2011/2012 Gear

So just got back from demoing some of next years stuff,

195 JJs - 5mm wider all around with a thicker core profile meaning its slightly stiffer, less hooky than the 185, great for charging down but still really nimble in the trees and with the same playability of the 185. Favorite ski in the test, absolutely loved them.

163 TST's - Girlfriend tested these and liked them but just not as good as as the 175 JJs.

184 Rocker 2 - This is actually a cool ski, now I havn't tried the hellbents but I took out the obsethed and hated the front half of the ski (pretty much a hellbent). This in my mind is what the hellbents/pow jib ski should be. Still rips it around, obviously not as good as JJs in chop/crud but still handled it really well. But the tips/trails are so jibby. You can put a lot of flex into them but they spring you out really well. Lots of snap to it. Spins really well too, only thing I didnt like was kinda felt thuddy on landings but might just be my technique. I tried the 184 and it was super fun, would prefer the 192 at my height but it really surprised me. The honeycomb thing reminds me of surface style rocker in the tips, its slightly tapered too.

188 S7 - Same as years before and a lot of you probably have skied this already, really liked it but the tip is just far too floppy, im not that aggressive but it just dusn't cut through chop well enough. If your gonna buy these get the Super 7s come in a 188 and a 195 next year. More nimble than the JJs but just not quite as good imho. Still a super nice ski but definatley get the Super7s.

184 Mantra's - Probably a good ski for some but not for me, probably really good for maching on groomers and stuff but didnt seem to do anything out of the ordinary. Likes to go fast and hard but didn't feel as stable as the wider skis for charging hard.

179 Obsethed - Again same ski as last year, thought it sucked, tip is far, far to floppy not very nimble and just gets knocked around. Would probably be sweet in fresh but sucked at everything else. Personal opinion though.

Park Skis

181 Step-ups - These things are fucking sweet, sidewall construction, rep mentioned 186 length too but not 100% sure on that, race base is super fast, its really stable on jumps, carves super nice, spins well, seems fairly light weight for line too. But the tips and tails are still buttery, kinda feels like a snappier Anthem, as easy to butter but not all soft and washy. Favorite park ski just ahead of the T-Halls. Flex is hard to describe but I guess but its awesome. Thoroughly recommend.

Alpha 1s - Same as last year, Cool ski, but I definitley prefer a traditional centre mounted ski for park, was mounted at +3 though, but skis pretty well on groomers.

T-Halls - Loved these, just the right flex, stiffer than I expected them to be but they seem to just butter differently than normal skis, the hinge point seems further back, easy to hold it in a press but took a few goes to get used to.

Pipe Cleaners have AR50 construction but didn't test them.

177 Ace of Spades - Good ski, really stable, carves nice. Butters OK for a "stiffer" ski, felt pretty heavy though but then there were some mondo demo bindings on these with what seemed like a huge metal plate underneath.

Wall- Nice ski, carves well, stable but just not fun to mess around on really, but then it was mounted at +3 too, retarded on a symmetrical ski.

All though the AoS and the Walls are good skis, the Step-ups are just what these skis should be.

Not that anyone on here is probably interested but the new Elan Amphibios are dope as hell for a carving ski, two sets of edges one is rockered one is not. Tried the Waveflex 14 and its super nice feels soft to help initiate and a nice feel but plenty stiff enough, very torsionally strong. This is not a soft ski but still forgiving. The edges are really cool and the rocker side definitley helps in soft stuff, want a pair as my instructing skis.

Also tested the Fischer Progressor 10+, really nice ski, more precise than the Elans, I'm too light/not aggressive enough to really get the best out of them though, gotta give it a bit more. SC4 is supposed to be a better ski but didn't test it.

I know a lot of these skis arnt new but thought I'd share my input anyway and gives you an idea to compare I guess. Got to test these is 35cm of new so take that for what you will.

Major props to Big White and all the Reps for opportunity and the good times.

 
Oh nearly forgot,

Eira Clothing is super dope. Excellent quality, loaded with features and is not gonna cost the earth. Fit is a longer/slimmer fit but is not gonna be Saga sized, I know one jacket the length is 36" dont know whether thats just the sample size large and if its gonna be bigger or if thats gonna be the XXL or what.

Check them out when they release there stuff next year I think you'll be surprised. Was super impressed.

Any more info on stuff hit me up with a message if you want. Sorry its not very indepth but its hard to test a lot of gear in two days and still go have fun in all the fresh stuff.
 
I also want to know this, I've been looking at the Rocker 2 it looks sick, but you said you hated the Obsethed which I personally loved, I guess I'll have to look out for a demo abailable
 
I saw the catalog a few days ago. I wasn't very impressed with the styling, one jacket did catch my eye though and I may order considering how well priced it was. Nice to know it's built solidly.

And ditto on the Obsethed.
 
6'1 145lbs, 3 Winters out in BC/Alberta skiing everyday, Level 2 Instructor, Race Coach and Park Cert. I like to do everything I'm a pretty basic park skier but I would say a fairly good all-mountain skier but no Ian McIntosh either.

I ski fairly aggressive but I'm a light guy, I like to charge down and nip through the trees but have fun and play around on stuff too, hit cliffs up to 25ftish.

Have skied a most places around BC a bit in AB and a fair bit in Europe.

I prefer the fun shapes I guess and a medium-stiffer flex but I didn't get on well with the Mantra's too well as I think I'm not strong enough to ski them how they want to be skied, they got away from me a bit when I really let them go.

But S7s and Obsethed were too floppy even for me in the shovel so I guess Im somewhere in the middle.

I can give a bit more detail on stuff specifically but don't want to waffle too much as I feel I am doing. :)

 
Oh just to clear things up there is no metal in the 195 JJs, but it definitley wanted to go straighter, and is stiffer but not massively, but is still capable of moving around. I found the 185 turned a bit too quickly/hooky I guess and felt very jibby whereas the 195 was more for charging down but you can jib on it just fine.

I currently ski 186 Bibbys and like them but would probably prefer the 190.
 
To be fair to the Obsethed, it was the last run of 2 days and it was way more choppy, and the Rocker 2s I had out the first day in lots of new snow but had been skied a fair bit so was a better day to test.

The rocker2s I can best describe as fairly snappy in flex, I have never been able to butter and flex the tips as well on any ski but it pops you right back out. They feel stable underfoot and flex towards the ends, Im guessing theres no camber underfoot and hence while it feels quite thuddy on landings. They turn quite well in tight spaces but they dont pivot around so much like a 185 JJ or carve turns like an S7. Definitley check them out though, I was really surprised and expecting to hate them to be honest.
 
if they are the same as the S5's, i have.
they rip everything, the little bit of extra girth underfoot makes em really stable, they can ski the whole mountain well. they are good on jumps, good on rails, and not buttery, but butterable.
 
I KNOW RIGHT!!!! haha. If i end up getting another pair of skis next year (have s4's, pretty versatile for ec) it will most likely be those or s6's.
 
new causwell pics?

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if you were tall and skinny, you'd get it.

also if you don't run around the hill looking like a g... you'd get it.
 
also, dub post, but we just got all of our 2012 catalogs at the shop i work at. im gone for a week, but when i come back i can try to bring em home and scan everything in to this thread if you guys show some interest.
 
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