Explosiv Vintages

[ulty_guy]

yeah x2 explosivs and freerides. obviously not a weight weenie set up, but it's fine for anything less than 1000 meter elevation gain in a day and hitting stashes.

[mntlion]

Wasn't the Olin "Outer Limits" a version of the Explosiv...I thought I read that somewhere, but can't find it.
.

Olin was K2 for a while and the outer limits where the K2 AK launcher for a while too. (90ish mm HUGE waisted ski, and VERY soft)

The first vintage of launcher was a explosive, re-badged I think. Should have german on the sidewall, and a stiff flex. The newer K2/Olins are lawnchairs, not launchers.

[Moss-Back]

(Passage of time) + (spotty memory) = jumbled facts.

Thanks, Mntlion, for the refresher.

Quiver is set (for now...)
Was planning a PSA, but never mind now.

Carry on with the Explo-love.

.

[Shorty_J]

Reviving this thread with a question...

There was mention in a couple of spots in this thread that the CMH version is softer than the regular stock Explosiv... anyone know that for sure?

[Moss-Back]

Rolled on my Dayglosivs for the first time yesterday...

They pretty much 'laid down the law' on that first run, I felt kinda owned.

Then we put the whip to 'em...they liked it...

Fun, poppy sticks. Fun in a stern, Teutonic sort of way.

Now I gotta go home and dig tree bark out of a few core-shots.
Yes, tree bark.
Cover is a bit thin up at The Bake...

.

[skuff]

Reviving this thread with a question...

There was mention in a couple of spots in this thread that the CMH version is softer than the regular stock Explosiv... anyone know that for sure?

My 190 cmh version are the same flex as my 190 buddha version.

[mntlion]

the CMH usually have MANY days on them so are softer based on use.

The newest CMH has a small channel down the middle so a tiny bit lighter and softer.

[Shorty_J]

the CMH usually have MANY days on them so are softer based on use.

The newest CMH has a small channel down the middle so a tiny bit lighter and softer.

This is what I was thinking about the flex of a used ski.

I'm confused about the "channel down the middle"... i.e. a grove on the top sheet?

I've got a line on some used CMH 180's, and I don't need them, but I'm thinking about it anyway. At 5'7" 150 pounds, even that may be a lot of ski for me.

[mntlion]

my wife skis a 180 explosive as her "daily driver"

5'4 and #145.

take a look on my site for the explosives for sale and you can see the channel

[Shorty_J]

Wow... that's impressive at her size.

I don't think I want to talk myself into a 190 though.

Could I possibly drop by this weekend after a day at the hill?

[counterfeitfake]

I just managed to pick up a cheap pair of 190 Dayglosivs so I can see what the fuss is all about. I'm a little scared.

[wolfy]

great thread- lots of knowledge here- i found some Olin Outer Limits, stamped 163 on topsheet, that i picked up for wifey but they are heckastiff. she didn't weigh enough to decamber them in a turn, but they were "screaming" fast in a straight line... when i found them they were basically new- mounted with Solly 7 series binders, if that helps date them. same type of construction as my CMH's, with very long inserts on the aluminum tail plugs. "the boys" at Granite Chief all guessed explosivs- anyone have a good guess between Launchers and Explosivs. i'll probably put 'em up for sale at Alpine this week...

[SiSt]

Picked up a pair of 190cm dayglo-ones, original vintage with toe-tip markings, but can´t seem to find any consistent info on recommended mount point.

Anyone have a tape measure, and two minutes?

[skuff]

Picked up a pair of 190cm dayglo-ones, original vintage with toe-tip markings, but can´t seem to find any consistent info on recommended mount point.

Anyone have a tape measure, and two minutes?

The sidewall boot center mark on a 190 buddha from the tail is 790mm. Feels like the perfect mounting point to me.

[mntlion]

803mm for an older CMH explosive.

if the ski is already drilled for a salomon demo, why not just re-use the holes, and mess around, and find the center point that YOU like.

toe center and mid boot center will all be different if you have different sized feet, F lean on the boot, ramp angle of both bindings, and boots, calf size, if you ski with a pack, etc. Best to see what works for you, but I would thing anything 79-81 as ski center will be close.

[SiSt]

^^

Thanks a lot.

[Wetdog]

Reviving this thread with a question...

There was mention in a couple of spots in this thread that the CMH version is softer than the regular stock Explosiv... anyone know that for sure?

This is a quote from the CMH website a couple of years ago regarding the then latest generation of the Explosive, the Explosive 2, or rather, the Explosive II to differentiate it between the earlier Explosive 2. I believe it refers to the last generation model 05/06 which wasn't available for retail and had the channel down the center. I have one and it feels a little softer in the tip which improves its powder performance a bit without substantially hurting its infamous ability in crud and difficult snow conditions.

Here is the CMH quote:

"Our Völkl Explosive 2/CMH Editions are second
generation masterpiece skis, the skis of choice
for experienced Heli-Skiers. They offer enhanced
performance, better flex, and lighter swing weight,
while maintaining the proven characteristics of the
original Völkl Explosives. They provide approximately
40 percent more flotation than a conventional ski
while maintaining a similar feel. The Explosive 2
comes in 165, 173, 180, and 190 centimetre lengths."

[Wetdog]

I remember that Powder article, I might have that rag somewhere.

There's also the CMH versions. According to mntlion's site:

02/03 Season


04/05 Season


05/06 Season


Were there any different one's for 03/04?

I have a pair of what I believe are 03/04 I bought at a retail store in Feb 06. They are identical to the Buddha model except they have the latest orange/yellow topsheet, like the ones in the bottom picture, but no channel. They are not ex CMH skis as I bought them new in the plastic unmounted. They have the shinny top sheet and no tip protector just like the Buddhas. I wonder if the the CMH top sheet was released for retail or if this store just got a hold of some overstock that CMH didn't want. They had a habit around that time of buying up batches of skis that didn't sell the previous years from other dealers for cheap and selling them. Anyway, mine had a sticker on the price tag stating they were 04's. I got them for cost which was a sweet deal as they were the last ones left. I missed 190's by couple of days but decided to buy the 180's for the smaller hills I often ski and they are so sweet. One spring doing laps on the peak of Cypress near Vancouver after a big dump of snow, I was thinking there was no other ski I would have wanted to be on at the time.

[shasti]

I picked up my first pair of explosivs last winter because I head so much shit on here about them. They are incredible. I love em so much. They ski anything. Sick. If anybody has a pair they are looking to unload that is in great shape send me a PM.

[mntlion]

shasti: what size?

I have some 190 that are used a few runs only. newest CMH vintage:

same as the second pic above (stolen from my posts?)

[PaSucks]

It would be cool if we could put together a list of other skis that are just rebadged explosivs.

K2 launchers
RD heli dogs
etc.

What else?

[uppernotmaster]

Shasti, you have a PM. I also sent you one about Dukes from another thread.

[El Chupacabra]

It would be cool if we could put together a list of other skis that are just rebadged explosivs.

K2 launchers
RD heli dogs
etc.

What else?

Need to jump in here and correct this -- neither the K2 AK Launcher nor the Research Dynamics Heli Dogs were ever rebadged Explosivs.

1) K2 "Big Kahuna" was a rebadged Explosiv, but only the version with vertical sidewalls; also has "schuhspitze" on the sidewall, indicating boot toe mounting point.

K2 also made a "Big Kahuna" that is the same ski as the AK Launcher, but it is a cap ski. Very different from the Explosiv.

2) The Research Dynamics Heli-Dog III is roughly 120-90-110 in sidecut, stiffish, and with vertical sidewalls. These were made by Elan for RD. I had a pair of 183 Heli-Dog IIIs, and didn't like them very much -- the flex was different from the Explosiv, and felt more "dead" to me.

3) Olin "Outer Limits" was also a rebadged Explosiv, but again, only the version with vertical sidewalls. Olin also made an "Outer Limits" with a cap sidewall that is the same ski as the K2 "AK Launcher."

The K2 and Olin are the only two rebadged Explosivs that I know of.

[PaSucks]

2) The Research Dynamics Heli-Dog III is roughly 120-90-110 in sidecut, stiffish, and with vertical sidewalls. These were made by Elan for RD. I had a pair of 183 Heli-Dog IIIs, and didn't like them very much -- the flex was different from the Explosiv, and felt more "dead" to me.

The pair leaning against my wall is 120 95 110. I've held them to explosivs and am pretty sure they are the same thing, except a slightly softer flex.

[jonnyquest]

I bought a pair of the 1st generation explosives with some crappy marker's on them, but for $35, in good condition at the Park City ski swap. Maybe had 10 days on them. I skied them a season, then got over it.