East Coast One Ski Quiver Help

[HowieT2]

Ive been on the line prophet 90's for 4 seasons and love them. Btw- i am 5'11" 185. They are coming to the end (have about 160 days on them) so i demo'd the sir francis bacon last week. I liked them as well. I felt that they were really lively and wanted to play. The bumps were soft so i was able to navigate them.
If i were to get the prophets again it will be the 98's but that is because i am looking for a little more float in the powder whereas on the groomers i dont need help.
i plan on trying the blizzard bonafide and volkl mantra. I would try the kastle's as they are supposed to be great but they are almost double the price of the others.

 

[Edd]

I was using the Hardside as a one ski quiver 2 years ago. I was enjoying them very much. My season got cut in half due to injury and, partly because I had a trust issue with the bindings I picked up Kendos last year and now have nearly 2 full seasons on them.

I put the Hardsides back in service last week and skied them 3 days. Today I tried the Kendos again and my personal preference in your situation (50% groomers) would be something like the Kendo. It's got an 88 waist and now comes with tip rocker and it kills it on the groomed and its a blast for me on the ungroomed. Mine is the fully cambered version so I can only assume the tip rocker would improve the ungroomed performance.

For a ski with a 98 waist I think the Hardsides are a decent one ski quiver but last year, when there was no snow, I was really glad to be on the Kendos.

 

[ScottySkis]

Go West for experience.

 

[buellski]

I'm on my second season with the Blizzard Bonafides as my primary ski. I was all set to buy the Nordica Soul Riders last year until I tried the Blizzards. I like the Blizzards so much that, at the beginning of this season, I sold a pair of Volkl P60 slalom race stock skis I had kept for days when the snow was firm. The reason I sold them was because it seemed like every day I had to pick a ski, I always picked the Blizzards, regardless of conditions.

In my opinion, I have found the Blizzards hold an edge well in all but the iciest conditions. I'm not saying they'll carve like a race ski on ice, but they will on just about anything else. Part of that is keeping the edges sharp (I'm fairly fanatical about it). In soft or crud snow, they are phenomenal. Like the OP said, they are a lot of work in the bumps. My only complaint is the top sheets are garbage. A small nick usually results in that area of the top sheet pulling away and requiring epoxy to fix.

Having said all that, I am thinking about buying a more groomer-oriented ski. Primarily because I'm a gear whore :razz:

 

[gmcunni]

My only complaint is the top sheets are garbage. A small nick usually results in that area of the top sheet pulling away and requiring epoxy to fix.

i hate this, i had pair of volkls that behaved similarly. i know the topsheet is meaningless but you'd think after spending several hundred $$ that something you bought would at least look decent. with all the advances in ski tech you think they'd know how to keep a topsheet from needing repairs.

 

[timm]

I like Bonafides, considering adding a pair for my "powder day skis" but for me they are a little too fat and a little too uneasy on ice and hard snow for a one ski quiver for the East Coast. My current quiver of one is the Blizzard Magnum 8.1. 8.1s are very good on hard snow and ice, good on soft (as long as not too deep), very stable, I'm very happy with them. The Magnum 8.0 (no 8.1 for this model year) or 8.5 would either be a great choice in my opinion.

 

[timm]

Volkl RTM 84s would be a nice choice too.

 

[drjeff]

The reality is that for what the typical Eastern skier experiences on most days for the types of terrain that most ski, the 1 ski quiver for best results should be no more than the mid 80's underfoot, with a turn radius in the upper teens and a bit of tip rocker. That set up will keep the typical Eastern skier happy on the type of terrain and conditions that we experience more days than not. And on those softer days, you'll still solid performance

And frankly given the very solid offerings from most manufacturers these days, specific brands and/or models of skis don't really matter too much as they might of in the past as there are plenty of quality offerings in that genre of ski today

 

[deadheadskier]

The reality is that for what the typical Eastern skier experiences on most days for the types of terrain that most ski, the 1 ski quiver for best results should be no more than the mid 80's underfoot, with a turn radius in the upper teens and a bit of tip rocker. That set up will keep the typical Eastern skier happy on the type of terrain and conditions that we experience more days than not. And on those softer days, you'll still solid performance

And frankly given the very solid offerings from most manufacturers these days, specific brands and/or models of skis don't really matter too much as they might of in the past as there are plenty of quality offerings in that genre of ski today

That was my rational in going with my Fischer Motive 84s last season especially knowing I would be skiing very little at areas averaging 250+ inches of snow for a few seasons. 80% of the time I'm happy with them.

 

[ScottySkis]

I love my Dynadstar skis, they became rock skis this year because if fun exploring, still great ski.

 

[mikestaple]

Line Prophet 90s. Love them on and off piste. Really good in crud.

 

[gmcunni]

I love my Dynadstar skis, they became rock skis this year because if fun exploring, still great ski.

which dynastar do you have?

 

[ScottySkis]

which dynastar do you have?

You think a p-t person like me would remember that me to, anyone seen by brand of ski I forget, their only 400 new three years ago. Became rock skis 3 months ago, but still using them in all snow conditions.
Legend, sitting next to them in car now.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Line Prophet 90s. Love them on and off piste. Really good in crud.

Have to agree. Very confidence inspiring.

 

[skiking4]

For one-ski east coast?

Those things are almost 110 underneath!

I was wondering what the response was for suggesting that.
Rumors and reviews say the Sir Francis Bacons skis great in hardpack and holds an edge extremely well. Very playful ski too.
I'll probably get it next season, to make a 3 ski quiver consisting of Volkl slalom skis for pure groomers/bumps/ice, Rock skis in my shitty K2 Apache Raiders, and soft snow and all around skis in Line Sir Francis Bacons.

 

[Terry]

You should try the line prophet 98's. I think you would be pleasantly surprised at how well they ski on hardpack, and moguls. I have the prophet 100's which is the same ski only older and solomon xt800s and go to the lines 98% of the time. If I could have only 1 pair it would be the lines. PS. I demoed the 98s this season just to see how bad my 100s have gotten and was surprised that my 100's still ski pretty well even though they have well over 200-250 days on them. If you get forward on them, they will carve some awesome turns even on very firm snow. Just gotta learn to trust that they will hold.

 

[Cheese]

You should try the line prophet 98's. I think you would be pleasantly surprised at how well they ski on hardpack, and moguls.

They advertise early rise and a soft tip for easy float. On hard pack you want a tip that's stiff and always pressing hard (traditional camber) into the ice. If the tip is rising early or is soft enough to bounce, it's lost it's ability to keep the edge in the snow.

A mogul ski will be ~165cm in length with a 65mm waist. The line would probably be in the 180cm length and they're 98mm at the waist. A mogul ski is also soft (foam core) and the Line advertises a stiff tail for turn finish. I'm going to assume that they'll get through the moguls if you can keep the wide stiff tail in check but this is not even close to the tool for zip lining at 2-3 moguls per second.

I'm sure it's a great powder, crud and tree ski but it's design doesn't match the models for ice or moguls. IMO

 

[BenedictGomez]

A mogul ski will be ~165cm in length with a 65mm waist. The line would probably be in the 180cm length and they're 98mm at the waist. A mogul ski is also soft (foam core) and the Line advertises a stiff tail for turn finish. I'm going to assume that they'll get through the moguls if you can keep the wide stiff tail in check but this is not even close to the tool for zip lining at 2-3 moguls per second.

I'm sure it's a great powder, crud and tree ski but it's design doesn't match the models for ice or moguls.

I have Line Prophet 90s, and while they're my recommendation for an all-mountain ski, if there is one area where they dont shine, it's moguls. They're 179s, and okay in moguls, but not at home. IMO I do not believe there is such a thing as an all-mountain ski that is TRULY a great all-mountain ski and is TRULY great in moguls, regardless of ski manufacturer marketing spiel.

Give up length, give up stability. Increase length, decrease quick turnability. Decrease underfoot/sa, decrease float. Increase underfoot/sa, decrease ice hold and side2side, etc....etc...etc....

Everything is a tradeoff.

 

[timm]

IMO I do not believe there is such a thing as an all-mountain ski that is TRULY a great all-mountain ski and is TRULY great in moguls, regardless of ski manufacturer marketing spiel.

Give up length, give up stability. Increase length, decrease quick turnability. Decrease underfoot/sa, decrease float. Increase underfoot/sa, decrease ice hold and side2side, etc....etc...etc....

Everything is a tradeoff.

Agreed -- every ski is about compromise. "All Mountain" is just looking for the least compromise across the board, biased towards what you are most likely to encounter on a daily basis.

 

[Glenn]

Demo the following:

Volkl Kendo (I love em)
Line Prophet 90
Blizzard Bushwhacker
Rosignol Experience 88

That was my shortlist.

I don't care what anyone says: 100mm+ banana skis aren't good unless you're skiing in a decent amount of fresh. Snow guns do not count as "fresh".

:lol: