Turned off the gravity?
Playful skis don't take gravity seriously.
Turned off the gravity?
A finesse ski will always have adhesion and speed limits and can easily be over driven by a skied pilot, especially on ice.
Which year? The all blue graphic one was like that - the earlier blue/White was much betterI am not a ski expert but I did not fine the Atomic Vintage to be playful. Just kind of middle of the road IMO. Playful to me is light and turny, bouncy, flouncy, fun. I go for playful over charger anytime.
IDK. I think 3 season back. Tried them at the 1-hour demo tent at Jackson Hole. Returned after 2 runs. Pretty sure it was all blue.Which year? The all blue graphic one was like that - the earlier blue/White was much better
Yes then it is the one - i never liked that one either !IDK. I think 3 season back. Tried them at the 1-hour demo tent at Jackson Hole. Returned after 2 runs. Pretty sure it was all blue.
Great thread, but I agree, to me, the Vantages aren't the greatest examples of playful, at least in the versions I demoed. Maybe the Brahma is a better example of a charger type, though.I am not a ski expert but I did not fine the Atomic Vintage to be playful. Just kind of middle of the road IMO. Playful to me is light and turny, bouncy, flouncy, fun. I go for playful over charger anytime.
I agree - the vantage is “somewhat’ playful, but had to go head to head with something i had in my quiverGreat thread, but I agree, to me, the Vantages aren't the greatest examples of playful, at least in the versions I demoed. Maybe the Brahma is a better example of a charger type, though.
Bent Chetler Atomic skis, or the Line Sir Francis Bacon - now those are big time playful. One side of the spectrum but good. Even an old time skier like me can enjoy them, unless in crud getting tossed (on the Bent Chets especially).
The Nordica Soulrider 97, that's another example of a playful ski that is a lot of fun and relaxing often, even though it has a speed limit.
Of the Enforcers, 104 Free is maybe a more directional example of both playful and charge, whereas the Mantra 102 is more pure charge.
For a few years, the Moment Bibby Pro (either length, depending on one's size) has been a good example of a playful charger in powder. The K2 Pettitor 189/191 is another. (As near as I can tell, the Black Ops 118 is a Pettitor knock-off - great ski.)
I ski a stiff metal wide ski, charger for sure.
But when you talk about playful, it seems most comments are about playful in powder.
Where do you guys ski that you find so much untracked powder?
At squaw, this lasts about half an hour, after which you really need a charger ski.
As a lightweight it's been a real challenge finding the right ski. I am definitely a "finesse" skier (carver, shorter turns, precise) but as a lightweight does this mean I need "playful" skis? I certainly have no interest in slarving, jumping and skiing backwards! And I do hit the 40s on groomers, so I need some "high end," something I may not get from a playful ski.
Missing from this discussion is body weight. Your playful ski at 200 pounds may be my charger at 140 pounds. I recently posted about such an experience with 177 cm Nordica Enforcer 100s; I just didn't have a enough mass to enjoy them at any speed, especially in crud.
As a lightweight it's been a real challenge finding the right ski. I am definitely a "finesse" skier (carver, shorter turns, precise) but as a lightweight does this mean I need "playful" skis? I certainly have no interest in slarving, jumping and skiing backwards! And I do hit the 40s on groomers, so I need some "high end," something I may not get from a playful ski.
Hoping the Rustler 9 or Head Kore 93/99 will work for most Western applications, but I'm wary to commit given these concerns.
Also I see your point Rod9301. If you don't backcountry or cat ski, a dedicated powder ski seems pretty silly. Half an hour of untracked seems optimistic at most NA resorts. Not to mention you could ski untracked on almost anything.
You can finesse and force a SL ski or GS ski into doing things it wasn't designed to do if you are a skilled pilot. A finesse ski will always have adhesion and speed limits and can easily be over driven by a skied pilot, especially on ice.
I've taken a 23M GS ski from the race course in the top three to playing in the woods one day, certainly not it's intended habitat but workable. It wasn't the ski that was providing the finesse.
Is "Finesse ski" sometimes a euphemism applied to an underpowered noodle?
I want all the women on the board to chime in here, please. @AmyPJ , @Analisa , @elemmac , others.