2017 Skis: What Are Your Questions?

[skibob]

Devices on the ski that are supposed to "enhance" or change performance. Fischer's "Rocker on Demand" is a good example. They had a bar on the shovel that could be set to either add rocker or have the front half of the ski fully cambered. All it did was add a bunch of weight to the front half of the ski.

LOL, okay, I remember that. Never skied it . . .

 

[Brian Finch]

Ok, can't figure out "external plumbing", well, on a ski anyway

For some reason lots of ridges, strips, arms, platforms are making a comeback- what they do is make the flex hingy, unpredictable & scary at speed. Stick with a flat topsheet.

 

[Uncle-A]

From what I have read here the 2016-2017 Head Titan is a much better ski then the 2015-2016. So what did Head change to the construction and or materials that caused the improvement?

 

[Philpug]

From what I have read here the 2016-2017 Head Titan is a much better ski then the 2015-2016. So what did Head change to the construction and or materials that caused the improvement?

Added Graphene but more so, the new shape is better, it has a bit more purpose and feels stronger on the snow.

 

[Brian Finch]

From what I have read here the 2016-2017 Head Titan is a much better ski then the 2015-2016. So what did Head change to the construction and or materials that caused the improvement?

We found that the skis were a little softer in flex & plate, yet every bit as much hold.

See new plate

 

[tromano]

I like the look of that titan. May become a head fan this season.

 

[Cheizz]

Is the Lithium 10 binding particularly heavy? I came across this peculiar set of stats in the new Atomic brochure (see picture below). You would expect the narrower, shorter 77 CTI sample length to be lighter, wouldn't you? So: is this weight diference the binding? Or am I missing something?

(on the right: Atomic Women's Vantage X 80 CTI; on the right the 77 CTI)

 

[Philpug]

Is the Lithium 10 binding particularly heavy? I came across this peculiar set of stats in the new Atomic brochure (see picture below). You would expect the narrower, shorter 77 CTI sample length to be lighter, wouldn't you? So: is this weight diference the binding? Or am I missing something?

(on the right: Atomic Women's Vantage X 80 CTI; on the right the 77 CTI)

Much of the difference is in the track system than the 10 is on. The new Warden 11 system is lighter.

 

[Lauren]

So what did Head change to the construction and or materials that caused the improvement?

The way it was described to me from the rep was that the 2016 had metal that ran down the center of the ski, the 2017 now has a sheet that reaches out to the edges. Then a major change in the shape was with the addition of early rise in the wider Super Shapes, with the wider they get, the earlier rise they have. You can see how the Titan has a much longer "blue mark" than Speed's yellow. Previously, I believe all the Super Shapes had the same camber/rocker profile.

EDIT: By "blue mark", I mean the little arrow/triangle mark at the tip of the ski

 

[Philpug]

If the earlier generation Supershapes the Titan was my least favorite, of this upcoming series, with the Speed, it has become of of my top picks, at least in the top four . But seriously, this new shape is very good. All Head has to do now is make this a three ski collection and find a way to combine the Magnum & Rally into one ski. I think the only reason they haven't done this is that they cannot mix the green from the Magnum and the red from Rally. Maybe come out with a 74mm orange model.

 

[cantunamunch]

How do you size Blossom WhiteOuts? Frex, assuming one skis a 184cm Monster88? A 172cm Blizzard Magnum 8.0 Ti? A 177cm Supershape iSpeed?

 

[Philpug]

How do you size Blossom WhiteOuts? Frex, assuming one skis a 184cm Monster88? A 172cm Blizzard Magnum 8.0 Ti? A 177cm Supershape iSpeed?

What are you replacing?

 

[Uncle-A]

We found that the skis were a little softer in flex & plate, yet every bit as much hold. View attachment 12465

See new plate

Has their been any talk about the position of the binding or the center of boot mark compared to last year? When I was out looking at skis at the end of last season (2015-2016) only one person I talked with liked the (2015 - 2016) Titan and he was a few inches taller than I and maybe 30 - 40 LBS heavier. That is why I purchased the (2015 - 2016) Rally as well as price at end of year. Sales people I talked with compared the Titan to a GS ski and the Rally to a SL side cut ski. I have always liked a SL side cut ski but a couple of my favorite skis were a Combi model = a SL side cut with a GS flex. That is why I have been so back and forth over my purchase. Now as I read about how good the 2016 - 2017 Titan is, well I guess I am just second guessing my purchase.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

WHOA IS ME ! Had new Elan 88xti for groomers and 2-4 in powder days and Praxis Protest powder boards for last year (both new) and then hit a tree - so they w3ill b oth be new skis for me this coming year. Will be the lst year in many a year where I didn't buy new stuff. Still good reading though.

 

[Brian Finch]

Has their been any talk about the position of the binding or the center of boot mark compared to last year? When I was out looking at skis at the end of last season (2015-2016) only one person I talked with liked the (2015 - 2016) Titan and he was a few inches taller than I and maybe 30 - 40 LBS heavier. That is why I purchased the (2015 - 2016) Rally as well as price at end of year. Sales people I talked with compared the Titan to a GS ski and the Rally to a SL side cut ski. I have always liked a SL side cut ski but a couple of my favorite skis were a Combi model = a SL side cut with a GS flex. That is why I have been so back and forth over my purchase. Now as I read about how good the 2016 - 2017 Titan is, well I guess I am just second guessing my purchase.

Fwiw - the rally was my least favorite of the bunch, the tip was challenging to control & did not let me fully 'let em rip' ; I happened to be skiing w some Head athletes / demo team folk & the consensus was that the tip needed a soft day, otherwise it chattered on the firm stuff. IIRC - you can move bindings where you want em (I could be wrong).

 

[Philpug]

You can move the binding fore and aft by lying to to, if you want to move forward 5mm, if you are a 295mm shell, you have to set the toe as if it was 305mm and the heel at 285mm

 

[cantunamunch]

What are you replacing?

Me? I am not replacing anything. But I do know skiers who are replacing or supplementing the skis above in the stated lengths. For example, the person with the M88s is ditching his old Top Fuels and needs a Stowe/Boogershoosh/Whiteface skinny ski..

 

[Philpug]

Me? I am not replacing anything. But I do know skiers who are replacing or supplementing the skis above in the stated lengths. For example, the person with the M88s is ditching his old Top Fuels and needs a Stowe/Boogershoosh/Whiteface skinny ski..

Oh...really it depends, when I did go back and forth between the two sizes I woudl normally ski, I gravitated to the shorter of the two lenghts.

 

[Tricia]

Waiting patiently for the Armada Victa to be released to the public....

You and me both.

 

[cantunamunch]

Oh...really it depends, when I did go back and forth between the two sizes I woudl normally ski, I gravitated to the shorter of the two lenghts.

Maxflex 15 or FF 16 on that ski, given druthers 'nall?