New toy on the way

[OldJeep]

Spent the last month or so trying to find a carving monoski without a whole lot of success. The US mfg are either super part time and only sort of respond to inquiries, or in the case of Coda - very responsive but with a lead time that was too long for me this late in the season. This is my fault for not starting this process in the summer, but I don't really think about skiing during waterski season.

Finally ran across the wrong Duret on ebay and messaged the guy selling who turns out to be the Canadian distributor. He had a Mid Carv Demo that he didn't want to sell, but then a couple weeks later he did. So the new toy is on its way from kanuckistan and should be here tomorrow. Comes with some Rossi Axial 120 bindings, which will be my last resort if I can't figure out how to get a set of NOS ESS Var bindings mounted to the Duret riser plates. (Why a monoski mfg is using non track bindings on a carving board is beyond me - can you say enormous flat spot?)

Can't wait to get it. I've had a few monoskis in the past - a couple Rossi pintails in the late 80's/early 90's, a white knuckle pintail back when white knuckle was under original ownership, and a Snowshark TT Hammer - which was the first one I'd owned that you could carve a turn on in MN ice. Hoping that the MidCarv works well on our local ice pack, will be a nice respite from the race skis.

 

[nemesis256]

These things always make me turn my head when I see them. Just how different are they to ski?

 

[OldJeep]

These things always make me turn my head when I see them. Just how different are they to ski?

It is very different, especially on hardpack. You are basically pushing your inside boot, pulling your outside boot, making exaggerated movements and sitting in chair pose the whole time. For those who ski in what we call "Montana style" - knees locked together, pushing your butt around to turn it wouldn't be much of a change

It is an adjustment when you swap back and forth between your skis and the mono. Big plus is that you don't have to worry about crossing your tips.

 

[OldJeep]

And it is here. Can't wait to get out and take it for a spin. Until then it'll be sitting in my office, taunting me.

 

[nemesis256]

love how you got matching boots!

 

[OldJeep]

love how you got matching boots!

LOL - yeah, that must have been the plan when I got the boots last year Actually wanted to use these bindings, but the Duret plates would need modification and I don't feel like messing with it right now.

 

[crgildart]

How do you set the binding dins on one of those?? The physics of two legs bolted side by side to a much fatter plank are quite a bit different than the physics of one foot bolted to a single, narrower ski..

 

[OldJeep]

How do you set the binding dins on one of those?? The physics of two legs bolted side by side to a much fatter plank are quite a bit different than the physics of one foot bolted to a single, narrower ski..

You guess I start them at 8, my normal skis are at 10. Typically if you lose one the second pops right after. Never had an issue not releasing, but have had issues in bumps with pre release on non track bindings. If they don't hold then I'll work my way up a half din at a time.

 

[crgildart]

You guess I start them at 8, my normal skis are at 10. Typically if you lose one the second pops right after. Never had an issue not releasing, but have had issues in bumps with pre release on non track bindings. If they don't hold then I'll work my way up a half din at a time.

Wow, I would have guessed (wrong) that you'd want half the din since you want BOTH to release simultaneously. Having one leg still attached to that behemoth in a tumble sounds like HUGE trouble to me. Anyway, you're not new at this so have fun and post some photos and POV video when you get it going..

 

[pchewn]

Do you modify the brakes to get 1/2 of a brake on each binding?

 

[OldJeep]

Do you modify the brakes to get 1/2 of a brake on each binding?

Yes, you cut off the inside arm. I also run a leash because the brakes are not always enough to stop that much weight on hard pack.

 

[OldJeep]

Spent about 3 hours on it yesterday until the muscles I don't normally use couldn't take it anymore and I had to switch to skis. This is by far the best Mono I've ever had for our MN conditions. Hooks up and carves easily. The extra width is nice - legs and boots are not rubbing together. The mounting system seems to take out all the binding twist that I'm used to with previous skis. All in all very happy with it.

 

[BaconMeCrazy]

You looked good out there and it looked like a fun time. Get a lot of questions?

 

[OldJeep]

You looked good out there and it looked like a fun time. Get a lot of questions?

It was a lot of fun, and it only took a couple runs to get back into the swing of things. I'll definitely be keeping this one.

As for questions, just the standard ones
1) What is that?
2) Is it hard?
3) Never seen one of those, is it a new thing?

Don't ride a monoski in MN if you don't want to talk to people