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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    The Chicken Coop, Seattle
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    3,163

    191 Lib Tech POW NAS Review

    Thought I would throw my first review up. Been wanting to try this ski for a long time.

    Me: 6'0", 165. Generally aggressive, but check speed before cliffs, chutes, bumps and trees. Not hucking 50 feet, but I will do 10-15. GS turns whenever possible. Not much switch riding, unless I'm bored by the conditions. Skiing conservatively (read: a little like a bitch) coming off a nagging ankle injury.

    Skis I like: S7, Praxis mtn jib, all versions of the obsethed.
    Skis I like less: Rossignol S5, volkl mantra.

    Ski: 191 Rasta Lib tech pow NAS with demo jesters mounted on the line. 153-117-143, 19m radius.
    Boot: Dynafit ZZeus TF-x with alpine blocks

    Place: Crystal Mountain, WA

    Initial impressions: heavy ass weights for skis. Bomber construction, but boot packing was work with these over the shoulder.

    Conditions: 12" of new snow the previous week, nothing new overnight. Pow via bootpack, trees, chutes, steeps, hardpack, some ice, smaller bumps, lots of variable mank and crud, tracked out conditions.

    General: This ski wants to charge. Checking speed on an icy traverse was super hard work. It wants to hate-fuck the mountain and come back for more. The more aggressive I was, the more rewarding they were. Subtle moustache rocker profile. It's not like looking at an obsethed or the new ghost chant. Early rise tip and tail are modest, not exaggerated. They are not nimble. For making lots of tight turns in tight spaces, this is not the ski I would choose.

    Pow: absolutely sweet ride. No tip dive despite my aggressive forward stance in 12-14" untracked. Rips GS turns down any face. Schmear turns are work, and I took to traversing farther to check speed rather than try to stomp a smear on my gimpy ankle. It wants to be on edge, wants to be engaged. Felt like it would be stable for someone twice my size.

    Hardpack: rips like a mantra. Set it on edge, it engages. I was able to engage the edge with only minimally more effort than I put into my 98mm waisted 2007 seths. I was very impressed with magne-traction. 40mph is too slow. Tip flap is a fictitious myth.

    Ice: still skidded out from under me on a couple of ice patches, but I tend to think that ice is more of an issue of the skier than the ski. If i were healthy and on a mountain I know better, I would approach the ice with confidence on them.

    Crud/Variable: The 153mm shovel helps. Made crud and variable snow feel like corduroy. Lively and stable. They will stay the course once they are on edge and bust right through whatever is in front of them.

    Cornice/10' drop: stable landing pad, really tough to stay in the backseat given their width/stiffness. They want to straightline out of the landing and get back to GS turns.

    Bumps: I'm not the best bump skier, but...yeah. Not the ski I want for bumps. They are do-able. More fun with some fresh filling the trenches, but require a lot of effort to turn quickly on the tops. Lines were hittable, but I would not seek out bumps on this ski.

    Park: wasn't going to happen this day. I suspect the magne traction and bomber construction will give you the freedom to hit every rail and rock you want without wearing the edges out at all. But I suck at rails and they didn't have any ramps built.

    Overall: Shit, man, this thing is pretty versatile. I am skeptical that you'll find something that can match this combination of float and stability on the hardpack. I was expecting the rocker profile to ski short like an S7 or praxis mtn jib, but it really doesn't. It feels like a 191cm ski.

    My 2007 seths are getting pretty long in the tooth. I am considering the 181 for a replacement daily driver. I think that for the east coast, it might be a bit much in tighter conditions, but not enough to keep me from getting it and skiing it there. In the highly variable PNW snow, it was a great choice. I'm actively watching REI/backcountry for a steeper discount.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    PNW
    Posts
    221
    yep...pretty spot on description. Owned these for a good part of the season last year in the 91'. Great stick. Sorry I sold em as I often think about the awesome laps off throne ridge and how they
    just inspired confidence carving windcrust off of upper 'E'. I'm just a flippin ski whore though and will be enjoying my Night Trains tomorrow with no sorrows

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    bestcoast
    Posts
    2,125
    spot on review...I've been on mine since the beginning of december (probably 45 days or so) and love them more and more every time I'm out...wicked ski, and I like supporting local(ish) companies.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    where the hoary marmot whistles
    Posts
    189
    Exactly the review i would have written. Tried them out at demo days last weekend in Whistler, and you nailed it. They dont ski short and are ready to charge. I found they ski alot like my motherships, but had better float.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    bestcoast
    Posts
    2,125
    I think I'd have to disagree on the don't ski short thoughts.....for such a big ski I find them really quick edge to edge, and a joy in the trees....I do have nearly 50 days on mine though, I can see how with just a few laps or a day how it would feel that way though, it took me a bit to get used to the size of them, that being said, for such a large ski, it skis much smaller, in my opinion of course.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Van
    Posts
    794
    bump bump for further pownas discussion. I have just bought my second pair of these skis.
    I skied about 100 days on my last pair, last year was my 23rd year on skis, so I feel I may be able to state that these perform in all conditions.
    These rail the hardpack, like no other fat ski. Magna traction is the real deal.
    Insane float, keeps you centred, no backseat landings (when possible).
    Super fast bases and edges, limited maintenance (I've done nothing more than base stuff)
    They tour like shit, the magna traction is terrible for tracking uphill. Meh. I've managed. My skins also delamed tail, as there is no wraparound edges. Again, meh. Epoxy works.
    They are fantastic in the trees, super responsive, and I totally agree, ski much shorter than a 191 fatty. The edge to edge responsiveness is awesome, they handle chutes with ease, they enjoy the steeps and obviously the powder. They are at home in corn and, if you do the bumps thing, they work, barely.
    I love the advanced tech as well, the mervin guys are pushing the envelope with their R&D and manufacturing.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    California
    Posts
    635
    POW wow (shamwow) or POW Nas??? THese skis are really something.. I bought the 181 since everything else i have is 190+ and I mounted fks 140 on them.. I mounted them - 3/4 of an inch. One word: SICK!!!... THis season Mammoth hasn't gotten shit, the base is barely about 30 inches and it's pretty much hardpack and ice. I have never been on skis that have made skiing on ice and really really beefed up hardpack this much fun. They turn on a dime and the stiffness is perfect. Very stable yet very playful. I think bc I mounted them behind the recommended line, they really run and they feel loose. Which is perfect for me bc it allows you to go as fast as you want yet put on a pivot show. Awesome skis!! THank you again Suprechicken. You're the man!!.. No Seriously thou, you really are!! you've changed my ski life..

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Mt. Baker
    Posts
    1,754
    Been skiing these as my all-round ski for a few years now. Love them! FYI, the factory edge angle sucks. Thye ski WAY better with a 1 degree base and side bevel.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    The Chicken Coop, Seattle
    Posts
    3,163
    I came back them two years later, and after time on my gambits and gpo, I actually sold them. I like them way way less than the longer turn radius sticks. Maybe its having a healthy ankle, maybe its trying and owning a bunch of other rad sticks. but my tastes have evolved, and they just weren't something I would ever grab instead of the gpo or gambit.

    They are an incredible blend of playful and stable. Speed is just normal. They crush variable snow. I have learned though, that I don't really like short radius skis (read <24m or so).

    But none the less, I am still impressed. Fun to see this review resurface. I want lib to make this ski with a 120mm waist and a 144mm shovel to elongate that radius a bit and I would be more into it
    wait!!!! waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait...Wait!
    Zoolander wasn't a documentary?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    bestcoast
    Posts
    2,125
    I actually got rid of my freeride nas, put AT bindings on my older set of POWs and got a new set of POWs with my alpine bindings on them....2 set, one ski quiver, couldn't be happier

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    California
    Posts
    635
    Since all my other skis are in the 26ish turn radius, I kinda like having a pair of skis that are under 20 but every one is different...
    It's funny you say that. I read your review on the GPO and I was thinking about buying this ( https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...-Never-drilled) in 187 but I noticed your review was on medium-stiff flex but this one says medium. Did you customize your ski or did you but factory line?

    By the way, I'm about to buy 12/13 Billy Goat in 186 for my backcountry set up (short tours), should I get the tour lay up or just the regular? What's ur thought?

    Sent from my SM-N900T using TGR Forums

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    California
    Posts
    635
    Quote Originally Posted by SupreChicken View Post
    But none the less, I am still impressed. Fun to see this review resurface. I want lib to make this ski with a 120mm waist and a 144mm shovel to elongate that radius a bit and I would be more into it
    That would be a sick pair of skis.

    Sent from my SM-N900T using TGR Forums

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