Chopstick vs. EP Pro vs. SFB

japanada

japanada

Active member
Hey since I work at a shop I get a free pair of sticks and bindings, so i figured id get my $$$ pow sticks for free and buy my JOs for next year. I live in WI and will hopefully make some trips out west next year. Im looking for a fun ski that can shred the pow and still do groomers decently. Im intrigued by the whole rockered thing, ive n ever ridden them but i think they will be fun. Whatever pair I get they WILL see some days in the park both out west and here in WI. Im used to a 100mm waisted ski in the park, so this will be a little adj but what ever.

im 6'2" and 170lbs. Give me your ideas, thoughts, and input NS!!

Im looking for info on flexes, I know the EP are soft, but did they get stiffened up for next year? How is the chopstick flex? Anyone lucky enough to flex it? I currently ride 185 ARV so compare the flexes to them if at all possible. Old skis were 182 line motherships, just a little fyi.
 
I 6ft and 160 and i Love EPs. they r rockered but no reverse camber so they can carve really nicly. Probly not the best option if you ski super exposed couliours but if you ski trees and cliff bands you cant ask for a better ski. dont get them if you dont like flexy skis for some reason. I wud say EP if that isnt the case
 
dude...next years rockered JP JUlien in 188. rips pow AND groomers. 115 underfoot. do it for rill
 
uuuhhhh......no.....

Reverse Camber = Rocker = Early Rise

Reverse Camber is the technical term, Early Rise is just what Line decided to call it.
 
No you all have it wrong. Rocker is when the entire ski is completely rounded. Reverse camber is when the base is flat but the tip/tail start curving after about 5 inches each side underfoot.
 
yeah.

RC=constant

rocker=rise with other camber characteristics

but it is all just being picky.

it should all just be rocker with a description
 
Just picked up a pair of EP Pros, they are fun as all hell to ski on. Only been up twice on them, but no complaints so far. I tried lapping groomers at the end of one day just for kicks, very doable, though often times you do end up just going straight because edging those things can be a bit of a pain on the groomed. Also on the groomers I kept having to really hit the brakes except Id just end up flipped around and skiing switch for a bit, but they ski switch awesome in every condition ive taken them in.
 
dude, if you are 6'2 and 170, you are wayyy too big for EPS or SFBs.

if you want to go rockered,get 189 hellbents, and mount them center. you won't regret it. best ski EVER.

EVER.
 
I didnt like them as much as the EPs, but I could definately see the little extra weight you have on me making a difference with these...
 
mostly because of the height, not the weight. I'm 6'2 as well and I don't like standing that high over the tip of skis, too much leverage.
 
I dont want that long of a ski. Most of my pow skiign would be mainly trees and the like. A 189k2s measures like a 193, im looking at 182-185ish.
 
189's mounted center do not seem that long at all

I went from 169 fujatives to 189 hellbents and it was the greatest change of my life
 
SO true. they def. aren't unmanageable at all.

If you really want, you can go for a 179 hellbent. They are basically the same length as the 186 EP pro (if you don't believe me go to a shop!) but they are just a little more solid with would be better for you maybe.
 
This is very true, unless you're in the pow, which is obviously where they're built to be, the EPs have much less ski on the snow.
 
Im not looking at K2, I hated my fujis, and I HATE the topsheet, i know its the ski that makes it whjat it is, but i wouldnt want to ski the hellbents with that ugly topsheet.
 
well when i get a pair of FREE skis AND bindings every year from my work, i guess i can be a little choosey about the topsheets. Plus I dont want a 189 hellebent, a 179 maybe but no 189. Remember these WILL see many midwest days in the park.
 
i personally loved the topsheet, but then again i am into sticking stop signs through cats.

If it is the right ski for you, you could possibly paint the skis another color.
 
not gonna happen lol. I skiied them last year and they were decent, but I think I want somethingy more noodely
 
Sir Francis Bacons would get my vote. Yes, they are not rockered, but it would make them more versatile. they kill it in the pow, park, everything, and i think a 182 would be perfect for your size. when i rode them they were slightly soft, but nowhere like ep's. they did not change ep's for next year, they are still like noodles on your feet. the bacons definitley soften after a bit of riding, but from what i've heard arv's are super soft so it would probably be like the same ski, just fatter. I'd get bacons. chopsticks will probably be too soft/specialty for what you are looking for.
 
What are the Bacons like on groomers? Im interested in these after a few good reviews but I've never ridden fat skis, and I'm 1/3 groom, 1/3 pow, 1/3 park.
 
I have both the EP Pros and the Sir Francis Bacons. The EP Pros kill it when there is 2+ feet of fresh, but don't do too well for everything else. If I'm skiing soft crud or want to rail groomers for some reason, I want to be on the Bacons. It's amazing how well they do everywhere. Oh, and I ski them in the park more than anywhere else.
 
Thanks man. The last 2 posts have been what I wanted. Now I wanna get some feedback on the chopstick. I guess nobody has ridden them at any company demos.
 
id like to know a little more about the chopsticks....like what sizes they come in and the flex. and since they are symmetrical could you center mount them.

would they be good in the park?
 
For what you want them for, I'd definately say bacons. I have EP pros and bacons. Bacons are my all-around everyday ski. I do not like the EP pros if it isn't a powder day or if it's all chopped up, just not fun in my opinion.
 
I have an EP Pro - i am 6'2 180 - i am selling it and getting a Chopstick next year - EP is way to soft to ski anything but super deep
 
I would probably not recommend bacons only because they are really short. I am the exact same size as you (6'2", 170lbs) and im selling my bacons because they feel too small. and mine are mounted at recommended, i cant imagine skiing on them mounted closer to center. gonna get some 189 bents.

something you should keep in mind...
 
see ive been riding a center mounted 185 arv for park right now, and i want a smaller park ski, and a fatter ski that is around a 185.
 
The chopsticks are not soft at all. They are stiff, heavy, and a very cumbersome ski. So yes they are specialized to the powder, but they are nowhere near soft.
 
Then give us some info / comparisons - stiffer than the Hellbent/EP Pro - why do you feel it is heavy and cumbersome - we need more info
 
I have already given a quite in dept review of these skis in another thread. They are far stiffer than the ep pros/ hellbents considering both of these skis are fairly soft. They are exactly how you would imagine a volkl ski to be flex wise, moderately to pretty damned stiff. I would say that they are a bit stiffer than the ARG and equally as shitty to ski on groomers with. I rode te skis at the mission ridge demo and they were by far my least favorite skis that I skied (out of about 12 altogether). Trying to carve them on groomers was cumbersome, which is why I called them cumbersome.

Next time rather than giving a complete load of misinformation and then demanding info after someone calls you out on it, perhaps you could try asking nicely... who knows, you might even mak a new friend
 
so with that being said, i think i shall reiterate that you should get bacons. Sounds like the chopstick sucks (at least to him) and the ep is wayyy to soft, if you could id get some 'bents cuz they are a bit stiffer, but if its between your 3 choices id get the bacons. who knows, maybe if you feeling brave enough you could try and rocker them a tad, now that would be sweet......
 
i'm your height with about 5-10 extra pounds on you, and i tried to make the bacons my everyday ski, but they were just too soft. if i ever skied park they would be a cool park ski for me, but i don't. the small sidecut can either be a blessing or a curse, ie, they like to be turning all the time. if you like to jump off stuff, your landing better be either groomed or fresh pow, because trying to wield them in choppy shit just doesn't work. i jumped a very small cliff at Abasin into some total chop and trying to get them to do what i wanted after i landed just didn't happen. tails totally washed out. at that point i was going to keep them as my pow only skis, but then ended up selling them and getting EP Pros for my pow only ski.

got some Fat Bro Stiffs as my everyday ski and couldn't be happier. a ton more stable than bacons and you can point them straight with no issues due to the large turn radius.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top