? ANT or Seth Viscious or Gotama ?

**PeachesN'Cream** · 10-13-2005, 11:11 PM

I have yet to see a whole lot of depth regarding the ANT. Mostly comments like "they are the shit" etc... not much more. Yes I searched. Who has skied them and what do ya think?

So here is my deal. I'm 6'3" 220lbs. have a strong race background, know how to turn a ski. Ski big mountain tho groomers and general ripping around will happen on this pair of skis too. I live and ski in the PNW (Alpental is home this year, will ski Baker and Crystal a bit tho too).

I have skied Seth Pistols for the past three years. Destroyed both of my pairs last year (one pair broke in front of the toe piece, the other pair compressed both edges on one ski). I have a love letter and both pairs of skis into K2 hoping they will hook me up with a pair of Seth Vicious' but no idea if they will.

Assuming K2 won't hook me up I'll be ski shopping. The ANT, Vicious and Gotama are all possible choices.

Leaning away from the Gotoma as the 190 is a pretty small 190 and I just don't dig Volkls (even tho everybody seems to love them). Toward the Vicious cause I am familiar with the feel of and like K2's. Toward the ANT cause it's got a nice stiff flex, full twin, tho not a lot of sidecut (which i am used to with the pistols).

And your thoughts are....

Thanks in advance.

Mr. Flow

Z · 10-13-2005, 11:16 PM

I'd say go stiffer than all you're current options. 6'3 220lbs, race background!?! Definitly stiffer. Big Daddy, Legend Pro, supermojo, something like that for sure.

Im skiing big daddy's and im 6"3 180 on a good day. Im friggin stoked on em, you seem like the perfect candidat for something big and stiff

**iggyskier** · 10-13-2005, 11:52 PM

I'd go with the vicious. You've skied the SP for two years and liked it. SV is suppose to be a little stiffer and wider, so nothing wrong with that.

The ANT is gonna be sick, but I don't know if I would want it as a everyday ski. Due to its stiffness it will probably be a lot of ski on crappy days or days where your legs aren't feeling great. On certain days I bet it would be a dope ski, but as an everyday ski I feel like the Seth Vicious is gonna be more practical.

**Poacher** · 10-14-2005, 02:20 AM

If your used to pistols go Vicious,however your pretty big you might have more fun on a burlier stick. I like my 189 Vicious's but I am 5"7 170. god forbid you can only have one pair of skis the Vicious is a good choice for all mountain fat even if you are tipping 200 + you already like that K2 feel.

**snwbdrhoon** · 10-14-2005, 07:02 AM

don't think the vicious will be stiff enough...

i was going to suggest Sumos??? if you can find a pair of Motherships Titanium (rather than the flite) the extra stiffness would help...

SuperMojos are a good thought... or may be even the Salomon Gun Labs or AK Rockets?

**PeachesN'Cream** · 10-14-2005, 10:40 AM

i really want what ever i choose to be a twin. not cause i'm all jibby but it's fun to screw around switch in the flats and on terrain. ok really i just like to cover people with my snow roost

i'm starting to think that the vicious will be a good call. yeah it's a little soft for somebody my size but i'm used to being able to whip my skis around. alpental is known for being tight and technical so that whipability may be a good thing.

the ANT is still on my mind tho.

thanks for the words so far, keep em comming.

**cmsummit** · 10-14-2005, 11:19 AM

You should listen to Z and get something stiffer.

You liked the SP but you're afraid the 190 Gotama is going to feel too small? Maybe, but the Gotama has a bigger footprint and it's considerably stiffer than the SP.

**joshbu** · 10-14-2005, 11:31 AM

Why the Gotama and not the Mantra in a 191?
B4?
Or you could just buy another pair of 189 SPs cheap from, I dunno, me?

**Skip Dooley** · 10-14-2005, 11:48 AM

I skied all of those skis last year, Vicious was my fav, I'm 6'1" 150lbs, and the ant was sick but just too stiff for me, but you weigh 70 lbs more than me so you should go with the stiff as shit ANT.
Vicious is made for seth who, I recall is 155lbs.

Ant
Ant
ANT
ANT
ANT
ANT!!!

**descender** · 10-14-2005, 12:02 PM

I think the ANT is one of the only full twins that is a step up from the 190 gots in burlyness, if that is what you are after.

The 192 Moship Ti is a good call too, great everyday ski.

**Foggy_Goggles** · 10-14-2005, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Skip Dooley

Vicious is made for seth who, I recall is 155lbs.

...who skis on a stock core profile. You're confusin me Flow Meister. You say you're looking for stiff and straight which IMO the Pistol is neither of. I love the Gotamas as a touring ski but find them pretty average at the ski area, soft and floppy with too much sidecut.

Question for the masses: What are the choices for skis like a 190cm, full twin, vertical sidewall (or other buly construction), 100mm+ waist, moderately stiff? It seems like there are a lot of skis out there but little that excites me.

**homerjay** · 10-14-2005, 12:12 PM

I thought the gotamas had relatively small sidecut? I ordered some because I hate sidecut, am I going to regret it?

**yesIsaidyes** · 10-14-2005, 12:20 PM

FWIW I was flexing the Vicious last night at REI and it felt WAY softer than my first generation pistols, almost noodly. The Maidens felt a little burlier but as I have not skied the vicious or the maiden I guess this comment is just kinda worthless...

**milkman** · 10-14-2005, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by homerjay

I thought the gotamas had relatively small sidecut? I ordered some because I hate sidecut, am I going to regret it?

Gotama's have one of the smaller sidecuts out there. Off the top of my head, only 103's, Sanouk's and Bro's are smaller....

**yesIsaidyes** · 10-14-2005, 12:29 PM

Actually the gun lab might be a really good choice as snwbdrhoon suggested - I have heard they have some meat

**cmsummit** · 10-14-2005, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

soft and floppy with too much sidecut.

Sounds like a great description of the SP or an inability to perform after a tough night of drinking. Gotamas don't have much sidecut at all, same as the Explosive except the Goats are 1cm wider overall.

**Darkside** · 10-14-2005, 01:13 PM

Gun Lab would suck for a dude who weighs 220lbs. I weigh 180, and it was still floppy for me. I think BC was looking for advice from people who have actually skied these skis, not just spew like some of the previous posts. I think the ANT's would be a killer choice (we just got some in at the shop, they're even better looking than I remembered), stiff flex, relatively light, only a few mm wider than the Gotamas, twin, and a more accurate 191cm. The other ski I would look at would be the Legend Pro, it's got enough of a twin, you'd be fine on the 194, and it's stiff and burly.

**Darkside** · 10-14-2005, 01:15 PM

Oh, and I agree that the Vicious is softer than the Pistol, though I have only had the chance to ski the 179cm Vicious. One more choice might be Bro FKNA's.

**robokill1981** · 10-14-2005, 01:27 PM

The Vicious is a wierd ski to flex. The tail is so much stiffer than the nose you can't really do justice to the thing by flexing it in a shop. That said it's not really the stiffest ski out there, but if you liked the Pistol you'll really dig the Vicious.

**joshbu** · 10-14-2005, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by yesIsaidyes

Actually the gun lab might be a really good choice as snwbdrhoon suggested - I have heard they have some meat

This is ski is over $1000 for a pair at the local ski market. I just can't see picking this thing up without a solly hookup.

**robokill1981** · 10-14-2005, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by joshbu

This is ski is over $1000 for a pair at the local ski market. I just can't see picking this thing up without a solly hookup.

Salomon hookup on those is close to $600. Not worth it at either price in my opinion.

**Jim S** · 10-14-2005, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Darkside

Oh, and I agree that the Vicious is softer than the Pistol, though I have only had the chance to ski the 179cm Vicious. One more choice might be Bro FKNA's.

No way. I had the 179 SP (last year's) and have the 179 SV and the SV are much stiffer: better edge-hold, much more stable at speed & superior in the crud. I like them much better than the SP. My SV are mounted + 3. I like 'em so much I'm going to be a pig and get the 189 too.

I have last years 189 Maden and it is like the SP re softness.

**BakerBoy** · 10-14-2005, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles

Question for the masses: What are the choices for skis like a 190cm, full twin, vertical sidewall (or other buly construction), 100mm+ waist, moderately stiff? It seems like there are a lot of skis out there but little that excites me.

Fischer Watea, but it's not a full-twin.

**Foggy_Goggles** · 10-14-2005, 06:47 PM

Re: Gotama sidecut

I'd be lying if I told you I know the meas., I don't. What I do know is that at high speed my Gotama's feel like they get stuck in a turn and want to highside me. This may be due to taper angle, flex or something else but to me they feel like they have too much sidecut. An Explosive feels like the perfect amount of side cut. FYI, my favorite ski is a Rossi Axiom which is, I think, 130/120/110 so there you.