This ski is new for 2019/2020. I skied the 171, with 22 m radius, on a recent tour of Chilean Volcanos, reported in the Trip Report section,
https://www.pugski.com/threads/chilean-volcano-tour.16497/
I’m 5’10”, 163 lb before the tour, 158.5 lb after the tour. Being Spring in Chile, I was anticipating ice and corn, which, IMO, made the 85 waisted version ideal. I also chose this ski because I was placing a premium on weight; hence, I did not get the new Zero G 95, nor a longer ski. The setup is indeed light.
Weight of ski with Kingpin 13 bindings and Pomoca Climb Pro S-Glide skins: 2091/2096 grams
Without skins, but with bindings: 1872/1877 grams
Terrain: Alpine terrain. Slopes range from 35-degree to shallow.
Conditions: Humid powder to very wet and heavy powder, cold dry wind affected snow, cold dry firm groomed piste, ice, and corn.
First day out, it had snowed heavily the day and night before, 8”, and continued to snow during the day. The snow was humid (as opposed to “wet”). The skis don’t feel floaty or squirrelly. They “penetrate” the snow and go where you want them to go. Be precise though.
Second day, we summit to a wind blown icy slope. The skis don’t bite into ice like a double Ti ski does. But edge grip was still incredibly tenacious and confidence inspiring, enabling nicely shaped short and medium turns.
Lower, we were on compacted snow with a dusting of damp snow. I was amazed at how well I could feel the snow. I ducked below a sizeable rock outcrop that cast a long shadow on an otherwise sun-drenched aspect. Consequently, my eyes not having adjusted well to the shadow, I could not discern where the surface was and the slope angle and I could not tell where the slope started to become shallower. ( Luckily, before entering, I saw that there were no dips and rolls.) Incredibly, the skis transmitted every sensation. I could feel the tips engage and the snow travel under its edges as the pressure went from fore to aft. I could feel the slope and I skied it like I could see it.
I can’t comment on skiing the skis on our third day skiing (see trip report’s post entitled Llessons llearned.) But I can comment on the skin up, at least the first 600 meters. One concern I had, on account of the ski’s narrowness and shortness, was its uphill grip. With the Pomoca S-Glides, that concern was unfounded. There was no problem, in a wooded approach, going up steep pitches that tighter trees made necessary. No problem on slicker cold morning surfaces. I felt powerful and enabled, until...(see the trip report)
On the fourth day, I stopped climbing at a lower elevation and encountered deep, wet, heavy snow skiing down. I don’t know how to ski these conditions, and didn’t begin to understand how until the last bits of offpiste on the last day. Despite my inability, I’m pretty sure that this ski, and any ski this width, is an inappropriate choice. I like short and medium turns. Having sunk into this snow, the ski didn’t like rotational input. Tracks in the snow would send the skis off an unintended direction. Unless it was steeper, I kept being thrown forward as the ski’s stalled, resulting in me being aft to compensate; though, consciously, I knew that would be deadly, which it was.
On our fifth and final day, at Lonquimay, I had a chance to ski both in-resort and off. In-resort was in the morning, still cold. Hard snow groomer: beautiful medium and short turn carving, with very good rebound. Offpiste on wind affected cold dry tracked snow, the ski crushes it. One skis through tracks like their not there because the skis penetrate anything (because of stiffness?)
Above the resort, down from the summit, now there’s slab and tracked snow. But still cold and supportive. No problem charging down with medium and short turns. Breaks the slab and skis though it easily. But, further down, it’s now wet and heavy. I found it impossible, including the in-resort offpiste that I had skied in the morning. I did finally come to realize, now shallower terrain, what works for me, dynamic (no park and ride) long turns. (See trip report’s post entitled Volcan Lonquimay.) The ski easily rode with over the heavy chopped up snow. But, too late to develop that more and to try on steeper terrain.
Bottomline:
Very light ski. Lightness is further enhanced by the high performance that can be achieved with the shorter end of what one would ski.
Very responsive. Absolutely does what one wants and, if imprecise, what one doesn’t want.
Very high transmission of snow surface and texture, offering up the skier another “sense”.
Great on ice, hardpack, corn, and on lighter to humid powder to at least 10”. Had Southern Chile not been having a banner year, that included heavy (in both context) snowfall in the Spring, these would have for-sure been the ideal skis.
As for negatives, though much of my problem is technique, I don’t think this is a good choice for heavy wet powder. I am only guessing that it’s not the best for waist deep light powder either, though I’d love to give that a try.
I’ve been thinking about selling these skis. Five days skied; never hit a rock (amazing for Spring volcanos). However, now that I think about it, what would I then use in the Spring; continue to use my 184 wood, though AirTec, Fischer’s fitted with frame bindings?! Besides, I’ve been wondering how an 85 ski, my favorite width in a frontside all mountain ski, would do in light waist deep powder. So, though I don’t ordinarily carry skis with me to Japan, I think I’ll do just that this coming season. So, more to follow.
https://www.pugski.com/threads/chilean-volcano-tour.16497/
I’m 5’10”, 163 lb before the tour, 158.5 lb after the tour. Being Spring in Chile, I was anticipating ice and corn, which, IMO, made the 85 waisted version ideal. I also chose this ski because I was placing a premium on weight; hence, I did not get the new Zero G 95, nor a longer ski. The setup is indeed light.
Weight of ski with Kingpin 13 bindings and Pomoca Climb Pro S-Glide skins: 2091/2096 grams
Without skins, but with bindings: 1872/1877 grams
Terrain: Alpine terrain. Slopes range from 35-degree to shallow.
Conditions: Humid powder to very wet and heavy powder, cold dry wind affected snow, cold dry firm groomed piste, ice, and corn.
First day out, it had snowed heavily the day and night before, 8”, and continued to snow during the day. The snow was humid (as opposed to “wet”). The skis don’t feel floaty or squirrelly. They “penetrate” the snow and go where you want them to go. Be precise though.
Second day, we summit to a wind blown icy slope. The skis don’t bite into ice like a double Ti ski does. But edge grip was still incredibly tenacious and confidence inspiring, enabling nicely shaped short and medium turns.
Lower, we were on compacted snow with a dusting of damp snow. I was amazed at how well I could feel the snow. I ducked below a sizeable rock outcrop that cast a long shadow on an otherwise sun-drenched aspect. Consequently, my eyes not having adjusted well to the shadow, I could not discern where the surface was and the slope angle and I could not tell where the slope started to become shallower. ( Luckily, before entering, I saw that there were no dips and rolls.) Incredibly, the skis transmitted every sensation. I could feel the tips engage and the snow travel under its edges as the pressure went from fore to aft. I could feel the slope and I skied it like I could see it.
I can’t comment on skiing the skis on our third day skiing (see trip report’s post entitled Llessons llearned.) But I can comment on the skin up, at least the first 600 meters. One concern I had, on account of the ski’s narrowness and shortness, was its uphill grip. With the Pomoca S-Glides, that concern was unfounded. There was no problem, in a wooded approach, going up steep pitches that tighter trees made necessary. No problem on slicker cold morning surfaces. I felt powerful and enabled, until...(see the trip report)
On the fourth day, I stopped climbing at a lower elevation and encountered deep, wet, heavy snow skiing down. I don’t know how to ski these conditions, and didn’t begin to understand how until the last bits of offpiste on the last day. Despite my inability, I’m pretty sure that this ski, and any ski this width, is an inappropriate choice. I like short and medium turns. Having sunk into this snow, the ski didn’t like rotational input. Tracks in the snow would send the skis off an unintended direction. Unless it was steeper, I kept being thrown forward as the ski’s stalled, resulting in me being aft to compensate; though, consciously, I knew that would be deadly, which it was.
On our fifth and final day, at Lonquimay, I had a chance to ski both in-resort and off. In-resort was in the morning, still cold. Hard snow groomer: beautiful medium and short turn carving, with very good rebound. Offpiste on wind affected cold dry tracked snow, the ski crushes it. One skis through tracks like their not there because the skis penetrate anything (because of stiffness?)
Above the resort, down from the summit, now there’s slab and tracked snow. But still cold and supportive. No problem charging down with medium and short turns. Breaks the slab and skis though it easily. But, further down, it’s now wet and heavy. I found it impossible, including the in-resort offpiste that I had skied in the morning. I did finally come to realize, now shallower terrain, what works for me, dynamic (no park and ride) long turns. (See trip report’s post entitled Volcan Lonquimay.) The ski easily rode with over the heavy chopped up snow. But, too late to develop that more and to try on steeper terrain.
Bottomline:
Very light ski. Lightness is further enhanced by the high performance that can be achieved with the shorter end of what one would ski.
Very responsive. Absolutely does what one wants and, if imprecise, what one doesn’t want.
Very high transmission of snow surface and texture, offering up the skier another “sense”.
Great on ice, hardpack, corn, and on lighter to humid powder to at least 10”. Had Southern Chile not been having a banner year, that included heavy (in both context) snowfall in the Spring, these would have for-sure been the ideal skis.
As for negatives, though much of my problem is technique, I don’t think this is a good choice for heavy wet powder. I am only guessing that it’s not the best for waist deep light powder either, though I’d love to give that a try.
I’ve been thinking about selling these skis. Five days skied; never hit a rock (amazing for Spring volcanos). However, now that I think about it, what would I then use in the Spring; continue to use my 184 wood, though AirTec, Fischer’s fitted with frame bindings?! Besides, I’ve been wondering how an 85 ski, my favorite width in a frontside all mountain ski, would do in light waist deep powder. So, though I don’t ordinarily carry skis with me to Japan, I think I’ll do just that this coming season. So, more to follow.
