Mantra 102 - where to mount it?

[Bandit Man]

Y'all are getting me into some trouble. Trigger pulled on the 191's. Will report back!

[Lord Thomas]

+1 on comments by bry and seatown. The 191's are pretty easy to make go sideways, especially for a ski that is so strong on edge. I didn't think the 191 felt like a more demanding ski than the 184, it just felt like a slightly longer ski. I personally just like the feel of more ski out in front of me but could live happily ever after on a 184. Not a huge difference between the two lengths, same with the K108

[kc_7777]

So....

Got too many bindings....can't seem to sell them so only option is to buy more skis.

Considering putting the M102 back in the quiver. Great deals on some 2021s around. This time will mount on the back line at +0cm, or maybe +1cm from theback line (versus the +2.5cm mount from back line last time). See what all you "on-the-line" guys are talking about.

My wife is also likely picking up a pair of 170cm M5s for her ripper ski.

Love when you re-buy the same ski you used to own.

Paging banditman to push me over the edge. Gaijin this must hurt your brain. Haha.

KC

[Bandit Man]

So....

Got too many bindings....can't seem to sell them so only option is to buy more skis.

Considering putting the M102 back in the quiver. Great deals on some 2021s around. This time will mount on the back line at +0cm, or maybe +1cm from theback line (versus the +2.5cm mount from back line last time). See what all you "on-the-line" guys are talking about.

My wife is also likely picking up a pair of 170cm M5s for her ripper ski.

Love when you re-buy the same ski you used to own.

Paging banditman to push me over the edge. Gaijin this must hurt your brain. Haha.

KC

So, I know where you ski and from the amazing photos of last season, how you ski. You have a BSL one size smaller than mine, are 1” shorter and weigh 35-lbs less (your 165 vs my 200). You could totally handle a 184 M102. My 155-lb, 5’ 10” son has no issue with them. I know you have to be a stronger technical skier than him. He’s all speed, strength, and stupidity right now.

So, a 177-cm M102 on the Rear Line?!? No problem for you, even at Blackcomb.

I’m over here trying to talk myself out of 191’s. Not because I’m some kind of bad ass, but because the 184’s can feel short at times.

I did add 192 LP105’s and 194 Sender Squads to the quiver over the past few months, so I’m certainly having some kind of “wish I was still a young buck charger” moment.

[kc_7777]

So, I know where you ski and from the amazing photos of last season, how you ski. You have a BSL one size smaller than mine, are 1” shorter and weigh 35-lbs less (your 165 vs my 200). You could totally handle a 184 M102. My 155-lb, 5’ 10” son has no issue with them. I know you have to be a stronger technical skier than him. He’s all speed, strength, and stupidity right now.
So, a 177-cm M102 on the Rear Line?!? No problem for you, even at Blackcomb. I’m over here trying to talk myself out of 191’s. Not because I’m some kind of bad ass, but because the 184’s can feel short at times.

I did add 192 LP105’s and 194 Sender Squads to the quiver over the past few months, so I’m certainly having some kind of “wish I was still a young buck charger” moment.

Hey banditman,

Thanks as always. I hope we can do a few runs together one day and discuss our similar quivers. Maybe this coming season at Whistler. I'm there every weekend and some weekdays.

My real reasoning on getting the M102 again is my E104 (and now M-Free 99) are just so easy to ski. Need a ski to push it on.

So back line eh? We'll see...either back line or middle line for sure. I'm gonna drink the "on-the-line" koolaid for this one. Going to the shop tomorrow with some black STHs that need a home....likely 177 (~179)...but will stand on the 184s and see.

Thought some about getting K108s....but as I have R11s, Protos, Nomad 115s....and now some Blanks. I'm covered for deeper days. Plus I want the manueverability of the M102 (vs K108).

And I approve of you getting 191s.

KC

[singlecross]

I still very much like my 184cm M102’s but they’re getting nervous as they’ve been surrounded by Rangers.

188cm 99ti just arrived and I’ve had the 182cm 107ti since last March.

[Shorty_J]

So back line eh? We'll see...either back line or middle line for sure. I'm gonna drink the "on-the-line" koolaid for this one. Going to the shop tomorrow with some black STHs that need a home....

Demo bindings? Just a thought.

If trying new skis is your hobby, think how much more "fun" you will have playing with mount points!

[Bandit Man]

I still very much like my 184cm M102’s but they’re getting nervous as they’ve been surrounded by Rangers.

188cm 99ti just arrived and I’ve had the 182cm 107ti since last March.

Will definitely be interested in your feedback on the Rangers. The main reason I have not put them into strong consideration is their reputation for being so “precise” and living in the PNW. With our dense snow, I need a tail that can release easily.

[singlecross]

Will definitely be interested in your feedback on the Rangers. The main reason I have not put them into strong consideration is their reputation for being so “precise” and living in the PNW. With our dense snow, I need a tail that can release easily.

Yeah, that makes sense for PNW. For East Coast ice, Precise is nice. And that ice is always lurking under whatever new snow we do get here on the l’East Coast.

That and the old racer in me likes a strong tail to launch into the next turn and not wash out (i.e. release).

[WhetherMan]

I still very much like my 184cm M102’s but they’re getting nervous as they’ve been surrounded by Rangers.

188cm 99ti just arrived and I’ve had the 182cm 107ti since last March.

I picked up some 188cm 99ti's and suspect that they may be pushing my 191 M102's towards the door (once I ski them). But maybe not. The M102 is a phenomenal ski - I love the 3d radius and echo the praise about maneuverability to charginess ratio. I don't find them to be quite the trucks that others have described, at 200lbs and skiing at a wide open mountain I may not be quite finding their speed limit, but am finding a point where they inspire slightly less confidence. That's not really a complaint though. If the rangers unseat them it will be because of energy return. My only real complaint about the M102s is that they don't snap back as hard as I'd like. Very much personal preference though, they're not dead by any means

[gaijin]

Considering putting the M102 back in the quiver.

Love when you re-buy the same ski you used to own.

Paging banditman to push me over the edge. Gaijin this must hurt your brain. Haha.

KC

Yeah… I’m following along. More than glad nobody offered to take my M102s from GearSwap. The moment I posted them I was like— WTF are you doing?

Sorry guys. I may rarely ski it here in my Japow forest land… but those two days a year I do, I NEED THEM AVAILABLE!

I also realized I was selling them to get rid of the Baron Demo mounted on them. I want a Pivot15/CAST for this ski.

Last time my binding ruined my ski was a Fritschi Freeride on an OG Gotama. This feels the same but 20 years later. This feels like another decade of rolling my eyes at the binding that exists versus the new bindings being deserving of a new ski themselves so the remount/swap will never happen.

Bindings waste good skis.

[ticketchecker]

and now some Blanks.
KC

You have my attention

And I’ve been thinking about getting an M102 which I caught and released last year. Think I better drill these mPro99’s first and give em a shot tho


Sent from the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen

[GoldenBC]

I’ve got a pair of 191s with warden 13 demo bindings for sale at our shop. One of our demos. Less used because of the size. $550cdn. We can ship. Figured one of you might be into it.

[kc_7777]

You have my attention
And I’ve been thinking about getting an M102 which I caught and released last year. Think I better drill these mPro99’s first and give em a shot tho
Sent from the Utility Muffin Research Kitchen

Re the Salomon Blanks....ya I saw their rocker profile (it's awesome!) and was like "I have to ski these". So I bought them on the spot. That will be another thread!

Re getting the M102 again......shopping Black Friday sales now. And also researching and mulling over a Cochise 106. Thinking the M102 is not as easy to pivot/slide vs a Cochise 106. Not that I want this ski for for making quick turns in bumps, tight chutes...I have other skis for that. If I get one, this ski will be for groomers and skiing fast in open terrain....but something to think about. Blister Luke skied the Cochise 106 at +2.5cm (blapshemy!)
I think the M102 would be better on groomers, and that's where I'm leaning, M102 at +1cm (center Volkl line).

And f'ing companies and their inconsistent and non-comparable ski sizing....all of these are "177cm" below??

The 2021 177cm (really ~179cm) M102 and 177cm (really ~179cm) K108 look giant compared to the 177cm (really ~176cm) 2021 Cochise 106?

Sorry the three skis are not lined up perfectly....but it shows the M102 and K108 look like way bigger skis than the Cochise 106.

Also, the M102 and Katana are pretty damn close. Don't think you would need both the 12 and K108.

[Bandit Man]

Between the M102, K108, and Cochise 106, the M102 is the best overall performer and the most versatile.

I liked the M102 at Blackcomb. I could also see the Cochise 106 being a good choice for the Blackcomb High Alpine. I’d pick the K108 for Whistler, followed by the M102. More open terrain and more groomer run outs. I really disliked the Cochise 106 on anything groomed.

[kc_7777]

Between the M102, K108, and Cochise 106, the M102 is the best overall performer and the most versatile.
I liked the M102 at Blackcomb. I could also see the Cochise 106 being a good choice for the Blackcomb High Alpine. I’d pick the K108 for Whistler, followed by the M102. More open terrain and more groomer run outs. I really disliked the Cochise 106 on anything groomed.

Good points.

I can’t forget that I have the 176cm Line Blade specifically for groomers.....was thinking that I've already owned the 2020 M102....which then got me to start reading about the K108 again.

I already have a ton of manuveurable skis (Proto, Blanks, Nomads, R11s, E104s) for Blackcomb days...all of which are pretty versatile and easy. The quiver really needs something for those non-blower, crud days for going really fast in open terrain at Whistler.

Which then got me trying to think of a day that I would be on a K108 when I would want it to be 6mm narrower? Couldn't think of a day. But I think there may be a few days that I would be on the M102 when I would wish it was 6mm wider.

There's my answer I think.

[YoEddy]

... trying to think of a day that I would be on a K108 when I would want it to be 6mm narrower? Couldn't think of a day. But I think there may be a few days that I would be on the M102 when I would wish it was 6mm wider. ...

Exactly why I sold my M102 and bought the K108.

[VON]

Just lifted this M102 rocker profile shot off of backcountry.

While certainly low-slung, they actually have longer rocker lines than I had previously thought based on pictures I'd seen on Blister.

If this pic is accurate, it's got me way more excited and confident about the ski's potential for power and pivotability.

I'll def post up some pics of the M102's rocker profile when de-cambered as soon as they're in my hands, and then of course a review once I've got them on snow.

[Bandit Man]

Here’s what my 184’s look like de-cambered. I think you are going to be really excited when you see the 191’s in real life.

[gaijin]

Hope this helps.

[VON]

Here’s what my 184’s look like de-cambered. I think you are going to be really excited when you see the 191’s in real life.

Thanks for the pics - super stoked!

Really interesting here. Maybe it's just my eyes, but in these pics it almost looks like the tail rocker line is longer than the tip rocker line.

[Bandit Man]

Thanks for the pics - super stoked!

Really interesting here. Maybe it's just my eyes, but in these pics it almost looks like the tail rocker line is longer than the tip rocker line.

I think it is an optical illusion. It looks like I cropped the tail photo and it zoomed in closer. Here is the non-cropped view:

[VON]

191's arrived.

Thanks to everyone for your info on these skis. I want to return the favor based on the very limited amount of time I've had on them so far.

Me: 35 years old, athletic, skiing my whole life, 6'4" 185 lbs, Utah.

Favorite skis I've ever owned: 2013 Stockli Stormrider 95, 2017 Blizzard Bonafide, 2017 Kastle BMX 105HP, 2015 Blizzard Bodacious, 2018 Moment Bibby, 2019 Billy Goat

First impressions handling them:
1. Length: longer than all my other 191 skis - actual length closer to 191.5
2. Weight: fair heavy, but in line with most of my other skis at around 2350g's
3. Rocker profile: low slung, but much much longer rocker lines than I was expecting, which is great news and has me excited. While I think the rocker length is great, I'd personally prefer a bit more pronounced splay in both tip and tail.
4. Flex: stiff all around, but pretty round with tips and tails feeling similar. Also feels like the tips are actually stiffer than the forebody, which is interesting, and kinda nice.
5. Mount point: given the subject of this thread, I did think about going +1, but I ultimately mounted them on the line because I didn't want to overthink it, and all my previous skis have been just fine at recommended.

On snow impressions:
Utah has had a very rough start to the season, so my impressions are limited to the terrain off Little Cloud chair at Snowbird: Regulator Johnson for a high speed groomer, and then Shireen, Rasta Chutes, etc. off Road to Provo were also open with some real cruddy refrozen snow.

1. Tip: there's definitely a lot of ski in front of you. The swing weight is significant. More than the BMX105HP (which is my main point of comparison). When driving the ski on hard snow, you really do feel that whole long effective edge engaging, and in a lot of ways, the groomer experience is reminiscent of my Head monsters. No tip chatter (unlike the BMX), and absolute reliability on edge assuming you are pushing them. I could happily have this as the narrowest ski in my quiver.
2. Tail: strong, good rebound out of the turn. Surprisingly easy to release the tail, which is fantastic, and probably my favorite characteristic of this ski given the amount of power and edge-hold available when you want it.
3. Multi-radius stuff: it's definitely real . When skiing fast and straight through crud, it feels like I'm on a verrry straight ski. However, if I want to make a tight radius carve, I can push it into a tighter radius than I expected.
4. Energy: there is definitely some rebound in the tail of this ski (which is not something I can say for the BMX105HP). You gotta be skiing fast and pushing it, but the energy is in there.
6. Crud and bumps: Definitely does a good job absorbing crappy snow. Not quite as plush a feel as my Kastles, but definitely more energy. While the tail can release, it is a big long ski, and it definitely wants you to be skiing fast and fall line, not putting the ski sideways. If you approach steep and bumped out terrain by frequently putting the skis sideways, I don't think the M102 is for you.

Overall, I'd say that this is a ski that pushes me to ski physically, fast, and commit to the fall line. As long as I'm taking an aggressive approach to the mountain, it is incredibly rewarding.

For those who are thinking about mount point on the 191's, my experience to date has me thinking that +1 might be the best choice. You'll still have plenty of ski in front of you, and the tail does release easily enough that I'd accept having more tail behind me in exchange for a bit more maneuverability and a bit less swing weight up front.

Keep in mind, I've only had two days on the M102's, and both days were in very subpar refrozen conditions, so more impressions to come when I get more quality time on them.

[Bandit Man]

Looking forward to hearing your experience in better conditions. Glad to hear you didn’t die yet.

[bry]

Thanks for sending this. Namaste and pray for snow!

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