4FRNT Skis are Live!

[4FRNT]

Hey NS,

We've been hard at work since last season dialing in this year's all new 2020/21 lineup! A brand new model, a totally redesigned ski, a groundbreaking skin integration system and 11 fresh ass graphics, all for your enjoyment. Let us know what you think of the new gear and check it out all in depth at 4frnt.com or @4frnt_skis ?



**This thread was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 2:24:35pm

**This thread was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 3:16:02pm

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Making the Devastator lighter and having a more traditional camber/freeride rocker was a clutch move. Last year it seemed like a novelty resort jib ski and now it looks like a one ski quiver powerhouse. It makes your lineup much more well rounded and solid for sure. In a way it kind of takes the place of the old EHP now.

 

[FreeLikeOj]

has k2 paid you guys to use your topsheet yet?

 

[ASSholebomber22]

Making the Devastator lighter and having a more traditional camber/freeride rocker was a clutch move. Last year it seemed like a novelty resort jib ski and now it looks like a one ski quiver powerhouse. It makes your lineup much more well rounded and solid for sure. In a way it kind of takes the place of the old EHP now.

Man, I really disagree. The dev was one of a kind, now it looks like every other ski. Super nerfed. Bet it skis great tho.

Edit: that made me come off like a total downer. Stoked on 4frnts graphics this season, really exited to cop another pair of inthaynes in the near future.

**This post was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 6:10:11pm

 

[4FRNT]

has k2 paid you guys to use your topsheet yet?

Thayne's still waiting on those royalties ?

 

[4FRNT]

Man, I really disagree. The dev was one of a kind, now it looks like every other ski. Super nerfed. Bet it skis great tho.

Edit: that made me come off like a total downer. Stoked on 4frnts graphics this season, really exited to cop another pair of inthaynes in the near future.

**This post was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 6:10:11pm

Really? Thought this thing was looking pretty unique! Thanks for the support nonetheless ?

 

[SupremeChairlift]

Man, I really disagree. The dev was one of a kind, now it looks like every other ski. Super nerfed. Bet it skis great tho.

Edit: that made me come off like a total downer. Stoked on 4frnts graphics this season, really exited to cop another pair of inthaynes in the near future.

**This post was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 6:10:11pm

Yeah, I really hope it didn't loose too much of its identity with this change.

**This post was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 7:14:00pm

 

[animator]

Dev graphics are easily the best I’ve seen in a long time. Wasn’t super interested when it was fully rockered and 900 pounds but it looks like a sick ski, might have to cop as a new daily. Will she hold up to rails at all

[tag=21244]@4FRNT[/tag] ?

 

[ASSholebomber22]

Really? Thought this thing was looking pretty unique! Thanks for the support nonetheless ?

If you lined up the same length 2021 devastator with the j skis vacation, icelantic nomad 105, dynastar m-free 108, and k2 reckoner 112 all side by side with blank topsheets I think I'd have a very hard time telling them all apart. I'm sure there's a reason - the shapes works great - BUT

you could pick out a devastator from a mile away based on silhouette alone. Stiff, straight, 194cm flat cruz missles that flatten bumps and rage in the mank.

Wish my 2017's lasted longer, but I was not nice to them and they didn't owe me a thing. Been stoked on my inthaynes since, please don't mess with those too much.

 

[SavageBiff]

Making the Devastator lighter and having a more traditional camber/freeride rocker was a clutch move. Last year it seemed like a novelty resort jib ski and now it looks like a one ski quiver powerhouse. It makes your lineup much more well rounded and solid for sure. In a way it kind of takes the place of the old EHP now.

Mmm no no no the old devastattor was everything it shoulda been, I’m sick of :

1-companies changing the profiles of a named ski, especially one so dope with a following.

2-this whole lightweight bullshit touring trend being applied to gear resulting in weak garbage

I was having trouble deciding between the devastator, chipotle banana, nocta or a praxis powderboard, them lightening it up pushed 4frnt out for me which sucks cause that topsheet is so fucking dope, maybe they’ll make a heavier damper version with a satanic version of that goat topsheet, oh wait no that’s something moment would do...

 

[SuspiciousFish]

If you lined up the same length 2021 devastator with the j skis vacation, icelantic nomad 105, dynastar m-free 108, and k2 reckoner 112 all side by side with blank topsheets I think I'd have a very hard time telling them all apart. I'm sure there's a reason - the shapes works great - BUT

you could pick out a devastator from a mile away based on silhouette alone. Stiff, straight, 194cm flat cruz missles that flatten bumps and rage in the mank.

Wish my 2017's lasted longer, but I was not nice to them and they didn't owe me a thing. Been stoked on my inthaynes since, please don't mess with those too much.

Damn, I didnt realize the Devs had this kind of following. I really wish 4FRNT had a demo program because it would have been sweet to try them out. I doubt I would have bought a pair with the full rocker without checking them out first.

At the end of the day 4FRNT really needed a modern freeride rocker all mountain ski and that is what they turned the dev into. It was a pretty glaring hole in their lineup as the HOJI series are more touring oriented. Im a die hard 4FRNT guy but I was thinking of looking elsewhere for something to replace my old VCTs because the MSP series were too traditional and I want something that would swing better in the trees but could still carve. Looking at your comments and others who are not down on this, maybe 4FRNT should have left the MSP 99 and dev alone and gave the MSP 107 more rocker to go with the wider base.

 

[little1337]

I really like the graphic on the Devastator, who designed it?

 

[4FRNT]

Mmm no no no the old devastattor was everything it shoulda been, I’m sick of :

1-companies changing the profiles of a named ski, especially one so dope with a following.

2-this whole lightweight bullshit touring trend being applied to gear resulting in weak garbage

I was having trouble deciding between the devastator, chipotle banana, nocta or a praxis powderboard, them lightening it up pushed 4frnt out for me which sucks cause that topsheet is so fucking dope, maybe they’ll make a heavier damper version with a satanic version of that goat topsheet, oh wait no that’s something moment would do...

Skis need to be updated as ski design develops. We worked all winter long with our engineer and athletes to implement a new multi radius rocker, a more modern freeride shape, and a new core that only betters the performance while maintaining the same chargey DNA it's always had. The new Aspen Core is lighter, sure. But it is by no means a touring ski. At around 2000 gr you still have the power to blast through end of the day bumps and chunder.

We are confident that the new version of the Devastator only broadens its capabilities in a wider variety of conditions and really makes it the ultimate everyday freeride weapon.

 

[4FRNT]

Dev graphics are easily the best I’ve seen in a long time. Wasn’t super interested when it was fully rockered and 900 pounds but it looks like a sick ski, might have to cop as a new daily. Will she hold up to rails at all

[tag=21244]@4FRNT[/tag] ?

Thanks for the stoke! Lots of our team shred the Devastator as there park ski and haven't had any problems with durability. We are using premium materials and beefier edges than the industry standard, but of course smashing rails in the park takes its toll eventually...

 

[ASSholebomber22]

Damn, I didnt realize the Devs had this kind of following. I really wish 4FRNT had a demo program because it would have been sweet to try them out. I doubt I would have bought a pair with the full rocker without checking them out first.

At the end of the day 4FRNT really needed a modern freeride rocker all mountain ski and that is what they turned the dev into. It was a pretty glaring hole in their lineup as the HOJI series are more touring oriented. Im a die hard 4FRNT guy but I was thinking of looking elsewhere for something to replace my old VCTs because the MSP series were too traditional and I want something that would swing better in the trees but could still carve. Looking at your comments and others who are not down on this, maybe 4FRNT should have left the MSP 99 and dev alone and gave the MSP 107 more rocker to go with the wider base.

Have you looked into the vandal? it seems to fill the hole that you're describing and sounds similar to the old vct

 

[SuspiciousFish]

Have you looked into the vandal? it seems to fill the hole that you're describing and sounds similar to the old vct

I always thought of the Vandal as more of a park ski? I dont think anything 4FRNT makes nowadays is like the old VCT. Those were so stiff they felt like 2x4s until you got up to maximum charge. They were the one ski that nomatter the condition or how hard you push them they could take anything. They are basically impossible to butter actually. Im considering remounting my 2007 VCTs for groomer bombing days because the shops wont touch the bindings. Maybe in a way the old devs were the modern version of the VCT? Stiff and heavy bombers for any condition.

Based on yours and other comments and other reviews I see where you guys are coming from. Especially now that the Devs and the MSP 207s have very similar specs just different flex and pop. They were a super unique ski you had to learn how to charge but seemed fun as hell. 4FRNT probably made a business decision to sell more of them but they could have just made a 108 version of the Vandal and left the devs alone.

 

[SavageBiff]

Skis need to be updated as ski design develops. We worked all winter long with our engineer and athletes to implement a new multi radius rocker, a more modern freeride shape, and a new core that only betters the performance while maintaining the same chargey DNA it's always had. The new Aspen Core is lighter, sure. But it is by no means a touring ski. At around 2000 gr you still have the power to blast through end of the day bumps and chunder.

We are confident that the new version of the Devastator only broadens its capabilities in a wider variety of conditions and really makes it the ultimate everyday freeride weapon.

The fact the you stand by it so is encouraging and respected and if I buy, it’ll be the 191 and bc you state that my complaint in unjustified. I just wish it was closer to 2500g, IMO, 2000 is light for those dimensions, your guys top sheets and media content are dope tho, and like the companies attitude, I’m just very anti lightweight anything.

Also, it seems like you changed enough of the ski to say just produce a new line of skis and left the original alone produced at half quantity idk...

Would it be superbly cost inefficient to offer core options? You guys are one of few companies still making 190+ skis, and those of us that buy them, I myself , wouldn’t mind if a ski had a wait time to be made, nor would I mind some extra cost for core options, for instance, there been 119 devastators since yesterday, looks like none sold, had you only made 100, and offered 20 customs idk.less overhead, more possible sales idk ..but I’d of bought already.

 

[Ian.Ham]

Yeah, I really hope it didn't loose too much of its identity with this change.

**This post was edited on Aug 5th 2020 at 7:14:00pm

I've skied the Dev the last 3 years and this one is my favorite. Still has the same nimble jibby feel but can charge. The little bit more length and lighter feel makes it just a bit quicker to spin and carve. I could ski rails, big jumps, or pow on this ski. If I only had one ski for my life it'd be this Dev.

 

[4FRNT]

The fact the you stand by it so is encouraging and respected and if I buy, it’ll be the 191 and bc you state that my complaint in unjustified. I just wish it was closer to 2500g, IMO, 2000 is light for those dimensions, your guys top sheets and media content are dope tho, and like the companies attitude, I’m just very anti lightweight anything.

Also, it seems like you changed enough of the ski to say just produce a new line of skis and left the original alone produced at half quantity idk...

Would it be superbly cost inefficient to offer core options? You guys are one of few companies still making 190+ skis, and those of us that buy them, I myself , wouldn’t mind if a ski had a wait time to be made, nor would I mind some extra cost for core options, for instance, there been 119 devastators since yesterday, looks like none sold, had you only made 100, and offered 20 customs idk.less overhead, more possible sales idk ..but I’d of bought already.

2000 grams of aspen and maple with carbon fiber stringers will perform the same as the 2300gr poplar that the old dev was. Lighter just means way better swing weight and way easier to throw around when skiing insanely fast in tight sketchy terrain.

To produce a different model would be counterproductive in terms of line fluidity. We want people to know that if they want a hard charging do it all freeride ski, they want the devastator. If they want a freestyle powder ski, they get the InThayne. If they want a buttery all mountain freestyle ski, they get the Vandal....so on and so forth. Having numerous models that have the same purpose, in our opinion, just makes it harder for a customer (especially new customers) to figure out what they want. Our whole philosophy is make the best possible ski for whatever its purpose is and make it the raddest it can be. So for the Devastator, that meant update it and make it even better at what it does because it hasn't been touched in years!

Custom skis just aren't a reality for us. We have already started prototyping a brand new ski and updating another ski for next year. This is what our factory is focused on right now. To take their time every other week to make a custom ski for a customer or two just isn't realistic, we'd never get anything else done.

All this said, I love hearing what you think we need and what you want from our product line. This is how we start the development process- listening to our team and core customers.

-Sam

 

[SavageBiff]

2000 grams of aspen and maple with carbon fiber stringers will perform the same as the 2300gr poplar that the old dev was. Lighter just means way better swing weight and way easier to throw around when skiing insanely fast in tight sketchy terrain.

To produce a different model would be counterproductive in terms of line fluidity. We want people to know that if they want a hard charging do it all freeride ski, they want the devastator. If they want a freestyle powder ski, they get the InThayne. If they want a buttery all mountain freestyle ski, they get the Vandal....so on and so forth. Having numerous models that have the same purpose, in our opinion, just makes it harder for a customer (especially new customers) to figure out what they want. Our whole philosophy is make the best possible ski for whatever its purpose is and make it the raddest it can be. So for the Devastator, that meant update it and make it even better at what it does because it hasn't been touched in years!

Custom skis just aren't a reality for us. We have already started prototyping a brand new ski and updating another ski for next year. This is what our factory is focused on right now. To take their time every other week to make a custom ski for a customer or two just isn't realistic, we'd never get anything else done.

All this said, I love hearing what you think we need and what you want from our product line. This is how we start the development process- listening to our team and core customers.

-Sam

Well, I can’t disagree with anything you’ve said Sam, and it’s your response that got the devs back in the lineup of my future purchase and looking at things from this perspective I can see how it makes sense for the company and customer.

How come you guys only offer a touring binding with it? Just curious as I have a shop that I buy bindings and have my mounts done at, kinda made me feel like it was designed for touring, that combined with the weight is what has made me question my choice. I’m looking for an inbounds and side country charger that maybe, maybe might see daymakers...or cast system

thanks

 

[4FRNT]

Well, I can’t disagree with anything you’ve said Sam, and it’s your response that got the devs back in the lineup of my future purchase and looking at things from this perspective I can see how it makes sense for the company and customer.

How come you guys only offer a touring binding with it? Just curious as I have a shop that I buy bindings and have my mounts done at, kinda made me feel like it was designed for touring, that combined with the weight is what has made me question my choice. I’m looking for an inbounds and side country charger that maybe, maybe might see daymakers...or cast system

thanks

We have a bunch of non-touring options available! Adding pivot 18's in the next couple weeks, just waiting on Look to ship. The gold pivots on the devastator though?!?!?! ???

 

[SavageBiff]

Damn I’m such a fucktard sometimes I swear, it’s like when I reply to a post that’s 20 years old.

This whole time I’ve been typing and referencing and commenting g the dev.... I was thinking about the renegade ? holy shit my bad , shit I’m sorry , it’s the ren I’m interested in, close race between that and the chipotle banana

We have a bunch of non-touring options available! Adding pivot 18's in the next couple weeks, just waiting on Look to ship. The gold pivots on the devastator though?!?!?! ???

View attachment 969400

 

[dan4060]

The 186 EHP is my all-time favorite ski.

I only ski around 40 days a year now, but I typically put about 25 of those on the EHP. My first pair of EHPs, which are rock skis now, probably have 300 days on them. They still ski very well. When the EHP was discontinued I bought another pair. I finally mounted those up a couple of years ago, they have been my go to at Mammoth when there is enough of a base. I have always liked skis with little sidecut, I skied the Volkl Explosiv almost exclusively when I lived in Tahoe, and the EHP really nailed it as far as design goes. I like the rocker/camber combination. I'm comfortable skiing them in blower pow, wind buff, tight chutes and groomers. They can be handled in bumps. I particularly like them because when I ski a line like Philippes, which often slides on pow days, and I have to make a few technical turns on firm snow, I don't have a problem with them. Some skis that are around the 115-118 width level are sketchy when it comes to setting an edge on a firm steep, not the EHP.

 

[SoggyOatmeal420]

How soft is the vandal compared to something like blends?

**This post was edited on Aug 11th 2020 at 8:41:12pm

 

[4FRNT]

How soft is the vandal compared to something like blends?

**This post was edited on Aug 11th 2020 at 8:41:12pm

The Vandal is fairly stiff under foot with softer tips and tails. This allows you to ski fast and rail turns in firm and variable conditions with stability but pop,butter, and slarve with those softer tips and tails!

 

[Bamski]

What type of sizing would you suggest for the devasators for someone who's 5'9'' / 160 lbs.

I've been on a 184 Raven, a 184 ON3P Wrenegade 108, a 184 Moment Bibby Pro.

I want something that will be used as an all mountain ski to rail around on when conditions get less than ideal. I spend a good chunk of time in the trees and steeps - and sometimes the Wrenegades can feel a (TINY) bit unwieldly. I ski Whistler predominantly with trips to Kicking Horse and Revelstoke every year. Probably average 40 days. 0 Park.

 

[Waxloaf]

Can y’all confirm whether the devs are still fully rockered or not? Seems to be differing info online

also - whats the effective edge of this year’s 186 vs the old 184?

 

[animator]

Can y’all confirm whether the devs are still fully rockered or not? Seems to be differing info online

also - whats the effective edge of this year’s 186 vs the old 184?

No longer fully rockered

 

[SavageBiff]

Can y’all confirm whether the devs are still fully rockered or not? Seems to be differing info online

also - whats the effective edge of this year’s 186 vs the old 184?

All this info is in their website......

 

[Waxloaf]

The reflect tech description and the stats on the website make it seem like it is fully rockered, while this thread indicates otherwise, hence my confusion. Was hoping for some clarity from the company.

And I know the EE on the current 186, was looking for a comparison against the old 184 so I can tell how much taper they added

 

[SavageBiff]

The reflect tech description and the stats on the website make it seem like it is fully rockered, while this thread indicates otherwise, hence my confusion. Was hoping for some clarity from the company.

And I know the EE on the current 186, was looking for a comparison against the old 184 so I can tell how much taper they added

Then [tag=21244]@4FRNT[/tag] or email them.

I think it’s still full rocker , or at least flat it does not look like it has any camber in any pics I’ve seen.

 

[4FRNT]

What type of sizing would you suggest for the devasators for someone who's 5'9'' / 160 lbs.

I've been on a 184 Raven, a 184 ON3P Wrenegade 108, a 184 Moment Bibby Pro.

I want something that will be used as an all mountain ski to rail around on when conditions get less than ideal. I spend a good chunk of time in the trees and steeps - and sometimes the Wrenegades can feel a (TINY) bit unwieldly. I ski Whistler predominantly with trips to Kicking Horse and Revelstoke every year. Probably average 40 days. 0 Park.

You're gonna want the 186 cm! That extra few cm's will have you blasting through the variable crap, but with its multi radius Reflect Tech (flat under foot, 2 different rockers extending from there towards the tip and tails) you still get the easy maneuverability when you're in that techy stuff.

 

[4FRNT]

The reflect tech description and the stats on the website make it seem like it is fully rockered, while this thread indicates otherwise, hence my confusion. Was hoping for some clarity from the company.

And I know the EE on the current 186, was looking for a comparison against the old 184 so I can tell how much taper they added

Happy to clear it up for ya. It is no longer full rocker. We've adapted the definition of Reflect Tech over the years, as modern ski shapes change, to refer to our secret formula in which the rocker shape works in perfect unison with the shape of our sidecut through a blend of multiple size raddi. It no longer means it will always match when you hold the sidewall to the base, rather they just work together for the best possible performance in firm snow and powder.

So, in the case of the Devastator, it is flat underfoot, with two different rockers extending towards both the tip and tail.

New effective edge is is 1530mm @186cm compared to the old Devastator with 1510mm @184cm.

Let me know if this answers yo questions.

-Sam

 

[Waxloaf]

Exactly what I needed, thanks Sam.

And thanks for the msg Biff - I figured I’d ask the question here rather than doing it one-on-one as I suspected others were a little confused as well given the thread.

 

[SupremeChairlift]

The current profile photo ^

The profile photo when skis first launched ^

I think 4frnt screwed up with the launch photo because the profile photo when the skis launched does not look like the devastator at all which is what had me worried. Now the profile photo is updated and looks very similar to the old devastator with flat center and rockered tips/tails which matches with the description of the changes they made.

 

[4FRNT]

The current profile photo ^

The profile photo when skis first launched ^

I think 4frnt screwed up with the launch photo because the profile photo when the skis launched does not look like the devastator at all which is what had me worried. Now the profile photo is updated and looks very similar to the old devastator with flat center and rockered tips/tails which matches with the description of the changes they made.

Caught us slippin....Fixed and updated to be correct now! Flat underfoot with Multi Radius rocker profiles extending towards the tip and tail ?

 

[SuspiciousFish]

View attachment 970547The current profile photo ^

View attachment 970548The profile photo when skis first launched ^

I think 4frnt screwed up with the launch photo because the profile photo when the skis launched does not look like the devastator at all which is what had me worried. Now the profile photo is updated and looks very similar to the old devastator with flat center and rockered tips/tails which matches with the description of the changes they made.

Holy crap, I thought I was going crazy for a min. I even had the MSP 107 and Devs open in two tabs and was trying to figure out why one was called "Camber" and the other "Reflect tech". I think some of the flak people gave the new Devs should be alleviated now that its not actually cambered. This actually looks like such a badass ski for tight tree skiing.

 

[Waxloaf]

Agreed, the new 186 looks pretty sick.