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Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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@Andy Mink who is 5'10" 220 also raves about the Wingman, but the 86. Lets see if we can get him to chime in. That Deacon 84 that you mention is a great option too. I would also not dismiss the Fischer RC4 86 GT.
Just got back into town with solid wifi. I skied the Wingman for 5 days at the Gathering in Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee. We had some fresh, bumps, hard groomers, steep, flat, trees, and most everything else EXCEPT Northeast ice. I also skied them several days at Mt. Rose in varying conditions. I wouldn't describe myself as a charger, so keep that in mind. I never felt like the Wingman was going to do anything weird in any of the conditions I encountered. They just performed solidly across the board with no surprises. One thing I noticed that may make them more playful and easy is they do have a mount point closer to center than a groomer zoomer. I could push them around to pivot quickly or get them up on edge and just ride the carve. It's a really well rounded ski.
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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Same size and weight and I’ve never been disappointed with the Stockli AX. I ski the East and every time I change out to another ski, first run I always say wish I had the AX. I ski the 175 and only wish it was a little shorter in tight bumps. With your style of skiing you may want the 168.
With his style of skiing I don't think the tuning police are going to let him out of the shop with a pair of Stöcklis.

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SamR

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Just got back into town with solid wifi. I skied the Wingman for 5 days at the Gathering in Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee. We had some fresh, bumps, hard groomers, steep, flat, trees, and most everything else EXCEPT Northeast ice. I also skied them several days at Mt. Rose in varying conditions. I wouldn't describe myself as a charger, so keep that in mind. I never felt like the Wingman was going to do anything weird in any of the conditions I encountered. They just performed solidly across the board with no surprises. One thing I noticed that may make them more playful and easy is they do have a mount point closer to center than a groomer zoomer. I could push them around to pivot quickly or get them up on edge and just ride the carve. It's a really well rounded ski.

Thank you for the review! I love the fact that you skied them in Jackson Hole. I actually just got a call back from this shop (https://hamiltonsports.com/product-category/skis-online/), where I left a voice mail on Friday, and went ahead with ordering them in 178cm with Attack2 13 bindings. I didn't request a different mount point. He did say that the binding has about 2cm of wiggle room in case a new pair of ski boots are a slightly different BSL, so I am no longer concerned with getting the skis before the boots.

I am still a bit unclear as to what you meant when you said in the Pugski review that this ski is not for two-footed bump skiers, but I guess I'll find out in the bumps next season! Also I hope your skis survived Jackson Hole. My M5 Mantras did not, but those I will get repaired. It was not a good season for ski damage.
 

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Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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am still a bit unclear as to what you meant when you said in the Pugski review that this ski is not for two-footed bump skiers
That wasn't me. I'm not sure what a two footed bump skier is either. :ogbiggrin:
 

KingGrump

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I hope your skis survived Jackson Hole. My M5 Mantras did not, but those I will get repaired. It was not a good season for ski damage.

Follow @Tony S sage advice. Believe it or not, it works.
Your M5 are beyond help. No point throwing good money after bad. Best bet is to mark them with a L & R so you can keep the good edge on the inside.
It is never a good season when you messed up your skis like that. Perhaps you were skiing a different Jackson. I didn't see damages like that through out the week we were there with 80 other Pugs. Watch where you are going and ski with a bit more control. Your wallet will thank you.
 
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SamR

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Your M5 are beyond help. No point throwing good money after bad.

A tech was able to fix the edge on my Experience 88 HD, though it did come off again. I assume the same could be done for the M5?
 

KingGrump

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A tech was able to fix the edge on my Experience 88 HD, though it did come off again. I assume the same could be done for the M5?

The edge on the E88 wasn't broken. Some ptex patching & epoxy and you are good to go. The fix didn't hole probably due to improper bonding between the substrate and the new repair material. For $120, I would have cut my losses and gone for a new pair of skis.

The M5 OTOH, is missing a segment of the edge. There is no way to repair that edge in a way to allow that specific edge to take the load as an inside edge in a carve. Even if used as an outside edge, the ski will probably delaminate at that spot after a few days of hard skiing. If my M5 looks like that, I would just go and buy another pair for about $500.

For me skis are expendable. I go through a pair or two every season just base on standard wear and tear.
I get about 80 days out of a pair of skis. I have way more than 10 pairs of skis. Boots, I have 1 pair. Usually it will last me anywhere from 200 to 400 ski days.
 

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