Gotamas or mantras??

**wrinkledpants** · 11-06-2006, 06:28 PM

Hey all. I'm looking for some input on which ski to get. I'm 26, minnesota, 5'8 150 lbs, skied for 23 years and raced 6, and have been going out west once a year for last 5 years. I currently just ski on my volkl p60 slalom skis (160).

I want a ski that i can ski powder with since skiing pow with my race skiis pretty much sucks. I've searched this forum for both but still can't decide. Most of my skiing is anything off the groomers since i ski groomers constantly here. I'm heading to Jackson this January for 2 weeks and then probably to montana later in the season. I've skiied bigsky a lot and can pretty much ski the whole mountain. So what would you guys recommend? You guys know how often it snows and how often it's crud. My concerns are the mantra will float but not too the potential the got will. And vice versa....got will be super shitty on groomers. Do they really ski that much differently? Should i just say fuck it and get the gotamas and hope for endless snow?

**verbier61** · 11-07-2006, 02:28 AM

mantras are better on groomed and have a sexy metallic sound, gots are (a bit) better on pow. now you decide

**Krash** · 11-07-2006, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by verbier61

sexy metallic sound

Thats one thing I HATE about the Mantras, sexy? I think not. I would go Got's any day, just say no to anything under one O O (100mm waist width that is)

**pechelman** · 11-07-2006, 09:30 AM

any reason you're only considering those two?
Other great options are 180 Explosivs, 186 Legend Pro, 18X Head 103 or 105, 179 or 188 Bros, and of course DP\Iggy\Capital.

I could see using the mantras back east, but probably not the gotamas.
If you do get gotama dont go shorter than the 183.

**Arty50** · 11-07-2006, 09:32 AM

I ski my Gots on groomers all the time. They're pretty much my everyday skis now. Sure they don't rail groomers like my G4s but they do the job just fine. You just have to lay them over more than a skinnier ski. And of course, they slay the pow.

**Raps** · 11-07-2006, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Arty50

I ski my Gots on groomers all the time. They're pretty much my everyday skis now. Sure they don't rail groomers like my G4s but they do the job just fine. You just have to lay them over more than a skinnier ski. And of course, they slay the pow.

I agree with Arty.......i skied on my Gots 90% of the time last season - pow, crud, groomers - they aren't gonna be like your p's in any way on the hard stuff, but if you wanna enjoy the pow and crud, they will be worth it

**wrinkledpants** · 11-07-2006, 04:34 PM

Alright so i'm getting the gots. What should i look at for bindings?

**Hutch** · 11-07-2006, 04:39 PM

Squatch · 11-07-2006, 04:51 PM

i recommend the spoonfeed-pro model binding

**wrinkledpants** · 11-07-2006, 06:09 PM

Spoonfeed-pro? I googled, yahood, and asked my budhha figurine what those are. Came up with nothing. Maybe it means shut-the-fuck up and quit asking stupid vague questions??

Squatch · 11-07-2006, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by wrinkledpants

Spoonfeed-pro? I googled, yahood, and asked my budhha figurine what those are. Came up with nothing. Maybe it means shut-the-fuck up and quit asking stupid vague questions??

you're smarter than I thought.

Check out the tech talk sticky. any salomon or look/rossi in your DIN range should do.

**leroy jenkins** · 11-07-2006, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by wrinkledpants

Maybe it means shut-the-fuck up and quit asking stupid vague questions??

you're kinda insightful for a jong.

**wrinkledpants** · 11-07-2006, 06:43 PM

JONG....jack off newbie gaper??

**wrinkledpants** · 11-07-2006, 07:11 PM

maybe this is less vague. Is there a big difference between something like a comp 14 widebrake and a comp 12 piston widebrake? seems the 12 might sit higher on the ski. I know how boot height affects groomer skiing, but i don't know how it will affect ski feel in the deep stuff.

**Arty50** · 11-07-2006, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by wrinkledpants

maybe this is less vague. Is there a big difference between something like a comp 14 widebrake and a comp 12 piston widebrake?

No. Their both Markers and thus both suck ass.

For consumer bindings, go with Solly Z12 (avoid 912s and 914s) or any Look/Rossi. If you get race stock bindings, most of them are pretty damn good.

**jimmy page** · 11-07-2006, 07:24 PM

Why don't you just get a nice pair of Salomon's, 12's 14's or 16's, and call it a night.

edit: damn, Arty beat me to it

Squatch · 11-07-2006, 08:12 PM

also the new 914s, while not having the "z" toe, have a better AFD (sliding vs. the spheric).

If you're on a budget, find a pair of 977/997/s900 equipes in the 14-DIN version. They have a metal heel and a hybrid metal/plastic toe. They're decently burly and pretty common around here.

**wrinkledpants** · 11-07-2006, 10:05 PM

I have the fis 914s now on my sl skis but i keep having problems with the black piece beneath the wing breaking that contacts the toe of the boot breaking off. Anyone have this problem? Maybe if i kept it slippery side down i wouldn't have this problem.