Ski Quest - Super Turny Skinny Touring Ski

[TroySmith80]

What are some ski recommendations for spring skis (or just long stretches between storms) that are lightweight for touring but are very easy to initiate turns in cruddy snow?
Is the Dynafit Black Light a good one?

Explanation: I'm a shit skier. I get by fine in nice powder, that's easy, and i can maneuver through tight trees no problem, like a fuckin' speeder bike on endor. But man, the minute the snow gets cruddy, custy or just real heavy, it's all over for me. I'm ok if i have plenty of room to maneuver, but if there are trees or other obstacles it can get sketchy. I find that skis with a healthy dose of rocker really help my turns to just happen when i need them to happen in deep snow. My spring skis are Fischer S-Bound 112 with speed turn bindings and TLT7 boots. The skis have a very high traditional camber and i can't turn the damn things when i need to. I climbed up something i probably shouldn't have last spring and was seriously sketched out coming down.

I KNOW, the number one thing i should work on is being a better skier. I'm working on it. In the meantime i'd also just prefer easier handling skinny skis, in a 75-90mm waist range. For the deeper days, i have plenty of skis i like and can handle well enough. (If it matters for reference, i like my K2 Anti Pistes and BD Megawatts (I know, my shit is OLD) and i just picked up a pair of Wailer 112RP a few seasons old that i'm currently mounting up with Radicals and excited to try out--PS i'm selling the Kingpin 13s that were on the Wailers)

[chicken feathers]

HL BC 90 is the first to come to my mind as it’s full rocker.

[XXX-er]

What are some ski recommendations for spring skis (or just long stretches between storms) that are lightweight for touring but are very easy to initiate turns in cruddy snow? I just picked up a pair of Wailer 112RP a few seasons old that i'm currently mounting up with Radicals and excited to try out--PS i'm selling the Kingpin 13s that were on the Wailers)

the wailer is pretty turny ime, it was made for dentists who do more billing root canals than they do skiing, you will probably like them

[PeachesNCream]

Line vision 98. Bonus, they’re dirt cheap right now


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[Eastside]

Leave the granola and skinny skis at home and find a pair of Moment Meridian tours. I would not want them in a boilerplate, no-fall zone but they can still do the thing.

[fleaches]

I mean there are some skis that are just a handful in variable snow. I don't miss my OG zero g 95s at all.

Second the HL BC90, or BMT94 if you can find one. The reverse camber and moderate mass make variable snow a whole lot easier. If you wanted to go wider then I'm also a big fan of the BG108 in a tour layup. It's not exactly reverse camber but it's close and it handles shit snow well.

I probably wouldn't recommend a blacklight for variable snow... I have a blacklight pro that I take out on spring missions that involve more walking than skiing, and while it is super turny and pretty well behaved it is an insanely light ski with a lot of camber and it gets kicked around easily. I'm not exactly sure how the other blacklight models are, though. If you aren't just skiing perfect powder or corn then a little mass is your friend.

[coldfeet]

I don't have specific recommendations and am also a shit skier, but just a couple of remarks:

Those Fischer double camber skis are fun to screw around with in a "cross country skiing but with ungroomed snow and hills" way (I have a pair of Outtabounds Crown waxless), but basically impossible to decamber unless you are Hermann Maier. Even a pair of traditional camber alpine/AT/telemark skis will ski much better in imperfect snow. I cut some grooves in the bases of an old pair of BD Crossbows, which is hardly a modern ski, to make just enough waxless traction to move on the flat without skins. They are much easier to ski downhill than the double camber skis.

Also, you may know but I don't know if everyone does, Fischer named those skis stupidly, by the shovel width. Your S-Bound 112 are 112-78-95, a 78mm waist. Not directly comparable to the DPS 112mm waist. I assume you want a skinnier waist companion to the Wailers.

[El Chupacabra]

I had those Fischer S Bounds years ago, and sold them quickly. They really are for meadow skipping, flat and rolling hills only - think a smidgen more snow than a groomed XC course, and that's what they're for IMHO.

I have the original DPS Wailer 112s mounted with pin bindings, and they are turny as anything. I put pin bindings on them because I originally thought they'd be versatile as a travel ski and put alpine bindings on them -- that sidecut should rail groomers, but in reality, they were hooky as fuck no matter how much I de tuned them. In soft snow, they're fine.

TL, dr - - just use the RP112 for anything soft.

[Get.Kronk]

Expensive and not very cool, but whatever DPS calls their very tapered line of skis are unbelievably easy to turn in all shapes as long as you aren’t going fast. Taper makes weird snow nice and easy. I think 100 underfoot may be as skinny as they go in that shape

[Benneke10]

Expensive and not very cool, but whatever DPS calls their very tapered line of skis are unbelievably easy to turn in all shapes as long as you aren’t going fast. Taper makes weird snow nice and easy. I think 100 underfoot may be as skinny as they go in that shape

DPS makes a Pagoda Tour 90 now, I think that is the perfect ski for these purposes. Voile and Atomic make friendlier skinny touring skis as well. Stay away from Dynafit Blacklights, they are very stiff and not what you want in cruddy snow if you're not confident. The Dynafit Free/Beast skis are very good but maybe not skinny enough depending on your goals. I haven't skied them myself but the Faction La Machine Micro could also be a good option.

[deft_funk]

Ha - I posted about a similar issue last spring in the skinny ski tourer's thread. Coming from a pair of helio 76's heard a lot of voices say going up to 85-90+ would help a lot.

I ended up with some Blacklight 88's and agree they are fairly stiff although reviews suggest not punishing (I hope). I prioritized edge grip for steep skiing, weight, and frankly a decent package deal to give them a go and see what I think. I figure 50/50 I keep them or move to something else but at least will have a baseline in this category and not too worried about catch and release if it's not a fit.

To add to Benneke's suggestions I have also heard Movement Alp Tracks, Salomon or Majesty are pretty easygoing. A variety of options across them from 85-95.

[ASmileyFace]

First, as others have said the blacklight is not what you are looking for. That ski punishes "bad" skiers like crazy.

If you're looking for a wild rockered shape that will handle variable like a champ, the HL BC 90 177cm is rad. I just sized up to the 184cm because I needed a little more ski at my size and for my type of skiing, but my three days on the 177cm were awesome. Maybe not the best ultra firm spring ski though, but time will tell as I get it out more later this year.

That DPS Pagoda Tour 90 looks like it could be a great ski for this. Pricey for sure, but all the DPS skis turn easily and make skiing easier for folks, they also have more rocker than most cambered skis in this waist size.

[TroySmith80]

Some great feedback here, thanks!
I see a lot of comments about the HL BC90, definitely going to check that out. For the benefit of other DumDums, by some googling i have deduced that this probably refers to the Heritage Labs BC 90. First look i like it. Are they common enough for me to find used ones. I'm one of those dorks who never buys anything new.

Ok, i will stop eyeing the Blacklights on marketplace locally.

And yeah, my OP may not have been super clear. I'm aware that the BC112 are 78 underfoot and all those BC XC skis tend to be named by their tip width. It's true that they're basically a glorified nordic ski and maybe i was hoping for too much capability out of them. Possibly the silver lining in that cloud is that maybe struggling with them in downhill conditions isn't necessarily a sign of being a hopelessly bad skier.

I am looking for a ski to use when there's not much fresh snow and i'm not using my other, wider skis and can have something a bit lighter, more efficient and easier on sidehill skin tracks. I think y'all mostly got it and are giving good advice, thanks again!


The Wailers will likely become my daily drivers anytime there's deep/soft snow and I'm looking for something smaller for when it's not. 90mm waist is on the high end of what i'm imagining but could work out real nice.

[chicken feathers]

Ya, the Heritage Lab BC 90. By all accounts, a ski that you should pay full retail for. Not super common as it’s a niche ski brand.

I’ll also throw Volkl Blazes into the mix. I have the 94 as a spring touring ski. It’s got long low rocker and minimal camber under foot. A poor’s Volkl BMT 94 if you will.

[GoSlowGoFar]

I love the HL skis that I’ve tried thus far and Marshall is dialed in the designs and construction for the most part. However I wouldn’t describe the HL 90 an easy going and turny ski. It could pivot well given the rocker and sidecut in soft snow, but in terms of turns it liked some speed and carving turns in my experience, likely due to the long sidecut. Great ski but don’t think it’s what you’re looking for.

[fleaches]

I’ll also throw Volkl Blazes into the mix. I have the 94 as a spring touring ski. It’s got long low rocker and minimal camber under foot. A poor’s Volkl BMT 94 if you will.

They are also on mega sale if you want the 186 https://volkl.com/en-us/p/blaze-94-2024

[turnfarmer]

Ya, the Heritage Lab BC 90. By all accounts, a ski that you should pay full retail for. Not super common as it’s a niche ski brand.

I’ll also throw Volkl Blazes into the mix. I have the 94 as a spring touring ski. It’s got long low rocker and minimal camber under foot. A poor’s Volkl BMT 94 if you will.

There’s also a Blaze 86 and 82 if you want to go narrower. Volkl is bloweing out blaze 82 on their website for $200 and others are also really cheap. If you are a retailer this is a total screw job.

[ASmileyFace]

The blaze is an awesome ski for what OP is looking for. I wouldn’t hesitate at that price.

[Tjaardbreeuwer]

Indeed, the S-bound is a backcountry Nordic ski series, so any alpine ski will turn better than those.

Besides the ones mentioned before, the K2 Wayback 89 (not the older 88!) they are well priced at retail and often discounted. Not sure there will be many used ones yet, since they are fairly new.

They increased the rocker in both the tip, but especially the tail.

[wantriot]

K2 Wayback, Volkl Blaze, Solomon QST, Blizzard hustle. All in the '80 or 90 mm range would be a great choice.

[GoSlowGoFar]

Indeed, the S-bound is a backcountry Nordic ski series, so any alpine ski will turn better

Didn’t notice this in the op. Literally anything will be better than a bc nordic ski for turning as stated above.

[TroySmith80]

Wow, can't beat $220 for brand new last year's model skis! Just pulled the trigger on some Blaze 86s! Thanks everyone. I think that waist width is right in the sweet spot i was looking for too. With my nordic gear, the BC 112s, the Blaze 86, wailer 112 and the Megawatts for the nuked days, i think i have the spectrum pretty well covered. I can probably retire my Anti Pistes and salvage the bindings/skins for the Blazes.

Ha! it'll be wild to mount bindings without plugging old holes!

Also, skied the Wailers this morning and they were fantastic. Just a smidge lighter than my previous boards while being a little wider. Up on top of the hill (Tumalo for any Bend locals) they did fantastic in the 8-14" of fresh, as would any decent ski. But down in the last 1/4 of the hill, the woods get tight and i'm bushwacking through, trying not to slam myself into a tree, and everyone's tracks are converging into a tight, twisty track where it's very difficult to bleed speed and lots of quick, tight turns are required. That's one of the scenarios i struggle with and the Wailers were noticeably easier to quickly make those fast turns, even with my poor technique. So that checks one of the boxes i was looking to check.

[turnfarmer]

Didn’t notice this in the op. Literally anything will be better than a bc nordic ski for turning as stated above.

+100 Even back in the day of skinnies and leather I hated those high cambered things!

IIRC the old Fischer 99s had like 4 inches of camber.