The Official Salomon AK Swallowtail Review

[focus]

Never had a problem with coreshots on my first gen rocket swallowtails.

Had them out at bohemia a couple days ago, 4-6" of light fresh was just enough to hide the rocks. hit lots of 'em and dinged up the edges some....nothing more than a couple light scratches on the base. Way better than my XXX's...though that isn't saying too much.

Also - still haven't measured exactly where the mount is from the tail, but 2 cm back of the original mount line is proving to be pretty ideal. Sweetspot's now under the ball of my foot instead of under my arch/heel.... Have to drive and steer them a bit more, but that just keeps me honest. Still quite a bit of work in the tight brush/trees and bumps, though very doable - my legs are still feeling it.

[uglymoney]

I finally mounted my AK's today after much dilemna. Running out of time and with a friend declaring his inclusion on next weeks run west, which is insta backcountry partner, I needed to get an AT setup done this week. And so I mounted some Freerides.

I went a couple of millimeters ahead of the rear mark, mostly because I didn't want to err and end up behind it. I was going to go ahead a bit, but changed my mind after reading all the reviews above.

After what seemed like hours of measuring, and remeasuring, and then measuring, changing template locations, I finally drilled with a 4.09 millimeter bit that I bought at the hardware store. I used the mounting template printed to scale that I found here:

http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/fri...-freeride.html

but I pretty much went my own way and ignored the step by step. Sealed screws with epoxy as is my custom. I'm very pleased with the end result.

My only worry now is how the skis will handle skins with the swallowtails. Anyone? I think I will cut them to end at the 181 metal edge end, and clip (ascensions) them in the swallow cut. Hopefully this works, if not I am sol till I add another pair of fatties.

Ski review next week sometime.

Here is a pic:



Edit for more pic info. The Dynastar Tele's (210 cm) on the outside edges of the pic were my first pair of tele boards. I bought them from a Norwegian exchange student (Jan N.) who was a rockstar on skis and came to Iowa for unknown reasons. He needed cash at the end of his year here in 1988 and so they became mine. I gave him $150 for the boards, some Asolo boots, and the old cheap three pin rotefella bindings. They were murder on anything but perfect snow, but I had fun with them for a few years. We still keep in touch with the guy, and hopefully I will make some turns with him again someday soon.

[leroy jenkins]

I've skied both this years and the previous verison, each on thier suggested mounting point. I have to say I like this years (further back) mounting point much better. I didn't notice any difference in thier ability to snap around quick turns, the only difference I noticed was that it is much harder to make the tips dive.

EDIT: I skied my this years ones (mounted on this years line) again yesterday, and I've changed my mind, I like the old mounting point better. It was very strange, but doing high speed airs on these, the tips kept wanting to fly up in the air, giving me some great nordic jumper steeze, which was pretty disconcerting. Also, at high speeds in wierd snow they actually feel a bit less stable mounted farther back.

So basically, Alka was right on when he said ealier that for pure pow mount on this years line, for everyday skiing (which is what these things are really meant for) mount on the old line or the dot.

[Bandit Man]

Conditions: 20" light blower pow / tracked out pow
Set-Up: 195 AK Rocket LAB's w/S912 Ti's mounted on the line (behind the dot)
Skier: 5'8" & 175 lbs.

So, I finally got out on my SAC LAB's in some real fluff and I gotta say "DAMN...I LOVE THESE SKIS!" They really ski shorter groomers and longer in the deep stuff. With the 912 Ti's, they ski so incredibly light, yet blast through just about anything. Granted, my LP's ski burlier, but demand a heck of a lot more fom me. Anyhow, no tip dive, super stable, and just a ton of fun. Perhaps the best pow-pow ski I have tried (haven't been on Spat's or Pontoon's). I'd imagine that someone over 200 lbs. could easily over ski these, but they felt just right at my weight. I love the way the tails sink ever so slightly and those nice 130-mm tips stay on top. I didn't really feel that I had to "ski from the heels" like on lots of other fatties. Super easy to turn, but stable in longer turns and straightlines, too. Easy in bumps for 195's and so-so on groomers.

I know that this is a "generic" review, so I'll just end by saying that these were worth all of the ~$300 I paid and will be my pow ski of choice when it's light and deep. I hope my Got's don't get powder envy.

[uglymoney]

As posted above I mounted mine AT at the rear mark and took them to JH for a week of footish pow.

6'2" 192 lbs

I am glad that I mounted them at the rear line. They felt centered and balanced in all conditions. They were great in semi-tight trees, floated through some cruddy pow that I found at moonlight effortlessly, skimmed right over some of the south facing crud we found at Jackson when we were traversing on a couple of lift served runs. Notable, because both of my friends who were better skiers found the conditions horrific, and I found conditions to be only undesireable, but tolerable.

I wouldn't mount them any farther forward. At my height, when I loaded the shovels, the skis skied pretty short, so I found myself skiing nuetrally and letting them happily rip longish turns on the flats, or slightly forward in the trees/steeps to effect quick turns.

On the groomers they were fun as long as I didn't push them while being lazy. A couple of times I did have the tails blow completely out on me after the skis started a shimmy and shake while I was trying to carve them. This is definetely there shortfall, but I am used to my Bandits which pretty much have no limitations on groomers, and don't need my full attention. I imagine other fat skis do better than the AK's.

Overall, for the money, and for the variable spring conditions in which I just used these in which I think they excel, I am a satisfied customer.

[mc_roon]

after skiing the past two weeks at Squaw...I am soo happy i spent 300 on these skis for S&C. A fantastic ski. no tip dive, but still sinks a lot for face-shots. Overall, fantastic..

ps. perfect skis for stomping airs, so much material underfoot makes it really easy.

[powhead]

I read all the above statements, so when I got my skiis I put a Salomon demo binding on them so I could try different mounting points. In the first 3 days I skied every condition except ice. The line (84.5 cm from tail) was perfect. I am 6'4" 240# and ski fast. I might try other mounting points in the future since this is my new favorite ski, but I am not disappointed at 84.5.

[Cirquerider]

They're back on SAC. I hesitated but pulled the trigger when I saw shipping was only $4.49 US Priority Mail. Seems like most maggots have liked this ski, and its going to be hard to beat this price.

[flyboymtman]

Have to admit I'm not ski tech savvy, and first time able to afford good skis. Ready to pull the trigger, just don't know if I've got the right duck in my sights. Does anyone know if there are minimum specs. for the bindings on these? I already have SAC Salomon Ti Axe bindings and was hoping they are compatible?

[El Chupacabra]

Have to admit I'm not ski tech savvy, and first time able to afford good skis. Ready to pull the trigger, just don't know if I've got the right duck in my sights. Does anyone know if there are minimum specs. for the bindings on these? I already have SAC Salomon Ti Axe bindings and was hoping they are compatible?

Since you bought SAC bindings you're all set. If you don't have SAC bindings you can't use SAC skis. It's in the rules.

[Cirquerider]

So Chup, where do these fit in for you? You have Bros, and just got the Nordicas and I think Spats. Seems like a lot of powder and crud redundancy. Would you do it again (sans core shot)?

Also, what year is this? Looks to be the more recent 05-06. Sounds like you got the Orange graphic 04-05 with Scream:

[iriponsnow]

05-06, kinda surprised not to see them go fast (er, at all)

[Jim S]

05-06, kinda surprised not to see them go fast (er, at all)

+ 1
...

[SnowToad]

They're back on SAC. I hesitated but pulled the trigger when I saw shipping was only $4.49 US Priority Mail. Seems like most maggots have liked this ski, and its going to be hard to beat this price.

Agreed, the shipping price was just enough of a push to bring out the card. Between the unbeatable price and great maggot reviews, I'll be really surprised if I regret this purchase.

[roorfan]

after seeing the nice $330 pricetag at steap+cheap, i am SERIOUSLY contemplating the purchase. i will need some bindings for them obviously, but i think it will be worth it.

i know countless reviews have been made, but i am lazy and was wondering if they ski alright on normal condition days inbounds. yes or no? i dont need a paragraph. i was just wondering if they could be skied often out here in co... replace my mantras maybe who knows . 184cm mantras=tooshort all i know.


thanks

[FigureEleven]

Yes... it is only 95mm under foot and it really only skis like a 185cm ski or so since the swallow is slightly raised and has no running edge.

[Bandit Man]

+ 1
...

Jim - You bought another pair of skis?? I think you and I are ending up with very similar quivers...Explosiv's, LP's, SV's (sold mine), and now AK Swallowtails. I know you have some Made'ns in the mix too. So what does that make...like six pairs of skis with 95+ waists?

[El Chupacabra]

So Chup, where do these fit in for you? You have Bros, and just got the Nordicas and I think Spats. Seems like a lot of powder and crud redundancy. Would you do it again (sans core shot)?

Also, what year is this? Looks to be the more recent 05-06. Sounds like you got the Orange graphic 04-05 with Scream:

I sold the stiff 188 Bros; I like Explosivs more. The stiff Bros are very good for a 1-ski quiver. I don't have a 1-ski quiver...

The only Nordicas I have are the old red Beasts, with Fritschis on them for touring. I figured they were light enough for touring, skinny enough for corn, fat enough for pow... so far so good.

I have a lot of redundancy between ANTs, m103s, and Explosivs. The AK Rocket swallowtails are more fun in wide open powder than the Spatulas, but I'm keeping both; the Spatulas are better in heavy crud and crust, and reign supreme in pow skiing in trees. Though the AK Rockets turn very quickly too, nearly as smearable as the Spatulas.

My new addition, which hasn't arrived yet, is Sanouks. I'm thinking of mounting them with alpine bindings, and if I like them, remounting the AK swallowtails with another set of Fritschis for BC pow. (I think the skins for the Nordica Beasts will work on the AK Rockets acceptably.)

I would absolutely buy the AK Rockets again. And yes, I have the year-before-today's-SAC model, the bright orange ones with the obnoxious "SCREAM" on the tips.

For anyone contemplating the AK Rockets, they feel a lot wider and float a lot more than you would think from a 95mm waist. There's a lot of that 130mm tip on the front end -- it doesn't start tapering off until pretty far down the ski.

[Jim S]

Jim - You bought another pair of skis?? I think you and I are ending up with very similar quivers...Explosiv's, LP's, SV's (sold mine), and now AK Swallowtails. I know you have some Made'ns in the mix too. So what does that make...like six pairs of skis with 95+ waists?

I'm getting my first sub 95mm ski this winter since two years ago:

Nordica Jet Fuel 84mm 186cm..... Rest of the lineup is:
Seth Vicious 189
Seth Vicious 179
Maden AK 189
Explosiv 180 w/ Freerides
Legend Pro 186

Incoming
AK Rocket 195
Pontoon 189
Seth 189 ....maybe...it's a gift. I'd mount +1 instead of +3 SV

Contemplating one of these
Legend Pro 194, Stockli DP 183/194, Atomic Pimp, Gotama 190, Bro Stiff 188

Why?
No good reason.

[Bandit Man]

I'm getting my first sub 95mm ski this winter since two years ago:

Nordica Jet Fuel 84mm 186cm..... Rest of the lineup is:
Seth Vicious 189
Seth Vicious 179
Maden AK 189
Explosiv 180
Legend Pro 186

Incoming
AK Rocket 195
Pontoon 189
Seth 189 ....maybe...it's a gift. I'd mount +1 instead of +3 SV

Contemplating one of these
Legend Pro 194, Stockli DP 183/194, Atomic Pimp, Gotama 190, Bro Stiff 188

Why?
No good reason.

Nice. I'm keeping this list to show my wife the next time I need to justify a purchase. I only have five pairs of fatties, so it looks like I still have a ways to go to catch either you are El Chup.

And to think...when we first met you, you only had a pair of Dynastar Skicross 10's (or something like that).

[Jim S]

And to think...when we first met you, you only had a pair of Dynastar Skicross 10's (or something like that).

Yep, that was it and nothing more. How things have changed. And tell your gal that YOU were one of the catalysts for the change to a multi-gordito quiver.

[Superstar Punani]

Flipping $300 skis for $500....so HOT right now!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/spo/211240665.html

[bad_roo]

That guy Keith from Berkeley didn't get where he is today by selling $300 skis for $300.

[Cirquerider]

I thought I'd post up this picture of mounting lines for current reference. After looking at it I'm going to mount boot center at the rear line. It seems to give a good balance to the ski, at least visually. That rear mark is 84.5 cm from the back of the tail.

[Cirquerider]

Hmmm, and a PM vote from LeRoy Jenkins advising the old boot center (hole). I'm kind of a big guy and will be using this as primarily a pow ski. I dunno, still thinking rear mouning mark.