Slow
New member
Now that my kids are getting up to speed and looking to ski all over on and off the mountain I am coming back to Alpine from Tele (where I spent the last decade).
I have done the homework and am running out of days to test the rest. I am hoping somebody who knows more about skis and ski construction can make something of my results to date. Here is what I have skied and what I think I thought. Unfortunately, I have not had multi-skis on the same day I have had to try skis on successive days and weekends so conditions varied. These are in order based upon when I skied them.
I am an Advanced/Expert skier who tends to like the smaller classic N.E. trails, bumps and woods/out-of-bounds. I do not hike for turns but can end up on some long run-outs/traverses in search of fresh lines. Favorite spots in order are: Burke, Mad River Glen, Stowe...the rest (probably would include Jay and Sundayriver in the rankings but haven't been to either in the last 20 years). I am 39, 5'11", 185# and active. Because this is N.E., and because I like to ski with my wife 50% of the times, while l like the woods, narrow trails, and secret staches, I end up carving nice big GS turns on groomers (which is why Burke beats out MRG) 50% of the time.
Nordica Steadfast (178: Skied them at Stowe in mid-January. Loved carving steep groomers (that's where the snow was and we lapped all day one day) with these. I even got a rare day when Nosedive was buffed out...the ski was AMAZING on that stuff at some crazy high speeds blasting through chopped up crud. I pointed, they went, no questions asked and no doubts. After skiing these, I thought all of these new (wide) skis were going to "crush" all over the mountain...I was wrong (more on that later)
There was not much snow so, the bumps were small and soft for the most part (so not a great test) but the ski seemed to respond "well". But, when the bumps were better formed I found I bounced out of a couple of lines I thought I had. I also found I ended up blasting out of the bumps (at speed) rather than really skiing them. Never caused a probelm but made me feel like I was not totally in control. Trees were thin and I only had a buddy for a couple or runs but, my impression was ok in the woods but I missed a couple of turns I thought I had and stuffed the tips a couple of times. To be clear, the bumps and trees issues (if this doesn't make sense based on based upon what you know about the ski and my other comments) may have also been because it was early in the season.
Rossignal Experience 88 (@175): Skied them at Loon in late January. All skiing was on the trails. Fine for slower speed quick/slalomy turns but, did not like them, at all, at speed on the groomers carving GS turns (felt like they just were not enough ski). They did not have any redeming qualities in the bumps (I could not get them around on my own terms. I had to turn them when they wanted to turn). Did not like them in the soft snow at the trail edges (tips wandered). Never got them in the trees.
KS Hardside (181): Skied them at Burke during my kids February vacation. They were the first 98 underfoot that I skied. When I first got on them I had some trouble on the groomers (the uphill ski kept climbing up the mountain on me) but, that seemed to subside over the days. I never liked them quite as much as the Steadfasts on the groomers but I did find a way to get along with them making GS turns; just never got them to really carve and scoot out of a turn at speed and, never developed the same fearless confidence that I could blast anything with them with no concerns.
But, I liked the size while still being able to get them around quick in the bumps and trees. By the end of the week I felt like a hero in the bumps and trees on them. One thing I am unsure of is, there was not enough snow for big, troughty, steep, bumps. So, if I started stuffing them into real bumps, I do not know what would happen. When I did ski I could get up on top and blast right down East Bowl. I would like to think that would continue as the bumps got bigger and fiercer but, I do not know, I worry it might become too much ski in the bumps (and might ski more like the Bonfide when the bumps got big...below).
Dynasatar Outland (172): Skied at Mad River Glen the last weekend in February. Did not like them. Did not like them on slalom turns (coudn't get them to accelerate out of turns), did not like them at speed (just didn't trust them), did not like them in GS turns (did not hold an edge well), did not like them in the bumps (couldn't get them to hold a line so I could get on top...they seemed to want to tell me when the turn), did not like them in the soft snow in the woods (stuffed and sunk them everywhere). Did not like them.
But, had a great time because that mountain is great.
Blizzard Bonafide (180): Skied them at Sugrabush last weekend. I had done some reading and expected to jump on these and love them as something between the Steadfast and the Hardside (a lot of ski but great on piste too). On the lift up I told my wife they were demo/buy and, if I liked them, I might buy them. On the second lift up I said, nope not gonna happen.
They do not carve short/slalomy turns. They do not hold an edge well on big, hard, GS turns. I did not love them at speed as they seemed to wander and ski like much short skis (unlike both the Steadfast and the Hardside). In the bumps at first I did not love them. But, I put in some laps on the bumps and got them worked out. You have to ski them aggressively in the bumps. Really stuff them into the bump and flex out the front 1/2 of the ski or get your turns around very far and very quick when you get unweighted. Doing this gives you the speed control you need and allows you to pick your line. My problem is that I am too old to be this aggressive in the bumps. I am much happier sitting back a little and letting the quads do the work as I go across the tops in a nice controlled fashion. (but the bumps were big, well formed, and steep so my "having to work" may have been more a function of trail/conditions than skis).
Here is the dilema. I may get 2 more days. Any ski I still need to try based upon what I have said?
I clearly like the Steadfast and the Hardside but want that perfect ski that blends the two. Is it out there?
Would the Hell and Back ski like the Steadfast on mountain and the Hardside in the woods/bumps? Is there a Hardside equivalent that may ski like the Steadfast at speed and GS turns?
If someone told me more time on the Hardside and I would love it on mountain I would go for it. But, if I had one more day on anything I would go spend more time on the Steadfast in the woods and bumps to check my early impressions since I LOVED it at speed (was truly unreal how much I trusted that ski 3 runs in)
Thanks for your thoughts.
I have done the homework and am running out of days to test the rest. I am hoping somebody who knows more about skis and ski construction can make something of my results to date. Here is what I have skied and what I think I thought. Unfortunately, I have not had multi-skis on the same day I have had to try skis on successive days and weekends so conditions varied. These are in order based upon when I skied them.
I am an Advanced/Expert skier who tends to like the smaller classic N.E. trails, bumps and woods/out-of-bounds. I do not hike for turns but can end up on some long run-outs/traverses in search of fresh lines. Favorite spots in order are: Burke, Mad River Glen, Stowe...the rest (probably would include Jay and Sundayriver in the rankings but haven't been to either in the last 20 years). I am 39, 5'11", 185# and active. Because this is N.E., and because I like to ski with my wife 50% of the times, while l like the woods, narrow trails, and secret staches, I end up carving nice big GS turns on groomers (which is why Burke beats out MRG) 50% of the time.
Nordica Steadfast (178: Skied them at Stowe in mid-January. Loved carving steep groomers (that's where the snow was and we lapped all day one day) with these. I even got a rare day when Nosedive was buffed out...the ski was AMAZING on that stuff at some crazy high speeds blasting through chopped up crud. I pointed, they went, no questions asked and no doubts. After skiing these, I thought all of these new (wide) skis were going to "crush" all over the mountain...I was wrong (more on that later)
There was not much snow so, the bumps were small and soft for the most part (so not a great test) but the ski seemed to respond "well". But, when the bumps were better formed I found I bounced out of a couple of lines I thought I had. I also found I ended up blasting out of the bumps (at speed) rather than really skiing them. Never caused a probelm but made me feel like I was not totally in control. Trees were thin and I only had a buddy for a couple or runs but, my impression was ok in the woods but I missed a couple of turns I thought I had and stuffed the tips a couple of times. To be clear, the bumps and trees issues (if this doesn't make sense based on based upon what you know about the ski and my other comments) may have also been because it was early in the season.
Rossignal Experience 88 (@175): Skied them at Loon in late January. All skiing was on the trails. Fine for slower speed quick/slalomy turns but, did not like them, at all, at speed on the groomers carving GS turns (felt like they just were not enough ski). They did not have any redeming qualities in the bumps (I could not get them around on my own terms. I had to turn them when they wanted to turn). Did not like them in the soft snow at the trail edges (tips wandered). Never got them in the trees.
KS Hardside (181): Skied them at Burke during my kids February vacation. They were the first 98 underfoot that I skied. When I first got on them I had some trouble on the groomers (the uphill ski kept climbing up the mountain on me) but, that seemed to subside over the days. I never liked them quite as much as the Steadfasts on the groomers but I did find a way to get along with them making GS turns; just never got them to really carve and scoot out of a turn at speed and, never developed the same fearless confidence that I could blast anything with them with no concerns.
But, I liked the size while still being able to get them around quick in the bumps and trees. By the end of the week I felt like a hero in the bumps and trees on them. One thing I am unsure of is, there was not enough snow for big, troughty, steep, bumps. So, if I started stuffing them into real bumps, I do not know what would happen. When I did ski I could get up on top and blast right down East Bowl. I would like to think that would continue as the bumps got bigger and fiercer but, I do not know, I worry it might become too much ski in the bumps (and might ski more like the Bonfide when the bumps got big...below).
Dynasatar Outland (172): Skied at Mad River Glen the last weekend in February. Did not like them. Did not like them on slalom turns (coudn't get them to accelerate out of turns), did not like them at speed (just didn't trust them), did not like them in GS turns (did not hold an edge well), did not like them in the bumps (couldn't get them to hold a line so I could get on top...they seemed to want to tell me when the turn), did not like them in the soft snow in the woods (stuffed and sunk them everywhere). Did not like them.
But, had a great time because that mountain is great.
Blizzard Bonafide (180): Skied them at Sugrabush last weekend. I had done some reading and expected to jump on these and love them as something between the Steadfast and the Hardside (a lot of ski but great on piste too). On the lift up I told my wife they were demo/buy and, if I liked them, I might buy them. On the second lift up I said, nope not gonna happen.
They do not carve short/slalomy turns. They do not hold an edge well on big, hard, GS turns. I did not love them at speed as they seemed to wander and ski like much short skis (unlike both the Steadfast and the Hardside). In the bumps at first I did not love them. But, I put in some laps on the bumps and got them worked out. You have to ski them aggressively in the bumps. Really stuff them into the bump and flex out the front 1/2 of the ski or get your turns around very far and very quick when you get unweighted. Doing this gives you the speed control you need and allows you to pick your line. My problem is that I am too old to be this aggressive in the bumps. I am much happier sitting back a little and letting the quads do the work as I go across the tops in a nice controlled fashion. (but the bumps were big, well formed, and steep so my "having to work" may have been more a function of trail/conditions than skis).
Here is the dilema. I may get 2 more days. Any ski I still need to try based upon what I have said?
I clearly like the Steadfast and the Hardside but want that perfect ski that blends the two. Is it out there?
Would the Hell and Back ski like the Steadfast on mountain and the Hardside in the woods/bumps? Is there a Hardside equivalent that may ski like the Steadfast at speed and GS turns?
If someone told me more time on the Hardside and I would love it on mountain I would go for it. But, if I had one more day on anything I would go spend more time on the Steadfast in the woods and bumps to check my early impressions since I LOVED it at speed (was truly unreal how much I trusted that ski 3 runs in)
Thanks for your thoughts.
