Review and Comparison: XXL, dps 120, Lhasa, S7, Rocker, Czar, Mantra

[Like a Boss]

OP, love the comparative thing. I would love to know your opinions on any of the Volkl ELP skis (Gotama, Katana, etc.) as compared to those already reviewed...

[monkeywrenchMoose]

Very humbling indeed. One of the few times I've been ambivalent about being dropped off by a helicopter.

That must be nice.

[Whipper]

I think that what might be going on with the Lhasas in the 'variable rubbish' is that the tapered tip coupled with the gradual front rocker cause the ski to rise up slowly (if at all) out of the mank. When a turn is then initiated, the forward part of the tip, which is fairly soft, bends around quickly (hooks). I think if the tip were stiffer or the ski had more tip rocker this wouldn't be as pronounced.

It should be noted that I probably ski more junk snow than most people/ My feeling is that pretty much any ski works fine in perfect powder but the real test of a soft snow ski comes when the snow is bad.

Nice reviews and I agree also we need a new 2010-2011 sticky with all the new skis on it. The one up there now is sorta obsolite?

I might add like yourself I find alot of the new rockered skis {Hooky} in tracked up snow. Im alot heavier than you at 225 and found the JJ hooky in the 185 when the snow got chunked up by boarder tracks riddleing the fresh powder when the snow is heavy. When the snow is light this is less of a problem. Rails groomers thats kinda cool though with this ski. I always find myself grabbing my front side midfats when things get tracked up by afternoon. I find the traditional beefy ski out skis the full rockers in the wide trenched resort snow under two feet of fresh conditions. I read your review because the Lasha pow I was hopeing could be a good ski for these conditions. Guess not. The Kantana, Mothership, and Double helix seem to have the best reviews for this resort crap by miday snow and still float you. Traditional with slight early rise seems to nail it best at the resort. If you can have fresh lines all the time in the trees and bowls then ya the rockerd skis seem best for this for sure. But as said many times this season. Any ski will ski fresh untracked great.

[XtrPickels]

FWIW- I have never found a rockered ski to be hooky in tracked or crud. Additionally, there is typically universal praise for skis like the Lhasa Pow in these conditions. Do not let one person's opinions turn you off to a ski. Just file it next to all the opinions as you form your own.

[El Chupacabra]

On skis that I've found to be hooky (including the Lhasa Pow), I detune the tip a bit, and it typically cures it (including the Lhasa).

I was sort of ambivalent about the Lhasa last year, and considered selling mine. I've skied them a lot this year, and really like them. They are truly a do-it-all ski for me, on any soft-ish snow. I don't want to ski them on icy groomers, but they'll do it. On big powder days, I have bigger pow-specific skis that I prefer.

Nice reviews by the OP. I have or have had several of these skis too, and it's interesting to hear your comparisons. I agree with a lot of your impressions on the Lotus 120, Lhasa, Rocker, Czar, and XXL.

[wcf3]

OP, love the comparative thing. I would love to know your opinions on any of the Volkl ELP skis (Gotama, Katana, etc.) as compared to those already reviewed...

Haven't skied on any of the more recent versions of these skis. I haven't considered them seriously because I'm not a big fan of tail rocker. (Even though it is not exactly 'radical' on the ELP's, like a hellbent say). The main reason for my aversion to skis with a fair amount of tail rocker (always found with even more tip rocker) is the feeling of being on a pair of snow blades on steep firm snow. If I'm on steep firm snow on a pair of powder skis, it's usually on some steep couloir entrance and is often the scariest part of the whole line and I don't like that 'snow blade' feeling of having very little effective edge to work with.

That being said, I could be completely wrong about ELP's not having much effective edge in this situation, since the rocker is very gradual and they have some sidecut that might help get the edge on the snow. Further, if you don't take your powder skis out on that kind of terrain (or you're comfortable on snow blades) there is no reason not look at the ELP's or other skis with even more tail rocker. It certainly helps keep a bigger, floatier ski very nimble.

[IvanLipko]

wcf3, what would be your ski of choice for heliskiing in British Columbia - Monashees\Adamants?

[wcf3]

wcf3, what would be your ski of choice for heliskiing in British Columbia - Monashees\Adamants?

For heliskiing (or for that matter, cat or backcountry) in interior BC my first choice would be the 120's with the Lhasas as a close second. There you want a ski with a lot of float but still quite nimble (trees!). Both these skis fit that profile, with a slight edge to the 120's since they have slightly more float due to the very pronounced pin tail.

[IvanLipko]

Thanks a lot for your opinion!

[Zesty Not Spicy]

On skis that I've found to be hooky (including the Lhasa Pow), I detune the tip a bit, and it typically cures it (including the Lhasa).

Good point. I was pretty aggressive with the detune on my Lhasa's so that might be part of the reason why I never felt that they were hooky.

[vailcat]

The day I was skiing the lhasa's in Haines and the snow was totally, totally as fucked as snow can get. It was basically like zipper crust except the zipper was about 12" deep. Not fun. I got in that night and was so happy to have all knees in place we all got good and drunk!!!!

The lhasa's before the snow-fucked event were killing it and I loved them then just as I do now.

One of the guides suggested going to the rocker the next day and I must say that ski made what was terrrifying the other day somewhat enjoyable. They were a terrific ski for those conditions. That being said we did find some better snow but it was far from great snow that day.

Didn't pull out my 120's for that snow but with the little smaller upturn on the tail compared to the first gen. lhasa's I'm sure they would have fared a bit better.

[splat]

wcf3 - If you ever get a chance, ski the 192 Bro. You sound like a guy that would really appreciate it.

[wcf3]

wcf3 - If you ever get a chance, ski the 192 Bro. You sound like a guy that would really appreciate it.

That's entirely possible. Unfortunately, due to my location I seldom get an opportunity to test skis from smaller manufacturers, or for that matter, less popular skis from larger manufacturers. One test drive may be worth a thousand reviews, but if you can't get a test drive, one has to go the mail order bride route. Of all the skis on this list, the only ones that I was able to try before purchase were the mantras and the Rockers.

[wcf3]

Skis where they’re most at home:


Unsinkable 120’s in bottomless snow, Haines AK





XXL’s busting wind crust and carving chalk, Las Lenas near backcountry





Mantras billygoating Taos NM





Lhasas on steep technical line with good snow, ‘I’m Bored’ Valdez AK






S7’s at play on ski area powder day, Taos NM





Czar’s busting crud at speed, Silverton backcountry





Rockers happy at speed, Alpe d'Huez sidecountry





Rockers in the Chugach

[wcf3]

Where they don’t work that well:


Czar’s lose speed then sink in deep heavy snow. Steamboat backcountry





120’s can lose edge hold unpredictably at speed on steep firm snow, then go into high speed teeter-toter. One place where this happened and left me hyperventilating, Cathedral peak couloir, Haines AK





S7’s getting hooky in breaking crust. Silverton backcountry.





XXL’s don’t like tight quarters. Trees, Red Mountain BC.






Rockers can get really heavy on a long boot. Entre Rios, Las Lenas backcountry.





3000ft of steep variable snow, working the whole way to keep from going over the handlebars on my Lhasas. Cherry couloir, Valdez AK.




Various places where predictability and edge hold trump ‘fun to ski’:


Pontoon, Valdez AK





Starting down from peak on Pontoon.





Entering Trefides 1 couloir, La Grave.





East face of Cerro Negro, Las Lenas backcountry.

[otto parts]

Outstanding stuff, wcf3-a TR/review lovechild.