They are a sweet ski. They're more of a mid-fat, so they ski well in powder and they're very stable everywhere else. I've been skiing on them since they first came out and the only durability issues I've run into are delamination. The print bases on the black ones had serious problems, but the new bases should be better(this is straight from the production guys at the factory). If you're really worried about it, rivot the tip and each side of the tail blocks when you get them as a precaution. However, that might void any warranty. As far as not having as much up in the tail as other twins, it's not an issue. I've skied switch in 6 inches of powder on top of groomed, going like 30, carving turns, and it wasn't a problem. For sizing, if you're around 5-10 to 6ft., I'd stick to the 183. Smaller, you might want to go down to the 173. Put the two side by side and you'll probably be able to tell which one you'd rather have. They're a great all-around ski that perform well in the park, pipe, powder, and they excel at switch carving.
