Very appealing on paper. But why make a 102 and a 96? Seems quite redundant at 6mm. I assume the 102 is noticeably softer?
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Very appealing on paper. But why make a 102 and a 96? Seems quite redundant at 6mm. I assume the 102 is noticeably softer?
Good questions. I think they want to take the awesomeness of the M5 and make it more of a daily driver. But going any wider than 102 might compromise the edge hold a bit too much. It's intriguing. I will definitely check it out.
I only got like 4 runs on it at Big Sky so I can't really give you a review but.... The 102 shares the same construction as M5 but has very different way of doing the sidecut. Most skis have varying radiuses but the Mantra 102 does it kinda backwards, I think they call it 3D radius sidecut. Its long radius on the tip and tail and short underfoot. Depending on how you pressured and loaded the ski it had pretty different characteristics as far as turn shape goes. I really wish I could have gotten more time on this ski as it wasn't an instant click but it still left me wanting to ski it.
I thought it ripped, but yeah they should have done it in a 108 and called it the G108 . . .
The G108? The Gotama? Pick your lineage.
All in all the Mantra 102 feels like a feeler ski... something they are putting out there to later refine. As such, I'm hesitant to buy as I know that the 2021 version will be the child of the M5 & 102.
Seems like a no-brainer that a skier like me would likely be amped on whatever he has on his feet. "Choose your hard or soft snow preference now. Next year there is only one choice... the median."
I think the opposite. Look at the success Nordica has had with the Enforcer line. Remember when the Enforcer 100 was just the “Enforcer”? Added the 93, 110, Pro...the first two selling just as well or better as the original. Now the 104 and 88 come into the mix and again will likely sell well. It’s about selling units. Ski companies are manufacturing companies. Make small tweaks to a good established product and let the marketing department convince consumers the need the new hawtness. Same thing with the Mantra line...or at least Volkl hopes that will happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by gaijin
I'd be all over that if it replaced the existing 108.Quote:
Originally Posted by gregL
I've skied the 102, it's great for that width for sure.
Bandit man makes a lot of sense, too. I admit I do want both.
I got a couple of runs on the 102 at the wwsra and arlberg demos at mission and have a few preliminary observations I can offer. First, at the wwsra demo there was the opportunity to test in deep, 3D conditions. I mention this because my 3rd turn on my first ski (bentchetler 100 - 188) resulted in over the handle bars tip dive. For me that is an unforgivable sin. A couple runs later I grabbed a 191mc mantra 102 and took it through our standard test track, including a tip dive test......all I can say is that I was shocked by how well it floated my 220lb ass, even intentionally bouncing on it at low speed. In the soft chop and pushed up groomers it tracked really well and did not deflect easily. Smooth turn initiation and a preference for med to lg turn radius. Again, this was all in really soft conditions. A few weeks later we got to try a 184 in more firm, hadn't snowed in a week, type conditions. Long story short, it felt much like an M5 mantra except I did notice that on firm groomers it sometimes had a "twitch" in the belly of a turn. The m5 holds a really nice, clean arc, but the 102 seemed to, for lack of a better description, not hold the arc as confidently. So m5 - you tell it "we are going to do this turn shape" and it replies "yup, that's what we are going to do", whereas the 102 kinda says in the middle of the turn "do you want to do something different right now?" I may be just imagining some of this and blaming it on their miraculous new 18D sidecut and simply need more time on them, but that was my takeaway. Other than that it seemed like a slightly wider m5, and like Greg said, it will rip.
Interesting what others said about it being a 102 and not a 108. We had exactly the same comment and, in short, the rep said the market is trending narrower and they already had the Katana and 100eight in that category. Whatever. Just for reference, if you guys are looking for something like a 108mm Mantra take a good close look at the new Fischer Ranger 107's. Again, very little time on them but overall both my wife and I were very impressed with Fischers new Rangers. Mantra might have some serious competition.
Did anyone feel like the tip was super wide? It looks huge in person.
I felt like it was a bigger, heavier, brwanier M5. At 210lb, I was comfortable on the 184 and didn’t feel an immediate need for the 191. More Comfortable in variable snow than the M5. Tip requires a little more force to engage.