J Skis The Metal
Dimensions: 135-106-124
Radius: 17m@173cm
Size tested: 186
First off, a little background: I am a student at Michigan Tech, so most of my skiing is done up here in the UP, which means Mont Ripley, Mount Bohemia, the Porcupines, and the Bessemer area. I take an occasional trip out West, if I’m lucky. I was a ski instructor for about six years, from high school into early college. I am about 5'10" and just under 200 lb with an aggressively playful skiing style.
Enough about me; on to the ski!
I started riding the Metal at the end of last year and then opened up this season with it. This ski is turning into my all-mountain ski. At first its heavier weight turned me off (and I formed a weird stigma about it and didn’t ride it often), but you really only notice the weight on the chairlift, and the ski makes up for it when going down the run. Once I started riding it more, I realized there isn’t anywhere it can't go. The tip and tail rocker is great, letting you float more in powder and making short, quick turns easily. I have never had an issue with them not releasing.
Next, going from powder to the groomers through all the crud is where the Metal shines. This ski can bash through crap and feel stable the whole time, even at high speeds. I have taken it through some of the worst crud I can find (almost every day in the Midwest) and have never felt unstable. I was also surprised that it has little to no chatter, even with rocker.
Finally, once you make it to the groomers and lay this baby on edge, it will rip. You can put all your weight into a carve and these will hold it, whether you are making nice long railroad tracks or laying them over hard. For a 106cm ski, it goes edge to edge fairly quickly if your knees can handle it. It has enough shape to keep up on trail, and the more you push it, the more it gives back.
Just the other day I experienced all conditions in one run and the Metal didn’t skip a beat, starting with first tracks in sidecountry powder, then blasting through crud and catching air off bumps, and finally laying it over edge to edge before hitting the lift line. All in all, this is a great ski that can be playful or stable, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants just that.
Dimensions: 135-106-124
Radius: 17m@173cm
Size tested: 186
First off, a little background: I am a student at Michigan Tech, so most of my skiing is done up here in the UP, which means Mont Ripley, Mount Bohemia, the Porcupines, and the Bessemer area. I take an occasional trip out West, if I’m lucky. I was a ski instructor for about six years, from high school into early college. I am about 5'10" and just under 200 lb with an aggressively playful skiing style.
Enough about me; on to the ski!
I started riding the Metal at the end of last year and then opened up this season with it. This ski is turning into my all-mountain ski. At first its heavier weight turned me off (and I formed a weird stigma about it and didn’t ride it often), but you really only notice the weight on the chairlift, and the ski makes up for it when going down the run. Once I started riding it more, I realized there isn’t anywhere it can't go. The tip and tail rocker is great, letting you float more in powder and making short, quick turns easily. I have never had an issue with them not releasing.
Next, going from powder to the groomers through all the crud is where the Metal shines. This ski can bash through crap and feel stable the whole time, even at high speeds. I have taken it through some of the worst crud I can find (almost every day in the Midwest) and have never felt unstable. I was also surprised that it has little to no chatter, even with rocker.
Finally, once you make it to the groomers and lay this baby on edge, it will rip. You can put all your weight into a carve and these will hold it, whether you are making nice long railroad tracks or laying them over hard. For a 106cm ski, it goes edge to edge fairly quickly if your knees can handle it. It has enough shape to keep up on trail, and the more you push it, the more it gives back.
Just the other day I experienced all conditions in one run and the Metal didn’t skip a beat, starting with first tracks in sidecountry powder, then blasting through crud and catching air off bumps, and finally laying it over edge to edge before hitting the lift line. All in all, this is a great ski that can be playful or stable, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants just that.
- Who is it for? Anyone looking for an all-mountain ski that is playful anywhere and still keeps up on the groomers.
- Who is not for? Someone looking for either a light backcountry ski or a pure carver. This is a do-it-all ski that lets you go all over the hill without having to change skis.
- Insider tip: Mount with a pair of demo bindings. Moving your boot a little bit forward or backward can change the ride; I like just above center if I’m sticking to powder, and a bit back if I’m sticking to carving.
