i have silencers. had them since last season. I keep them wicked tuned and theyre decent for the home hill i lovingly call ice hill. i dont do tricks and shit, but they certainly are a stiffer ski in that department. they are very slender under foot. so if youre planning to take them on the whole hill and that hill is big/real with real snow, i'd take your bros advice and go the fugitive route. I took these "bad boys" to whistler and was hatin' life. need wider/bigger to get through the crud and slop. so for midwest burning = good, wild wild west = bad. unless you sick purely in those parks then they may not be too bad. i'd still go the fugitive route or actually i'm going the seth route. although the fugitive is softer. so thats your decision then stiff vs soft. the same question i posed to yer ma! nooch. j/k. everyone have a great and injury free season!!!!!!!!!!!