Armada Magic J OR K2 Pettitor

A

AK-Pow29

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Alright, so I'm looking for a pow ski and have narrowed it down to the Armada Magic J and the K2 Pettitor. I currently ride K2 Kung Fujas and love them, but they're super weak. You can scratch the base with your fingernail and the top sheet and sidewall scratches and dents super easily. But they ski amazingly so I am open to getting K2 skis again. I do like how light weight Armada skis are, but have never ridden them and have heard mixed reviews. It seems like everybody likes the Pettitor and the few reviews I have seen on the Magic J have been good too. This would be my powder specific ski for mostly inbounds skiing and sometimes backcountry. I ski Alaska, am 6'4'' and 155 pounds and am looking at the 189 Pettitor and the 190 Magic J. Which ski is more fun, which has better durability, and which floats better. Keep in mind I will be skiing thick, heavy Alaskan powder, so it needs to float good. Thanks in advance.
 
In my expert opinion I think you should eat a few cheeseburgers. Can't help with the ski stuff though.
 
I've rode the Jjs and loved them but when I got on the magics the flex profile wasn't quite for me... I went with the ak jj and they are sick... They don't feel like a 195 but the float amazingly!
 
Was the Magic J too stiff and not playfull enough? I thought about the AK JJ, but because I weigh so little for my height I think it may be too much ski for me.
 
No it wasn't that I was too stiff I just left like the ak has a bigger sweet spot but I was used to the normal jj... I'm also 200 lbs but I don't think they are that stiff... They aren't really a charging ski like they're made out to be.. I'm pretty sure the magic j is stiffer but don't quote me on that
 
id recommend the side seth. probably my favorite deep ski this year, except it is a k2 and made in China.

 
Petitor flops a lot. In hardpack it sound like you are furiously beating off. I did not like tht ski.
 
I have/had JJs and loved them (just lost one the other day skiing pow at Alpine Meadows) I am trying to figure out if I want to get another pair or wait it out... However, If I do it will most certainly be either a Norwalk or an AK JJ. I like the concept of more camber on a JJ size ski, probably handles as well on groomers as it does in 4 feet of pow (with reference to the Norwalk). The only negative I could find about my JJs is they were a bit small for me (I am 5'11, 180lbs), I got the 185 right before the AK JJ came out. Not that mine were too small for me, I just grew to desire a bit longer ski. 189 with more camber underfoot seems like an awesome idea (Norwalk). A buddy of mine has the AK JJ and loves it, It looks super burly.Depends on where you ski though, if you ski alot of tight trees, you might want to think about the regular 185 JJ because with that tail rocker, you can turn those fuckers on a dime and shed speed very easily. If you ski somewhere more wide open you are going to want more camber...

If I were you I would not discount the TST either. Short of super deep days on the west coast those skis will dominate just about any riding condition you will come across, from ice to park jumps to 2 feet of fresh and every surface in between.
 
In terms of durability I would lean toward the Armada line. Some of this years pow skis have a textured top sheet which resembles an old pair of Head mojo 80s I use to have which were possibly the most durable ski I have ever owned. I have owned 3 pairs of Armadas and they have all held up excellent over the years. Personally if I were in your shoes I would not consider the Magic J, It looks like a great deep pow ski but for the big mountain you sound as though you will be into it seems a bit overkill (140 underfoot is enormous). I skied on my regular JJs during the 10/11 winter at squaw where we got 810" and they handled pow that was nearly as deep as I am tall on a regular basis without any issue what so ever, 115-120 underfoot is more than enough.

Besides what is the fun of skiing pow if you are on a ski that just sits on top of it and doesn't even allow you to sink in let alone face shots? It seems as though the mentality of the "true Pow ski" now-a-days is to overcome the powder, rather than actually shred/enjoy it!

Bottom line is get something you will be comfortable with and will allow you to ENJOY/SHRED the pow, and don't worry about being able to float, save you money and work on your technique and you will have a way better time than you would floating on top of the snow, not knowing the difference between 4 inches and 4 feet.
 
These are the kind of posts that piss me off. First of all the Magic J is 127 on your foot, a mere 7mm more than the AK JJ so I don't know why you are bringing that up and the whole rest of your advice is complete wack.
 
Hey aust! How is it going?

So since you want to be an asshole, why don't you tell us your advice? My guess is you are some 13 year old kid sitting on the family computer pretending like you get to actually get out and ride pow when you are not in 9th grade. Tell us more about what pisses you off? acne? the girls you will never get because you read measurements of pow skis all day? or knowing that the only way you will have the balls to talk trash is on an online forum?

Also since you like to correct typos why don't you correct this one, aust.s knows alot about ski gear, and skiing in general other than measurements of a ski he will never own. Here, I can correct it for you! "aust.s knows nothing about ski gear, and skiing in general other than measurements of a ski he will never own!"

 
Hah Dude I'm not trying to "talk trash". It's just that when it comes to someone dropping about 800 bucks on a new pair of skis It's good to make an educated decision. Oh, and I don't read ski measurements all day haha, it's just that I'm in the same ballpark as him and I am considering the Magic J's as one of the skis. And as far as who the "asshole" is I'm pretty sure you made that clear in your post above. Anyways, I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot and as far as me never owning these skis, I'm picking some J's sometime in the next two weeks.
 
@AK-Pow29 Hey I realize that there aren't many reviews on the Magic J at the moment however the channel "Purdie102" on youtube has videos of him skiing the AK JJ, Magic J, and Bubba. He has answered many questions I have had about the fatter Armada skis and has been very helpful and I am sure he would be happy to help you too.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. I still don't know what to do, but I will say this: My ski resort here in AK got 978 inches of pow last year and averages 650 inches a year. So I still want to ski the pow and get face shots, but I need a ski that will float pretty good still. I mean we get more snow than everybody but Mt. Baker who holds the world record. Thanks for the advice everybody. I did consider the Norwalk,but I want a ski with tail rocker, so I don't think I'll be getting that.
 
I'm 5 10" and weigh 155 and love the JJ for everything from 2" to 2 feet. With that said Utah has the lightest pow on earth and like Niels043 I tend to lean towards te thinking that my pow ski doesn't need to sit on top of the fluff. But that's utah pow where it's drier hence easier to "cut through".

However with the heavier pow in AK the MagicJ might be te way to go to get that extra float above the heavier snow. It's one of the reasons why I think people like the Hellbent so much in the PNW even though its not the best ski around.
 
True. I bet the AK JJ floats almost as good as the Magic J though and I like the shorter turn radius of the AK JJ for the steep chutes we have here. Thanks.
 
It looks like it will float pretty much the same. If you go to the Armada site they have a float rating for their skis and you can see the difference in flotation between the AKJJ and MagicJ. Both have a relatively short turn radius too, compared to other skis in their category.
 
Also looking at ON3P Caylor and Cease & Desist. Also, does a bigger turn radius mean the ski will suck in tight trees and chutes. And I have heard some people don't like the JJ because it's small turn radius. Why is this? Thanks.
 
Some people dislike the JJ because they think it is a bit unpredictable at high speeds on hardpack/low snow conditions due to the small turning radius. I personally like the smaller turning radius because at squaw and alpine meadows I do alot of skiing in the trees as well as steeps/narrow chutes, I like it because I can change direction quickly and easily. I don't really find them unstable at high speeds personally as long as they are somewhat on edge they are very stable.

 
I have caylors and ride tight trees a lot. They are super stable and can charge hard, yet they can still turn on a dime in tight trees. It's a very solid choice for a pow ski
 
My buddy has the petitors and i rode them. Good pop, great float, not super heavy, and liked the flex. Stomp everything very forgiving when landing. They charge pretty hard to i was impressed how they just blew anything that was hard up. Personally loved the petitor for an all mountain any condition day.
 
Yeah i wouldnt go with JJ's. Im very picky when picking skis though. JJ's are sick in soft pow, but are horrible IMO in every other way. They are very squirly and scare the shit out of you at high speeds. Tips and tails will clatter like crazy as well. They would be ideal for tree skiing in powder. You mentioned the C&D from ON3P. Your on the right track. Im on mobile so its hard to type up a full reccomendation, but look at Caylor and BG reviews, as well as the C&Ds.
 
Sorry, but compared to other rockersd skis the JJ does not "clatter" like crazy. Nor is the ski "unstable" at speeds. The JJs might not be your style and you might be in bed with ON3P but the JJ is not the floppy dong you are letting it out to be.

Also,

The smaller/tighter turn radius is what you want if you are skiing in tight/ chutes or mini golf lines.
 
Agree, I mean they aren't even close to my Bodacious at speed, but they aren't a floppy Dick at high speed. They may not be ideal for carrying heat in heavy chop, but I just don't understand how people say they are super sketchy at speed. To tell the truth I think they are better at high speed on hardpack than med speed, cause when your driving them hard they set a pretty confident edge in al but the hardest conditions.
 
Haha you clearly havent ridden many other skis. The JJ's suck as an all mountain ski. You have your own opinion. Unless you are 5'1 100 lbs, they clatter even going slow on groomers. You can ask anyone who has been on plenty of pow skis including ON3P, and im willing to be none of them will say the JJ is the best ski. Like i said, its good for tree skiing in powder. Other than that, it isnt fun.
 
Is it a known fact at this point that although the entire K2 factory team line of skis flop around like donkeydicks, the pros get a special layup version of their own skis? I can't imagine Seth Morrison dealing with that much chatter every year over and over again.
 
Dude, it's relative, he is looking for a pow ski and again te JJ does not flop around like you assume. Compared to others in the segment the JJ is relatively stable pow ski. Of course you want it to have some give since that's what helps it plain and float on the pow. I fact some of the ON3p early pow offerings were a little too stiff ad not giving the ski the proper float it needed. Sure it might of done good in the crud but they weren't the best in the pow. The JJ however finds the happy medium much like the Opus has I believe.
 
He said he will be skiing HEAVY alaskan powder INBOUNDS. 2 things the JJ's arent very good at. Like i said, i have a very specific need for my skis, so im expressing my experience with them. Obviously, you like them better. He is a tall guy and i assume will be skiing some steep stuff. Even armada will tell you the JJ isnt the best choice for steep slopes and going fast. If he was skiing pow in steamboat, its a different story. Steep alaskan terrain isnt as forgiving. Id reccomend a Wrenegade, Billy Goat, or C&D's. Also, Line's influance line sounds like right up his alley. Stiff skis for charging. If he wants a buttery ski for dicking around in soft snow, then a JJ, Pettitor, Opus, and Bentchetler would be great.
 
It's mostly not about height when you recommend a ski length, it's about weight and ability. As for your recomendations anybody should tAke them with a grain of salt since you just recommended every ski in the ON3p line up for this guy. You are in love with ON3P, ok we get it, I just had to call you out when you start stating miss information about other skis and start talking like every single ski in the ON3P lineup is what this guy is looking for. Curb the crush and try and help the guy out honestly.
 
...Your not getting the point. I didn't reccomend him a ski length, i reccomended him a ski. Your right, a ski is mainly based off your weight. But chances are tall people like heftier skis. I mentioned 3 skis is the ON3P line. Didn't know 3 out of 10 was the whole line. Im not spreading wrong information either. I said the pros and cons about the JJ. It isnt what he is looking for dude. Clearly you have not ridden it enough to make a good review. I will admit it, im an ON3P fanboy. However, i made a reccomendation for line as well. You are making a horrible reccomendation, and anyone who has ridden a decent amount of skis would agree. To OP, because ive "already reccomended the whole line" look at the Super 7s/S7s by rossi. Comparable to JJ's/Opus, but stiffer and will charge. I know Atomic makes some nice powder skis as well.
 
I didn't recommend him the JJ. I was simply pointing out that the JJ isn't the floppy dong you play it to be. Also, you recommend the atomics but the Bentchetler (atomic's pow flagship) is softer than the JJ. ( slightly. )
 
I said in soft snow, the JJ, Opus, and Bentchetler are all good. I never reccomended it saying its better than the JJ
 
Like the guy above meh as been saying the jjs are soft and there are better options. But if price is an issue you can pick up some akjjs at like half the price of a caylor or bg. I haven't had the opportunity to ride the new bg, but if I had the money that's the ski I would buy. And if this helps at all, I own jjs and bent chetlers and enjoy my jjs much more in almost all conditions
 
No the K2 team rides on factory skis. There's a big difference between soft tips flopping on hard pack and a ski chattering. The obsetheds, while soft, are very damp so they actually are very smooth at high speeds.

JJ's on the other hand are stiffer but are not very damp, so they chatter badly.

Watch a Pettit segment, you can see him wheely (sp?) out of a lot of landings due to the soft tails on the obsetheds (and now the pettitors). A strong skier can make a lot of skis work, and I wouldn't be surprised if Morrison actually prefers a soft damp ski.

And about the whole JJ verses bentchetler debate: theres a lot more that contributes to the stability of a ski than the ski's stiffness. The bentchetlers are slightly softer but definitely damper than the JJ's so they'll do better in heavier AK pow. I'd also recommend any of the fatter ON3P skis over the JJs, but thats my personal preference.
 
According to the specs the atomic automatic looks like it would be a good choice. Or just find a mid(+?) stiff, directional twin.
 
I have the 2013 Influence 115. LOVE it. Pretty much crushes every condition pretty well. Great float, stable but not a 2x4. Lots of pop. Pretty darn good all around big mountain ski. PM me OP if you have interest or quesitons about it.
 
The turning radius on the jjs Is just too short short, if you are skiing ak and getting serious vert, you're gonna want a ski with a longer turn radius. My s7s get tired of always wanting to turn. Let the skis run. You will be able to throw Around any 22ish meter turning ski just fine in trees n chutes. Thelonger radius will bebetter all-around. Something withsome heft and dampness will make that heavy chop so much better than the jjs.
 
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