Salomon Rocker2

[CentoUno]

Actually yeah, it IS going to be in every Salomon thread from now on, or at least until they own the fuck up to their screwups instead of blowing smoke up our asses when we ask the "why" and "how"... Which will never happen.

You see, I want people considering spending their money with Salomon to at least be aware of what happened with the Quest 12 Pro. You know, when they built a piece of shit boot that broke in testing yet went to market unchanged anyways as a "bombproof, uber-gnar" product, almost killed a fellow mag, then lied about every concievable detail after that... Yeah, THAT Salomon.

Look man, what would it take for you to think they didn't deserve your business? If Dalton got killed, would you buy them then??? Maybe it just didn't hit close enough to home to matter to you but I personally hope you never see anything like that. So yeah, why don't we just go on buying their shit, basically supporting their actions. By not letting your shopping attitude be affected by this, you're basically saying you're fine with the way the whole shebang went down. Honestly I'd like to know where you'd draw the line.

As for "Where does it stop" I'm going with a big fat "Nowhere". Sure I still love to watch Cody Townsend and Sammy Carlson rip, but I'll never be like "Wow, I have to have those rockers" No fucking way. I don't blame them for getting paid, but shit man, I'll be damned if Salomon sees another penny of mine. You do what you want, but I speak wth my money ad I urge you to do the same, even if it is inconvenient or unpopular. No, I won't boycott a store that carries Salomon but I do have a close relationship with most shops I do frequent and I have been very vocal about why I will never support them again, as it's also important for them to understand why I feel that bond of trust has been violated/broken. Perhaps they agree, maybe they don't. Either way I think it's important for people to know how Salomon feels about their responsibility to the skiers that support them, and how some people percieve that as a slap in the face as I do.

So in closing, yeah if you're going to start a Salomon related thread, I'm going to at least remind people of what happened. They can figure out where to go from there by themselves, but at least they can have all the info on why I think their money should be spent elsewhere.

Kind of silly, eh. Powerplants blow - up and people die, yet I bet you have electricity at your home, right? Friendly fire kills our troops yet I'm presuming you pay your taxes. Air pollution derived from automobiles exacerbate my son's asthma and kill untold thousands each year and I bet you still drive to the mtn and to work each day. Toyota accelerators stick and people get grievously injured, do you drive a Toyota or a GM product or a Ford product, they have all had fatal design flaws, yet the beat goes on.

Let's be grown-ups here, bad things occassionally happen to good people despite our best intentions.

Legal teams will sort this out equitably. We certainly don't need to ruin a company whose revenue streams fund great products, support honest hard working people with families, fund great skiers and make great soft goods. It's obvious they stumbled in their design process. Again, unfortunate incidents happen daily.

The real pain in reading these Salomon threads is not the base hypocrisy you and the Salomon bashers emit, but rather the negative energy you emit and others emit, is so damn negative and detrimental. That shit is bad for you and will bring you bad karma man...careful especially if you like to pin it and get into gnarly lines. Come from a place of gratitude, gratitude your buddy is alive, grateful you can ski daily and grateful you have choice.

[TheDon]

Amen brother^^^

[TeleThor]

All for being grownups, but...

...

Legal teams will sort this out equitably.

...

They're taking their sweet time. The sooner the better for TC.

[TheDon]

Waiting for more stoke. F that I'm waiting for these skis to go national!!!

[markcjr]

Kind of silly, eh. Powerplants blow - up and people die, yet I bet you have electricity at your home, right? Friendly fire kills our troops yet I'm presuming you pay your taxes. Air pollution derived from automobiles exacerbate my son's asthma and kill untold thousands each year and I bet you still drive to the mtn and to work each day. Toyota accelerators stick and people get grievously injured, do you drive a Toyota or a GM product or a Ford product, they have all had fatal design flaws, yet the beat goes on.

Let's be grown-ups here, bad things occassionally happen to good people despite our best intentions.

Legal teams will sort this out equitably. We certainly don't need to ruin a company whose revenue streams fund great products, support honest hard working people with families, fund great skiers and make great soft goods. It's obvious they stumbled in their design process. Again, unfortunate incidents happen daily.

The real pain in reading these Salomon threads is not the base hypocrisy you and the Salomon bashers emit, but rather the negative energy you emit and others emit, is so damn negative and detrimental. That shit is bad for you and will bring you bad karma man...careful especially if you like to pin it and get into gnarly lines. Come from a place of gratitude, gratitude your buddy is alive, grateful you can ski daily and grateful you have choice.

Thank You!

[meatdrink9]

I've logged probably a dozen days on these skis and they are my new favorites. The rest of the quiver is feeling neglected these days. I basically like skiing pow, jumping off cliffs, going fast and doing tricks (in pow vs park). This ski does all of those things incredibly well.

FYI, Powder is giving away a pair of Rocker 2's in this contest: http://blogs.powdermag.com/salomon-rocker-2-contest/

Salomon asked a few athletes to put up videos under the concept "What Can Rocker 2 Do For You?" to get things rolling. I don't see any non Salomon athlete videos yet so your odds of winning could be pretty good.

Here's my "athlete" video. Keep in mind we had a huge budget (alcohol) and time line to produce this masterpiece. I think I may be getting an Oscar nomination as well as a Powder Video Award.

[XtrPickels]

{hilarity}

J- Your brain works in some hilariously creepy ways dude.

[Gurterno]

A store in Oppdal Norway has two pairs of 184 in the store and will probably get the 192 in today. Fondled them and they seemed nice, just as you would expect

http://www.vpg.no/Avdelinger/Produkt...12-125586.aspx

Not cheap, but that's standard prices in Norway. They'll probably be half the price in the US...like everything else

[TheDon]

Meat drink that is some funny stuff.

[ulty_guy]

Not cheap, but that's standard prices in Norway. They'll probably be half the price in the US...like everything else

But the women in Norway are twice as beautiful, the air is twice as clean and the country is in about a gazillion times less debt (or rather in surplus). Life ain't so bad there

[rabbit]

Here's my "athlete" video. Keep in mind we had a huge budget (alcohol) and time line to produce this masterpiece. I think I may be getting an Oscar nomination as well as a Powder Video Award.

That's some scary shit!

[TCK]

I just had two days on a pair of 184s, and figured I would post up a little stoke.

In short: these things fucking kill it!

The shape, flex, etc.: Compared to most skis in the same category (Bent Chetler, S7, etc.) these things don't have very much shape. The reverse sidecut in the tip is very subtle, and gradual, and is almost non existent in the tail. The gap in the edges is done very well, and seems super solid. I was hoping the flex would be a little stiffer, but they ski much stiffer than they flex. The tips and tails do flap around while you are skiing, but the skis are so damp, that they charge, and never feel unstable.

Skiing: Holy shit these things are fun. As expected, they kill it in pow. They are the easiest ski to ski in pow that I have ever been on (including reverse/reverse). On hard pack the 26m turning radius rails turns by just putting the ski on edge. As soon as you put it on edge they want to accelerate, and love lots of speed. The really incredible thing is that they are super nimble all over the mountain, even in bumps. In crud and chopped up snow they seem to ski fairly stiff, and very very damp. You could charge through anything at mach 10 and it was like being on autopilot. I would say that all the stability comes from the super subtle shape and tons of dampening material they put in the ski.

Sizing: I only had the chance to ski the 184, but should get out on the 192 in the next few weeks. I've been skiing on the 190 Czar all year so far, and have been loving their 'crush everything in your way' feel. The Rocker2 is much more maneuverable, and generally more fun to ski all over the mountain. While the 184 Rocker2 was fun everywhere, I think the 192 will be the money length. Once I get a pair, all of the other skis in my quiver are going to get lonely.

[TheDon]

I just had two days on a pair of 184s, and figured I would post up a little stoke.

In short: these things fucking kill it!

The shape, flex, etc.: Compared to most skis in the same category (Bent Chetler, S7, etc.) these things don't have very much shape. The reverse sidecut in the tip is very subtle, and gradual, and is almost non existent in the tail. The gap in the edges is done very well, and seems super solid. I was hoping the flex would be a little stiffer, but they ski much stiffer than they flex. The tips and tails do flap around while you are skiing, but the skis are so damp, that they charge, and never feel unstable.

Skiing: Holy shit these things are fun. As expected, they kill it in pow. They are the easiest ski to ski in pow that I have ever been on (including reverse/reverse). On hard pack the 26m turning radius rails turns by just putting the ski on edge. As soon as you put it on edge they want to accelerate, and love lots of speed. The really incredible thing is that they are super nimble all over the mountain, even in bumps. In crud and chopped up snow they seem to ski fairly stiff, and very very damp. You could charge through anything at mach 10 and it was like being on autopilot. I would say that all the stability comes from the super subtle shape and tons of dampening material they put in the ski.

Sizing: I only had the chance to ski the 184, but should get out on the 192 in the next few weeks. I've been skiing on the 190 Czar all year so far, and have been loving their 'crush everything in your way' feel. The Rocker2 is much more maneuverable, and generally more fun to ski all over the mountain. While the 184 Rocker2 was fun everywhere, I think the 192 will be the money length. Once I get a pair, all of the other skis in my quiver are going to get lonely.

Well that settles it this will be the ski I get next year. I think it will fit nicely between my Praxis, Spats and EHP's.

[tombre2]

I just had two days on a pair of 184s, and figured I would post up a little stoke.

In short: these things fucking kill it!

The shape, flex, etc.: Compared to most skis in the same category (Bent Chetler, S7, etc.) these things don't have very much shape. The reverse sidecut in the tip is very subtle, and gradual, and is almost non existent in the tail. The gap in the edges is done very well, and seems super solid. I was hoping the flex would be a little stiffer, but they ski much stiffer than they flex. The tips and tails do flap around while you are skiing, but the skis are so damp, that they charge, and never feel unstable.

Skiing: Holy shit these things are fun. As expected, they kill it in pow. They are the easiest ski to ski in pow that I have ever been on (including reverse/reverse). On hard pack the 26m turning radius rails turns by just putting the ski on edge. As soon as you put it on edge they want to accelerate, and love lots of speed. The really incredible thing is that they are super nimble all over the mountain, even in bumps. In crud and chopped up snow they seem to ski fairly stiff, and very very damp. You could charge through anything at mach 10 and it was like being on autopilot. I would say that all the stability comes from the super subtle shape and tons of dampening material they put in the ski.

Sizing: I only had the chance to ski the 184, but should get out on the 192 in the next few weeks. I've been skiing on the 190 Czar all year so far, and have been loving their 'crush everything in your way' feel. The Rocker2 is much more maneuverable, and generally more fun to ski all over the mountain. While the 184 Rocker2 was fun everywhere, I think the 192 will be the money length. Once I get a pair, all of the other skis in my quiver are going to get lonely.

Been riding mine solid now for 2 month @ Whistler & have to say i can't fault the ski just my skiing. I'll 2nd everything TCK said, wish i had the option of the 192 but alas life is tough.

[sqikunst]

Get to test one on Monay. Hope there are some leftovers around.

[shredGenius]

Props to salomon for being one of the first companies to have a rocker shot on their website.

[skibum_jr]

Tombre, have you noticed if anyone in whistler still has these? I'd like to check some out. I guess i'll go to the salomon store and see what they got.

[TCK]

Goodbye 190 Czar, hello 192 Rocker2!

[murph]

Took a couple laps on the 184cm Rocker2 at Snowbasin the other day. No new snow and windy, basically skiing groomers. The low swing weight makes the ski incredibly maneuverable. I won't call it "turny," because it doesn't turn for you. Responsive is a better word. The ski railed when put on edge, and only when going at top speed did I feel that the rockered tips gave any noticeable vibration through the rest of the ski. Never skied something so fat that was also so nimble. A top choice for my pow ski next year.
Does anyone know what these skis weigh in at? The low swing weight made them feel so light, but it could have been deceiving. I'm considering these for a touring setup.

[Skidog]

Had this same experience at Snowbird yesterday. We did have some good new snow and the wind was really working some magic. For me the 184 skied way short, but im not a small fry (6'3" 200lbs), but was still playful and fun.
I agree with it railing groomers and only felt squirrely when going really fast on groomers. I should be able to get on the 192 in the next month or so and i will come update with my feelings on that. If i were looking for a pow specific ski this would be near the top of list.

[Wooster]

I got a chance to demo these for a couple laps yesterday at Mt. Hood Meadows. They definitely make skiing powder and trees stupid easy and fun, but I had a lot of trouble getting them to work on the groomers which culminated in me eating shit on an easy blue run.

[murph]

Anyone know the mount point on the demo pair of 184s that seem to be floating around Utah at the moment? I demoed mine from a Salomon tent, label was ME-18. Totally forgot to ask the guy where they were mounted up. I'm a jong, I know.

[whyturn]

^^^^^^^^Not sure on exact pt, but pair I saw were like -5 from sight. intersting ski. Subtle rocker and light, but seemed decently stiff. Certainly not a noodle, 184 a little short. Seemed like a good ski for the 4 feet we got in the sierras

[Wired2theT]

God Damnit. I spent this winter demoing the likes of JJ's, S7's etc to find my All Around/Powder Skis. I thought I had decided on the Bentchetler's for their versatility and slightly wider dimensions and reviews, as these will be my only pow skis.

I tried to ignore the Rocker 2 hype because, well its from Salomon. Maybe I associated it with their BBR "stoke" but regardless after doing much reading I'm once again stuck.

I'll try to keep it somewhat relevent to this thread so...for the few that have been on these so far, what are their advantages over specific skis of similar construction? (rocker camber combo w/ some traditional sidecut) Sounds like these will have more of that solid hardpack performance like an S7 but lack the surfy feel of others.

[XavierD]

I appear to be the only one in the world who has skied the Rocker2, and was not completely overcome with joyous euphoria rushing through my loins. I skied it on a shitty day, with some new snow, on top of variable types of crappy snow/ice. It had too much tail for me, which I thought wanted to push me deeper into the turn, right about the point I wanted to transition, start going straight again. There was not enough tip, and I felt there was not enough strength or support out of the ski in the tip.

Everyone else seems to think they are the best thing since something really really good (take your pick, sliced bread, pop tarts, automatic weapons...) So I would take what I said with a grain of salt.