Help me choose a new ski for my changing style

Sharko

Sharko

Active member
I've been skiing the 108 waist Bacons in 184cm for years now, but my style has changed as I've gotten older and I moved to the West Coast.

I don't hit the park now, I rarely ski switch now, and I seek out pow, trees, and ungroomed terrain a lot more.

Lately I feel like I'm dragging the big tail of the Bacons around and getting it hooked up in crud, also I feel like I'm overpowering the tips sometimes in soft snow (like I have to concentrate to keep my stance centered and not drive them too hard). Bacons are still fun, but I feel like I'm fighting them instead of working together.

My home mountain is Mammoth now and here's what I want to do:

I want to cruise down the open bowls from the peak to the tree line, then tight trees through the middle of the mountain, then straightline the last piece of groomer back to the lift.

If it helps I'm 5'10, 170#

Skis I've been considering:

Line Supernatural 108

Line Sick Day

ON3P Kartel 108

J Skis Metal

Moment Belafonte

4FRNT Devastator

Can someone with experience help me figure out which is best for me?
 
A nice transition would be the supernatural 108. You'll get that directional feel, but still be able to have a lot of fun.

If youre into full rocker, you can drive the devasatator a little more than a bacon, while still having a center mount. The full rocker wont "hang up" in crud.

If you wanna go for a bigger step up, the belafonte will handle more speed. It will be more locked in, and the tail isnt forgiving.

Are you keeping the bacons?
 
13819469:LazerHawk said:
Are you keeping the bacons?
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Haven't decided yet, but I could always keep them and get something a little slimmer or fatter to start a quiver
 
We've had reviewers on every ski on your list, would definitely be worth a look to get a better idea of how they ski (although judging by your list, you may have already read these?)

Supernatural 108:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2014-2015-line-supernatural-108
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/ski-reviews/2nd-look-line-supernatural-108

Sick Day 110 (we're also getting time on next year's 114):
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2013-2014-line-sick-day
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2nd-look-line-sick-day-110

ON3P Kartel 108:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2016-17-on3p-kartel-108

J Skis Metal
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/j-skis-the-metal

Moment Belafonte
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2014-2015-moment-belafonte
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2nd-look-moment-belafonte

4FRNT Devastator (for the 194 - 184 review is coming soon)
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2013-2014-4frnt-devastator
 
13819499:patagonialuke said:
We've had reviewers on every ski on your list, would definitely be worth a look to get a better idea of how they ski (although judging by your list, you may have already read these?)

Supernatural 108:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2014-2015-line-supernatural-108
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/ski-reviews/2nd-look-line-supernatural-108

Sick Day 110 (we're also getting time on next year's 114):
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2013-2014-line-sick-day
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2nd-look-line-sick-day-110

ON3P Kartel 108:
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2016-17-on3p-kartel-108

J Skis Metal
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/j-skis-the-metal

Moment Belafonte
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2014-2015-moment-belafonte
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2nd-look-moment-belafonte

4FRNT Devastator (for the 194 - 184 review is coming soon)
http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2013-2014-4frnt-devastator
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Yes, I have read your reviews and found them very helpful, that's how I compiled my list.

One thing I wasn't quite clear on though, is how the sick day differs from the supernatural, which would be better for my needs. Any thoughts?
 
Ha ok cool yeah that list pretty much reads like a list of Blister's recommended skis for what you're looking at.

The Sick Days lack the metal of the supernaturals, and are therefore less damp. Line markets the Sick Day's as a ski that you could ride in the resort and take touring, and is consequentially on the lighter end of the spectrum for skis in your category. What this translates to is a ski that is a bit less composed at high speeds, and prefers to ski over and around chopped up snow rather than bust right through it. The Supernatural will have a higher top speed, and is better if you want to roll through variable snow at higher speeds. The Sick Day is certainly a fun ski, but will get knocked around a little at high speeds. However, their lighter weight (and very slight increase in rocker) makes them more maneuverable in tight spaces (i.e. trees). I've had a lot of fun on the Sick Day 114's in spring conditions here in CO, but I think pretty much every other ski on your list will be a bit more stable at speed, if that's what you're looking for.
 
Yeah, Luke's very good at being helpfull.

Personally I'd go for the Metal or the K 108, mounted at recommended. Both of those should feel more directional, and more stable at speed without being too different from the Bacon.

I have a few days on the 190 Sick Day 114 and personally I'd go K 108, or even Line Mordecai over it for what you're talking about, it's fun, but it really didn't strike me as much of a charger, and I, personally feel like both of those skis have a higher speed limit.

One more ski to throw in there, Moment Deathwish. It's a little wider than some of the skis you talk about, but it's pretty perfect for everything on the west coast, and it does well with a directional style while still being very, very fun.
 
13819532:Sharko said:
Does anyone think I should go wider or skinnier than the listed skis?
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Depends, one ski quiver? I'd stay the same and keep it 100-110. Two ski quiver I'd go 90-105 and a ~120 for pow days. From your list I like the Belafonte and Wren 108 for a one ski. If you decide to go two ski quiver I'd look at the Icelantic Sabre 95 and another ski like the Moment Governer
 
I'm liking the 2 ski quiver idea.

Should I go for damp and hard charging for the thinner ski and then more playful softer ski? (for example Metal or Supernatural 108, then Kartel 115 or The Friend for deep days)

Or playful for the thinner ski and hard charging for the wider one?

(like Kartel 108 and then Supernatural 115 for deep days)

Also someone suggested the Deathwish. This looks like it is somewhere in the middle (112 I think?). Would that fit into this scheme, or would that be more of a 1 ski quiver option?
 
13820047:Sharko said:
I'm liking the 2 ski quiver idea.

Should I go for damp and hard charging for the thinner ski and then more playful softer ski? (for example Metal or Supernatural 108, then Kartel 115 or The Friend for deep days)

Or playful for the thinner ski and hard charging for the wider one?

(like Kartel 108 and then Supernatural 115 for deep days)

Also someone suggested the Deathwish. This looks like it is somewhere in the middle (112 I think?). Would that fit into this scheme, or would that be more of a 1 ski quiver option?
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That's up to your skiing style. If you like to charge but want a more playful overall ski look at the Kartel series, Nomad series, Deathwish and pb&j, etc etc. if you're looking for a more a stiffer chargy ski look for something a bit damper with tip rocker and a somewhat dropped tail for that off piste performance. Once you know exactly you're looking for, ask around. We can't tell you what to ski on but if you give us what you're looking for we can totally give suggestions and reviews
 
13819532:Sharko said:
Does anyone think I should go wider or skinnier than the listed skis?
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I wouldn't go wider. Rocker's transition to mainstream makes the super wide skis of a few years ago more and more a fad. Practically everything floats now. One ski quivers should shy away from those, and as you get older you'll find that's what you are looking for.
 
13820399:Dustin. said:
I wouldn't go wider. Rocker's transition to mainstream makes the super wide skis of a few years ago more and more a fad. Practically everything floats now. One ski quivers should shy away from those, and as you get older you'll find that's what you are looking for.
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I'd disagree with that. I think its personal preference if someone wants wider dailys or skinnier dailys. This past season, I used three main skies over the 70 or so days I had at the mountain. 5 days were taken up with heavily rockered powder planks and 2 were taken up by carving skis. The other 68 give or take days were all on 125 underfoot skis that I just simply had fun on. There was no need for any other ski because unless it was severe ice or 2+ feet of fresh snow I could use the Gypsys to get down anything and still have a fun time doing it.

However, I do agree with your statement on rockered skis. If you have just a bit of tip rocker and a dropped tail, you will float just as well as a ski with a heavily rockered tip along with a heavily rockered tail no matter what dimensions the skis are just because of physics. My main powder planks were JJ Zeros and the reason why they performed better in powder than my Gypsys was because of their profile, not because of the waist width.

tldr; Dimensions are up to user - rocker profile matters most when choosing a ski for deeper stuff, not waist
 
13820401:Zypher said:
I'd disagree with that. I think its personal preference if someone wants wider dailys or skinnier dailys. This past season, I used three main skies over the 70 or so days I had at the mountain. 5 days were taken up with heavily rockered powder planks and 2 were taken up by carving skis. The other 68 give or take days were all on 125 underfoot skis that I just simply had fun on. There was no need for any other ski because unless it was severe ice or 2+ feet of fresh snow I could use the Gypsys to get down anything and still have a fun time doing it.

However, I do agree with your statement on rockered skis. If you have just a bit of tip rocker and a dropped tail, you will float just as well as a ski with a heavily rockered tip along with a heavily rockered tail no matter what dimensions the skis are just because of physics. My main powder planks were JJ Zeros and the reason why they performed better in powder than my Gypsys was because of their profile, not because of the waist width.

tldr; Dimensions are up to user - rocker profile matters most when choosing a ski for deeper stuff, not waist
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So like you said, you are discussing a 3 ski quiver. On seasons of 50-75 days I had 3-4 I used evenly. In Europe I ski way less and travel way more. A one ski quiver is not a good place to have a super wide ski to mess around on.
 
13820494:Dustin. said:
So like you said, you are discussing a 3 ski quiver. On seasons of 50-75 days I had 3-4 I used evenly. In Europe I ski way less and travel way more. A one ski quiver is not a good place to have a super wide ski to mess around on.
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Yes and no, I see where you are coming from with the ease of a true one ski quiver but what I was trying to say is that I used those 125 underfoot skis a majority of the time because I liked riding them that much. I could've easily ditched the rest of my planks and just skied on those for the season and still have been just as happy. My point isn't that op should get a fat as hell ski for a one ski quiver, I'm just saying that op should get a ski he likes and don't be constrained by a specific waist width .
 
NOT tryin to Hijack thread but How do people like Line supernatural 115s of the older Line Influence 115's.

How do they compare to the 108's? Anyone ride the 115's either influence of supernatural?
 
13819543:cydwhit said:
Yeah, Luke's very good at being helpfull.

Personally I'd go for the Metal or the K 108, mounted at recommended. Both of those should feel more directional, and more stable at speed without being too different from the Bacon.
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Thank you and everyone else who contributed for the excellent advice.

After much research I figured I'd actually be really happy with any of these skis, but in the end The Metal (186, "Skyfather" graphic) won me over.

Can't wait for winter.
 
13824587:Sharko said:
Thank you and everyone else who contributed for the excellent advice.

After much research I figured I'd actually be really happy with any of these skis, but in the end The Metal (186, "Skyfather" graphic) won me over.

Can't wait for winter.
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How are you liking those metals? I have a really similar skiing style to you I like to really charge hard and ski lots of steeps but I love playfullness and pop. Should I go for the Supernatural 108 or the metal?
 
13867092:JakeBondy said:
How are you liking those metals? I have a really similar skiing style to you I like to really charge hard and ski lots of steeps but I love playfullness and pop. Should I go for the Supernatural 108 or the metal?
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I'm sorry I can't help you yet, haven't been skiing yet this season. I am going to Breck this weekend, but they don't really have any snow right now, so my ability to test them could be limited.
 
13867115:Sharko said:
I'm sorry I can't help you yet, haven't been skiing yet this season. I am going to Breck this weekend, but they don't really have any snow right now, so my ability to test them could be limited.
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Alright thanks man tell me how you like em when you can
 
I havent ridden it, but check out the Head Kore, after going through all the shops this fall this ski impressed me the most (in the shop) super light and super stiff, the thing wants a strong skier to drive the tits of this thing!!
 
13867205:JakeBondy said:
Alright thanks man tell me how you like em when you can
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I got limited experience this weekend: very little of Breck was open and I was skiing with a bunch of friends who are more casual skiers, so I took them on groomers only.

My frame of reference is coming from about 4 years on Bacons.

So far I feel like the Metal is a jack of all trades that doesn't stand out in any particular field. That might not sounds like a ringing endorsement, but as a one ski quiver it's what I am looking for.

They were very stable with a good suspension, I felt comfortable at higher speeds than I have gone in years and they didn't get squirrely when straightlining back to the lift like the Bacons do.

They don't feel very poppy or energetic at first: the Bacons feel like they are winding up during a turn, then the energy return throws you into the next turn. The Metal doesn't feel that way at all, but turn initiation takes less energy. Given that damp feeling I didn't have the urge to pop off of features much, on the other hand I actually caught air twice accidentally when I wasn't expecting to, which put a smile on my face.

Also, when I hit mixed conditions on the Bacons it takes a lot of concentration to stay centered over the ski, whereas on the Metal I could just blast straight through and never feel off balance, they never bucked me into the back seat.

Overall I felt like I was getting more out of these skis and putting less in. The net result was that I didn't tire as quickly, I didn't take as many breaks and that meant I had more fun for the price of my lift ticket.

I'm not sure how well they perform in deep snow or in trees, but we'll see as the winter goes on. What I like most about the Bacons is how easy they are to maneuver through trees and/or deep snow, they give me confidence to push myself in the trees. I'm not sure if the heavier Metal with their longer turning radius will give me the same confidence or not, it remains to be seen. I'll update when I know more.
 
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