Thread: black diamond kilowatt advice

Hoping someone here will have some advice or be able to point me in the right direction.......


I have a pair of 2009 black diamond kilowatts, 185 cm, mounted with fritsche freeride pros. I am 6'2" 190 lbs and a moderately aggressive skier. I have skied the set up a few times with my garmont endorphins and have felt very out of control on each trip. The skiis seem to take tons of power to turn which is the opposite of what others have said about them. This is my first at set up and im looking for comments/ advice about how to improve it.


thanks,

try Tech Talk

Well, you have a binding with no lateral rigidity, and your technique might suck. It might be because of soft boots and (reletively) short skis. where do you ski usually? At 6' 2" and 190, you should probably be on something a little longer. Even if you ski in tight trees at a small area. Reason being that when you try to use the ski, you are just over powering them or sinking in the pow (especially if it's dry) and on top of that your bindings are sloppy. And who knows if your boots fit right or are stiff enough.
So, the combination of all three may also contribute to back seating.

Even if you are not, I doubt you have a very stable set up. Hence your lack of control.

When I demoed the 175 Kilowatt from that year (I'm 5'8" 165), I didn't care for it because it went straight-straight-straight then "bam" it would turn. The next wider offering (Verdict) actually responded more progressively to turn input. Check to see that the tips are not railed, but I have a feeling it's the ski.

I had the exact setup and was very unhappy with it. Experienced the same feeling. The first turn after a tour was always the most difficult. My biggest complaint is the fritschi height. I don't like being three feet off the deck. I felt disconnected from the ski.

Where did you mount them?

Two options I suggest:
1 swap the skis for Mantras or something with similar dimensions but a more robust system (course the mantras are like submarines "dive, Dive, DIVE!"
2 swap the bindings for some Plums or Dynafits - I did this and am much happier

Originally Posted by Skirotica

swap the skis for Mantras or something with similar dimensions but a more robust system (course the mantras are like submarines "dive, Dive, DIVE!"

This!! I spent a season skiing 185 Kilowatts and didn't really like the stiff, unforgiving nature of the ski. I bought Mantras the next season and they are a damp, predictable and a much more useful ski. Much more fun and stable than the Kilowatt.

Another agreement to ditch the Fritsche's - they're flex and flimsy. Dukes or Dynafits.

cross posting in tech talk. Thanks for the advice.

I had the brown Kilowatts with Freeride plusses. I liked the stiffer flex, but was never really enamored with the ski as a touring ski. I am 6'-4" 225+. They were heavy and not really lively. I actually liked my older Ten ex and R Ex skis more even though they were much narrower. Now I have some stiff carbon Lhasas at 116mm underfoot with Dynafits and am much happier. I would like like a pair of narrower skis for steep hard snow tours though.

Originally Posted by Skirotica

I had the exact setup and was very unhappy with it.

I demoed the Kilowatt with fritschis and also didn't like the combo. Personally, I like sidecut. I bet the OP does too. The Kilowatt doesn't have much sidecut, so it either likes to go very fast, or it takes a lot of energy to turn.

Go demo some other skis. You can easily switch your fritschi bindings to another ski with more sidecut at some point in the future. Good luck.

I don't think it's the bindings. I liked both the Havoc and Verdict of the same year mounted with Freerides. Despite the hype and awards I suspect the Kilowatt is a dog.

Originally Posted by gregL

I don't think it's the bindings. I liked both the Havoc and Verdict of the same year mounted with Freerides. Despite the hype and awards I suspect the Kilowatt is a dog.

That was my understanding, I have 2 versions of verdict and I like em

I skied the bejeezus out of my baby-poo brown 'watts (175's). I didn't like them for the first three days, then I de-tuned the tips & tails, learned to ski them and have loved them in pretty much every condition for ~150 days worth; front-country, bowls, back-country etc. Sadly, they are near death. I free-heel. They did feel a bit out of control in those first three days and I remember saying to people that I was worried I bought a dud ski, so I somewhat understand the OP's complaint. However, I think you just need to get used to the particular characteristics of any new ski.

Some people hate the 'watts for the stiffness, but that's why I liked them. I also have Verdicts (180's) as well (blue, 2009) and notice that they are not as maneuverable in bumps as 'watts but the V's rock the bowls on a pow day with the extra size.

My $0.02 is that you get a half reasonable ski and learn to ski it ... YMMV

If you like sidecut in a ski like that, get Enforcers.

Seriously.