What new ski do I want (aka the RIP Sickle thread)?

[Dantheman]

I bought the Enforcers *and* the Squads

Not sure if I'll keep the Squads, but wanted to fondle them.

[detrusor]

I was in lone pine on Saturday and they had a whole stack of wndr skis behind the consignment desk. Might be worth a looksy


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[skisurfmirth]

Maybe Marshall O. could bring back the sickle next? Still one of my most favourite of skis. Interested to hear what you think about your new sticks compared to the sickles Dan. Ski similar to your vid and am around the same size as you.


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[Mustonen]

I bought the Enforcers *and* the Squads

Not sure if I'll keep the Squads, but wanted to fondle them.

That is the correct answer. Well done.

[grinch]

Maybe Marshall O. could bring back the sickle next? Still one of my most favourite of skis. Interested to hear what you think about your new sticks compared to the sickles Dan. Ski similar to your vid and am around the same size as you.


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This thread has me considering the mvp again, with heavy core and veneer. I think you had an mvp, did it compare to the sickle? Maybe with less camber?

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[skifishbum]

bobby says

praxis rx

[0g]

Go big and get the fucking Praxis FRS

Spring sale coming up

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[Self Jupiter]

X3 for Praxis MVPs. I own and love them for the reasons you speak of but I’ve never tried the Sickle.

They aren’t quite as good in manky snow as the full reverse camber skis listed below, but I may be feeling that way because my new ski boots aren’t as strong/stiff as my previous couple sets and I’m trying to dial down my speed a bit as I return to skiing after a back injury. At full speed, or with a stiffer boot I bet they’d handle that stuff pretty nicely. I detune the shit out of the rocker sections.

Other potential options:
Volkl Ones (116 under foot but are very capable all over the mountain in anything soft and are surprisingly good in west-coast firm conditions )
The 184 Devastators ski short. the 194 is manageable with strong legs and are total crushers that are easy to flick in and out of slash turns and carves. I’d still use the 194 if I were taller or still lived out west.

Haven’t tried Moment Meridians. Folsom Primary is another similar design.

[Shorty_J]

Yes, very subtle full reverse camber with traditional sidecut. I'm not necessarily married to that exact design, I'll be happy with anything that has the same ability to pivot easily at low angulation but engages the full edge and charges when layed over.

What are your thoughts on Blaze 106 vs. Katana 108? Katana looks to have more beef and I like beef.



I'll look into the Dev, thanks. Sickle was 110 mm underfoot so anything 105-115 seems worth considering. As noted, I'm more interested in finding something that replicates the versatility of the Sickle than the exact design, so some camber isn't a deal breaker. Fill twin-tip isn't necessary, either.



Not sure I want to go as wide as 118 mm underfoot. If you haven't heard, they've canceled deep pow in the Wasatch.

Katana 108 and blaze 106 are remarkably similar. The blaze is a little more loose (but not much), while the katana is noticably more beef.

I own both and to replace your sickles for inbounds use I would suggest the katana. Not demanding and very rewarding. I moved my blaze over to touring duty... skis like a lighter katana, with the usual trade offs.

I actually think the blaze feels a little more like the sickle in its looseness, but the katana doesn't give up a lot in that department but feels more chargey while not giving up much in looseness.

I also used to own sickles before they got stolen, so I'm not shooting in the dark on this.

Hope that helps.

[Shorty_J]

I'm looking for a similar ski.

Got a hole in the 108-110mm slot.

I owned the Sickle in 2013. It was such a great ski at Baker.

I love rocker (or flat skis) with minimal tip/tail taper....so they slarve, but lots of effective edge when you roll them over. And you can "feel" the tips/tails in steep sketch. I wonder why more companies don't make a ski like this (~110mm underfoot, minimal tip/tail taper, and rocker/flat).

My 181cm Icelantic Nomads (150-115-140) have very minimal camber, so they feel almost like flat camber (eg ~1 - 2 mm of camber). The Nomads have such fat (non-tapered) tips and tails. Also the 183cm Faction 5.0 (152-122-142) I had with flat camber, and no tip/tail taper was such a great ski too . Both the Nomad 115 and Faction 5.0 have shockingly good edge grip when rolled on edge, even on ice.

I'll be looking at the 4FRNT Dev next year....to be honest I've just really hated the stupid “kid” graphics of the last few years. Don't get it? Not that top sheet matters that much, but man those were dumb to me and I’m not sure who they think their target market is for that ski?

PS I don't think the Dev has metal in it (per post above)?

I think you and the OP should buy BOTH the blaze and the katana, and actually ski them, and see which one fits best.

Or you can borrow my katanas any time you want... mounted with demos.

They are both the closest thing to my old sickles I have been on yet. Even with a tiny bit of camber. And even more so than the miss-pressed sickles that didn't have the right rocker profile... which I accidentally bought and were NOT the same. Just don't go too far forward on the mount... I'm at +1cm with a 25.5 boot. Actually I'm going to recommend demo bindings for them again... I can feel 0.5cm difference on these skis and there's a lot of personal preference here.

Plus there's the gaijin factor.

[VTskibum]

Thanks Shorty_J - Good details between K108 and Blaze. If I/when ever move to big mountain will have to give the K108 a go to replace OG Katanas, in the meantime Blaze is most of what I like about the reverse Katana and much better for tight EC trees.

Would definitely be down if Marshall pulls a repress of Sickles as I always wanted to try some.

[Shorty_J]

Just to add some objectivity here (and do some mild dickwaving ), here's a line I skied in January. I pretty much ski like this all day long.

http://youtube.com/shorts/29qECh-7PbA

This is me a few years ago. I still hit stuff like this all the time. Also, this was around noon on an east-facing slope in mid-May, snow was complete mank.





Both vids are on the Sickles. With that^^^ in mind, M-Free or Enforcer 110?

Having seen that... katana.

Also need to weigh in AGAINST the mvp recommendations... I had a pair of an early iteration of the mvp and it is definitely NOT a sickle.

[Self Jupiter]

Also need to weigh in AGAINST the mvp recommendations... I had a pair of an early iteration of the mvp and it is definitely NOT a sickle.

Were they adequately (extremely) detuned?

Eta I’m not suggesting they’re really similar to the Sickles, but rather thinking that a skier of his skill and strength can get them to do what he wants them to do and be stoked on it.

[Mustonen]

Having seen that... katana.

Also need to weigh in AGAINST the mvp recommendations... I had a pair of an early iteration of the mvp and it is definitely NOT a sickle.

It’s interesting how different skis strike people differently. The Katana is a super capable ski, but I wouldn’t put it high on my list for that kind of skiing due to the big ping-y tip.

[zion zig zag]

It's interesting that I have considered most of the skis being listed here, and even tested some, as skis that I like as I am the opposite of a charger, and I like the ability to make short, controlled turns in any situation. I do occasionally like to blast through crud and spring slush and I like traditional mount points. I'm currently on the OG 185 Cochise.

Anyway, DTM if you are looking at the Katana, you definitely don't want the Vwerks version. It's too light to blast through variable snow at the resort. It's my daily driver for the bc. I think I have some Bird passes coming to me, want to meet up later this month for some turns?

[Dantheman]

I think I have some Bird passes coming to me, want to meet up later this month for some turns?

Hell yeah! Better make it soon, the lower mountain is melting out fast. I'll be surprised if they make it more than 2-3 weeks. I have family in town this weekend but the weekend after would work.

[skisurfmirth]

Having seen that... katana.

Also need to weigh in AGAINST the mvp recommendations... I had a pair of an early iteration of the mvp and it is definitely NOT a sickle.

X2, I did not like the MVP I had back in the day.

[Shorty_J]

Were they adequately (extremely) detuned?

Eta I’m not suggesting they’re really similar to the Sickles, but rather thinking that a skier of his skill and strength can get them to do what he wants them to do and be stoked on it.

No I don't think so... but I didn't detune my sickles at all and barely anything to the k108 either.

Some detuning is to be expected buy I shouldn't have to sacrifice my edge just to make a ski do what I want.

[Shorty_J]

It’s interesting how different skis strike people differently. The Katana is a super capable ski, but I wouldn’t put it high on my list for that kind of skiing due to the big ping-y tip.

I've heard that sound but only jumping onto firm/icy... and I didn't feel anything weird, just heard it.

But I also highly doubt that aspect of the ski will show up in soft mank like the video posted.

[Self Jupiter]

No I don't think so... but I didn't detune my sickles at all and barely anything to the k108 either.

Some detuning is to be expected buy I shouldn't have to sacrifice my edge just to make a ski do what I want.

Understandable. I don’t think they’d ski well without aggressively de-tuning the rocker sections and contact points at minimum. For whatever reason Praxis skis came with razor sharp edges for at least a few years.

[Robik]

You're more than welcome to demo my Corvus if you still consider it. One of my favorite skis so far, but definitely not everyone's choice.

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[mntlion]

black crows Dameon?
20+M turn shape, light full rocker,


I have not skied the sickle, but I do like most other rockered skis (4frtn hoji, elan boomerange, etc)

[zion zig zag]

Hell yeah! Better make it soon, the lower mountain is melting out fast. I'll be surprised if they make it more than 2-3 weeks. I have family in town this weekend but the weekend after would work.

Right on. I'll look at the weekend after this one.

[Dantheman]

black crows Dameon?
20+M turn shape, light full rocker,


I have not skied the sickle, but I do like most other rockered skis (4frtn hoji, elan boomerange, etc)

Looks like an interesting ski, but the 99 mm waist is too narrow to be considered a Sickle replacement (111 mm).

[Benneke10]

I've had the Daemon. It's a fine ski but lot as loose and pivoty as reverse camber Volkls and other more rockered reverse skis. They take a bit of effort to break the tails free in comparison. Not a great ski in deep/soft snow, fantastic in firm.