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Thoughts on RAMP? Specifically Woodpecker and Groundhog

pcjer

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I've realized I'm probably ending up with a couple pair of new skis more suited to my new west coast home than what I have now and will re-assess next year based on what I ski and enjoy most. That's what ski swaps are for right? Thanks to everyone helping me make the decisions, looking forward to a great season and my new expensive hobby. :/

Anyone have thoughts on RAMP skis? I've searched and found a few reviews online, some people who appear to hate them and call them a marketing scheme, and some who love the story and say for the price they're great and unique.

Since they demo them without charge in PC I was thinking of trying the Woodpecker at 90 underfoot and the Groundhog at 100.

Thanks for the info.
 

Philpug

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I skied the Groundhog last year and it was a nice ski especially compared to what some of the other smaller start ups are producing. I like that they are taking the business seriously in that they had a booth at SIA and they have invested in co-branding skis with major players like the NFL which is not easy..or inexpensive. We had an opportunity to visit their facilities in Park City but just could not fit it into our schedule at the time. Hopefully on the next trip through.
 
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pcjer

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I skied the Groundhog last year and it was a nice ski especially compared to what some of the other smaller start ups are producing. I like that they are taking the business seriously in that they had a booth at SIA and they have invested in co-branding skis with major players like the NFL which is not easy..or inexpensive. We had an opportunity to visit their facilities in Park City but just could not fit it into our schedule at the time. Hopefully on the next trip through.

Thanks Phil. I did read your review of those and sounded worth a try. The 90s are especially intriguing to me for those days I'll be 80% or 90% on piste. I'll give them a shot this weekend hopefully. Being from LA in the 70s and 80s I thought I could get myself some Raiders skis and would never have to worry about them being stolen from the ski rack. Just kidding, I'll stick with their regular graphics. Looks like they are pretty cool looking without being obnoxious. Although skiing those at DV may get me kicked out of town already.
 

Tricia

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I skied the Beaver. :D
 

cantunamunch

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I really like the Woodpeckers; I first had them out back to back to back with a Nordica Steadfast and a Faction Agent 90 on a cold early season Vt morning with no fresh available and pretty hard windbuff everywhere. Not ice, but that sort of super packed white stuff that's like frozen corduroy only without the grooves.

The Agent 90s were hating life. I mean really, really not enjoying themselves, and they let me know it. If you look at Bob Barnes' Infinity move video, the shovels would creak through the middle of the infinity symbol and the edges would feel vague through the sides. They were light though.

The Steadfasts were perfectly fine with the conditions. Edge contact was there, and clearly felt, even though the sensation was pretty dull at anything under 25mph. I could have my balance pretty much anywhere on that ski and it didn't complain or groan or feel like I was abusing it.

The Woodpeckers were also very happy to be out. Far livelier than the Steadfasts at slower speeds, much more feedback from the snow. Floatier and much more compliant that the Steadfast especially when I went into some snow whales. Very big balance spot. Except at the tips. The tips felt dead as a doornail. You know how on some skis (*cough*first generation Cham*cough*) you can get on your toes and almost have a completely new ski? Well you couldn't even try to do that with the Woodpeckers. And I don't mean that in a 'bad tune' way or in a 'rockered nose so there's no direct snow contact' way. I mean that in a 'it felt like they bolted 6" of 2x4 to the nose of the skis' way.

My conclusions for the day were that for hooning about at 25-30-40 mph the Steadfasts were the ticket. For anything less than that, the Woodpeckers were livelier, floatier, surfier. The tip feel issue - well that wasn't a big deal to me.
 
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pcjer

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Thanks everyone. I'm going to demo them tomorrow on extremely limited packed and groomed terrain since that's all that's open at Park City. I think that's what I'd mostly use them for anyway.
 

Drahtguy Kevin

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If you want to try a gimmicky Ramp ski, take out the Shebang. Ramp claims a 7-meter turn radius. I was on it at SIA last year in hero snow. It was fun for a run.
 

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