quick hit impressions of skis from pugski rose demo 4/21

[WadeHoliday]

Thx for bringing out the skis!

From AM low vis frozen groomers and chunky (coral reef) off piste to dream corn bumps in the afternoon, it was one of those mixed bag days...

Skier: 160lb, 50 year old, pretty good skier, ski moderate to slow pace, like off piste skiing mostly. I tend to review skis for what I like in a ski, and know pretty quickly if it's for me or not...

I'll review them in order, and you'll know my favorites quickly...

Augment, 77AM,175
WOW! just getting right to it, this ski was just plain sweet! So quiet, solid grounded, but easy to mix up shapes, skill blends and speeds. Worked slow in shorter shaped turns, transitioned well into short swing turns w/ more rebound, and opened up into fast carved turns seamlessly. Just made me feel more solid than usual on piste, and on hard snow. I also went back in the afternoon and skied it spring bumps, as I figured that may be a long shot for this ski, but it worked really well there too. Not as playful as DPS, but not overly demanding, just a bit "heavier" feeling in the soft bumps, but good. While I love the flex choices and exceptional construction, the choice of flex would be tough on my overly analytical side. Is 4 good, or maybe 5 or 5.5... ... yikes, I'd lose sleep, Someone should just give me a pair and say this is the right one... !

FIsher 86GT, 175
Nice shape, fun at slower speeds in blended turns, tough back to back w/ augment in AM snow, as the tune and ski were both looser then augment.

Liberty vmt 76, 172
Super playful feeling carver, nice rebound, but for the AM shift, tune wasn't quite a good as the others so tough to feel free to let it run.
Good potential though in width, shape, length and feel.

Renoun 80, 174, proto,
This was my 3rd favorite of the day. Fun solid feeling carving ski. lots of energy in more carved turns on groomers, would allow mixed shapes as well, not as playful in the bumps, stiffer and shaplier tail needed more attention to not get kicked out.

DPS cassier 79, 174.
Another surprize, wow, what a fun ski. For the AM, augment was the perfect ski for the combo of me/snow, for the afternoon, the DPS was the perfect ski, spring snow, wow, bumps, super wow, just super fun, easy but rewarding, exciting but relaxing. just plain all smiles.
In moderate groomers, both carved and blended, it was just happy to comply with my wishes. sometimes when I'm making a more shaped turn on a stiffer ski, it tries to "straighten itself and you feel the conflict between staying flexed into an arc and coming out, but this ski would stay beautifully flexed in all shapes at all speeds for me. I've been this year I don't need such stiff skis a lightweight who skis slowly a lot, and this ski really proved my point.
There is more going on here then just a perfect flex as well, I think this tip/tail design is something we need much more of. More easy/exit in skis that still provide that excitement of a deeply shaped narrower ski. It provides that excitement, but blends it well with seamless transitions. Whether I can own it or not will come down to getting it back on the hill for some AM hard snow and icy bumps (yes, I like to ski icy bumps, freaky) Also, of note, this is the first time I've skied a DPS that I Liked, call me crazy.

Thank you for the fun Phil and Tricia,
Great to meet many of you out there today,
Cheers!
W

 

[Philpug]

Your three favorite skis all hve a comma in their price. It shows that there is a difference when you are on a premium ski...and that they are indeed worth the premium price.

Your two favorites, the Augment AM77Ti Carbon and the DPS Alchemist Cassair 79 are two completely different skis in feel, shape and control yet the dimensions are very similar. These two could coexist in the same quiver happily.

 

[textrovert]

Great snapshot @WadeHoliday

i was on the DPS79 and AM77 back to back to back on morning firm conditions. This is what it felt like-

• run1 (DPS79): These death cookies are rattling everywhere!
• run2 (AM77): Great, snow has softened up already, carving and confident now.
• run3 (DPS79): Huh? how did everything re-freeze??

The Cassier was great with short radius quick turns even in the morning. I did not get to try them in softer conditions and in bumps.

Regarding the AM77, I really went in almost blind without a bias. Hadn't read any reviews and only what I heard mentioned from folks in person. What an amazing ski! I would love to get on them uninterrupted for a few hours as conditions changes through the day.

Looking forward to @Philpug 's AM88 review... Is there a AM88, SR88, MX89 cagematch in the works?

 

[Plai]

Just for the record @WadeHoliday and I traded skis in the afternoon so I could get on the DPS Cassier 79. His hopes were that the softer flex, shorter turn would make me a happier bump skier. Unfortunately, I'm not solid enough in the bumps that the differences between the DSP Cassier 79 and my Stockli Laser AX were over shadowed by my flawed mechanics.

What impressions I did have was that the DPS Cassiers were lighter, and slightly easier to work in the bumps. The lightness and rounder tail made releasing in the bumps a little easier. Unfortunately my over rotations (on right turns) and fatigue (5 or 6th bump run of the day) killed my enjoyment.

Definitely will look forward to revisiting more mogul friendly skis in the future....

 

[Philpug]

Just for the record @WadeHoliday and I traded skis in the afternoon so I could get on the DPS Cassier 79. His hopes were that the softer flex, shorter turn would make me a happier bump skier. Unfortunately, I'm not solid enough in the bumps that the differences between the DSP Cassier 79 and my Stockli Laser AX were over shadowed by my flawed mechanics.

What impressions I did have was that the DPS Cassiers were lighter, and slightly easier to work in the bumps. The lightness and rounder tail made releasing in the bumps a little easier. Unfortunately my over rotations (on right turns) and fatigue (5 or 6th bump run of the day) killed my enjoyment.

Definitely will look forward to revisiting more mogul friendly skis in the future....

We have the Cassiar in a 167 too, more like your AX....just sayin'.

 

[Plai]

We have the Cassiar in a 167 too, more like your AX....just sayin'.

I'll call first rights of refusal for when you want to get rid of that one ;-)

 

[WadeHoliday]

Just for the record @WadeHoliday and I traded skis in the afternoon so I could get on the DPS Cassier 79. His hopes were that the softer flex, shorter turn would make me a happier bump skier. Unfortunately, I'm not solid enough in the bumps that the differences between the DSP Cassier 79 and my Stockli Laser AX were over shadowed by my flawed mechanics.

What impressions I did have was that the DPS Cassiers were lighter, and slightly easier to work in the bumps. The lightness and rounder tail made releasing in the bumps a little easier. Unfortunately my over rotations (on right turns) and fatigue (5 or 6th bump run of the day) killed my enjoyment.

Definitely will look forward to revisiting more mogul friendly skis in the future....

I still think a softer, friendlier ski will make them easier and more fun, don't discount that on one run, especially as it was 7cm longer then your ski, as Phi said, a better comparison would have been the 167.

having a more compliant ski in bumps definitely helps, less punitive, more rewarding...

Cheers!
W

 

[WadeHoliday]

Great snapshot @WadeHoliday

i was on the DPS79 and AM77 back to back to back on morning firm conditions. This is what it felt like-

• run1 (DPS79): These death cookies are rattling everywhere!
• run2 (AM77): Great, snow has softened up already, carving and confident now.
• run3 (DPS79): Huh? how did everything re-freeze??

The Cassier was great with short radius quick turns even in the morning. I did not get to try them in softer conditions and in bumps.

Regarding the AM77, I really went in almost blind without a bias. Hadn't read any reviews and only what I heard mentioned from folks in person. What an amazing ski! I would love to get on them uninterrupted for a few hours as conditions changes through the day.

Looking forward to @Philpug 's AM88 review... Is there a AM88, SR88, MX89 cagematch in the works?

Yep, one of these is great for hard snow, one great for softer snow, that is what I mentioned in the right ski/ snow combination... I absolutely love DPS's ideas for making an "on" on the snow, slalomish ski more forgiving, but am I willing to give up that feel of solid metal dampness for those spring mornings.. ?
Hum.

Cheers!
W

 

[Philpug]

@WadeHoliday we will be at Squaw tomorrow if you want to get out on the Cassiar 79 again.

 

[WadeHoliday]

So,
I did get back on the DPS cassiar 79 "trainer", and I like training... .

didn't find much hard snow, which I wanted to try it on, but enough crispy to believe it will hold, even if it's not damp like skis that specialized in hard snow, and was told that it holds by some who have skied it on western "hard" snow...

And, as I said, I want to support this somewhat outside of the box effort, so I bought it. Ordered the 174 today.

As discussed with Phil, Andy and Tricia the other day, I think so many of us end up skiing on skis for the skier we want to be, not really for the skier we are, and I think we should be on skis we can get to work toward their limit, not skis that work to Lindsey Vonn's limit...

Anyway, I'm going with my softer, shaplier, friendlier, livelier theory for the rest of long spring and for 2020/21.

Most of you know my boring/methodical ski style, but so you have more data points to frame these ski thoughts, here's a short clip that I have handy. This is about as fast as I ever ski, and at 160lbs mixed w/ this general shape and speed, this should give you a better idea of why I'm going softer and less serious in my skis...


Cheers!
W

 

[tch]

^^^^ love having another Pugskier who models (albeit with much better technique) my own old-fart speed and style. Thank you for this, Wade.

 

[Tony S]

sometimes when I'm making a more shaped turn on a stiffer ski, it tries to "straighten itself and you feel the conflict between staying flexed into an arc and coming out, but this [DPS 79] ski would stay beautifully flexed in all shapes at all speeds for me

This is exactly how I felt on the 167 last year when we had the demo day at Alta. I've mentioned it here glowingly several times since. Felt like a voice crying in the wilderness until now. Great to hear it from someone else. I suspect the newly available length is going to open up the floodgates.

 

[Wendy]

So,
I did get back on the DPS cassiar 79 "trainer", and I like training... .

didn't find much hard snow, which I wanted to try it on, but enough crispy to believe it will hold, even if it's not damp like skis that specialized in hard snow, and was told that it holds by some who have skied it on western "hard" snow...

And, as I said, I want to support this somewhat outside of the box effort, so I bought it. Ordered the 174 today.

As discussed with Phil, Andy and Tricia the other day, I think so many of us end up skiing on skis for the skier we want to be, not really for the skier we are, and I think we should be on skis we can get to work toward their limit, not skis that work to Lindsey Vonn's limit...

Anyway, I'm going with my softer, shaplier, friendlier, livelier theory for the rest of long spring and for 2020/21.

Most of you know my boring/methodical ski style, but so you have more data points to frame these ski thoughts, here's a short clip that I have handy. This is about as fast as I ever ski, and at 160lbs mixed w/ this general shape and speed, this should give you a better idea of why I'm going softer and less serious in my skis...


Cheers!
W

I want this ski in a 167. Don’t need it. Just want. ;-)

 

[Philpug]

I want this ski in a 167. Don’t need it. Just want. ;-)

When is it ever about “need”?

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

When is it ever about “need”?

Pretty much never!

 

[AmyPJ]

So,
I did get back on the DPS cassiar 79 "trainer", and I like training... .

didn't find much hard snow, which I wanted to try it on, but enough crispy to believe it will hold, even if it's not damp like skis that specialized in hard snow, and was told that it holds by some who have skied it on western "hard" snow...

And, as I said, I want to support this somewhat outside of the box effort, so I bought it. Ordered the 174 today.

As discussed with Phil, Andy and Tricia the other day, I think so many of us end up skiing on skis for the skier we want to be, not really for the skier we are, and I think we should be on skis we can get to work toward their limit, not skis that work to Lindsey Vonn's limit...

Anyway, I'm going with my softer, shaplier, friendlier, livelier theory for the rest of long spring and for 2020/21.

Most of you know my boring/methodical ski style, but so you have more data points to frame these ski thoughts, here's a short clip that I have handy. This is about as fast as I ever ski, and at 160lbs mixed w/ this general shape and speed, this should give you a better idea of why I'm going softer and less serious in my skis...


Cheers!
W

That is some seriously awesome skiing! There seems to be a lost respect or art in fluidity like that. And yet, it is efficient and I think more people should see and emulate that than charging and bashing all the time.
Have you skied with @4ster? Similar efficiency and smoothness.

What ski were you on in this clip?

 

[WadeHoliday]

Thx AmyPJ,
I haven't skied w/ 4ster, Phil has mentioned that I should... I'm getting more social in my maturing ski life, for many years, I'd ski 90% of my 1.5-2 hr ski days solo, just get my little zen workout and feel the snow, weather and the air on my face. Now, I'm enjoying a little company more often...

I believe my love of no impact and smoothness keeps my skiing level stagnant, but I ski for sensations, and this Cassiar over my 2 days, gave me some of my favorite sensations more often... I believe the blend of flex and sidecut create a lot of reward at moderate speeds, and the ease of entry and exit allow a more free relaxed flow between turns.

I was on a nordica hellandback 98 in that vid. clip, similarly softer then some of the more serious skis, and no metal, but the tail could be a bit punitive at times...

Thx!
W

 

[AmyPJ]

Thx AmyPJ,
I haven't skied w/ 4ster, Phil has mentioned that I should... I'm getting more social in my maturing ski life, for many years, I'd ski 90% of my 1.5-2 hr ski days solo, just get my little zen workout and feel the snow, weather and the air on my face. Now, I'm enjoying a little company more often...

I believe my love of no impact and smoothness keeps my skiing level stagnant, but I ski for sensations, and this Cassiar over my 2 days, gave me some of my favorite sensations more often... I believe the blend of flex and sidecut create a lot of reward at moderate speeds, and the ease of entry and exit allow a more free relaxed flow between turns.

I was on a nordica hellandback 98 in that vid. clip, similarly softer then some of the more serious skis, and no metal, but the tail could be a bit punitive at times...

Thx!
W

It's more challenging to ski slower, and yet can be so rewarding. I've been so fortunate to ski with some excellent skiers the past 3 seasons, and the ease and fluidity, the "dance" with the mountain, is what I admire the most. I think it develops a skill set that can be carried on for many, many years.

 

[Tom K.]

I saw at least TWO short-ish turn's in the clip posted by @WadeHoliday, so I am claiming to still retain the title of laziest skier on the mountain!

To the point: That trainer ski sounds like an absolute blast! A slalom-ish ski that isn't super narrow and stiff? Sign me up.

 

[Philpug]

I saw at least TWO short-ish turn's in the clip posted by @WadeHoliday, so I am claiming to still retain the title of laziest skier on the mountain!

To the point: That trainer ski sounds like an absolute blast! A slalom-ish ski that isn't super narrow and stiff? Sign me up.

The Trainer subscribes to the Colin Chapman School of Performance philosophy..."Add lightness"