Hellbent Mounting

[cmeriptahoe]

So I have some Hellbents and I am going to throw Jesters on them but I am struggling a little bit in figuring out where to mount them up. The whole "True Center" thing that K2 does is confusing me.

I have done a little research and a lot of people are saying that +5 is a good place to mount for an all mountain feel. I know this is back from center mounted, but I am trying to figure out how it relates to k2's True Center and how does it relate to measured center? Im assuming it means 5 cm forward from core center.

Finally, is +5 actually a good place to mount? I want them back from the center mounted point but I'm wondering how far if I am going to be using them predominantly for powder but also a lot of crud and all mountain.

[lookinback]

Dont go back any farther than +5 or you will regret it, other than that, have fun on em

[spindrift]

I have skied the 179s and 189s everywhere from about +3 or 4 to +6. I think the skis are just meant to be mounted close to center. I'd go in the +6 -to +7 range - & I'm an old fart who just skis forward. I agree with the first response that no way should you go behind +5. If you don't like that range, find a ski that wants to be skied in a style more to your liking.

Try using search here & at K2 for infinite discussions on the topic.

[J_money13]

O.K. so I have skied both the 179 and 189's like spindrift. I also agree, go as far forward as you are comfortable with. I use mine purely for BC jibbing and skiing switch. Mine are true centre. For a more all mountain feel my friend went with +7 and they are very different. However, for all mountain I would say that was the correct point and you should highly consider it. Spindrift is more than right stating they are meant to be mounted closer to centre.

O.K. so to avoid confusion:

Traditional is +-0
K2's seggested is +3
Core centre is +7ish*
True Centre is +9.5ish*

*For those who have exactly measured please adjust accordingly

[karma]

Another vote for true center or as close as you feel comfortable.


This coming from someone who has NEVER mounted anything other then a dedicated park ski anywhere other then traditional.

[volklpowdermaniac]

O.K. so I have skied both the 179 and 189's like spindrift. I also agree, go as far forward as you are comfortable with. I use mine purely for BC jibbing and skiing switch. Mine are true centre. For a more all mountain feel my friend went with +7 and they are very different. However, for all mountain I would say that was the correct point and you should highly consider it. Spindrift is more than right stating they are meant to be mounted closer to centre.

O.K. so to avoid confusion:

Traditional is +-0
K2's seggested is +3
Core centre is +7ish*
True Centre is +9.5ish*

*For those who have exactly measured please adjust accordingly

I don't have hellbents, never will, just curious. K2's suggested line is +3 from traditional- which is defined as what. Stupid idiot alert....on this ski in particular is there two mount lines printed on the ski one at 0 and one at +3....drrr

[J_money13]

to volklpowdermanaic:

O.K. I am going to try and answer your questions as best I can. To better understand this think of your traditional pair of skis which has just a mounting line. This line is "suggested", some skis like the Rossignol Park skis have two "suggestions" for park or mountain.

What K2 does is print a scale on the side of the ski. The scale starts at 0 and goes up in 1cm increments to 7. (hence the notation +7). Now where the traditional line / point derives from is no different than any other ski manufacture. What changes is the scale and the fact that they make it easier for skiers to "adjust" the ski (read: the mounting point / skiers position on the ski) and techs to mount the ski to the riders preference.

This is all done because when riding a ski forwards you want more ski in-front of you, but when riding switch the same principle applies, yet your going backwards. So what skiers must do is then decided based upon the scale how much of each one will do.

Now, the hellbent is slightly different due to the rocker. This is where experienced and very knowledgeable skiers have difficulty with mounting. Mount too far forward and the ski may dive in deep snow, too far back and you could be doing nothing but wheelie's or dive when skiing switch. It becomes a balancing act based on what you will use the ski for. Get it wrong, the ski may not do what you want, get it right and the ski is pure money.

Hope that answers your question(s).

[cmeriptahoe]

Thanks for everybody's replies. I'm thinking that I will mount them closer to center. Probably +5 or +6. Thanks again.

[iscariot]

go core center...you will be laughing switch and riding it to the road.

[mountain_man]

+6 feels perfect on the pair of 179's i've spent a few days on. I'd go further forward without any worry about tip dive but i just don't see the need.

[NippleHighPow]

I mounted my 179's at +5 and they are perfect switch and forward. My $.02.

[deeppo]

Just reviving an older thread. I just picked up a pair of 189 hellbents. Holly rocker batman. This will be my pow day ski. I have a pair of obseths for everyday. No switch but I dont want to wheelie either. I'm an aggressive skier who gets 100+ days a year. Thinking +6? Obviously tip dive will not be acceptable(shit its a fat rockered ski). Skis will be mounted with 916(if I can find the box that I put them in)
Thanks
deeppo

[J_money13]

deeppo - you may want to consider mounting them where your obseth's are assuming you enjoy that position. If you're not going switch +6 should be pretty darn solid.

[ClimbhighCo]

189's mounted +5 with Dukes. No issues, no complaints.

[deeppo]

deeppo - you may want to consider mounting them where your obseth's are assuming you enjoy that position. If you're not going switch +6 should be pretty darn solid.

Not sure where im going to mount the obseths(new in plastic). I had a pair of 189 SV(06-07 model) mounted at + 3. I liked that mounting point. Not sure if the Obseths are different mounting wise. I know +3 is too far back from what Ive read for the Hellbents. k2 Skis run so F@ckin big. The 189 seths compared to the 187 lib tech recurves is a four inch difference. Just saw Claim last night(disappointing) I wish I knew where that young kid at the end of movie was riding his hellbents.
deeppo

[GapersGoHome]

Not sure where im going to mount the obseths(new in plastic). I had a pair of 189 SV(06-07 model) mounted at + 3. I liked that mounting point. Not sure if the Obseths are different mounting wise. I know +3 is too far back from what Ive read for the Hellbents. k2 Skis run so F@ckin big. The 189 seths compared to the 187 lib tech recurves is a four inch difference. Just saw Claim last night(disappointing) I wish I knew where that young kid at the end of movie was riding his hellbents.
deeppo

Yeah, I wouldn't mount 'Bents at the same mounting point as Obsetheds. Completely different skis, completely different styles of riding; I would take everyone else's input here and mount no further back than +5. Mine (189s) are at +6, and I almost always mount my skis way back at the traditional line, with the exception of my Fujatives (only real park ski I own)... so, yeah, even coming from a more traditional skier, I would mount them pretty far forward.

[solskier]

This may seem like a unconventional way of doing this but I think for a full rocker ski like the hellbents it works. I agree that they need to be closer to center and having about 4-6 cm more tip then tail works. I am not sure what that equates to on the K2 scale but my guess is it is +6ish.

You want to ski these flat or the wheelie, face plant, crap happens. I skied them at +3 and ran into the wheelie effect because when thrown in the back seat you are out of the stiff under foot part of the ski allowing for wheelies.

I usually ski a more traditional mount so going centered is a bit scary but is worth getting used to for skis like this.

[RichieNZ]

I'm 6'3 and have my 89's @ +5 with 916's after reading around the threads on here. So far have been great, no noticable wheelie problems. In terms of tip dive I think you'd have to try pretty hard with so much rocker and width in the shovel.

I also have some 89 ak enemy's @ +2 and there is not much difference in nose length from memory as the bents are a quite abit longer.

[seanpistol]

189's at +10 for skiing forward 90 percent of the time. Forward is the only way to do it.

[Nathan Explosion]

I think I'm gonna go +5 on the 'bents. Small boots. Still debating on the seths, +3-3.5 looks right, but that probably means jack shit.

[J_money13]

Deppo - "I wish I knew where that young kid at the end of movie was riding his hellbents" - From what i've heard (somewhat creditable sources) almost all team riders ride their bents at true centre or -1 from true. (note this is not core, this is even further ahead)

solskier - I think you've got the right idea. However on a hellbent that would mean mounting them at approx +10. I could do the exact measurements if you wanted on mine. Also this ski is totally worth going centre, and if you're afraid of that notion give -1 or -1.5cm from true a shot, or core which is like -3cm

Seanpistol - Ya, +10 is past core and almost spot on true, I believe it is -1, sexy choice indeed!

Nathan - I would go +7 on the bents and +5 on the seths. I say this because +3 is very traditional, like mounting touring bindings traditional... Personally these skis better and better the further forward you go, so long as you're in the long enough length. What is your bsl and weight, are you gonna ski switch, park??? What length's did you get?

Apologies for the long post, just trying to help out.

[Nathan Explosion]

All 189s. 303 BSL. I've been screwing around with the boot on my counter looking at how it affects the balance. I ski forward like 90% of the time, but that's mostly because I owned zero twins until now.

[J_money13]

nice 189 is the money length. Nice set-up for first pairs of twins too.

My $.02

Even with your smaller bsl I don't see it affecting the mounting point a great deal, a huge bsl more so.

I assume the hellbent will be a powder only ski, and the seth's will go all mountain?

My hellbents are true centre (189's) and my friends 189's are at +7. We have switched many times so I have a pretty solid feel of both. His I find really do require you to get up and on them (to prevent the wheelie / pulling back feel), where mine can be pushed in that direction but feel very neutral. However doing big straight lines, and burley power runs I prefer his; mine for spinning, landing switch in powder, skiing switch and generally all around goofing off. So it comes down to use. That said my friend will be remounting his at +10 this year. I will remount this years at true.

For seth's it might actually make more sense to go even further forward. I've only owned the 98mm version but have skied each generation. I had the opportunity to ski last years at +4 and +7. +4 would be what I would consider perfect for someone who is never going to ski switch and wants it as a powder ski. +7 is for someone who will use it for everything, including park. Core (not true) is what I like on this ski, it feels just right in terms of pop and edge control.

[seanpistol]

Honestly, if you don't want to ski them close to center, they aren't the ski for you. Pick up some Pontoons if you like a more traditional mount. Those things rip!

[Nathan Explosion]

What the hell TGR. I know I put another post in here last night.

+6.5 looks like a good balance point. +4 on the Seths seems about money for the same reason. I'm going to ask the guys at Peruvian when it reopens.