Billy Goat riders - who has a big floppy playful superfat for deep days?

[SupreChicken]

On3p (Billy goat, k116), praxis (RX, concept, GPO, quixote), moment bibby fanboys. One of the qualities that we all seem to value is versatility. Stable at speed, able to pivot quickly. Nimble and stable. Playful charger. Float, smear and carve. Take it to beer league racing and the deepest powder days. Etc, etc, etc.

Which of you have filled the superfat slot in your quiver with a soft, playful, shorter radius ski?

I'm asking because I'm cheap and I used to really appreciate JJ and S7 type skis. I don't need to ski as fast as possible every lap, and the Billy Goat (and the other skis listed above) definitely kind of make me want to do that. It's much cheaper to fill that slot with an old hellbent or armada bubba or magnum opus or even a bent chetler than it is to fill with a lotus or protest or cease and desist. I've never had much luck filling this slot. I always ditch these for my billy goats on powder days. So I should likely just get the cease and desist.

FTR, My favorite option that I have owned in this category is the 196 protest. But I still preferred the billy goats.

But what arguments are out there for one of these other options? I'd love to hear from any mags who have skied and enjoyed both billy goats or something similar in the 115-120mm underfoot category and one of the above softer, more playful fatties.

Thoughts?

[skibrd]

I haven't been on the Billy Goats, but do have 10ish days on 196 Protests and a few on 190 Bibbys. I really liked the Protests. They made skiing easy in anything soft. The old adage that when you get your first pair of Protests you only reach for them on days where it snows more then 6in, then you had so much fun you reach for them on days it snowed 2in, then you reach for them 3 days after a storm, well, to me it's true.

[whyturn]

Chicken- in the 310 club. I have pontoons again and really enjoyed them. But it is UT blower. If u come out this way we have space and a full quiver you can try. I also like my G3 empire which is a lot of fun but not floppy due to metal. Spur is similar and quick and tails groomers. Had carbon protest 187 and it was fun but smaller sweet spot.

I think toons or 2oons would be good option and toons are usually cheap.

Let me know if you can get out this way and I can meet you at airport and shuttle you to the pow.

[TahoeJ]

I've been on the Billy Goats since 2013... and got some used C&D's late last season. Only got one day on them and they were fun, but definitely not necessary, and if I had to choose between them and the BG's I'd take the goats without hesitating. But it sounds like I prefer the BG's more than you do, so...

[detrusor]

Picked up some splatulas for the big deep last year. Great fun.

Mounted w guardians so I have bsl adjustability if anyone wants a lap.


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[Climber Joe]

I think the sego sloppy joe is the perfect soft pow ski. I'd mount it behind recommended for sure, but it's softer than most skis but still has a pretty low tip design. Makes them super fun in the fluff. Doubt you will find them cheap though.

[Banh Mi]

The reason I own C&Ds is because I love RES so much, that I lust for all the different variations. Steeples, Goats, C&D, and any future RES models..

I pay the extra for On3p because they are one those rare cases in life where you actually do get what you pay for. Duribility, fit, finish, all that good stuff.

When going over 130mm underfoot, I never pay big bucks for skis. They are just so specific once you get that wide, and will get such little time on snow, that I do not see the point in spending over $300. I would only make exceptions for skis that are over 200cm, which are so rare that higher price is justified..

I have Hellbents now, since they are so versatile, and will get more use because of it. Bubbas are good too, but I prefer mid 20s turn radius.

I dont put the C&D in that category anymore. Its close, but at 124mm underfoot now, its getting closer to widths of resort skis. If On3p reduced the tip rocker, Im sure more people would use the C&D more often.

I think SupreChicken should just get C&Ds, no need for anything over 130mm unless you ski waist deep pow all the time.


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[sf]

I've had the same problem for years, trying to find a 120+-ski that I actually like. Some of the problem may be that I really don't need one due to the terrain and the snow I ski, but still...... The only 120+-ski I really liked was my OG C&Ds, they floated well and were stable, but not that playful - especially if one ended up in anyting skied out. Similar float to modern BGs....

Others I've tried that didn't click:
192 138s Rocker 1 - flex 2. Nice skis, but overkill for me. Surfy, but not playful as such. Novelty.
188 OG Megawatts - pretty good. Used them for tele, but not playful. Surprisingly decent in anything soft, even groomers
187 Protest #3 - I probably bought them a bit short/soft for the maritime snow we get at times. Small sweet spot.

Also liked 186 and 193 EHPs, but didn't love 187 GPOs (might be binding related) or 191 Lhasa Fats (problem with the construction).

So far the solution has been a pair of 191 BG tours, float very well, and a bit more nimble than standard BGs. I use those for inbounds big pow days. 186 BGs for inbounds normal pow days, day 2, sidecountry etc. Pretty happy with this solution, will stay this way in the forseeable future

Skis that I would consider if I ever were to try to fill this place in the quiver
Black Crows Nocta
192 Protest
OG Hellbents - just for fun, probably dirt cheap
Asym. C&Ds
New Spurs?
SGN Togga

[profahoben]

I think the sego sloppy joe is the perfect soft pow ski. I'd mount it behind recommended for sure, but it's softer than most skis but still has a pretty low tip design. Makes them super fun in the fluff. Doubt you will find them cheap though.

How cheap is cheap to you though

[Island Bay]

Wow, so surprised to hear some of you found Protests to have a small sweet spot. Not my experience at all, and I have skied them extensively in everything from variable NZ garbage to 5-star Japanese blower.
I've never had them wheelie or buckle on me, just kept going.
I sold my Powderboards because they were much more one dimensional, and they had a much smaller sweet spot and lower speed limit imho.
Re the SGN Togga, they only make the Togga Light now, and it costs a frign fortune.
Happy hunting.

[Banh Mi]

That $499 C&D last week was a steal. Whoever got that lucked out, big time, with it being so close to season.

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[XavierD]

I went down to just BGs, very rarely were there days I took the BGs out and wished I had my C&Ds.

I do however have a demo fleet of 190+ NOCTAs, Catamarans, Spurs and other stupid pow ski designs I would only ski twice a year. Maybe when I settle down, live in the same time zone let alone house for a few months with a big gear room, I'll go back to owning something like a C&D or Spur. Or I'll just get one anyways because I can't say no to skis.

[N1CK.]

I have 184 BGs and 188 Protests. They're each awesome in their own way. Neither ski is floppy by any means, nor a small radius ski.
The shape/flex of my old Protest is so dialed. When I bought them (here) I never thought it would be used as much as it has been.
The BGs, especially this new shape, is a real winner too. They float great in deeper snow, are totally manageable in shitty show (for a wider ski) and are super fun, quick and agile in trees or a quick turn element. I'm a RES fan.

[SupreChicken]

I was 191 BG and 196 protest for a while. They were fun. I liked them. They just didn't do it for me like the goat. There was only 1 trip where I could only bring 1 pair of skis where I grabbed the protests over the BG. On that trip, the runs were stupidly long and at 165# it was just a little too much ski. My legs were useless at the end of those days.

Inbounds, even on big days, the protest just stopped happening. The RES was too good.

So I probably should just get the newest C&D.

I'm just looking for the mags out there who ride both goats and hellbents to talk about what the softer, more playful skis do for them. Protest to me is not such a departure from the BG...

[TexasGortex]

I'm still using original Pillowfights for that role. The C&D seems similar enough that I would buy it as a replacement (Pillowfight has an early form of RES, C&D has the tour layup).

It probably wouldn't be wide enough for what you want, but my next daily driver and single travel ski is probably going to be a tour layup Kartel 116.

[skibum93]

If cost is an issue and you still want a pow specific ski, you can get Fat-ypus I-Rocks and M5 on nevergroomed for super cheap.
ON3P is far more durable (skied both), and technology is newer/better, but depends on your wallet.
https://www.nevergroomed.com/collections/fat-ypus

[whyturn]

I have 186 BG had 187 carbon protest and powabunga. BG is great in trees and decent on groomers but on super deep days it's not enough. Maybe at 191 it would be but I sacrifice trees.

The powabunga was fun but I like directional skis. Renegade and protest were fun but smallish sweet spot. This is where I love the toons. Super easy, stupid fun and so fast and surfy in Deep pow. But it is UT blower and not PNW. I have had denser days and kusalhasa or spur or empire we're better.

I have skied almost everything and skied whistler and baker and Canada and Arizona and Utah. I get it. No one ski will do it all. I love having variety and on stupid deep days I will grab toons every time.

[TAFKALVS]

I think you want 189 pontoons.

[nyskirat]

I'd love a fresh pair of pillowfights...even if I never get to use them. I loved that ski.

[Any]

i cant believe im considering getting the line pescado
dicky shape, but the rest of its stats ticks my boxes

[skibrd]

I've got a pair of pontoons I've never skied I'll send you for $50 plus shipping.

I'm always on either my Protests or Shiros. The toons are there for a friend to take if they come visit for a pow day.

[NW_SKIER]

one word, LINE EP Pro.

-cough-


WHAT???????


I'm so confused right now. What just happened? Is Bobby broken?

[pfluffenmeister]

one word, LINE EP Pro.

Holy Shit.

[grinch]

Haha that does describe what the op is looking for. Well atleast for a month or two then the epp turns into a wet piece of cardboard

[jackattack]

i cant believe im considering getting the line pescado
dicky shape, but the rest of its stats ticks my boxes

checked these out at evo over the weekend. definitely floppy.