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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
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    West coast daily driver resort ski?

    EDIT: Updates here on Page 2.


    Apologies in advance if this isn't technical enough for this subforum, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed as a newer skier with all the choices out there.

    I just started skiing this season, have a good number of days in already. Local is Mammoth, have been to Tahoe a few times as well and will spend a bigger chunk of time there later this season. I'm obviously not charging super hard or anything like that yet, but finding confidence in trees, bowls, little drops and such. I'd say I'm spending most of my time off the groomers - the trees feel more familiar, like mountain biking, so I dig that.

    Got the boots figured out so I'm looking to find a pair of skis that'll work well for a while - something that will be good as I progress. Right now I've got this pair of Rossignols in a 170cm length - I'm 5'11 and 175lbs. They don't feel particularly short - but I've noticed that most people my height seem to be on a ski about 10cm longer. My current skis chatter a lot when going quick and I think I'd like something wider as well - 92mm underfoot feels like a big improvement from the rental skis I've used at the beginning of the season, but would something around 105mm be easier to pivot/float in deeper snow?

    The short list of skis that have seemingly come up a lot are: Rossignol Soul 7 / Black Ops Sender, Blizzard Cochise, Head Kore 105, Atomic Vantage 107. Are any of these going to be a good next step upgrade for me?

    Local stores offer a ton of demo options (so I could easily demo all of those and others) but I don't even know where to start - any advice is appreciated so I'm not just demoing skis all winter hah!
    Last edited by Pinned; 02-01-2021 at 11:11 AM.

  2. #2
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    Among the skis you listed. Cochise is burly and relatively damp. Soul 7 is softer, better for mid speeds, but it might suit you.

    Haven’t skied the smash. But it’s a “powder” ski with rocker. The rocker and softer tips might give you tip flap at speed on groomers.

    Cochise is my daily driver do anything.
    Unless I’m heading into a storm cycle, that’s the ski I travel with. Used to be legend pro rider, but the Cochise has more sidecut and is a bit more fun on groomers.

    As much as I like pow skis, they can suck on hard pack, low tide days.

    Trying to get a pivoty surfy pow ski that also rails hardpack is unpossible.
    . . .

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by Core Shot View Post

    Trying to get a pivoty surfy pow ski that also rails hardpack is unpossible.
    OG Spurs do that



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  4. #4
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    Dec 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by Core Shot View Post
    Among the skis you listed. Cochise is burly and relatively damp. Soul 7 is softer, better for mid speeds, but it might suit you.

    Haven’t skied the smash. But it’s a “powder” ski with rocker. The rocker and softer tips might give you tip flap at speed on groomers.

    Cochise is my daily driver do anything.
    Unless I’m heading into a storm cycle, that’s the ski I travel with. Used to be legend pro rider, but the Cochise has more sidecut and is a bit more fun on groomers.

    As much as I like pow skis, they can suck on hard pack, low tide days.

    Trying to get a pivoty surfy pow ski that also rails hardpack is unpossible.
    Thanks for the reply! The Soul 7 seemed appealing since most of the reviews noted it was easy to ski in a wide range of conditions. I know it's probably not ideal in super deep powder, but I'm sure it'll do better than what I've got now and hopefully doesn't give up much on groomers. I'm definitely not the most adept in icy or really firm conditions, which we've had a bit of given the lack of snow so far - so I don't think a super wide ski would be ideal for me either.

    The Cochise gets pretty high praise all around, but given it being burly, is it going to be more difficult to throw around?

    Quote Originally Posted by lrn2swim View Post
    OG Spurs do that



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    As much as I'd love to think I could ski those, they're definitely above my current pay grade.

  5. #5
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    Sep 2019
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    CA
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    I’d recommend a Kore 99 or 105 in the 180ish length. You’ll have a lot of fun on groomers, they’re much more solid then what you have right now, without being heavyweight. You’ll be better able to ride off piste and float a decent amount of pow (up to a foot of fresh) and then be able to still keep it together when it’s skied out.

    Every ski you listed (save the soul 7) has a strong tail so make sure you have good forward technique.

    Get a solid weekend of demoing as many skis as you can so you can have some good cross comparisons.

    And then, buy a dedicated pow ski.

  6. #6
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  7. #7
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    Add the Enforcer 104 to your list.


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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by lrn2swim View Post
    OG Spurs do that



    Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
    Wow. Will have to check those out.

    To the OP. It depends on how aggressive you are.
    You’re just learning, so soul 7 might be a good ski.

    But demoing is ideal.

    YBB makes a good point about stiff tails.
    Most here like them. First time you get on a stiff tail it tells you to get out of the backseat, which is a good thing.

    Sounds like you are dealing with low tide hard pack ice bullshit. My daily driver out east is Brahma. There are others, but the gist is stiff, and narrow(er) for a strictly inbounds ski.
    Brahma also handles light pow dusting.
    And honestly, could ski them in a two foot western dump, but there are other skis for that.

    Think about a two ski quiver.
    You have a pow ski (that I know nothing about, but the description says pow)
    Think about a low tide ski. But that can carve and rail. It will teach you a lot.
    . . .

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Core Shot View Post
    Wow. Will have to check those out.
    Others on here might disagree but that's been my experience. Have them mounted at +1.5 or so, had no problems pivoting and maneuvering them in tight trees for 8 straight days in Japan (6' and 215#s at the time), surf and slash like crazy in pow, and they absolutely shred groomers somehow at 125 underfoot if you're up to speed at all.

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  10. #10
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    Dec 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by YaBoyBlue View Post
    I’d recommend a Kore 99 or 105 in the 180ish length. You’ll have a lot of fun on groomers, they’re much more solid then what you have right now, without being heavyweight. You’ll be better able to ride off piste and float a decent amount of pow (up to a foot of fresh) and then be able to still keep it together when it’s skied out.

    Every ski you listed (save the soul 7) has a strong tail so make sure you have good forward technique.

    Get a solid weekend of demoing as many skis as you can so you can have some good cross comparisons.

    And then, buy a dedicated pow ski.
    Thanks, I'll have to demo the Kore 105. I've definitely been making sure to get more forward, and stiffer boots has made it very apparent very quickly when I'm being lazy about it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Core Shot View Post
    Wow. Will have to check those out.

    To the OP. It depends on how aggressive you are.
    You’re just learning, so soul 7 might be a good ski.

    But demoing is ideal.

    YBB makes a good point about stiff tails.
    Most here like them. First time you get on a stiff tail it tells you to get out of the backseat, which is a good thing.

    Sounds like you are dealing with low tide hard pack ice bullshit. My daily driver out east is Brahma. There are others, but the gist is stiff, and narrow(er) for a strictly inbounds ski.
    Brahma also handles light pow dusting.
    And honestly, could ski them in a two foot western dump, but there are other skis for that.

    Think about a two ski quiver.
    You have a pow ski (that I know nothing about, but the description says pow)
    Think about a low tide ski. But that can carve and rail. It will teach you a lot.
    Rossignol calls the ski I have now a powder ski, but I think it's more to do with how they designate the shapes of their skis than what the ski is actually for.

    The 105ish width seems like a good do it all for out here on the west coast to replace what I currently have. I probably need a bit more experience before going for a dedicated powder ski, but it makes sense to consider that as a second pair for the future once I know a bit more what I'm doing.


    Current demo list:
    Soul 7 / Black Ops Sender
    Cochise
    Core 105
    Enforcer 104
    I'll see if I can manage all of those over the next week or so hah!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by lrn2swim View Post
    Others on here might disagree but that's been my experience. Have them mounted at +1.5 or so, had no problems pivoting and maneuvering them in tight trees for 8 straight days in Japan (6' and 215#s at the time), surf and slash like crazy in pow, and they absolutely shred groomers somehow at 125 underfoot if you're up to speed at all.

    Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk
    I disagree. But I recognize that ski choice is very much a personal taste thing.

    I hated that ski. Haven't been that disappointed in the performance of a ski in years. The original Spur was OK in pow, couldn't handle crud unless skiing full throttle at all times (and that is tiring), didn't turn unless at speed. Overall just uninspiring and heavy.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  12. #12
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    Add a rustler 9. It would be what I would want for a all around ski for intermediate skiing. Or that enforcer 104. That Cochise is a lot to handle. Black crows camox I would put on the list to try as well.

    But I’d be looking like 95-105 with MAYBE a little metal. But probably not a lot. That’s why I’d steer away from the Cochise. Like coreshot though, I love the Cochise, I used to ski that and then I found a corvus.

  13. #13
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    Corvus or rustler are great options. Never skied Nordica. But that OG spur is legit and usually $200. But it is fast. Not unmanageable just fast


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    Thanks BCSAR and POWMOW Ski Patrol for rescues

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  14. #14
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    New Cochise is a bit more fun than previous generation. Similar speed limit but a little easier at slower speeds and tighter conditions..

    However I’d say a Rustler 10 might be a bit better ski for you to demo from Blizzard. At least try both the 10 and the Cochise

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by wasatchback View Post
    New Cochise is a bit more fun than previous generation. Similar speed limit but a little easier at slower speeds and tighter conditions..

    However I’d say a Rustler 10 might be a bit better ski for you to demo from Blizzard. At least try both the 10 and the Cochise
    I second a rustler 10 as well.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by whyturn View Post
    But that OG spur is legit and usually $200. But it is fast. Not unmanageable just fast
    My favorite ski ever, funny it seems to be so polarizing.



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  17. #17
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    Apr 2006
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    Spokane/Schweitzer
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    Praxis Rx...

    Geez, you guys are slipping.

    Seriously, for a daily driver for mixed conditions, I don't understand why there's a need for over 100mm. But, I'm old school and generally don't do fat. My deep snow skis are x106 and I love them. x96 and M-Pro 99 are my daily drivers. But, as I noted, I'm old school and don't really put a lot of value into slashing, pivoting, and side slipping.

    One thing for sure, increase your length to around 180. 170 is too short for your size.

  18. #18
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    Mpro 105 seems to be getting a lot of praise. Fischer Ranger 102 FR as well.

    On and volkl m5 mantra 105

  19. #19
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    Jul 2013
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    Wrenegade 96ti

  20. #20
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    Dec 2020
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    Thanks for the replies everyone - I'll steer away from the Cochise if it's going to be a little tougher to ski.

    The Dyanstar M Pro 105 that was just suggested looks like it's got a relatively long turning radius, the M Free 108 also looks interesting but potentially similar to the Cochise in being a bit beyond me right now.

    180 length or thereabouts seems to be the recommendation. Mainly for stability, correct? Will a longer ski end up being more difficult in tighter terrain or is it negligible?

    I'll be sure to update after I've demo'd a few things.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pinned View Post
    Thanks for the replies everyone - I'll steer away from the Cochise if it's going to be a little tougher to ski.

    The Dyanstar M Pro 105 that was just suggested looks like it's got a relatively long turning radius, the M Free 108 also looks interesting but potentially similar to the Cochise in being a bit beyond me right now.

    180 length or thereabouts seems to be the recommendation. Mainly for stability, correct? Will a longer ski end up being more difficult in tighter terrain or is it negligible?

    I'll be sure to update after I've demo'd a few things.
    Try the enforcers for sure. Low barrier to entry and can take you a good way.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
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    Quote Originally Posted by SoVT Joey View Post
    Add a rustler 9. It would be what I would want for a all around ski for intermediate skiing. Or that enforcer 104. That Cochise is a lot to handle. Black crows camox I would put on the list to try as well.

    But I’d be looking like 95-105 with MAYBE a little metal. But probably not a lot. That’s why I’d steer away from the Cochise. Like coreshot though, I love the Cochise, I used to ski that and then I found a corvus.
    Camox is my low tide/skiing with the kids daily driver. It's so easy to ski and can easily handle 6-8" of fresh snow and it's generally just fun. I'd recommend it to a wide range of skiers for a wide range of uses.

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  23. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Posts
    354
    Get the red ones.






    I'm the same exact size as you, and for mammoth I would definitely go high 180's to 190 for skis personally. Sounds like you are a bit more intermediate but definitely at least go 180cm. There is so much open terrain there that lends itself to bigger turns with more speed. You'll grow into that size as you progress for sure. I would go with something about 100 underfoot with a little metal in it but not crazy stiff. The Rustler 10 would be a decent option.

  24. #24
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    Avoid the M Pro. That's the same ski as the Pro Rider and that's probably a bit beyond where you are right now. The M Free 108 in a 182 would be a good choice. It's a very accessible ski that suits lots of skill levels and is a ski you can grow into. They are also releasing a M Free 99 for next year if you are looking for a narrower ski.

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    Another vote for 183 Corvus or an Enforcer 104 mid 180s.


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