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Noodler

Sir Turn-a-lot
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I've been doing a lot of catching up lately after missing 3 seasons of skiing. Unfortunately, I just don't have time to catch up on everything, so I'm looking for some help from the forum collective on what were the key standout skis over the past 3 seasons. What I'm interested in are those skis that have become "reference skis" (as Phil terms them) or other skis that have received near universal praise from skiers. I know that sometimes newer does not necessarily equal better (case in point, the Stockli SR88 from last season), so what were the "gems" from the past few seasons? I typically like to purchase new past season skis to extract as much bang-for-the-buck as I can.

Please limit your suggestions to skis that approximately match this 3 ski quiver approach I'm now pursuing:
1. Hard-pack groomer/carver ski (~66mm-75mm waist, 165-170cm length, 12-14m sidecut)
2. Western all-mountain ski (~86mm-95mm waist, 175-180cm length, 16-18m sidecut)
3. Dedicated pow ski (~106mm-115mm waist, 185-190cm length, 20-22m sidecut)

Note these are my personal definitions and the intention of this request is not to get into a "discussion" about how I have categorized the skis and their associated characteristics. This is just what has worked for my quiver in the past.

TIA
 
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Noodler

Noodler

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I guess I should add what I currently have sitting in the #1 positions for each spot:
  1. Groomer/Zoomer: Stockli Laser CX 170cm (I'm trying to find something tighter <13m and 165cm)
  2. All-mountain: Stockli SR95 183cm (I'm not sure yet how well this will work for my needs as an all-mountain ski, seriously looking at the SR88)
  3. Deep snow: DPS Wailer 112RP 190cm (not seriously looking for a replacement as I don't get the freshies as often as I would like)
 

mdf

entering the Big Couloir
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For #2 I recommend the Nordica Navigator 85 - new last year, so may not be many leftovers.
I demoed the pair @Philpug had at A-Basin last year and liked them so much I took them out again the next day, and am planning to buy a pair. (For context, my other active skis are Atomic Automatic (now Backland) 109, Stockli AX, and an old Fischer slalom ski.) We took all the skis we demoed into the worst snow we could find (frozen coral reef through collapsing mashed potatoes), and the Navigators just didn't care.
 
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Noodler

Noodler

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For #2 I recommend the Nordica Navigator 85 - new last year, so may not be many leftovers.
I demoed the pair @Philpug had at A-Basin last year and liked them so much I took them out again the next day, and am planning to buy a pair. (For context, my other active skis are Atomic Automatic (now Backland) 109, Stockli AX, and an old Fischer slalom ski.) We took all the skis we demoed into the worst snow we could find (frozen coral reef through collapsing mashed potatoes), and the Navigators just didn't care.

How do the Navigator skis differ from the Enforcer line?
 
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Noodler

Noodler

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1. Stockli Laser AX
2. Nordica Enforcer
3. Moment Bibby

I spent some time "stroking" the AX today over at the Powder7 shop. It looks great except that it's really a touch wide for what I'm targeting. I'm looking more for a "scalpel" with a sub- 13m sidecut. They also had the Laser SC, but only in 170cm, no 163cm (which would get me closer to the target).

I have always enjoyed the Enforcer skis in nearly all of their iterations (although I've never owned one). The new 93 looks great, hand flexes well, and hopefully will have a quiet ride. It's definitely in the running.

I have a Moment PB&J (the version from the first or second season of its release). It just skied weird for me. On paper it looked like I would like it, but on snow I could never get happy. Maybe unfairly, that's given me a "moment of pause" for anything from Moment, but I know that's probably not fair to them.
 

jmeb

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Honestly, from the photo in your avatar alone, it doesn't shock me that the PB&J isn't your friend. You look like you've probably got excellent technique and tend to drive a ski from its tip through its tail in a turn. The PB&J (and most of moments skis) prefer a much more neutral stance and tend to wash out more than a more directional ski.

Personally, I don't love the PB&J either. It is basically a skinny Bibby and I think the Bibby shape and rocker profile is much more suited to a 116-118mm ski in soft snow than anything else.

Should you ever ski loveland and want to try a 184 version of the Bibby, hit me up. Mounted with STH16s at -1 for 310.
 

GregK

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1. Stockli Laser AX
2. Nordica Enforcer
3. Moment Bibby

This all day long!

Moment PB&J takes a bit to get used to and may need detuning to ski right. Think it has too much tail rocker for it’s width and requires a “new school/freestyle” stance more than the Bibby does. I prefer the Sir Francis Bacon or Blizzard Rustler 10 for a freestyle oriented 104mm ski. More effective edge than the PB&J has so they are both better on piste.

Bibby/Wildcat is on another level on how well it charges through crud yet is still fun and playful. Legendary ski!
 

François Pugh

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1) No change there is still a stockli lazer SL in a 150cm (11 m R) to 170 (14.5 m), and there is still the SX for groomer zooming too (AX seems more like a compromise all-mountain ski than a groomer zoomer to my eye).
1) Change Fischer has "The Curve" Radius varies a lot with length. No longer need to choose between WC SC and RC. Well you have to choose, but you can choose from 5 lengths from 164 to 185.
2) A lot of skis, nothing really stands out for me, but I haven't been on a lot of them.
3) Volk 100-eight left a very good impression.
 

jmeb

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Different tail.
And it is being marketed as more intermediate, but honestly I don't see that.

Yes different tail.

But also, critically, different construction. Navigator has a metal matrix in the layup, one sheet, sort of a big honeycomb pattern. Enforcer has two full sheets of titanal.
 

Drahtguy Kevin

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1) Atomic Redster S9 in 171 or 165 will get you on the TR you want. Fabulously smooth, stable, secure and fast. Probably my favorite groomer zoomer I’ve been on during testing.

2) Check out the Head Kore 93. Also, the 2019 Stockli SR 88 is a special ski. Stockli took a few years off with construction experiments but returned to their roots. Superb “narrower” all-mountain ski.

3) Stick with what you have. We don’t get many big dumps in Summit County.
 

Tony S

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I guess I should add what I currently have sitting in the #1 positions for each spot:
  1. Groomer/Zoomer: Stockli Laser CX 170cm (I'm trying to find something tighter <13m and 165cm)
  2. All-mountain: Stockli SR95 183cm (I'm not sure yet how well this will work for my needs as an all-mountain ski, seriously looking at the SR88)
  3. Deep snow: DPS Wailer 112RP 190cm (not seriously looking for a replacement as I don't get the freshies as often as I would like)

Actually, having skied with you - well, behind you - I think the DPS might be the first one to replace, in that you are such a sound technical skier and the Wailer is such a boppy, playful 5pt design with a lot of splay. Not that technical skiers never like to have lighthearted fun, but I see you on a ski that slices more gradually. Lots of us - not all - really like the Völkl 108, which is a totally different design.

I have skied the CX 170. You're right; it's not a slalom ski. Why don't you just get one?
 

Tony S

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Honestly I'm kinda surprised you're not on a Blossom Flere or something exotic like that for your groomer zoomer.
 

Tony S

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Kevin's comments also seem right on, though he is a bigger boy.
 

Lorenzzo

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The AX is worth figuring out how to get it in your quiver. The Kastle MX 84 may be the best versatile carver albeit not within your parameters.

So staying within those:

Groomer/Carver: Head iSpeed or a major brand FIS slalom ski.
All Mountain: Nordica Enforcer
Pow: Moment Wildcat/Bibby/Blister Pro
 

silverback

Talking a lot about less and less
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I haven't kept up with the last few years skis as well as I used to but I won't let that stop me.
1. 165cm FIS SL. Any brand.
2. There are so many. I don't ski this miss size too much but like my Monsters.
3. Keep the Wailers. I still like mine, especially if you are a tree skier. I'm trying a few different skis for my number 3 this year to see if the 112s are still my jam. If you keep them, you may want to consider a wider crud-buster/charger as your #2. SR95/monster 98/mx98/DPS 106/bonafide/mantra etc.
 

Ken_R

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Nice thread!

Head Monster 88. Best value All-mountain hard snow bias for out west. 2016 model and later. A reference ski.

Kastle BMX 105 and 115. Great resort powder skis that can charge and still hold an edge on groomers. They can be had at great prices now.

There are plenty of other skis that I liked but those above stood out.

Gotta mention Black Crows and Moment. Two of my favorite brands that still fly a bit under the radar but are making some awesome skis.
 

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