Intuitive Powder Ski

[Drazzamatazz]

It's September and I'm wanting to get powder skis, yay!

Headed to Japan this January (like everyone else it seems) and trying to get geared up for the trip. I've read a bunch of good information on this site already and I feel like the "get some ProTests" answer seems to be a solid one, but I think I have a few different factors to consider.

While I want something that is going to make sure Japan is a total blast, I live on the East Coast and I'm hoping for something that might have more use than just some hopeful bi-annual trip to Japan.

Another consideration is I've read that it sometimes takes people a little time to click with ProTests. Being on the East Coast, pretty unlikely I'll see much powder before taking these skis to Japan. I'd like to make sure whatever I'm on is something that I'm able to click with pretty soon so that I can make the most of the one week of skiing I'm going to get.

For some background, my current new snow skis are Fat-ypus D-Senders. I've gotten along well with them, but they are a little short outside of the East Coast woods. They also seem best with the "point and go" approach, which is not what I'm looking for in this future ski.

So what should I be looking at (other than ProTests), GPO or Billygoat? Looking for them to be looser and pivoty with plenty of float. Obviously not expecting groomer performance, but do want some versatility. Mounting Shifts most likely.

[nickel]

i dunno where on the east coast you ski but back in my Jay peak days, i used to have plenty of success chasing storms. just get protests.

[doebedoe]

Get some Protests.

[Kopi_Red]

ProTests are awesome so are Billygoats and I also dig the GPOs. But if you want a different suggestion than those 3 tried and true skis maybe check out the Blizzard Rustler 11s.

[2FUNKY]

Get some Protests.

You know it!

ProTests are awesome so are Billygoats and I also dig the GPOs. But if you want a different suggestion than those 3 tried and true skis maybe check out the Blizzard Rustler 11s.

This too.

Never understood the learning curve with the ProTest. It was just plug and slay. But I had been on other “fun” shapes before so maybe that was the factor.

[N1CK.]

RaxSki.com

[MHSP1497]

Soul7 pm nwskier!

This is still funny....

[Drazzamatazz]

Awesome. Glad it actually is such an easy decision. Now I just need to try and snatch a pair up.
I know Keith has done some tweaking along the way. Is there a certain year that they change significantly? Didn't see any specific timeline in the long Protest thread.

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[detrusor]

I went with GPO last year as a daily driver and Japan pow ski. Enduro/carbon core. Was super happy.

I do live in the Wasatch so I have big skis for epic days


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[auvgeek]

As much as I love the Billy Goat, I'd want to ski something with asymmetry before committing to a trip with them. Same with triple camber/sidecut.

[Banh Mi]

The armada norwalk is an easy going, floaty, and cheap option that still does well on hardpack. Not as cool as Praxis or On3p, but $350 new on sale lately.


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[Muggydude]

Awesome. Glad it actually is such an easy decision. Now I just need to try and snatch a pair up.
I know Keith has done some tweaking along the way. Is there a certain year that they change significantly? Didn't see any specific timeline in the long Protest thread.

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Not sure how big you are, but the older gen 188cm one’s are pretty much just as good as the latest gen (which hasn’t changed much since 2014 I believe). My understanding was the older 188 ones are a little more powderboard-ish and had a heavier core than the new Enduro ones, although the newest Enduro core is similar to the core the 188s would have

[sruffian]

Protests.

Lotus 120 is a good deep snow ski and pretty traditional


GPO is not the ski that I would want for bottomless like in Japan, billygoat either. GPO's are my daily and now my soft snow touring ski because of their versatility, but I'd want something

[Banh Mi]

Protests.

Lotus 120 is a good deep snow ski and pretty traditional


GPO is not the ski that I would want for bottomless like in Japan, billygoat either. GPO's are my daily and now my soft snow touring ski because of their versatility, but I'd want something

Have you skied any of the armada EST skis? I think they float much better on flatter stuff and at slower speeds than BGs. Super floaty and easy. I am wondering how certain DPS compare to that feeling

[Drazzamatazz]

Not sure how big you are, but the older gen 188cm one’s are pretty much just as good as the latest gen (which hasn’t changed much since 2014 I believe). My understanding was the older 188 ones are a little more powderboard-ish and had a heavier core than the new Enduro ones, although the newest Enduro core is similar to the core the 188s would have

5' 8" 160#. 188 cm is what I had in mind if I go Protest.

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[N1CK.]

Current protests have a bit more sidecut compared to the OG 188.

Core and material Improvement aside that's your primary design tweak.

[PlayItLeo]

Bought Protests before a Japow trip last year, skied them once on basically groomers for shits and giggles before going, went to Japan and smashed pow on them for two weeks. No learning curve (granted I’d spent a fair amount of time on R/R skis before), no problems, only smiles. Do it!


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[El Chupacabra]

Clicked on this thread wondering why anyone would want a Dynastar Intuitive or consider it to be a powder ski...

... made more sense once I read some posts.

[sruffian]

Have you skied any of the armada EST skis? I think they float much better on flatter stuff and at slower speeds than BGs. Super floaty and easy. I am wondering how certain DPS compare to that feeling

I have not. For its waist, the dps wailer 112 is the floatiest, easiest ski I've ever been on. Planes up and gives you that pow feel on very little snow - unfortunately it's a useless shape and tail's too soft for anything else. Definitely more float and easier to ski than a gpo. 120 floats easily, great pow ski feel, never felt quite as pivoty to me though (for better or worse)

[cat in january]

Any chance you got those D-Senders off CL? Not many in Maine and I sold mine. Really liked those skis. Edit, not my skis as the 184 before early rise was not a short ski in the woods.

When I first saw the title I was going to say safety meetings always make my powder skiing more intuitive, but see you are going to Japan and that might not be easy there-don't know never been. Maybe bring edibles repackaged

[gaijin]

Yeah... flying into Japan with edibles is not a piece of advice anyone should be posting online. It's a felony here. Your life will be destroyed, intentionally... as a statement to the world. They'll plaster your face on the news to make an international statement.

In Indonesia, they'll hang you. So... it's not that bad.

[bw_wp_hedonism]

There’s a pair of used Noctas on another thread that I could imagine being pretty fun in the deep...

[cat in january]

Thanks for the heads up, mostly a joke. No wonder why there are so many 40yo virgins

[detuned]

Maybe bring edibles repackaged

never a good idea

see: midnight express.....

[liv2ski]

Lots of booze in Japan, so those 40 year olds are just freaks. All I can add is Praxis Powder Boards were the best pure pow ski I ever had, so hopefully the Protest is the answer for you. And have fun.