187 Praxis Mtn Freeride and 187 XXl Review

[fat yeti]

Me 5'8" 190 lbs
Mounted ad 99 from tip with px15
Boots Head S11 25.5
Ski Resort Snowbird
Current quiver
188 Praxis Protest
187 Mtn Freeride
187 Dynastar XXL

Skis I liked 188 Praxis Protest, 193 Atomic Big Daddys, 176 Dynastar Legend pros (should have got the 186) 173 Icelantic Shaman, 198 K2 Obsethed, 189 Seth Pistols, 179 Seth Vicous, 181 Atomic thug, 185 Huge trouble, Rossi Axiom.
Skis I did not like 193 Nordica blower, Liberty C-Note, Original Scratch BC's, 185 Scratch BC's, 183 Atomic Sugar Daddy's, Dynastar Big Trouble, Ninethward 187.
I like fat skis and I have a purchasing problem. This is the smallest my quiver has been in a few years but I realy like it.
I have now spent two days on both skis and all I can say is wow to both of them. I know there are so many rockerd ski's comeing out next year but I think keith has nailed it. I also hope we don't see traditonal shape and camber go away either.
187 Mtn Freerides mounted at 99 from the tip after reading reviews I decided to mount here instead of going back. First run on these was the Cirque last Saturday at first they felt strange but maybe it was the sticky snow. When I droped into the Cirque I was impressed the tips did not want to dive, I did not feel like I had to lean back as much as I did on the xxl's. They pounded through the chop and were fun to ski, but I was not in love with them. I skied them today and now I love this ski. Last week I also was in new boots. First run today was down the cirque and they came alive in the choped up snow they loved speed and were stable at speed. After a few runs there it was time to hit up Tiger tail first run was fresh and a bit heay these things floated through it better than I thought they did not dive and they would actualy be realy fun on a powday. These skis can very in turn size they are fun in the trees and good in the bumps. Once they pick up speed they like to run but are still easy to control. This skis could eaisly be a one ski quiver, It would be a great billey goating ski and I can see why Kevin has used this in sevral comps. Over all I am more impressed with this ski each time I ski it and can't wait to get some more time on it.
187 XXL This ski was love from the first run, although I dont have a favorite yet between this and the Freerides. The best way I can describe this ski is it's like the Big Daddys but better. This ski is easier to ski than I expected and I wish I would have got them last year when I had the chance. This ski loves speed eats up crud and is smooth and stable carves soft groomers with ease. These were also good in fresh powder, I had to lean back a little but they reminded me of the good old days on the Axioms. This also would be a great one ski quiver and I understand why so many people have this ski. Last year I got the 176 legend pros and realy liked them after skiing them, I wish I got the 186 instead, I am glad I did not miss out with this skis
Overall both great skis I think on softer days the freerides would be better and on firmer days the xxls. Or it might just depend on my mood.
Overall both are fun skis the freerides are easier to ski and take less work and float better, the xxls bust crud a little better and are more fun on groomers. Two great skis

[comish]

You mount your XXL's on the line? You think you could drive the tips of the XXL's in pow if they were mounted -1 or you think you would always have to ride them more centered? How do they compare the the Huge Troubles and the Atomic Thug? Thanks for the reviews.

[kidwoo]

You mount your XXL's on the line? You think you could drive the tips of the XXL's in pow if they were mounted -1 or you think you would always have to ride them more centered? How do they compare the the Huge Troubles and the Atomic Thug? Thanks for the reviews.

I'm not a fat yeti but I play one in bed.

My 187 xxls are mounted on the line and I feel like I can ski all over the tips in anything but really light low water, deep (like over 2 feet) stuff. Even then it's not like I need to sit back on them or anything. They definitely like the tip driving, cigar smoking, aggro scowling approach in pretty much any snow condition up to weightless blower. That big scoop for a tip does wonders. But I'm also 30lbs lighter.

[fat yeti]

I mounted on the line, I think the snow conditons that day may have had more to do with it than the ski. I have to say I like the xxl better than the Thug and the Huge Trouble. They are less cumborsome and they are better in crud, groomers and they feel more natural to me. I liked both the thug and the huge troubles but I feel more comfortable at speed on the xxl and the mtn freerides. That said the other two skis were easier to ski and to less work to ski.

[slashy]

Yeti, which molding do you have on your MTN freerides ?

[fat yeti]

I have the recurve profile

[avacadotoast]

Hey Fat Yeti, care to do a direct comparison of the 187XXL to the Rossi Axiom?

So far Axioms are my favorite skis EVER (although the 185 Praxis may overtake it) - the mankier, wetter, chunkier, nastier, gooier, chalkier the snow the more I like them (conversely in drier deeper snow or dust on crust is where they don't do so well - but that's where my praxis rule). Even coral as long as there is a texture (and not smooth firm) axioms are my favs. Now the ONLY thing I wish that was different about them is I wish they were a tad more quiet in the chop - more 'supple' would be the best way to describe it - less bounce over the rough stuff. This is where I was thinking 187 XXL.

Your answer doesn't really matter since I already bought some XXLs...but they arrived the day after I tore my achilles so I have until next season to wonder and ask questions. Just curious.

[Jim S]

Can you compare/constrast the Praxis Freerides to the K2 189 Pistol or 179 SV?

[flip]

Hey Fat Yeti, care to do a direct comparison of the 187XXL to the Rossi Axiom?

Your answer doesn't really matter since I already bought some XXLs...but they arrived the day after I tore my achilles so I have until next season to wonder and ask questions. Just curious.

Ironically, I'm coming back from my achilles tear right now and getting my first days on the XXL 187. Skied Axioms for a season and a half and wasn't a huge fan. They were okay, but I didn't find them that stable OR floaty. To be honest I thought explosiv's were better in just about every condition, even powder so I sold them and have been skiing explosivs since.

I love the XXLs. With a weak left leg they work me pretty hard, but I find them far more skiable than the Axioms. Better float, easier to turn but more stable at speed, smoother, will actually carve a turn through the crud if you drive them, whereas I felt like the axioms slid and skipped over everything. You won't be disappointed. 5'8" 165 for reference.

The only weakness is on hard snow they only make two turn shapes - super g carve, or old school slalom slarve. Nothing in between (and still better than the axiom). But those aren't the conditions you buy them for.

[avacadotoast]

Can you compare/constrast the Praxis Freerides to the K2 189 Pistol or 179 SV?

Thanks!!
(Actually Axioms and XXLs are almost identicle dimension-wise - XXL just has a tad more shape and a more progressive flex. Katanas are pretty close too I wouldn't mind hearing an axiom-Katana comparison.)

Flip, that's good to know...only I LOVE axioms. I find them stable and surfy...the mank is where they really shine (where too much shape is hooky). To me they blow away my explosivs and LPs in every single condition - especially mank or crust layers. If the XXL is axiom-esque and gives me some more suppleness to quiet it down in chop then I'll have found my everyday ride. I generally don't like more shape though so we'll see.

[kidwoo]

I generally don't like more shape though so we'll see.

Yeah man watch out. Those xxls are pretty much parabolics.


They're much more straightline friendly and straight than your lps.

I feel like I can ski slow on my lps. The xxls are more work to do that.

Obviously both rule at speed.

You'll dig'em. Really stable and damp.

[fat yeti]

I would say the axioms smear a bit better, however I find the xxl better on groomers and crud. Pow I would say they are equal maybe give the xxl just a slight advantage due to length and a softer tip. Loved both skis i think the xxl is a better all around ski, but both are great would love to ski a pair back to back with the xxl. If I could only have one ski in my quiver it would be the xxl

[Jim S]

I'll have found my everyday ride.

This is hysterical in a very dark way.

[Jim S]

Praxis Mountain Freeride 187cm

recurve

Me 6'2" 190 lbs
Mounted 99cm from tip with px15 for bsl 326
Boots Krypton Pro

Location: Squaw
Conditions: everything this weekend: pow, chopped pow, windblown crust & ice, corn, crud, medium bumps

Off piste everything sans jibbing or big hucks (< 15 footers this weekend)
Groomers to get back to/from the lift/parking lot
No park or pipe

Current quiver
195 Praxis Powder
187 Praxis Mtn Freeride
189 Seth Vicious + 3
189 Seth Vicious + 2
189 Pontoon
190 Explosiv

Pro: fantastic ski for all conditions
Con: none

......just a bit too short for me (or I'm too tall) DAMN!

This ski is amazing. As noted here and elsewhere on TGR http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...22#post2231444 this is a very fun ski. I was stunned how well it rails an edge on groomers and crust yet blows through crud and chop. Despite a 102mm waist, it carves better and turns quicker than any other ski in my quiver above. The slight tip rocker makes it surf the pow and corn beautifully: I got first tracks on Tower 16 yesterday and railed the pow and was going nearly as fast as I could. Wow: morphine + adrenalin....it felt that good. For hop turns or billy goating down some parts of Rock Garden and Enchanged Forest were a piece of cake on this ski.

The flex is perfect: stiffer than my Seth Vicious but not quite as stiff as my Explosiv or older raceroom 186 LPs which I sold.

The Seth is my every day ski: my only issues with it are it doesn't rail the groomers as well as this Praxis or my Explosiv and the Seth's flex is too soft when I billy goat or hop turn down a stair-stepped chute. I feel like I'm in a hamock on the Seth in such situations. For blowing through crud and chopped pow and aborbing the vibrations I looooove the Seth and I can straightline though or over anything with confidence. I like that forgiveness. But that forgiveness is the price I pay in other ways.

The Praxis outshines the Seth in nearly all these areas.

The exception is not the ski per se but it's size relative to this rider: the 187 with a tip rocker feels a bit short compared to my other skis. Duh: it is shorter. But that difference, while only a few cm with a tip rocker, make me lose confidence when trying to mach down steeps... so far. Maybe I need to spend more time on it. I tried it back to back with my 189 Seth and 190 Explosive and that extra bit of length makes a big difference to me. Maybe a better skier would not be bothered by it....certainly a skier with a slightly smaller stature would not. But I definitely prefer the overall temperment of this ski to my Seth or Explosiv.

If the Praxis Mountain Freeride came in a 190 - 192cm it would be end game, slam dunk, shoulder to the mat 1-2-3! I even emailed Keith about making a longer model but no go: he's got enough on his plate to say the least. BTW I got an email response from him the very next day on a Saturday.

In short, damn the cliche, these could easily be a one quiver ski . More likely for this crowd, you could have one dedicated pow ski --Praxis Powder, Pontoon, Kuro, etc--and the Praxis Mountain Freeride and be stoked to the nth degree.

.

[Jim S]

I just got done skiing Fat Yeti's freerides. Wow, that is a fun, fun ski. History on me:
Current quiver:
185 praxis powders (love them)
1st gen ANT's (pretty happy with them)
1st gen Big Daddies (really like them)
182 Solomon Foils for the park (love them)

Me: 5'10 165# raced growing up, but pretty mediocre at it. I like to ski pretty fast and make longer radius turns, enjoy airs, bowls, trees and long walks on the beach.

The day on the skis: I only got a few runs on them, I would really like to spend a full day on them. We did a couple of mid-cirques (Fat Yeti was pretty protective and didn't want me wrecking them, so mid-cirque is what I got). First think I noticed was coming around the corner on the cat track onto regulator was they railed on scraped off, icey (for Utah) groomers. I came into the top of regulator with a fair amount of speed, did two GS size turns and was really happy with the grip. I came into the regulator side cirque traverse with a fair amount of speed and the skis felt as stable as the ANT's or Big Daddies ever do. I was able to make quick turns to navigate the motocross secton of the traverse with little effort. We dropped in at about mid cirque. It was chopped up, but still soft. I hit a small air off the top (about 10 feet) and the skis felt really solid on the landing, much better than I would expect a 187 to feel. They felt so solid that I didn't really feel a need to ditch speed out of the air and cranked about three or four turns down to the bottom. I could not stop grinning at the end of the run, they were so fun. They felt light and poppy, but also pretty dang stable. I did a few 180's on them and a 3, they were really easy to spin on. I want this ski. It might be interesting to see what an aditional 5-7 cm in length would do for it, but as is, a great ski.

.. These are not skis for the masses, they are skis for the guy (or girl) that is looking for something unique. ... I am still grinning about how much fun I had on the freerides today.

,,
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[fat yeti]

Jim I am gald they went to a good home. I guess I just couldnt get these things down and loved the xxl and protests more. They have tail rocker as well. They are the recurve version. Hope you keep enjoying them. I think next year a pair of Mtn Jibs will be in my quiver.

[Duffman]

Anybody think the MTN Freeride would work OK also on the ice coast as a nearly daily driver? For those of you who have skiied this and any of the popular mid 90s-100 waist skis, a la Mantra, Gotama, Enforcer, or even a Bro, how does this compare? Especially curious if the shorter running length from the recurve camber would make this a handful on real hardpack or icy spots.

[Sphinx15]

Nope - it's fine, it skis short and won't rail like a fully cambered thinner ski obviously but it is still more than fine on the EC hardpack. It's my everyday driver and I really like the pivotability in the trees - not as quick as the powders but they're still real nice.

[Snowash]

Anyone have the ability to compare the Praxis Freeride 184 with a Icelantic Nomad 181 ?
I'm looking for something that can float okay but, most importantly, looking for something that won't let me down in tight (technical) situations in the High Sierra (East Side) where the conditions are variable at best and sometimes technical in couloirs, chutes or tight trees. I'll put dynafits on whatever I pick so I don't mind a bit of extra weight in the ski in exchange for better ski performance. Any other recommendations ?... Line Prophet 100?... Mantra ?... Thank you for the guidance !