Salomon Czar

[Shorty_J]

Anyone still use this ski?

I've read a lot of reviews but they don't have the context if current designs... I'd be curious to hear from someone who has skied them, how they stack up to today's overings. I know it's old tech... Looking for more useful info than that.

These would be for backcountry use for me, mounted with tech bindings.

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[toast2266]

I'd assume they're cheap, and there's nothing inherently terrible about the design. What do you have to lose?

[Skidog]

I don't know that I have a comparison to today's skis, but I skied the czars about 150 days and I enjoyed them. Inbounds only but they handled anything Alta had to offer. Deep to hardpack, to chaulk, to spring slush. Tail released super easy. Slight tip rise kept tips up and they were easy to swing around.

Fun ski all in all.

[Shorty_J]

I'd assume they're cheap, and there's nothing inherently terrible about the design. What do you have to lose?

The main issue would be weight... But you're right... Might as well try.

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[Shorty_J]

I don't know that I have a comparison to today's skis, but I skied the czars about 150 days and I enjoyed them. Inbounds only but they handled anything Alta had to offer. Deep to hardpack, to chaulk, to spring slush. Tail released super easy. Slight tip rise kept tips up and they were easy to swing around.

Fun ski all in all.

Good feedback... Thanks. I'm particularly glad to hear the tails release easily... My other option is a rocker 2 100. The Czar has no tail rocker and is a stiffer tail, but it is a twin tip and a pin tail, so maybe that has something to do with how the tails release.

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[S_jenks]

Good feedback... Thanks. I'm particularly glad to hear the tails release easily... My other option is a rocker 2 100. The Czar has no tail rocker and is a stiffer tail, but it is a twin tip and a pin tail, so maybe that has something to do with how the tails release.

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I've skied both the Salomon Czar 2010 and am currently using the Rocker 2 100 for my daily driver.

The czars are fantastic skis that, like Skidog said: Are easy to swing around, and have an appropriate amount of forward rocker. Despite some top-sheet chipping, their construction was fairly robust and manage to endure over 250 days of use across 5 seasons at Bridger, Big Sky, and Big Mountain. They were very maneuverable in tighter trees and still allowed you to punch it down-slope when you wanted. Only reason they died was after I had damaged the sidewall one early season, causing about 16 inches of sidewall to tear our underfoot.

Bummed about their death, I resolved to find a replacement daily driver. That's when I came across the Rocker 2's, which are hands down the best skis I've owned to date.

YMMV, but the czar's were a solid offering from Salomon.

[Shorty_J]

^^^ that is awesome feedback... Thanks!

I agree that the rocker 2 100 is my favorite ski I've owned, so hearing positive feedback on the Czar from someone who shares my feeling on the 100s is perfect.

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[comish]

Had teh Czar and Mrs. Comish still uses them for pow. I liked them until it was >18" of pow which we actually get with some regularity in the Sierra. Then there wasn't enough tip rocker to float. Keep in mind, I'm a drive the tip, directional skier, so it seems as though I prefer more tip rocker to float in deep. Fun, versatile skis though.

[PowderPig]

I still use my 10’ish years old Czars mounted with tech bindings as my main backcountry ski. Super fun - love them!

[Shorty_J]

Thanks everyone... My fears are quashed and I'm going to mount them up.

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[arild]

Jesus. almost 55mR on the 190? Sounds spectacular!

[hifno]

I just resurrected my Czar for use as a backcountry ski. The one issue that I noticed is that the mount is generally more centered than most of my other skis (I also mounted between the two recommended mount points). This means that there is quite a bit more tail than I'm used to, which affects uphill kick turns and herringboning (both are more difficult).

When I took them into the resort again, it became super clear that groomers are definitely not their forte with such a long turn radius. But when the snow is soft, they are still super fun skis, really impressed with how they have held up.