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One Ski Quiver for Colorado...tested a few already, Thoughts

Ken_R

Living the Dream
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Hi, I go to Colorado every year to visit family and friends and have been for 20 years plus. On good years I get about 20+ full days of skiing a year. Sometimes less. I am 6'-2" and 180 lbs. and an avid cyclist. I ski all over the mountain but mostly love the steeper terrain of the advanced and expert areas. That means dealing with moguls, chowder, crud, windblown and wind affected snow etc. I like to have fun on the mountain and explore the terrain so I do get into the trees quite a bit but also the above treeline terrain (off the ridge at Loveland). I like skis that are fun and easy to turn and responsive with some pop / feedback when turning but also appreciate stability when on edge and going through variable snow. I Use a wide range of techniques any give day depending on the situation so smearing and quick direction changes combined with carving. I prefer to ski upright and balanced but also drive the shovels at times. I ski all day so like skis that are fun and disappear under me. Do no like chattery tips at all (a la Soul 7).

Not interested in a quiver so need a ski that handles everything (I know everyone does) in Colorado.

All that said I have tested quite a few skis over the past few years. Some were in great shape others quite beat up.

Here is a list:

2012 Rossignol S3 in 184. (98 Width) Fun Ski, Medium Easy to turn. Really good in the powder. Overall and do everything good ski but not great pop. Sometimes it felt agile sometimes it did not. Good, solid resort ski I guess.

2012 Volkl Kendo in 177 and 184. (88 Width) It was an ok ski. Fun in wide open groomers but in variable snow a bit heavy feeling. Not fun in the trees at all or the moguls. Stable but felt a bit heavy and cumbersome. No agility.

2014 K2 Annex 98 184cm: (98 Width) Did not like this ski. Felt a bit dull. Not that easy to turn. Stable but not versatile. Not fun. Felt heavy. Not agile. Tail too sticky for me.

2014 Rossignol Sin 7 in 180. (98 Width) Felt more like a ski for beginners. Not exciting, easy but did not like to be pushed. Did not hold a great edge but ok. Like a detuned version of the Soul.

2014 Rossignol Soul 7 in 180. (106 Width) Liked this ski at first but the firmer the snow and the higher the speeds the worse it got to the point of being unusable. Tips chattered like crazy. At slow speeds it was great even held a good edge in firm steep snow (better than the Sin 7 for sure). Fun ski, easy to use using a variety of turn shapes, but limited versatility. Easy to ski and my choice for lighter people and or those who like to ski slower/controlled. Questionable topsheet durability.

So I started looking for wider skis that could turn but had a more stable feel.

2015 Nordica Patron in 185. (113 Width) Wow. Loved the ski. It was EASY for me everywhere even in steep Moguls, windblown steeps. They read my mind. Sometimes I wished for longer length but most times, specially in the trees and moguls the length was perfect. Felt good at ALL speeds. Easy edge to edge for me and easy to smear/slarve. Wow. I though it was as easy as the Soul 7 but WORLDS better in stability and composure no matter the speed. Felt DIALED.

2016 Atomic Vantage 90 CTi in 184 (90 Width) Superb ski in the groomers. Easy to ski but the tail felt sticky or catchy on the steeper, mogguled up terrain and in the trees. Tips a bit chattery at high speeds at times on firm snow but controlled. Felt like the ski had light tips but heavy tail. Not great balance but could carve up a groomer superbly. Overall limited versatility for me.

2016 Icelantic Pioneer in 182. (96 Width) Ski felt boring and a bit dead/heavy. Had a limited type of turn and speed range where it felt somewhat fun. Did not impress me at all. Not good in the moguls or trees or the steeps. Not great versatility.

2014 Nordica Steadfast in 178. (90 Width) Reeally good ski. Felt good almost everywhere and at all speeds. Not great in the moguls or trees but good. Easy to ski but stable. Good at most speeds. Really liked it. Would be my pick no question if I mostly stuck to groomed terrain.

2016 Moment Deathwish in 184. (112 Width) This ski surprised me a LOT. it could do everything well. Kinda felt like the Patron but grippier/edgy. Can carve but also release easy as well (similar to the Patron) and therefore handle any terrain. Dabbled with it in pow and felt maneuverable and easy. Firm snow, no problem. Gave me a feeling of always having enough grip. It was Easy and fun ski. Tips might be a tad soft but that what probably makes it good in pow. Tough choice between this and the Patron. Patron felt more composed at times. Both were easy to ski for me and easy edge to edge/smear/slarve, skid whatever.

I was surprised that my two Favorite skis were both wider than 110mm. They really did not feel wide or cumbersome at all. On the contrary. They were VERY easy for me to ski but felt secure and agile even in dicey terrain. Felt I could trust them and forget about them. The Patron disappeared more under me than the Deathwish because I could always feel the edges of the Moment (not entirely a bad thing) but it was never an issue.

I am pretty much decided on the Patron but would be happy on the Deathwish as well.

Still open to suggestions of which other ski I should try so please feel free to recommend me some skis.

Thanks in advance!
 

SBrown

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185 Nordica Enforcer (100 width)
189 Volkl 100Eight
186 Line Supernatural 100 or maybe 108
 

UGASkiDawg

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I think you've answered your own question...you could try hundreds more skis but you've found one that meets your requirements so why keep looking?
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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I just got the La Nina - women's analog of the Patron - and adore it . Similar experience to yours. Stop overthinking. Take yes for an answer. Buy the ski you know you like!
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
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I do not think the PAtron is one ski quiver anywhere. I guess you felt what you felt but there are many days at resort that averages 300 inches of snow a year that a patron would not be a ski I would want to be on. But then again I am quiver guys and huge quiver guy at that.

If liked the Patron you should owe to yourself to at least try the Helldorado which is a patron with 2 sheets of metal. It will address some but not all of the concerns you have about high speed stability. IMO the Patron/helldorado is a ski that demand you ski centered and a round turn even on powder. The helldorado should feel more damp at speed.

If you want a list of skis that ski like a Patron I can give it to you but it would probably just makes things more complicated. The Helldorado is a patron with 2 sheets of metal.

http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/nordica-helldorado
 

Tom K.

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What Josh said above. Patron just isn't a good OSQ candidate, unless it's snowing every day.

Maybe just slide down the ladder one small notch, and grab a pair of leftover El Capos?

My home area averages 600 inches of (so-so) snow per season. If I had to pick one ski, it would be around a 90 mm waist (and it would probably be a Vantage 90 or Enforcer 93, neither of which I've skied yet, so TIFWIW).
 
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Ken_R

Ken_R

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What Josh said above. Patron just isn't a good OSQ candidate, unless it's snowing every day.

Maybe just slide down the ladder one small notch, and grab a pair of leftover El Capos?

My home area averages 600 inches of (so-so) snow per season. If I had to pick one ski, it would be around a 90 mm waist (and it would probably be a Vantage 90 or Enforcer 93, neither of which I've skied yet, so TIFWIW).

The thing is all of those skis I have used I used mostly on skied off resort conditions where in some cases it had not snowed at all for a week or even more. Some I used in fresh snow though but not exclusively. A Resort OSQ ski needs to handle everything IMHO but specially crud, chow, moguls, skied off groomers, windblown and windbuff steeps (specially true for Loveland and A-Basin two of my fav areas). For me at least the narrower skis did not handle bunched up snow (quite common at resorts out west) as good as the wider skis with tip and tail rocker. They generally tended to get into the snow instead of over it. I guess it is all a matter of preference. I want my Ski to be an All Terrain Vehicle not a Ferrari or Porsche.
 

David Chaus

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Stockli Stormrider SR107, perhaps? Haven't tried it myself but Scott (Dawgcatching) has lots of nice things to say about it, especially its versatility.
 

Monique

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Some folks just won't believe that some other folks prefer the drawbacks of a fat ski on hardpack to the drawbacks of a narrow ski on softer snow.

But full disclosure, I plan to take out the Santa Anas (100) tomorrow, not the La Ninas (113). But I think either would be just fine. I will probably resort to working on bumps, and I suck at them on any width, but maybe the slightly narrower ski will give me an edge. Er. Pun not intended?
 
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Ken_R

Ken_R

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Some folks just won't believe that some other folks prefer the drawbacks of a fat ski on hardpack to the drawbacks of a narrow ski on softer snow.

But full disclosure, I plan to take out the Santa Anas (100) tomorrow, not the La Ninas (113). But I think either would be just fine. I will probably resort to working on bumps, and I suck at them on any width, but maybe the slightly narrower ski will give me an edge. Er. Pun not intended?

Exactly, but Im tempted to at least try the Enforcer 100. From all the reviews and comments it looks like a ski I would love and still be very versatile.
 

Monique

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Exactly, but Im tempted to at least try the Enforcer 100. From all the reviews and comments it looks like a ski I would love and still be very versatile.
Yeah, definitely worth a look. But I still agree with @UGASkiDawg - you already found a ski that you love. There is no perfect ski. Chasing perfection will just drive you nuts.
 

Ron

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185 Nordica Enforcer (100 width)
189 Volkl 100Eight
186 Line Supernatural 100 or maybe 108

is this seriously for a one trick pony? (I'd buy a second used. One ski is not enough)

if its really for one ski, I'd be just fine with a 85-95 ski and demo/rent if needed for a uber deep day. most skiers would want wider so...

What dude said plus..
i'd even add the Head 98 or Volkl 90 eight

Head monster 88
Stockli 88
Kastle 85/95
Stockli 95
I havent skied it but Cham 97 (new)
Fischer 95 (new ones according to Dawg are very nice)
Since you're a larger dude, Possibly Bonafide
 
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SBrown

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Renting on a deep day is a shitshow. Sounds good in theory, but who wants to risk it?

For where he skis, I think wider is fine. Loveland gets so much wind-affected snow, it's nice (IMO) to have more of a platform. Both LL and AB are high altitude, so most of the year, snow quality is relatively decent -- ie, the extremes aren't too extreme. That said, I personally would go a little narrower than the Patron, for a true OSQ.
 

Monique

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Ron

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tue, but you see it coming in, you pick it up the afternoon before if you live close to a shop. I dont think you should just have one ski. I would say keep the Patron for the deep days. I didn't read (that translates to pay attention) to where he skied. So although I would still ski a 85 most would probably want wider.

So I guess that pretty much makes my post irrelevant :huh:
 

Ron

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^^ that's true but when my family is up here, we just pick up a pow stick the afternoon before. @Harry Martin 's shop, steamboat ski is really good about having ski's ready to roll!
 

Muleski

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As a frequent visitor to CO, I think renting the wide powder boards "all depends" on location, etc. And a bit on local knowledge and logistics. I luckily have family to borrow from one of two big inventories. But I know a lot of folks who do exactly what Ron suggests.

My CO DD for 80% of the time over the past three seasons has been a Bonafide. Full disclosure, with multiple pairs of skis located in two parts of the country for both me, and my wife, price factors in. We've had a Blizz connection. I'm 5'10", either side of 200 lbs., can ski, and the 187cm Bonafide works.

We now have a Nordica connection in the family, so we have some experience with the Enforcer. Both of my adult kids, who are former high level racers, and better "skiers" than ever, just rip. Both live in CO. One skis 80 days a season, the other is on snow all year long. Our daughter has a pair of 185cm Enforcers, 180cm Bonafides, and 185cm Patrons.

She skis the Patrons in deeper snow, and softer snow. Loves the ski. Loves it in tight spots, and likes how it skis on the way back to a lift. Would not want to ski it daily.

Loves her Bonafides. She skis fast, tends to prefer big turn shapes, on a normal day will find herself in a bit of anything. She skis very dynamically, great movement, dead centered, can get a ton of edge angle. And, if needed, she'll pivot it, skid it, slarve it. I read a lot of "the Bonafide sucks at.....", and the collective three of us haven't had many of those days. Four years of Bonafide experience, including the new one.

The Enforcer is just a super fun ski, with a wide range of versatility, and IMO, a ski can work for a wide range of ability. I would say more playful than the Bonafide. Easy to ski edge to edge, shorter turn radius, quicker. More soft snow bias. My son skis a 193cm. They think it's great in up to a foot of new snow. Better soft snow ski than the Bonafide.

The prefer the Bonafide on older, firmer, groomed, cruddy snow....by a touch. They think the Bonafide is a better GS like fat ripper. Like the way the tip engages. Like the edge hold...by a very slim margin.

But they really love the smiles from the Enforcer. And both say that if they had to grab one ski, not knowing what they'd have for snow surface, or exactly what they'd end up skiing, they'd grab the Enforcer. They give it a slight edge in tight spots, and think the deep/soft snow edge might outweigh the slight drop in the hard snow. Our daughter's off for four days, and will be skiing everything from steep chutes to groomers. Enforcers are in the car.

Between the two of them, they have a lot of days on the skis, and know their stuff. I've skied the Enforcer only 3 days. Softer snow. Fun. If I hadn't skied and loved three generations of Bonafides (starting with the prototype), I would think the Enforcer was IT!

Obviously there are a TON of great skis being made. Kastle and Stockli's are awesome. If the budget fits, try them. In our case, a Blizz or Nordica at shall we say "a deep discount" or better makes it hard for us to pony up the cash for the others. And in the past, I've been between sizes for the Kastle.

I don't think the OP is wrong to be considering the Patron. My advice would be to try a 185cm Enforcer 100 before making a purchase, based on how he's describing his situation, though.

Trying to make it simple, without an endless search, have a hunch it could be a winner.
 
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