Which BillyGoat am I?

[riff]

I bet someone around here can simplify this for me. As far as i can tell, there’s lots of incremental differences in BGs over the years, so i bow to the collective and hope the TGR magic eight ball will enlighten me. I’ve been curious about this ski forever.
I’m 5’11”, 195, ski at Stevens Pass and and nearby environs; love all terrain but maybe love steeps and trees the best. Former patroller, strong but not mighty, always enthusiastic.
My primary quiver is this: 196 Protests, 187 GPO’s, 181 Lithic Ramblin Jacks, 185 Lithic Joplins, and 180 Dayglosivs. The Praxi are all mounted -1, I find it perfect. Layups are touring oriented, but able to ride chairs ok.
I’m not hugely tricky or jibby, just love raging in pow and sending mortal size straight airs as often as possible. All of the usual mutually exclusive pipe dreams apply; nimble but stable, light yet damp, etc. not sure what id mount it with, but likely not a primary touring rig.
191 pre asym perhaps?
186 too short?
Any for sale out there?


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[CascadeLuke]

I can’t pin down what goat you are but will be selling pre-asym BG Tour 186s. Weight 2275gs

[ichibaneye]

I can’t pin down what goat you are but will be selling pre-asym BG Tour 186s. Weight 2275gs

👍

Stomping it!

[mr_pretzel]

If you like your 187 GPO you will enjoy the 186/184, but the 189/191 would also work since you’re used to a big ski like the 196 protest.

Any year post RES will work. The newer ones are better on hardpack. I dont believe the Asym made the ski any worse.

[sf]

I feel that the 186 is easier at lower speeds than the GPOs. A better ski on everything but hardpack.

Float is sufficient for me at 190/85, but I can feel some tip drag in very deep/heavy snow. No dive.

Would not discard 186 for tighter trees. Used 191 tours will be a good option as well, might make you get rid of the protests.189s with lighter fiberglass might be the goldilocks solutions.

But really, all versions with RES will work just fine. Even 184s. Depends on how you value float/easy vs charging

[Norseman]

12/13 and forward, 191 or 189, std layup not tour.

You're strong and like to ski fast, get the long ones.

[TAFKALVS]

You can try my 14/15 191s sometime if you want.

[2FUNKY]

12/13 and forward, 191 or 189, std layup not tour.

You're strong and like to ski fast, get the long ones.

This. Right. Here.
I may or may not have a pair of 14/15 minty 191 Goats with about 12 days on them for sale some time.

[californiagrown]

12/13 and forward, 191 or 189, std layup not tour.

You're strong and like to ski fast, get the long ones.

No love for the 11/12 191's?

[Norseman]

No experience with that year, but per Scott's description, those were the kinda-ok first crack at RES, which was substantially improved for 12/13.

[XavierD]

12/13 is a much better ski.

11/12 is first gen RES, and not as stable in chip. Little quicker, but the 12/13 is more stable, smoother, and floats better.

12/13 (191), 15/16 (189) and current 18/19 (Asym 189) have been my favorite graphics for each generation.

[Banh Mi]

2017 189s are a tad stiffer than 2015 191s were. The differences are noticeable, but just barely. 2017s feel slightly faster, but also slightly less poppy and loadable. 2015s, if over driven, would spin out on me. 2017s don’t do that nearly as often.

I can also ski the 2017s on firm and ice, with no issues. It’s not like “just making it down safely” either, they will link turns comfortably. I prefer 2017 BGs on ice, even when compared to the Kartel 116s! I do not like to ski firm on the Supergoats, nor could I ski ice so easily on 2015 191s.

I have skied the Asym on C&Ds, Supergoats, and the K2s and Praxis, and am not a fan on firm snow. In anything soft though, the advantages start to become crystal clear. The asym allows for extremely easy and predictable release. Most people also have no issues with asym on firm, so my point is almost invalid, but I thought I get it out there anyways.

If your reason to own a BG is purely for soft snow and chunk, no doubt the new asym models are the best. If you want more of a daily driver, I would suggest 2016 and 2017, simply because I dont like asym on skis that may see firm. I actually havent skied the brand new asym 189s though, just 5 other asym skis. So take with a grain of salt.

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[Skeeze]

I’ve found the 17/18 (asym) to be significantly better on hardpack and more versatile than the 13/14s (RES), while losing nothing (and maybe being better, it’s hard to say) in powder.


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[Banh Mi]

The asym on the SGs actually works fine on firm, and they grip better than 2015 191s. It’s just I still cannot drive them on firm, or even soft groomers, or they’ll spin out. 2017s can be driven a bit more without spinning out. Asym just screws with me. And it feels kind of weird skiing a such a big stiff directional powder gun on firm, driving it from the balls of your feet a bit more. It works well, I just dont like driving asym on firm I guess.

I love the Supergoats, but they are my deep day skis.

OP, I think it’s safe to say that you will have a good time no matter which BG you get, from 2013-2019. Disregard my BS on asym. Seemingly only about 2/10 people feel what I feel. It could be also that I dont spend enough days in a row on asym skis. Maybe it takes getting really used to them, and skiing them all the time. Then they might work better for me. Will experiment with that next season.

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[CascadeLuke]

GPO 187 // BG 186 // 189 Asym
If your budget allows- its 189 asym in my eyes. However they’re not synonymous with “light” as you listed in OP. And I don’t see anyone gear swapping those after owning em.
The BGt have plenty of muscle and give up 200gs. If you go alpine bind (recm) and you’re mostly accustomed to tour binding now you’re really in for a jump in weigh with std 191. Though I’m sure you’ve skied with Norse and LWS so their recommendation holds plenty of weight as well.

Edit: ski 192 ProTests as well. Good compliment ski, room for both. Stevens skier.
Gun to head: BG

[auvgeek]

Do you find the length of the 196 Protest too much at Stevens?

[Norseman]

I don't think I've skied with Riff before, but we should make it happen man!

Metal clamps and full layup or bust. You got lighter sticks for skiing uphill. Weigh em down, baby! Undeflectable chopmonstahs

[riff]

Thank you all! Indeed, we should get some days in this coming winter. I think these won't be touring much if any, so yeah, standard layup and heavy clamps make sense. Auvgeek, I'm pretty happy with the Protest on appropriate days, but they do tire me out after a half day, especially if I'm coming from days on a more traditional ski. I have to be feeling the ball of the foot for it to be the sweetness. They do like to open up more than Stevens calls for, but I was folding up the nose on 187's and struggling on deeper days so I sized up. Most deep days the GPO's get used more, mainly because they hike pretty well. Sounds like 189/191 would be the ticket! The Hunt Is On.
Pow dreams have started, a bit early this year....usually its at least August.

[Norseman]

[TAFKALVS]

191 Billygoat is the best Stevens Pass ski I've ever been on. Nimble/drifty enough for the tight bits off Wildcatz and enough umph to mach through lower backside choppy goop. I distinctly remember a pow day where our Peshastin friends were perplexed at the speed and lack of effort the goat equipped crew seemed to handle the deep hot pow on the lower margins of jupiter. I have never sunk the tips/gone over the bars. Sometimes I wish my 191s were a bit stiffer but I think the newer 189s solved that.

For the record you and I weigh the same and are the same height.

191/189 regular layup + P18 or 916s = hot pow party time.

Fuck... I want to go ski.



Not hot pow, on the goats, at the ridge, in the (central) park.

[auvgeek]

Plus the BG was literally designed for Stevens...

Is it ski season yet? All this talk has me interested in trying a pair of the 189 pre-asym BGs.

[Norseman]

[californiagrown]

11/12 is first gen RES, and not as stable in chip. Little quicker, but the 12/13 is more stable, smoother, and floats better.

Really? I find the 191 11/12s to be crazy stable, heavy, damp stiff, and not at all quick haha. I really need to demo some newer BGs.

[TAFKALVS]

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[auvgeek]