Reverse Camber Touring Skis: What Should Be on my Radar

[Nkane]

I'm thinking hard about swapping out my 181 Voile Chargers (112 underfoot; very flat & stiff tail; ~1840 g/ski) for a pair of touring skis with a LOT more tail rocker, and maybe full-on reverse camber for this season.

Me: 5'9", 160 lbs, light racing background, fairly directional style, tour mostly in Tahoe. Whatever I get will be mounted with Radical FTs and driven by my Maestrale RS (yellow buckle version).

There's a lot I like about the Chargers - they hold a a great line in crappy snow, they're pretty light, and float nicely. But they feel extremely locked into a certain turn shape (medium radius GS) and they're not very nimble in the trees. And there are a lot of trees in Tahoe.

I'm thinking that a ski of a similar, or even narrower width (105-112), but with a much looser tail shape would be a lot more fun for the terrain I ski. I frankly don't see a lot of extremely steep, firm terrain when I tour. I would go the same weight or lighter, but not heavier.

I've been looking at the 4FRNT Raven, which looks hard to find, the Moment Meridian Tour, and the older G3 Synapse as some options for a reverse camber touring ski. Then there's a whole universe of cambered skis that have a lot more tail rocker than my Chargers do.

My questions:
1. Is the fully rockered touring ski a good idea? 2. What else should be on my radar?

[mall walker]

The new Ravens have a lot more tip/tail rise, but sounds like you may want that? Those are easy to get if you don't mind full price. G3 Synapse 109? Praxis Wootest?

[KyleLanTheman]

Moment meridian tour, have not ridden but would love to try out a pair. Seems like they fit your bill at @ 1850g a ski. Faction ct 4.0, not necessarily a dedicated touring rig but holy cow did they like to turn on a dime. Idk about going up but on the way down they feel lighter than they are.

[rob stokes]

Katana, it’s slightly heavier (50g?) and doesn’t have a huge amount of tail rocker but does ski fairly loose. The mount point will work with your directional style, but you can mount them a couple cm forward if you would prefer.

Another obvious choice could be the Hoji but for me it’s no where near as good as the katana. Felt they were unreal in certain snow conditions and down right shite in many others.


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[Dromond]

It seems like some of the few touring skis with full rocker are moving away from that you a flat/rocker or camber/rocker hybrid. G3 and Dynafit are two I can think of. A few full-rocker skis tourers have reported less traction on the up on skin tracks due to the smaller contact patch. (This is all second hand info.)

[auvgeek]

Obvious choice for full camber would be V-werks BMT 109, right?

edit: if you're just looking for a touring ski with lotsa tail rocker, something from Moment's touring line fits the bill pretty well.

[sruffian]

Moment meridian tour is going to be the winner here, especially if you're local to tahoe. I am a directional skier who just picked up standard meridians cheap - and they are fucking blast. Make me want to jib and spin more than I ever have - hold a great edge and can rail pretty damn well. The tour should be a pretty ideal tahoe everyday touring ski.

My spring/ eastern sierra / volcano ski is a volkl bmt 94 (no longer made in full rocker, I believe). Really nice layup for touring, great hold, damp for the weight, but easy as hell to swing around. I'd look at the volkl bmt's or katanas as well

[cravenmorhead]

My fatter touring ski is a Volkl Nunataq, which is basically the Gotama in a touring layup. Rockered, 107 underfoot. I don't like it for anything approaching ski mountaineering or corn season, but mid-winter it's a lot of fun.

[DolphinSki]

I've skied/owned a number of Voiles. If you generally like the Charger, maybe look at the Supercharger or V8 which are turnier/more rockered. As mentioned above, the G3 Synapse comes to mind, but I haven't skied it personally.

[SUPERIOR]

Check out the Praxis GPO with the carbon core. The ski is loose and nimble, and it’s my pow touring ski. I am at 190 pounds and 6 feet tall, and the 187 version works extremely well for the trees. I’d go for the 192 if you ski mostly open Sierra stuff.


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[SupreChicken]

I’m just a huge fan of camber underfoot everywhere - but especially touring.

2nd vote for the GPO. Fantastic pow touring ski. Carbon/enduro probably around 2000g. That’s the layup I would get for touring. UL probably 1925g.

If mustache camber profiles appeal to you, the wildcat tour is pretty hard to beat on paper.

[kootenayskier]

I’ve put lots of time on the Synapse 109s, and cant say enough good things about them (look for multiple rants elsewhere on TGR). I think it’s obvious why reverse camber skis are the ultimate in 3D snow, but adding a minimal amount of camber gives almost the same performance, but is way more sellable to the average skier.

[Eluder]

I have a couple days on my Meridian Tours, so far so good. I am a big fan of mild reverse camber. They tour just fine, even up well used skin tracks.

[stuntmanbo]

+1 for the BMT 109. I have them in 176 mounted with ATK raider 12 and like them a lot. I'm about the same weight as you. But it's not a pair for super hard charging, you could maybe try the Katana in 177 for that.

It's true that the traction is a bit lacking on the up sometimes though, especially with the tapered volkl skins.
I had a 100Eight, approx same reverse camber (maye a bit flatter), with non tapered colltex skins and the traction was a bit better.

[JRainey]

Beast 108 should be in the mix. I'm gonna try a pair this year. I've been touring on Hoji's (super rc) with pure mohair and it's been fine. Just tread lightly on the sketchy bits.

[hick]

Another fan of the G3 109 Synapse. Light, loose, and rad for breaking trail. Ya, not great on beat skin tracks, but why are you touring in places where there are tons of people and shitty skin tracks in the first place Had the Ravens and liked them alright, but had a much smaller sweet spot than the 109s. I’ll likely replace the Synapses with Meridian Tours when I can find a cheaper pair. Can’t go wrong with Moment construction, as they ski well and hold up better than most.
I’ll also add that I tour with ski crampons often when I have any questions on traction. Full rocker fan for sure!


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[Nkane]

Thanks, all. Lots to chew on and snoop the Gear Swap threads.

Good point about the ski crampons. I have a pair and maybe I'll just get them out more if I start sliding.

[GeezerSteve]

When you find your new Holy Grail ski, lemme know if you need to offload those Chargers for cheap

[CaliBrit]

I’m just a huge fan of camber underfoot everywhere - but especially touring.

2nd vote for the GPO. Fantastic pow touring ski. Carbon/enduro probably around 2000g. That’s the layup I would get for touring. UL probably 1925g.

If mustache camber profiles appeal to you, the wildcat tour is pretty hard to beat on paper.

I have a pair of the 192 GPO in UL. Cut off about 6-7cm of the tail. Still a nice rocker rise.

They come in at 1950-2000g or so.

Only had them on groomed post lift close so far. Sun Valley is still waiting on snow....

[CaliBrit]

Think I’m going to add some Yeti’s for a skinnier option.

[buenonda]

https://youtu.be/JnpzDK-oY1E
if you like titanal and reverse : 1850gr for 183cm

[lordf]

https://youtu.be/JnpzDK-oY1E
if you like titanal and reverse : 1850gr for 183cm

I was just about to suggest these, ok I've not toured on them but they were one of the most versatile fun skis I've demoed in a long time. I'm a tall fat fuck who likes to ski fast and even the 183 version didn't feel short for me ripping around the piste and hard pack at silly speed.

I'm going to get the 188 and mount with shifts as a sorta fit and forget travel ski.

[LeoK]

Would you mind to respond to the daemon thread with size and mountpoint recommendations. We where looking for some input over there or here.

[rod9301]

Katanas

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[WhetherMan]

Moment meridian tour is going to be the winner here, especially if you're local to tahoe. I am a directional skier who just picked up standard meridians cheap - and they are fucking blast. Make me want to jib and spin more than I ever have - hold a great edge and can rail pretty damn well. The tour should be a pretty ideal tahoe everyday touring ski.

Agree with this assessment of the standard meridian. I like these more than I thought I would. As a very large (6'6", 205#) mostly directional skier it was only by chance that I demoed these and bought a pair. Don't like the "rocking chair" effect when bases flat on hardpack, but on edge you can push these hard, they rail. Usually ski my Bibby's on snow days, but had the meridians out yesterday in ~6" - the stability these provide in 3d snow is impressive. I'm a long lever, but didn't feel like I had to wheely at any point to keep them floating. Made me even more interested in the Meridian tour, previously I thought at 187cm, 107m they'd be too little ski for pow touring, now not so sure.

I spent last year touring on 190 Ravens. More or less sold on full rocker for touring. No traction problems for me. The ravens float reasonably well for 104, but they'll be headed for gear swap when I find a replacement. I *think* at my weight I'm overflexing the tips if I don't stay totally centered, leading to hooking in deeper snow. The shape certainly doesn't seem hooky, so I suspect the flex. If you're a normally sized human, I doubt this'd be a problem. To back that up, the considerably stiffer meridians haven't exhibited that behavior even though they have less (zero?) tip taper. Also, IMHO the raven is too little surface area for tahoe winter touring.

So, if the meridian tour manages keep most of the stiffness of the regular layup, it would be pretty fkn high on my list. No idea if it does though.