What is the stiffest, burliest, baddest ski ever?

[charlesj]

I don't know about the stiffest, burliest, baddest ski ever but In the late 70s I had a pair of abused Head XR-1 Comps. They were very fucking stiff due to their innovative construction (one piece of heavy composite with some longitudnal air channels to shave a few kilos off). 25 years ago I had some early Elan 215 SGS that were what one would expect, something at the nexus of fun and scary. I felt it wasn't often safe to use them as intended. Eventually gave them to someone here who I hope had some thrills with them.

[mr walker]

I don't think I'd ever actively seek out anything like it again except as a novelty crusher for shit-fuck conditions.

This. I look back with fond memories, and maybe if I get back to a big quiver I’ll buy another man setup for when the snow is clapped out, but otherwise...nah.

[east bear fr]

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

Very nice pick. My daily driver. Awesome for what they are.
A modern iteration of old im103, with way shorter radius. Much more manageable in any condition, way better carver.

[tuco]

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.

Theres 2 pair not very far from you now. I've bought 2 pair and gave 1 to my brother(both pairs sitting in CH). They most definitely belong on this list here. My top 2 runs ever @ the Bird have been on Mavens. Black Protos and B-day chutes, gold Mavens and just plain ol Kool Whip. If I were to go heli ski on a perfect day, I would choose Black Protos. Their problem was not the flex/sidecut ratio. It was the other thing you mentioned. Waaaaaaaaaaaay too much camber! Makes them a handful everywhere but soft

[RickySixx]

Does any manufacturer even make a ski like this for 2020, besides Blizzard with the Cochise and Bodacious?

[TAFKALVS]

Does any manufacturer even make a ski like this for 2020, besides Blizzard with the Cochise and Bodacious?

http://www.dynastar.com/product/legend-pro-rideer-fteam

[Vitamin I]

Does any manufacturer even make a ski like this for 2020, besides Blizzard with the Cochise and Bodacious?

Not sure if any of these qualify, but if I had no other options, then I would take a closer look at these 2020 skis:
- Blizzard Bodacious 196cm
- Down
- Dynastar LP 105 192cm
- Fischer Ranger 115 196cm
- Folsom
- Igneous
- Praxis
- Volkl Confession 193cm

.

[XavierD]

In addition to above:
ON3P Metal Wrenegade 108
Black Crows Corvus
K2 Mindbender 108
Armada Invictus 108
Armada Declivity X
Moment Commander maybe?

[skibrd]

In addition to above:
ON3P Metal Wrenegade 108
Black Crows Corvus
K2 Mindbender 108
Armada Invictus 108
Armada Declivity X
Moment Commander maybe?

The 194 Commander 108 is stiff. Definitely qualifies. Not sure about the Declivity X and the Mindbender 108 TI though. I have yet to handflex mine, but they don’t review super stiff.


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[TAFKALVS]

Mind bender in a 186 is a ripper I bet the 193 length is burly


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[XavierD]

The 194 Commander 108 is stiff. Definitely qualifies. Not sure about the Declivity X and the Mindbender 108 TI though. I have yet to handflex mine, but they don’t review super stiff.


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Never flexed the declivity but it was totally fine ripping through stuff I’d normally make multiple turns down.

TBH the MB blister MB 108 reviews read more like someone trying to stick to the K2 line than my experiences with the 186. I don’t have any time on the 193 though.

[Self Jupiter]

194 4Frnt Devastators are not that stiff or overly demanding to ski but they’re heavy as fuck and haul the mail. Anyone been on the new, ‘’15% lighter’’ version since Levinthal took over?

[RickySixx]

Thanks guys.

I think I've "narrowed" it down to:

Dynastar LP105
K2 Mindbender 99ti or 108ti
Armada Invictus 108
Volkl Mantra 102

I'm a little worried with the Mantra's durability, I have read a lot of stories about the Confessions falling apart after one good season.

[XavierD]

Mantra 102 is a different construction than the confession. Mine were fine for a season btw, just some top sheet chipping you’d expect of a vertical sidewall ski

[TAFKALVS]

Still happily rolling on my 2012 lp105, they don’t have much pop left but otherwise still going strong.


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[SirVicSmasher]

I'm just sitting here with my 193 MB 108s and 116s waiting for snow to try so I can give some feedback. Exciting that the vashon brand has a ski on this list

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[RickySixx]

The 191 K2 Mindbender 99ti was heavier and stiffer than the 193 108ti. Stiffer I understand, but I didn't expect it to be heavier. In hand, the MB 99 seems like a Monster 98 with more rocker and capwall construction.


Mindbender 99ti
LP105
Mantra 102

[Lindahl]

Don’t the Mindbenders have pretty soft shovels though?

[RickySixx]

Ya, they do have a soft tip. Not as soft as I expected though, not nearly as soft as other k2s the past 10 years. I made it seem like the mindbender was in the same league as the Monsters, it is not. I'm considering it as a looser alternative to the racier Euro skis, but it should still haul the mail.

The LP105 does exactly what I'm looking for though. How do I buy one of those, are they special order only?

[mastergaper]

I’ve skied a couple of Factions that I think are worth mention, the Dictator was one of the most hateful skis I’ve ever been on. I will admit that I’m no where near man enough to drive those. Blister put it best when they said “the only people who have any business on that ski are the ones getting it for free”. Also the Prime was pretty shit, most likely my lack of ability but that was another one that only wanted to destroy your spirit, exploit your horrible technique, and crush fall line at a million mph.

[skibrd]

I’ve skied a couple of Factions that I think are worth mention, the Dictator was one of the most hateful skis I’ve ever been on. I will admit that I’m no where near man enough to drive those. Blister put it best when they said “the only people who have any business on that ski are the ones getting it for free”. Also the Prime was pretty shit, most likely my lack of ability but that was another one that only wanted to destroy your spirit, exploit your horrible technique, and crush fall line at a million mph.

Only time people talk highly to me about the Dictators are when I’m on my 194 MX 98s and they think I want the burliest ski all the time. Playfulness is underrated in a ski.


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[skiJ]

What's your opinion?

I have never skied anything that really feels like a tank. What would you recommend me if I want to add some to my quiver.

Actually, I'd like to have something really killer.

I'll play --

1983 K2 VO Slalom. 207cms. MRRs ( pre- Full Spectrum )

stiff. 'burly'. BADass m.f. ski. Olympic champion.


yo - skiJ

[gaijin]

I skied the Mindbender 108Ti 186 in spring slush and melt/freeze and thought it was legit on groomers hauling ass. I also liked the turning radius for a groomer ski. I DID notice a little bit of tip chatter (not carbon-fiber vibrations) but would be willing to tolerate it if it meant the ski was to also provide me with deeper-than-ankle-deep obligations.

But I have a designated pow ski and I want a crud/groomer ski. I ordered the Mantra 102 184 without any demo mainly because it was cheap, and it's a Volkl. If I was buying without a discount it would probably come down to availability and shipping costs for my needs.

K2 might very well reinvent their product with the MB series. It definitely wasn't a Line or a K2 of old. I thought it was fairly quiet, trustworthy, and predictable. And easy to release.

All that said, some Blister boys said the Mantra 102 would be their NZ comp ski. I don't think I'd compete on a MB108 over an LP 105 without ever having skied a Mantra 102 as a third reference.

The M5 Mantra swept the Japan women's FWQ last year... for whatever that's worth. She told me the M102 was too much ski for her.

[XavierD]

I’ve skied a couple of Factions that I think are worth mention, the Dictator was one of the most hateful skis I’ve ever been on. I will admit that I’m no where near man enough to drive those. Blister put it best when they said “the only people who have any business on that ski are the ones getting it for free”. Also the Prime was pretty shit, most likely my lack of ability but that was another one that only wanted to destroy your spirit, exploit your horrible technique, and crush fall line at a million mph.

The dictator is also too light for how stiff it is and gets pinged around. Don’t mistake unforgiving for being stable or badass. The only people who should be skiing it are those getting it for free because no one should pay to ride it. It’s just a bad ski...

[kootenayskier]

I'll play --

1983 K2 VO Slalom. 207cms. MRRs ( pre- Full Spectrum )

stiff. 'burly'. BADass m.f. ski. Olympic champion.


yo - skiJ

The VOs were the first pair of skis I owned (1987). I didn’t have a clue, and can’t recall anything about how they skied, but somehow made them work. The burliest skis I can recall spending allot of time on were Head Supermojos (the black ones with shuji graphics). At the time I was looking for a damp race ski feel with powder ski dimensions and these delivered.