K2 Hellbent vs. Moment Melee

[LFantTitties]

I got a job at Alta for the winter and I want to buy a reverse camber/regular sidecut ski. I've searched but no one appears to have compared the Hellbent and Melee. Has anyone ridden one or preferably both and have any opinions? I'm looking at getting the Hellbent 179 (supposedly 183-4) and the Melee 186 (I'm 5'10" 165 pounds). Also are these skis too soft for big, technical lines?

[MTT]

I am bored,

So I have no clue cuz I have never riden either ski. I am going to bet that no one! has riden both skls. The Hell Bents are new and some rode them last spring and this summer.

the Melee? I am going to guess that nobody has even ridden these (Brand
New Ski)

I vote you support the little made in the USA shop and go with the Moment product.

[AH]

I wouldn't go hellbent on any big, technical line. Ever. It's like skiing snowblades. Way to specific.

[Tele'ndaboat]

Paging 666/ or pm him, he has spent some time on the melees, posibley has skied or skied with someone that has skied the hellbents...

[Bandit Man]

Hellbents are the new Pocket Rockets...

Nasty looking grim reapers are the new robot...

Soft rockered skis are the new blue noodles...

I mean, cummon, Andy Mahre rocks them throughout the new ski flick "Idea"....

[lax]

kee here's a thread with melee rocker pics. the rocker looks to be slightly less than the hellbent? they can't be sloppier than the hellbent, they are symmetrical, and moment is gathering a pretty awesome rep. i think they're probably my ski to buy for next year. so stoked to trade r-cam skis with you either way.

[LFantTitties]

So to answer some of my own questions I emailed Moment and they told me the Melee has less rocker than the K2 and pointed out that the Melee has less radical, more symetrical sidecut, 135-120-135 vs the K2 Hellbents' 150-122-141. I still want to know which is stiffer.

I am totally into the "support your local skate/ski" whatever shop, so at the moment Im leaning towards the Moments...

[shasti]

Unless the Moment is a f-ing noodle, I'd bet the K2 is softer. The Hellbents are very soft. They're basically a wider, reverse camber Made N AK, an that ski was soft as shit (sucked going fast)

[mountain_man]

The Made'N AK/AK Enemy is considerably stiffer than the Hell Bent. Melee is stiffer by far considering its a symmetrical ski it might be hooky on windpack or ice but this is speculation as i haven't skied any symmetrical skis.
It depends how and what you want to ski, by technical lines you mean variable snow or consistent pow?
IF you want to ski similarly to that of Eric in Idea, i would want a soft buttery ski but if you want some more versatility then maybe a stiffer ski for edge hold.
Its up to you.

[llyon]

Ive skied hellbents and looked at (but never ridden) melees. Just based on how tough they looked/felt construction-wise, Id go with the melees.

[Tele'ndaboat]

I just got my melees and they seem awesome, haven't skied them yet though...

[lax]

^want to do the board a huge favor and post a couple pics of them? could you post one of you flexing them, and one with them next to the rest of your skis for reference, and maybe one of you flexing another ski with the same amount of force?

or, coudl you just tell us how their stiffness compares to your other skis?

[deeppo]

I thought the Salomon rocker was a reg sidecut reverse camber ski?
Looks like a sweet ski
Deeppo

[spindrift]

A specific question regarding the Hellbent vs Melee thing... looking at my Pontoons, it seems K2 has put some serious thought into where the rocker sits and how it angles vs the rest of the ski. One simple example - that huge tip is up and out enough it simply does not engage to screw things up in shallower snow or on a patch of crust. Even if you lay the ski over. I don't think this is an accident... I have not skied Hell Bents, but given the amount of fooling around they did, my impression is that K2 also put a ton of thought into the total design of the Hell Bent (whether or not you love their criteria). Can anyone comment about how "holistic" the design/engineering is on the Melee? Is the rocker part of a total "engineered" ski design or is it just a kick up tagged onto a standard ski profile.

Not knocking or impugning anyone. Not voicing a preference. Just curious...

[TheDon]

I agree w/ spin ^^ I'd like to hear some opinions about the designs. How did K2 + Moment come up with the designs.

I have wanted a comparison of these two boards too. The melee seems like a very cool design but the sym. shape has me turned off.

[TheDon]

Are there any other rocker skis out there that don't have reverse side cut?

I know the lotus 120 but it doesn't seem to have much rocker and who wants to pay $900 bucks for one?!

[Greydon Clark]

Are there any other rocker skis out there that don't have reverse side cut?

I know the lotus 120 but it doesn't seem to have much rocker and who wants to pay $900 bucks for one?!

The Eric Pollard from Line. I think it is a little smaller that the Hellbent under foot and it looks a 1000% better from a graphic standpoint. Hand flexing the EP feels really soft, but I have no idea how it skis. The EHPs from 4Front might qualify too.

[wren]

The EP Pros are bigger than both the Melee and the Hellbent underfoot. 126mm I'm pretty sure. And they are SOFT. Really soft. They don't have as much rocker as the Hellbent, but I'm guessing the flex makes up for that. From what I've heard of the Melee, it should be better all around, but I haven't skied either. As mentioned above, Lotus 120, EHP 193 and Salomon Rocker are ones you should be looking at as well.

[skier666]

Never skied or flexed the hellbent.....

OK, I'm probably one of the few skiers on the planet that has put a couple solid days on these things in practically all types of conditions. From icy groomers, good groomers, perfect corn, sticky corn, wind-buffed, light pow, steeps, open bowl pow, and tussok.

Center mount, ninja S916's. 6-2", 190 lbs. As you can see from the dimensions, they have very little in the way of sidecut, but will lay down a hard racer-carve right underfoot. Off-piste, the lack of sidecut isn't much of a worry. With the big square tip/tail, they don't feel too big either. The don't have much rocker in the tail, but its definitely enough to be noticeable. When charging down, you really need to stay centered, as if when you try to really lay out a carve on your heel, they'll wash out on you. Overall, they are really soft, but just the right stiffness underfoot. The skis are extremely light, and easy to spin around. These skis are FUN!!! You'd be able to manage these as an everyday ski, but they are too soft for my liking. Backcountry booters, deep pow, and practicing switch landing/riding are going to be their fortay. Bottom line, just fun skis, but make sure you stomp your landings

Here are all the Melee action shots from last August....

[jrtoes]

have you ridden them @ the -3.5 mark?

[skier666]

have you ridden them @ the -3.5 mark?

Only ridden them centered...if you are going to mount them minus from center, I'd get a pair of Ruby or Comi.

[bennettc14]

Dope pics

[TheDon]

Such good pics.

[jrtoes]

Only ridden them centered...if you are going to mount them minus from center, I'd get a pair of Ruby or Comi.

too late for that man. Luke suggested it so I agreed. If they piss me off ill remount them center I guess?

[skier666]

Luke knows more than me, and its only -3cm, so its not like you'll be riding on the tails.