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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    ...on the ridge
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    noridca blower beta.....?

    looking for some back ground on the blowers, tried searching around and didnt really find what i was looking for. thinking about a pair for daily drivers. they are one with the mega twin tails and i think with the spark plug on them=year or two old just sittin in shop. anybody?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Denver, CO
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    6,866

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    SF, CA
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    821
    Didn't see a review for the 185 so here goes:
    Stats:
    Skier - 5'8", 165#
    Skis - 185 Nordica Blower on the "Ride" line with 997s, 305mm boot
    Locations - Alpine Meadows, Squaw, Jackson Hole, Snowbird, Alta, Solitude
    Conditions - all

    Relevant skis I've ridden:
    185 Praxis pow
    180 Atomic Helidaddy (dynafits)
    180 Explosiv (wizard)
    180 Rossignol Axiom
    170 Nordica W105
    186 LP
    176 Gotama


    The Grades:
    Performs well - Powder, trees, sierra cement
    Performs poorly - crud, ice
    I've owned the 170cm (I know) W105s and have the 185cm blowers now. My bet is that the comparison holds for the longer lengths...

    I expected these to be similar to my W105s. They are not at all similar. In any way. Except that they both say "Nordica" on them. The W105s with heavy, damp, stiff, and consistently stiff throughout. They were very very stable even at 170cm, and smoothed out everything... made chop feel like a groomer. They felt metallic, like a G4. The blowers are softer throughout, WAY softer at the tip, far turnier as a result. They are much easier to ski slow, harder to ski fast, better in the pow, worse in the chop, and don't have that metallic feel to them, despite the layers of metal. The blowers are pretty fun and versatile (don't drive the tips, don't drive the tips), but I'd say they are more like my old seth pistols than my W105s. Because they're pretty damn good in everything, I opted to bring them as my only in-bounds ski to Utah and Jackson for 2 weeks (rather than the Explosivs or Praxis) and they were great in everything.

    They favor a centered stance and a softer boot. They were much easier to ski in my Kryptons than my Course 130s. The softer boot made them feel less twitchy.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Land of Brine Shrimp and Magic Underwear
    Posts
    6,760
    Too soft, and too much sidecut, IMO. Good in tight trees for this reason but nervous at speed. If you like "easy" skis that turn on a dime with out even trying, you'll like them. If you like big damp skis that require a lot of input to drive, you'll hate them. They do not respond well to aggressive input, if you you ski by driving the tips (like you should), they will just fold on you. If they could have made it with the flex of the Enforcer, it might have been a good ski.

    I'm 5'7", 140lbs wet, skiing on a 130 flex plug and I've got the 185s.
    There's nothing better than sliding down snow, and flying through the air

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    ...on the ridge
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    146
    well this is all good, im coming from 189 maden's, they were pretty noodlely, so i was looking for somthing with more burl. when i hand flexed them they deffinitly felt stiffer, but it sounds like that may not be the case. being able to flick them around would probably be good around bridger.
    teh maden's were good through the chop, them almost flowed over it they were so soft. but im looking for somthing fast and stable.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    wherever my car takes me
    Posts
    1,718
    Quote Originally Posted by beaterdit View Post
    Too soft, and too much sidecut, IMO. Good in tight trees for this reason but nervous at speed. If you like "easy" skis that turn on a dime with out even trying, you'll like them. If you like big damp skis that require a lot of input to drive, you'll hate them. They do not respond well to aggressive input, if you you ski by driving the tips (like you should), they will just fold on you. If they could have made it with the flex of the Enforcer, it might have been a good ski.

    I'm 5'7", 140lbs wet, skiing on a 130 flex plug and I've got the 185s.
    Ever tried the 193s?
    Quote Originally Posted by wintermittent
    And furthermore. What is up with turkey bacon? Healthy bacon? Unpossible.
    Quote Originally Posted by snowsprite
    That is like masturbation. People resort to it when they can't have the real thing!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    THOR-Foothills
    Posts
    5,992
    I own 193s and 185s. With two sheets of metal in these they ski groomers really well considering their 110mm waist. They have a very damp, heavy feel, almost like my 192 777s. Maybe that's why I like them. They ski like a turnier 777 that has better float.

    The 193s ski the same, but with a little more of that soft tip out front, they tend to get deflected a bit in heavy crud.

    Both are mounted with 914s for a 295bsl; the 185s on the ride line, and the 193s 7mm back.


    FWIW I'm 5'11", and about 195lbs in full kit.
    Last edited by Caucasian Asian; 09-12-2008 at 06:25 AM.
    It doesn't matter if you're a king or a little street sweeper...
    ...sooner or later you'll dance with the reaper
    -Death

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    Kaz is my co-pilot

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    wherever my car takes me
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    1,718
    I check in at 235 buck naked. Every time someone says some ski doesn't ski in crud very well I usually just plow through it.

    They don't feel that heavy to me either, but I guess at that weight a pound or so doesn't matter unless you going uphill.
    Quote Originally Posted by wintermittent
    And furthermore. What is up with turkey bacon? Healthy bacon? Unpossible.
    Quote Originally Posted by snowsprite
    That is like masturbation. People resort to it when they can't have the real thing!

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