Are you happy with your "specialty" ski purchase?

the way i have beat up my skis, they are well on their way to being relegated to rock skis status!

2knees said:

very happy with my bump skis. Head Mad Trix. Great in bumps. I have no quiver. its my only ski so i have to make them work everywhere.

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Same here (K2 Cabrawlers.) They take a little effort in crud or deep powder, but 90% of the time they work fine. That being said, once I get past the financial hurdle of buying a house, the quiver will start.

tekweezle said:

i do agree with the statement that improving skills could help you tackle any condition on the mountain. But sometimes, you don;t want to work so hard. having a better tool for the job increases the fun factor on the mountain.

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That is extremely ironic because becoming a better skier with more proficient technique and prowess makes it so you don't work so hard and have a higher fun factor on the mountain. I am not suggesting having two or three skis is not preferable (as cited by my previous posts regarding thinking a three ski quiver is ideal... I currently have five :-o ). But rather I was suggesting the inverse of a point of diminishing returns and that is a point of not getting much out of a specialty ski without having the technique to utilize it and also suggesting that the money factor could be an issue, what is worth more.... substantially increased technique that will last until your body starts to deteriorate or a one trick pony pair of boards.

I think the ski industry is really loving this quiver idea. It is great for some skiers but I don't think it is good for most people. The industry certainly does not cater to the quiver crowd despite encouraging it because so many companies try to release the quiver of one do it all ski. Specialty skis are often hard to locate (who has seen a bump ski in a local shop or a light weight fat powder ski? most shops in New England don't carry that stuff). Interesting dynamic as far as industry drive, consumer demand, and what types of skis are actually created. Personally, I think there is a disconnect that the industry does not want to identify because they are quite alright with everyone chasing after a truly specialized ski that does not yet exist because ski manufacturers need to produce in high quantities to make it worth while.

I guess that is where the boutique or so called "exotic" brands come in to play.

Very happy. I picked up some 181 Nordica Dobermann GSRs at the beginning of the season and have had the chance to ski them in all conditions from bulletproof to a 14" powder day. It took a couple days to get used to the two sheets of metal instead of the single sheet I was used to in my Volkls. Super stable at speed and hold like ice skates on the hardpack. They are also the best powder skis I have ever skied being 67 underfoot and they power through crud with ease. Perfect one ski quiver.

skibum9995 said:

They are also the best powder skis I have ever skied being 67 underfoot

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:lol: That's very funny considering the conversations people have around here of needing 101 under foot. My skis are currently 66 and have been great in everything, although I am tempted to pick up something like an Apache recon with 78+. 101? Only if I lived in Utah. . .

wa-loaf said:

101? Only if I lived in Utah. . .

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You say that.....but knock something that wide until you try em'. My Powder skis are 110 underfoot. I bought them as did half the town of Stowe in the winter of 00-01. A Rossi Rep had a bunch of these skis, I think they might have been a 97 model, very old first gen powder board, pre - fat craze, and he was selling them for $100.

Best skis I've ever owned. Anything powder days with over 8" and I'm on em'. Getting on something that wide in deeper snow is some major fun.

Well, I now have a somewhat strange quiver. K2 Strykers, 180 and 74 underfoot, Volkyl AC40 Carbons 170, 84 underfoot. I'm still waiting to bring them both somewhere and test them against each other. The Volkyl's are kind of short for me but really hold onto ice. Stiff in the bumps though but the shortness helps a little. The strykers might actualy be a better ski in all conditions as they are very damp and forgiving. The Volkyl's need to be managed, the Strykers could care less. Next up...powder skis.

wa-loaf said:

:lol: That's very funny considering the conversations people have around here of needing 101 under foot. My skis are currently 66 and have been great in everything, although I am tempted to pick up something like an Apache recon with 78+. 101? Only if I lived in Utah. . .

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All skis over 70 should be burned.

skibum9995 said:

All skis over 70 should be burned.

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Well then all Spyder jackets and tight pants should be burned as well..lol

That 70's sjow

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:

Well then all Spyder jackets and tight pants should be burned as well..lol

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good burn:beer: Steeze

I know this is about skis, but I got a pair of Full Tilt boots a couple of weeks ago and my skiing technique improved dramatically. I'm ripping through stuff like never before.My friends noticed it immediately! No shin bang in the bumps. It feels like I'm controlling the boot and not the other way around. They are based on the old Raichle Flexon design, with improvements. Same molds and were sponsored by K2. Check out Fulltiltboot.com. Ed.

ed-drum said:

I know this is about skis, but I got a pair of Full Tilt boots a couple of weeks ago and my skiing technique improved dramatically. I'm ripping through stuff like never before.My friends noticed it immediately! No shin bang in the bumps. It feels like I'm controlling the boot and not the other way around. They are based on the old Raichle Flexon design, with improvements. Same molds and were sponsored by K2. Check out Fulltiltboot.com. Ed.

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This looks interesting, I may be getting new boots next season, but will probably hold off for one more. I'll have to check these out for sure. I hadn't heard of them, but I remember people loving the Raichle Flexon's back in th day.

ed-drum said:

I know this is about skis, but I got a pair of Full Tilt boots a couple of weeks ago and my skiing technique improved dramatically. I'm ripping through stuff like never before.My friends noticed it immediately! No shin bang in the bumps. It feels like I'm controlling the boot and not the other way around. They are based on the old Raichle Flexon design, with improvements. Same molds and were sponsored by K2. Check out Fulltiltboot.com. Ed.

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I used to love my old Flexon Comps. Dalbello bought the patents and has their own adapted versions with tweaks designed by Glen Plake. I've tried on Dalbellos and they just didn't fit right. Fulltilt bought the actual molds, so their boots are identical to the old Raichles only with modern liners. These are something I'd really like to try out and they will be on the top of my list when I replace my current boots.

My concern with them is that they appear to be geared toward a narrow foot. I have rather wide and flat feet, so they might not be a good option for me.

I was turned on to the defunct Raichle Flexon concept by my Russian ski champ friend Vitale Samsonov. He bought the Dalbellos and can't stand them. He put the old liners in from his Flexons and said they are now tolerable. He is going to get a pair of Full Tilts. Got my pair from Hunter. The liners are phenomenal! There is no tongue, it's a wrap around. NO SHIN BANG! I was giving "flying lessons" on K27 at Hunter a while back, and after I regained my senses after crashing, my shins were killing me. (The whole mountain was talking about THAT spectacular crash). I have a wide foot myself and was told they are narrow, but when I put my foot in them, I couldn't believe they are the first boot that I didn't have to get blown out. My old Dalbellos always were cranky and ached. Both pairs fell apart prematurely.The buckles on the Tilts are super easy to adjust too. I got the Kamo model and people say they look cool too! Ed.

deadheadskier said:

My concern with them is that they appear to be geared toward a narrow foot. I have rather wide and flat feet, so they might not be a good option for me.

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FWIW, previous boot fitters have told me I have a slightly wide feet and tapers to average heel. The boot fitter where I was trying the dabello krypton told me that it should be fine given its a larger volume boot.

As mentioned flexon and the krypton has the same design approach (the cabrio design), the difference are just minor tweaks. At face value, Krypton advocates would say they have more adjustment features and the middle buckle is optimally placed to lock down the heel.

What I would really like to know is flex range and stiffness. The problem is getting a full tilt around my area is hard, closet place is at sb about 3-4 hrs away, kind of asking alot to just try a boot, let alone ski on them. Anyhow, I love the fit of the Krypton and how it feels on the snow. The amount of front pressure you can put on them is amazing and with no shin bang.

What is the flex rating like on Full Tilts stiffest boot? 120?

deadheadskier said:

What is the flex rating like on Full Tilts stiffest boot? 120?

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Can't answer that directly, what I do know is that mogul skiers Jen Heil and Kriste Richards skis the full tilt bumble bee and Dale Begg Smith skis the old flexon comp. Generally bumpers don't use the stiffest boots. I think the Cameo and the bumble bee pro are the stiffest in their line up.

Not that I am hawking Kryptons, but the pro version comes with two tongues for stiffness, part of their bag of adjustments.

deadheadskier said:

What is the flex rating like on Full Tilts stiffest boot? 120?

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You can't make comparisons since all boots rate differently. The full-on comps were pretty popular on the WC back in the early 90s so they are certainly stiff enough, but it's a very different flex because of the one piece tongue. They do "feel" less stiff, but the construction makes them very responsive. I have a narrow heel and med-wide foot and felt they were a good fit. Easy to get in and out of too . . .

My Kamos are pretty stiff. They were stiffer than the Bumble Bee that I tried. The Full Tilt web site has a dealer locater. Hunter had them in stock, so it was a matter of just picking out the model. No heel lift in them at all either. Now it's time for a new pair of boards. Got new Swans goggles last week, awesome lens. My wife is going to throw me out of the house. "How much stuff do you need?" Ed.