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  1. #1
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    PM Gear 184 Carbon Bya prototypes (A Tech Talk TR)

    Over the last three days I skied the PM Gear 183 Carbon Bya prototypes.
    On Friday afternoon when I picked these up from Splat they looked like two of my favorite skis, the 179 Bro Model and the 186 Lhasa Pow had gotten together for a night of passion and the result of this was their offspring the Bya. (photos later, of the skis, not the night of passion.)
    I couldn't wait to try these, so I drove up to Boreal for some night skiing...

    (The tips look Lhasa-like)
    Even though the snow changed texture every few runs from mank to creamed corn to setup corn, they handled everything...

    My first impression was that I was impressed. They also really railed and were stable at speed...


    I looked forward to taking these out on more varied terrain and longer runs the next day at Kirkwood.

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    Before heading up to Kirkwood I took some family photos of the skis.

    179 Bro, 183 Bya, 186 Lhasa:

    ...tips...

    ...bases...


    They railed on the soft corn on Monte Wolfe...

    ...and cranked through the mank in Eagle Bowl...

    The more I skied these the more impressed I was.

    Next, Heavenly...

  3. #3
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    Yesterday, Sunday, a couple of my friends and I skied at Heavenly with Splat.
    It was colder overnight, so I got to see how the Bya handled firmer snow in the morning. They have great edgehold and as I mentioned before, they really rail.
    They are a versatile ski that is easy to turn. I thought that my friend Han, who I'm guessing might be around 5 feet tall on tip-toes and barely three digits on the scale, would be too light to handle the Bya. Splat thought better and Han tried the ski. She loved it...

    ...I do too. I want a pair when they go into full production.
    The only negative was having to give the skis back to Splat. I hope that many of you get to demo the proto Byas.

    FYI, I think that these are the dimensions: 130 tip, 99 waist, 113 tail. (Edit - correct dimensions are 130 tip, 98 waist, 115 tail - my first guess was close)
    Last edited by Vets; 04-15-2014 at 08:18 PM.

  4. #4
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    They look great although I'd prefer to see the rocker height halved to give a longer running length.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spyderjon View Post
    They look great although I'd prefer to see the rocker height halved to give a longer running length.
    I spoke to Splat about the possibility of backing off on the rocker a bit. He might also tweak the tip of the ski in some other ways. I'll let him chime in on this.

  6. #6
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    I was rather amazed the Bya worked for me and worked for Han. She is half my size, both weight and height. This ski was a project done by my French intern this season. I have been skeptical of the long thin tip he put on it but was amazed at how it railed the piste. Flat out fun, any turn shape size screamer that really likes to go fast. Even with the nose hanging in the air a bit, it hooked up nice on the hard stuff and didn't flap. Got a mag in CO who bought a pair and will put his .02 in on it sometime soon. He got some pow time on it, feedback of which is appreciated. 130/98/115, Vets.

    Now, with your photo above, I see what you mean as the Bya seeming to be the bastard stepchild of the 179 and 186.
    It's also the shortest radius ski we've done at 25 meters.

  7. #7
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    First post on TGR, and I'm glad to provide a great review of Pat's new ski the Bya. I have been skiing the Kusula all season to this point. I have Beasts on both pair and Mercury Boots. I had all the tech details from Splat, but the proof is on the snow.

    But first, to try and follow the Tech Review Format:

    Me: mid 50, former full cert. PSIA level III Nordic instructor. Done a bunch of Backcountry/Mountaineering trips. Used to Alpine Race, Nordic Race, and now into SKIMO. Race Bikes in the summer: Road, Track, and CX.

    Skis: Kusula with Beasts,
    Bya with Beasts,
    Huascaran with Radical St
    DY.N.A with Speed Superlites
    Cho Oyu with Speed Radicals
    Shamans with NTN Telemark

    Boots- AT : Mercury
    PDG
    Tele - Scarpa TX Pro

    First couple of days were on hard groomers. Took a bit of playing around with the stance, but once I got that dialed, as Vet and Splat have said, they just trenched the groomers. The Tip did not bounce at all, while the midfoot and tails drove through the turn. They could handle the big GS style turn, as well as down the fall line slalom style turns.

    Sunday afternoon and through the night it just pounded and when I got to Loveland, CO, there was about a foot of firm powder. Not the real light Colorado style, but a heavier, wind blown powder. I did not quite get first chair, so there was a bit of chop to work through on some lines. I could watch the Tip working, much like the front shock on a Mtn Bike. It was not enough to through me off of my stance, but it would work to lift the rest of the ski up on the softer snow. A really cool concept.

    I was able to get up to the Ridge when the lift opened later in the morning, and was able to get a fresh line down Patrol Bowl, around a 40deg face. Once again the tip was working to get the ski up and on top of the softer snow. I felt like the ski really wanted to rip a short quick line right down the fall line. But being new to the ski, I opened-up the turn, more like a GS style. I was able to really float in the true 3D snow.

    One thing that I have noticed is that it likes to ski fast. Both on the groomers, and down the face of Patrol Bowl in 12 inches of fresh.

    All in all, I feel like it is a great all mountain charging ski, that has a tail strong enough for the Piste, and with the tip articulation, it will float in the deep 3D stuff.

    and of course it is just my $0.02

  8. #8
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    Truckee Joe will be skiing the demos in Mammoth this weekend.
    If you see him, ask to take them for a spin.
    Got a pair with a minor sidewall blem if anyone is interested.

  9. #9
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    I feel like these were designed to rip this mammoth corn, and if you run into some mashed potatoes they just eat that also.
    4 Time Balboa Open Champion

  10. #10
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    Weight?

    I just bought a pair of Grand Tetons, but this seems like the perfect touring ski if light enough. It sounds like the GT with a good bit more rocker in the tip.

    I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...
    iscariot

  11. #11
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    Might not be all that light, as they are hybrids, not pure carbon.
    I'll weigh those blems today.

    1900 grams per ski, hutash.

  12. #12
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    Not bad for a hybrid. Any plans for a pure carbon? Any guesstimates on weight?

    Might just have to try them if I make the mini.

    I agree it is a constitutional right for Americans to be assholes...its just too bad that so many take the opportunity...
    iscariot

  13. #13
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    I skied Vet's stage two BYA's today. Coming off of my JJ's made a radical change. I had to work them. They wanted to be driven. Trying to feather them thru a turn, they said 'No I want to rail thru this'. Handled better at speed. I was not successful at tight turns. They were glued to the snow. Rails.
    I want to try them again after the edges have lost some of their knife edge and they are able to slarve at will. I am used to skis that have volcanic stone grinds on the edges.

  14. #14
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    As mentioned above by powdrhound, I was fortunate to be able to purchase my own pair of Byas. My pair is a reverse camber version unlike the demos which have camber.

    First and second impressions of reverse camber Byas.
    First impression: Bya = freshly sharpened Ginsu knife. Other skis = dull butter knives.
    It has taken a little getting used to having what feels like constant edge contact under foot. However, these skis really rail. (BTW - my first day on these was yesterday at Kirkwood which served up post-powday mank on crust. I later did a slight detune on the tips and tails to allow easing in and out of turns.
    Second impression: They still really rail, but now that I'm a bit more used to the ski I felt more comfy and confident in bumps and trees. (BTW - my second day on these was today at Squaw, which had snow that was stickier and had more obstacles than Kirkwood. However, the snow felt less variable/more consistent.)
    I'm looking forward to trying the Byas in other conditions. Actually, two opposite ends of the spectrum, firm groomers and soft deep pow. I've got a feeling that these skis will excel at both.

    The Bya feels like a high performance sports car. These skis really like to go fast.

  15. #15
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    I had the pleasure of riding these all last weekend at Mammoth and i will say that these could be the best all around ski I have ridden in a while. I usually ride 193 cochise or the bodacious as my everyday skis and these skis are a replacement for both. I really liked the large rockered tip, in the heavy mank that tip allowed me to stand up and drive though any shaped turn, they felt like they were on rails in most conditions i experienced on a mammoth spring day. As others have stated the skis are really stable at speed, even with that large tip I didn't find any conditions that the ski wouldn't bite and hold the turn. I really like stiffer tails on my skis and these had tails that you could really lean on and feel confident that they would hold the turn without washing out, that stiff rear end also allows you to pressure the back of the ski while straight-lining though the crud.
    I was on the 184 and for my size of 6' 215lb i like about 10cm longer for some of the higher speed runs, but the shorter ski really did well on the steep chutes and they turned really quick. The skis felt very light and balanced on my feet, at first I rode them at -2 because i wanted a little more length in the front, but i was having a hard time getting them bite into the turn so the switched back to the recommended position and never went back. I would love to add these to my quiver as an all mountain charger, hell i cant wait to ride these on a powder day because I think that tip shape has the potential for fun nosebuttering in colder pow.

    My Gf rode them for 2 quick runs and she thought they felt very light on her feet and that the turns were very smooth and stable, more stable than her Sambas. She was smiling and really enjoyed her runs on the ski.
    4 Time Balboa Open Champion

  16. #16
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    Joey - I have one nice pair left if you want them. I think they're 0 camber with a slight sidewall blem and the green tops like these:


  17. #17
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    Nice graphics Splat!

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    Graphics and ski design were done by Francois, the dude in the pic. The Bya (means bird in french) wants to ski like Francois designed them to ski. Dude ripped the shit out of the Mammoth wrod off the gondy down Cornice when it was icy on a pair of Kusalas. He went all the way to the edge of what the Kusalas could do on that snow and then pushed them a little further. I like the way these French guys rip and totally relate to what Francois was aiming for.

    The Bya has proven itself to be a railing carver on piste and a floater in the pow. Got positive camber and reverse camber versions on the snow til its gone. Waiting to hear how the reverse camber did for Vets at Squaw today...

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by splat View Post
    The Bya (means bird in french)
    Oiseau?

    123.

  20. #20
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    That's what he said...

  21. #21
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    Bya Bump
    Made a last minute trip with EastCoastPDR to The Patches yesterday (6/19) and made it into a BC/patchskiing Bya demo day using two different versions of the Byas - with camber and without camber.

    We skied three patches - the "Right Patch"/"The Patch" three times, one run on the "Left Patch" and one run on the "Center Patch."

    EastCoastPDR on the "Right Patch":


    As you can see we had preferred parking.

    Vets:


    EastCoastPDR on the "Left Patch":



    Vets:

    The suncups and runnels were smashable.
    Byas made the task easier...


    Easy to turn with a rockered tip rising above the suncups.

    Still looking forward to trying these on a real powder day.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vets View Post
    Bya Bump
    Made a last minute trip with EastCoastPDR to The Patches yesterday (6/19) and made it into a BC/patchskiing Bya demo day using two different versions of the Byas - with camber and without camber.
    So how differently did the two versions ski?
    'To quote my bro
    "We're not K2. We're a bunch of maggots running one press at full steam building killer fukkin skis and putting smiles on our friends' faces." ' - skifishbum '08

    "Adios Hugh you asshole" - Ghostofcarl '14

    believe...

  23. #23
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    'To quote my bro
    "We're not K2. We're a bunch of maggots running one press at full steam building killer fukkin skis and putting smiles on our friends' faces." ' - skifishbum '08

    "Adios Hugh you asshole" - Ghostofcarl '14

    believe...

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by BaNosser View Post
    So how differently did the two versions ski?
    Both have outragous edgehold, want to carve quick turns and love going fast like a high performance sports car. The version without camber feels like it's always on edge on packed snow and is a little better dealing with soft smashable suncups. The version with camber is easier for me to slarve and skid when I don't want to carve.

  25. #25
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    ^^Thanks mang!
    'To quote my bro
    "We're not K2. We're a bunch of maggots running one press at full steam building killer fukkin skis and putting smiles on our friends' faces." ' - skifishbum '08

    "Adios Hugh you asshole" - Ghostofcarl '14

    believe...

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