Playful Touring Ski

**PeachesNCream** · 05-07-2021, 01:23 PM

Tech talk is quite so I'm throwing this out there for shits and gigs. I'm looking to pick up a playful, do-it-all, touring ski. My budget isn't huge. Thinking <$350 used, looking to snag something this summer when there are more deals to be had. I ski a 191 Jeffery 108 inbounds most days and love it but looking for something that does a little better on hard ie icy couloir and something a little easier to turn for tight trees. On the resort I ski more wide open, touring is more tight trees. I tour in northern idaho and the Seattle area Cascades. My first choices (see below) don't seem to be coming around on the market so I'm trying to expand my options. Bonus points for USA made. Anything I should add to the list? Thoughts?

My list is:
Moment WC 108t - I think this would be my first choice but next to impossible to find these used
Moment DW - same as above
ON3P Jeff/Woods/BG 108 - first year of these being around so doubtful I'll find something used
Line Vision 108 - I think these are a good option, seems like there are some durability options though, not USA made
4frnt Raven - interesting. Not USA made
Praxis skinny Q UL or veneer - read about it in the Praxis thread, seems interesting

Update list:
Moment WC108t, Moment DW, ON3P Jeff/Woods/BG 108t, Line Vision 108, Skinny Q UL, Bentchetler 100, BMT 109,

**davjr96** · 05-07-2021, 01:42 PM

I tour with a Praxis MVP 108. Pretty playful but not extremely and I like it for touring. Fairly light for what it is. I find them a bit more playful than my Woodsman 96s I use inbounds.

**Benneke10** · 05-07-2021, 01:59 PM

others skis to consider: Atomic Bentchetler 100, WNDR Alpine Vital and Intention, Line Sick Day 104

**Tailwind** · 05-07-2021, 02:13 PM

New blem Jeffery tour 108’s for $550 seems reasonable:
https://shop.on3pskis.com/products/f...40085169897635

its above your listed price... but used these would still be $400 and you won’t find a pair used.

**rfconroy** · 05-07-2021, 02:32 PM

On the Vision 108, and really surprised on how stable it is at speed while being quite playful.

As a background I have toured on the SD104 and Kye 110.

The vision has a pretty progressive mount point, -6cm from TC, but it hasnt really caused any issue during kick turns.

On the down, its quite poppy, slashes, but then can also throw down a pretty hard carve too. I havent yet taken them into deeper or dense new snow, but with the shovels being wide, I would anticipate them hooking quite a bit, similar to what I experienced on my Sick Days.

I would also consider looking at the Intention 110, since they're made in the US, and seems to be very, very comparable to the Kye 110's I have, a ski I will most likely never sell. As that ski is stable at speed, incredible predictable, and very lively - encouraging the user to butter and jump over everything.

The other ski I would look at would be the K2 Reckoner 102, as that ski is still pretty damn light, and gets some good reviews for being very playful.

Good luck!

**rfconroy** · 05-07-2021, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by Benneke10

others skis to consider: Atomic Bentchetler 100, WNDR Alpine Vital and Intention, Line Sick Day 104

I wouldn't go SD104 if you're looking for a playful ski, I was blown away on how dead that ski feels...

**tgapp** · 05-07-2021, 02:50 PM

add volkl bmt 109 to your list for sure

**PeachesNCream** · 05-07-2021, 03:13 PM

I currently tour with a MVP. I've had it suggested a few times but I just don't click with it, I'll be selling it sometime this summer. Feels dead and boring to me, I seem to be the only one.

I was thinking about the bent chet but was worried it'd be a little narrow. Does it have enough float for 6-8 inches of snow?

Very tempted on the Jeff 108t samples but I'm trying to stick to my budget.

Visions sound great. There was a pair of 184s on GS not long ago that I kinda wish I snagged but at 6'3, 200lb I was scared I'd overpower it. A buddy skis the vision as a 50/50 ski and loves it.

I've heard lots of good on the BMT, I'll keep an eye out but if I remember right I don't think I'll find them in my budget.

**beeeom** · 05-07-2021, 09:55 PM

Just get a set of BG 116’s and never have to ask a "what ski?" question ever again

**Sargentdrufus** · 05-08-2021, 12:10 AM

Deathwish or Deathwish Tour. Don't need anything else

**kid-kapow** · 05-08-2021, 03:00 AM

Originally Posted by Tailwind

New blem Jeffery tour 108’s for $550 seems reasonable:
https://shop.on3pskis.com/products/f...40085169897635

its above your listed price... but used these would still be $400 and you won’t find a pair used.

I am absolutely blown away that nobody has bought those yet. There are like none of them in the wild, so finding them used seems more than a bit unlikely. They seem pretty bang on the money for what the OP wants, even if it is outside the stated (and seemingly somewhat optimistic) budget (given some of the skis listed). 186 ON3Ps should be like a cm shorter than Moment's 190 tours, so should fit the bill nicely.

I am also curious if the tour core increases their hard snow prowess somewhat. I run woodsman108tours and I have not ever found them to be wanting on hard snow. Then again I never really had any issues with the pair of Kartel108s I had either wrt to hard snow. The only thing I I did not really like was their elliptical sidecut in the tails on hard snow - it made em a bit squirrily (elliptical rear sidecut was removed the following year) but it did not affect their grip in any way. I did find kartel108s to be absolutely fantastic corn/slush skis though, so one would think that that shape in a slightly rounder flexed and lighter package would make for awesome touring skis.

**tang** · 05-09-2021, 05:06 PM

I like the raven a lot but wouldn’t put it in the playful category. The reverse camber makes it pivoty but not poppy. Not us made, but 51st state

**jorion** · 05-09-2021, 06:25 PM

Originally Posted by tgapp

add volkl bmt 109 to your list for sure

Yeah this. Not sure if you can find used or inexpensive, but I did.

Except for far outlier conditions, I never want to be on anything else until I’m touring in sun shirts and trail runners.

**whyturn** · 05-09-2021, 08:50 PM

I saw line vision at Millcreek leve nine for $400 ish new I thought

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**AEV** · 05-09-2021, 09:00 PM

Skinny Q could be very good, just get the weight-to-performance ratio you want. I had one. Regret selling it, but didn’t love the asym for firm resort charging. In the backcountry that shape makes more sense for sure. I wish I kept it and put a tecton on it or something.

**galibier_numero_un** · 05-09-2021, 10:38 PM

Praxis BC?

... Thom

**rfconroy** · 05-10-2021, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by rfconroy

The vision has a pretty progressive mount point, -6cm from TC, but it hasnt really caused any issue during kick turns.

On the down, its quite poppy, slashes, but then can also throw down a pretty hard carve too. I havent yet taken them into deeper or dense new snow, but with the shovels being wide, I would anticipate them hooking quite a bit, similar to what I experienced on my Sick Days.

Got the visions into some denser, catchier snow; ~4" of whipped taters on top of a 1" rain crust, on top of 5" of wet snow.

Skis were surprising slashy still, and tips were not too grabby - so my initial thoughts may not have been accurate.

**Skeeze** · 05-10-2021, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by rfconroy

Got the visions into some denser, catchier snow; ~4" of whipped taters on top of a 1" rain crust, on top of 5" of wet snow.

Skis were surprising slashy still, and tips were not too grabby - so my initial thoughts may not have been accurate.

I initially found my Vision 108s a bit grabby in weird snow, but then found they came from the factory without any semblance of a detune. Added one this past week and now they’re super loose.

**f=ma** · 05-10-2021, 02:37 PM

I currently have a Vision 98 for spring/volcano touring. I enjoy it. It's also a good reminder I suck at skiing powder on non-powder skis...

**MyNameIsAugustWest** · 05-10-2021, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by galibier_numero_un

Praxis BC?

... Thom

Yeah, if anyone is selling a pair of BCs in that price range, don't list 'em, just PM me. Still can't believe I sold my pair. My only consolation is that Laps posted so much stoke on 'em.

**AEV** · 05-10-2021, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by galibier_numero_un

Praxis BC?

... Thom

Thom, even though we didn’t love the asym, you still thought the Q shape handled all different snow conditions well correct? That’s how I felt. For those that don’t mind asym (seems to be the majority of people), it’s a good do it all shape.

**galibier_numero_un** · 05-10-2021, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by AEV

Thom, even though we didn’t love the asym, you still thought the Q shape handled all different snow conditions well correct? That’s how I felt. For those that don’t mind asym (seems to be the majority of people), it’s a good do it all shape.

If my natural stance were more upright, the Q could have been my cold, dead hands ski.

I loved them in deep stuff. On consistently l hard snow, I could adjust my stance slightly rearward and be OK, but not thrilled.

It was in transitional, dust over crust that was my undoing. I'd be center forward, floating, and be fine. Then I'd break through to the hard stuff, find my weight slightly too far forward and each ski had a mind of its own. Add a whiteout to the mix and it would take me a turn to recover my balance.

In the main Praxis thread I commented that two days in a row of this (swapping to my CD114s mid-morning and having no problems), that convinced me to sell them.

Yeah, I'm in the minority ;-)

... Thom

**Sashko** · 05-11-2021, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by rfconroy

I wouldn't go SD104 if you're looking for a playful ski, I was blown away on how dead that ski feels...

No way, you just broke my heart, man. I'm in love with next year SD104 graphics and was looking to buy them and use as a touring only ski. And Dylan Siggers (line athlete) describes SD104 as pretty playful ones.

Now I'm torn between SD104 and Vision 108 again.