Ski: Praxis pow 185
Bindings: Rainey Hammerhead
Boot: Scarpa T-Race (old 3-buckle red-black model)
Location: Bridger Bowl
Conditions: 3'+ Cold smoke, dust on crust, cat tracks, bumps
Rider: 6'2, 175, telemark
Previous skis: Havoc, Voodoo, ANT, Spatula, Johnny Moselys circa '95, nameless vintage.

Found these praxis pows cheap, and I no longer have spats, so I really had no choice. Would've preferred the 195s, but cheap is cheap. Mounted them 99cm back from the tip. Yes, at the back end of the mounting range. I had heard good things about awesome smearing and this quick-turning-yet-stable-reverse-camber setup.

I've since skied them 9 or 10 days on everything from deep cold smoke to hardpack and bumps. I love the responsiveness and ease in smearing. I can rip tree lines in anything over 3" at pretty awesome/scary speeds with damn good control and response. Out of morbid fascination I took a bump run down Bronco on a 4" day and was pleasantly surprised that provided my knees could take it, the praxis could handle fast, tight bumps.

They respond extremely well to tele turns (not that most of you care) on steeps; stable at speeds, easy to initiate smearing and responsive. For instance some of my favorite turns this season were confidently skiing 50deg chutes with variable snow off the Apron and Slachmans. But skating/skiing on hardpack is tiring and inefficient. These are meant for anything but hardpack/groomers. Sure, you can ski them on groomers but its like taking a tractor to race a camero. Not the intended purpose.

While I have not ridden many of the nice/expensive toys reviewed on TGR, in my limited 105cm underfoot+ experience the praxis deserve high marks. Oh yes, the bases are burly. Growing up skiing in the NE I tend to look at a line, then think about the possibility of rocks barely covered second if at all. So hats off to praxis for making some tough bases and edges.

Last > I especially like the nice pop when taking airs into pow; similarly I've been unable to sink my tips even with the tele [dis]advantge in variable snow. If you are searching for a great, tough reverse-camber ski, I would highly recommend the praxis pow.