2016 PRAXIS info, mounting and resource guide

**jmars** · 10-24-2016, 02:30 PM

I haven't posted in a while.......and I have followed nothing....I just want to add my 2 cents..........Concept.

that is all....

**jmars** · 10-24-2016, 02:41 PM

Now that I went back a few pages I can add some actual value......about.....yep...the Concept. I find it to ski narrower than the measurement. I know that some may want the narrowness for the skin track weight but I haven't said "man I really wish this ski was narrower" when out there (I have kin pins and wardens on it). I have said that in regards to wanting to ride the Concept on a lower tide day though at the resort b/c its such an killer tree ski.

I bought the wifey a BC but she got hurt last year and hasn't put time on it....I question if I bought the right ski as a travel ski for her.....116lbs, 5'5", medium plus and can ski very well. Mounted with a Marker tour. Kills me that it may not be as resort friendly as I wanted.

**eskido** · 10-24-2016, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by jmars

Now that I went back a few pages I can add some actual value......about.....yep...the Concept. I find it to ski narrower than the measurement. I know that some may want the narrowness for the skin track weight but I haven't said "man I really wish this ski was narrower" when out there (I have kin pins and wardens on it). I have said that in regards to wanting to ride the Concept on a lower tide day though at the resort b/c its such an killer tree ski.

I bought the wifey a BC but she got hurt last year and hasn't put time on it....I question if I bought the right ski as a travel ski for her.....116lbs, 5'5", medium plus and can ski very well. Mounted with a Marker tour. Kills me that it may not be as resort friendly as I wanted.

Well fuck, didn't want to reply to this because your always so spot on with your Concept input but I feel like I have to add a comment about your wife's options. When I first got my Concepts a friend of mine had just picked up a pair powchicawows from HS, he grew up skiing but hadn't skied in quite a few years and was very much more intermediate then I had anticipated. In any case we shared a bsl, so after a couple runs we swapped our new sticks, he was absolutely blown away by how much easier the Concept was to ski and how much more fun he was having! While I was skiing the HS it was obvious how much of a higher quality stick the Praxis were and how much different the build was (it is HS pow stick and it was day after pow conditions with an int so mostly soft groomers, certainly not knockin on HS stuff). In any case i have to assume your lady would love some Concepts, most things I've read here say you need to appreciate a certain style of skiing (I.e. Exp) but in my experience they're just very easy to ski for adv ints and make skiing fun which I'm pretty sure is exactly why we do this, and still just blow shit up for the mas exp skier... damn they're just so fucking good!!!!

**Wetdog** · 10-24-2016, 05:00 PM

Agreed on the Concepts. They are my daily driver. I've owned dozens of skis, presently 10, and demo 10-15 new a year, and these are my favorites ever for an all around West Coast ski. Not the best in bottomless or blue ice, but everything in between, that is the other 90%, they kill it! I think with the ultra light core, they would make a great touring ski.

**PlayItLeo** · 10-24-2016, 05:36 PM

Agree 100% on Concepts - fucking awesome ski.
Jmars, I also have some 180 BCs (12/13 standard layup - which I think was maple ash and carbon) and really enjoy them all around the hill. I wouldn't worry about them being a poor travel ski. Last year sucked on the east coast so I didn't ski them too often in the soft conditions where they shine, but they saw their fair share of hard, shitfuck conditions, and I was never bummed to be on them. Held an edge on refrozen shit well enough for me, and were snappy and fun.

**Shu Shu** · 10-24-2016, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by jmars

I find it to ski narrower than the measurement. I know that some may want the narrowness for the skin track weight but I haven't said "man I really wish this ski was narrower" when out there (I have kin pins and wardens on it). I have said that in regards to wanting to ride the Concept on a lower tide day though at the resort b/c its such an killer tree ski.
.

Totally agree about how much narrower its skis than its' actual dimensions. It's been my go to ski for inbounds ice coast for almost three years. I pulled the trigger on some Piste Jibs this year just to have a little less ski to move around during low tide, but had the new custom waist width options come out a little earlier I may have gone for a skinny Concept instead. Would have been a tough choice, anyways still really psyched to try out the PJs.

That being said I still have visions of a 105, 115, 125 Concept Quiver.

edit-I love it when the Concept posse shows up. This skis deserves way more visibility than it gets

**PlayItLeo** · 10-24-2016, 10:04 PM

^^^ I'll buy your Piste Jibs for dirt cheap when you sell them to fund your Concept quiver

**jmars** · 10-25-2016, 01:16 PM

Thanks guys...glad you all wanted to talk Concept...and my wife...HIYO!!!! I was actually thinking of a skinny concept for her but we'll let this season ride for her as she has many a good ski. She adores her Nordy Vags (yep we call it the vag as she skis the mens) at the 170 so I am hoping the BC treats her the same.

I want to love other skis and one I truly do love is the Solly QLab 190......but if I got a skinner Concept it would be game over for that ski. I too could have Concepts in all widths.

**Wetdog** · 10-26-2016, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by jmars

Thanks guys...glad you all wanted to talk Concept...and my wife...HIYO!!!! I was actually thinking of a skinny concept for her but we'll let this season ride for her as she has many a good ski. She adores her Nordy Vags (yep we call it the vag as she skis the mens) at the 170 so I am hoping the BC treats her the same.

I want to love other skis and one I truly do love is the Solly QLab 190......but if I got a skinner Concept it would be game over for that ski. I too could have Concepts in all widths.

Concepts feel a lot skinner than their dimensions would suggest in firmer conditions. You'd be surprised.

**jmars** · 10-26-2016, 02:21 PM

Wetdog what do you mean?....I'm a Concept fan boy (shocker), it skis skinner all over but an even narrower waited model would be greater on harder pack IMO and even faster (for me). I love how quick the roll over is on the 117mm waist....so for me personally the enjoyment of an even skinnier model would be outstanding (I think) as it would be quick edge to edge, remains playful but will still can charge......3 things that are rather hard to find/design.

As for my wife, no need for a 117mm ski (quick edge to edge or not), I think it's more of a detriment for her seeing where we ski, how she skis and her weight/size

**gritter** · 10-27-2016, 02:13 PM

I have long thought that a Concept / GPO combo might be a good 2 ski quiver. GPO for resort pow and Concept for touring or more funky conditions.
I was thinking that this might be even better with the GPO slimmed down to improve groomer performance (although this starts to look very much like the backcountry 130/106/118 vs 131/106/131).

That said, I already have a full width GPO, paired with a Freeride, so a slimmer Concept is intriguing... to those that have them - What advantage do you see in the funky sidecut / profile of the Concept once you narrow it down, compared to a ski of similar waist size with a 'normal' sidecut like the Freeride for example? I assumed that the main benefit of 'the bulge' was making things looser / more manouverable once things got softer / deeper... On a narrower platform for harder days this may not have much benefit... whadyathink?

**ego7man** · 10-27-2016, 04:27 PM

187 wootest 2, bamboo veneer

**Shu Shu** · 10-27-2016, 04:34 PM

that's pretty much the exact question in my head too. I think's it worth asking Keith how he envisions the characteristics of the Concept working in a narrower ski. I was planning on doing it next spring.

I think of those days there's like 1" of new, or ducking ropes onto closed trails with snow making going on, where the accumulations are so small that float is not what you are concerned about but you
if you can still get that awesome powerslarve going on with a smaller ski...FKNA

**grinch** · 10-27-2016, 04:49 PM

Sounds what I like my pj's for. I haven't tried concepts though. The waist numbers have me looking for something between my med flex pj's and my med/stiff GPO's . Med/stiff no carbon bc's or maybe that skinny concept would fit the bill. Haven't tried a free ride but the lack of rocker doesn't interest me

**eskido** · 10-27-2016, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by grinch

Sounds what I like my pj's for. I haven't tried concepts though. The waist numbers have me looking for something between my med flex pj's and my med/stiff GPO's . Med/stiff no carbon bc's or maybe that skinny concept would fit the bill. Haven't tried a free ride but the lack of rocker doesn't interest me

Sounds like the skny concept should be very high on your list...
and really while I personally don't "need" a skny concept, 107 (106?) is a very versatile waist IMO, probly be tons o fun in anything under 6+ or spring corn and still be stoopid fun and maneuverable every where else (I'm really envisioning beat up trees and just about anything not so fresh) although im sure you could find better carvers im certain you couldn't find one anywhere even close to as fun when it comes to jumping in and out of those groomers!

**grinch** · 10-27-2016, 05:51 PM

[QUOTE=eskido;4839348]Sounds like the skny concept should be very high on your list...

It does. Carving the groomers can be fun but I usually get bored and start looking for shit fuck or just throwing them sideways on groomers. #skidsarentjustforkids

**eskido** · 10-27-2016, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by ego7man

187 wootest 2, bamboo veneer

Sexy! I really dig the look of the boo, sweet pick

**eskido** · 10-27-2016, 06:03 PM

[QUOTE=grinch;4839357]

Originally Posted by eskido

Sounds like the skny concept should be very high on your list...

It does. Carving the groomers can be fun but I usually get bored and start looking for shit fuck or just throwing them sideways on groomers. #skidsarentjustforkids

Think I'm pretty much committed to a chicken test, I just think they be sooooo dope in BC quiver!! (which sadly only consists of only one pair due to some mods last season) But, damn those Concepts are just so fuckin fun! They're on my short list every year!

**grinch** · 10-27-2016, 06:49 PM

[QUOTE=eskido;4839370]

Originally Posted by grinch

Think I'm pretty much committed to a chicken test, I just think they be sooooo dope in BC quiver!! (which sadly only consists of only one pair due to some mods last season) But, damn those Concepts are just so fuckin fun! They're on my short list every year!

Yes that 118protest/chickentest is a given for backcountry. I've wanted that since I first road the protest

**SupreChicken** · 10-27-2016, 07:32 PM

First of all, I love that someone other than me is calling it that.

Secondly, I've been ruminating on the possibilities opened up by the 10mm swing.

Chicken test has to be top of the list. Kingpin or beast. I don't like the UL layup in my GPO setup currently (too skittish in anything but pow/groomers) so I think the move is to go MAP core with carbon and try to pick a topsheet (too many good ones right now). That ski will have to wait until the custom 50% sale this summer. Great for pow touring. Not sure if it would make a good quiver of one/travel ski (though, I'm definitely going to take my pair through the park a few times) because the firm performance of that ski just isn't gonna be an RX or MVP...but if you are working for the soft goods, it's hard to imagine a better option. It does bring up the 120 MVP option in a "why not" capacity as well.

Next idea is to try the praxis spoon and get a 148mm powder boards, but I think that would make keith hate me and I've never really been a reverse/reverse guy.

Next idea: Skinny (106) RX 184 - park/bumps/do it all low tide. Currently I use the 4frnt turbo 182 for that spot in my quiver and the incredible thing about that ski is that it is nimble and playful enough despite the minimal early rise and 27m radius to be a park ski--at least for a park hack like me. I'd also use it confidently in a racing league. No speed limit at all. I think that when my current pair dies, the skinny RX might be close enough to that ski to be a really good replacement.

Need some snow. Wouldn't be right to disrespect BB's legacy and not at least try the OG RX. Still also want a med+ MVP or PJ 109 for low tide...I just think I would prefer the shorter tail rocker of the skinny RX for low tide. I didn't realize just how much more stable the turbo would be over the PJ straight lining myself stupid on groomers. The longer cambered section is responsible for that, I think.

Anyway. Fanboy thoughts.
Praxis Chickentest

Edit for premature posting.

**auvgeek** · 10-27-2016, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by SupreChicken

Next idea: Skinny (106) RX 184 - park/bumps/do it all low tide.

You buy, I try.

**harpo-the-skier** · 10-27-2016, 10:46 PM

Woo 2.0, Pommelle Maple Veneer with Roaring Bear top sheet, UL core.

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**grinch** · 10-28-2016, 12:12 AM

Nice to see some wooz get out there. Need some tr's on those. Both those veneers look sick. I'd still consider a 177 if they were available

**neck beard** · 10-28-2016, 12:25 AM

Originally Posted by Shu Shu

That being said I still have visions of a 105, 115, 125 Concept Quiver.

This whole custom width thing from Praxis has completely killed my flirting with other brands. I'm not buying anything from anyone else until I have completely thought through what can now be done with +/- 1cm.

179 x 108 RX with 28m radius.

**galibier_numero_un** · 10-28-2016, 03:31 AM

Originally Posted by neck beard

This whole custom width thing from Praxis has completely killed my flirting with other brands. I'm not buying anything from anyone else until I have completely thought through what can now be done with +/- 1cm.

179 x 108 RX with 28m radius.

These options alone could bring the TGR server to its knees ;-) That could easily have been a ski I would have ordered in place of the Freeride.

... Thom