I had/have a pair of the 176s. I haven't ridden a ton of other skis in my life, but i think they're pretty dece. definitely fun for what i think you will be doing with them. i found they werent so hot in pow, but you wont be riding that, so that's ok. im not sure if it's just now because they are worn out, but they seem to be pretty soft. though i remember thinking they were pretty stiff before, so im not too sure on that one. all in all, they are still a great ski as far as i am concerned, so as long as you dont feel the need to have the latest model, and the price is right, id go for it. i also dont know what size you are and what size ski you are planning on getting, but in general, those are my thoughts on them. hope this helps a little.