Any Beta on BD Helio 116?

[Hs326]

I skied the 105 last season, but sold them after a couple of months.
Unfortunately i got the 175, and they skied very short, i think the 185 would be great. I guess the same goes for the 116, so choose your lenght carefully.

[neufox47]

After a full season on them as a touring ski, I like them. They are definitely quick and nimble but have a speed limit. Not sure how they will stand up to sierra cement, my guess is untracked will be fine but chop is going to have its way with them. They arent chargers but are easy to turn short or long.

[retirwntm]

Hey...totally unrelated but how did those Down skis work out for you?


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[1000-oaks]

After a full season on them as a touring ski, I like them. They are definitely quick and nimble but have a speed limit. Not sure how they will stand up to sierra cement, my guess is untracked will be fine but chop is going to have its way with them. They arent chargers but are easy to turn short or long.

Thanks for the info, what's your weight and where did you mount?

[NorCalNomad]

Drilling these this afternoon, leaning toward -1.5cm. Any last recommendations on where to mount? Even -1.5 looks way forward, but hesitant to deviate too much.

Maybe try calling up Alpenglow and 5th Season and see if they have any experience mounting behind the recommended line. I know they both sell that ski.

I demo'd some over at Alpine when it right after that rain event a few weeks back and loved them on the recommended line, and I certainly don't have a strong like of having such a forward mount.

[1000-oaks]

Measuring now, it's crazy but per the numbers and ball of foot, going -3 or -3.5 is actually completely reasonable. The center of running length is around the +2 line on the 186 ski. The center of sidecut is a whopping 16cm behind the BC line, which is bizarre. So no danger of getting behind the sidecut no matter how far back you go. Depends on your BSL, but I'd have to mount at -3.5 to put BOF on center of running length.

Gonna punch -3, even though that still looks a little forward compared to Bro Fat 183 and Lotus 120.

EDIT: BD says 3.6mm drill, but given the significant layer of aluminum in the binding area, you definitely want to tap the holes so you're not trying to force the screw threads through the binding retention plate. The balsa core is real soft, there isn't any retention going on there.

[LightRanger]

^^^ Ski them yet?

[1000-oaks]

Sierra getting better but still low tide, dry & bike season in SoCal. It'll snow eventually.

[LightRanger]

Was thinking you might be trying them out inbounds at MMSA to get a feel for them. I'm thinking they'll be my everyday-ish touring skis and will ride them inbounds on some powder mornings when I think the stability will be good enough for afternoon Lake Runs (Sugar Bowl to Donner Lake)

I haven't pulled the trigger yet for the exact reason you mention. And since I heard they were revamping next season's with some more rubber for dampening, and hoping might see some discounts soon.

[1000-oaks]

Was thinking you might be trying them out inbounds at MMSA

Yeah, need to, still running the air conditioning down here. Got several new bits to try out, these, Tectons, Vapor Nanos, L120's, Alien RS... lousy year for snow = good deals.

[NorCalNomad]

Dude you need to just head up to Mammoth. At least they are getting snow.

I only rode the 116's on the Vipec's, but the 116 + Tecton I would think would be such a killer setup. I still really want some Tetons for my 115 Boundary.

[LightRanger]

the 116 + Tecton I would think would be such a killer setup.

That's exactly what I was looking at. Would go MoMix skins, but I already have a pair of Ascensions cut for 188 Protests that hardly ever get used.

What do you think of the Boundaries? Seems like BD's new Blizzard-made skis are actually good again, but not hearing much about them.

[NorCalNomad]

What do you think of the Boundaries?

The Boundary 115 is just the "latest" Amperage before they changed the name (which I got the last year it was the Amperage). Not sure if they changed up the construction when it moved to Blizzard, but I don't much if any since the core shape stayed the same. I dig them for trees/ tight places, when it opens up as long as it's not hardpack they're fun. But nothing to write home about on groomers/ hardpack, that could be because of the mount for me.

There is sometimes where I feel it's a little short for my weight (150lbs at 175cm and the ski doesn't measure short), and maybe I should have gotten it longer. But part of that might be that I moved the mount forward, 1.5cm if I remember, and looking at the other skis in my quiver having the centerline of my boot on the apex of the sidecut is apparent on them. BUT I remember when I was researching mounts, BD athletes were liking it 2.5cm up....so YMMV

With all that being said, when I skied the Helio 116 it was everything I like in my Amperages + fixing the things I didn't like + making it lighter. Honestly I don't need a charging ski when it's that wide so I like having that reduction of weight.

[natebob]

Any more thoughts on where to mount Helios? I got some 105's last season, mounted on the BC line, which feels really far forward. Most of the comments above seem to favor going behind he BC line.

[LightRanger]

Bump. So where to mount? -1 or -2?

[1000-oaks]

Hoping to finally get on mine Saturday. Hard to say if there will be any soft snow (Mammoth area), but whatever.

[LightRanger]

Sweet. Report back por favor. I ordered mine last night, so probably mounting next week sometime unless they take abnormally long to deliver.

[1000-oaks]

First day on 116's, Mammoth got 12" that filled to almost thigh deep in lee trees in places. Really like them. Mounted with Tecton's at -3.25 with Cochise, which will be at -2.5 with Alien RS tomorrow. See how that compares. Not edgy or exciting on groomers but perfectly well-mannered, better than expected for such a light ski. Great float in unusually light pow for Mammoth. Tectons were indistinguishable from alpine binders, other than minor fiddling getting in and out. Real nice setup, digging it.

[Z]

Lots of BC days on 186 116s. I mounted -1 of BC line, thinking of going -2 or -3 as well. I'm able to sink/overpower the tips, maybe going back a bit more would help that issue.

[LightRanger]

Z, whats your weight/height again?

[1000-oaks]

Can't add anything about mounting at -2.5 yet, the factory forward lean setting on Alien RS is really upright so it was a battle to stay balanced today. Need to make some boot adjustments.

[Z]

Z, whats your weight/height again?

6'3, 180lbs.

To elaborate a bit more, something just feels a slight bit off on these. I tend to want to drive my tips even in the deepest snow (I trend towards fatter skis because of this) and i'm able to bury them occasionally which makes me have to shift my weight momentarily to pull the tips up. Not over the bars buried, but can definitely sink the tips. I always mount skis back because of this, but thinking I should go -3 atleast. I've never skied anything this light before, and the tips are fairly soft, so maybe it's just an adjustment. That said, I wouldn't dare ski these inbounds...

[Woo-Dus]

Skied the 105’s/185 mounted on BC for two weeks. They didn’t feel right so moved the mount back -2 and it completely changed the way it skied. Went from feeling I had too much tail to my favorite ski in the backcountry.

6’1 @ 175lbs

[LightRanger]

Cool. I'm 6'1" 165. I'm leaning toward -2.

[NorCalNomad]

1000-oaks I hope you got out an enjoyed that powder dump that Tahoe got (I CERTAINLY FUCKING DID) and can report.