BD Megawatt review

**iriponsnow** · 02-14-2008, 06:29 PM

Me: 140#, 5'9" All Mtn / occ. racer / Bomber
Setup: 188 Megawatt w/ Duke mounted 1cm forward; Boot Tecnica Diablo (non-plugged)
Day 1: Sugarbush
Conditions: breakable crust, packed to loose powder, frozen death cookies, soft & hard bumps.

first impression: solid connection w/ the dukes, lite wt on the way to the lift. Lotta ski infront of the binding.

On the mtn: ripped loose snow & small pow pockets w/ ease. Felt like I was just above the snow. Driving the hips, the tip hooks up nice & trenched into the hill. There is some "body english" involved, yet sweet medium to larger radi GS turns are no trouble. On the flats some tip flap is noted. Once engaged into the turns, not an issue. Easiy transitions to more stand-up pivots in the fall line & again to carves w/o hesitation. In a world 'balanced' : the tips-tail-sweetspot are all right places. Strange b/c this is a huge plank. I am reminded of this (& slowwed down in the lift line) often by folks asking........
Seeking more challenging stuff, I wandered to some lesser hit, crusty, death cookie, somewhat breakable zone. Here is where they shine. I find myself tearing though nasty crap @ warp speed and just as smooth as can be. Even into steeped mogul zones, I was gaining as the hill progressed. This can be a double edged situation because eventually I hit the dust on crust frozen mound & this the ski did not like. (but who/what does?)
Few more laps on the breakable stuff & it was like butter

Into the trees was also a blast. The ski turned so damn fast I was amazed. Trees/crust no problem. Never been on a better tree ski, before you react the ski has changed direction & then again. Hauling in the trees was more like it. Objects that once looked too large to drop were barely felt. The untouched stuff in the woods just melted away & an ease of motion occured

No today's conditions were far from optimal for this ski, but what a ride. I would have to say they were just as stable as any other "fat" & were able to be carved quite well. I am looking forward to more trials of untracked & deeper snow. True, this ski is not for everyone.

I was at the 'bush today testing skis for another company in the morning. They were great skis, however, the 85 mm ski was kind like the 95mm & the 95 was kinda like the next......... you get the picture.

I can recall when a buddy in college, Erik, showed me a tele boot that was not leather, when the atomic rep scolded me for "mis-skiing" the 'pig prototype' & when the 1st shorty slalom ski showed up on the scene. These are that kind of experience.

**murph** · 02-14-2008, 06:33 PM

Sweet....

**laseranimal** · 02-14-2008, 07:57 PM

do tell more........................

**murph** · 02-15-2008, 10:54 AM

Nice review from wildsnow this morning.
http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=1039

**tromano** · 02-15-2008, 04:08 PM

Interesting. I am gonna have to try to get on a pair of these.

**brown9** · 10-10-2008, 10:09 AM

Anyone get on these in S. America this summer/winter to provide another review?

**peeforward** · 10-10-2008, 12:24 PM

I posted this earlier on the telemark forum comparing my experiences with praxis and megawatts. Hope this helps!

I've been on Praxis since Fall of 2006 as my everyday telemark ski for one season and another season split between those and 4frnt EHP 193's. and just spent some spring pow days and 6 weeks of Argentina skiing on a pair of Megawatts. Almost all of my experience with the Praxis is in Alaska with a little in BC, WA, and montana.

Nothing that I have ever tried even comes close to the looseness and playfulness of the Praxis. They are my favorite skis ever for almost any day that I would end up riding lifts or sleds. Touring on them is fine but I have hammerheads on them and don't like that binding much for skinning. I have the original 185's which feel a little short sometimes but even for lots of straightlining and big, fast faces they almost always feel fine. In wind/sun crust they are in a league all their own.

I bought Megawatts and the EHP's because big high speed telemark turns on the Praxis start to get pretty dicy on hard or tracked up snow. I have total confidence railing them and (am always surprised how well they edge) in alpine turns but I found myself alpine turning more and more often when skiing fast on those skis.

When I broke my EHP's last spring I bought the megawatts as a more versatile ski for everyday resort riding and have been really happy with them. I've skied Jackson and Teton Pass on dry pow days, really heavy maritime snow during some of Bariloche's big dumps this year, toured a bunch in drier pow, and skied every kind of snow condition every day for weeks at Las Lenas and really have no complaints other than that they lack that really loose fun feeling of the praxis. I think it's the stiff straight tail that makes tele turns possible on almost any snow at almost any speed. The rockered tip and flat tail still allow them to smear and slide easily in tight spot but running stuff out on debris or questionable snow feels much more secure than on a full rocker ski especially when teleing. They also feel light and quick enough that jump turns down steep icy chutes with little mandatories are pretty comfortable too. In pow they float really well, and smear pretty well although smearing on these brushes more speed than doing it on the praxis. In breakable crust they stay on top and feel almost as good as the praxis and world's better than a normal ski. (the closest thing I have anymore to normal is minirockered antipistes for touring.)
The megawatts are definitely easier than the praxis to skin in if the snow is firm because they edge better and are a pretty reasonable choice even for big tours if the terrain warrants the extra weight.

Durability: praxis are pretty awesome but I did rip out of mine once although the mount could have been suspect. Megawatts took some good hits this summer and came away with only a few core shots. Edges took a beating and still look pretty good. It seems like they might have decambered a hair as I recall from the last time I strapped them together but I don't have them in front of me right now to confirm that.

**Ender** · 10-16-2008, 10:51 AM

You guys think the Megawatt is too short for 200lbers? You all seem to rave on these but seem to be lighter in weight. Any thoughts?

Or do you think it would relegate the Megawatt to a tree ski for bigger folk?

**JimLad** · 10-16-2008, 11:14 AM

My current quiver is Coombas and Pontoons, but I'm considering some Megawatts this year to replace both of those. My only concern is losing that smear/slash ability of the toons.

**Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer** · 10-16-2008, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by brown9

Anyone get on these in S. America this summer/winter to provide another review?

I picked up a pair, unfortunately right after I got back from Chile. Leaning against my apartment wall right now driving me nuts. I will post a full review as soon as I get out on them.

**NorthernSpotted...** · 10-16-2008, 11:36 AM

Originally Posted by Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer

Leaning against my apartment wall right now driving me nuts. I will post a full review as soon as I get out on them.

Same here. Winter can't come fast enough...

**Fuorilegge** · 10-16-2008, 12:22 PM

x3. Mine are mounted, waxed, and ready to roll. All we need is some pow to play around in.

Originally Posted by Herr Doktor

Same here. Winter can't come fast enough...

**JimLad** · 10-16-2008, 10:50 PM

Since you're all bored, could one of you get some pics of the camber? I want to see what the tail is like particularly, and there are none in town to fondle.

**Tresckow** · 10-16-2008, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by JimLad

Since you're all bored, could one of you get some pics of the camber? I want to see what the tail is like particularly, and there are none in town to fondle.

Google is your friend Jim

Megawatt skis, images --> 2nd choice is feedthehabit pics

http://www.feedthehabit.com/skiing/b...mber-fat-skis/

Sorry, I do not have pics of mine ready to upload, but you'll get a good idea of the camber from those pics

Search results for Megawatt on TGR

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...archid=6182426

They rip by the way, have fun on them

**JimLad** · 10-17-2008, 12:31 AM

I saw a pair on someone last season, who was stomping some big airs. They looked impressive. I'm wondering if I can reduce my quiver to a single soft snow ski for inbounds and touring, and a stiff ski for everything else. These look like they could be the ticket.

**alive** · 10-17-2008, 09:00 AM

None in whistler? Thought it would be a popular ski there for this year. We have one in at our shop and are hoping mine show up today... I'll get a pic if you still need one. Should be perfect for pow on hill and fine for slower tours...although with the big tips, friends might insist you break trail...

**Fuorilegge** · 10-17-2008, 09:26 AM

There is no "might"...they WILL make you break trail.

Kinda wishing I hadn't trimmed my skins for them, or at least, not told my friends that I did.

Originally Posted by alive

None in whistler? Thought it would be a popular ski there for this year. We have one in at our shop and are hoping mine show up today... I'll get a pic if you still need one. Should be perfect for pow on hill and fine for slower tours...although with the big tips, friends might insist you break trail...

**JimLad** · 10-17-2008, 11:06 AM

I'm guessing Escape Route will have some. They are renovating the shop now so hopefully next week. As far as I know they are the only ones who stock BD.

**trainnvain** · 10-17-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by onehotchili

a pair of 188's showed up on my door step yesterday. didn't expect them till November so it was quite a surprise.

the next question is.... to mount them tele or alpine?!?!?

This is akin to having a porn star show up at your door and asking "handjob or ass-to-mouth?".

**XXX-er** · 10-17-2008, 11:35 AM

mec carries the megawatt on the web it sez to check the store availability

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1224264470634

I got my BD verdicts from coast mtn sports so they carry BD and Its possible they also have the megawatts ...and zero advice

**NorthernSpotted...** · 10-17-2008, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by JimLad

Since you're all bored, could one of you get some pics of the camber? I want to see what the tail is like particularly, and there are none in town to fondle.

I'll take some profile picks and post them up when I get home from happy hour today. Wait... That's a lie. I'll do it this weekend though if someone else doesn't beat me too it.

**Fuorilegge** · 10-17-2008, 02:33 PM

Man, you guys are lucky! I have been staring at mine for about a month and a half now....

Speaking of spanking it...

**NorthernSpotted...** · 10-17-2008, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by trainnvain

This is akin to having a porn star show up at your door and asking "handjob or ass-to-mouth?".

How colorful.

**ski whore** · 10-18-2008, 06:36 PM

I skied them last year for 3 or 4 days and sold them...didn't care for them. I know that is a somewhat short review but I don't have a whole lotta time to write about a ski that I didn't really care for.

**JimLad** · 10-19-2008, 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by ski whore

I skied them last year for 3 or 4 days and sold them...didn't care for them. I know that is a somewhat short review but I don't have a whole lotta time to write about a ski that I didn't really care for.

Thanks for your valuable insight