Help an Outdated Ski Builder Find an All Mountain Powder Ski

[PeachesNCream]

Hi everyone,

Its been a few years since I've been on here, I forgot my old username and password which is why I have a newbie account or whatever its called. So 5 years ago I made my own skis with the help of a guy who made skis full time. The first pair I made were pretty soft, super buttery and everything was great, until I broke them on the 2nd week. The guy I was working with gave me full refund but really beefed up the skis (so they wouldn't break) so he made me a pair of skis that were 194cm long, 120mm wide, and stiff. I'm 6'3, 210lbs but even for me these were a hell of ski to try and handle in trees and jumps. I was a broke college kid that could barely afford a pass so I stuck with these skis for 4 years and they did their job until last spring where I broke them skiing off a cliff. Since then I have graduated college and gotten a job where I make real money so I can finally buy skis!

What I'm looking for: I've been out of the ski market for quite a while now so I'm outdated and need some help. I ski mainly in the trees hitting lots of bumps and jumps. When the snow is good, I love to go and find 10-20' cliffs and I dont spend much time in the park or on the groomers. I'm looking for something maneuverable and snappy and still wants to go fast but also has good float. I still dont have a ton of money so I was looking for a big name brand ski cause I'm more likely to find a deal on them. Some of the skis I was looking at was Atomic Automatic 109, Salomon Rocker2 108, Line SFB, and maybe even the JJ 2.0.

Cliffs:
-skied a 194cm long, 120mm wide, stiff ski for last 4 years
-broke them
-looking for an all mountain powder skis that is fun and playful but still likes to go fast and float
-looking at the above mentioned skis and anything you guys suggest!

[::: :::]

http://www.blizzard-ski.com/products/bodacious/


http://www.blizzard-ski.com/products/cochise/

[TAFKALVS]

Add a cham 107 2.0 to your list.

[PNWbrit]

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ight=countdown

[tenB]

193 Gunsmoke
189 Billygoat

[BWA]

If you've been skiing a stiff 120 underfoot 194 in bumps and trees for the past 5 years I don't know if you'll enjoy an Automatic/SFB/Rocker2 when you're really hauling.

I'm biased because I own a pair, but I don't know if anything in the 110-120 range ticks all those boxes quite like the 190 Bibby Pro. They're plenty playful and maneuverable in the trees, yet I have an extremely hard time finding a speed limit on them. I'm only ~170lbs so you can extrapolate from that what you will, but Blister has an extremely good writeup on them.

If you want something you have to drive more then the 189 Billy Goat would be a good one, if you want something more playful, the 192 Bent Chetler is still surprisingly stable for it's shape.

If you're looking in the 100-110 range, you can either go with a more stable directional ski like the Supernatural 108/Cochise/Invictus, or a more playful twintip like the 184 Devastator (194 is a heavy missle), Peacemaker, Kartel 108, Deathwish.

[Muggydude]

189 ON3P Billygoat seems like a really good choice for you. 189 Praxis Rx as well

[MRR11]

http://www.333skis.com

[PlayItLeo]

Concept.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Is there still a 196 Bodacious?

[PeachesNCream]

Thanks guys for the replies. I see a couple of you guys suggesting skis like the Bibby Pro and the Billy Goat. These seem like awesome skis but do you think 115 underfoot is a little large as a 1 ski quiver?

Also I'm not seeing these skis on sale anywhere. Ideally I'd like to spend under $500 for the skis so that why I was leaning more towards Armada/Line/Atomic/anything I can find on sale.

[DGamms]

If you are 6' 3" and 210 lbs, then the big 194 Devastator would probably be a good fit for a daily driver.

http://nextadventure.net/4frnt-devas...skis-2016.html

Under $500 new, same ski as this year with a different top sheet.

I'm 5'9" and 150 lbs and find the 184 Dev to be an easy daily driver with lots of versatility and a very high speed limit. Consider mounting -1 or - 2cm from rec (which equals -6 to -7 cm behind true center) if you prefer more traditional mount points.

[Kopi_Red]

Praxis 192 GPO or the brand new Quixote in a 194. PM me if you want a code.

[galibier_numero_un]

Thanks guys for the replies. I see a couple of you guys suggesting skis like the Bibby Pro and the Billy Goat. These seem like awesome skis but do you think 115 underfoot is a little large as a 1 ski quiver?

Also I'm not seeing these skis on sale anywhere. Ideally I'd like to spend under $500 for the skis so that why I was leaning more towards Armada/Line/Atomic/anything I can find on sale.

I can't speak to this year's Billy Goat. It's supposed to be every much the soft snow beast that last year's is, but having better hard snow performance. I'm not sure I'd want my 2015/16 Billy Goats as a one-ski quiver. The 2016/17 Goats ... very likely.

My 15/16 GPOs - I'd be completely comfortable with as my only ski (Colorado snowpack). They replaced a pair of the previous year's Atomic Automatic 109's and they didn't feel too wide in comparison. After getting the GPOs, I repurposed the Automatics with a pair of Vipecs for touring. I can't speak to the Rx or the Concept - not having skied either ski.

Having said that, I'm about to mount some Praxis Freerides, to see if I'm missing something by using the GPOs as my daily driver.

Knowing what I know now, I'd opt for either a lightly used ON3P or Praxis over an unknown (to me) "mainstream" ski - this, after experiencing how bulletproof their bases and construction are.

Oh yes ... no experience with the Countdown 114 (the ad above that PNWbrit posted), but I bought a couple year old, gently used Countdown 102 and it punches way above its weight class - very solid. My sense is that these Down fellows are right up there with Praxis and ON3P. If I were looking, I'd give serious consideration to these - even at full price (which is a remarkable deal). I don't think they're distributing in the US however, except as an accommodation/group buy which dschane has run the past two Summers.

Cheers,
Thom

[auvgeek]

190 Bibby Pro skis very short. I found it pretty short for me @ 5'11", 160#. I think the 189 Billy Goat probably has too much of a soft-snow bias for a one-ski quiver, but I haven't skied the newest iteration which supposedly has better hardpack performance.

All things considered, the 192 GPO is probably your best bet (of what I've personally skied). You can sometimes find them in gear swap for <$500. The 193 Gunsmoke seems well-loved, but I've not skied it.

[PeachesNCream]

I can't speak to this year's Billy Goat. It's supposed to be every much the soft snow beast that last year's is, but having better hard snow performance. I'm not sure I'd want my 2015/16 Billy Goats as a one-ski quiver. The 2016/17 Goats ... very likely.

My 15/16 GPOs - I'd be completely comfortable with as my only ski (Colorado snowpack). They replaced a pair of the previous year's Atomic Automatic 109's and they didn't feel too wide in comparison. After getting the GPOs, I repurposed the Automatics with a pair of Vipecs for touring. I can't speak to the Rx or the Concept - not having skied either ski.

Having said that, I'm about to mount some Praxis Freerides, to see if I'm missing something by using the GPOs as my daily driver.

Knowing what I know now, I'd opt for either a lightly used ON3P or Praxis over an unknown (to me) "mainstream" ski - this, after experiencing how bulletproof their bases and construction are.

Oh yes ... no experience with the Countdown 114 (the ad above that PNWbrit posted), but I bought a couple year old, gently used Countdown 102 and it punches way above its weight class - very solid. My sense is that these Down fellows are right up there with Praxis and ON3P. If I were looking, I'd give serious consideration to these - even at full price (which is a remarkable deal). I don't think they're distributing in the US however, except as an accommodation/group buy which dschane has run the past two Summers.

Cheers,
Thom

how would you compare your Atomic Automatics 109s with the billy goats or GPOs?

[PeachesNCream]

Thoughts on the Night Train? Theres a killer deal in gear swap right now

[galibier_numero_un]

My GPOs are much more solid, & hold an edge better on harder snow, with a higher speed limit.

My GPOs have the MAP core with carbon, #4 flex. Without the carbon, they'd be more solid.

The GPOs are an order of magnitude better in crud (the Goats are better yet, but not as good on hard snow).

Both the Automatc 109 & the GPO are 182cm. I'm 5' 9" / 170 Lbs.

Cheers
Thom

[PeachesNCream]

Anyone know if there were any changes from the 2014/15 Atomic Automatic 109s and the 2015/16 edition?

[LC]

Anyone know if there were any changes from the 2014/15 Atomic Automatic 109s and the 2015/16 edition?

Pretty sure they've stayed the same, ie. way softer than Atomic's product information would lead you to believe. You'll fold them easily. Buy the Devastators someone mentioned above.

[undertow2]

I am a Praxis fan boy and am sitting on a brand new unmounted, unmolested 193 Praxis MVPs with Tahoe top sheet, med stiff in standard layup... I am 6'4" and 205 lbs and already have the exact same ski that I use as my daily driver... I am sitting on to many Fing skis and need to thin the herd and can't justify these sitting as a backup so would ship these for $375 (within the good old US of A)...

http://www.praxisskis.com/skis/mvp/

Let me know if interested...

[whyturn]

^^^^This and done

[N1CK.]

^^^^This and done

Second.

[stuckathuntermtn]

115 isn't too big if it snows where you live/don't get much glare ice.

[SUPERIOR]

You should buy those MVPs. Solid choice dude