Heritage Lab R99 Comp review

[2FUNKY]

Couldn’t find a thread for the R99 comp so starting this one. If there is one Marshal, I’ll delete and add this there. Others, please put your feelings/reviews in here. Lets keep the R99 Comp talk in here.
Me:5’10” 198 nekkid. Strong athletic build. Green eyes. Likes poetry, walks on the beach and sunsets.
Quick review:
Detuned the tips to the start of the side cut, started with the tails detuned from 4” then hit them again at 6”. Much better but may need a little more.
This ski fixes the floppy tip of the AM that I really dislike. The Comp is noticeably stiffer in the tip, they are very planted and allow you to drive them through any type of debris without deflection or other ill effects.
Underfoot they are the same flex, the tail feels slightly stiffer from the AM which I am absolutely fine with.
I have not weighed them, maybe Marshal can add that but they are heavy, esp with all metal 916’s. You don’t really notice it on the snow, mainly hanging from the chair.
Groomers:
Oh man, just send it. They crave speed and make insane speeds feel sane. Lay trenches as well. They will get loose with some input and allow you to shut them down without doing anything weird. They prefer that 24m TR and larger but can be bent into smaller ones with some direct input, best be ready for the rebound tho.
Soft corn:
Just haul ass through it and smile the entire time.
Mashed potatoes:
Pressure the tips and plow through with confidence. The tails wanted to hang up a little but I think I need to tweek the detune and that will go away. It wasn’t bad per se, they just wanted to stay in the turn a little longer. They just don’t care about potatoes.
Bumps:
Didn’t take them into any so no idea. They feel like they will be more of a slip the bumps then carve them.
All in all this ski rips and feels like the race ski it is. They are damp but no overly done. Strong technical skiers or bigger heavier guys, still with proper form will love this ski, I know I do with just one day on them. Guys who aren’t so or like to heal push their turns will have a learning curve on this ski. For fun I tried to ski it with a more heel push style and it slapped me upside the face and back into the front of the boot where I belong.
This ski reminds me on the Monster 98 but not so locked into one turn shape and maybe a bit softer in the tip and tail, been a while since being on that ski. It is stiffer than say an LP 105.
In summary, it’s exactly what I was hoping for and more so than the AM build, which is still a really great ski as I skied them back to back.


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[Norseman]

Do u even care bout potatoes, bruh?

Mailed my AMs back yesterday and am stoked beyond the gourd for these comp cores.

[jackattack]

bumps? gtfo

LOL

spring is here and I'm ready for these sticks!

[NW_SKIER]

Bumps are for poor people

[Sylvan]

Thanks for this man. Pumped to hear the actual weight on these; a slightly straighter Bonafide 97 sounds right up my alley. How did the profile turn out, minimal but some camber? Pretty nuts, based on early reports, how many good skis Heritage Lab has pumped out this season. Next year should be fun!

[2FUNKY]

Thanks for this man. Pumped to hear the actual weight on these; a slightly straighter Bonafide 97 sounds right up my alley. How did the profile turn out, minimal but some camber? Pretty nuts, based on early reports, how many good skis Heritage Lab has pumped out this season. Next year should be fun!

I got home late after a long day of fishing and wanted to get them mounted for the next day or I would have tossed them on my scale. Pretty sure others will weigh them.
Pretty significant camber, about a cm weighted without bindings. I’m hoping they will relax as the AM build did. Who knows with the race core.


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[Sylvan]

Makes sense, thanks for the info!

[2FUNKY]

Marshal just text me the weight.
2325g/ski.


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[phatty]

Marshal just text me the weight.
2325g/ski.


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Pretty close to MFree 108 weight. This review definitely has my attention.

[m5d5cb]

This review makes me think I need a comp instead of 50/50.

Although on a R87 50/50, the floppy/chattery tip is something I noticed and disliked, but I was not sure if it was just my technique. I will hopefully spend another day on them this weekend.

I also like the idea of a straighter Bonafide 97 after picking up some of those recently.

[NW_SKIER]

Go comp...never look back. They fucking slay.

[Marshal Olson]

Thanks for the write up 2Funky!

We are still pending 6 of 7 boxes of Comps to arrive, so I will post full details in this thread about all of them, as soon as they arrive. Can't wait to get a pair of comps myself. They turned out soooo good.

Here is a quick write up on how I see the R99, FL105, and FR110 all fitting together, as I have been getting alot of q's on this, and I have good time on the R99 AM, FL105, and FR110 so far...

The R99 rides like a fat race ski and an old school nature. They are very capable all-mountain, but with a long Effective Edge and minimal taper tip/tail, they simply want to get you down the mountain, irregardless of snow conditions, in the fastest possible way. The AM build skews towards skiing moguls through the trough and having quick reflexes in trees. The Comp build seems to be more about smashing bumps out of existence entirely and making huge turns in corn and windboard. Both builds will thrive on edge, and will be the most rewarding for a strong pilot looking for a smooth but energetic ride, who is ok with them being a bit more of a quiver ski than the others.

The FL105 has a decidedly more freeride feel. The FL105 have a good amount of taper tip and tail, so while they carve really well, they will be more drifty and surfy compared to the R99 (though much more engaged and carvy than, say, the FR110 below). The FL105's modern shape (compared to R99) will make more turn shapes in more snow conditions than the R99, where the R99 has a one track mind. The FL105 will be most rewarding for strong pilot who skis in the fall line, looking for more of a daily driver / one-ski quiver type ski.

The FR110 is rad, but again, in a very different way. They are more of a progressive soft snow charger skis, quicker to pivot, make sun crust and wind effect ski like pow, and are insanely fast and intuitive to ski quickly through tight technical terrain. Though they will hold an edge on a groomer no trouble, the FR110 prefers to ski off-edge generally, and is really good at carrying speed as you drift turns through chutes, rocks, and trees. They are the most surfy and progressive of the bunch for sure, and feel more like a skinny 132 than a wider 105 or 99. They will be most rewarding for a strong pilot who is skiing softer snow, and looking to carry speed in more technical terrain or more cut up/tracked out/set up snow conditions.

[Lord Thomas]

I think we need some filthy rocker porn money shots of the 99's. Decambered as well as raw.

[goran]

I just mounted AM 188s a few days ago and haven't skied them a ton but am loving them so far. Smooth, reasonably strong on edge while also really balanced and willing to release. And now this review! Would I love the 180 comp even more? Would the 188 comp be too much ski for a 175lbs, 6' human?

Nice work, Marshal, sounds like all of these skis rip.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I chose the AM r99 because I didn’t want a quiver ski for the occasional crusher day but an all mountain ski that’s really good at most things.

I don’t really notice the tip chatter on the AM build. I’m usually driving through my feet in a more progressive style though. The AM build in the 188 r99 can be pushed really hard but you can drift/slarve if you want to shut it down. I skied boot top old powder yesterday and they’re easy to noodle or open up for bigger turns. They can be a little catchy in breakable crust with the micro rocker and no real taper. Love this versatile ski. About 30 days on mine


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[2FUNKY]

I just mounted AM 188s a few days ago and haven't skied them a ton but am loving them so far. Smooth, reasonably strong on edge while also really balanced and willing to release. And now this review! Would I love the 180 comp even more? Would the 188 comp be too much ski for a 175lbs, 6' human?

Nice work, Marshal, sounds like all of these skis rip.

I think the comp would be fine at your specs. I added mine to the review.


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[CouloirInTheLines]

Marshall - Not to derail too much off the comp build but the write up between FL105 and FR110 is really helpful. Maybe a new thread is needed for those models. Any difference in suspension in rough, refrozen snow? How about drops/landings?

[jackattack]

Marshall - Not to derail too much off the comp build but the write up between FL105 and FR110 is really helpful. Maybe a new thread is needed for those models. Any difference in suspension in rough, refrozen snow? How about drops/landings?

The prospective/new designs are all discussed in his main thread: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...69#post6794669

[lucknau]

Just got them in the mail. They weigh in at 2310 and 2334. There’s a hash on the topsheet at -11.5 from center, but I’m assuming -12.5 is still recommended, and am planning to mount there.

Rocker pron:




:::::@:::::

[2FUNKY]

I mounted them on the line. They feel really balanced there. Plenty of tip to drive and not a ton of tail. -12.5 seemed like there wasn’t much tail back there by my scientific stand on them in socks on the carpet method.


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[Norseman]

Just received mine. Fuckers are stiff!

[NW_SKIER]

You're gonna love them, Norse. They are fun as hell.

[shank]

Marshall - Not to derail too much off the comp build but the write up between FL105 and FR110 is really helpful. Maybe a new thread is needed for those models. Any difference in suspension in rough, refrozen snow? How about drops/landings?

+1
Great to start to get on-snow comparisons of the next batch of HL skis, and might be more visible either in its own thread or back in the main thread.

[eSock]

Marshall - Not to derail too much off the comp build but the write up between FL105 and FR110 is really helpful. Maybe a new thread is needed for those models. Any difference in suspension in rough, refrozen snow? How about drops/landings?

The FR110s were amazing in the air and on landings, felt solid af

[Kopi_Red]

Just received mine. Fuckers are stiff!

Yup. They have a stout hand flex and they feel sooo good when you’re skiing them.