The Official Great Pacific Octopus Thread

[shafty85]

Do you ski like hoji or tabke? Which skier's usual terrain is closer to what you ski?

That's like asking 'do you play hockey like Gretzky or messier?' or 'football like Brady or Manning?' none of us ski like either of them and don't access terrain like the stuff they ski. If we did, we'd be getting paid like them.

[bulten]

Has anyone skied the Salomon Q115 and can compare it to the GPO?
Maybe they arent comparable at all but in my mind they seem to have some similar attributes

(read the entire post but couldnt find anything related to it)

[whyturn]

Frorider
Weights listed are fiberglass
Carbon drops 1/2 pound

[Lindahl]

Has anyone skied the Salomon Q115 and can compare it to the GPO?
Maybe they arent comparable at all but in my mind they seem to have some similar attributes

(read the entire post but couldnt find anything related to it)

At first, I would think that the Q115, being a Salomon, would be a bit more wimpy. However, I was surprised by the Q98. That said, durability goes to Praxis, hands down, and in my world, that means a lot. The good part about the Praxis is you can customize the flex to suit your needs. Me? I'd probably go stiff. YMMV.

[powder fiend]

Got to ski my GPOs today. 187 Medium+ carbon layup mounted -2.
Just looking at them on the chair I felt like there wasn't enough tip in front of me, but once I started skiing them I was in love. Super easy to slarve and pivot in the trees but get them in open spaces and they just want to run.
They were a dream in the powder, didn't have any tip dive but wasn't skiing in anything deeper than probably 10"
They were a bit squirrely on the groomers unless you committed to a higher angulation carve, and then they are alot of fun. Not super lively like a ski with more camber, but you can carve them pretty aggressively.
I don't usually screw around with my mount points much, but -2 seems just right. They did everything I wanted them to do with ease, I can't see moving the mount point improving anything. I don't think the other skis in my quiver are going to see much use this year.
When I first got the skis I was regretting not going for the medium-stiffs, but they ski alot stiffer than they handflex.

[bhrindo]

whoo hoo. just picked up a pair of 187 carbon GPOs last week from Kieth personally at the shop. What good people over there (block from my house). Ive been reading a bit of this thread and still trying to figure out where to mount binders. Im 6'3", 185 and ski pretty aggressively. Thinking about mounting center on the punch. Any reason not to?

Also, has anyone seen the new special edition bases!!?? Wood grain and tentacles on the bottom and " Handcrafted in the Sierra Nevada Mountains." Oh my! So, sick

Now, snow dammit!!

[undertow2]

Also, has anyone seen the new special edition bases!!?? Wood grain and tentacles on the bottom and " Handcrafted in the Sierra Nevada Mountains." Oh my! So, sick

Now, snow dammit!![/QUOTE]

Ordered the special edition on Friday and will have them early next week... Mine are 192 and emailed back and forth with Keith and he was pretty set on the dimple... I am 6'4" and weigh 210 and drive my skis and he said "I might consider -1 from dimple", but dimple would still be his pick... I think I will go dimple...

I got a pair of 193 MVPs earlier this year and do not think I could ak for a better 2 ski quiver...

[Jim S]

whoo hoo. just picked up a pair of 187 carbon GPOs last week from Kieth personally at the shop. What good people over there (block from my house). Ive been reading a bit of this thread and still trying to figure out where to mount binders. Im 6'3", 185 and ski pretty aggressively. Thinking about mounting center on the punch. Any reason not to?

Also, has anyone seen the new special edition bases!!?? Wood grain and tentacles on the bottom and " Handcrafted in the Sierra Nevada Mountains." Oh my! So, sick

Now, snow dammit!!

I wish I had not read your post.

[nickwm21]

RE: dimple vs -2.

I am 6' 200. Drive my skis.

I have the carbon 192s mid/stiff from last season mounted on the dimple with a half dozen days on them...

First off - I love the skis. My favorite ski I own.

There have been a few turns where I thought I was mounted too forward. I am going to ski them a few more days on the dimple to see if I really need to move back.

If I was mounting fresh today, I would go -1.

[bhrindo]

I wish I had not read your post.

Docta Jim, I thought you was working...

Also, Im looking to set these up with binding inserts to swap out a pair of Looks and a tech AT setup. Just wondering if anyone has been touring with these bad ass boards. And, if so, how well are they touring? I did p/u the carbon-hybrids, so that would save me a 1/2 lb. I do have another touring set up, as to not have this as my only touring rig.

I better wake up to some quality white stuff....Pray for it, dance for it, freaking do something!

[powder fiend]

Had another pow day on them on sunday, 20" in places. I fucking love these skis; no tip dive at -2 and still super nimble. I can't imagine them being any more nimble if they were on the dimple, but what do I know?

[adrenalated]

Mine are set up with Dynafits only. Have a few runs on them. They tour great, and ski great at -2cm from the dimple. No way in hell would I want to go more forward, but I also hate center mounted skis.

[JJChit]

Anyone know where true center is in relative to the dimple.

[steveski]

Had my first full inbounds day on 187 carbon layups yesterday at Crystal. 20" of blower snow, skied almost entirely fresh, deep snow all day.

After emailing Keith, Drew, reading this thread, etc. I decided to mount on the dimple with inserts for STH/radicals. First day out touring at Baker I felt I should have gone back a cm or two. Kickturns and breaking trail in snow with a variable crust was where I noticed the center mount and a short tip. I had some tip dive while skinning ... Skiing the chutes from Artist point that day, however, was bliss and I didn't notice the mount point. Fast forward to Crystal yesterday: I am still on radicals/mercuries until I get my hands on the last few machine screws for the STH inserts. I should mention the radical toes are shimmed, so a neutral ramp angle. Skis were quick, nimble, and felt lively. No tip dive at all! On lower angle terrain I played with easing my weight forward and back and watched the RES-like shape in the tip really do its thing, keeping the ski planing beautifully. Took a few small airs and didn't even notice the landings. Anyways, I'm committed to the line now with the inserts so I'm going to make it work and be happy. Ha!

[shafty85]

Had my first full inbounds day on 187 carbon layups yesterday at Crystal. 20" of blower snow, skied almost entirely fresh, deep snow all day.

After emailing Keith, Drew, reading this thread, etc. I decided to mount on the dimple with inserts for STH/radicals. First day out touring at Baker I felt I should have gone back a cm or two. Kickturns and breaking trail in snow with a variable crust was where I noticed the center mount and a short tip. I had some tip dive while skinning ... Skiing the chutes from Artist point that day, however, was bliss and I didn't notice the mount point. Fast forward to Crystal yesterday: I am still on radicals/mercuries until I get my hands on the last few machine screws for the STH inserts. I should mention the radical toes are shimmed, so a neutral ramp angle. Skis were quick, nimble, and felt lively. No tip dive at all! On lower angle terrain I played with easing my weight forward and back and watched the RES-like shape in the tip really do its thing, keeping the ski planing beautifully. Took a few small airs and didn't even notice the landings. Anyways, I'm committed to the line now with the inserts so I'm going to make it work and be happy. Ha!

How'd u mount the STH and radicals without hole conflict? I was planning to mount my STH on the line and the radicals at -1 to avoid conflict/get ~2cm hole separation.

[steveski]

How'd u mount the STH and radicals without hole conflict? I was planning to mount my STH on the line and the radicals at -1 to avoid conflict/get ~2cm hole separation.

Custom radical toe plate machined by an engineering friend that mounts using the STH pattern. Heels are spaced appropriately by adjusting the radical heel.

[Shu Shu]

So no pow to report as yet, but if anyone is curious about hardpack performance (and really why else would you buy this ski ) I have three days to report on now.

So my mount is on the dimple carbon 187s.

My impression at this point is that this ski has a super huge sweet spot. On the dimple it responds amazingly well to a centered stance, and as long as there is a little pitch, they are incredibly quick edge to edge. If I want to though I can get my face almost right over the tips and it doesn't really seem to effect how easy it is to ski. I think it feels better more centered but it seems like the design leaves a huge amount of room for various style preferences.

In terms of their characteristics, these skis want to eat vertical, go fast, and stay mostly in the fall line. Even though you can slarve out the tails with no effort and turn really fast, they don't really inspire the playful approach that my concepts do. If you start messing around at medium or slower speeds, they still respond, but it's almost like they get a little bored.


The Carbon layup is a little bit of a double edged sword. No question it adds a lot of energy and pop to turns, especially if you load them up in a bigger arc. Really fun. But they do get a little bit more bounced than the fiberglass layup I have on my concepts (even with a stiffer flex), really though I think the weight savings and energy is worth it. You just have to be a little bit more aware of terrain variations, instead of brainless plowing. To be clear you can still charge, its just not a bulldozer in the carbon layup on rutted up hardpack.


Little snow on the radar for next week, hoping for some soft turns, but based purely on hardpack performance, I think the dimple mount offers a ton of versatility and I really like the balance point in the air, based on the few little park jumps i hit with them. I'm terrible at jumping too, I'm that dude totally out of place in the park, straight airs and rolling down the windows most of the time.

[undertow2]

I am getting my 192 GPOs on Monday with the wood grain base and am so stoked... With that said I exchanged a couple of emails with Keith and gave him my stats and his first response was I could go -1 from recommended, but he still recommended the line... I followed up the email with a few other points and his response was short - go with the recommended line... So that is what I am doing...

[SupreChicken]

I'm on the line. I was hoping for a little more float in deep blower, but agree with the good things said above. Carbon, med stiff...

Abraham...Keith did a med-stiff+ for you???? Darn...

Shroom...sad as it is to say to you, I still may end up with a pair of 192 stiff fiberglass. Especially if the sexy bases are available

[auvgeek]

Shroom...sad as it is to say to you, I still may end up with a pair of 192 stiff fiberglass. Especially if the sexy bases are available

Thanks for pickin up my quiver slack while I'm on a budget! Compare with 191 BG??

[shafty85]

I'm on the line. I was hoping for a little more float in deep blower, but agree with the good things said above. Carbon, med stiff...

Abraham...Keith did a med-stiff+ for you???? Darn...

Shroom...sad as it is to say to you, I still may end up with a pair of 192 stiff fiberglass. Especially if the sexy bases are available

Would you move back? I'm mounting mine with radicals and sth, so the radicals will be -1 of the sth to get hole clearance. My thoughts were sth on the dimple, radical at -1; would you advise -1 and -2? -2 seems like a lot...

[shroom]

Shroom...sad as it is to say to you, I still may end up with a pair of 192 stiff fiberglass. Especially if the sexy bases are available

oh oh oh! as many breakfasts as you can handle if you mount for ~316 @ -1 or more

[SupreChicken]

Shafty, I would actually mount the radicals on the line and the Sth at -1...counter intuitive, I know, but here in the pnw, variable snow on a tour is the norm. Radicals to encourage dialing it back a little and Sth in a spot that encourages a little more raging...unless you want these to be a park ski. I like having the tail there for landings mounted at 0...

[pfluffenmeister]

^^^ agreed on alpine / touring mounting points.


i would (and have) put alpine binders back for charging, and touring bindersforward for agility.

(albeit not on the GPO, but the logic is sound).

[shafty85]

I see the logic, but my alpine boot soles are around 10mm larger than my touring boots. I'll have to see if I can avoid a hole conflict for the bindings (radicals and sth).