What ski for me?

[jackattack]

You're definitely going to have tradeoff stability at mach-silly if you want lighter weight.

This. No replacement for displacement.

I haven't skied the Gunsmoke, but the term "clumsy" seems appropriate from conversations I've had about that ski. Maybe the OP should just try a real charger. Sometimes the added mass actually makes a ski feel lighter because it's damp enough and has the momentum to go where you point it.

[slowroastin]

Belefante?

[mattig]

186 Kartel 98 or 184 Wren 98, depending on your preference of mount point.

As a guy with peacemakers, gunsmokes, and until recently, Wren 98's in the quiver, I'd recommend clipping into a buddy's pair before pulling the trigger, based on the conditions described.

[SkiLyft]

Wow! Great recommendation gents--

As some have said I am not looking at the Bodacious; maybe I need to grow a pair and get on a real ski but I plan on keeping my Gunsmokes and I am not sure what the bodacious would give me that I can't get from my Gunsmokes without adding a ton of quiver overlap. In wide open terrain I can find no faults in my smokes.

@mattig what do you like about your peacemakers? When do you grab them vs your smokes? Anything you don't like?

@kai_ski couldn't agree more, I know that going lighter will cause me to loose stability at speed. Maybe I will regret going lighter but I will always have my smokes.

@aevergreene sounds like I need to track down some PBJs that sounds wondeful!

Anyone spent time on a skinny RX? Additionally, no one as mentioned the Cochise? Any reason why I shouldn't look at it?

[roQer]

I'd say Rustler 10 might be a good fit, was just eyeing them in the shop today and they seem to have a nice bit of rocker in the tail to make them playful (though you said you might want a flat tail), but a nice construction that was stiff but not beat you up stiff.

I've the same construction in my new Spur and can tell you that it beats me up like shit in anything hard going reasonably fast. No comparo to my Bodacious or even the old Spur in terms of dampness and deflection. I know, I know, Slemett won the FWT on a Rustler 10 but who knows what layup those guys are really skiing.
Having said that I'd like to try the Rustler 10 as well.

[mattig]

Wow! Great recommendation gents--

As some have said I am not looking at the Bodacious; maybe I need to grow a pair and get on a real ski but I plan on keeping my Gunsmokes and I am not sure what the bodacious would give me that I can't get from my Gunsmokes without adding a ton of quiver overlap. In wide open terrain I can find no faults in my smokes.

@mattig what do you like about your peacemakers? When do you grab them vs your smokes? Anything you don't like?

@kai_ski couldn't agree more, I know that going lighter will cause me to loose stability at speed. Maybe I will regret going lighter but I will always have my smokes.

@aevergreene sounds like I need to track down some PBJs that sounds wondeful!

Anyone spent time on a skinny RX? Additionally, no one as mentioned the Cochise? Any reason why I shouldn't look at it?

I like the versatility and the fact that they border on "too easy/forgiving" for anything but bulletproof or 3D days. They don't eat crud like a metal ski, but they do better than their shape and "freestyle" billing would suggest.

At your weight, they'd be a bit more versatile. I got 20-25lbs on you, and they definitely can't stand alone as a pow ski for 2D+ . At least not at factory mount. -2cm might change my opinion, but I mounted on the line.

Downsides: the tail rocker is unnecessary for most of my skiing. Only really indispensable in tight trees.

While they are surprisingly burly for what they are, I'd like something a bit more damp and chargy for a daily driver-- also growing to appreciate a flatter tail. I figured wren 98's would have been perfect, but I didn't gel with that ski. (Ended up on a mx 98, which is just the cruise missile I was looking for, but sucks for quick, varied turn shapes in tight trees).

I'll still reach for peacemakers in the following conditions

- 3-8 inches of snow with any trees
- any day I don't want to think about form
- any time my other skis are having a hard time slarving or whipping tails around when I want them to (peacemakers never argue this point)
- noodling around at slower speeds
- any time my gunsmokes feel too sluggish in deeper pow (but ideally, this won't be the peacemaker's job in the future). Fwiw, my gunsmokes are 193, so a rather different ski than the rest of the line (stiffer layup).

Bottom line, unless you weigh more than 220 and ski mach schnell most of the time, peacemakers are a B/B+ at almost everything (and an A+ in 1 or 2 categories) -- something I can't say about most skis. They're just really accessible and inoffensive unless you dial up speed in icy/crusty/variable conditions.

[Lindahl]

I've the same construction in my new Spur and can tell you that it beats me up like shit in anything hard going reasonably fast. No comparo to my Bodacious or even the old Spur in terms of dampness and deflection. I know, I know, Slemett won the FWT on a Rustler 10 but who knows what layup those guys are really skiing.
Having said that I'd like to try the Rustler 10 as well.

They're also skiing powder most of the time, if not all of the time.

[XavierD]

I found the Rustler 11 to be lighter, quicker and less harsh through crud than the 15-17 Bodacious or Spur. I will be getting a pair with Kingpins as a resort/sidecountry ski. The Nordica Patron Pro is damper, but also a bit hookier. I haven't skied the new spur but have a lot of trouble thinking anything over 120mm is gonna not bash you around in crud. Geometry and physics and all that.