In the market for new powder skis and not sure what to get. I'm looking for something that has excellent float and is maneuverable. I will not be using them in the park or on groomers, so they should be solely powder skis. They'll be used for backcountry, cliffs, etc. My top choices right now are the K2 cowabunga 2017, Armada JJ 2.0, Faction candide 4.0, and the Atomic Backland Bent Chetler, but any insight is greatly appreciated. Also, should powder skis be the same length as park? I am an expert skier and ski patrol in north lake tahoe this winter if that's useful. Im 5'10'' and 165 pounds.
What Pow Skis to get
- Thread starter Nikolaus
- Start date
gapersarefriends
Active member
I feel like powabungas are dumb skis, would be useless anywhere besides super deep snow. If they ride anything like pettitor's thats scary, I'd go for some jj's if i was you
gapersarefriends
Active member
13846883:paladin said:
Have u ever skied any of these skis
gapersarefriends
Active member
13846897:paladin said:
The K2 powabungas that OP referenced in his post are useless skis maybe read the whole thread next time
sambuswell
Member
I agree with the fact that there are better options compared to such a one dimensional ski like the powabunga. That ski is meant for untouched faces in Japan and Alaska that aren't tracked out like resorts will be. The pettitor/catamaran would be a much better option if you are looking to get a K2 ski
-eREKTion-
Active member
13846900:paladin said:
The powabunga isn't versatile at all. It's huge and super fucking burly whereas the JJ is a lot more playful and has enough of a traditional shape to perform in variable snow. Nobody is saying anything about K2, in fact I think the Catamaran would be a good choice for OP as well. So OP, I think the Candide 4.0 or the Bent Chetler are the best bets for you. If you're going to be patrolling lightness is really important because you'll be billygoating quite a bit.
gangsterman
Member
Go with the JJs
gapersarefriends
Active member
13847145:BeetleJuice said:
Maybe it's just cause i am a bigger guy, but I ride AK JJ's every day and have for the past two seasons, and i demod some 189 pettitors and they had a wayyy lower speed limit, as well as way more washy when trying to turn. Admittedly they were more poppy
profa_212
Active member
13847301:Nikolaus said:
Say what's up to my boy Jack
Also I wouldn't worry about your skis holding you back at boreal. Place is pretty tame. If go playful so you can have a little fun while working.
Bentchetler, Sego sloppy joe, catamaran, etc.
Might go flat tail too if you don't wanna spray down the sled you're dragging too lol
13847317:gapersarefriends said:
I am a bigger guy, 6’3”, over 200lbs. Ski very hard.
The K2’s have a higher speed limit for me, for sure. Heavier, damper, with a better “suspension”..
JJs are not damp whatsoever, and they are lighter weight. You must not like the soft flex, which (for me at least) doesnt effect speed limit as much as weight and dampness-factor.
I normally ski hard charging skis. 191 Wrenegades, 191 Katanas, 191 Head Monster 108s.. K2s are the only “soft” skis that i trust to still ski fast at my weight.
Different strokes for different folks, I guess..
gapersarefriends
Active member
13847401:BeetleJuice said:
Yeah 6’2” 190lbs lol. It was the flex for sure, while the jj’s are soft the extra length helps with that. I just felt like i was folding the pettitors in half
Sunblocker
New member
I'm also a big guy (6'9" 210 lbs) and considering the Catamarans 191cm or the JJ 2.0 Zero 195cm for a dedicated powder ski with maneuverability in trees. Do the Catamarans support a big skier better than the Pettitors 189cm did?
JoltyGauges
New member
Most under-rated ski ever but one of the best Salomon QST 118. It might not look amazing it might not have a fancy graphic or price tag, but you will never look back.
Sunblocker
New member
At 192 cm it has a radius of 26.5m and it seems like more of a hard charger than a nimble in the trees ski?
Rum_Ham
Active member
13903806:Sunblocker said:
In powder sidecut makes far less of a difference than rocker and taper profiles. My moment ghost chants have a 30m radius but pivot on a dime due to the rocker profile. My Bibbys have a 25m radius but pivot less due to more camber they have and minimal taper.
ReetsAdeets
Active member
I've owned and tried quite a few different pow skis, and my all time favorite is the pair of AK JJ's I currently have, so I would think the JJ 2.0 would be a great option. Several of my friends also own and love their JJ's. The JJ's shape makes skiing in deep snow super intuitive and enjoyable. I love the way that skis with early taper sidecuts turn in deep snow - just an effortless and super floaty, enjoyable feeling like turning on a slalom waterski. They're well mannered on firm snow and groomers too. Another plus is that Armada's have durable topsheets, which cannot be said for K2's. Bentchetlers are awesome too, and have a similar sidecut style with early tapering that I really enjoyed when I skied them. Never tried any Factions, but they look sweet. Super spendy though, and no early taper in the tips turns me off a little for their pow skis.
Generally speaking, pow skis should be longer than park skis. It's all preference, but longer is usually desirable because you want the extra flotation in soft snow, and having early rise/rocker makes the tips and tails not make contact with the ground when you're on firmer snow, resulting in skis with early rise/rocker feeling shorter than they really are when on firm snow. You're also not going to be as concerned with how easy it is to spin on your pow skis as your park skis, and are probably going to be skiing faster and on rougher terrain with your pow skis than park skis, so the extra stability that comes with a longer ski is often nice to have.
Generally speaking, pow skis should be longer than park skis. It's all preference, but longer is usually desirable because you want the extra flotation in soft snow, and having early rise/rocker makes the tips and tails not make contact with the ground when you're on firmer snow, resulting in skis with early rise/rocker feeling shorter than they really are when on firm snow. You're also not going to be as concerned with how easy it is to spin on your pow skis as your park skis, and are probably going to be skiing faster and on rougher terrain with your pow skis than park skis, so the extra stability that comes with a longer ski is often nice to have.