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Bluenose

Booting up
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Joined
Feb 20, 2019
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32
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Ottawa ON Canada
Hello All – after some lurking I have a question…

I (male, 58 yrs, 210# and 6’1”) ski the Dynastar SpeedZone 10 Ti (175) - Blue and Black goes fine (S turns) and more Z turns on the double black. This is my 5th year of skiing; 3rd year serious with about 30 days/yr

Like to carve (longer radius) and when the middle of the track becomes icy, I stay on the sides in a groomer width track. Have no interest in the trees and moguls. We do not really have any powder here.

The slopes here (Eastern Quebec) are always prepared, often hard, sometimes ice. As we venture away more from the home hill I find the pistes maintained less with more loose snow and when turns into crud and piles I get into a bit of trouble. This is partly ski and partly technique.

According to my app, my top is around 30 - 40 M/h and I really do not have to go faster.

I am looking for a ski that is good on the groomed piste, but also good with fresh and crud/tracked out snow; same power as my current ones, just a bit more versatile.

The Volkl Deacon 76 was recommended to me and wonder if they would be too much. This based on trying the RTM84 (more work than I like) and the RTM 81 (could not scrub speed on the steeps)

The Rossignol Elite Plus Ti looks like it might suit me.

The Blizzard RC Ti also looks like a candidate, but I wonder how well it would handle the crud.

There is a chance that I can try the Rossi, but not the other two.

What do you think of these, or if I am missing the point entirely where should I look?

Thanks,


Also, I tried the Head Supershape iRally – enjoyed them, but… must be tipped and always wants to turn. May be because I had the 170.

QST 92 - surprisingly fun to ski on the groomed piste. Considered it as 2nd ski (next to the Dynastar). Two weeks later in 20 cm of fresh snow and bumps I could not do much with it.

Enforcer 93 - good skiing, very versatile but gave me pain in the knees. I think too wide.
 

AngryAnalyst

Out on the slopes
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May 31, 2018
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I have very different taste than you do so I'm not going to try to recommend a ski to you (I love trees and bumps). However, I am going to tell you I think that fresh and crud/tracked out snow benefit from wider skis than you want to use. I don't know how deep or what kind of snow you're thinking about, but I personally like ~90-110 underfoot skis with a fair amount of rocker in soft snow. They are just easier - heavy camber is unhelpful at best in soft snow. Other than that, I like longer radius skis on bigger mountains.

I do not prioritize groomer zooming enough to tell you what ski will do what you want and be ok for you on groomers.
 

Jilly

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Nov 12, 2015
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Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
You won't find much difference between the Dynastar and the Rossi. Sister companies.

My quiver for Tremblant...Rossi Hero MT Carbon (75mm) and the Atomic Vantage 95C (95mm). Can't handle any Ti, not enough power. But your could.

The 95's were fun last Friday!!
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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Team Gathermeister
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The slopes here (Eastern Quebec) are always prepared, often hard, sometimes ice.

Where are you talking, specifically? I suspect you may be a victim of tunnel vision. My experiences at Mont Ste. Anne and (especially) Le Massif don't jibe with your account. Lots of ungroomed with reasonably frequent and high quality soft snow, in addition to the obvious groomers.


Two weeks later in 20 cm of fresh snow and bumps I could not do much with it.

Ah. There you go. So much for "always prepared," eh?

Are you looking for a two-ski quiver or one? You send mixed signals on that, too.

What you might want, based on your preferences as I read them, is:

1) Lessons
2) A slalom ski for firm days
3) A 90-ish ski for soft days / trees / bumps
 

trailtrimmer

Stuck in the Flatlands
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Michigan
Atomic Vantage 83 CTI is worth a look as well as the new Brahma 82 from Blizzard. Both can pop off trail easily with a fairly forgiving tip shape.

If you want a groomer zoomer, the Volkl Code is hard to beat. It's almost a cheater GS ski, just a bit more forgiving and can handle a couple inches of fresh or crud pile better. With the Deacon coming in, they should be getting cheaper on close out.
 
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Bluenose

Booting up
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Ottawa ON Canada
Thanks for your insights.
Would like to try a Liberty - would have to go to NY or VT as they are not available here; might do that before the season is over.
I am based in Ottawa and ski around town and the Laurentians. The 20 cm of fresh is a relatively rare occasion. Will be at Le Massif for spring break though!

I see little love for the Deacon 76 here?

Would prefer one ski, and perhaps rent when we go away and conditions are different enough. Considering your comments though, maybe I should go for two skis. Keep and eventually upgrade the Dynastars and add a wider pair. Atomics are available here will see if I can demo.

Oh and yes to lessons. It's a forum topic elsewhere and something I do and believe in.
 

Chef23

Getting on the lift
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Dec 17, 2017
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I liked the Atomic Vantage 86ti a lot and think it might work for what you are looking for given that you have a narrower ski already.
 
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Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
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Reno, eNVy
You won't find much difference between the Dynastar and the Rossi. Sister companies.
yes, but unlike the race skis, the SpeedZones ski very different than say the Rossi React and Heros.

The Deacon 74 and 76 are very smooth skis and have a pretty high top end.

One of the surprise of the test was the upcomogn Salomon S/Force Bold, a wider version of the S/Max Blast. The ski has a tremendous upside in power yet it did not overpower our intermediate lesters. Stay tuned for this one.
 

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
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You need two pair.
1. Head Magnum in a 170 cm length - yes it will want to turn, but it will make you love carving turns. So much so that your next ski will be a SL, or GS.

2. 2018-2019 Blizzard Bonafide - in around 173 or 180 - it will make you love soft snow and ski treeing.

I get how you feel when you see a big dumping of snow after not having skied those conditions for many months; it takes me a couple of hours to get used to it again on skinny skis, but no time at all on wider rockered skis (e.g. Bonafides, Volkl 100-eights, Elan Ripstick 96 - for my 150 lbs).
 
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Erik Timmerman

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I'm wondering what it is you don't like about your Speedzone 10, what you want it to do better. Z-turns is probably you are than the ski. Based on the skis you've tried and not liked, I wonder if you might like something a bit more relaxed. The Deacon is a great ski, but it's not that ski. You haven't been skiing that long, we have no idea what you ski like, but I could see you liking something like the Fischer Pro Mountain 77. Every manufacturer has a ski like this.
 

cantunamunch

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I'm wondering what it is you don't like about your Speedzone 10, what you want it to do better. Z-turns is probably you are than the ski. Based on the skis you've tried and not liked, I wonder if you might like something a bit more relaxed.

I have to admit I visualised Puma and Sous-Bois Puma @ Sutton when I gave my earlier answer.
 

Wilhelmson

Making fresh tracks
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May 2, 2017
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Mid 80s with a little metal. Fischer Pro Mtn are relatively cheap so you can pick up some dedicated carvers if they don't satisfy your carving needs.
 

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