Pontoons and Pon2oons

[whyturn]

So I remember the day I first skied OG toons. They were so easy in pow and just cruised. I felt I could have a cup of tea while straightlining a pow field. But they were floppy and somewhat one dimensional

Typical TGR style I sold them and worked my way into protests, redeemers and other more versatile skis. I occasionally missed them and wondered why I sold them. So I bought another pair in 179 to see then back to 189. They brought back memories and more fun days. It’s a quiver ski

Now I picked a demo pair of 2nd gen Pon2oons for my buddies to use on Utah pow days to make their life easier. They were great to teach skiing in pow and just fun for guests. My buddy grabbed those and they went to CA.

It made me wonder if they were better and I had heard they were better on groomers. Fast forward to yesterday where we got 5 feet of Utah pow in the last week.

In most areas it was 1-2 feet of stable light pow with some wind drifting. Groomers were smooth

I thought it seemed a good time to break out the 2nd gen 189 Pon2oons and see if they were that different. We have a long fire road to a lift that I like to hit in the morning. Right away it was obvious how much stiffer and more stable they were on groomers. Railed and carved with running bases flat was super stable. Actually fun to carve.

On the fist pow run it was typical toons. Tail sinks and they just want to run the open face. Easy slash and smear and actually pretty light with pivot 15 in size 189. As the day went on it just got smoother and easier to ski and lap the groomer back to the lifts for more pow. So fast and floaty in the pow. Cover a thousand vert pow face in a minute.

More stable, better on groomers but still saves the legs on a really deep day. I even hiked a face at the end of the day. In the trees on the last face it was 2-4 feet of pow from the week. I was tired from the hike and the day but it was so deep. I was able to make fast pow turns with leverage and just hooting all the way down

So I will say Shane McConkey was a ski design genius and his skis just make pow more fun. It’s more fun if your legs stay fresh all day and skiing pow and runouts is easier. Some pics from the day that don’t do it justice but I know how good it was.









The dragon breathes cold smoke




Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Shorty_J]

I have a pair of the 2nd gen I have yet to take out... any time the conditions would have warranted i forgot them at home.

One day.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

[DGamms]

I have never skied any gen Pontoons… but this thread makes me feel like I’m missing out! It’s been a Pontoon season in Utah for sure this winter.

[dcpnz]

I don’t have a lot of experience on them but had back to back days in deep but manky heavy interior BC pow on noctas and Pon2oons. Hated the black crows, loved the k2. I feel like they’re a bit of a one trick pony but when it’s the right trick they’re freaking unbeatable.

[1000-oaks]

Only have one day each on the Pontoon (many years ago) on the Pon2oon (couple weeks ago), but I'll toss in my $0.02. I'd say the Pon2oon has more tail than the OG and is definitely an improvement. Smoother across chop too.

That said, this ski is a great tool, but not for for everyone (or all terrain). If you like to keep your skis on/in the snow 100% of the time and roll your knees/angulate to control your direction, they're effortless and super fun. If you like steeps and dynamic springing from turn to turn, this isn't your ski. Upon landing in your next turn, the pintail is too extreme and you'll fight to not spin out, which often puts you over-rotated and in a weak position for the next turn. Maybe a forward mount would help in this regard. The tips are so huge I doubt moving up a cm or two would hurt float.

[lemonhead]

I bought them the season they were first released. That first mcconkey turn changed my life in so many ways. A few years after I had the pontoon I moved on to the 132 underfoot hellbent and for the last 12 years or so different moments. I'll always appreciate those toons though...

[VTskibum]

I have never skied any gen Pontoons… but this thread makes me feel like I’m missing out! It’s been a Pontoon season in Utah for sure this winter.

Wish I’d brought my Praxis Powderboards to UT this week! Skied more powder turns than not, other than traverses and cat tracks back to the lift!

Never been on either version, but those in between are still pretty bad on reverse side cut skis! Brought Volkl Blaze 106 which pretty much reverse camber which worked fine, but Pon2oons woulda been the call this week!! Lots of folks on Bentchetlers 120 and big DPS.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[whyturn]

Only have one day each on the Pontoon (many years ago) on the Pon2oon (couple weeks ago), but I'll toss in my $0.02. I'd say the Pon2oon has more tail than the OG and is definitely an improvement. Smoother across chop too.

That said, this ski is a great tool, but not for for everyone (or all terrain). If you like to keep your skis on/in the snow 100% of the time and roll your knees/angulate to control your direction, they're effortless and super fun. If you like steeps and dynamic springing from turn to turn, this isn't your ski. Upon landing in your next turn, the pintail is too extreme and you'll fight to not spin out, which often puts you over-rotated and in a weak position for the next turn. Maybe a forward mount would help in this regard. The tips are so huge I doubt moving up a cm or two would hurt float.

I’m at plus one due to hole conflicts. Just make them that much quicker and no sinkage


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[TeleBeaver]

Wish I’d brought my Praxis Powderboards to UT this week! Skied more powder turns than not, other than traverses and cat tracks back to the lift!

Never been on either version, but those in between are still pretty bad on reverse side cut skis! Brought Volkl Blaze 106 which pretty much reverse camber which worked fine, but Pon2oons woulda been the call this week!! Lots of folks on Bentchetlers 120 and big DPS.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cease and Desists got the call this week for me, I think they are the pinnacle and refinement of everything the pontoon, pon2oon, megawatt and even lotus 120 are. Directional powder pintails. The C&D is much more refined so while still unwieldly when the bumps get big and the snow gets shallow, they have a lot more tricks in their bag than the powder pintails of old. I'm on the most recent version of 189cm 124mm billygoat shape asym 50/50 core C&Ds.

[XXX-er]

A heli guide told me he had so much fun on ze pontoon's he almost forgot about ze clients

yeah love the powder pintail !

[Muggydude]

My first true powder skis were OG pontoons. Super fun, got me hooked on the feeling. Definitely clown shoes though. I’ve been on lots of powder skis since, protests, powderboards. Didn’t get along with those as well as I wished - the 189 Praxis Kusalas I have now kick ass though.

Currently the 2017 Asym 191 ON3P Cease and Desists fill the ‘toon slot for me. Mega rocker but swings slow and sweet. Those things are the ultimate heavy pow ski IMO. Just let’s you cruise over everything.

I also love my Praxis/PM Gear Lhasa Pow Fats. I’m definitely a bigger fan of pin tail - fat tip powder skis generally speaking. At least in heavier Pow.

This year I felt very vindicated and justified with my 4-ski Pow quiver Quixotes, Lhasa Fats, Cease and Desists, Kusalas. It was hard to pick for each of the 25 true powder days I’ve had this season

[MotoBeak]

I've had Spatulas since they first came out, and we all know how magical they are. When the first Toons came out I sold my spats to get some, thinking if Shane designed them, they were the next better idea from the spats. I was mighty disappointed. The first gen Pontoons have the most amazing flotation, as they should. I could motor through the flats at Wolf Creek where everyone else was wallowing and stuck. But the floppy nature once the snow got heavier or tracked up just about killed me a few times. So those got sold and I got some Spatulas again. I got a pair of Pon2oons to see how the new design worked. They were good, much more versatile as everyone mentioned. Unfortunately for me, I don't get the days necessary for that float anymore. The 2oons went and the Spatulas still have their magic for me. I wish I needed some of those monsters again someday.

[kc_7777]

I have a pair of the 2nd gen I have yet to take out... any time the conditions would have warranted i forgot them at home.

One day.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

Shorty you need to post a quiver pic someday.



Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Shorty_J]

Shorty you need to post a quiver pic someday.



Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

You are right... I should do that. Probably before I do my next purge.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

[kc_7777]

Did a search for Pon2oon.

PRFO Sports in Canada selling the 2023 for $479CDN.

Got some on the way.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Shorty_J]

Did a search for Pon2oon.

PRFO Sports in Canada selling the 2023 for $479CDN.

Got some on the way.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Oh man... if you want to return those I would sell you my pair for $175 plus shipping with STH (not STH2), or $140 plus shipping for skis only. They are either 1.5 or 2 mounts... can't remember. Current mount is for a 300mm bsl, somewhere around the line?

Because circumstances.

Kc can have right of refusal but I'll post some pics if anyone else is interested.

Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

[Cisco Kid]

I toured with a K2 product manager who said the old guard at K2 was anti pontoons because they made skiing deep pow too easy. I put about 10 days a pair of 1st gen red ones but I can't ski so my opinion is moot.

[lowsparkco]

The original Pontoons are incredible in untracked snow, but they’re too soft IMO. If you’re cat skiing, or heli skiing, even Silverton laps sure, but lift access I think you lose the quality of PM runs due to the extra work and fatigue to get back to the chair on them.

[kc_7777]

Thanks for the offer Shorty.

I plan to keep these skis. I’ve always wanted Pon2oons. And don’t like extra holes. I got $650 for my flat CT 5.0s so I am putting money in my pocket even buying these new from PRFO.

We spend Xmas at Whitewater and so these will get used. I got the green 2023s….mounting with green STH2s from the Candides.

Anyone know the rec mount on these? Assuming -12cm or so as they are a pintail.




Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[lrn2swim]

Some crazy cheap prices here https://www.powder7.com/K2-Pon2oon-Skis/for-sale

[whyturn]

Thanks for the offer Shorty.

I plan to keep these skis. I’ve always wanted Pon2oons. And don’t like extra holes. I got $650 for my flat CT 5.0s so I am putting money in my pocket even buying these new from PRFO.

We spend Xmas at Whitewater and so these will get used. I got the green 2023s….mounting with green STH2s from the Candides.

Anyone know the rec mount on these? Assuming -12cm or so as they are a pintail.




Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Not sure on mount point but I went +1 and they ski quick there. It was due to hole conflict but have been great there in 2-3 feet. They are heavy but stable


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[nickwm21]

A lot of great memories on 1st gen pontoons. They were wheelie machines if you got backseat though… I never skied the pon2oons but judging by their profile it looks like they fixed the tail. The fact that they are still being sold today tells you it’s a great design.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[ASmileyFace]

I've mounted a bunch of the pon2oons for guides around here.

+1 to +2 is the consensus for sure.

[kc_7777]

Thanks!

Likely +1 for mine. I ski pretty centered.
Will post pics when I mount them.

Can’t wait to try them. Though I’m sure I’m waiting until next Jan/Dec.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[Cisco Kid]

Some crazy cheap prices here https://www.powder7.com/K2-Pon2oon-Skis/for-sale

For $250 it would be a great ski to buy for powder day loaners to friends who don't really know how to ski. I mounted mine on the line.