Whats up with Lithic Skis?

**peshastin_proud** · 10-30-2018, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by eskido

Was pretty sold on the Arlo but daaaaamn that camber profile on the Cohen is SEEEXXXYY! Thanks for posting those pics, super helpful beta

They truly are one of the best skis I've ever been on! It's not even my style of ski (I tend to lean more towards the 5-point, Arlo styles) but I think I've been converted. We'll have them on demos at Mission Ridge this year if you happen to be a Washingtonian and want to check them out...or, just go for it, buy them, and you won't be disappointed.

**Norseman** · 10-30-2018, 09:58 AM

You guys should come over to Alpy again, too.

**riff** · 10-31-2018, 06:33 PM

Mags,
I've been getting more involved with the Lithic guys lately, since we skis together all winter, and talk about winter all summer. I hang out at the shop all the time and occasionally get have the privilege of joining R and D sessions, on and off the hill, and I've worked through a few builds with them at the shop to see and appreciate the process.
If you have any questions about what's going on out here in Peshastin/the Central Cascades, I'll be trying to keep you all up to date- I obviously don't have anywhere close to the technical background of those guys, but I'm able to wander in and get the scoop on what they are up to, and I've been lurking on TGR for a bit, so I can translate. Ty and Paul will certainly keep chiming in, but as winter draws near they will be really busy at the shop.
I'm going to be hauling around a few pairs of Lithics this winter, and I'll mainly be around the highway 2 area. I've been trending towards more touring the last few seasons, but I'll still be around Stevens. My plan is to have the following in the truck almost always:
191 Arlo 120, inbounds core, Cast/STH, roughly 300-310 bsl, maybe more range. Probably stiff flex.
184 Cohen 110, inbounds core Cast/STH, same bsl. Stock flex.
181 Ramblin' Jack 108, backcountry core, mounted with Tectons, 290-305 bsl.
185 Joplins, inbounds core, mounted with superlight tech bindings, 287 bsl. Unlikely anyone would be too curious about those.....

These are my personal skis, but for established mags I'd be stoked to loan them out so you can all get a taste. Again, the caveat is that I'm touring a lot, and only at Stevens maybe 20% of the time. Something I could do is post up here if I'm planning to ride chairlifts, and we can sort out how to get you on them. There will also be a demo fleet at the Windy Hill again, if you are headed that far east. I've met surprisingly few of you in meatspace, so this would be a fun way to do that too.

Cheers!

**mall walker** · 10-31-2018, 06:42 PM

^ bring those ramblin jacks to BBIUT...???

**SupreChicken** · 10-31-2018, 06:43 PM

I’m in, riff. Swap you for some Billy goat laps. Interested in the Cohen and Arlo.

**riff** · 10-31-2018, 08:04 PM

Sounds good Chicken!
I'm planning to be at BBI 19,(just put in for the time off yesterday) and I'll bring 'em there too.

I probably won't be making the trip for BBI UT....

**kid-kapow** · 11-01-2018, 12:45 AM

oh my - Arlos and especially Cohens look pretty damn sorted imho.

Thanks for the updates - your skis will def remain on my radar when considering new skis.

**peshastin_proud** · 11-03-2018, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by kid-kapow

oh my - Arlos and especially Cohens look pretty damn sorted imho.

Thanks for the updates - your skis will def remain on my radar when considering new skis.

Let's get you on some sticks! Thanks for the stoke...both of those shapes are amazing.

**Norseman** · 11-03-2018, 03:47 PM

Will this year's demo skis have... a tune?
😁

**riff** · 11-03-2018, 11:25 PM

Paul put a lot of time in this summer refining their in house tuning setup, previously it made more sense to have a local shop do it. I’m pretty sure keeping it in house will improve the consistency of the results.

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**peshastin_proud** · 11-05-2018, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Norseman

Will this year's demo skis have... a tune?


This year, yeah, we'll bring some skis that have been at least somewhat waxed. Paul and I rarely wax our stuff, if ever, but last year's BBI did show us that we should perhaps pay more attention to our bases if we're loaning out our personal sticks. Currently, our tunes and base structures are some of the best I've seen and we're proud of that. Essentially, for our own skis it all goes downhill after that "out of the press" tune...just ski steeper stuff, I guess.

**riff** · 01-28-2019, 09:00 PM

Whoa. This thread hasn’t been bumped in a bit.
I’ve gotten a few days on more of the shapes from the Lithic guys, so I’ll take a swing at a review. Bear with me, I’m typing it out on a phone. Just for reference, I’ve poked around on a few of the skis the forum tends to favor, so I’ll compare when i can. I’m 185, 5’11”, bsl 295ish; prefer bourbon and medium rare steaks. Former patroller, lover of stiff heavy skis. Rocked 184 katanas and 186 OG bodacious when I was working inbounds.

First up: 191 Arlo 120.
I’ve had 186 Renegades, 187 and 196 Protests. All but the 196’s(-1cm) were mounted at the recommended line.

This is the widest ski Lithic makes, and the shape will no doubt remind you of the Protest, but narrower. I loved my 196 Protest, but they ended up being quite a lot of work once the new snow scraped off, and I wanted a similar loose, drifty shape in a narrower more versatile ski. Some of you recall the Wootest and Chickentest, this is a similar approach. I spend deep days just outside the boundaries at Stevens, so i wanted to go uphill with them at least a little bit too, so i put Cast/STH bindings on them, on the dimple.

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**riff** · 01-28-2019, 09:02 PM

They were just under ten pounds flat, and as usual the finish quality was amazing.

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**riff** · 01-28-2019, 09:17 PM

My first day on them was fast groomers at Mission; i switched off with some 184 Cohen 110’s. On the firm I noticed it took a bit more effort to roll them up on edge than the cohens, unsurprisingly. At over-eager speeds they were stable and damp though, and I didn’t feel worried about grip.
I didn’t get another good chance on them until things stacked up at Stevens later on. One of my concerns left over from my 187 Protests was the folding/pushing feeling that I got occasionally, and was why i switched to 196’s. I was really hoping the Arlo wouldn’t have that behavior, so I got the stiff flex. The day at mission was all about laying them over, but in 3d snow I definitely found the pivoty, light feeling under the ball of the foot. The honestly behaved a lot like Protests, just easier going in less than ideal snow after the morning frenzy is over.
I’m going to eat dinner and come back to this. I’ll get into it more, if there’s questions, put em up!

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**2FUNKY** · 01-28-2019, 09:50 PM

They sound awesome! What flex 187 ProTest? My 188’s are awesome in pow but to soft for chopped pow. My new 4flex 192’s solves that. Which for my really isn’t an issue since I have Lhasa for that.

**riff** · 01-28-2019, 09:55 PM

The 187’s were stock flex, 3 I think?

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**2FUNKY** · 01-28-2019, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by riff

The 187’s were stock flex, 3 I think?

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Yeah, stock is 3. Super fun and playful. If I was touring and skiing only fresh pow I would do a 3 flex.

**riff** · 01-28-2019, 11:00 PM

I really dig long, gradual rocker in a stiff ski. Nimble through a wide range of speeds, easy turn shape changes. The Arlos sit in the deep day/chop quiver spot for me, and have a really fun combination of characteristics. So anyway, I’m still looking forward to more deep days on these, but so far stoked. Stout, high speed limit, stable, nimble enough for WA trees.

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**galibier_numero_un** · 10-09-2019, 07:36 PM

Bumping ... just because.

Rambling Jack 115s have my attention.

... Thom

**peshastin_proud** · 10-09-2019, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by galibier_numero_un

Bumping ... just because.

Rambling Jack 115s have my attention.

... Thom

That's a rad ski...we're stoked on the new lineup this year! Let it snow

**eskido** · 10-09-2019, 10:22 PM

Skunkworks 122 and Fletcher 124 definitely have my attention! The Arlo and Cohen are absolutely still at the top of my want list! And as much as I love the design of the flat tail options I’m just not a directional kinda cat when it comes to sliding down mtns, but yeah the Rambling Jack looks money A F!!!

**riff** · 10-09-2019, 10:59 PM

Damn, I hadn't seen the new website yet, dig it.
Lots of new shapes to ponder in there.

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**oetk2** · 10-09-2019, 11:15 PM

Riff, I've been eyeing your FS thread along with everyone else. Any more comments on how they worked out on deep days and compared to the other skis you listed earlier? Looking for a new to me resort pow ski and these have me intrigued...

**nickel** · 10-10-2019, 05:40 AM

Rambling Jack 115, Skunkworks 122 and Fletcher 124 all have my attention.

I'd so love to try out some of these shapes as I'm the opposite of Eskido and love directional skis. I'd also love to compare the Arlo with my protests.

You guys are doing a great job of making me pine for stuff i don't actually need. Ever come up to whistler with some sticks or mostly stay south of the border?

**riff** · 10-10-2019, 03:50 PM

Originally Posted by oetk2

Riff, I've been eyeing your FS thread along with everyone else. Any more comments on how they worked out on deep days and compared to the other skis you listed earlier? Looking for a new to me resort pow ski and these have me intrigued...

Oetk2,
I got a good handful of deeper days on them last year, and came away with the following thoughts:
They pivot and dance from a very centered stance, when you are in the sweet spot it was amazing how quick they were.
They carried lots of speed in deep snow, like, LOTS. Similar to a protest, but I felt more comfortable on mixed conditions.
I didn't get the feeling of tips folding or pushing on deep days, like I had with protests at flex three, the arlo planed up cleanly.
Tips and tails were plenty loose.

You'll have to ask lucknau how he likes them now, I'm heading to the post office with em!

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