2016 PRAXIS info, mounting and resource guide

[Muggydude]

Only 4 days left in the presale... Just need one more referral here, if anyone is on the fence about praxis, just do it! You won't be dissapointed. I have a 15% off code for anyone interested.

[1000-oaks]

Not a fanboy of the BPS

I liked the BPS a lot in pow, but hated the dual-sidecut on hardpack. With my old-school technique (load turns at tips and work back), you could feel every turn transition from the front sidecut to the rear sidecut with a wiggle at the apex. Skied the L138 R1 on the same day and actually preferred the 138 getting back to the lift. Being a 192cm snowblade, at least it turned consistently and sucked...less.

[SupreChicken]

I liked the BPS a lot in pow, but hated the dual-sidecut on hardpack - you could feel every turn transition from the front sidecut to the rear sidecut with a wiggle. Skied the L138 R1 on the same day and actually preferred the 138 getting back to the lift. Being a 192cm snowblade, at least it was consistent and sucked...less.

Perfect description of the r1. I couldn't wait to sell that ski. Protest is (for me) the answer for a deep day ride. Also hunting for another couple referrals. And yeah, muggy. I'm probably in for the 192.

[jmars]

Put and order in the wife's BC...can't wait for the arrival but.......

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on a Concept to replace my Automatic. I have a love hate relationship with it in anything but super soft (pow or corn). The soft tail and deflection in chopped up crude or day after storm left overs has me looking to the Concept. I love my Auto in the trees and the Concept sounds like it does well there

Me: 5'10" 180lbs.
Favorite ski this season: Qlab 190 (mounted on the line)...but need something else that more playful but charges.

My Auto is my travel ski and mounted with a guardian. I dabble in side country and short day tours. During the season I almost bought a Deathwish to replace the Auto but funds went to other stuff. Now I'm thinking to pull the trigger on the Concept and mount the guardian. I am curious if the length of the guardian (guardian small/ 305bsl) will affect the rear camber section of the Concept in a negative way.

Thoughts on the Concept mounted with a guardian? Any comment on lay up?

Thanks all for the hand holding.

[grinch]

Put and order in the wife's BC...can't wait for the arrival but.......

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on a Concept to replace my Automatic. I have a love hate relationship with it in anything but super soft (pow or corn). The soft tail and deflection in chopped up crude or day after storm left overs has me looking to the Concept. I love my Auto in the trees and the Concept sounds like it does well there

Me: 5'10" 180lbs.
Favorite ski this season: Qlab 190 (mounted on the line)...but need something else that more playful but charges.

My Auto is my travel ski and mounted with a guardian. I dabble in side country and short day tours. During the season I almost bought a Deathwish to replace the Auto but funds went to other stuff. Now I'm thinking to pull the trigger on the Concept and mount the guardian. I am curious if the length of the guardian (guardian small/ 305bsl) will affect the rear camber section of the Concept in a negative way.

Thoughts on the Concept mounted with a guardian? Any comment on lay up?

Thanks all for the hand holding.

sounds like you're headed in the right direction. no exp with the concept but I had some deathwishes. I liked them and they did edge really well for a ski that width so if its that rocker profile doing that then the concept will be at least as good I'd say. that being said I much prefer my gpo over the deathwish. I find the gpo carves as good, pivots easier, is lighter. deathwish is slightly more damp but lacks the energy of the gpo. also found the twinned tail of the deathwish grabby when carving thru light chop piles on top of groomers. still liked the deathwish but I'd definitely prefer the gpo as a one ski quiver or western daily driver. very consistent and predictable. both took a little adapting but the gpo I liked more and more every day. can't wait to get back on those. really like what they're capable of everywhere all the time

in other news- also looking to get out another referral. I've built up a new longer protest four or five times now and then do the currency conversion can$-usd and just can't do it. Canadian peso is climbing ever so slightly but another referral would seal the deal. help a brother out and hit me up for further 15% off referral code. sorry for the broken record. I'm in lust with a 187 rastaman protest

[UllrsParadise]

Came across two guys on Praxis skis on the skin track today. Damn, those stained glass topsheets look good in person!

[jmars]

Any more Concept love and discussion I can receive from y'all? Looking to pull the trigger be for I miss out.

[shafty85]

Amongst others, kudos to Adrenelated for talking about skis. Helpful stuff.

I've just skied some 35 days on nothing but my pair of 180 UL BC's. This brings me to about 60 days on the ski. They are a reliable and versatile touring. Unsuitable for a) hard pack and ice [groomers] and b) wind funk. Horrible on hard icy groomers.

Last year I had the 106 Down 6 as my hopeful versatile ski. Which it wasn't. The Praxis BC absolutely shits on that ski for all round versatile. Like night to day.

The BC is a classic, but it is a soft snow ski. Powder bias in a narrow ski. Anything is good on corn, but the BC is not my first choice for spring tours, though perfectly useful nonetheless. /Waiting for a trad cambered "ski mountaineering"/spring ski from Praxis.

ps, 35 days on the cambered BC with a more rearward mount after 65 days on the center mounted CCR GPO has been telling. I prefer driving the BC, but prefer the CCR freedom. What to do...

What about the yeti?

[adrenalated]

What about the yeti?

I can only answer for me, but Yeti is a soft snow shape. Too much taper, too much tip and especially tail rocker.

[grinch]

I really like the yeti. Yes it does well in soft snow but it'll carve up the hill and EZ to get plenty of edge pressure on steeps. The tip rocker has also saved me on steeps with runnels or spring melt slopes that have runnels. Perfect design for spring touring and/or steeps. If I changed anything it would be adding 2-3mm width tip/Tail/waist but then again maybe not. I've got a couple friends on them now to. They're digging them and I know one buddy is using his on most everything. Both very strong skiers. I'm on a 172. One bud on a 182 and one bud on a 192. For example: big kid is on the 192 and he's been ticking off a bunch of cool lines and he's stoked on them. All them are from 2014 blowout sale, so all praxis standard medium flex. If I was to design a ski for that purpose the yeti would be it. Surprised there isn't more people in them. Different strikes I guess or lots of people get Dante lil exploda skimo skis in this category. Ul builds light, bomber and shreds. I'd consider a 182 glass for rallying all over the ski hill. Never had a bad day on mine/touch woid. Also nice to have some float and a but of rocker when you have a heavy pack on traverses. Twisting a knee in the middle of nowhere is always in the back of my mind w a 65lb pack

[neck beard]

I can only answer for me, but Yeti is a soft snow shape. Too much taper, too much tip and especially tail rocker.

Agree. Yeti is a slim BC, which itself is a 106 pow design, especially the tip profile. Also has an annoying twin tip. Yeti is a winter long distance ski. In harder spring snow, when I am often happy on a much shorter ski, I don't want much rocker in the tip or tail. It just further shortens an already short ski.

Right now I am likely buying another Voile Vector. Sure, it still has a soft snow biased taper, but the price is good and I was happy with the fish scale model I skied about 50 days over the last few years (except for the scales when they weren't needed). The side cut and only gentle rocker in the tip, plus flatter tail, make it appealing. Voile skis are light and durable, so I am pretty happy buying them when not buying Praxis.

[PlayItLeo]

Any more Concept love and discussion I can receive from y'all? Looking to pull the trigger be for I miss out.

No discussion needed. Do it!

To your earlier question, I have large marker tours on mine (I assume they're comparable in length to the guardian) and they don't seem to mess with the camber at all.

Both the sidecut bulge and the camber pods are really subtle when looking at the ski, but they're definitely noticeable (in a good way) when skiing

[CaliBrit]

Ok. If someone gives me a referral code what can I get some 192 protests for. Regular core. Too lazy to figure it out.

[adrenalated]

Ok. If someone gives me a referral code what can I get some 192 protests for. Regular core. Too lazy to figure it out.

I believe you'd be looking at $510, plus shipping which IIRC is $28.

[Muggydude]

Pretty great ski, just right size I'd say. Or at least I presume haha. Can't wait to get on my pair next season

[eskido]

Any more Concept love and discussion I can receive from y'all? Looking to pull the trigger be for I miss out.

Never had a frame on em but I'd assume your most likely decambering the bases if anything which would work with the rockered base but have no idea if there would be any effect to the cambered pods. That being said other than overthinking what is most likely a non issue, funnest ski in every type of terrain I've ever been on hands down! They're a F N blast everywhere!! Not for everyone, definitely very non traditional skiied from the ball of the foot, but they make everything so easy and fun you can super hero everything from that stance and it's just stoopid easy. I'd go standard layup for sure, specially for a resort stick and even more so if I was plannin on puttin a frame binder on em. I went standard per Keith's recs mostly because that ski needs the dampness and I adore mine.

Edit just to say if I ever heard of this stick being changed or going away I would immediately get a divorce from putting about 5 pair on the credit card, and although they do extremely well in 6-10 inches of fresh I always take out my Protests in anything deeper so I've never had em out in the deeper days

[Shu Shu]

No discussion needed. Do it!

They're a F N blast everywhere!! ...from the ball of the foot, but they make everything so easy and fun you can super hero everything from that stance and it's just stoopid easy. I'd go standard layup for sure, I went standard per Keith's recs mostly because that ski needs the dampness and I adore mine.

Edit just to say if I ever heard of this stick being changed or going away I would immediately get a divorce from putting about 5 pair on the credit card, and although they do extremely well in 6-10 inches of fresh I always take out my Protests in anything deeper so I've never had em out in the deeper days

Jmars All this. They change the way you see lines once you get them dialed. You can change direction and dump speed so fast, you can come into shit way hotter than you'd believe. There's been many a time I thought to myself...'fuck this in not going to end well' only to come out the other side with a huge grin. Post a pic when they arrive

[çayzi]

Can you help me with size for 9d8? 75kg/181cm

179 or 185?

Keith said they ski longer.

Thanks!

[jmars]

Jmars All this. They change the way you see lines once you get them dialed. You can change direction and dump speed so fast, you can come into shit way hotter than you'd believe. There's been many a time I thought to myself...'fuck this in not going to end well' only to come out the other side with a huge grin. Post a pic when they arrive

This gets me gitty. No doubt this ski will be purchased before the day is out today.

Keith (the man's a saint for dealing with me) recommends the MAP/carbon layup. Torn on that though...anyone have this layup in the Concept? Since this ski will see it all Keith says the addition on carbon will stable out (slightly) some rocker chatter.

I try not to question the expert but since I'm a goldilocks I have to ask....apparently I can't make decisions myself anymore and I need the "TGR Praxis Self Help Group" to see me through.

I'm good enough, smart enough and doggone other Praxis owners like me!

[PlayItLeo]

I've read in a few places that the Concepts benefit from the standard layup, but the 12/13 pair I picked up in GS are carbon and I really like them (again, I only have ~10 spring days on them so take with a much salt as you see fit). They're definitely poppy and have a lot of rebound out of turns. I haven't had them out in truly firm conditions where their damping (or lack thereof) may be an issue, but I never felt they were too chattery or gave too much feedback when mobbing down chopped and bumped up slush groomers. I originally picked them up as a touring/tight tree ski, so the weight savings of the carbon (though it seems the Keith's carbon layup is more about feel than weight) was welcome -they're a touch lighter than the 98 waisted 186 Ross S3s they replaced - but the more I ski them, the more I think I'll be taking them out on all sorts of days that should be wildly inappropriate for a 117 waisted ski.

Anywhoo, others may feel differently, but I likez the carbonzz so far.

[jmars]

I've also read the positives of the standard...which is why I had to post before I bought

[N1CK.]

Can you help me with size for 9d8? 75kg/181cm

179 or 185?

Keith said they ski longer.

Thanks!

I'm your height and about 10 kg heavier than you. I ski the 185s, but think the 179 would have been fine too.

[Gepeto]

Can you help me with size for 9d8? 75kg/181cm
179 or 185?
Keith said they ski longer.
Thanks!

You
5'11" @ 165lbs
Me
6’ @ 185lbs

The shortest ski I have ever owned. I did the off the shelf 9D8 @ 179 for 14/15 mounted on the line with pivot 14' and it is definitely too short for me. Way too easy to overpower the front and that's with a hybrid boot.

I have been striving to hammer out a Praxis Daily Driver and settled on the 9D8 as the EC DD and tree tool of choice.

Keith personally skied the 179 in the low tide conditions his crew was experiencing on lift served terrain in Idaho and Montana this winter. As gracious and tolerant as he is, it over influenced my decision.

Ski is amazingly playful but, as stated, the front rocker and the 179 length combine to make it too easy to overpower. Tried to tune/de-tune my way around the problem with moderate success. Went back to Keith for suggestions and what tune he ships the ski with and it was helpful.

Moderate pop, quick edge to edge and nice high speed manners when engaged. Depending on your desired usage and being 20lbs lighter, this could be your ideal tool.

FS if anyone is interested; drilled for bsl317 with quiver killers, with or without the Pivots.



Less than 59 hours to grab next year’s potential EC DD (thinking 9D8 medium – hybrid @ 185) and I’ll mount it @ -1/-1.5

I’m sure I would like the 9D8 in the 191, but I can be somewhat claustrophobic and want the shorter length to stuff into smaller EC tree tunnels.

I have a Freeride (no carbon/MS) that made me a Praxis buyer. I won’t go into any detail, but the ski has a bunch of positive attributes. The one thing it doesn’t do well (for me) is good behavior at just impulse speeds. It is a twist in its make-up I can’t find the answer to either. As the (yes directional) tail will release on command, which would make you think the ski would behave in first gear?!?

Which brings me to what I am thinking and seeking the input of experienced Praxis owners.

The BC dimensions are dam close to that of the Freeride with some more rocker at both ends and softer numbers across the board. I’m thinking the 190 BC would behave nicely at just impulse speeds? Does the camber it does have offer enough control in crispy hardpack (blue plate special) conditions found on the EC? Could this turn out to be the ultimate 1 ski quiver/travel ski or is the spec’d 9D8 above more the way to go? I’m trying to keep global warming in mind.

[eskido]

I've also read the positives of the standard...which is why I had to post before I bought

Keith's never steered me wrong. I have the carbon protests and love the feel but I only have em out when it's soft, so can't really speak to the hard snow feedback. I think carbon Concepts would be a lot of fun, if you live somewhere where you see more soft snow days than hard id definitely go carbon and probly vice versa. FWIW I don't really ever feel any rocker chatter?

[sf]

Ok. Probably picking up a pair of Protests. Who wants to give me a code? PM me. Thanks

Edit: thanks, mikey