Mantra 102 - where to mount it?

[kc_7777]

Seems like you figured out the M102. It really is a quite accessible charger. Glad the forward mount works for you, too. I agree that the ski has a large sweet spot. I like that you spent so much time on it at Blackcomb...it’s made for that terrain and typical Blackcomb conditions. The 104 Free and M102 is a really effective daily driver combo for a place like WB. With your Rustler 11 and Proto to take in the deep days, you really have the span of PNW conditions covered. Now go try the K108 and tell us what you think.
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Don't tempt me. I had a code for Corbett's that makes the 2021 K108 $660CDN. I would love to own a K108, but the M102 specs are pretty perfect for what I want this ski to do. Which is to be my zoomer groomer ski at Whistler-Blackcomb when it hasn't snowed in awhile and the snow conditions can vary so much in a day. If it's deep and/or soft the R11s and Protos will be more fun.

Also glad I have the Enforcer 104 Free to complement the Mantra 102, for the days when I want to ski like a mortal.

I was considering getting an Enforcer 93 for groomer days but definitely don't need that now. The M102 is too awesome on groomers.

So I'm pretty happy with everything about my M102 experience. Really surprised that I didn't even notice the -9.0cm mount. Ha

And ya it's burly, but is very very skiable. The M102 has a feel that no other ski in my quiver has....it loves long arcs and hard snow and holds up through chop. It loves being on edge and going fast. So much stability, torsional stiffness....super solid and did I say they like going really fast ....without any vibration.

Loved it when you roll the M102 on edge on a fast groomer run and its 140mm tip locks in, then the whole ski does, and you can just press into your shin down through the ski and the speed gets crazy! Yet you feel so secure. There were also times yesterday that I would be railing a big turn on a groomer at mach looney and marvelling at how it holds an edge so well, but then I could stand up and throw it sideways too.

I also liked them on steep/chalky, spaced out bumps that had some ice patches underneath.....the M102 has amazing stability and edge hold; as I could get bite wherever and whenever I wanted....the only variable is your commitment (and remaining leg strength....I skied 30,000 vert feet on these yesterday, mostly at fairly stupidly high speeds, and ya I was pretty tired at the end of the day).

But my legs feel fine today...and +40cm new overnight and still snowing so it's a Proto day.....just woke up to this:

[slowroastin]

Anyone been on this and the Kastle MX99? Suppose I'm debating the 191 Mantra vs 184 Kastle

Also interested in this comparison.


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[meter-man]

Posted up my 191 M102s. Holler - flexible on price: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...(19-20)-191-cm

[roQer]

Interested to hear the comparison between R11 and Proto/Mfree 118. My DD for non pow days is now M102. On pow days I’m on R11 192. Considering to complement the R11 with a dedicated powder ski for deep days. Was thinking about Revolt 121 with Völkl´s 3-radius sidecut which works so well on M102. Proto/Mfree 118 sounds like fun as well but I guess has not so much more edge over R11 in terms of floatability and surfiness, or am I wrong?

[kc_7777]

Similar tastes...

I’m running three skis for Daily Drivers now....all measure approx. 179cm...similar "specs" but different skis:
- M102 (140-102-123) - with STHs, for dust on crust, variable snow, icy groomers, raging
- Nordica Enforcer 104 (134-104-124) - with STHs, all around everything DD
- Elan Ripsticks 106 (143-106-120) - with Shifts, when I want a lighter ski for a DD and am going sidecountry

All the options/conditions are covered with those three.

For deeper snow days I have the R11 and Proto 118, both with Pivots. Just sold my Chetlers.

All I can say is my buddy bought my Bentchetlers cause I wasn’t using them because the Protos are so pivoty and good making the Chetlers redundant) and my green 2019 R11s are getting very jealous (pun....green?) as the Protos alway get pulled out for the pow days.

Why? The Protos rip the deep (more float) better than the R11s and where the Protos really excel (vs R11s) is slithering and slashing and slarving through powdery bumps (ie Fraggle on Blackcomb) at speed. The R11 tails do release nicely, but the Protos tails more so.

So I would say the Proto 118 is more fun than the R11s when shorter, quicker, non-carved (ie slarved), turns are also required, in addition to carving. The R11 is better if it’s a mix of hard pack, groomers, steeps and open pow.

My last two ski days last Sun/Mon (below) were on the Protos, which were so awesome....I know wrong thread/drift but man the Protos just make you look cool in pics.

[Bandit Man]

kc....please stop posting your awesome Whistler stoke. It gives me too much FOMO. 🤪

[kc_7777]

kc....please stop posting your awesome Whistler stoke. It gives me too much FOMO. 🤪

Haha. Sorry. Sunday was so good we skipped work/school on Monday to ski.

Heading back up to Whistler again tomorrow.... but laying very low (not leaving the cabin except to ski) as Whistler is a Covid hotspot right now.

And I really hope this Covid bs ends and you get back up here. We need to ski together one day with our similar quivers.

btw....looking like perfect M102 conditions....no fresh in a few days.

[roQer]

Similar tastes...

I’m running three skis for Daily Drivers now:
- M102
- Nordica Enforcer 104
- Elan Ripstick 106
All the options/conditions are covered with those three...

For soft and deeper snow I have both the R11 and Proto 118. Just sold my Chetlers.

All I can say is my buddy bought my Bentchetlers (as I wasn’t using them because the Protos are so pivoty making the Chetlers redundant) and my green 2019 R11s are getting very jealous (pun....green?) as the Protos alway get pulled out for the pow days.

Why? The Protos rip the deep (more float) better than the R11s and where the Protos really excel (vs R11s) is slithering and slashing and slarving through powdery bumps (ie Fraggle on Blackcomb) at speed. The R11 tails do release nicely, but the Protos tails more so.

So I would say the Proto 118 is more fun than the R11s when shorter, quicker, non-carved (ie slarved), turns are also required, in addition to carving. The R11 is better if it’s a mix of hard pack, groomers, steeps and open pow.

My last two ski days last Sun/Mon (below) were on the Protos, which were so awesome....I know wrong thread/drift but man the Protos just make you look cool in pics.

Thanks for this, kc. Now if anybody can compare Mfree 118 to Revolt 121...
I might ask this in Dynastar thread but I’m afraid too many fanbois there to get an objective opinion.

[Beder]

This ski is in my head but not yet in my quiver. I'm on the Enforcer 104, 179 which is the wrong size for me. I'm either going to sell it and size up, or buy the M102 in 184. At least 2 of you guys have both the E104 and M102--they must ski very differently.

[kc_7777]

This ski is in my head but not yet in my quiver. I'm on the Enforcer 104, 179 which is the wrong size for me. I'm either going to sell it and size up, or buy the M102 in 184. At least 2 of you guys have both the E104 and M102--they must ski very differently.

Very differently in my opinion.

The E104 is so easy to ski; it’s a mix of dampness that charges.....yet is still easy to slarve or slide turns when you’re feeling lazy, with its upturned tails. You can ski 30,000+ vert at Whistler in a day, easy peasy. After a big day on the E104 you’ll think you can ski like a god and you will feel good about yourself.

On the M102, you will ski the same runs but you won’t find a speed limit. Especially on groomers. You will do dumb things. You will run over shit. People will yell at you to slow down. Small children start to cry when you fly past. You won’t care. Cause you are going stupid fast. People turn away from you as you stand in the lineup with your legs shaking, going WTF did I just do? At the end of the day your legs will be wrecked. You will feel humbled. Mortal. But you will be strangely satisfied.

They complement each other.

I’m glad I have both.

[Beder]

Haha awesome!


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[Lurch]

Me 6'4", 220lb skiing 2016 191 Mantra with Look Pivots for the last 4 seasons. I like to drop chutes, ski pow, variable, bumps and GS turns back to the chair then take long walks on the beach. I love the 2016 Mantra, so M6 or 102? I also ski the 2016 on the line am I missing out by not being +2 and -.05 on my mount point? Wish ski bindings had a better mount option then pray and drill or demo bindings.

[meter-man]

Me 6'4", 220lb skiing 2016 191 Mantra with Look Pivots for the last 4 seasons. I like to drop chutes, ski pow, variable, bumps and GS turns back to the chair then take long walks on the beach. I love the 2016 Mantra, so M6 or 102? I also ski the 2016 on the line am I missing out by not being +2 and -.05 on my mount point? Wish ski bindings had a better mount option then pray and drill or demo bindings.

I think you want the 191 Mantra 102...which I am selling... Seriously, I think it comes down to whether or not you will ski pow in them (get 102s) or only hardpack (get M5/M6).

[Lurch]

I think you want the 191 Mantra 102...which I am selling... Seriously, I think it comes down to whether or not you will ski pow in them (get 102s) or only hardpack (get M5/M6).

Yea thought about it but for $100 more I can get 19/20 191s on close out at my local shop and not worry about the pivot mount holes that are just ever so slightly off where I want them for a 326 sole.

[meter-man]

Yea thought about it but for $100 more I can get 19/20 191s on close out at my local shop and not worry about the pivot mount holes that are just ever so slightly off where I want them for a 326 sole.

I forgot to note in my FS that they are mounted at +1.5. Edited.

[kc_7777]

btw....my 5’6”, 128lb wife skied my M102s today.

She said they are “easy to ski”.

She loved them.

But she is a badass skier.

[ticketchecker]

Got some 177’s that I’m just about to mount up and our shop got a few M6’s in. Should I be swayed by the shiny new object or carry on with the 102’s?


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[singlecross]

I'd carry on with the M102... because of the versatility. Ski trees when they're in and still rip groomers whenever you want.

[Idyllwild]

Interested in a 177 if any are floating around

[1000-oaks]

Random observations: fondled 177's and 184's in the shop, the 184 is only 5.5cm longer than the 177. And the 184 M102 is about 1cm longer than the old metal 2012-2014 Katana'a, which means the 177 M102 is long for a "177".

The 184 M102 has more camber than the 177, probably 50% more. Could just be pressing variances. Tip and tail splay appear same for both lengths when decambered.

[MD12]

I have the 102 in 177. Love the ski. So much that I want to get in 184 too. I don’t find the top end is limited on the 177 - if I go 184 should I bump a cm or 2 to make it more maneuverable in tighter spots? Any downsides that people are seeing going forward?

[Bandit Man]

I have the 102 in 177. Love the ski. So much that I want to get in 184 too. I don’t find the top end is limited on the 177 - if I go 184 should I bump a cm or 2 to make it more maneuverable in tighter spots? Any downsides that people are seeing going forward?

The sweet spot is so big on that ski, I don’t think you lose much of anything going forward.

But if you are happy on the 177, why go forward on a 184? Do you want more stability or top end? If so, why shorten the shovel?

[kc_7777]

Skied my “177cm” M102s today....and yes they are really 179cm. I put them beside my 179cm Enforcers and 180cm Rustler 11s and the M102s are right between those. So they are not 177cm...I measure them at 179.5cm.

Perfect M102 conditions....3”-5” fresh pow at Whistler on some harder stuff underneath today. No one was there on BC Family Day and US Presidents Day.....maybe had one 10 min lineup at Harmony. Skied Peak chair most of the day. I’m getting close to 30 days in at Whistler...skiing under Covid....been able to reserve every day I want....and other than the gong show line getting up in the am it’s better. As there are less lines all day.

Back to the M102 ski. Yes these absolutely rip. They've made me love dust on crust. Great edge hold on tough snow. And it’s really up to me as the skier as to how fast I want to go. The only times these don’t “perform” well is when you get a bit lazy. Which I can do...and I have a tweaked knee. So mostly it’s my fault. But what I’ve found is that they still will let you live even if you stand up and just throw them sideways. They will look a bit sad/disappointed if you slither and slide more than a few turns. They’re like “come on” we can do this. Just drive me. And go faster please. One interesting thing...skiing these in zero visibility is not fun....they need to be skied, and driven, so when you are schlepping down steeps, in a white-out they can be hard to manage...as you can't see where to ski., and they are not forgiving in those moments.

To be honest I think I am a better overall skier on my Nordica Enforcer 104s....simply as I feel we’re equals. I know that is like blasphemy to admit on tgr....but on the Enforcer 104 I rip hard anywhere, at any speed and turn type and I feel that they are part of me. That I am in control. They are easy yet still pretty solid.

In comparison, there’s times on the M102, when I’m hauling ass down something at a stupid speed, it’s steep and icy and I somehow have forgotten to slow down (the M102s trick you as they are so stable, your brain doesn’t realize you are going way too fast). Then I’m like.... one of us is gonna get hurt here. And it’s not the ski. You can tell in your legs too when you've skiied the M102s hard all day.

PS I’m mounted a bit forward (+0.5cm) of the +2cm line. They ski fine there. I’d even go a bit more forward. ie to +1cm in front of front line to make them a bit more pivoty... if I were to mount again. But I like them where I am too.

For those of you missing Whistler....here’s the view of last rock pitch just before you get off Peak Chair....seen through some M102s.

[Beder]

My 184's arrived and they are handsome. Three lines on the topsheet...I'm guessing the middle one is the recommended?

[STLHD]

This thread has come around full circle.