain then freeze type thing.

Sure we get pow out here, but it'd be a much better call to hedge your bets towards crust. Nobody understands why you need a fat ski on the EC until you get them off the groomers.

**Dromond** · 02-14-2008, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by laseranimal

ha ha ha ha

well at least I'm not sugar coating it

I'm just looking at the amount of times we'll get a thaw freeze cycle, or rain freeze event, or pow turning to sleet and then freezing rain then freeze type thing.

Sure we get pow out here, but it'd be a much better call to hedge your bets towards crust. Nobody understands why you need a fat ski on the EC until you get them off the groomers.

It's true. Especially when you throw wind-affected snow in there. Some of the trickiest stuff that I've skied was this December at sugarbush after 24 hours of intense wind...