School me on ice-missiles

**Huskier** · 02-10-2020, 10:29 AM

Realized after sking a couple bullet-proof days in bc that ice-coast conditions exist out here too, and that I have a hole in the narrow end of my quiver. Looking for stiff, heavy, chargers for firm groomer days. Current quiver is Protest/Billygoat/Navis Freebird. 6'2 200#. Favored traits include dampness and ability to set an edge (regardless of radius) Candidates included thus far:

Wren 96 ti: Like my goats, not sure how these compare.
Dynastar legend: seems like a good narrower option, they flex pretty stout
Black Crows Corvus: I've heard they rage, but not sure about their application to fill this specific need? Do people bring them out on tough days?Obvious alternative is the non-tour layup navis.
Atomic Vantage Ti: every pair of atomics I've ridden on or flexed have been disappointingly soft, but these can be had cheap...

**TAFKALVS** · 02-10-2020, 10:42 AM

Legend Pro Rider is what you seek.

**m2711c** · 02-10-2020, 10:46 AM

Any beer league slalom ski should do...

**Toddball** · 02-10-2020, 11:17 AM

I have some rather old 190cm GS skis you can have for beer $

**2FUNKY** · 02-10-2020, 11:28 AM

Stiff heavy ice missile? Head Monster 82. Straight up damp heavy ice missile. Had mine out just a week on ago in conditions you described and they kill it. Pointing entire runs and they still wanted to go faster. Set trenches in bullet proof and surprisingly capable off piste.
For true firm conditions anything over 90mm underfoot should be off the radar.

**Core Shot** · 02-10-2020, 11:33 AM

Not full on ice missile but blizzard Brahma is worth a demo. Not super heavy but titanal and dampening.

After struggling for years to find an ice coast daily driver finally found my happy place. Still not as good as a race ski for clear ice

The nice thing is good speed limit, decent ice bite, but also versatile enough to ski what they call powder out here.

6’4” 215. Ymmv

**toast2266** · 02-10-2020, 11:37 AM

For legit bulletproof days where you're not leaving the groomers, nothing beats a real GS ski. A couple years ago I put in a drunken lowball ebay bid on some Fisher RC4 World Cups that no longer meet current FIS spec. Picked them up for cheap, and they're crazy fun when things turn to ice. As someone who's never really raced gates, I'd never realized that you could set an edge that hard on ice until I got those skis.

I've owned Legend Pros, beer league carvers, and various other heavy, damp, metal skis. None of those touch the RC4's when it comes to trenching ice.

**Timberridge** · 02-10-2020, 11:39 AM

You don't need ice skis. A 3 degree side bevel on any skinnier ski, even resort shop rental skis will get you where you want to be.

**nickwm21** · 02-10-2020, 11:45 AM

If you want to ski off groom hardpack and bumps as well as groomers:
Blizzard Bonafide
Kastle MX99
PM Gear 195 or Hart Fuelie Boss (if you can find them)

**Huskier** · 02-10-2020, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by toast2266

For legit bulletproof days where you're not leaving the groomers, nothing beats a real GS ski. A couple years ago I put in a drunken lowball ebay bid on some Fisher RC4 World Cups that no longer meet current FIS spec. Picked them up for cheap, and they're crazy fun when things turn to ice. As someone who's never really raced gates, I'd never realized that you could set an edge that hard on ice until I got those skis.

I've owned Legend Pros, beer league carvers, and various other heavy, damp, metal skis. None of those touch the RC4's when it comes to trenching ice.

I was actually entertaining exactly this idea, the only barrier being that my one-boot solution (Technica zero-G) wouldn't play nice with the integrated bindings...

**The Tortoise** · 02-10-2020, 12:28 PM

All of those seem too wide for skiing ice.

I'd get something in the mid-80's. It'll still do OK off of the groomed when there's no snow.

The Fischer Curv 86 GT has been getting good reviews, and is a good bit stouter than the Pro Mountain model it replaces. Otherwise, most mid-80's skis with at least 1 layer of metal will work.

**Timberridge** · 02-10-2020, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by The Tortoise

All of those seem too wide for skiing ice.

As long as they are fairly stiff torsionally I don't think its much of a difference in the sub 100 waist category. I have a pair of pre-rocker Mantras (circa 2009-10 @~96mm) which I have a 3 degree edge. Carve the EC ice like a ginsu. With a 1 degree edge, not so much.

SB · 02-10-2020, 01:22 PM

My old Volants had 2.5 base and 2.5 edge bevels. Those things were like scalpels.

Ski the thunder, steel the skis.

**patxi** · 02-10-2020, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by SB

My old Volants had 2.5 base and 2.5 edge bevels. Those things were like scalpels.

Ski the thunder, steel the skis.

2.5 base?

**JayPowHound** · 02-10-2020, 02:03 PM

I believe this is what you seek:

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Size: 16.1 KB

**El Chupacabra** · 02-10-2020, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by patxi

2.5 base?

slide slide slide slide slide slide ENGAGE!

**doebedoe** · 02-10-2020, 02:15 PM

MX98 or if you can't fund those, Monster 98s (discontinued.)

**2FUNKY** · 02-10-2020, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by patxi

2.5 base?

Found that bizarre as well. My ice/firm day skis are set .5/3 base/side bevel.

**jackattack** · 02-10-2020, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Huskydoc

I was actually entertaining exactly this idea, the only barrier being that my one-boot solution (Technica zero-G) wouldn't play nice with the integrated bindings...

This might be your other problem. A light touring boot just doesn't provide the oomph a big boy needs to carve ice. A cheap pair of rigid boots to go with your cheap race stock skis should be fairly easy to come by.

That said, many race plates use the same pattern as the freeride bindings. I know the tyrolia/head pattern is the same for the attack. Maybe the solly mnc binding will work with a solly race plate?

**DumbIdeasOnly** · 02-10-2020, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by The Tortoise

All of those seem too wide for skiing ice.

I'd get something in the mid-80's. It'll still do OK off of the groomed when there's no snow.

The Fischer Curv 86 GT has been getting good reviews, and is a good bit stouter than the Pro Mountain model it replaces. Otherwise, most mid-80's skis with at least 1 layer of metal will work.

What do you see as the advantage to a Curv GT over the Head Monster 98 or Kastle MX99?

I tend to feel like narrower skis are less stable bases flat, work best making short radius turns and are worse landing platforms for me and my seriously deficient park skills when I want to jump off stuff.

For reasons above my narrowest ski has been getting wider over time.

GS skis tempt me every now and then because of the longer radius but I don’t think I have the chops to use them in bumps.

**rob stokes** · 02-10-2020, 02:42 PM

Salomon X-drive 8.8 in a 185cm. Absolute rocket ship that can ski firm off piste well.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

**Timberridge** · 02-10-2020, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by jackattack

This might be your other problem. A light touring boot just doesn't provide the oomph a big boy needs to carve ice. A cheap pair of rigid boots to go with your cheap race stock skis should be fairly easy to come by.

Just embrace the ice and get some slalom sticks, 170 flex red boots and you'll be all set. Extra points for shin guards and a race helmet with a face guard. Make sure your helmet is 1 size smaller than yer head.