Praxis Quixote - Jumped the Shark or Legit?

[eskido]

I sort of disagree with the skiing long aspect of the Q. I think it has the stability of a long ski but it's so easy to ski I think it feels like a smaller ski in the bumps and tight places. Ripped them down the Christmas chute a few times today which is tight and steep and the 194s were so easy.

Fully agree, they don't ski long at all, I keep seeing this and can only assume Keith is speaking in comparison to the GPO. Q's do ski longer than GPO's but they def do not ski long

[undertow2]

I sort of disagree with the skiing long aspect of the Q. I think it has the stability of a long ski but it's so easy to ski I think it feels like a smaller ski in the bumps and tight places. Ripped them down the Christmas chute a few times today which is tight and steep and the 194s were so easy.

Chu, I def suck trying to articulate attributes of a ski... I completely agree with you... The ski is a breeze to ski and makes any turn shape with ease... I skied tight trees with it in fresh snow and the Q was not demanding at all...

When comparing it to the GPO it just skis much bigger and to me that is due to the effective running length and the very low rocker profile (tip and tail) of the Q...

[Muggydude]

Not to speak for him but Suprechicken told me he thought the 182 Q might ski longer than the 187 GPO which pushed me to go small a lot because the 187 GPO was about as "long" a ski as I wanted

[Shu Shu]

Now in the Q club.

Ambrosia-Maple-Ash-Carbon Flex 4 182.

[racesla]

If anyone needs a code, I got you. LMK

I could use a code if you still have one. Thanks

[Muggydude]

Good choice same as mine. Which topsheet? Veneer?

^ also code sent

[Shu Shu]

Right on Muggy. Veneer check, still waffling on the top sheet but thinking I might go with the Praxis tattoo, to mix it up a little. Either that or completely blank with the just a praxis logo. I'm torn

[Muggydude]

I agree with Keith on leaving veneers with less graphic coverage/not really colorful complex graphics. My ash veneer Jamaican lion Quixotes, ash Veneer Viceversa Protests, and veneer ON3P Jeffrey 114s will all go together well next season

[Shu Shu]

I agree with Keith too in principle but for some reason I'm just feelin that Praxis Tatto graphic. Weird I know.

[galibier_numero_un]

I agree with Keith too in principle but for some reason I'm just feelin that Praxis Tatto graphic. Weird I know.

Same here, with me and the Max pattern. Next year, bare wood with Praxis logo would be cool.

... Thom

[ScrewYou]

Skinny Q. 187, Heavy core, #4 flex

I went Red!

[galibier_numero_un]

It's down to settling on (second-guessing?) my flex choice of #4 for my 182 Enduro/Carbon/Veneer Q's. I'm 5'9", 165 Lbs. I think I'll stick with #4 based on experience with the GPOs, however.

I'm ok with the Q's skiing a bit longer, but I don't want to go too far down this path by going with a heavy core ... the "end of the day and you're tired" thing vs. a bit more "chargeability".

Mounting points ... I have all Summer to obsess, but am leaning toward -1.5 ;-) This comes after the GPO remount from -1 (Wardens) to -1.8 with Vipecs and they're still plenty quick and a bit more stable.

[edit] aevergreene's comments in the main Praxis thread give me pause about my choosing to bypass skinny-Q's. I've been resisting this (perhaps irrationally).

Maybe a skinny-Q and my Billy Goats are the best approach for me to re-configure my 2-ski quiver. This might just be the Freeride I was really after last year.

^^^Nice. Sounds like a good amount of people going skinny Q. Hopefully it doesnt disappoint (FrankenQ?), but either way I'm skiing the shit out of it, cuz I cant buy anymore skis

Thin Qs and Billy Gs seem like a great 2 ski travel combo for the west. I always wanted to try some skinny Billys, but the -10 Qs should handle hardpack a little better.

... Thom

[Muggydude]

I'm about your size but a little heavier and probably a decent amount younger, but I'm keeping my maple ash carbon veneer 182s at flex 4. If I had gone longer enduro I'd do a softer flex (whatever med+ is on the new scale. Is that a 3 or 3.5?)

With the enduro veneer carbon I feel like flex for should be a pretty easy layup.

My Qs will be -1 or -1.5. Still need to decide. My Protests will also be -1 or so. All the Praxis skis I've had I felt were better mounted back -1, although the Protests were fine. My GPOs were good on the line but not in deeper snow

[ScrewYou]

Galibier, why do you go -1 on your Praxis'?

Also, remind me, do you have anything 100-110mm underfoot?

[eskido]

I'm keeping my maple ash carbon veneers at flex 4.

This is exactly what I'd do with custom Q's, and I'd leave the width stock, they really are ridiculously versatile...
Greene, I rock Praxis mounts all over the board depending on what I want them to do, my Q's are -1 and dope AF.

[ScrewYou]

How does veneer and carbon change the handling, compared to nylon and glass? Makes it a bit more easy going, or burlier?

What is the stock mount point for the Quixote?

[Chugachjed]

My Qs are -2 dynafit and -3 alpine. Feels perfect.

[Foggy_Goggles]

I didn't even know there were + flexes. I hope a 3 isn't too noodley? Maybe I should have gone 3+? Anyone one have the Alpenglow graphic? I really like the Winter Graphics on the Freeride.

[adrenalated]

Galibier, why do you go -1 on your Praxis'?

Can't speak for Thom, however, I find the mount points on Praxis skis to generally trend towards fairly centered. I prefer a more traditional mount and typically mount 1-2cm back from whatever Keith recommends.

I didn't even know there were + flexes. I hope a 3 isn't too noodley? Maybe I should have gone 3+?

My impression is that the + flexes are mostly there to appease the Goldilocks people and indecisive motherfuckers. There's not that much different on snow from what I understand. My Protests came out 3+/4- (I ordered #4, they ended up a little soft but I kept 'em anyway) and I really can't tell the difference on snow between them and any of my true #4 flex Praxii. I wouldn't sweat it.

[ScrewYou]

Good info, thanks

[dschane]

Can't speak for Thom, however, I find the mount points on Praxis skis to generally trend towards fairly centered. I prefer a more traditional mount and typically mount 1-2cm back from whatever Keith recommends.

Ditto, except -2 to -3 cm for me. My own personal preference/mental voodoo.

[ScrewYou]

Now I have one more thing to overthink lol

[ScrewYou]

Anyone one have the Alpenglow graphic?

I posted a pic of my alpenglow Rx in the quiver pic thread just the other day. (My) Photos dont do it justice, its rad.

[galibier_numero_un]

Galibier, why do you go -1 on your Praxis'?

Also, remind me, do you have anything 100-110mm underfoot?

I'm waffling on this one (full width version vs. -10mm).

Since I tend to do everything I can in order to avoid hard snow these days, I could easily press a pair of OG, 181 Coombas (no rocker) into service for the fews days I'm in area in these conditions. The Coombas are actually quite fun, as long as I don't wander off into hard bumps or tight trees. They like to go fast and (relatively) straight.

My Atomic Automatic 109s were mounted as a "poor man's" BC, but I donated their Vipecs to the GPOs. The Automatics will return to inbounds use as a good lazy day/early season/rock ski.

Based on experiences with the GPOs, I'm guessing that even at 118 under​ foot, I'll still have more fun on Q's in low tide than on the Coombas or the Automatics. Knowing me, I'll bet that all I'll ever take to the hill will be Q's & Billy Goats (or GPOs with the Vipecs if I need a sidecountry option).

Edit: I think you meant -1cm mount point. I can't speak to on the line since I haven't done this, but my GPOs mounted at -1 and -1.8 feel generally like my Billy Goats mounted on the line.

I tend to ski center-forward, and read everyone's take on drilling the GPOs before taking out the drill. I'd approach most modern Praxis skis like this unless the feeback from folks with a similar bias to me report otherwise. With my now departed Freerides and their long camber section, I mounted on the line. That felt about reasonably good (other than me and them not bonding when I found myself in steep, icy bumps). Maybe but none of this matters ;-)

... Thom

[dschane]

Now I have one more thing to overthink lol

Less to think about -- you can pretty much ignore my tech ski advice since I'm still telemarking, along with the other 6 of us on this board.