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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    SE Idaho
    Posts
    3,426

    Bluehouse Precinct beta

    Picked up a pair of these. I selected the 181 as I thought the 191 would be too much to tour on. I'm 5'8" and built like a medieval dwarf. Going to mount with Marker Tour 12

    Length 191cm, 181cm, 174cm
    Dimensions 140-116-130
    Radius 27
    Construction Torsion Box Sidewall
    Tail Rocker
    Core Poplar/Carbon Stringers
    Base Sintered Ptex
    Recommended Use Big Mountain, Powder, Touring
    Weight 10 lbs 4 oz
    Manufacturer's Warranty 1 Year Warranty
    Binding Included No
    Flex Stiff
    Running Length 147
    Camber 2-3 mm camber underfoot, Rockered Tip and Tail

    For the 181, 136-112-124 24.3m radius, 137cm running length


    These actually came in lighter than spec'd (website says 2327, must be the 191 length as the dimensions are spec'd for the 191 length. I weighed them at 2030grams give or take a few depending on which ski you weighed. This is good as my first Maestros were something like 130grams different. The rocker pattern is very Armada JJish. Tip rocker is almost identical in profile with the Precinct having just a bit more upturn at the very tip. Tail is also similar but about 2cm shorter than the 185 JJ.

    I flexed these against a few skis I have in the garage. I have a few as does my son and all of his friends, needing work from last years low snow season. These are not that stiff. The closest was again the JJ, these have a linear flex (unlike the JJ, which was stiffer underfoot, but real close in the tips) with the Precinct having a bit stiffer tip but softer underfoot. I'd say these were a 4-5 on Marshals scale and pretty consistant throughout the ski with a slightly softer tip and tail versus the center portion of the ski. Stiffer than the 2nd year Sir Francis Bacon and much stiffer than the Hellbents. Actually the closest flex was some old school Gotamas. These have a nice snappy feel that I'm assuming comes from the popular core.

    These have a touch of camber, about 5mm between the skis, it's not much but I'm hoping it will give a bit more snap to the ski versus the Maestro which I like, but felt dead on harder snow and crud making the Maestro more work in the crud and groomers than I felt necessary. I would like to say I'm a proponant of rockered skis with camber underfoot. I can take or leave tail rocker but a bit of rocker and a stiffer flex and camber underfoot can turn a rockered powder ski into a serviceable all day inbounds ski.

    Length is true to typical ski standards. Just a tick under the 182 SFB and 183 Gotama.

    Finish is better than earlier models, one small dent in the topsheet on one ski, sidewalls are smooth versus earlier vintage but still have that hand built look to them. Edges are thick and consistant although there was still a small amount of release residue on the edges at the tip of one side of one ski. There is structure in the base for once, not heavily done but adequate. Bases are flat when waxed, I'd like to put a day on them before I claim victory on the bases to make sure there isn't a shift once properly flexed. Previous models could require a significant amount of work.

    These have a bit of early taper in the tips but nothing like the original Maestros, Mavens and especially the first generation Monarch which was just weird to ski. I do think they missed on the length, the 174 to 181 length is a good span, the next length up should have been a 187 than a 195 for the big guns. A 187 would have been perfect for me as I really like my Line Prophet 115 in a 186 but sometimes wish for a bit less length with the 150+cm running length.
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    Last edited by cooltsi; 10-07-2012 at 08:18 AM.
    Driving to Targhee

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Denver-ish
    Posts
    963
    Quote Originally Posted by cooltsi View Post
    ... and especially the first generation Monarch which was just weird to ski.
    Glad I wasn't the only one who thought this.

    Thanks for the preview - good to hear that the factory tune is getting better.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Calgary, Canada
    Posts
    899
    Thanks Cooltsi,
    I was thinking about picking a pair of these up but was concerned about the flex. Appreciate the info.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Boulder/Tetons
    Posts
    566
    thanks for the beta! does anyone have experience with the Radius? wondering how it compares to the above-mentioned skis...

    Chris

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2003
    Location
    JH, WY
    Posts
    2,052
    The Radius is just a scaled down version of The Shoots
    Always charging it in honor of Flyin' Ryan Hawks.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    SE Idaho
    Posts
    3,426
    I haven't updated these after skiing them with a Tour F12 and mounted at the rearmost line for a 307BSL. They are not super stiff like the shoots but stiffer than the Maestros. I had the white and green version of the Maestro. I would say they are similar in flex to the later generation districts. I've had several districts. Similar in flex to 2011 Districts (Black with red lamp post or in the shorter length, white with red lamp post). The 176 District I owned had mega camber, not sure if they were defective or what but I didn't really care for it although the flex was good. The 187 I had in the same year was a great ski with very little camber. I would say the 137 running length was really close to the correct running length. These ski very similar to the 185Armada JJ but stiffer in the tip and tail with a bit longer turn radius. They don't ski really that short even with the 181 length.

    The rocker profile is similar to the Maestro but not as extreme and with some camber underfoot which I like. I'd say they really are not like the Maestro on second thought. The 181 rides on groomers much better than the Maestro, skiing longer in that application than the Maestro with a bit of pop the Maestro never had. In my opinion it's a better ski all around when compared to the Maestro. I've found I don't really like reverse cambered skis or even flat skis and I really don't need massive rocker to float my boat. Even prefering to sit in the snow some versus ultimate float although I've never sunk a tip on these. I haven't hit anything real hard on these but I managed to snag a stump or rock at Brighton early season. The edges appear to be of average build but the bases look to be more durable when compared to your average sintered base.

    Honestly it's a good ski and in my opinion the best ski Bluehouse has turned out yet. I wish the length were closer to 185-187 and I think the'd have a winner for me.
    Driving to Targhee

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