Salomon El Dictator, who has ridden them???

[Altaholic]

Question, I have 194 XXLs are the El Dictators too close to them???

I saw a killer deal I almost can't pass up. I'm a skier who rides Teton Village, like to go fast, go hard & point it when conditions are right. My current quiver consists of 194 Dynastar Pro XXLs, 191 CoreUPT Adrien Courieur Pros (similar Rossi Squads. Dynastar Pro Riders), 191 Bluehouse Shoots (Just got another set of them for $250 this spring) & 189 Bluehouse Maestro w/ Dukes. I don't want a quiver overlap, but I saw a price that is almost too good to pass up. The XXL has no rocker, just a huge tip, while the El Dictator has a very slight rocker. I know both are stiff, hard charging, point it to mach 1 skis. Anyone here ridden both of these skis???

[pfluffenmeister]

haven't ridden either one (big help), but they kinda fill the same niche; you have it nailed at the tip rocker difference.


but if it's a really good price ...

[dynodonkeyaltabird]

Very similar skis. I have 187 xxls and have 15ish days on the dics. Love both. If the price is right, pick em up. Although i would imagine either the xxls or the dics will be riding the bench this winter.

[jk]

Used to have the xxl 194 as my charger ski, now have the dictator to fill that room in my quiver. I would call overlap. For me the Dictator does all that the xxl does, only slightly better. Same stability at mach speeds, slightly better float due to the tip rocker, a little more playfull (to the degree one can call a ski in this category playfull...). Also found the dictator a little easier to scrub speed on when needed, the xxl is harder to break out of a carve once hooked in. Yet the Dictators will hold an edge when you want them to. The superstiff tail is also very good at stomping hucks in less favourable conditions.
Anyway, if the price is right grab them. As stated above one or the other will see a lot of benchtime. I'd sell which ever one of them that turns out to be.My money is on that beeing the xxl. I loved mine but there is not one day i've missed them over the Dictators.

[skibum193]

$275 at TVS? I saw those too...

[Gobig21]

I've got the dictators as well as the 198 race room b-squads, which are similar to the xxls; the El Dictator got picked off the ski wall 5 times for every 1 time the Squads got the call. Both are burly skis that can run a lot faster than most of us should go, but I like to ski fast...The slight tip rocker makes the Dictators more playful in the powder, and they are definitely more nimble than the Squads of the xxl's. The dictators are good in all conditions, excel on open faces and plow thru corn and tracked out resort snow, they are good in the deep stuff until it gets scary deep, and fun as hell on groomers. They may not be the ideal tree ski, but who wants to ski trees with a burly still, almost 200cm ski bolted to your feet? I love mine and would recommend pulling the trigger, they were only produced for 2 years so you shouldn't have any trouble selling them, or the xxls later. They are a stiff, long, fast ski built for rippers that like to ski fast thru various conditions.

[nest]

Anyone have a comparison of RC112 (best ski ever) vs Dictator?

[stuckathuntermtn]

Who cares?
if pairs of skis = n
the the correct n is n = n + 1

[DHogg]

Anyone have a comparison of RC112 (best ski ever) vs Dictator?

Try this thread:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...or-El-Dictator

[chatton18]

Who cares?
if pairs of skis = n
the the correct n is n = n + 1

provided n+1 < d

where d = the number of skis that lead to a divorce

[bridge]

I hate d

But I would say they overlap for sure, I was looking at getting some off evo.com last week, but I thought they greatly overlap with my big dumps, even more so with my XXLs. But you can always have them for a back pair right?

[TwinTipFlip]

Anyone have a comparison of RC112 (best ski ever) vs Dictator?

Yeah, the RC112 was chargy and stable, but by no means was it as stiff as the El Dictator. I.E. The DickTator a.k.a the Penis Potato.

The Dick is way stiff, but unlike other reviews I find it to be super boring on groomers, and terrible at carving because of the near 50 meter turn radius.

The dick is a beast of a ski to turn in general, but a strong skier is rewarded with a very smooth ride.

The ski does excel in crud, spring slush and pow, but I was always scared shitless on really icy snow.

The dick is Terrible in moguls because its too stiff and long.

My favorite part about the ski is solid stomp feeling (like a clean hit on a baseball), and then how you can hit a huge mound of snow and the dictator will take all the shock. (unline a ski like the rossi s7 which would have massive tip defelction).

The other thing I like about the dictator is the rebound on the ski. If you load the ski in a turn (even without carving) their is a tremendous pushback from the ski to spring you into the next turn.) this has occured for me on runouts when I try turning to loose speed.

Never skied the dynastars....

[Altaholic]

Thanks, for your help guys. Actually they were not $275, they were $240. Since the Rocker2 is replacing them, it was now or never.

I said screw it & picked them up (got some FSK 180s via this board for cheap). I have my 194 XXls, 194 El Dictators, 191 Bluehouse Shoots (2 pairs, one new, one rock skis) & 191 CoreUPT Aidrien Courier pros as my skis to charge on this winter in Jackson.

I have now have five sets of stiff skis & one set of mediumish flex skis, 189 Bluehose Maestro with Dukes. I just saw Bluehouse now made a Maestro in a 195, great that'll be my next purchase down the road. I'll admit it, I have a gear problem. At least I picked up all my gear on the cheap, something to make me feel better, but going to have to check into Outdoor Gear Anonymous at some future point in my life.

[SteamboatBORN]

I own the 202 XW Labs and skied them 3 season and got the El Dictators last season and have over 140 days on them. KILLER SKI!!! TO bad they dont make them. Seems like Salomon go through a few years with a monster charging ski to a few season without them. Plus I guess because you can find them for cheap. Would love another pair of the XW Labs.

[SteamboatBORN]

Also, I take the Dictators in the trees almost every day in the winter. Anyone who says they suck in trees, come ski a few runs with us! They are money in all conditions, just have to drive turns harder and faster!

[filthyfrenchbum]

Skied about 7 or 8 days on them, and regretted not buying a pair but I got some Fortitude Deliriums instead. The El Dic is fantastic and oh so confidence-inspiring. Probably the ski I've been able to "drive" the most at speed.

[Jay P]

Yeah, the RC112 was chargy and stable, but by no means was it as stiff as the El Dictator. I.E. The DickTator a.k.a the Penis Potato.

The Dick is way stiff, but unlike other reviews I find it to be super boring on groomers, and terrible at carving because of the near 50 meter turn radius.

The dick is a beast of a ski to turn in general, but a strong skier is rewarded with a very smooth ride.

The ski does excel in crud, spring slush and pow, but I was always scared shitless on really icy snow.

The dick is Terrible in moguls because its too stiff and long.

My favorite part about the ski is solid stomp feeling (like a clean hit on a baseball), and then how you can hit a huge mound of snow and the dictator will take all the shock. (unline a ski like the rossi s7 which would have massive tip defelction).

The other thing I like about the dictator is the rebound on the ski. If you load the ski in a turn (even without carving) their is a tremendous pushback from the ski to spring you into the next turn.) this has occured for me on runouts when I try turning to loose speed.

Never skied the dynastars....

Are we talking 88 or 98 112's? Because I have a very hard time believing the Dictators are stiffer than the 98's Thats one of the top 3 stiffest skis of all time.

[Son-of-Pbville]

Skied both for one season each...... both ending in blown up skis. Not the skis fault, but my big ass and penchant for rocky/tech lines.

AS far as performance....... RC hands down IMO.

RC pros -- pop, lots of camber, predictable, float
Cons -- heavy, not forgiving

Dictators -- solid stomping, maneuverable, slarve (more than RC)
cons -- not a lot of life, tip wander in even slight mank, really hard to carve or even control on hardpack

I take the RC 7/10. The dictators really handle technical stuff better, but at the cost of the enjoyment of everything else i think.

Last years sticks -- Super 7 ---
Tip doesn't plane very well, so variable snow is super herky jerky. And the balance point is so damn hard to find. The surf/turn in pow is also kinda weird. Too much sidecut leads to grabby edges.
Also, delamed, twice.
Same problem with the RC. The two sheet of metal with flimsy wood in-between is really not a great construction.

This year -- Praxis Woo 2.0 196cm Stiff

CANT WAIT!!!! PRAY FOR SNOW!!!!!