Thread: Review: Praxis Concept 187

So...I've never posted one of these so let me know if I leave anything out.

Me--5'11", 200lbs, very aggressive skier, like steeps and speed. not too much air though
Skis I've liked: new gotomas, atomic snoops, Rossi s3/7 etc

I am at Breckinridge and surrounding areas for the week was able to make some turns today on these boards. My initial reaction to them was the ease that which they skied on hard pack. It gave me a lot of confidence in the stability and it seemed the faster you went the more stable they got. I took them through a few bumb runs and they did fine (bumbs were still pretty small). Very playful and easily maneuverable. Hopefully I will be here long enough to get some new snow...if so i will update this.

I've never been the type of person that believed in gear making you a better skier, but I have to say , these skis made everything so far easier. So we will see. Let me know if you have any questions.

Pray for snow!!

Evan.

So can you provide a comparison to the S3 and S7?

Originally Posted by teddyi

So can you provide a comparison to the S3 and S7?

It felt a lot like the S3 on everything I mentioned. As far as comparing it to the S7, I haven't had a chance to ski them in deep snow yet, where hopefully they will shine much like the 7.

Did you mount at the line?

Yes...mounted on the line. Because of the funky dimensions of the ski (some reverse sidecut underfoot) I don't know if I would get to crazy with the mount position.

excellent. i've been pondering these, do you have any pictures of the sidecut profile? maybe looking straight down the edge or something? also, while i'm requesting, might as well throw some camber pics in there too. pretty please? good to hear they're a fun ski, thinking about some 177s for EC trees.

Check out my pics in the Praxis 10/11 thread. That'll probably show what you need. Although I think the camber profile might get a tweak...

Keith is now marking a line -- and on this particular ski, he seems to think the line probably is the right place to be given the ski's design. Based on Keith's comments, I mounted mine on the line. I put a few groomer type trial laps on them the other day (too low coverage for me to be banging around with new toys). Feels like the right mount spot to me. The skis feel light and balanced. Relative to what I've used recently, they are more stiff and springy. Very sure footed. First impression is they are pretty sweet. Don't want to say more until I get some more time on them..

Exactly what I thought spindrift

a soft snow review would be great, if and when possible.

Thanks for the tip spindrift. I've seen that thread before but I guess I didn't get far enough into it. Also the graphics look nuts, I'm on the fence right now between digging the crazy symbols and bright colors, and just overload. kinda wish they were more of a katana/goat-esque camber profile, but what do I know.

EDIT: i just realized what your avatar is, sweet.

Soft snow follow up....
Well we had 3" last night and another 4" today. These boards had a surfy feel in only 5-7". Very playful and easy to scrub speed. Very maneuverable through tight trees and overall easy to go fast. I really hope to get these on a few runs after a dump to confirm what i think they will be like awesome. I feel like because of the versatility of these skis I think I can say that these are true one quiver ski. Seriously try these boards!,,

very nice. i'm curious to find out how the reverse sidecut underfoot performs in deeper snow. would love a comparison to the s7.

BUMP... more praxis concept reviews please

Due to complaints by some whiner named kidwoo, time machine mode is being invoked.


Context: Me = 6'1" & 210 pounds. Mid fifties. Middle of the road skier. Get in +/- 75 days a year. Not "aggressive". Don't huck, etc. Am a rocker fan.

Note that I come to the party with a definite Praxis predisposition - so while I'm calling it like I see it, feel free to factor that in.

Concept review - the icon version:

The longer version: The Concept works. Strangely (or not), it combines the handling of a reverse sidecut ski with the handling of a conventional sidecut ski. Easy to say. More interesting to ski. It skis a surprising range of conditions with "confidence". And with a bigger bag of tricks than I expected. That tiny bulge has a bigger impact than I'd have imagined just looking at the ski. Or maybe I just have an overactive imagination…

It is a big winner in terms of what I was looking for. My new every day "go to" ski. It is incredibly sure footed & predictable. Not hooky. It does both drifted and carved turns on firmer snow - depending on how you enter and manage the turn. The drifted turns are not the same as skidding a more normal ski -- more of a stable reverse ski type thing minus the splits. Nimble ride in deep soft snow. Mounted on the line, there was no tip dive at all in conditions where I saw lots of that stuff going on. A bit less surfy/slarvy in deeper snow than I'd prefer - using skis like Praxis Powder Boards & Pontoons as a reference point. I have not had them out in windbuff - where IMO reverse skis shine. But I am guessing they will do super nicely. I have not had the Concepts out in heinous conditions either...

It is the ski I'll pack this year if limited to one pair for a couple week trip to wherever. IMO it easily qualifies as a modern "one ski quiver". Fine fun for a groomer day. No sadness if it is what is on hand on a big day. It is not as slarvy as a full on powder ski. It is not as carvy as a conventional carving ski. But it is way more than a mere compromise between the two. It covers a huge range of conditions with confidence in a way I like.

I think Keith designed a serious winner

Thumbs up!

I'm super curious about what kind of experience/reactions other folks are having. Post 'em up...

War and Peace Edition: <redacted>

Happier?

Aw man.......I wasn't actually annoyed or anything.


I just wanted to use that picture.

Great review Spindrift. Glad I saw the pre-redacted version earlier today. Un-redact it, please. Sounds like a great ski. I wish I had seen a review like this a few weeks ago - this would have nailed it for me. I ended up buying a pair of I-Rocks, but they look pretty solid too, can't wait to get them out in some decent snow.

so it sounds like a capable one ski quiver....

Does it fall into "swiss army knife" stereotype?
Meaning: It is good at everything but not great at anything.

East coast review, no powder. 100% man made snow in various stages of composition; freshly blown, days old and groomed into submission, skier buffed hardpack, and finally some wind blown and drifted fresh stuff. – Will update with powder impressions when possible

Me - 6’1” 210, middle aged. Think I am younger than I am.
Mounted on the line. Other Praxis, powderboards and pow RX, are mounted at end of recommended range, 105.5 and 104.5 respectively. Think I wish the Rx’s were further back.

Quick review: It’s a winner. Just need some more time (and powder) to see how wide a swath this one ski quiver really cuts.

Little more detail: First impression was skating across a flat to the lifts, I tentatively pushed off and quickly found myself in the normal skating rhythm. As I realized how ‘normal’ these were acting, I tried to push off with the front and back of the ski to see if there were any funny blips. None found.
First run, I took it easy and started by sliding some turns, and feeling them out for the anticipated split or funny twist due to their shape. Never found one. I was able to spin them and effortlessly slide them very much like the powders. But, when I needed an edge it was there with a flick of my leg.
Tried to really carve them, and found them to act like any other wide ski on the real hard pack. They required some effort to keep on edge and carve. As I took them onto softer and softer snow (well by east coast standards) the carving became much easier and confident. I definitely felt them respond to the softer snow, and really felt them hook up. I will need to see what they do in real powder, but have a feeling it will all be good based upon spindrifts powder review.

The ski was real receptive to changing the turn and slipping into and out of edging in the softer snow. I can’t say I had them to full speed, but I did not have any tip chatter or negative feelings. You are fairly centered on the ski, but I did not feel any difference in turn initiation between standing over the center or driving the tips to carve. Really interesting considering I could then also effortlessly spin like a top on them.
On another positive note, the graphics do not look as brash on snow.

AddEd content:
Have added a couple pow days to the review, none super deep, but the days have ranged from 4" primarily in the woods over a rain crust base to 20+" mostly on trails (as at the time the woods had no base). Overall real happy with the skis and performance. As has been said, they don't slide like the powder boards, but in tight trees at speed are super maneuverable, and easily able to shut down quickly with no tip or tail hooking. Lots of confidence skiing over a firm base, where the skis float nicely, slide and allow the edge to engage when needed.
In deeper snow, I did have a little difficulty in deep wind-affected drifts, stuffing the tips, but I'm not 100% sure it wasn't an issue of my size or just me, at that point I wished the ski was longer. I feel certain the powder boards would not have had the same issue. Otherwise in powder they were fun.
As the days wore on and the powder was tracked and packed, the skis handled the tracked and variable snow real well, and this is where they really shine, being able to ski well as the conditions changed from powder to packed powder. I hesitate to say charged, as you would an LP, since as the conditions become firmer, they begin to feel more planky, but they handled the crud with confidence, and as long as there was soft snow underfoot kept a good head of steam with no issues.

Bottom line, real good in a wide range of conditions. A good contender for a one stick quiver out west, pretty close in the east except for that ice thing. I won't take them on a cat/heli trip or an epic deep resort day since I have powder boards for that, nor out on a resort day with packed powder/frozen granular since there are Lp's for that. But for anything in between, and most definitely as the go to woods board, they will get the call. I'm glad I own them.

As a side note on the graphics, they seem to be a hit with the soccer mom set. I've had more than my fair share of conversations initiated by their surprisingly positive comments on the graphics.

Bump to read any more comments, pro or con.

bump i want a pair

Another Review;

About me: 6'2", 200lbs, Based in Japan
Days on: About 15 in all conditions from hardpack to 70cms fresh
Mounted with FKS 18 on the line (I don't think you could mount these anywhere else)


Skis Liked; Unity Hiatt, Praxis Powderboards, Amplid Infrablack, Vintage Seths

Skis Disliked; Hellbents (wheelie world), Armada ANT (tip dive)

Long story short; This is the best AM to PM resort ski I have been on. With all the attention been given to the 112s I can't believe these haven't been getting more tech talk top page time. I haven't been on the 112s but these definitely deserve a little more attention.

The bulge in the sidecut when I first saw it seemed not significant enough to have any real impact but they really deliver what is said on the tin. They can carve on the hardpack and do seem to have the ability to vary the turn radius depending on exactly where you drive the ski but actually where I have been most blown away is in the powder. The early rise tip seems to hit the perfect angle between actually raising the tip out of the snow without actually pushing snow out in front. It also has allowed me to sink back down in the snow like it is '97 without the back seat driving. While it won't slarve like powderboards it does posses some of those characteristics once you have located the sweet spot. It also works really well in chop being stiff, early rise and able to carve. Build quality is the same as every other Praxis.

The main downside to these skis is that they really cannot go switch comfortably. I knew this when I got them but even just landing switch is a real challenge in soft snow.


I still will go with the powderboards if I know I will be spending the whole day in deep snow and the Hiatt is still my powder ski of choice to spend on mini golf days but this year I have found myself on the concepts more than I ever would have thought especially considering how great La Nina has been to us so far this year.

As with any review of a Praxis ski I also need to say how great Keith is. Stand up guy who really cares about the product and making something great. The fact he still struggles to make a decent living out of it is a real shame, hopefully his record this year will help to make up for past problems with deliveries.

Looking forward to what comes out next year....

bump for additions to above review

If all goes well the next batch of 187 Concepts will be ready to ship next week, and lets just say I know were one of the pairs is going.