What is the stiffest, burliest, baddest ski ever?

**L82thegate** · 10-07-2019, 02:23 PM

Old school Sohler Bluebirds with 2 grooves were something else. Probably a jumping ski but used them for Gelande jumps in the early 70's What a pair of sticks they were but you could ski out of anything on them. Not for the average Joe. My 207cm VR 17's were my go to bump ski when I got a hand-me-down pair. 140 lb. 16 yr. old on those VR's, quite a hand-full and I learned / perfected helicopters on them too. Stiffest POS ski I ever tried to enjoy were a pair of white topsheet Volkl Snowrangers that wouldn't bend. Trash pile for them. And who could forget Kastle CPM TI's (composition plastic metal / titanium). for a real stout bitch.

**toast2266** · 10-07-2019, 02:36 PM

No personal experience with these other than hand flexing an old version. But those old ones were an order of magnitude stiffer than any other ski I've ever touched. I'd bet these are similar. https://www.coloradodiscountskis.com...FIS_Speed.html

I'd love to see someone take them out for an inbounds cruise.

**stuckathuntermtn** · 10-07-2019, 02:49 PM

Squads are still some of the only skis I've ever seen that looked really truly scary to me. Even the 189. Maybe it was the flat tail.

**El Chupacabra** · 10-07-2019, 03:44 PM

I probably posted it already here, but the stiffest skis I ever skied were Igneous FFF in something like 260 flex. Stiffer than Head im103 or original Atomic Big Daddy, which were two other old stupidly stiff skis I had.

Briefly had some Blue house Shoots that were planks - I didn't bother mounting them, just passed them along, as hand flex indicated that I wouldn't like skiing them.

**SumJongGuy** · 10-07-2019, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by toast2266

No personal experience with these other than hand flexing an old version. But those old ones were an order of magnitude stiffer than any other ski I've ever touched. I'd bet these are similar. https://www.coloradodiscountskis.com...FIS_Speed.html

I'd love to see someone take them out for an inbounds cruise.

Ski Type = FIS Speed

MPN = AA8601788 - 238

Side-cut & Turning Radius:

238cm = 95.5 - 81 - 87.5 TR >INFINITY

**Doremite** · 10-07-2019, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by SumJongGuy

K2 VO Slalom.. RD Coyote Heli Dogs were pretty plankish as well.

I like stiff skis but I could not flex those Heli Dogs. Those are the plank-est planks I’ve been on. Moved them quickly before I maimed myself in east coast trees. Impractical. Recall a pretty thick sidewall under foot.

**snowaddict91** · 10-07-2019, 06:29 PM

Didn't read the whole thread, but the Icelantic Seeker should be mentioned. The tail on the 180s could kick my ass on the wrong day. My brother has a pair of 190s, and at 250 lbs they seem okay for him but they terrify me.

**SumJongGuy** · 10-07-2019, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Doremite

I like stiff skis but I could not flex those Heli Dogs. Those are the plank-est planks I’ve been on. Moved them quickly before I maimed myself in east coast trees. Impractical. Recall a pretty thick sidewall under foot.

I did OK on them, but they were shorter, maybe 183 cm? Like skiing on meat cleavers instead of ginsus.. definitely got to throw them around old school..

**skizix** · 10-07-2019, 07:56 PM

Be careful what you wish for. As others have alluded to, there is a point of diminishing returns.

Back in my 'troller days, someone donated a pair of race-room, 217 Super-G Dynastars to my cause. These were very wide for their day, ultra-stiff, with a TON of camber, heavy AF, and super-damp (you could see a thick rubber layer at the tip).

They were a blast on the groomers (especially night skiing shifts, where I could let them run to ridiculous speeds). Ultra damp, ultra stable, but due to the huge camber, also had a ton of pop if you loaded 'em up proper. I had them in GS gates a few times, and they were of course right at home and awesome there.

However, these are the least versatile ski I've ever been on. In bumps, they were so stiff they would literally span the troughs, leaving you up in the air (i.e. a complete nightmare). I never had the balls to take them in the trees. Dunno, they were so uncompromisingly stable, they might have made an insane, high-speed, crud-smashing, big-mountain terror machine. You'd have to be some kind of maniac to use them for that tough.

**Doremite** · 10-07-2019, 08:11 PM

Were fine to let run but I could not muscle them around in tight space. Toboggan ride.

**whyturn** · 10-07-2019, 08:27 PM

Dynastar Nobis

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**utagonian** · 10-08-2019, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by Flexon Phil

I am looking for some 610's and 810's to complete the set.

The 810 was a lot nicer to ski. Smooth and stable.

I skied 200cm 710's (my only ski when I was 15 and 125lbs) and it was a board with a hinge about half way between your toe and the tip. I couldn't "carve" it if my life depended on it.

**schindlerpiste** · 10-08-2019, 03:21 PM

How Would you guys rate those volkl superspeed on the stiffness scale

**DeepHelmet** · 10-09-2019, 06:33 PM

Bluehouse Shoots. Fun as shit in deep snow, impossible at anything under 30 mph, and terrifying on really hard snow at any speed. Also they were exhausting.

PM Gear Super Bros. Really fun at speed in most conditions, and scary as shit if you're not paying attention.

**anotherVTskibum** · 10-10-2019, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by skizix

Be careful what you wish for. As others have alluded to, there is a point of diminishing returns.

Back in my 'troller days, someone donated a pair of race-room, 217 Super-G Dynastars to my cause. These were very wide for their day, ultra-stiff, with a TON of camber, heavy AF, and super-damp (you could see a thick rubber layer at the tip).

They were a blast on the groomers (especially night skiing shifts, where I could let them run to ridiculous speeds). Ultra damp, ultra stable, but due to the huge camber, also had a ton of pop if you loaded 'em up proper. I had them in GS gates a few times, and they were of course right at home and awesome there.

However, these are the least versatile ski I've ever been on. In bumps, they were so stiff they would literally span the troughs, leaving you up in the air (i.e. a complete nightmare). I never had the balls to take them in the trees. Dunno, they were so uncompromisingly stable, they might have made an insane, high-speed, crud-smashing, big-mountain terror machine. You'd have to be some kind of maniac to use them for that tough.

Didn't a lot of big-mountain skiers use Super-G and DH boards before it was called "big mountain"?

The greater surface area (increased float) and stability at speed, even through chop, seems like it would work pretty well for that, provided the right pilot.

I've never skied anything burlier than a "normal" downhill ski (borrowed early-90s vintage Atomic 217s, a pair of early-80s K2 215s, and my Rossi 215s from the 7XK era, although they have EX's topskins); however, I do remember there were a pair of uber-stiff DH skis in the race room that we put between two tuning benches and tried to de-camber. The biggest dude in the room at the time was probably 6'2"ish and built more like a football player than a ski racer. He got them to move a little, but they weren't flat, let alone flexed. I think they were Dynastars, but my memory is fuzzy on that. Definitely over 21`5cm.

**beaterdit** · 10-10-2019, 11:28 AM

Had a pair of 205 7SKs(?) back in the day that were a handful. Wouldn't really turn in soft snow, not sure what the deal was. Prolly was just a shitty skier back then.

As far as non-race skis, I tele'd on some 204 Heli Dogs for a couple seasons and they were mellow for me. Flex felt moderate, not overly stiff. They were a bit wider than the norm back then (maybe 70 underfoot???), great soft snow skis. Maybe the ones referenced earlier in the thread were some race-room thing. Quit tele skiing in '06 and got on some Man skis though.

189 B-Squads (35m radius) were maybe the manliest skis I've spent much time on. Skied them off and on for a few seasons. They were stable but never felt real damp to me. I guess due to the foam core. No deflection at all. In retrospect though, they just weren't that fun. Hard to turn in the tight stuff. Tore about 18 inches of edge out of one fairly easily.

188 RC 112s (35m radius), still have a couple pairs in pretty bad shape, one is mismatched. These are infinitely easier and more fun to ski than the Squads without giving up any stability. The wood core with metal laminate make these much more damp than the Squads, just a better feeling ski. They're almost as stiff as the Squads in the waist and the tail but the shovel is softer and the running length is much shorter with the tip rocker. I wouldn't call them playful but pretty nimble when you need it, definitely manageable as a daily driver for me for many seasons. Broke one all the way through on a rock without even noticing. Overall my favorite ski of all time.

190 Bluehouse Maven Proto (all black, 40m radius?). I skied these on big days for a season. Great float, not much else for me. They had some sidecut but too much camber and wouldn't really flex in Powder for me, I'm only 5'7" and 140-something lbs though. Did OK in the crud. Hurt my knee on hardpack. Shape/flex mismatch IMO. Interestingly, I was responsible for distributing these to a number of mags. I bought eight pairs for $200 each and passed them along for my cost plus shipping. A lot of people liked them and there are a number of pairs still out there today. Bomber construction.

Some of the burlier skis I've pushed around on the daily are the mid-90s Atomic Powder Plus. I could only ever find the 180s but they were enough, had more running length than the 189 Squads and were almost as stiff. 115 under foot, wood core laminate construction with two sheets of metal, 35m radius. The 190s had a 40m radius. Tele'd on these for a bit, they weren't very well suited to that but did fine. Remounted them Alpine and put a bit of rocker up front myself, they skied awesome. Even with my home rocker job, they still had a much longer running length than the 188 RC112s. Blasted crud and railed hardpack. Accidentally set my top recorded speed record on them on a deserted, cold and overcast hardpack day in the Cirque at Snowbird, 75.5 mph. Wasn't tryin to do anything, just runnin em out alone. Great skis. Broke one all the way through on a rock. Hahaha, sense a theme here?

**kathleenturneroverdrive** · 10-10-2019, 11:48 AM

190 Pow Plus was the shit. I still regret selling them. You could just stand on those things and let them plow through everything in front of you. The metal "clank" they made when you hit them together while on the chairlift is still one of the best sounds I've ever had a pair of skis make.

**SumJongGuy** · 10-10-2019, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by beaterdit

As far as non-race skis, I tele'd on some 204 Heli Dogs for a couple seasons and they were mellow for me. Flex felt moderate, not overly stiff. They were a bit wider than the norm back then (maybe 70 underfoot???), great soft snow skis. Maybe the ones referenced earlier in the thread were some race-room thing.

I think you're thinking of "Bad Dogs". My Heli Dogs were 91mm under foot at 183 cms.

**Ville** · 10-10-2019, 02:15 PM

Score! 200€ still in plastic. Loved the old im103. Interesting to try new ones. These are damn stiff and heavyish. Interesting to see are these more bad ass than me

Lähetetty minun FIG-LX1 laitteesta Tapatalkilla

**mntlion** · 10-10-2019, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by SumJongGuy

I think you're thinking of "Bad Dogs". My Heli Dogs were 91mm under foot at 183 cms.

first gen helidogs (yellow) where a softer flexing bad dog GS.

second gen heli dog (red?) where "fat" ski similar to AK launcher, Olin outerlimit.

I have a 1 first gen in plastic in the ladies size of 190 and also a 190 of the "bad bitch" the other ladies ski they made.

**SumJongGuy** · 10-10-2019, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by mntlion

first gen helidogs (yellow) where a softer flexing bad dog GS.

second gen heli dog (red?) where "fat" ski similar to AK launcher, Olin outerlimit.

I have a 1 first gen in plastic in the ladies size of 190 and also a 190 of the "bad bitch" the other ladies ski they made.

**mr walker** · 10-10-2019, 07:16 PM

I had 188 RC112s for my work ski and daily driver for a season. For what they are, the RC112s are pretty fun, dare I say lively, but very damp. You were going for a ride for sure if you got knocked into the back seat on these skis, and you always had to be on your game. After a full season, I was ready for something a little more forgiving. There are burlier skis out there, but the RC112s are probably one of the better skis in this category. Rossi made a 198cm version too...

I only had a couple of runs on the old B-Squads, but I thought the RC112s were more damp and definitely more fun.

**beaterdit** · 10-10-2019, 08:19 PM

Yeah, working on the 112s would prolly get old, lots of Bird patrollers did though. The tails were pretty punishing if you got lazy. A friend had the 198s, couldn’t turn them.

The 112s were definitely more damp and more fun than the Squads by a long shot. Almost forgot what bottom feeders the Squads were in pow too. Did not float. They did smash the crud though.

Originally Posted by mntlion

first gen helidogs (yellow) where a softer flexing bad dog GS.

second gen heli dog (red?) where "fat" ski similar to AK launcher, Olin outerlimit.

I have a 1 first gen in plastic in the ladies size of 190 and also a 190 of the "bad bitch" the other ladies ski they made.

This. Mine were the yellow first gen ones. I liked them for tele at the time, pretty forgiving. For sure pre-1995.

**nickel** · 10-10-2019, 08:28 PM

194 B-Squads were probably the stiffest ski i rode with regularity. Snapped 4 pairs of the damn things though. The definitely did not float until going over 30mph and were a big time handful in trees but good God did they crush chopped up alpine stuff. Like no speed limit whatsoever.

I definitely skied some race room skis that were stiffer but for something i daily drove for like 3 or 4 years? Nothing has ever come close. I don't think I'd ever actively seek out anything like it again except as a novelty crusher for shit-fuck conditions.