Need an All-Mt. Ski

[arjay2008]

I am an experienced skier and am looking for a new pair of skis. I need something pretty universal that can handle groomers, bumps, steeps, and powder. I'm 6' and weigh about 165. The skis I am looking at buying are 178cm 2007 Nordica Hot Rod Top Fuels and I want to know if these would be good for what I am looking for.

Thanks

[JimG.]

It's becoming almost impossible for me to give out advice on which skis to buy anymore. There are so many different skis out there and so few that do everything well that you really have to demo a ski before buying it.

That said, I know quite a few eastern skiers who have the Top Fuel and really like it because it's versatile that I think you might like it too. You might laugh, but I think you should consider stepping down to the next shorter length. This is where the demo is invaluable.

I ski Fischer RX8's, mostly (always lately) in the east and I love them. For all the same things you are looking for in a ski for the east coast.
I'm 6'2" and weigh about 190 lbs....my skis are 170cm.

Hope that helps. Some here might even agree with my ideas. But this forum is more focused on powder skiing and alot of folks here are going to tell you you need skis a minimum of 85mm underfoot and that's not the Top Fuel, which I believe is 76 or 78mm. DEMO!

[Tony Crocker]

My Apache Recons are 78cm underfoot and they are quite versatile even in the West. Of course I do have a dedicated powder ski (ancient Volant Chubbs). The Recons were recommended to me by Mitch Kaplan, who is a former president of Eastern Ski Writers Assn. I'm 5'11" and 180 and ski the Recons at 174cm. Mitch is a few inches shorter and skis 168cm. I think, but maybe 160cm.

My son's ski combination would probably be good for many expert east coasters. He has the Volkl Allstar Titanium (70cm. underfoot) 175cm for groomers and college racing and the Dynastar 8800 (88cm underfoot) 178cm for big mountain/off-piste skiing. He is 6'0" and 150. For destination skiing (Alaska last March, Chile next month) he usually only takes the Dynastars.

IIRC Riverc0il, the dean of eastern powder on this Forum, likes the Dynastar 8000. Adam was insistent on high speed stability in variable alpine terrain when he bought the 8800's. The 8000 is probably better for quick turning in eastern woods.

[JimG.]

I liked the Volkl Allstar Titanium 175's alot, but I've never put a Volkl on my feet that I didn't love in some regard. I didn't go for them because they were fairly stiff; good for groomers and quick slalom arcs, not so adaptable in bumps because of the stiffness. Adam is using them in the way they were designed for, ripping groomers.

I demoed the Dynastar 8000's also and I liked them alot too, but again they were not great in bumps. Better than the Volkl's, fairly lively and quick, but a bit ponderous. But they were awesome in any other type of conditions.

As for the 8800's, I just don't look at skis that are 88mm underfoot as east coast skis. To me, that's a western big mountain ski. Again, Adam is using it for what it was designed for.

[riverc0il]

arjay2008 lists his location as midwest so I think it is safe to rule out the 8800 as a do everything all mountain ski. I would not even select the 8800 as an all mountain do everything ski for the east coast due to its limited personality (great in certain terrain and conditions but not a one ski quiver for the east coast). The 8000 is definitely a good selection; however, I suspect a midwest skier is slightly more limited to terrain and powder than my Northern Vermont tendencies and the 8000 is an all terrain all mountain ripper that prefers natural snow whereas something like the Volkl AC4 (or whatever they have modified the name to this season) is much more at home on groomed (less at home on bumps as noted by JimG). My second pick for the all mountain was the Elan M666 which is rather under rated. Never been on Nordica but I hear good things. It all depends what type of compromises you want to make and what style and type of ski that you enjoy. So many different brands available in today's market and every brand as an all mountain mid-fat so called "do it all quiver of one" ski. Best thing to do is locate a demo day and try out ten different brands of skis to see what you like best.

[Tony Crocker]

Yes, the first rule is demo. What works for one may not work for another. I'm fairly sure when I was skiing with Mitch at the Remarkables that he was on the Recons at 160cm. and I think he probably belonged on the 168. We didn't actually ski that much together in NZ, but I had a whole day in varied conditions at Treble Cone on the Recons and the Recons felt great from my first turn.

I suspect (and Mitch is an easterner) that the Recons would be an adequate one-ski quiver for the East, though I personally think the wide range of eastern conditions call for having at least 2 pair. For the Midwest a single pair should probably learn more toward the carve/groomer ski than the all-mountain.

[Lifty@50]

I skied the 8000(own a pair) last year and was really impressed with its stability and edge-to-edge speed. I skied the 8800 too (demo) at Targhee and found it to be a great all mountain (powder to groomers) ski. We had lots of powder though and I demoed a pair of K2 Apache Chiefs (98 under foot) for most of the week. The 8800's busted though anything with good stability at faster speeds. I just picked up a pair of Dynastar Mythic Riders (178s) this year and hope this ski can be my "quiver of one". Lots of good mid-fats coming on the market now and I think that you'll see alot more in the liftlines this year.

[Uncle John]

I have skied the Nordica Top Fuel for a couple of years. Last year I also skied a slalom cut Dynastar race ski, both in the midwest and in Utah on groomed and in bumps and really prefered the Dynastar as an all around ski. The Nordica is slow edge to egde but is very solid under foot and a pretty decent ski at high speed arcing.

Looking at this years quiver of skis, it is obvious mfg. or going for the cruiser skis and I am looking for a quick edge to edge slalom cut myself; we don't get much fluff in the midwest. I will keep my Nordicas to teach and run a toboggan but the slalom cut is just more FUN!

[jasoncapecod]

Just bought a pair of 8000's 178's.. i have been skiing 168 6stars..

Bring on the cold..

[berkshireskier]

I'm 6'2" and 185 and live and ski in New England (mostly); I ski on the Volkl Supersport AllStar titanium - 175. Nice skis for most Eastern skiing on groomed and hard pack snow - very stable and holds an edge well. I wouldn't imagine that they would be great in bumps or powder - too stiff. Not necessarily a "one-quiver" ski, but good for 90% of the conditions in the East.