2021/22 Volkl Mantra M6

**phatty** · 03-03-2022, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

Picked up last night and mounted this morning. I guess I’m ready for a career change from tech to dentistry?

Attachment 408162

Still looking at these for the groomer zoomer spot, so definitely interested in your take.

**Duffman** · 03-03-2022, 01:35 PM

Looking forward to your newly minted dentist comparison of this to the Enforcer you were on before

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

Picked up last night and mounted this morning. I guess I’m ready for a career change from tech to dentistry?

Attachment 408162

**Choucas** · 03-03-2022, 04:42 PM

I skied the Enforcer 94 in a 179 and a 186 same day same hill. Liked them both, would go with the 179 if buying (I'm 6', 180lbs., old). Unable to find them for less than full pop. Found a deal on a new pair of M6's in a 177 so I bought them without demo. I owned the M5 in the same size and liked it but didn't love it so I sold it this past Fall. Mounted up the M6's the night before last and skied yesterday and today at my home hill in VT. For me the M6 is hands down the better choice vs. the Enforcer. I liked the power of the Enforcer, but I don't like that much forebody rocker and it was certainly more work. M6 is as advertised above. Great out of the wrapper finish. I did a little bit of file work & polishing, but it was a quick and easy job. Same stuff, very intuitive, too much new snow to check out how they are at higher speeds, but I don't think that's an issue. Very calm and predictable and don't much care what the surface is like. Though today was a super sleeper powder day! Very happy with the move. I ski the Mantra V-Werks as my touring ski. Liking it more this year, since I modded up my touring boots to get more stiffness.

**rod9301** · 03-04-2022, 08:22 AM

I ski the vwerks katanas and the vwerks mantras in the backcountry and the metal katanas in the resort.

How are the m 6s in bumps, say compared to the metal katanas?

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**Duffman** · 03-04-2022, 08:35 AM

Good writeup. I'm looking at both the Enforcer 94 or 100 or the M6 , likely in 186 (6'1 205 somewhat old) to replace my beat to shit Nordica Hell and Back 185 as my middle ski (have plenty of big boy Praxis for big days and an old as shit Nordica 74 underfoot carver for pure ice ). So looking to use these 75% of the time or more. Like the hell and back (OG enforcer shape w carbon vs metal I think) with minimal tip rocker , like the flat tail on hardpack , but spend most of the time in bumps and trees.w these so some tail rocker.would be nice. Had the OG red Mantra (full cambered 94 underfoot) before these. Sounds like the M6 may be a better bet for me than the Enforcer?

Originally Posted by Choucas

I skied the Enforcer 94 in a 179 and a 186 same day same hill. Liked them both, would go with the 179 if buying (I'm 6', 180lbs., old). Unable to find them for less than full pop. Found a deal on a new pair of M6's in a 177 so I bought them without demo. I owned the M5 in the same size and liked it but didn't love it so I sold it this past Fall. Mounted up the M6's the night before last and skied yesterday and today at my home hill in VT. For me the M6 is hands down the better choice vs. the Enforcer. I liked the power of the Enforcer, but I don't like that much forebody rocker and it was certainly more work. M6 is as advertised above. Great out of the wrapper finish. I did a little bit of file work & polishing, but it was a quick and easy job. Same stuff, very intuitive, too much new snow to check out how they are at higher speeds, but I don't think that's an issue. Very calm and predictable and don't much care what the surface is like. Though today was a super sleeper powder day! Very happy with the move. I ski the Mantra V-Werks as my touring ski. Liking it more this year, since I modded up my touring boots to get more stiffness.

**Duffman** · 03-04-2022, 08:36 AM

Also how is the M6 in bumps / tight trees ?

**Choucas** · 03-04-2022, 03:46 PM

Can't say about bumps but skiing M6's in a lot of cut up snow piles, they did not get knocked around. Since they are very predictable, I'd wager that they work fine in bumps or tight terrain. Haven't given them a try in that terrain. I would guess that the Enforcer with a longer rocker section in the tip would work great in bumps and trees. I never tried them in those conditions. I would have been happy with the Enforcers, but the Mantra deal popped up and I jumped. I will say that the Enforcers with 2 full layers of metal are heavier and ski heavier. I'm not a fan of light skis, but the weight was noticeable on the Enforcers.

**Bandit Man** · 03-05-2022, 07:25 PM

Just spent the day at Blackcomb on my 184 M6’s. I no longer want to try a Bonafide 97. I finally have my answer to “What is a Bonafide that has a looser tail”. Don’t feel the need to try an Enforcer 94, either.

This thing rips, is so stable at speed, but is also quick edge to edge. Looking forward to spring skiing on these things.

**Duffman** · 03-06-2022, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

Just spent the day at Blackcomb on my 184 M6’s. I no longer want to try a Bonafide 97. I finally have my answer to “What is a Bonafide that has a looser tail”. Don’t feel the need to try an Enforcer 94, either.

This thing rips, is so stable at speed, but is also quick edge to edge. Looking forward to spring skiing on these things.

Bandit, you had the Enforcer 100 right? How does this compare. I'm assuming a more substantial ski, but how about in tighter terrain?

**Bandit Man** · 03-06-2022, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Duffman

Bandit, you had the Enforcer 100 right? How does this compare. I'm assuming a more substantial ski, but how about in tighter terrain?

I have a 185 2018 Enforcer 100 that I have about two dozen days on. The 184 M6 is a lot more ski. I also owned a 185 2019 Enforcer 93 and the M6 is probably closer to that ski than the 100.

The big difference between the M6 and the Enforcers is how the sidecut feels. The Enforcers tend to feel very locked into a certain radius and the Volkl doesn’t. It skied either big turns or tighter turns equally well…you decide. I skied them in steep, tight bumps and some really tight chutes and they were manageable but not as easy as an Enforcer to toss around. They did feel quicker and more lively than my 184 M102’s, but those are also pretty burly skis for most skiers. I didn’t get the M6 into any trees but my suspicions are that they will be a lot more work than either of the Enforcers I have owned.

The M6 feels like the best parts of the Gen 3 and Gen 4 Mantras with none of the drawbacks (at least after one day). My only regret is that I didn’t buy them earlier when we had six weeks of high pressure. They ski off trail like a wider ski and ski groomers like a narrower ski. I think my 187 Brahma 88 is going to become obsolete.

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sf · 03-06-2022, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

They did feel quicker and more lively than my 184 M102’s, but those are also pretty burly skis for most skiers. I didn’t get the M6 into any trees but my suspicions are that they will be a lot more work than either of the Enforcers I have owned.

Are they as lose / easy to throw sideways as the 102s? I find the 102s surprisingly easy to dump speed on, strong carve, sideways for a few meters, directly into a carve again etc

**Bandit Man** · 03-07-2022, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by sf

Are they as lose / easy to throw sideways as the 102s? I find the 102s surprisingly easy to dump speed on, strong carve, sideways for a few meters, directly into a carve again etc

They are very similar in that regard, with the M102 being a bit looser and easier to perform that particular maneuver. The trade off is that the M6 feels much more precise on edge/in a carve. I was really surprised that 6-mm in the waist and the slightly updated construction made that much of a difference.

I kept telling my buddy who was skiing a K108 that the M102 is probably the more versatile of the two skis, but the M6 is more dynamic and more fun.

sf · 03-07-2022, 03:26 AM

Hmmm....
Interesting

**Bandit Man** · 03-10-2022, 10:14 PM

Put a few more days on my 184’s in some heavy variable and firm conditions. They ski like a sleeker, more agile M102. I love that I can do big sweeping arcs or tight radius linked turns. Still haven’t found the speed limit. These are going to make spring skiing so fun!

**Nicksouth** · 03-17-2022, 05:32 PM

G’day. Could I pick your brain on the B97 177 vs 183 for myself. I’m 183 and 210pounds. Mostly open terrain. Cheers nick.

**Fred Pabst** · 03-18-2022, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Bandit Man

Put a few more days on my 184’s in some heavy variable and firm conditions. They ski like a sleeker, more agile M102. I love that I can do big sweeping arcs or tight radius linked turns. Still haven’t found the speed limit. These are going to make spring skiing so fun!

Hey Bandit. Love your reviews. For what ever reason I seem to have similar feelings to your take on skis. Perhaps similar weight(220), age and temperament??

But anyways, brand loyalty says you probably never will, but If you get a chance to try the Salomon Stance 96 to compare to the M6 you should give it ago. They are ripping skis.

**frorider** · 03-18-2022, 08:32 AM

My gear purchases this year have focused on AT gear, so I’ve been carefully ignoring this thread…but here I am. Huge Volkl fan, still have the 98 mm 2012 191’s Mantra in the quiver but once I got Head Collective 105s a while back the Mantra got less use mostly because it so heavily favors med and long radius turns & I don’t ski mammoth regularly like I used to.

Obviously I’m not looking for a forgiving noodle, but in the high performance ski category does the M6 have a slightly less stiff forebody than my old school metal lam mantra and katanas?

**Djongo Unchained** · 03-18-2022, 08:42 AM

I went to Switzerland last week with the Eurobbi group and rented a pair of M6's.

The shop I got them from was right at the base of the Gemsstock tram and was charged $109 for 4 days, crazy huh? After 7 days, they'd be $15 a day.

I'd emailed ahead to find out that they had the 184 and the 191 with the new marker duke PT, which my alpine boots would work in. That's a pretty slick clamp if a tad bulky.
I flexed them and decided on the 91's.

Damn, what a sweet ski...in no time flat I was carrying speed into the 60's, stepping in and out of carves and using them in any radius I wanted. It felt incredibly versatile and really my kind of ski. Def not a noodle, but not as planky in hand as the K108 seems to me.

I am seriously debating a pair for next season after the sales begin...

And the red topsheets are faster.

**Timberridge** · 03-18-2022, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by frorider

My gear purchases this year have focused on AT gear, so I’ve been carefully ignoring this thread…but here I am. Huge Volkl fan, still have the 98 mm 2012 191’s Mantra in the quiver but once I got Head Collective 105s a while back the Mantra got less use mostly because it so heavily favors med and long radius turns & I don’t ski mammoth regularly like I used to.

Obviously I’m not looking for a forgiving noodle, but in the high performance ski category does the M6 have a slightly less stiff forebody than my old school metal lam mantra and katanas?

They just turn easier. Can't comment on stiffness delta. I have a pair of '10-ish 191 Mantra (black ones with the samurai swordsmen) in storage. I don't ski them anymore as the 184 M6 just does everything better.

The M6 is not a lively ski with rebound so I find ripping really tight turns a bit of work. But for med and large turns with no speed limit, the 184 M6 is all as bit stable as the OG 191. These skis outright fly. I'm on the EC, and I would actually suggest if you're between a 184 and 177, get the 177. Out west, with more open terrain, the 184. They are really nice to pop and jump off stuff too, they land nice.

**bodywhomper** · 03-22-2022, 01:23 PM

Interesting comment about length. I’m riding a pair of ‘10 mantras, 184’s on tele. I’m 5’10”, 155-ish lbs. out west. I enjoy the length, unless I’m tired (or feeling feeble). I have not tried a shorter length. When I eventually replace these skis, I picture myself in the newer mantras.

**Shorty_J** · 03-23-2022, 10:36 PM

Can someone... ahem... Banaditman, confirm that the suggestion from the Blister reviews that the tail on the M6 is similar to the K108 in that it is a little softer than the M102?

sf · 03-24-2022, 12:14 AM

According to the Friflyt-numbers the 184 M6 is similar, or a little stiffer, than the 191 102

**Bandit Man** · 03-24-2022, 07:40 PM

Originally Posted by Shorty_J

Can someone... ahem... Banaditman, confirm that the suggestion from the Blister reviews that the tail on the M6 is similar to the K108 in that it is a little softer than the M102?

They feel really similar to the M102, but much quicker edge to edge on hard snow. I skied the 184 K108 last weekend in some new snow and their tails felt just a bit softer, but the overall ski weighs more. I have no regrets owning all three but look forward to spring skiing on the Mantra M6.