Which lightweight surfy pow ski should I mount underneath my FT12's?

[sierraskier]

MOVED

So, I have defected....to some Dynafit FT12's to be exact. Now I need to figure out which lightweight, surfy pow ski I am going to bolt them to. This is going to be my pow-oriented touring setup, so I'm thinking something that is fun, surfy, turny, but not fully rockered. Rarely am I maching huge lines in the Tahoe BC, so I don't see the need for this to be a stiff, big mtn ski. Something that will primarily be fun and turny in pow, but that can tour OK and can edge on the rare occasion it needs to. I'm thinking in the 110-120mm range. Here's what I got so far:

RP112: an obvious favorite, but next to fucking impossible to get and $$$$$$

Armada JJ: supposedly light, turny, surfy, and can edge?

Lotus 120: lightweight, but is it too big/nimble enough?

Praxis RX of Mtn Jib?: light enough? surfy enough? I need to take a stroll down to Keith's shop and fondle.

Lhasa 186 Carbon: not sure if this will be surfy enough...

B-squads?


I am sure this question has never been contemplated before

Suggestions? Feedback? What say you? Fire away!

[brown9]

The banner ad told me to recommend the CRJ... seems reasonable, and a solid homage to CR seeing as you are in Tahoe. If you want ultimate surf, surface one life (I think that's the model), or EP Pro's. The new Night trains are supposed to be lighter.

[sfjakey]

Lhasa. I've found the ski is incredible in ALL conditions, and super light weight. I'm 6-0 180 on 186's

[DAFTC]

You should look at Voile Drifters or Chargers. Very happy w/my Drifters + ST10s, and they fit all of your criteria - too light to be a crusher in mank, but they tend to stay up on top of everything and/but can still edge some.

Relatively inexpensive, made in USA, stupid light for the size, skin well, etc. etc.

[Horu]

^for a surfy, light pow ski that is readily available and cheap- I would go with the drifter in your situation. Also comes in a wide-ish variety of lengths.

[Shorty_J]

NOT squads!

Not turny, not light, super-stiff.

[sierraskier]

NOT squads!

Not turny, not light, super-stiff.

yeah that was a joke.

[sierraskier]

The Drifters did pop up on the radar. Haven't felt em but worried they may be a little large. Similarly, I did just fondle a pair of Bent Chetler's....the shape, rocker/camber profile and reviews I've read about them being playful yet, edgeable look pretty good.

[kidwoo]

I just screwed my FT12s onto some JJs.

I'd definitely swing by praxis and check out the concepts and the RX skis.

[Jim S]

I think the Praxis BC is lighter than the Rx by a few pounds given a similar length.

[butterscotch]

Praxis RX is awesome but neither light (the 189, at least) nor surfy.

IMO, the correct answer is Lotus 120. OR there was some chatter about a Praxis Protest with carbon. That would fucking rock.

[sierraskier]

I just went by the Praxis shop as well and talked with Kevin. They had some BC's and Rx's in there. The BC's are light, but just feel too narrow and traditional for what I'm looking for. The Rx's are are more in the right direction, not very light. Still wan to check out the Mtn Jib when they get 'em.

FWIW, I have a pair of unmounted Protest's, but I am thinking that is going to be my daily resort driver in anything soft (I don't really go out if it's not ).

[axelkeitz]

JJ's in your list are the most playfull! such a fun ski!

[El Chupacabra]

The Lotus 120 is my favorite ski of all time in powder. Mine have Dynafits mounted at the 0 recommended line.

That said, I also echo the suggestions for checking out the Voile Drifter. I picked up some cheap over the summer, but haven't mounted them yet. They are a bit wider than the Lotus, more sidecut, and quite a bit more rocker in the tip.

If you can get some Drifters at the summer sale price ($250-300 depending on whether it was the normal camber or "zero" lesser camber version), I'd go that route. The Lotus 120 will be a lot more $.

[ski whore]

i have jj's with dynafits and love them...tour great (super light for 115mil),SO fun!!!!!!! in pow and ski everything else well too

[sierraskier]

^for a surfy, light pow ski that is readily available and cheap- I would go with the drifter in your situation. Also comes in a wide-ish variety of lengths.

You should look at Voile Drifters or Chargers. Very happy w/my Drifters + ST10s, and they fit all of your criteria - too light to be a crusher in mank, but they tend to stay up on top of everything and/but can still edge some.

Relatively inexpensive, made in USA, stupid light for the size, skin well, etc. etc.

The Lotus 120 is my favorite ski of all time in powder. Mine have Dynafits mounted at the 0 recommended line.

That said, I also echo the suggestions for checking out the Voile Drifter. I picked up some cheap over the summer, but haven't mounted them yet. They are a bit wider than the Lotus, more sidecut, and quite a bit more rocker in the tip.

If you can get some Drifters at the summer sale price ($250-300 depending on whether it was the normal camber or "zero" lesser camber version), I'd go that route. The Lotus 120 will be a lot more $.

Chup, I did read your 120 review... And I know you have skied the Lhasa's as have I, so you are good reference point. Lhasa's are great skis, and super light but I think I'm looking for something a tad surfier (I have glass with Dukes which are fuggin heavy).

I am OK spending a little cash to get the right ski and there are pure 120's out there in good condition ($1200 is straight ridiculous though). Do you find the 120's nimble enough in tight spots, trees, etc? I've read a couple different opinions. Never actually seen a pair...

[sierraskier]

Thanks all for the input. JJ's, Bent's and 120's are sounding like the short list. Keep it coming...

[Navier]

How about the Moment Bibby Pro or Night Trains? Both have carbon this year and are fairly light for their size.

[Long duc dong]

I would consider 4frnt EHP's. I love my 186's, super fun and versatile. They do have rocker, and surf very nicely, but they are not a one trick pony. I use them if it has snowed within the last 4 days. They handle windbuff, groomers, and can even hang if you are in a crusty/wind scraped chute. They are a great compromise between standard camber and super rockered skis.

[El Chupacabra]

Chup, I did read your 120 review... And I know you have skied the Lhasa's as have I, so you are good reference point. Lhasa's are great skis, and super light but I think I'm looking for something a tad surfier (I have glass with Dukes which are fuggin heavy).

I am OK spending a little cash to get the right ski and there are pure 120's out there in good condition ($1200 is straight ridiculous though). Do you find the 120's nimble enough in tight spots, trees, etc? I've read a couple different opinions. Never actually seen a pair...

The Lotus 120s turn on a dime. They're like magic. They'll turn 99% as fast as a Spatula, but are much more stable. Great in tight trees.

FWIW, I have the 190cm, flex 2, bamboo sidewall era. I don't know if the flex has changed from year to year.

The Lotus 120 is more playful and surfy than the Lhasa Pow (196cm version, carbon stringer, is the only version I've tried). The Lhasa Pow is more versatile and better as a one-ski-for-all-conditions type of ski.

[GeezerSteve]

Icelantic Shaman. Cambered but zero tip dive, turny/surfy as hell, relatively lightweight, remarkable pow touring ski and nonpareil for tight trees, wet pow and spring unconsolidated bottomless mush. Yeah, they are short (I'm a big boy on 173 Shamans w/Dynafits) so they aren't popular with the TGR long ski/short dick crowd. But if you've got the big hog swingin' 'tween your legs, it just might be the ski for you.

[peeforward]

i skied my older model lotus 120's and my praxis powderboards alternatively over the past 5 or 6 days in decent to great snow so this is fresh in my mind. lotus are noticeably lighter for big touring days but not nearly as "surfy" as praxis in my opinion. both are mounted with dynafits, skied with titans. praxis have well over 200 days on them, have hit lots of rocks without much damage and are still my favorite skis ever. seldom have issues skinning with them. i love the 120's but often wish i had the praxis when i get to the top or my lines.

[hoarhey]

do you think it's the width or full rocker profile on the praxis pows that make them more fun than the 120's for you.

I have the 120's and find that it's the lack of tail rocker that might make them feel more locked in on turns (versus an S7)

my 120's are the first year ones with the plastic sidewalls (increased tip splay, a hair of camber)

[Ape_Natural]

Sounds like the CRJ/JJ/Bentchetlers are what you are looking for. All of those sound ike they would work well for you.

[bodywhomper]

you said "not fully rockered", which i don't understand. i use lotus 138's for the exact thing you describe; using them mainly for touring in the tahoe area and the wetter western slope. they've been great for me: surfy, noodlie, big turns, smears, milking it on the low angle, fast, slow, etc. i let a friend borrow them while i was growing my family over the late winter/early spring. he's now bought his own pair. his main touring partner is also looking for the similar. i have an older (outdated) model. that little bit of sidecut is helpful (for me) for survival turns on harder snow....

cheers