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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    The Mank Ski Thread

    Recent late season storms in Tahoe and warm temps have left a manky snowpack off-piste. And by manky, I mean 12" or more of wet HEAVY snow, the kind that can tear knee ligaments or break bones. Luckily, I have a Billygoat, which makes this type of snow manageable, but I'm not sure I would call it fun.

    This got me to thinking, is there a better ski than the BG, something which makes skiing mank fun? Thinking a wide full reverse/ reverse ski, which unfortunately I have never skied.

    This is besides, of course, the Praxis Rx which is the answer to any ski question on TGR.

  2. #2
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    Jan 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nevada29er View Post
    Thinking a wide full reverse/ reverse ski
    Nailed it.

    Powderboards make pretty much everything fun. I've never skied a BG, so can't compare at all, but I've had the PBs out in up to 12" of mank and they've been waaaay better than anything else I've tried in those conditions. Sidecut sucks in mank.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    Spatulas were ideal-> skinny enough and heavy enough to cut thru slushy bumps with total ease

  4. #4
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    Aug 2011
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    panhandle locdog
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    I like a slightly wide ski that is stiff with minimal sidecut and I'd probably go shorter since longer skis are more work to manage. Taper is good, but pintail is probably bad.

    179 Praxis Rx
    184 Legend Pro 105
    Any of the various 4frnt EHP or Hoji

    Also liberal and frequent wax application is smart. Maybe even rub on wax mid day.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
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    PNW
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    For my .02, you won't do better than a r/r ski. Or in the case of the current Praxis Powderboards - r/r/r. An amazing ski in any soft snow.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    Reno
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    Pintail is good, makes the BG easier to turn than the Governor, which has a flat tail with a little taper.

    Protests should be really good, maybe close to the Powder Boards, I'll find out next year.

  7. #7
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    Dec 2007
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    the Can-Utardia / LMCC VT
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    Pro tip:

    get on it before it turns to mank.

    Drink beer by noon.

    Come back days later once it's corned up.

    Profit.

    All seriousness, protest/powderboar ds are good, they're a little wide if your dealing with cut-up mank, but u get the idea.
    Quote Originally Posted by Hohes View Post
    I couldn't give a fuck, but today I am procrastinating so TGR is my filler.
    Quote Originally Posted by skifishbum View Post
    faceshots are a powerful currency
    get paid

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Big Sky/Moonlight Basin
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier View Post
    pintail is bad.
    Quote Originally Posted by Nevada29er View Post
    Pintail is good.
    Huh ???
    "Zee damn fat skis are ruining zee piste !" -Oscar Schevlin

    "Hike up your skirt and grow a dick you fucking crybaby" -what Bunion said to Harry at the top of The Headwaters

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier View Post
    I like a slightly wide ski that is stiff with minimal sidecut...
    I was just going to jump in to say that I'm getting to know my new Zero G 108s, mostly in mank, and I'm impressed. They just jam right through it. Worth checking out, if you can find them.

  10. #10
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    Sep 2007
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    Schruns
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    EHP. It's so straight it's like a reverse, but you can use the edge. No Pintail so you can still gets tails around.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
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    Wenatchee
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    Are we talking 12"+ of heavy untracked or 12"+ of heavy, wet skied out crud? If the former, I skied just those conditions a couple weeks ago at Stevens Pass and the Armada Invictus was fantastic. Once it got progressively more skied out it ceased to be fun and I don't think any R/R ski would have been fun either. Most people who didn't want to hunt and peck or hike for untracked were done by noon or they stuck to groomed and or smooth snow. MPPG has the right idea for these conditions. This time of year you just have to accept that the powder window is very small.

  12. #12
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    Sep 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nevada29er View Post
    Protests should be really good, maybe close to the Powder Boards, I'll find out next year.
    Took a pair of 177 protests out for two runs in freshly sun baked 40-60cm deep coastal mank a few aprils ago. Freshly fallen untracked knee wrenching deep cement...couldn't find a sweet spot...planky but squirelly, tip divy but thrown in back seaty. Adjusted technique and boot buckling but nothing worked. Just weird. Might not have been the ski; they coulda been just too short for the design. Went back to 178 Armada Kufos for run three and surprisingly they fared much better in the mank; pretty balanced and predictable for short working man turns only; no planing, but they don't feel that great once the mank settles out and becomes shallower ski pen but punchy...tips wander and deflect. Armada Invictus 108, 178s were strong as well; I've got some Declivity 184's ready for a late season dump and sun...they did awesome in just general moist coastal deep snow with mount point back minus 2.5 from recommended....they don't do well in settled punchy moist snow though...tips/tails too soft compared to more supportive mid section is my speculation...but that's why they rule the shallow ski pen to firm steeps; good grip/balance underfoot with no tip/tail hook.
    Last edited by swissiphic; 04-25-2016 at 10:01 AM.
    Master of mediocrity.

  13. #13
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    Oct 2008
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    I wish they had kept the same sidecut and profile on the Invictus 95/95 ti as the 108ti. That would be a killer shallow snow crud ski. Especially the 95ti.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Eburg
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    Answer: Something with ample tip rocker and >110 waist. Turn radius is personal preference.

    Quote Originally Posted by Nevada29er View Post
    Thinking a wide full reverse/ reverse ski
    FWIW, the Icelantic Shaman -- which is the opposite: traditional camber, relatively tight radius, huge shovel, pin-tail -- is a great mank ski, the first of my skis on which I could ski unconsolidated bottomless mush with relative ease.

  15. #15
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    Mar 2010
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    Tahoe
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nevada29er View Post
    ...Luckily, I have a Billygoat, which makes this type of snow manageable, but I'm not sure I would call it fun.

    This got me to thinking, is there a better ski than the BG, something which makes skiing mank fun?...
    Push the BGs harder. They are among the best crud/mank skis I've ever been on, but you gotta let them run.

  16. #16
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    Dec 2010
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    西 雅 圖
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    Agreed. There is nothing wrong with your skis - wax them better and go faster.

  17. #17
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    Sep 2010
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    Golden, Colorado
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    Love the metal Katana for mank. Crushes it.

  18. #18
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    Oct 2008
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    Wenatchee
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    Again, exactly what kind of snow is the OP talking about? There seems to be recommendations here for wet spring snow, isothermal mush, wet powder and general crud. All of these conditions might require a different ski unless someone is using BGor Praxis RX

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
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    SLC
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    Don't be too hungover to bother switching skis from what's already in the car and end up skiing 14" of tracked out mank closing day at Alta on your ~3lb touring sticks. God damn that was no fun.

  20. #20
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    Nov 2007
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    Eburg
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    Quote Originally Posted by AaronWright View Post
    Again, exactly what kind of snow is the OP talking about?
    Good question. OP talks of "12" or more of wet HEAVY snow," which describes numerous snow types encountered throughout the season west of the Cascade crest. The term "mank" as I hear it this time of year usually refers to unconsolidated bottomless spring mush, but maybe that's a PNW thing.

  21. #21
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    panhandle locdog
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    If he's just talking about wet heavy pow, just use whatever is on your feet. Hopefully it's got rocker and at least a little width. Just commit to the fall line and use terrain changes to help unweight your skis if you need to turn/scrub speed.

    Billygoats should work great. Pretty much any of the rockered skis in my quiver work fine for this, just let the skis run.

    I thought he was talking about deep isothermal goo with maybe some sticky pollen mixed in. That shit is in a different league all together.

  22. #22
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    Apr 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big Steve View Post
    Good question. OP talks of "12" or more of wet HEAVY snow," which describes numerous snow types encountered throughout the season west of the Cascade crest. The term "mank" as I hear it this time of year usually refers to unconsolidated bottomless spring mush, but maybe that's a PNW thing.
    I'm talking sierra cement, cascade concrete type of snow. NOT typical cold winter crud, that used to be powder, or spring slush that was frozen before. This is snow that was never "powder" in the first place, and has not freeze-thawed.

    I agree, best thing is to just hang em up and drink beer, wait (hope) for a corn cycle down the road. But, with limited days left in the year, I try to make the best of the conditions, what ever they may be.

    BG is probably close to ideal, just wondering if anyone has found something better.

    Also agree on wax, but that mainly a groomer back to the lift thing.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    694
    Quote Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier View Post

    Billygoats should work great. Pretty much any of the rockered skis in my quiver work fine for this, just let the skis run.

    I thought he was talking about deep isothermal goo with maybe some sticky pollen mixed in. That shit is in a different league all together.
    This!

  24. #24
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    Nov 2006
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    idaho panhandle!
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    R/R ski. I loved my spatula in the type of snow you describe. Put a good spring structure on the base, warm temp wax. Praxis powder boards in 185 would be ideal.

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    panhandle locdog
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nevada29er View Post
    I'm talking sierra cement, cascade concrete type of snow.
    I just ski whatever I got. I've skied conditions like this on pretty much any kind of ski out there - everything from praxis powder boards to cheater GS skis. It just comes down to committing to the fall line, using the turn shape your ski wants and making round gradual turns. Try to maintain even edge pressure through the whole turn. And don't get in the backseat even though your brain tells you that you should.

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