mogul skis

[fd8]

Hi I did a quick search and I've found a couple of threads similar to this but none with the range of skis I'm looking specifically.

So anyway, I'm looking for mogul skis but not MOGUL SKIS per se (ie idone, hart, etc) for next season. I'd like to do other stuff on them when I take them out for the day. So I'd like either skis with some groomer capability or non-mogul freestyle (ie park) capability. Also I'd like to not break the bank (kastles and dps's are less than ideal in this regard).

About me: 5'11 ~150 lbs. As far as overall skill level goes, according to epic/vail skier levels (1-9) I'm a level 7. I really want to learn to rip a zipper line like moseley (figuratively) hence this question.

At the moment I'm thinking of:

navigator 80
brahma ca
kanjo
qst 85
arv 86
candide 1.0
transfer 81

^ it's really just a random list of skinny-ish skis with supposedly soft flex and low swing weight, cuz I have no idea what I'm doing

My current quiver is: enforcer 100 177, iTitan 170, soul rider 87 177 (nearly center mounted tho if that matters). The enforcers and titans are too much for me at my skill level to ski a clean zipper line it seems. I fear they are in fact hampering me. I might just stick to using my soul riders as my mogul skis if yall think they are fine, though it seems that mogul skis are generally mounted further back from center and idk if the flex pattern is the best. Or maybe I should just plop down for some twisters or something?

Also idk how many of the listed skis are even demoable where I ski (Tahoe) on-mountain. The resort demo shops seem to only carry 90mm and fatter directional freeride skis.

 

[Philpug]

I think the order of your listing is a great place to start. Yes, you will be trouble demoing most of those skis but if you are in Tahoe and a Northstar skier, head to the dmeo center, IIRC, they will have the Blizzard and Kanjo there, then head up to do some runs on the Rapids. Honestly, most of those skis will be fine and if you want to get better at bumps, a good lesson will be a better investment than any ski. As far as mount point, most of the competitors that I know who ski skis like the F17, acutally mount them a bit forward, some up to 4cm forward, but these a top level skiers.

 

[Eric267]

I agree with Phil that either a lesson or a few days skiing with someone proficient in bumps will be the best way to up your bump game. Can't think of names off the top of my head but N* has a handful of instructors that are very good bump skiers. One guy is on the rapids almost every day.

A couple of my friends really like the Candide 1.0 as a bump/park/cruiser. It's twin rocker and pretty close to a mid mount.
https://www.evo.com/skis/faction-ca...MImMi01dq82gIVDxgMCh0h-wRwEAQYAiABEgIyMPD_BwE



This is what I use as my bump & super firm frontside ski. I personally like it because of the more traditional shape and box tail. It's got very little rocker in the tip so the 130/90/110 is spread out over the whole length of the ski making it feel skinnier/less tapered sidecut. I also like the fact that in its 186 length (which to me is kind of short) it's got low swing weight in the bumps but its traditional tip, shape, and camber make it feel like a longer more stable ski on high speed groomers. I don't bust them out more than a few days a season but when I do they take me back to a different ski style.
Had them out @ N* twice last week for some bump laps..
Not recommending this ski per se (it's a few years old) but just what I look for in a traditional ski to use for bumps.

Happy hunting

 

[GregK]

Add me as another person who would agree that some proper instruction would be the best move towards improving as long as you can find an instructor that is skilled in moguls. Find most instructors are teaching slow and stable approaches to moguls, not zipper line routes. Your best bet would be a freestyle/mogul camp which would have highly skilled pros that are specialized in that field.

As far as skis go, your list has soft, forgiving skis that don't have stiffer tails that could punish a learning mogul skier if they get in the backseat. Once you get proficient at moguls, all 3 of your skis would be skiable in bumps but for now, the Soul Rider would be the most forgiving for you and a good mogul/all mountain freestyle ski. The Twister is similar in flex to your Soul Rider but in a narrower width and without twin tips making the Soul Rider is more versatile as a freestyle ski.

You said you have the Soul Rider "nearly center mounted" and that will change the characteristic of the ski as well. Closer to center will make it pivot easier but further back will make it more stable. Mogul skiing pros usually go kinda in-between a traditional mount and a freestyle mount on their skis to get a stable yet quick reacting ski. I usually ski my twin tips in the 3-4cm back from center for all mountain use as I'm not skiing switch often and don't ski rails and just hit jumps in the park. Check where your mount is on the Soul Rider 87 is and if in between the "center mount" and "all mountain" lines, you should be good unless you are skiing switch or rails often.

So instruction and possibly a remount a bit back on the Soul Rider 87 and you should be mogul bashing in no time!

 

[fd8]

Hi thanks for all the advice. So I have actually gone to an instructor this season but so far we've been focused on making sure my stance and movements are solid on groomers. My soul riders are mounted 1.5cm back from center, so nearly but not quite center.

I think based on the feedback what I'll do is stick with my instructor and skis thru early next season and then reassess after getting some days in. I took my soul riders out to hit some slush bumps at squaw today and they felt ok. There was a lot of tail to pivot around on flat snow but in the bumps they felt alright as long as I was turning on top.