Results 1 to 25 of 38
-
03-06-2021, 04:25 PM #1Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Posts
- 612
School me on large radius pow skis
Ever since I bought a pair of Surface New Lifes a decade ago I've been sold on the fun to be had with light, surfy, slarvey pow skis. Most of those I've ridden, though, have had a pretty tight turning radius. Case in point I'm on Bent Chetler 120s these days at 19m. I have plenty of good days on them, but occasionally they're a little too hooky for my tastes.
I'm curious to look into skis in the same realm (120ish mm waist, light enough for the occasional tour or sidecountry mission, enough tail turn-up to ride switch) with larger turning radii. I'm on the smaller side (5'10"/165lbs) so I don't need anything too beefy.
The first skis that come to mind are the Wildcat Tour (25m) and Billy Goat Tour (28.6m), but I'm a little skeptical of camber underfoot due to the aforementioned hooking. As much as I'd like to get on a pair of Chipotle Banana Tours (35.5m), they're almost certainly too stiff for my size (and...ya know...$1300.) I did have a pair of Moment Exit Worlds (31m) for a couple of seasons that think I would have liked better if not for the goofy triple camber that, for me, rode incredibly inconsistently.
Any other recommendations to look into?
-
03-06-2021, 04:32 PM #2Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Location
- northern BC
- Posts
- 31,060
IME I was skeptical I could handle the Lotus 120 cuz it has a huge turning radius ( depending on length 39 or 43 ?) if you let them or slarve it down to completely sideways
Last edited by XXX-er; 03-06-2021 at 05:04 PM.
Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
-
03-06-2021, 05:38 PM #3
Overall I’m a big fan of larger radius, especially in touring skis to promote easy/smooth turns in funky unbroken snow. I use Lithic Ramblin Jacks(29m radius) for daily drivers, and Down Lowdown 90’s(30m) for spring and projects.
I’ll be trying out some Lithic Townes 117’s soon, which have a 30m radius in the mid 187. Mine will be 180, so a bit shorter radius, but combined with really smooth taper and what looks like a sweet smooth rocker too. They’ll be a light core touring ski, but I’ll try to circle around with a review if I get enough days on them before spring, definitely will be putting up pics in the Lithic thread. Full disclosure, I work with the Lithic guys and dig their program- I live 5 miles from their shop. Despite the PNW brief taste of spring in progress, I’m fingers crossed for more pow days to sling these Townes at.
I’d love to get on some BG tours, sounds like a ski I’d get along with. In fact, I’d love to try BG’s in the heavy build as well.
Lithic Townes Link:
https://www.lithicskis.com/collectio...cts/townes-117
Sent from my iPad using TGR ForumsGravity always wins...
-
03-06-2021, 05:48 PM #4
Forgot to say, should be around 8# or so with the light core.
Sent from my iPad using TGR ForumsGravity always wins...
-
03-06-2021, 06:00 PM #5
School me on large radius pow skis
Fwiw imo Chipotle Bananas are hardly an unwieldy beast and they hand flex fairly soft compared to a lot of the skis we talk about here in tech talk. I have the stock 186s and I’m 5’7’’ ~173.
-
03-06-2021, 06:12 PM #6
elan boomerang?
4frnt hoji?
-
03-06-2021, 06:29 PM #7Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Posts
- 612
-
03-06-2021, 06:37 PM #8
School me on large radius pow skis
I do feel they take a fair bit of speed to come to life and get up on plane, so perhaps they’re saying the skis are a handful in that regard. But stiff and unwieldy in my opinion they are not, in the 186 length at least. I’m really enjoying them in New England, so much that I would be eager to demo the 193s if I ever make it out to Tahoe again. But that length might kick my ass /blog
-
03-06-2021, 07:07 PM #9
-
03-06-2021, 07:21 PM #10Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Posts
- 612
-
03-06-2021, 07:24 PM #11
-
03-06-2021, 07:26 PM #12
Hookiness can be as much about how stiff / soft a ski is as the radius... depending on the consistency of the snow, of course. Just something to keep in mind.
I ski 135 degree chutes switch to the road.
-
03-06-2021, 07:35 PM #13
My OG Renegades are listed at 35m. They don't turn so well on hardpack, but anything over 3" deep lets them come alive and make all sorts of different turn styles. Extremely stable, yet not all that hard to drive.
-
03-06-2021, 07:39 PM #14
^^^
All Hoji designed skis going back to the EHP feature large radius side cut but are all very nimble and predictable. Great thing about large radius is it allows the skier to determine the turn they want to make. Want a smaller turn, bend the ski. Renegades are my favorite ski of all time.
Sent from my iPad using TGR Forums
-
03-06-2021, 07:40 PM #15Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Location
- northern BC
- Posts
- 31,060
Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know
-
03-06-2021, 09:16 PM #16
-
03-06-2021, 11:15 PM #17
-
03-06-2021, 11:39 PM #18Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2020
- Posts
- 209
Get some goats and lay waste to all peons in your path
-
03-07-2021, 12:38 AM #19Registered User
- Join Date
- Aug 2013
- Location
- shadow of HS butte
- Posts
- 6,438
Large radius pow skis are where it’s at. IMO shorter radii skis have no business anywhere near 3d snow if you’re skiing fast. That being said I own two - older Line SFBs and Nordica Patrons. They do well in technical/tight situations, or if you’re resort skiing a mix of soft snow and groomers.. but, if you’re talking about high speed charging, fuck that. The Nordicas are probably one of my favorite skis of all time, but if it’s a fast pow day I’m grabbing RXs (32m) or Lhasa pows (35m+?). They are just so damn predictable and as already stated if you need to really turn em that option is still there. These types of skis come alive with speed
-
03-07-2021, 12:57 AM #20
Super goat on a 1X flex. 30 sidecut, great ski
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsI rip the groomed on tele gear
-
03-07-2021, 08:20 AM #21
At least 20-22 m but ideally 30+. Megawatts were 42, OG lotus is 40, all of pats skis are plus 30. Radius is irrelevant in pow and a hinderance
Sent from my iPhone using TGR ForumsI need to go to Utah.
Utah?
Yeah, Utah. It's wedged in between Wyoming and Nevada. You've seen pictures of it, right?
So after 15 years we finally made it to Utah.....
Thanks BCSAR and POWMOW Ski Patrol for rescues
8, 17, 13, 18, 16, 18, 20, 19, 16, 24, 32, 35
2021/2022 (13/15)
-
03-07-2021, 08:25 AM #22
BC Nocta?
Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums
-
03-07-2021, 09:19 AM #23Registered User
- Join Date
- Feb 2014
- Posts
- 2,508
This talk of long radii is giving me a semi, even as a snowboarder. My quiver starts at 14m for touring with 16, 18, and 20m radius boards for lifts.
-
03-07-2021, 10:31 AM #24Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Posts
- 426
I think you actually nailed it pretty well. I had a similar experience wherein, unlike many of this forum, I didn't hate skis like the original JJ and found them super playful and fun (felt like cheating the first time), but like others also found myself having to expend energy trying to keep them on track due to hookiness, esp if in tracked snow. Wasn't automatically bad, but it's like driving a Honda civic after driving a large SUV - it has a novelty to it. The WC hits a bit of a sweetspot - felt like a playful powder ski but had enough heft that it wasn't remotely as hooky as a JJ. I've found the Blister reviews spot on. The BGs in my opinion sacrifice some hardpack performance compared to the WCs to hit another sweet spot. As long as there's just an inch or two of snow (does not have to be real powder), I found that they let you make absolutely any turn shape but with zero hooky sensation. They honestly make you feel a bit invincible. It does come with a sacrifice on truly firm hardpack, but I found them easy to use nonetheless to get in between stashes, and only 1-2" makes them come alive, esp if wet snow. The only issue with BGs is they aren't overtly designed to ski switch if that's your thing.
Originally Posted by jm2e:
To be a JONG is no curse in these unfortunate times. 'Tis better that than to be alone.
-
03-07-2021, 11:21 AM #25Registered User
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Posts
- 612
Bookmarks