Background reading (for those deep divers among us)
OK, now for my day one impressions (caution, things will change as I get more time on the ski and move the bindings)
Me: 6'4", 250 lbs, expert, racer
Binding mount: +2 cm from factory line, Fresh SKIMD tune, 0.5/3.0 bevels, Hard snow surface with a little machine groomed on top, low 30's temp
Very GS turn shape, very heavy feeling tip. Not quick edge to edge. (similar to posts above) At slow speeds skis felt a bit sluggish, above 20 mph skis livened up and turn shape became shorter, maybe into the medium category. The skis are extremely stable and have a very high top end that I did not go near. They are a most unusual combination of sking forgiving (not soft, but "cushiony") and feeling very very powerful. I think the middle of the ski is race ski stiff and burly and the ends taper to a very forgiving flex. Love the flex of these skis.
With the race tune on the ski, the grip was fantastic, best I have felt since getting off my 205 SL racing ski. These skis have so much grip I was getting "slarve" chatter that I never get unless I put a 4 deg side bevel on my race skis. (grip/slip on icy surfaces) I might have to drop these to a 2 deg side bevel. The skis were very precise and actually a little scary to me. Until I am "intimate" with these skis, I was concerned about inadvertently hooking up at high speeds and getting slammed. They generally feel forgiving, but with serious power lurking just underneath the surface. I can see now why Stockli puts a 1.3/2.0 tune on them for the general public. These bad boys don't need a lot of help from the tune to show off their stuff on hard surfaces.
I skied some firm glades with small moguls and the heavy feeling tip went away. Pivoting the skis over moguls was a breeze and gave me a completely different impression of the skis.
I will move my bindings back and forth and play with the tune and possibly detune a bit. To conclude, these skis are an unusual mix of behavior, and one that will take me some time to dial into my personal preferences. I will continue to post as I ski them more in the next week or so.
The 183 feels heavy. It probably should be plus mounted 2-3 cm. But that's a big guess. On steep terrain they were too much work imo. Flatter they cruise just fine.
Unless you're over 200lbs , really like speed, and or experiment with binding position, you should go with the 175. That seems to be the sweetspot in this ski along with the 167. I think they missed it with the 183, it becomes heavy and tiresome frankly, but mount point experimenting might change that view.
As to the 183cm Stockli AX, I own a '15 192cm Stockli SR 95. Honestly, that is less work than the 183 AX in short turns on steeps. There's something about the front end of the AX ski that is very weighty and requires lots of work. Now maybe going +1 to 2 would change that. Don't know.
I originally bought the 183 AX, coming off the predecessor AR, and it was a huge, jarring change. I didn't like it at first, but over time adjusted to larger turn radius and slower response time. Then was able to compare it to the 175 AX and I went back to not liking the 183 (I'm 6'1", 155 lbs). The 175 is still very stable at high speeds on groomers.
Blizzard Brahma 2018, Stockli Laser AX, Fischer Pro Mountain 95, Fischer The Curv DTX in terrible snow!
The following review is a 3-runs/ski review of 4 good skis, in less than optimal conditions. I find that any ski feels amazing on Colorado hero snow. The kind of snow I was on today was the opposite, and really pulled out the personality and friendliness of each ski. Rain had fallen last week, almost 2 inches, and 8 inches of heavy snow followed. Bachelor had done their usual poor job grooming, trying to groom 60 miles each night and leaving the groomers riddled with ridges, holes, death cookies. Despite our complaints, they have yet to learn “quality over quantity”. Wind was blowing 50mph plus at mid-mountain, which was pushing powdered sugar snow down the hill, filling in spots. Groomers went from concrete to 3” deep of windpack within the matter of a couple of feet. I was able to get much more of a feel for the skis today than I did in Colorado. Good snow masks a lot of flaws!
Stockli Laser AX: current model (current through 2018), 175cm. The Laser AX is fairly narrow for an off-piste ski at 78mm, but one would never know that when skiing it. This was by far the easiest and best ski here, no question. Although the tip had every bit as much power as the other skis tested here, it did not suffer from the “excessive edginess” and artificially boosted lateral feel that was present on the other skis. It loaded perfectly, did not “dive for hard snow underneath, and not a trace of a hooky tip was present. It seemed to surf above the junk snow. I would say forgiveness was easily 30% higher than any of the other skis. The tail was so easy when releasing; the AX truly feels like an off-piste narrow ski in these conditions. On the groomers, it was the only ski in the group that I trusted enough to really open up, as I was confident the tip wouldn't find a hole and dive in, nor would it catch and grab. If I could draw up a ski that responded exactly as I desired, given the terrible conditions, the AX would be that ski. Part of that is the relative quiet, damp nature on groomers: the AX is an all-condition ski, not a groomer zoomer, race-ski lite model. I call it “technical all-mountain”. It is superb in bumps, for example.
Fischer The Curv DTX: a pure frontside carver, one of the best carvers on the market today. I didn't try to venture off-piste on the DTX; it is a groomer ski, not a narrow all-mountain ski. If I had to buy only one pure carver, it may very well be the DTX. Even with that said, it was a heck of a lot of ski for these conditions. Again, very laterally stiff, the tip engages immediately at the top of the turn. The skier needs to be ready for what is coming next: a freight train of power and snap. Incredible power, but it was a little much in this snow; get that tip fully working, and it tends to dig south through the powdered sugar. It was the best ski here provided that I trust it, but in this snow, I did not feel like taking any chances, and backed off. The DTX has serious top end for such a short 171cm ski; power rivaling that of any frontside ski. It may be the best carver available today. A shame I couldn't open it up due to terrible grooming. I dealt with ridges and holes from one edge of the groomer to the other. Bachelor has a view on groomers of “quantity over quality”, the proverbial “half-ass job”, which makes testing hard snow skis a real challenge.
Of all the skis I tested in these conditions, the AX was really only the ski that handled them well. It really brings out the difference between premium skis and more affordable, larger distribution brands. The difference isn't so much at the top end of stability: any ski can be designed for high stability given enough metal and carbon. The premium skis, as I have found, have a range that most top-end skis do not. They can be dialed down, backed off, skied slow in junk snow, with the corresponding sweet spot double the size when compared to that of a ski selling for $599. They are more predictable in rough conditions: the skier finds the ski to be less about what type of turn the ski wants to execute, and more about the type of turn the skier wants to execute. It may sound like a small distinction, but far too many skis today have a “mind of their own” and are artificially designed to feel “boosted”. Car enthusiasts are familiar with this concept: too often big cars are produced that feel dead and ship-like, yet characteristics such as steering are artificially changed to feel more aggressive, rather than actually making a sportier, precise handling RWD car. A friend drives a Mercedes CLA AMG, and it is the epitome of a “boosted” car. Heavy FWD, mad torque-steer, artificially snappy steering rack, boosted turbo engine. To borrow a popular idiom: it isn't a sporty car, but can play one after staying at the Holiday Inn. This is the case with many skis today, and why uber-stiff skis such as the Mantra still remain popular with high intermediates. They feel “edgy”, and those speaking so highly of them from a high intermediate standpoint will refer to how “well they carve”, even though that skier is incapable of getting enough edge angle and pressure to carve a turn. What they feel is that hard, aggressive “bite”, not unlike a car that is too stiffly sprung. Stiffly sprung cars aren't necessarily fast around a track, but they do feel fast. It is mistaken for a ski that is working underfoot, whereas the Laser AX, for example, is actually holding well underfoot, but instead of feeling aggressive, the pressure builds as directed by the skier, as if it were reading the skier's mind.
What a wonderful ski. (I didn't notice any differences from my own year, but it's harder to compare the 175 to the 183 of a different year, so not sure. The 183, for sure, felt heavier. But also more chargy.)* * * * *I get to ski two versions of the 17/18 AX, both 183. My buddy's pair with Tyrolia Attack2 13 shop demos, is set at c. +1.0 to +2.4 mount positions: with that binding, those mount positions work for his 183, for both of us. Not sure why. His pair is at the same height as mine, at 3.0 toe and 3.2 cm heel with that particular demo binding (thus delta height +2 mm), but with that playful flexing Attack2-13 toe on his, that actually one can feel as more playful, and versatile, than the more race-like binding on mine. At least that was the theory of the Head rep(s) I talked to about it. Different binding, different ski behavior to the same ski. And, for me, different mount point range as a result.My pair of AXes are also 17-18 (yellow w. diagonal green stripes). Tyrolia PRD 12 adjustable binding (at +2 delta also, and the same 3.0 and 3.2 height). 183s. But with a more race binding-type toe, and feel.I ski my 183s at zero if I want them to feel more like gs race skis. That works.I ski them also, however, at up to +4 most recently, where they are best for bumps, in my case. I'm perfectly capable of race ski-learned dynamics on these skis and others. But I've found there are also freeride styles of skiing that have every bit as much integrity and stability as racing style. Sean Pettit and Seth Morrison were my role models for appreciating such styles, but the hills are full of big mountain chargers and trickers (Candide, Sage, etc.) who can flat out ski, and who often play with their mount positions. I first started that stuff with Sage's Atomic Auto 117, but the K2 Pettitor 120 is also good for multiple mount positions, as are many of the fat skis since. And also, as it happens, with this particular 183 AX ski, at its longer length.
So when my Ax 17/18 183s felt heavy to me at 0 to + 1 1/2 in bumps and such, no big deal: I played with the mount settings once again, to good effect.
With 183 AX, Tyrolia PRD 12 w/o plate (both toe and heal adjustable).
I mostly keep it at +4, except back as much as to +2 if I want to emphasize a GS feel over ease and quickness.
With my friend's 183 AX, Tyrolia Attack2-13 AT Demo (AT = All Types of boot).
We use a +1 to +2 setting. (It's equally adjustable - more playful but otherwise equally fun feel).
I added the color because the AT version has a different plastic mold, roughly 1 cm taller than a regular, more common Attack2-13 Demo binding. This setup feels as if it is a cm or two more forward than the PRD 12 at equal mount setting, not sure why. It has about 3/4 cm greater height than the PRD 12, as I recall.)
OK, now for my day one impressions (caution, things will change as I get more time on the ski and move the bindings)
Me: 6'4", 250 lbs, expert, racer
Binding mount: +2 cm from factory line, Fresh SKIMD tune, 0.5/3.0 bevels, Hard snow surface with a little machine groomed on top, low 30's temp
Very GS turn shape, very heavy feeling tip. Not quick edge to edge. (similar to posts above) At slow speeds skis felt a bit sluggish, above 20 mph skis livened up and turn shape became shorter, maybe into the medium category. The skis are extremely stable and have a very high top end that I did not go near. They are a most unusual combination of sking forgiving (not soft, but "cushiony") and feeling very very powerful. I think the middle of the ski is race ski stiff and burly and the ends taper to a very forgiving flex. Love the flex of these skis.
With the race tune on the ski, the grip was fantastic, best I have felt since getting off my 205 SL racing ski. These skis have so much grip I was getting "slarve" chatter that I never get unless I put a 4 deg side bevel on my race skis. (grip/slip on icy surfaces) I might have to drop these to a 2 deg side bevel. The skis were very precise and actually a little scary to me. Until I am "intimate" with these skis, I was concerned about inadvertently hooking up at high speeds and getting slammed. They generally feel forgiving, but with serious power lurking just underneath the surface. I can see now why Stockli puts a 1.3/2.0 tune on them for the general public. These bad boys don't need a lot of help from the tune to show off their stuff on hard surfaces.
I skied some firm glades with small moguls and the heavy feeling tip went away. Pivoting the skis over moguls was a breeze and gave me a completely different impression of the skis.
I will move my bindings back and forth and play with the tune and possibly detune a bit. To conclude, these skis are an unusual mix of behavior, and one that will take me some time to dial into my personal preferences. I will continue to post as I ski them more in the next week or so.