Thread: Black Crowes Nocta vs. Megawatt & mx128?

Damn.

[firstworldproblems]

So. Looking to replace my amplid cholesterones. Ok, skis,but the sticks are bottom feeders for being that wide (125mm). stiff tip etc...

Basically had it sorted down to bd megawatt & kästle 128 (188&190). 125mm in the middle, 40m/ish radius & charger type of ski with big rocker front & smaller rear.
I am a fan of the large radius skis and have disliked the s7/jj type skis the time I have tried them. ok in soft but in crust/crud/windslab they are too nervous for my taste.
Me,180cm/74kg, likes lp105 & im103s...

But then comes in nocta. Got to handfuck them and got really impressed. Solid construction & feel. But with 18m radius.. Initially seems very JJ like...duh...with the same designer and all.
Saw them live last weekend at Roldal freeride comp & peeps were really charging on them. Heard some talk that peeps really liked them.


Soooo, any mags got to ski them?? Apparently verb have skied them in the shorter model? care to compare to other sticks? Spill it out! Especially scandi mags, bring it on how they fare with the euro snow. Am I stooopid even thinking I would dig the sticks?

Yes I've skied noctas in 176.... And didn't realize it, so they definitely don't ski short. I'm not sure though they are the type of skis you'll like, I've felt them quite close to S7. Didn't y consider the bodacious?

if you decide to go with the MX128, i have a pair that i could probably part with.

one mount (solly).
three days.
pristine.

I only had a brief ski on the Megawatt, but the impression I got was that it felt like the kind of ski you are looking for. I hated the S7, but felt like the Megawatt was a lot more solid. I would happily buy a pair if I was looking for that kind of ski.

Sorry I cannot compare it to the others.

Originally Posted by verbier61

Yes I've skied noctas in 176.... And didn't realize it, so they definitely don't ski short. I'm not sure though they are the type of skis you'll like, I've felt them quite close to S7. Didn't y consider the bodacious?

Did you take the nocta up to the speed & what kind of snow did you ski it with? How similar was it to S7? Hooky on hard? I personally would go with the 188s, the 176s would def be too short for me.
I am a little bit torn, as I know I would love the megas & mx128s, but really would like to try something new, more jibbier and playfull. Especially now as I have the lp105s as my to-go ski for
fast & hard snow skiing.

Thought about the bodacious for a while, but the are "too narrow" and "too lp105ish"... I am trying to broaden the gap between the hard<--->soft snow skis.

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

I am trying to broaden the gap between the hard<--->soft snow skis.

In Norway? You can buy my dps 138s. Great skis, but they don't get enough snow-time

/end shameless threadjack

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

Did you take the nocta up to the speed & what kind of snow did you ski it with? How similar was it to S7? Hooky on hard? I personally would go with the 188s, the 176s would def be too short for me.
I am a little bit torn, as I know I would love the megas & mx128s, but really would like to try something new, more jibbier and playfull. Especially now as I have the lp105s as my to-go ski for
fast & hard snow skiing.

Thought about the bodacious for a while, but the are "too narrow" and "too lp105ish"... I am trying to broaden the gap between the hard<--->soft snow skis.

tried noctas on everything but deep pow. They run smoothly, but feel soft, easy and relaxed like the S7. Mebbe a bit less hooky than S7, but imvho that is just a matter of tuning.

I skied the megawatts for two seasons. Nice enough ski in pow at speed and when it gets wetsloppy. A bit of a one trick pony, but I guess any 120mm waist ski is. Tortionally, there is too much ski there to be foregiving in less than ideal conditions. You may want to consider something in the 110-115 waist range for an all conditions ski.

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

Especially now as I have the lp105s as my to-go ski for
fast & hard snow skiing...

......I am trying to broaden the gap between the hard<--->soft snow skis.

Originally Posted by powder11

You may want to consider something in the 110-115 waist range for an all conditions ski.

Nope. Dont want a all conditions ski. I want a pow ski that can handle the occasional harder snow,wich is inevidable here in erup.
Thats why I have left out the reverse-reverse kind of skis, like praxis pows/dps138s out of the game.

Powder,did you ski the white chainsaw version of the megas or what? Have you tried this years version that is supposed to be quite a bit stiffer?

I haven't skied them, but of all the Kastle models, I'd say the Mx128 get some of the worst reviews?
But I do like my Mx108's, which is more an all in one ski.

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

Nope. Dont want a all conditions ski. I want a pow ski that can handle the occasional harder snow,wich is inevidable here in erup.
Thats why I have left out the reverse-reverse kind of skis, like praxis pows/dps138s out of the game.

Powder,did you ski the white chainsaw version of the megas or what? Have you tried this years version that is supposed to be quite a bit stiffer?

yeah, I had the white ones. I don't think you want that ski any stiffer. As I said, I thought it was too stiff tortionally to ski anything but soft pow without feeling all chundery when it gets cut up. Personally, with some of the designs in the 110-115 range, I don't see the need for a pow ski of 120 under foot. It's just not necessary. Unless you will be skiing nothing but deep pow, the negatives far outway whatever gain you might get. Just my opinion of course and lots of people ski 120+ skis, so I think it all boils down to personal preference.

Slight thread jack, but I just got the word that The Nocta will be coming in a ~195 length (or a very similar ski in that length)

Very excited, may need to start saving.

Originally Posted by Shredhead

I haven't skied them, but of all the Kastle models, I'd say the Mx128 get some of the worst reviews?

Noctas got the editors awards on powdermag and mx128 won the pow ski category on FriFlytt (and couple other euroskimags?) so apparently good skis both.
Totally different though..

btw...nice vid from black crows..

^that dude with teh green goggles has a sick POV down the Mallory at Cham. Shit your pants style.

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

Noctas got the editors awards on powdermag and mx128 won the pow ski category on FriFlytt (and couple other euroskimags?) so apparently good skis both.
Totally different though..

btw...nice vid from black crows..

Damn, sick video, that is what you call effective advertising:

- pow
- cliffs
- floaty 360's off cat track
- moguls
- GS turns on groomers
- butters/jibbing

Originally Posted by gramboh

Damn, sick video, that is what you call effective advertising:

- pow
- cliffs
- floaty 360's off cat track
- moguls
- GS turns on groomers
- butters/jibbing

Pretty sick. Wouldn't expect much less from julien though. He did ski moguls for france in nagano.

Originally Posted by skibum_jr

Pretty sick. Wouldn't expect much less from julien though. He did ski moguls for france in nagano.

Yep, amazing skier and it's cool to see him in some big alpine descents in Cham in some vids he has posted on his vimeo.

Huge mistake for Armada to drop him from their team a few years ago I think.

I know it's not on your list, but I find the 190 Bibby Pros to be the perfect soft conditions offpiste ski for Austria. Stiff enough to charge, playful enough to piss about, incredibly versatile when the snow gets funky. Even pretty fun on piste, as long as it's not boilerplate. Happy making turns of all sizes (bigger radius than jj/s7/etc), lots of float. Whitedot Redeemers get good reviews too...

Originally Posted by coldwater

I know it's not on your list, but I find the 190 Bibby Pros to be the perfect soft conditions offpiste ski for Austria. Stiff enough to charge, playful enough to piss about, incredibly versatile when the snow gets funky. Even pretty fun on piste, as long as it's not boilerplate. Happy making turns of all sizes (bigger radius than jj/s7/etc), lots of float. Whitedot Redeemers get good reviews too...

Thx. Thought awhile about redeemers, felt quite similar to cholesterones that i had. I know that i Would be happy with that kind of charger ski , but decided that is now time for something completely different!

So, ordering noctas and mounting them with inserts,dyna+duke...

I have tried the Kästle and the Nocta, as an powderoirneted everydayplank Id go for the Nocta. I skied them in Åre in really shitty conditions and I was surprised how nimble yet stable they felt.

But for a powdaychargethefuckoutofanyline type of ski, Id pick the MX128s. They really have the tank feel when you are on hardpack, but as soon as they get 10cm of fresh they become a tonne of fun!

So noctas it is.
Picking em up next week.

But,where to mount? Did you guys ski em on the line or what?
Will mount them. With dyna/duke inserts, so one or the other will have to be mounted for/aft.
Was thinking that maybe mount dynas 1cm back or so, as they would the deep pow setup & no jibing/dicking
would be done then.

Anyone?

skied on line and was happy with that...

Originally Posted by Meathelmet

So noctas it is.
Picking em up next week.

Woohoo! Enjoy em mate!

First day on the sticks : F.U.C.K.I.N.G Y.E.A.H!

Ok, not anything remotely like pow, but corn fiesta & slush-a-thon. Dig the skis sooooo much. Will write a review when I get few more days on the skis but goddammit, I love the skis.

New planks, happy man.
Be sure to come back with an in-depth review, ay?
Btw, who was skiing them in Roldal?