Ride Impressions

Powder

Let’s be clear…this ski is a powder tool and a quiver ski. Its true purpose is bottomless pow, and there is no doubt those specific conditions are where they shine and are most suited to be ridden. If you already have a daily driver and are looking for a versatile powder tool upgrade, these skis should be high on your list to consider. Unfortunately, I was not able to test this ski in limitless, fluffy, effortless pow. I was able to take them out on a fun East Coast style pow day with 7” of new creamy snow in a 48-hour period, and rode them in all available terrain types including untouched pow stashes, tight woods, open glades, fresh snow on top of dense corduroy, bumps, and everything in between. Without question, they were most fun in the deepest stashes and provided the ability to slash and smear on demand. The entry rocker made turn initiation effortless, and I immediately felt comfortable making turns of all types and sizes from the moment I got off the lift at the top of the resort. Focusing on the powder, they struck an excellent balance of playful and fun, while the metal underfoot still provided reliability and stability to punch through hidden obstacles in the woods underneath the fresh snow and inspire confidence. I found myself grinning broadly right away as they just felt “right” for my experience and riding style in the terrain and snow conditions I was in. Without thinking partially through the first run, I opened them up and they did not let me down. They reacted exactly as predicted as I slashed through trees and tight hand cut “chutes” in Stowe’s famously dense woods. In new untouched snow, these are FUN SKIS, and I cannot wait to take them to the Wasatch or interior BC to really put them through the wringer and test them in the snow conditions they are designed for. That said, they have absolutely earned a place in my East Coast quiver for the deepest days of the season.

Non-Powder

Keeping in mind that these skis were designed for deep snow, are 114mm underfoot, and have a 24m turning radius in the 186cm length, I was impressed by the relative ease of turn initiation, tracking, and exiting of the skis. I found them to be surprisingly more versatile and predictable than I originally expected prior to skiing them. In variable and tracked out day-old powder conditions, they busted through crud well without feeling like I was riding a bucking bronco or having to ride in the back seat to get through tricky sections. The camber underfoot does what one would expect, and although these will not lay over and carve railroad tracks in the snow, with active and conscious skiing I was easily able to make them track as expected, bust through bumps along the way, and ride down groomers on the way back to the lift without any unexpected surprises. The metal layup in the skis does what I expect it to and prevents the dreaded “wet noodle” feel of some soft dedicated powder skis when not in the steep and deep.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆