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LeLeedler

Racer at Heart
Skier
Joined
May 3, 2017
Posts
84
Location
Aspen/Snowmass
In all my skiing as well as racing years I am with you! I have never owned a ski over 100mm underfoot and I have never second guessed it, and while I enjoy demoing thicker skis on the rare occasion I personally don't miss out with my own Brahmas. While I have only demo'd the Bonafides twice I can say that ski is probably everything you are looking for, that ski just kills crud. Another strong ski, would be the Enforcer 100, another very fun ski. I would like to ass that don't know if it would be the absolute worst idea to get the Enforcer 93, it is ever so slightly better than the Brahma off piste and lacks a tad on piste in comparison to the Brahma but, for what you want that may be your ski if you want something a bit slimmer. Awesome to see someone represent my opinion on pow skis and many other's as well!
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,434
Mine

To each his own. *

Mine:
DPS Lotus 138
Dynastar Cham 117
Atomic Bent Chettler (123)
Elan M1111 (121)

The first three are in powder day rotation depending on backcountry vs resort. The Elans were fun while they lasted but they are delaminating now.

My Ranger 98s have done very nicely in soft snow and handle chop just fine. I'll see how Pinacle 88s do in powder, too, maybe. The challenge of a (perhaps) 'too fat' ski in chop is just what it's all about. Every ski has compromises. When it is a powder day, I want maximum float for fun and to keep me off the harder stuff underneath.

* No sponsor. I do coach, raced and still race a bit.
What about your Zags?? 106?

This and the Sonny Bono (helmet) thread are destined to meet at a point in infinity and implode, forming a black hole.
 

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,483
Location
Breckenridge, CO
What about your Zags?? 106?

This and the Sonny Bono (helmet) thread are destined to meet at a point in infinity and implode, forming a black hole.

The Zags were 91 mm and now on someone else's feet.
 

TrickySr.

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Feb 25, 2017
Posts
50
Location
Idaho
Might consider going a little l o n g e r to compensate for a narrower ski off piste. My fattest ski is a 192 cm full camber 99 waist............Longer also seems to soak up the crud chunks better than shorter for me..

Unlike "crgildart" who has not had any fat skis, I have owned a pair of 185 Patron's and currently have a pair of 178 Line Sick Day 110s,both of which I have enjoyed a lot. However, last season, I tried a pair of 198s in a 98mm waist in about 12 inches of powder and then the cut up stuff and I really enjoyed them.
I have never been real big on the fat, fat skis and have at times skied 18" plus of powder or chunder on various 84 to 95 waisted skis with no problem.
I do believe that as we get older(60+) and don't have the legs we used to, a light weight fat ski is less tiring.
For me, I believe that longer than my "normal length" skis(180,) in a 90- 100mm waist, will ski ski anything I may encounter in terms of powder. I also believe that skier weight and flex of ski make them perform in a variety of ways.(Not to mention ability.)
With my technique, I really enjoy the feeling of "loading and unloading" the flex of the skis down in the powder as opposed to the smearing on top of it.
I am lucky to live in an area where we get more soft snow than most, so I do have the opportunity to enjoy many great powder days.
 

Viking9

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 9, 2016
Posts
788
Location
SO CAL
I have the Rossi sickle , 110 and it’s little brother scimitar at 98 ,both twins.I skied powder all last year and I had just purchased the 98 at the start of the year , it’s actually kind of sad that the sickles will probably not go out anymore they were a lot of fun.
 

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Posts
2,129
Location
Not Ikon, UT
How many wedges do you own?:rolleyes:

Currently? Maybe 6, but that is a low number being I would have a minimum of 3 in my bag to play a round

At the high water mark? Likely 50+

But I always had two exact backups for every wedge, one exact backup for any putter that made it more than 2 weeks in tournament play. I did not switch putters often though.
 

KevinF

Gathermeister-New England
Team Gathermeister
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
3,345
Location
New England
Define soft.

I consider anything I can sink an edge into a couple inches as soft. Days after a storm the snow off piste can easily still be soft. It can even be soft on piste depending on the groom.

I'm in search of soft all the time.

I consider anything I can sink a pole into without almost breaking the pole as soft!
 

bbinder

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
2,224
Location
Massachusetts
To each his/her own. If you like a big fat ski for everyday groomer and crud skiing, then more power to you. If you can take a race ski into powder, etc., then I am in awe of you. The widest ski that I have demoed is the Katana, and I didn’t like it. The fattest ski that I have owned is the Gotama, and I liked it fine, but it was a chore when skiing groomers for any length of time. The widest ski that I currently own is 95 underfoot, and I have decided that this is as wide as I need to go. I have been thigh deep with these and never felt that I needed something wider. I have cruised the groomers, plowed the crud, and noodled in the bumps. But that’s just me...
 

4ster

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,219
Location
Sierra & Wasatch
I’m with you @Paul S. I have no use for fat Rocker except in deep untracked. I don’t even like early rise unless it’s pretty soft. I find myself switching skis from my Super7’s when it starts getting tracked. With that said, my go to ski for everything is a101mm waist with full camber.
I don’t spend much time testing skis but years ago I thought the Cochise was the best crud/chop ski I had ever been on, if you want something a little wider than the Bonafide.
 
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David Chaus

Beyond Help
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Team Gathermeister
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Nov 12, 2015
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5,529
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Stanwood, WA
Often, when I’m on my Head Rev 85’s, I’ve got about the skinniest skis in the lift lines at Stevens. We get a lot of snow, and while it’s not always fresh untracked, there’s a lot of chop and crud. So those days I take out my Rev 105’s.

I’ve also got a Stockli 65mm wide carver, but honesty haven’t skied them in a couple of years. There’s just no need, haven’t have hardpack/ice conditions where it hasn’t snowed for a month, in several years.

While my Rev’s are, what, 5 years old now, they’ll at least make it through this season. My plan is to replace them both with a Renoun Z90. I was initially thinking of replacing the Rev 105 with a similar size ski, maybe a Kore 105, or a Ranger 108 or Volkl 100Eight, but I’m thinking now what I really want/need is an ON3P Billygoat, for what I want a ski to do that I do not currently have. My reasoning is that I want a ski that can both be a powder ski, and a good crud and chop ski, with the conditions I see in the PNW. Once I reached this conclusion, then I second-guessed myself based on comments from people here and elsewhere that I don’t need a ski that wide. Then I return to what I felt when I demoed a bunch of different skis, in the conditions I would use a new pair for, and come back to my original conclusion. It’s not easy to find a ski that’s both nimble and easy to turn, as well as stable and crud-busting. Actually I would call it crud-finessing. That fact that the Billygoat is as wide as it is (116) is incidental.

Also, if I have a 90 and a 116, it just makes it really easy to decided which ski to use on a given day. Honestly, I don’t know how people with an extensive multi-ski quiver people figure out what to ski.
 

JayT

Tahoe Powder Junkie
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
183
Location
Truckee & Sonoma
^^ I've had the BillyGoats for the last 4-5 years and they're incredibly balanced between powder surfing and tearing through chop. There's a reason people are so fanatical about them. I hear the latest versions are slightly improved on firmer snow for getting back to the lift.

Paul - good on you. If you look at the skiers who are technically proficient (PSIA D Team, former US Team Members, coaches, etc) no one is rocking anything over 100 underfoot in powder. That is unless they are receiving a sponsor check.

I didn't realize PugSki.com had become Epic Ski so quickly... :rolleyes:
 

Ken_R

Living the Dream
Skier
Joined
Feb 10, 2016
Posts
5,775
Location
Denver, CO
Resort "Pow" skiing is a whole different animal than real, backcountry powder skiing obviously. In the resort you have to, most times, deal with a base and that base can be rough, so you want to be on top most of the time. Also, like mentioned, chowder is the norm. Even at Steamboat last year after a 18" overnight snowfall I barely got just one run on fresh pow. After that it was mostly chopped up pow and then soft bumps. Under all that was a mixture of firm, rough firm and firm moguls. Sometimes one would get all of the mentioned conditions in one run. Yes, in VERY tight trees there was still some fresh pow but only in lower angle terrain.

My Moment Deathwish 190cm boards did great. Might have been a tad too long for the tight trees but overall they slayed the conditions.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
10,561
Location
Colorado
Honestly, I don’t know how people with an extensive multi-ski quiver people figure out what to ski.

Choose one and don't look back.

My husband does roll his eyes when I waffle all morning choosing a pair of skis, I'll admit.

Resort "Pow" skiing is a whole different animal than real, backcountry powder skiing obviously. In the resort you have to, most times, deal with a base and that base can be rough, so you want to be on top most of the time.

In the backcountry, you don't have anyone performing ski cuts and packing down the base for you ... so you want to be on top most of the time! (Just a thought.) Of course, around here, the backcountry can resemble a highway ...
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,434
Honestly, I don’t know how people with an extensive multi-ski quiver figure out what to ski.
I know, right?
- pugski app! Enter the skis, then the resort, maybe it already knows the weather. Tells you which ski to use. Sends alerts so when it's time in the day you can switch pairs. Never be on the wrong skis! -The app picked them. Of course it's right. So, if it's not working out...Well the app will tell you gently that it's not the skis.
 

Ken_R

Living the Dream
Skier
Joined
Feb 10, 2016
Posts
5,775
Location
Denver, CO
I am just jealous of all you folks who ski daily conditions that require a decision as to "how fat" a ski you will need. Color me green! :D

Well, even here in Colorado we are waiting for that day to come this season... waiting...waiting... :huh:
 

David Chaus

Beyond Help
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Team Gathermeister
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
5,529
Location
Stanwood, WA
I know, right?
- pugski app! Enter the skis, then the resort, maybe it already knows the weather. Tells you which ski to use. Sends alerts so when it's time in the day you can switch pairs. Never be on the wrong skis! -The app picked them. Of course it's right. So, if it's not working out...Well the app will tell you gently that it's not the skis.

It should also remind you to see a bootfitter.
 

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