Looking for recommendations on a New England Daily Driver, Hard Snow edition

[ScottB]

I have a decent quiver of skis now. I am 6'4", 240 lbs, expert skier. Ski Race coach for a local youth program in Mass. I still haven't found my daily driver for firm, variable conditions that I can ski on groomers, ski moguls, and ski in the glades. I have found my daily driver for soft variable conditions: Liberty Origin 96, 187 cm.

Quiver:
-Rosi Slant nose 9STi slalom ski, 70mm, 175 cm, love the ski for small hills. Too reactive for high speeds on big mtns', too stiff for moguls
-Blizzard Magnesium FIS GS ski, 68mm, 193 cm, great ski for going fast, doesn't turn when going slow, I don't ski it off piste
-Kastle MX 78, 78mm, 184 cm, very close to my firm daily driver, not too stiff, just right, not good at short radius turns, bad in slush
-Salomon X-Drive 8.8 FS, 88mm, 184 cm, very burly ski, not good at short radius turns, doesn't pivot at all, I like it but not daily driver, really good ice grip
-Blizzard Brahama, 88mm, 187 cm, I thought this would be the one, on ice the tails release on me, great at slarves on ice, but not carves, really like it everywhere else. I put a race tune on it from SkiMD, its the ski
-Liberty Origin 96, 96mm, 187 cm, love this ski with race tune, tips don't carve but rest of ski does, pivots on a dime, my tree ski, great in deep snow too
-Ski Logik Charriot, 101mm, 178 cm, a little short for me but skied it a lot, close to retirement on this ski, great in slush, skis like a fat slalom ski
-Blizzard Zero G 108, 108mm, 185 cm, touring ski that can be used in the resort, like it a lot for touring and in soft resort snow
-Ski Logik Depth Hoar, 142mm, 191 cm, powder ski, it rocks when there is fresh snow and it floats me right on top, love it

I will ideally replace the MX78 and Brahama with a daily driver. What I want it to do:

- carve really well on groomers, close to a race ski, and make short radius turns as well as GS turns
- have great grip on ice, very important for someone my size in NE.
- not be as stiff as my race skis so it won't beat me up in moguls
- have a little rocker so it can pivot or turn quick in the trees (this is secondary to carve great on groomers)
- handle soft snow and dense snow (mashed potatoes) without getting grabby, or at least not too grabby

I am looking for a powerful ski that carves great, even on ice, but doesn't get too bad in variable conditions (trees and moguls). It should be quick turning and be more slalom ski than GS ski. It needs to cruise at a relaxed pace as well. I am asking for a lot, I know.

My thinking for candidates:
Fischer RC4 The Curv, 178 cm
K2 Ikonic 84 TI, 184cm
Kastle MX 84, 184cm
Blizzard Firebird, 178cm
Dynastar Speed Zone 12 Ti, 182cm
Elan Amphibio Black, 178
Rossignol Hero Elite Plus Ti, 181cm
Salomon S/Max Blast, 180cm
Atomic Redster X9, 181cm

If there is a ski on or off the list that meets the criteria let me know.

 

[DB Cooper]

The enforcer 88 probably fits the bill. Serious frontside chops with the ability to get off trail and get you around those tight New England trees.

 

[Coach13]

Fischer’s Pro Mountain 86

 

[Erik Timmerman]

I will ideally replace the MX78 and Brahama with a daily driver. What I want it to do:

- carve really well on groomers, close to a race ski, and make short radius turns as well as GS turns
- have great grip on ice, very important for someone my size in NE.
- not be as stiff as my race skis so it won't beat me up in moguls
- have a little rocker so it can pivot or turn quick in the trees (this is secondary to carve great on groomers)
- handle soft snow and dense snow (mashed potatoes) without getting grabby, or at least not too grabby

I am looking for a powerful ski that carves great, even on ice, but doesn't get too bad in variable conditions (trees and moguls). It should be quick turning and be more slalom ski than GS ski. It needs to cruise at a relaxed pace as well. I am asking for a lot, I know.

My thinking for candidates:
Fischer RC4 The Curv, 178 cm
K2 Ikonic 84 TI, 184cm
Kastle MX 84, 184cm
Blizzard Firebird, 178cm
Dynastar Speed Zone 12 Ti, 182cm
Elan Amphibio Black, 178
Rossignol Hero Elite Plus Ti, 181cm
Salomon S/Max Blast, 180cm
Atomic Redster X9, 181cm

If there is a ski on or off the list that meets the criteria let me know.

Replace Curv with Curv DTX since you said "isn't as stiff as my race ski.

The "trees" requirement (weird requirement for a Hard Snow, almost race ski IMHO) I'd say rules out everything except the MX84 and maybe the Ikonic.

 

[CalG]

The Volkl RTM 84 is worth a look. Great edge.. Stable at speed.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My SO is about to sell his RTM 84s. They are in great shape and 177cm. Send me a pm if interested.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Fischer’s Pro Mountain 86

The new RC One fits the OP's needs perfectly IMO (even the trees part), but is way different from what is on most of his list.

 

[NZRob]

Surprised you haven't got the Head SuperShape iTitan in there. Only thing really missing is rocker, but it's a great daily driver for hardpack conditions, has good turn radius adjustability, and has plenty of off-piste versatility. Personally I rate it above the SpeedZone 12 and X9.

 

[Philpug]

My thinking for candidates:
Fischer RC4 The Curv, 178 cm
K2 Ikonic 84 TI, 184cm
Kastle MX 84, 184cm
Blizzard Firebird, 178cm
Dynastar Speed Zone 12 Ti, 182cm
Elan Amphibio Black, 178
Rossignol Hero Elite Plus Ti, 181cm
Salomon S/Max Blast, 180cm
Atomic Redster X9, 181cm

If there is a ski on or off the list that meets the criteria let me know.

My thinking for candidates:
Fischer RC4 The Curv, 178 cm--Great option
K2 Ikonic 84 TI, 184cm Speed Charger or SuperCharger
Kastle MX 84, 184cm--Perenial favorite.
Dynastar Speed Zone 12 Ti, 182cm--Smoooth as buttah.
Elan Amphibio Black, 178--completely underated.
Rossignol Hero Elite Plus Ti, 181cm--Wide Carver
Salomon S/Max Blast, 180cm--One of my favorites
Atomic Redster X9, 181cm--Race feel for sure.

My thoughts above...not a bad choice among them.

 

[James]

I don't see the Ikonic 84 for much else than Mach schnelling on groomed. I'd love to see a wider Redster X9 type.
The Mx84 from the list seems tops.
Avoid square tip skis.

 

[Coach13]

The new RC One fits the OP's needs perfectly IMO (even the trees part), but is way different from what is on most of his list.

Is the RC One the 2020 replacement for the PM 86?

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Is the RC One the 2020 replacement for the PM 86?

Yes.

 

[Josh Matta]

is your brahma the first shape or gen 2?

 

[Philpug]

I I'd love to see a wider Redster X9 type.

X9 Wide, gray with green writing.

 

[James]

X9 Wide, gray with green writing.

View attachment 65478

Ooh nice, I should ask more often! What are the specs on that model?
(Personally I like the green. I have matching pants. But I get the demographic is horrified.)

 

[Josh Matta]

New fischer RC one or new Blizzard Brahma. The Fischer is more carvy the brahma more freeridey.

The new Kastle MX84 is too soft for big people, and even moderately big people who ski fast.

as for the rest, man I think they all kind of be meh in woods. I ski my Blizzard WRC masters GS ski in hard woods from time to time but even in really hard snow Id prefer my Monsters 83 or Brahmas, nad dont feel as bad when I ding them up....

 

[ScottB]

The "trees" requirement (weird requirement for a Hard Snow, almost race ski IMHO) I'd say rules out everything except the MX84 and maybe the Ikonic.

To explain a little, I don't expect a front side carver to be even good in trees, I just want to feel like I don't have to avoid going in trees. On a typical ski day at Sunday River (or any NE mtn) I ski 75% groomers, 25% glades. Some groomers and almost all glades will have moguls. Want a good carving ski that can handle that mix. On soft snow days, the mix flips (75% glades) and get on my Origin 96's.

Surprised you haven't got the Head SuperShape iTitan in there. Only thing really missing is rocker, but it's a great daily driver for hardpack conditions, has good turn radius adjustability, and has plenty of off-piste versatility.

I will consider it, I skied an older version, probably 5 years ago. I found the 178cm length too short for me, I overwhelmed the ski pretty badly. It might be beefer now, in which case I agree it sounds good. I find most 178cm skis too short unless they are really burly. ie. my super stiff 175cm rosi slalom ski does not feel too short. A 165 FIS slalom race ski feels too short to me, but they can handle my size fine. It just feels like something is missing. I tend to try to target 180-190 cm skis. My 184's feel very good to me.

is your brahma the first shape or gen 2?

Gen 2 ski. It is a 2017-2018 model. The new all black/grey one with the red bull on it. It tic's all the boxes except grip on ice. On anything but ice, I find the carving pretty good, not as quick as a front side carver on groomers, but a good trade off for the excellent versatility.

I don't see the Ikonic 84 for much else than Mach schnelling on groomed. I'd love to see a wider Redster X9 type.
The Mx84 from the list seems tops.

I read the Ikonic 84Ti is a fairly versatile carving ski. The description from K2 sounds good to me, and Blister reviewed it well. James have you skied one. I am planning to rent one and check it out for myself.


I will add all the suggestions to my list, they all should be very good to excellent carvers.

Which one(s) are the most versatile?? For those who have skied them, could you rank them by versatility?

I have skied the Fischer Curv for 1 run, and it was fine for my size, I actually thought it was not as quick turning as I expected, but then I checked and found it had a 18m radius and that explained it. I had to bend it a lot to get a small radius turn out of it. I couldn't tell about versatility from the 1 run. Blister reviewed it very well.

My buddy has a new pair of K2 Super Chargers that I will try. First impressions are it is NOT a versatile ski, more of a race ski.

 

[Chef23]

I skied the Fischer Curv Gt in a 182 out in Utah but it was firm for Utah. I am 6' 200 lbs and loved the ski but at that length it was definitely a bit of better GS type turner and hung up a bit in the bumps. I didn't mind the stiffness I think to some extent skis that are great on ice aren't as good as in the bumps but I did find the tails a little hooky in the bumps. I did like them on the groomed and think they would be a great hard snow ski in NE. The 176 might be good in the bumps.

 

[Josh Matta]

hmmn I actually though mine were pretty dang good last weekend and it was the worst weekend of the year.

THe Fischer RC one is better on hard snow though, and skis bumps and woods pretty well.

 

[trailtrimmer]

Toss in my vote for a Head Rally/Titan or a Scott Black Majic. A new old stock Latigo would be killer as well.

All of the above can dig in on hard snow as well as smear when needed. All have a 15/16M radius in your size. I love them all for Midwest conditions.