Thread: Maestro, Tight Shoots, or Shoots

Hey peeps -

Thinking about picking up some Bluehouse's b/c of the super sweet deal on factorydirectskis, and am in somewhat of a dilemma.

My everyday ski is a 186 Stockli DP Pro Plus (the 101 under foot one). That said, I am thinking I might want a more playful dedicated pow ski, but also dont want to get frustrated with lack of chop performance.

If I were replacing my existing ski, I'd likely go with the Shoots or Tight Shoots, but am considering the Maestro. So question... All the reviews of the Shoots/Tight Shoots say they are super stiff and must be skied powerfully, but I wonder if anyone has skied those that has also skied the DP Pro Plus. My guess is they are similar?

And for those of you who like stiff skis like the Stocklis, has anyone skied the Maestro and have a perspective?

Thanks, I realize this is a super specific random question...

For those of us that ordered Maestros a good month ago or so, they should ship this week or next. Several peeps I know including myself have them coming. Don't know anyone on the Shoots though.

If this is still around once skied I will post up, but I also am mainly a snowboarder and getting these to hopefully help me with pow skiing. My 185 Scratches (blk/red stiffer ones) are hard for me to handle unless I am moving fast......and with trees around don't like going that fast.

Or I am doing it wrong.

if you like the Stockli...you'll think the maestro is a floppy noodle.

Shoot is probably what you want...hard charger that still floats.

Thanks SD! Just what I hoped to hear.

Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

Thanks SD! Just what I hoped to hear.

For trees and easy turning in soft snow...they rock.....enjoy.

Skidog,

Thanks so much... Just trying one last time to see if I need a floppy noodle in my quiver, since I am so heavy on stiff and wouldnt mind a pivotable ski...

I havent skied the stockli DP since it was the old grey and yellow one and came in a 201. can't even think of how long ago that was, 5 - 7 yrs ago maybe? actually, now that it think of it, it might not have been been called 'DP' at that time. Asteroid maybe?

the shoots are definitely stiffer, however, the bit of tip rocker makes them ski shorter and be a bit more turny and playful than the old stocklis while still being perfectly willing to haul ass anywhere.

Originally Posted by Skidog

For trees and easy turning in soft snow...they rock.....enjoy.

Just what I want em for!!
Cmon Fed Ex!!

I've got both the 191 Shoots & 189 Maestros. The Shoots are in a way like a 'roided up Pro XXL, they will go fast & not wanna turn. I got the Maestro this year as a playful storm day ski & the jury is still out on them, softer than the Shoots, but still lots o' fun, just different.

I have 191 ANTs & 194 XXls as well, so if you like that type of stiff ski, go with the 191 Shoots. Plus, the new topsheets on the black/green/grey model are tougher than the 08-09 black/white model.

Many thanks, Shoots ordered up. Have never skied the XXL's, though I think they are a tad stiffer than the DP Pro Plus, but the Shoots ski shorter right?

On groomers the Shoots is something like a 175ish cm due to the early rise rocker. Plus the base are really good, did not get a single core shot last season on those skis & did hit my fair share of rocks at JHMR last year.

Nice - luckily I am not super heavy, so this is all sounding super duper.

Should have picked up the Shoots this weekend Bluehouse was doing a Black Friday to Cyber Monday sale for $250 shipped.

Fack, that would have been better, but I still feel I got a pretty solid deal. We'll see.

Wish I had known... serves me right for ignoring the internet lately.

Originally Posted by Altaholic

On groomers the Shoots is something like a 175ish cm due to the early rise rocker. Plus the base are really good, did not get a single core shot last season on those skis & did hit my fair share of rocks at JHMR last year.

Wow you think that short? PErsonally i think much longer actually. the 190 probably skis on hardpack more like a 185. There isnt a ton of early rise.

But im telling ya man...BURLY...you will work on these skis. I am hoping the terrain you primarily ski is wide open. Thats what these shoots like. Ive skied them in trees...and its...ummmm....work...

Enjoy. Bluehouse is a bunch of good people.

FYI, Bluehouse store site appears to be down.

Originally Posted by Skidog

Wow you think that short? PErsonally i think much longer actually. the 190 probably skis on hardpack more like a 185. There isnt a ton of early rise.

But im telling ya man...BURLY...you will work on these skis. I am hoping the terrain you primarily ski is wide open. Thats what these shoots like. Ive skied them in trees...and its...ummmm....work...

Enjoy. Bluehouse is a bunch of good people.

Just ski them for a few days before you decide if you like them or not. I've always said 'the longer, stiffer and straighter the ski, the happier I am'. The first day or so on Shoots, i thought i had made a mistake, but once i got used to them i've been really happy with them.

Took me all of one turn on my first day on my Shoots to fall in love with them. I haven't had a problem with them in tight spots and ski them in trees all the time(my size could be a factor here though) and they most definetly like wide open. Ski them all the time on Sundays skiing with an 11 and 12 year old girls on the lower mountain and they perform just fine. Wouldn't call them "playful" by any means, and they are heavy(BURLY), but in the chop they are the best I have been on.

I have hit a lot of rocks also and while I do have a couple small core shots the bases have been very durable. Topsheets are a different story, but your skis will have different topsheet material(mine are 1st gen).

I did demo the Maestro last year and it was a very fun ski, more on the playful side, and would make a good pow day ski, they are just too short(for me). And if your looking for a pow day ski you may as well step up to the Maven, basically the same ski with 2+ cm in width dims and 3 cms longer(and yes I do realize you've already pulled trigger on Shoots).

Originally Posted by tuco

Took me all of one turn on my first day on my Shoots to fall in love with them. I haven't had a problem with them in tight spots and ski them in trees all the time(my size could be a factor here though) and they most definetly like wide open. Ski them all the time on Sundays skiing with an 11 and 12 year old girls on the lower mountain and they perform just fine. Wouldn't call them "playful" by any means, and they are heavy(BURLY), but in the chop they are the best I have been on.

I have hit a lot of rocks also and while I do have a couple small core shots the bases have been very durable. Topsheets are a different story, but your skis will have different topsheet material(mine are 1st gen).

I did demo the Maestro last year and it was a very fun ski, more on the playful side, and would make a good pow day ski, they are just too short(for me). And if your looking for a pow day ski you may as well step up to the Maven, basically the same ski with 2+ cm in width dims and 3 cms longer(and yes I do realize you've already pulled trigger on Shoots).

Just for the record. I didnt say they were bad in the trees, but surely MUCH more "work" than the Maestro or Maven ever would be.

They are a true ripper for sure...bust through chop/crud like it was there job. Certainly a "comp" level ski

Originally Posted by tuco

Took me all of one turn on my first day on my Shoots to fall in love with them. I haven't had a problem with them in tight spots and ski them in trees all the time(my size could be a factor here though) and they most definetly like wide open. Ski them all the time on Sundays skiing with an 11 and 12 year old girls on the lower mountain and they perform just fine. Wouldn't call them "playful" by any means, and they are heavy(BURLY), but in the chop they are the best I have been on.

I have hit a lot of rocks also and while I do have a couple small core shots the bases have been very durable. Topsheets are a different story, but your skis will have different topsheet material(mine are 1st gen).

I did demo the Maestro last year and it was a very fun ski, more on the playful side, and would make a good pow day ski, they are just too short(for me). And if your looking for a pow day ski you may as well step up to the Maven, basically the same ski with 2+ cm in width dims and 3 cms longer(and yes I do realize you've already pulled trigger on Shoots).

Thanks, yeah, trigger pulled. I had thought about the Mavens, but have heard that they get unfun once things get tracked (especially if you are used to something that powers through crud like my Stocklis). One of these days i'll get a "light playful ski"... I imagine these arent much different in tress from my 186 stockli planks... Either way, Squaw big days will be fun. yay

Originally Posted by Skidog

Wow you think that short? PErsonally i think much longer actually. the 190 probably skis on hardpack more like a 185. There isnt a ton of early rise.

But im telling ya man...BURLY...you will work on these skis. I am hoping the terrain you primarily ski is wide open. Thats what these shoots like. Ive skied them in trees...and its...ummmm....work...

Enjoy. Bluehouse is a bunch of good people.

I could be wrong, that was a guess. It does look like like the early rise has some thing like 15 cm or so of rocker in tip. It depends on what the true running length of the ski is. 175-80 cm is what felt to myself on groomers the last two seasons. I think the skis rule, plus BH is a company that will stand behind the products they sell. I destroyed one of my Shoots in '09 & I got a replacement for free, when I thought I would have to pay for it. Then the '09 model had some other delam issues at the end of '09 & got last year's '10 black/green version, last fall for free as well.

The way they stand behind the skis, made me pull the trigger on 189 Maestros this fall.

Originally Posted by Altaholic

The way they stand behind the skis, made me pull the trigger on 189 Maestros this fall.

Since I am not the rad-fantastic-hardcoremofo skier I went with the 178. Gut decision, but still wondering if I made the right choice. Don't want a 189 ski as my 185s are too large for me. But all the hardcoremofos keep saying go big or go home and that I got a too short of ski.

Gut says stay short, I want to learn to ski pow and have fun while not maching it. Running length on the 189 is only 4 cm more anyway. About the same turn radius.

Hoping I made the proper decision....still second guessing though......arrgggg!

Originally Posted by Buzzworthy

For those of us that ordered Maestros a good month ago or so, they should ship this week or next. Several peeps I know including myself have them coming. Don't know anyone on the Shoots though.

If this is still around once skied I will post up, but I also am mainly a snowboarder and getting these to hopefully help me with pow skiing. My 185 Scratches (blk/red stiffer ones) are hard for me to handle unless I am moving fast......and with trees around don't like going that fast.

Or I am doing it wrong.

Mine shipped on Friday the 3rd, should be here by Wednesday the 8th!

Just got my Shoots, damn that was fast!

Got my 178 Maestros and I love em, well all 3 runs so far.
Yesterday was pretty cooked so not ideal conditions for these skis, but still were a lot of fun. Smearing turns is just like a snowboard, kinda like those text to movies....

For a stiff tail you want SHOOTS, not Maestros. These were softer than I thought, but fun fun fun! Can't wait for a pow run!