What powder touring ski?

[hoarhey]

see telelebowski's and bobcatsig's reviews on exit worlds, same as bibby tour

[Wetdog]

Anyone used Praxis Ullars as a touring ski?

I have a pair mounted with Salomon Guardians which are mainly for near resort tours. I like them so much I am considering an UL core version with Dynafits for a BC powder ski.

[dschane]

Carbon Praxis RX is going to be my next pow-touring ski. I'm sure there are better shapes for pure pow, but it's really nice to have something with a traditional shape for when conditions aren't quite as nice as you had hoped.

That's what I've been using and it's all-around capabilities are impressive. Likely going for that again in 184 this spring.

[hoarhey]

Here's a sweet one

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...-FS-187-UL-GPO

[Fritz]

Anyone skied the Bibby Tour yet? Does it ski similar to the normal Bibby? 1800 grams per ski in the 184 cm length has me considering it for a powder touring ski.

I'm curious about this as well. I mostly tour on the 2013 vintage 190 bibby pros for shorter pow days (<5k) and they are incredible minus the weight. Like them way better than the pure lotus 120. So much more versatile.

[bovine]

I recently picked up a drilled pair of 191 Volkl v werks Katanas and put a pair of G3 Ion 12s on them(mounted on the line).
Weight-wise, the skis weigh a touch more than my 181 Voile Chargers ( 8.8 lbs for the Katanas).
Today I did a short tour with them. Skinned in about 2 miles and went up to tree line on a north facing aspect. I broke trail through 11" of dry fluff.
At tree line the snow had a slight wind crust on it. I dropped into an avy path. First few turns were in the wind crusted snow, then on into light, consistent powder through the trees and at lower elevation, got into some sun crust on top of some old tracks.
The skis felt great. They were really predictable, powerful and as turn-able as I wanted them to be.
They're not the lightest ski for touring, but for the surface area these 191s give me, I'll take the extra weight.
With my pack I'm pushing 200 lbs and the extra length of the 191 felt really good.

[Vinman]

I'm also looking for a new powder-oriented touring ski. I ordered up a pair of 186 Voile V8s but, after flexing them was leery of the soft as a warm turd flex. I push about 200#s with my pack and want my skis to be able to float in the pow, but also power through wind crust and variable conditions when needed. I'm still skiing my 181 Voile Chargers-quite a bit stiffer than the V8s. I'd like more surface area- a bit more length. I like a cambered ski with slight rocker.
I'm looking at the BD Carbon Megawatts, but am concerned that they'd be too wide for a daily Nov-May touring ski here in Colorado.
How does the G3 Carbon Empire 115 ski?

Ideas?

My UpSlope model might come close to what you are looking for.

http://www.whiteroomcustomskis.com/i...xoticskis-com/

http://www.whiteroomcustomskis.com/2...ne-gear-guide/

There's a coupe more reviews of this ski on my site if you scroll thru the news and testimonial sections.

[meepmoop24]

I'm curious about this as well. I mostly tour on the 2013 vintage 190 bibby pros for shorter pow days (<5k) and they are incredible minus the weight. Like them way better than the pure lotus 120. So much more versatile.

Based on the reviews of the older Underworld that I read (thanks for the tip hoarhey) it seems like the Bibby Tour skis similar to the normal Bibby.

[meter-man]

Anyone skied the Bibby Tour yet? Does it ski similar to the normal Bibby? 1800 grams per ski in the 184 cm length has me considering it for a powder touring ski.

see telelebowski's and bobcatsig's reviews on exit worlds, same as bibby tour

I'm curious about this as well. I mostly tour on the 2013 vintage 190 bibby pros for shorter pow days (<5k) and they are incredible minus the weight. Like them way better than the pure lotus 120. So much more versatile.

I have both 190 Bibbys (13/14) and 190 Exit Worlds (14/15) now known as the Bibby Tour.

Weight is about 2050 grams/ski, so definitely on the portly side for a touring ski. But the swingweight feels much less than that -- very nice and easy to get around. I believe this year's Bibby Tour is lighter but I haven't weighed them myself.

They are a perfect travel hybrid resort/touring ski. They ski variable chop and crud really well, powder pretty well, and can still handle firm steeps just fine. They are not as good in pure powder as my Protests, but they do everything else better. I've taken them on yurt trips, single day tours, and will do a week in a Canada hut on them -- perfect for all of those. I think of it as a powder touring ski but that can still blast challenging snow you're likely to encounter when touring (wind press, wind jack, wind funk, refrozen, corn (oops, not challenging), chickenheads etc). And they are just awesome for hucking.

As compared to the Bibby...it's hard to discern much of a difference (...but I do have STH on the Bibbys and Kingpins on the EWs...and different boots too...), but my general impression is that the regular Bibby is slightly stiffer, heavier, and better in crud/variable. Pretty close though.

[teledad]

Looking for a softer turny pow touring ski for the wife - she likes the 178 Rossi S7 inbounds but it's pretty heavy for touring. 176 Voile V8 is an obvious option, any others?

[hoarhey]

178 S7 is 110 mm underfoot.

How about the 105 version of the star7, pretty lihjt

Savory 7 or soul 7

[LightRanger]

Looking for a softer turny pow touring ski for the wife - she likes the 178 Rossi S7 inbounds but it's pretty heavy for touring. 176 Voile V8 is an obvious option, any others?

BD Helio. DPS?

[zion zig zag]

I ended up with the 186 Voile V8. I've got about 6 days on them so far and I really like them. I love how quick and nimble it is in tight places and bad snow but it also has the ability to make bigger turns. They seem really center mounted at the recommended line but it seems to work.

So after more time on these I'm not sure that they are the perfect ski for me. I still love the fact that they are so quick, but sometimes in the alpine I want to open it up a bit and let them run and they feel like they start to get a bit squirrelly if I'm not turning them tight.

So I'm kind of looking around at options. Looking to stay 185ish in length, might want to dial back the width to the 110 range, want to keep weight around or under 1800 grams per ski. Would like a ski that is good in pow as that would be the primary objective, but can hold an edge on hard or funky snow. Ability to smear turn shapes in the trees but not be so washy that it won't carve a bit. The Praxis MVP looks good on paper but may be a bit stiff for me at 165 plus pack?

[skialpy]

I just retired my v8 for the reasons you describe and mounted up some blizz zeroG 108s. Skied them in dust on crust a couple days, I can tell they don't flap and hang up the nose like the v8 and have more rigid tail. They won't play in the deep pow trees like the v8 but I think that's an ok compromise to ski some bigger lines with confidence.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I'm going to unload some newer lime green hybrid 186 Lhasas (drilled for Jesters and Beast 16's) and some 188 Skevik Loken 108's (with inserts for NTN and holes for Kingpins, reusing insert holes for front toe holes) if anyone is interested. Both are around 9 lbs/pair. Both are very sturdy skis for the weight. Both drilled twice with not many days. Thinking $225 shipped for Lhasas. $200 Shipped for Lokens. Could include a pair of G3 skins cut for Lhasas (would also work for Lokens) for more and possible the Beast 16's.

[hoarhey]

1800 g per ski is 8.0 lbs/pair (not trying to be a d*&k)

too bad keith didn't make the skinnier GPO's in lengths longer than 175.

187 GPO at 111 UL would have been around or just under 8 lbs, I imagine...

Now with 10 mm custom option you'd have to go 106 mm

[bodywhomper]

fwiw, my r1 version dps l138 at 192cm came in at about 8.8lbs for the pair.

[zion zig zag]

I just retired my v8 for the reasons you describe and mounted up some blizz zeroG 108s. Skied them in dust on crust a couple days, I can tell they don't flap and hang up the nose like the v8 and have more rigid tail. They won't play in the deep pow trees like the v8 but I think that's an ok compromise to ski some bigger lines with confidence.

I've heard that they can punish you if you get lazy? I can get lazy towards the end of a long day and don't want my skis to be a handful. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on that.

Any thoughts on the G3 Synapse 109? The full on rocker concerns me. These skis would be used for finding soft snow with a soft snow focus but how do they handle occasional hard snow you find in the alpine?

Volkl BMT 109? Specs look good. Can they turn in tight trees? Are they drive or die type skis?

I wish there were shops around that had more AT ski demos.

[GeezerSteve]

Musings after 3 days on 193cm V8s: Very different ski than the 186. 193 skis way bigger, less twitchy, more fun for me.

This is weird: Quite different mounting point per factory guidelines. Compared to 186, the 193 has 6cm more tip but only 1cm more tail.

(Note that I whacked off some tail to facilitate kick turns, didn't seem to change skiing characteristics.)

I'll prolly double post this on the V8 thread.

[adrenalated]

Looking for a softer turny pow touring ski for the wife - she likes the 178 Rossi S7 inbounds but it's pretty heavy for touring. 176 Voile V8 is an obvious option, any others?

Check out the ski reviews on 14erskiers.com - Brittany is an S7 fan, so reading her reviews of various touring skis might help.

[toast2266]

Took some runs on a Blizzard Rustler 11 the other day. I'm pretty sure they're coming in under 1900g for the 188 length, which is impressive for a ski that has some metal in it. It's easy and smeary, but still holds an edge on hardpack just fine, and doesn't completely fold up in choppy snow (although the lighter weight keeps it from really being a charger).

I only skied it inbounds, but it seems like a pretty solid option for a powder tourer that would also see some lift served use.

[tuco]

So after more time on these I'm not sure that they are the perfect ski for me. I still love the fact that they are so quick, but sometimes in the alpine I want to open it up a bit and let them run and they feel like they start to get a bit squirrelly if I'm not turning them tight.

So I'm kind of looking around at options. Looking to stay 185ish in length, might want to dial back the width to the 110 range, want to keep weight around or under 1800 grams per ski. Would like a ski that is good in pow as that would be the primary objective, but can hold an edge on hard or funky snow. Ability to smear turn shapes in the trees but not be so washy that it won't carve a bit. The Praxis MVP looks good on paper but may be a bit stiff for me at 165 plus pack?

Toors light. 184cm. 108 underfoot. 1500grams per ski. Made in SLC

[zion zig zag]

Toors light. 184cm. 108 underfoot. 1500grams per ski. Made in SLC

Hmmm...pretty interesting: http://blistergearreview.com/gear-re...ory-toors-lite

Any personal experience?

[tuco]

Hmmm...pretty interesting: http://blistergearreview.com/gear-re...ory-toors-lite

Any personal experience?

I have The Chairman and a set of PFD's, both unmounted as of yet because I'm debating bindings and nursing a knee injury. I own/owned 3 pairs of ON3P's, and I would put the build/fit/finish on par with what they are doing(obviously I can't speak to their durability yet.
They are downtown, see if you can demo directly, you either gotta e mail them or just go in to the shop

[goldenboy]

Check out the ski reviews on 14erskiers.com - Brittany is an S7 fan, so reading her reviews of various touring skis might help.

I was thinking the same thing since Brittany loves the S7. For easy skis, she likes 2 of the skis that were quickly mentioned- the Helio and the Voile.