East Coast skis to demo

[rfarren]

I have 3 year old Nordica Hot Rods, and I like them, but they just aren't doing it for me anymore. I have a ski that is wide enough for most powder days and is super maneuverable in soft snow (mantras) and now I feel like I want to focus in on a ski that is better suited to the hard pack I often find at my local mountains. I like a high energy ski that is light and turny, but I also want to grip the hard stuff. Any suggestions to demo out for this upcoming year?

[Admin]

Here ya go, try these:
http://tinyurl.com/3yp73lt


(Sorry, I just couldn't help myself... )

[rfarren]

Here ya go, try these:
http://tinyurl.com/3yp73lt


(Sorry, I just couldn't help myself... )

[EMSC]

I have 3 year old Nordica Hot Rods, and I like them, but they just aren't doing it for me anymore. I have a ski that is wide enough for most powder days and is super maneuverable in soft snow (mantras) and now I feel like I want to focus in on a ski that is better suited to the hard pack I often find at my local mountains. I like a high energy ski that is light and turny, but I also want to grip the hard stuff. Any suggestions to demo out for this upcoming year?

Rfarren,

Wish I could help you with suggestions, but I know race level skis and currently don't know who does the best job of translating that knowledge down into their ski lines for recreational level. I would suggest finding the local demo days that usually occur in the early season and get a couple runs in on a bunch of different brands. I'm sure Hunter, Windham and others nearby to you will be having demo events in Nov or Dec.

[kingslug]

Light and turny..and good grip on hardpack/ice...don't go together too well. I just sold a pair of Volkl ac40 carbons that where killer on the hardstuff. They where just too short and stiff, and murder in the bumps. I would try out some Volkls as they make a high quality product that is always good in the hard stuff. I've owned many pairs through the years.

[rfarren]

Light and turny..and good grip on hardpack/ice...don't go together too well. I just sold a pair of Volkl ac40 carbons that where killer on the hardstuff. They where just too short and stiff, and murder in the bumps. I would try out some Volkls as they make a high quality product that is always good in the hard stuff. I've owned many pairs through the years.

The mantras are volkl and the best skis I've ever owned. I would be quite interested in trying some volkls for the eastern stuff.

[riverc0il]

Light and turny..and good grip on hardpack/ice...don't go together too well.

This.

I demoed the Mantras. I found that they carved and ripped the groomers better than skiing pow and trees. Very heavy, damp, and stiff ski. I am glad I demoed it when I was considering buying it; I would have been sorry had I purchased them.

I am having a hard time coming up with any recommendations. The skis that come immediately to mind for light and snappy are terrible on hard pack (or at best, they make getting to the next tree/pow/bump shot somewhat bearable). Maybe look at the Fischer Progressor 9 or 10? Volkl TigerShark? Something in the cheater race ski category? These are not generally light skis but have a ton of energy and rip the hard pack for sure. Not going to do much for you in the bumps and pow, though. These would be groomer only type skis.

[rfarren]

I demoed the Mantras. I found that they carved and ripped the groomers better than skiing pow and trees. Very heavy, damp, and stiff ski. I am glad I demoed it when I was considering buying it; I would have been sorry had I purchased them.

That's funny because I find them so light and turny. I love them in the bumps, trees and pow.

[Marc_C]

I demoed the Mantras. I found that they carved and ripped the groomers better than skiing pow and trees. Very heavy, damp, and stiff ski. I am glad I demoed it when I was considering buying it; I would have been sorry had I purchased them.

That's funny because I find them so light and turny. I love them in the bumps, trees and pow.

You find a Mantra light? With the solid wood core and two sheets of titanal?

[riverc0il]

You find a Mantra light? With the solid wood core and two sheets of titanal?

Those sheets of titanal really up the poundage. I don't know the weight of the Mantras off hand, but just on the subject of Volkls, the heaviest ski in my quiver is a Volkl Six Star at 175cm (69 waist I think?) which weighs almost the same as my fattest and longest ski, a Fischer Atua at 186cm and 96 under foot. Aside from groomer rippers, I would never buy a ski with layers of titanal. Lightest ski? Fischer Watea 94 with Dynafits. Now that is a nice light and fast turning ski!

[rfarren]

I demoed the Mantras. I found that they carved and ripped the groomers better than skiing pow and trees. Very heavy, damp, and stiff ski. I am glad I demoed it when I was considering buying it; I would have been sorry had I purchased them.

That's funny because I find them so light and turny. I love them in the bumps, trees and pow.

You find a Mantra light? With the solid wood core and two sheets of titanal?

It's how it feels while I ski. It's not a touring ski but still. I find it skis light and I can snap out turns as I please.

[Tony Crocker]

Some of you know I had Mantras for a while, from Alta's demos.

I found that they carved and ripped the groomers better than skiing pow and trees. Very heavy, damp, and stiff ski.

Same impression on groomers. I liked them for powder, but that was on the alpine terrain at Alta/Snowbird. Not so much in the trees in Canada, so no surprise the negative eastern perspective where nearly all the powder is in the trees. And way too much work for me in bumps or other confined spaces. Ben Solish, who outweighs me by ~40 pounds, borrowed my Mantras last year at Snowbird and was delighted to buy them from me.

[rfarren]

Some of you know I had Mantras for a while, from Alta's demos.

I found that they carved and ripped the groomers better than skiing pow and trees. Very heavy, damp, and stiff ski.

Same impression on groomers. I liked them for powder, but that was on the alpine terrain at Alta/Snowbird. Not so much in the trees in Canada, so no surprise the negative eastern perspective where nearly all the powder is in the trees. And way too much work for me in bumps or other confined spaces. Ben Solish, who outweighs me by ~40 pounds, borrowed my Mantras last year at Snowbird and was delighted to buy them from me.

Did they have demo bindings? I think part of the reason I find them as maneuverable as I do is that I have jesters on them, and they are pretty light. Again, I find them pretty turny as easy in the powder and the trees. I even found them better in the bumps than my skinnier, although heavier, hot-rods. BTW the hot-rods are what I want to replace.

[Tony Crocker]

Yes, the demo bindings add weight. I'm not sure that's responsible for my discomfort in the trees on the first Chatter Creek day in 2009 though. With Pontoons available for rent, I had an easy call for the next 3 days.

[rfarren]

At paragon's ski shop, based on my criteria, I was told I should try the Dynastar Sultan 80. Does anyone have any experience with this ski, or for that matter dynastar. I haven't owned a pair of dynastars since before shaped skis were invented.