The EC everyday ski(s)?

[strawjack]

assuming most lift service ec skiers ride essentially the same terrain and conditions in this place...what ski is it for you?

terrain - tight trees, little funnels, occasional slackin' chutes on the bigger hills.

conditions - powdah, cut up crud, soft then firm bump lines...littered with trees.

trees, lots of trees.

i don't care about groomers and if it performs on groomers...ride a race ski. although, you need something that will ski well in the trees when it's firm, so therefore the ski will most likely ride ok on a groomer anyway.

i've found my mantra 191 to be my favorite ski, but a turnier (tighter radius) ski might be better. MSP's and a BRO are on my list and i think the Bridge has a lot of potential. what'd ya got?

[ACHTUNG]

Here are my favorite EC resort skis at the moment:

Head Mojo 94
Scott P4

[GoEhuge]

A little history here:

05/06- 177 Karma's
06/07- 183 Goats
07/08- 185 Scratch BC
08/09- 185 Bridge
09/10- 183 Bentchetler

Out of the top selection (minus the Bentchetlers), the Scratch BC's were my favorites. I thought the 98mm waist was a perfect for everyday shredding when you spend about 75% of the time trying to find some good snow and the other 25% actually skiing it. I always have had a R/R (Spats, Lotus', ARGs) for pow days, so my "everyday" ski had to be able to do well in the in between conditions as well as typical hard/harder pack days.

Why did I like the scratch BC's more than the all the Volkls? I liked having a ski that was a touch softer in order to help out with initiating quick turns in the trees. The softness also helped if I were ever to screw around in the park. Now I am not saying I dig noodles, cause there was no way I could have used my Line Anthems everyday, just saying a "touch" softer is my prefference.

With all that said, last year I picked up a pair of Bentchetlers as my "pow" ski. Took them out for a groomer run to screw around at the beginning of the season and never looked back. A few weeks later I sold my Bridge's and skied the Bents excusively for the rest of the year. My skiing style over the past few years has changed a bit from the more traditional forward charging to playful, jibby, creative skiing. I don't typically lap bumps and high-speed groomers as much anymore- and if I am, I have other skis for that. If I'm skiing a groomer, it's ussually to get somewhere else, and I'll typically be screwing around on the side of the trail or riding switch.

This year I have added the 185 Blogs to the equation and don't know quite how that will play out. The one thing that was lacking with the Bentchetlers was the ability to feel completely comfortable when going super fast on hard snow. I'm hoping the Blogs end up filling that gap (at least more than the Bents) while still maintaining the playful nature of a fat rockered ski.


Hope you all enjoyed my blog...

[strawjack]

lynchdogger rides the bentchetlers and he loves 'em too.

your style of riding is pretty much exactly the way i ski also. if i'm on a groomer it's on the way to a tree stash. even then i'm typically on the side looking for any soft turn available.

what was your opinion of the Bridges?

[GoEhuge]

^^^ I don't think I've ever ridden a ski I prefer more for high speed groomers than the Bridges- they killed it in hard conditions and railed on ice. Super stable ride and the 22m turn radius was right in my sweetspot. I really enjoyed them as a directional ripper. Great stiff flex, but sometimes felt a little unforgiving (landing big jumps etc).They were a blast but just not as nimble or playful as I have begun to prefer.

I think the new bridges (with a touch of rocker) are really intriguing.

[neufox47]

Liked my Missions, just got a pair of Moment Tahoes that I am psyched to try. If you like skiing fast in EC trees you may want something shorter. I am 6' 210lbs and my missions were 177, Tahoes 180. I thought my Tha 187's were going to be perfect but I was "considerably" slower in tight trees and felt out of control at times where on my Missions I felt like I could make any turn. The Missions have a radius of 15-16 and I actually thought it was too tight because it caused them to hook in soft snow.

[lynchdogger]

lynchdogger rides the bentchetlers and he loves 'em too.

your style of riding is pretty much exactly the way i ski also. if i'm on a groomer it's on the way to a tree stash. even then i'm typically on the side looking for any soft turn available.

what was your opinion of the Bridges?

But not this year - DPS kid!

I also really like my Prophet 100's - they just do everything well!

The Bents were a lot of fun in anything over 6-12" and game changers in that 50" of wet shit the week of NH Feb vacation! That was just an epic couple of days! The Dip 10 times in one day all untracked! And then across the street solo tour the next day! Best of last season except our Cannon day!

FWIW, I would buy another pair of Bents in the 192 for sure. The 183's were a little small especially at speed! But certainly not an everyday EC driver.

I bet the Wailler 112 RP's are going to be even better! Let it snow! a fucking lot!

[Shu Shu]

The Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde EC Everyday Quiver of 2010

185 JJs-For all things soft, slack and squishy
182 Garbones-For all things hard and chargy

Seeing as these are currently the only skis I have in working condition they qualify as everyday by default.

[skiing_is_partying]

anyone have any thoughts on bros for an east coast all-arounder?

[JayPowHound]

anyone have any thoughts on bros for an east coast all-arounder?

I ski 183's and 186 Lhasas. The Lhasa's are far from an everyday ski around here so I'll address the 183's.

At 5'7, 160 they're too much to be an everyday ski for me. Don't get me wrong, they're really really fun... but when things get firm and I'm not going out to charge I just like something a little softer, shorter, and turnier.

Last year I picked up 177 Salomon Lord's and 176 Volkl Ledge's and this year I've got 178 Ski Logik Ullr's Chariots.

The lords and ledges both have waists in the 80's and the Ullr's are 101 compared to the BRO's 99, but as much as I love my 183's I would choose any of the others as my one and only, everyday ski. (If I had to choose one, which thank god I don't!)

Now if I had some 179's... maybe a different story. I dunno cuz I've never been on them, but for my size the 183's can be a bit much on tight, steep, icy tree bumps.

[strawjack]

this year I've got 178 Ski Logik Ullr's Chariots.

what's the deal with those boards? are you working with/for them. graphics are sweet...

[skiing_is_partying]

Now if I had some 179's... maybe a different story. I dunno cuz I've never been on them, but for my size the 183's can be a bit much on tight, steep, icy tree bumps.

I'm the same size as you and I've seriously been considering pulling the trigger on some 179 stiffs... but that big turning radius might just be too much for those days you just want to take it easy on the groomers..

[JayPowHound]

I'm the same size as you and I've seriously been considering pulling the trigger on some 179 stiffs... but that big turning radius might just be too much for those days you just want to take it easy on the groomers..

Taking it easy on groomers... no problem. Big radii make groomers more fun!

It's the tight icy bumps where the combo of stiffness and straightness seem to throw me off.

[Stymie]

Been skiing on some 179 softs for a couple of years on the east coast (line prophet 90s for really hard days)... fun, playful ski that will do just about everything I want them to. I am replacing them this year with the new 179s- which are a bit lighter, a bit stiffer and with a sexy new nylon topsheet:



Very excited to try these out this winter.

[laseranimal]

Skis I've used as daily drivers on the EC

177 Volkl G3's
178 Volkl G4s
180 Volkl Explosives

180 Igneous FFL

179 K2 Public Enemies

188 Bluehouse Districts
189 Bluehouse Mavens

Of those I think I was happiest with the 178 G4, there really was nothing those skis couldn't do :sniff:

At a mountain with a ton of groomer/park and very little natural snow I think the PE is a VERY capable everyday board.

The Explosive/FFL is another classic all around EC board. I think bluebird put it best in another thread, its just simple to grab and go. I keep looking for the elusive White Wizards because I prefer a twin.


Its funny this thread should come up because I'm looking for a new pair of EC daily drivers. While its been fun to ski Mavens everyday just for the looks, they're really not the ideal EC ski, so I'm thinking about moving them to their rightful spot as powder only boards and using a pair of 189 Maestros as my daily drivers. However the Maestro's look like when paired with dynafits they'd be a hella fun pow touring rig so I'm torn.

[arewolfe]

I just bought a pair of 4frnt TNKs on Tramdock. Hoping they fill my EC "no new snow" resort day quiver spot.

No idea if I'm going to like them but the dimensions are what sold me (112/86/108), 23m radius.

[pruitt]

My MSPs worked great for my east cost days.

Nice firm ski that could hold a line on the groomers (read ice) well.

Worked well in chopped up crap too.

Easy to turn in the trees...might be due to the twin tip making it feel like it was shorter than it was

[skiing_is_partying]

Taking it easy on groomers... no problem. Big radii make groomers more fun!

It's the tight icy bumps where the combo of stiffness and straightness seem to throw me off.

i was think slower glolem turns with the fam,
but of course, I've just filled this spot in the quiver with some Explosivs! (even though they wont pull of a sl turn too well) So ill try to keep my eyes off the bros for another season....

[strawjack]

I just bought a pair of 4frnt TNKs on Tramdock. Hoping they fill my EC "no new snow" resort day quiver spot.

No idea if I'm going to like them but the dimensions are what sold me (112/86/108), 23m radius.

ya, those have potential to be a great ec ski. the new volkl kendo may be similar to that board.

i want a bunch of new boards! i want a new snowboard too.

[peterslovo]

My EC resort skis include 177 Karmas and 174 BRO stiffs. Karmas for playing around and the BROs for going fast, powder, and bustin' crud.

[bern43]

I use my 183 Head Monster iM82s for "no new snow" days and am planning to use a pair 186 ON3P Vicik's for the other days. Should be a good combo. The Head's are great when the conditions are firm, but in any new snow over a few inches they just sink and are a bit of struggle.

[EC/BC]

I liked the first edition of the Line Chronics for an alpine daily driver, but they felt a little dead some times (a bit too stiff to be playful). For tele I really liked my Line Mothership Flites. This was in Maine, so more firm snow and heavy soft stuff when we did get it.

[DoWork]

anyone have any thoughts on bros for an east coast all-arounder?

I have the italian BRO 183s from the last euro run, and they are great. I also just got the first pair of 183 FAT BRO prototypes with the lhasa tip and rocker- simply because for me 5'9" 170ish, the effective edge of the regular 183 is great for wide open spaces and big fast turns but when I want to billy goat through some tight shit, it can be a handful. I feel like the rocker and extra width in the new model will loosen them up a bit in the trees and make that length a bit more manageable for me, and I'm considering selling my regular 183s in for the new 179s that are carbon/glass, because I feel that length would probably be a little bit more user friendly in the normal tip and tail configuration. No qualms whatsoever in recommending them to someone for an everyday EC ski- don't even think about them as a 100-waist, because they don't act like them. Amazing grip even on ice, quick transitioning and light, poppy fun that is somehow stable as shit when you open it up. Just find the right length for you and GO!

Once I got with the BROgram, there was no turning back.

[soul_skier]

This coming season, I expect to be using some explosives or 9.1ffs, both in a 190 as my everyday go to ski, though depending on how things shake out I could see myself on some 190 DPS RP112s for a not insignificant portion of the time. Just try to find something that you are comfortable grabbing when you don’t really know what you are going to get as far as snow conditions.

[HankScorpio]

I've been using my 184 Mantras the past few seasons and a daily driver. I love them, but they're not so great when it comes to hard snow groomers. I picked up a pair of Rossi SC80s recently as the groomer ski. I'll be using the Mantras for mixed conditions and slackcountry. For deep days I've got BD Zealots.

A softer pair of tip rockered 105ish mm skis may be in order at some point.