Mantra or Gotama for Touring?

[Backwoodie]

I'm looking for some advise on what sticks to go with! I'm debating on getting a set of either the Mantra or Gotama with a pair of barons. Need to know what I should go with and why. I'm currently in CO, so please keep this in mind when you consider the conditions, average annual is around +/-400in. Let me know your thoughts, thanks for your time.

[deeppo]

Although ive been going fatter I still consider my first gen mantras to be the best touring ski I have had. Just a very easy ski to ski in all conditions(hopefully my lhasas pows will take the prize)
deeppo

[Chamcham]

This might appear sacrilege for CO, but have patience, I'm writing from Yurp.

I have Sweet Daddies (119-80-105) for touring, and Nordica Enforcers (135-98-125) for everything else. When I've tried to skin with the Enforcers with my feet a comfortable distance apart, the tips have bashed together in the tracks with every pace. Unless your have a gait like a gorilla, think seriously about how far apart your skis will be when skinning.

Also for long tours, Barons might be a little heavy and cumbersome. I like my Naxo 02s, although it seems like the bankers didn't...

[Bruce_eh]

I didn't like the Mantra as a touring ski...too much sidecut. In any kind of crust or sun affected snow they would tend to lock in their turning radius and hook across the fall line. The new Gotamas would be better, in my view... less sidecut and a bit of rocker. Although they might be a bit heavy for serious touring.

[Pegleg]

I've toured on Mantras in Colorado for the last three years. They've been fine - a little heavy (w/FR+ binders), but done the job and been a lot of fun. But if'n I had the choice between them and the Goats, I'd get the Goats - not much heavier and the extra width (and now, rocker) would be nice for backcountry conditions.

I'm waiting on a new pair of Lhasa Pow carbons for my new touring skis... lightweight and oh-so-fun to ski. Only drag is that a shovel that wide might not fit into the skintrack; I'll just have to follow Tainted Meat on his Kuros...

[summit]

Gotamas. Period. End of story.

[marshalolson]

if you want to tour to ski groomers, get the mantras

if you want to tour to ski powder, get the gotamas

[Wetdog]

I didn't like the Mantra as a touring ski...too much sidecut. In any kind of crust or sun affected snow they would tend to lock in their turning radius and hook across the fall line. The new Gotamas would be better, in my view... less sidecut and a bit of rocker. Although they might be a bit heavy for serious touring.

This is exactly my experience. I have 191 first gen Mantras with Naxo's and 04/05 190 Gotamas with Freerides. The Gotamas are a far better touring ski, less weight, and less sidecut plus more width = easier up, better float in pow & less hookiness in mixed conditions. The new Gotamas seem pretty nice, but a bit heavier than previous gens. They would probably tour OK with with Dukes if you weren't going too far, ie resort back country. There are far better choices for a dedicated touring ski though.

[the_clizz]

why are you limiting yourself to just these two volkl skis? better options out there i think. but of the two id definitely say got

[strawjack]

if you want to tour to ski groomers, get the mantras

if you want to tour to ski powder, get the gotamas

when you really think about it, that's just comedy...96mm underfoot for groomers.

i toured many miles and skied a lot of powdah on old fisher gts skinny skis w/out problem for yrs. fuckin' kids these days are spoiled...

[arewolfe]

Gotamas are my groomer/bump ski.

[ACH]

when you really think about it, that's just comedy...96mm underfoot for groomers.

i toured many miles and skied a lot of powdah on old fisher gts skinny skis w/out problem for yrs. fuckin' kids these days are spoiled...

his original statement is no less true IMO.

[Bcar]

I tour on Mantras and megawatts, and my next go-to-everyting-tour-ski will prob be the gots.

[marshalolson]

when you really think about it, that's just comedy...96mm underfoot for groomers.

i toured many miles and skied a lot of powdah on old fisher gts skinny skis w/out problem for yrs. fuckin' kids these days are spoiled...

right, except that there were nothing better to ski on than those. there is, however, better skis to ski powder on now.

mantra are much better at carving groomers than skiing powder. gotamas are much better at skiing powder than carving groomers. sorta explains alot, would you not say?

plus, if you can't dig trenches on epic powderoy on stiff, damp, heavy, metal topsheet, sorta lots of sidecut skis w/ 96mm of waist, then you are doing it wrong.

[strawjack]

right, except that there were nothing better to ski on than those. there is, however, better skis to ski powder on now.

mantra are much better at carving groomers than skiing powder. gotamas are much better at skiing powder than carving groomers. sorta explains alot, would you not say?

plus, if you can't dig trenches on epic powderoy on stiff, damp, heavy, metal topsheet, sorta lots of sidecut skis w/ 96mm of waist, then you are doing it wrong.

no argument...just chuckling at the evolution.

i have two pair of mantras for my ec riding...they are great out here. although, i really want a pair of the gotamas and the guitar to go with it...great graphics this yr. never thought i'd care about graphics...thanks to the snowboard industry.

[Driver]

mantra are much better at carving groomers than skiing powder. gotamas are much better at skiing powder than carving groomers. sorta explains alot, would you not say?

plus, if you can't dig trenches on epic powderoy on stiff, damp, heavy, metal topsheet, sorta lots of sidecut skis w/ 96mm of waist, then you are doing it wrong.

+1 on this. I don't look at my Mantras as a pow ski - they are the "skinny skis" in my quiver. Really a powerful firm snow ski for all of the reasons Marshal mentions.

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Scrap the Barons and purchase Dynafits if this is a touring setup (e.g., primarily not to be skied inbounds).

FWIW - used to tour on Goats (gold) w/ FFR+. Replaced with Veridicts w/ Dynafit Vertical STs. No comparison. Dynafits are much more pleasurable to tour with.

[skinnyskier]

+1 on this. I don't look at my Mantras as a pow ski - they are the "skinny skis" in my quiver. Really a powerful firm snow ski for all of the reasons Marshal mentions.

Mantras work pretty well for my more ski-mountaineering days, since the flatter tails handle steep kick turns better and they're easier to stick in the snow. Gots are better in powder, no doubt. EHPs are better yet, ARGs are still better...go figure.

[Danny Noonan]

I tour the Gotama with Dukes. It by no means is the lightest touring set up but I wouldnt trade it for almost anything. The Goat is super fun on the way down and the Duke though a bit heavy and not the best walk mode can't be beat on the way down. My two cents, but if you love the way down more than the way up, I think this is a really sweet set up

[panchosdad]

Mantras with dynafits is a great quiver of one set up.

[The mighty assgoblin]

if you want to tour to ski groomers, get the mantras

if you want to tour to ski powder, get the gotamas

...says it all.

[StroupSkier]

How will the Goat tour now that it is reverse camber?

[summit]

How will the Goat tour now that it is reverse camber?

just fine

[ACH]

^^^
True that.
I got in three days, touring on the 2010 Got last Spring.
They worked just fine.

[Mountain Junkie]

I tour on a Gotama/dynafit rig, and really like the setup in soft snow. I also have a pair of Mantras mounted up as an alpine rig, and I have to say the Mantras are very versatile. Surprisingly, the Mantras seem to have less tip dive than the Gotamas in powder. Both skis have approx. the same tip width, but with more sidecut the Mantra sinks a bit with the tip planing above the surface. In any case, the Mantra would be a very capable quiver of one bc setup. Also look into the touring version of the Mantra, which is a bit lighter.