Help Choosing a Powder Ski for Mammoth

[David Matheney]

Hello everyone,

I’m 35 years old, have been skiing since I was a teenage but didn’t get a chance to ski during my 20’s. After moving to Florida and picking up surfing I forgot how much I loved skiing and fell back in love with the sport. This season I will ski about 20 days, but the first of April I’m buying a Cali4nia season pass for 2016/17, so will get to ski much more often. I’m a level 7 skier and live in California, LA and ski Mammoth, Snow Summit and Big Bear mostly. I am 6’2” 195lbs, an adrenaline junkie and love to challenge myself.

Last year skied only about 6 days, nothing like this season or next. Found that I picked it right back up and could hit the blacks just like my youth. I make sure to take a lesson or two ever season to improve my skills. I’m taking an advanced/expert lesson on Monday at Mammoth as I'm always looking to improve. With being out west now and getting lots of powder this year I am skiing more and more off groomers and loving it.

I’m looking for a second wider powder ski for Mammoth's wind buffed powder to add to my 2016 Nordica NRGY 90 185.

I have narrowed it down to the Rossignol Super 7 188 or Nordica Patron 193, I think. I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

I'm hoping to demo both soon and getting custom fitted boots at Footloose on Sunday.



Skis I’m considering after research:

Blizzard Gunsmoke

Billy Goats

Rossignol Super 7

Nordica Patron



Thanks,
Dave

 

[Ken_R]

Of those I have used the Nordica Patron in 185 (I am 6-2 180) and LOVED It. Skied it mostly on the high alpine bowls of Loveland Ski Area Colorado with windbown snow but also in and around the skied out trees and steep bumps of lift #1. The ski was money for me. Easy to ski and quick when I need it to be but on edge I could rip down beat up groomers and cut up snow. Just an awesome all terrain ski for out west. Handled pretty much everything. Did not test it in deep powder though.

 

[David Matheney]

I am 6’2” 195lbs, do you think the Nordica Patron in 193 would work for me over the 185?

 

[Ken_R]

I am 6’2” 195lbs, do you think the Nordica Patron in 193 would work for me over the 185?

I dont know for sure. Some skis change quite a bit when going up a size others just a little. My hunch is that the 193 should still be fun and work nicely for you. Reports are that it does not ski long.

 

[Ken_R]

I would at least try to get on some of the skis you mentioned. I also suggest you try the Moment Bibby and the Deathwish. I absolutely loved the Deathwish in the same conditions as the Patron. Could live with either one. Both were easy and fun skis but could charge with them if I wanted. Really larger performance envelope.

 

[Josh Matta]

here are my thoughts on the patron.

http://www.epicski.com/t/126067/nordica-patron-185cm-as-an-east-coast-tree-ski

 

[David Matheney]

here are my thoughts on the patron.

http://www.epicski.com/t/126067/nordica-patron-185cm-as-an-east-coast-tree-ski

Thank you so much, I must have read your review at least 5 times before (and most any review or post on the web on the Patrons) . How do you think the Patrons would hold up at Mammoth?

 

[Josh Matta]

Personally for me I find the Patrons lacks in strength at speed in broken snow especially heavier broken snow. I might still own in at powder ski at mammoth but if I had to have one bigger ski at Mammoth not sure I would picked it.

 

[Ken_R]

here are my thoughts on the patron.

http://www.epicski.com/t/126067/nordica-patron-185cm-as-an-east-coast-tree-ski

Awesome review. My experience with the Patron agrees with it completely.

 

[Lorenzzo]

Personally for me I find the Patrons lacks in strength at speed in broken snow especially heavier broken snow. I might still own in at powder ski at mammoth but if I had to have one bigger ski at Mammoth not sure I would picked it.

DPS 112 RP Hybrid?

 

[Josh Matta]

Lorenzo no the DPS 112 has basically the same short coming as the patron to much tail rocker/sidecut.

Again this is speaking for what I like when at place like mammoth where even the tree are wide open. but personally at mammoth for a 110-115 mm ski I would eh more on the side of Big Mountain Comp ski and probably ski it a length no less than high 180s.

My ideal mammoth Quiver

186cm Blizzard WRC - groomers at a slow speed than the Super Bro.
195cm PM Gear Super Bro - groomers
185cm Nordica Enforcer 93 - groomers/bumps
193cm Nordica El Capo - leftovers
186cm Moment Governer - light dry snow days
196cm 4frnt Renegade - big wet/heavy snow days

 

[David Matheney]

Thank you so much for everyone’s responses. I love reading all the thoughts and wisdom of people that have been skiing many more years than myself. Being a level 7 skier I'm looking for a ski that has a large sweet spot with forgiveness. I’m not sure if I should be buying too damp of ski right now with lots of metal in it. I don’t want to buy a ski that is to over my limits to improve. I also don’t want a ski that doesn’t keep pushing me to improve. Thoughts?

 

[Philpug]

While Mammoth gets a lot of snow, it doesn't get a ton of powder, it gets windbuff, beautiful world class wind buff with pockets of powder. So you need a ski that can handle that windbuff and not get bounded around. Again @Josh Matta is working the the right direction. A ski with metal that is damp but can still bend. El Capo comes to mind even though they are discontinued. I think the Bodacious is an option even though it doesn't have metal any more. And a ski at the top of my list because I skied it at Mammoth in ideal conditions, the Dynastar Cham 117.

 

[David Matheney]

@Philpug, thanks for the info on Mammoth, about the snow conditions and dampness.

My new shortlist:

2016 or 2017 Dynastar Cham 117 190

2016 or 2017 Blizzard Bodacious 193

2014 or 2015 Nordica El Capo 193

 

[Philpug]

@Philpug, thanks for the info on Mammoth, about the snow conditions and dampness.

My new shortlist:

2016 or 2017 Dynastar Cham 117 190

2016 or 2017 Blizzard Bodacious 193

2014 or 2015 Nordica El Capo 193

Just a heads up...El Capo in 193 is mroe like a 196...185 could be a great option too.

 

[Jed Peters]

No issues with my stockli sr115s there.

Thought they were perfect from everything from bottomless pow to wind buff to wind scoured.

 

[Ecimmortal]

@Philpug, thanks for the info on Mammoth, about the snow conditions and dampness.

My new shortlist:

2016 or 2017 Dynastar Cham 117 190

2016 or 2017 Blizzard Bodacious 193

2014 or 2015 Nordica El Capo 193

I may be biased, but the Billygoat is superior to the Cham 117 in every way. Not here, but many would agree.

Yes I have skied them both.

 

[David Matheney]

I settled on a pair of 2016 Dynastar Cham 117 190s. Haven't had a chance to try them out yet but can't wait for some April storms up at Mammoth.

 

[Philpug]

I settled on a pair of 2016 Dynastar Cham 117 190s. Haven't had a chance to try them out yet but can't wait for some April storms up at Mammoth.


View attachment 5322

Good call, oh, loose that demo binding as soon as you can, it is heavy and inefficient.

 

[David Matheney]

Good call, oh, loose that demo binding as soon as you can, it is heavy and inefficient.

Would the Salomon Sth2 WTR 13 Bindings 115mm work with this 117 ski? Or would there be a better binding for this ski? Thanks for the advice on the demo binding.