2022 Men's Powder Comparison Ski Comparison with SkiEssentials.com
Вставка
- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- 00:00 - Intro
1:30 - Armada Declivity 108 Ti
6:20 - Volkl Katana 108
10:00 - Kastle ZX108
13:55 - Dynastar M-Free 108
18:10 - Black Crows Atris
22:25 - Nordica Enforcer 110 Free
28:00 - Head Kore 111
32:30 - DPS Pagoda 112 RP
38:15 - Blizzard Rustler 11
43:30 - Salomon QST Blank
50:05 - Fischer Ranger 115 FR
53:40 - K2 Mindbender 116C
57:20 - Elan Ripstick 116
1:02:15 - Rossignol BLACKOPS Gamer
1:06:25 - Atomic Bent Chetler 120
1:09:25 - Volkl Revolt 121
1:13:45 - Black Crows Nocta
1:17:50 - K2 Reckoner 122
1:22:50 - Armada Magic J
1:28:15 - Blizzard Spur
Written Comparison: www.skiessentials.com/Chairli...
That was awesome! I feel like I'm gonna watch this few more times! Always awesome content! 👍
Thanks!
Thanks for showing rocker profile for every ski you are talking about!
Great review. I'm a PNW skier with a pair of enforcer 104s(awesome ski), and looking to get more of a powder ski for the deep days. This video taught me a lot. Thanks!
So glad it was helpful for you Chaz! Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions for us.
Best ski comparisons out there by 5,000 vertical feet! Thank you so much.
Wow! Thanks!
you're right; their videos are up there!
Just got my bent chetler 100s in the mail today 😁 winter is coming my ski brothers
Not soon enough!
Great review as always guys. Thank you.
Loving your SkiStrong T, Jeff.
I was hoping someone would notice the shirt! Thanks Brian!
Great summary. Agree on the Pagoda 112s….such a fantastic ski for out west….
Best skis review, period! Thank you guys!
Thanks Fernando!
Besides being great ski reviews from knowledgeable skiers, the labelled video indexing in your videos is euphoric to me! (I don't have to stop and think. I can just click and keep "skiing" with which ever ski I choose.) If you'll accept the honor, I'm going to let you become my new "Peter Keelty" source for ski info. RIP to the guru of ski review and reliable info. Peter Keelty!
Thanks for noticing the improvements! Certainly helps people find what they need faster. Consider the honor accepted.
SE
Awesome video! Saved me from a Hallmark episode my wife was watching. With regard to other fully rockered skis on the market like the Nocta, the Hoji series from 4FRNT are fully rockered. But, with their direct-to-consumer model, I can understand why they wouldn’t get an honorable mention.
Good point! The Hoji would've actually been a good ski to bring up, glad you commented here!
Really nicely done -- 95mins non-stop experience handover! Looking at a one-ski-to-rule-them-all from the set, the ATRIS feels like a major contender.
Definitely one of the most well-rounded skis in this group. In general, if you're just looking for one pair of skis, I'd probably stay on the left side of the sign in those narrower options.
These videos are essential during the Spring Sale season!
We should re-release each spring!
Thank you guys so much! This was helpful!
I wish you could make it out to Colorado for some extended powder testing. Maybe next year 🤞🏽
Okay!
Great video! Loved black ops 118, heavy and smooth ski.
Still waiting for the pre-ads to end and I'm already stoked.
This was great😁 my fav. Is the revolt and the reckoner tho 😁 a bit surprised to not see the Outline and vision 118 tho😊
Hardest part of the powder comparison? The skis are so wide it was hard to fit them all! We actually were just receiving our Line order too when we filmed this. I would've liked to include both those skis, but logistically it just didn't pan out.
Love Jeff's example of the last skis on a cat track or groomer at 49:21, I have experienced it and he nailed the example!
Not a very fun feeling!
Agree and that’s because lots of wider skis forget the importance of side cut and camber. Skis with no side cut and camber just dance around too much on groomers. I experienced this with the faction 4.0 skis.
thanks guys!!! good reveiw!!
Thanks Matias!
As one of the people that was hollerin for this one, thanks!!
We listened! You're welcome!
hi guys
great reviews!
you should review WNDR alpine skis next year.
Cheers
I'll add it to the list!
I guess frontside carving skis and powder skis are 2 of the least studied types of skis on the market, so people want to learn about them so much...
That being said... one more step closer towards carving skis & race skis comparison...can't wait :)
I'll save you the time,
Race skis (world cup level ones at least) are completely unnecessary and extremely difficult for even some of the best normal skiers on the mountain. They are extremely heavy, stiff, unforgiving and condition picky. Race skis are particularly difficult to pilot, and are just honestly really tough to have fun on for the vast majority of people. Unless you are an INCREDIBLY strong skier with great technique I'd highly suggest looking into a carving ski that is more relaxed as it will almost definitely be a way better time to ride on.
@@MsEpicdemon Yep I totally agree with you, that's why my go-to ski this season is a "race carving" ski which is one full step down from WC race ski... and I have a pair of junior race ski for the race I will be competing ... I am sure that junior race ski is more than beefy for me :)
@@jameszeng2666 that is one hundred percent the perfect ski for the job from what it sounds like!
If you want a race ski but aren’t a racer you can try some Bonafides, way more approachable but will still go extremely fast, way faster than I can go. Some of the most stable high speed GS turning skis out there. Interestingly, if you want them faster and harder try to find new but older models, even 2016. Volkl Mantra also good to consider but at really high speeds Bonafides are hard to beat.
Big fan of the Solomon Blank. Skiing theJ-POW in Hokkaido and the ski is solid on any type of terrain and depth of snow. Two things stand out, the suspension can handle chopped up powder & crud like a Cadillac while still having float and ability it carve in knee high powder. Also skiing the Fisher Ranger 102 FR, lightweight, nice float, and playful but gets unsettled at speed through chopped up powder & crud.
Oh man, a Blank in Japan sounds like a dream come true!!
Awesome video once again guys! Quick question I know you guys make many reviews on plenty of skis based on their width and style, I think many of us would like to see special edition video on touring skis! Of course any ski can be a touring ski, but you guys could each chose 3 skis dedicated for alpine expeditions/super lightweight, than 3 skis that are more of your 50/50 touring/resort skis, and maybe some other skis that shine in between these categories! Your videos are very helpful so far but I’d love to have a face to face comparasion between skis like the Zero G 95’s and the Pagoda Tour 100’s that are very similar in weight, but ski very differently and can both be good for touring!
We are planning on doing some kind of touring ski comparison this fall or early winter! We're still kind of conceptualizing what that will look like, whether it will be multiple videos or just one, but we'll certainly do something.
You dudes are awesome
Thanks Jordan!
Oh boy is this great!!
as a western skier I was a little surprised to see some of the lower 100cm underfoot skis in the powder skis category, I daily ride armada JJs
It's tough to draw a line, as some 100's are shaped and rockered more like powder skis and others are not. We try to take this into account when creating these lists.
The Atris is a one quiver ski. Love it. (I ski The Rockies)
I got a pair of 2013 salamon rocker 2 122 that i hadnt ridden in several years so theyre basically brand new. Was rocking the lines. Those guys are absolutely nuts, litterally slay and butter in deep pow like nothing and actually can hold up on most terrain. Just not a fan of ice lol
You guys should a ski comparison where you guys compare the best skis for a one ski quiver!
That's a great idea for the upcoming comparison season!
bentchetler 120 are the best skis ever made. a solid point you missed is how good they still perform on more average snow, even groomers. They're a big chonky one-ski-quiver. I sold my Mantras, then I bought them and the fischer 102 FR for pacific northwest and the fischers are great, but they only saw 20% of the days compared to the atomics.
Yes. Got the BC120 as well and I was really surprised about the groomer performance
Love my black ops 118
Yes, the M-Free 108 would be a workable quiver of one out west. It has a lot of pop on the groomers (and it CARVES!) and once the powder gets skied up, it plows through the variable beautifully. It also has plenty of float before the runs get skied out.
Great skis!
I ski in the eastern townships QC, a 108 is my SL ski when its icy. 😏
Great review! I'm about 5' 7 and 140 lb but I have ski raced for most of my life (I'm 20 years old now). For the Rustler 11 do you recommend going for the 180 cm or the 188. I usually prefer longer skis but don't want to go to long.
180 cm would for sure be my recommendation. 188 cm feels really big for your size. I'm about 5'10" and 160 lbs and even at my size I kind of go back and forth between the 180 and 188, and ultimately prefer the 180 in most situations.
Hey guys, great video! Wondering if you are planning on carrying Icelantic skis anytime soon? Would love to hear your thoughts on them! Cheers
Hey Josh! We don't have any immediate plans to carry Icelantic, but we keep an eye on the brand for sure. I get on their skis whenever I have a chance and wouldn't be surprised if someday they work their way into our mix of brands.
Kastle ZX108 - sure folks not familiar with Kastle or long time fans like me may be interested to hear more about this model. I own ZX108, 191, FX106HP 184, Mx99, 184, TX98 188 and have owned older BMX and FX Kastles, Volkl and Elan mid 90's to 110mm skis. The ZX108 IMHO is a blend of the new FX shape and previous super versitile/popular BMX105 non HP. The constructions is new and non metal but its no slouch for stability and edge hold. On edge its damn impressive for a non metal ski and it generates high edge angles with ease and the kind of feedback and precsion you get used to with Kastle. Theirs a nice blend of pop and calm and do favor a bit more active style than the metal HP skis. In pow their again precise and predictable and a bit easier to scrub speed or throw sideways than other Kastles, maybe smeary by Kastle std's but not by most other brands std's - its not a jibbers ski. I've been impressed especially considering their $400 less than the FX. One key note for potential buyers is mount point. Go Generation Z line unless all you plan to do is mach crud and groomers. The traditional line IMHO is too far back and I remounted mine 5mm in front of teh Gen Z line on teh 191's and they are now much quicker, easier to pivot with no major detriment to float or stability.
Hi there! Which of these skis would you consider to be the most approachable / best suited for an advanced intermediate west coast skier looking for their first resort powder ski?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
ZX 108, M-Free 108, Atris, Rustler 11, QST Blank... all of those skis feel like relatively approachable skis for a first powder skis. Some of the really wide models would just be a tough transition if you're used to narrower skis, and I also left out some of the heavier, stiffer models. Hope that helps!
YEEEEEEEEHHSSSSS!!
Nice turns on the Armada Declivity 108 Jeff…I live out in WA with Crystal Mtn locally being my stomping grounds.
Own the Revolt 121 love it and have also been really impressed with what Armada has been doing in the Declivity series so I just rolled the dice and picked up the Declivity X. Curious if there is some feedback you may have on the X model? At 170 5’11 I picked up the 185.
After 4 seasons of Blackop’s
now Gamers got a lil bored and
want similar stability carvability
but with more versatility.
Anyway sooo many good skis available. Looking at the Anima and maybe the Blank as well.
Declivity X is awesome! That's basically the ski that started the whole line. I think it would be a cool replacement to your Gamers. A little more versatility and I think slightly less fatiguing, but still very stable too. I think you're spot on getting the 185 cm length. Should be an awesome ski for where you live!
Blank might be too close in performance to be a real complementary ski to the Declivity X and Revolt 121. Anima is just slightly narrower and a little better on firm snow. That would be my choice for a third ski to round out that quiver.
Revolt 95 makes me think of Ahmet, but the 121 makes me think of Markus Eder
Yeah! Makes sense to me. When we were filming this I had a vision in my head of Ahmet on the 121, but yeah, Markus might be a better overall analogy.
Great video! Thank you! Did you have tested also Black Diamond Imuplse 112 skis?
We haven't, unfortunately, but do plan on testing some Black Diamond this season.
Which of these do you folks see getting mounted with touring bindings most often? The Salomon team insist the Blank with a Shift is good for touring, but that seems like you'd need Pro-Skier legs to handle the ups.
ZX108, Kore 111, Pagoda 112, MB 118 C, Bent Chetler 120, Ripstick 116, and yeah, I think a reasonable amount of people will tour on the Blank. I think for a lot of skiers, especially in this category, you're doing shorter tours for a specific reason (i.e. a specific line, cliff drop, etc.). You're likely not doing extended, multi-day trips or tremendously challenging ascents, so having a little extra weight isn't a huge issue.
I could watch that Salomon test footage from Stowe all day long
I could ski those conditions all day long! Such a great day that was...
How would the sizing go for the QST Blank. I ride a mindbender 108 right now as my daily allmountain ski here in Sweden (we don’t get that much deep powder we’re I mostly ski). But I rode the blanks for three runs on only groomers, I loved it. I tend to gravitate towards wider skis. I demoed the 186, but my question is if I could/should go with the 178 length. My mindbenders are 179cm so maybe I should go with the 186 blank. I am 178cm tall and weigh 88 kilos.
Thanks!!
Hey Eric! In general I would say you do want to go a little longer in a ski like the Blank than the Mindbender 108. Much longer rocker. You could, of course, go with the shorter length if you want to maximize playfulness, maneuverability, etc and are okay sacrificing some float and stability. That said, I'm pretty close to your size, but a little lighter, and I do prefer the 186 cm length in that ski.
Hi, how is the Kore 111 regarding float? I ski out west in BC where we can get 2 feet of snow overnight and I'm trying to decide between the 111 and the 117. By 11am most of the powder is skied out so being able to charge through the deep crud is important. Thanks!
If I had to guess, I'd say that the Kore series is not going to be the best in crud. Lightest in line up, it's going to get banged around. The Katana or Enforcer will perform better in crud. As for deep powder, if you are heavier grab the 117. Maybe Blister ski reviews can shed more light on the trade-offs and differences of these models.
Hey Josh, for that application I think I would prefer the 111. The 117 is a cool ski, but as you point out, things get tracked out pretty quickly at most resorts. Bear Claw brings up an interesting point about the weight and getting kicked around by crud, but I actually think the 111 tracks reasonably well. He's right that the Katana and Enforcer are better in that regard, but those skis are much heavier too, so it's a trade-off. Hope that helps!
Perhaps a bit of a weird question, but I hope someone can answer it anyway. Does the katana 108 have roughly the same float in powder as the atris or other 108 underfoot skis? And when people say it's a very strong ski it's always hard to gauge how strong they really are, I ski a pair of stöckli laser sc's as a groomer ski, would the katanas be more demanding than those skis? I know they're very different skis but that would give me a rough idea of how strong they are.
Hello! First, I would say no, not necessarily. The Katana 108 doesn't have as much rocker as some 108 underfoot skis. Rocker adds a lot to a ski's flotation. The Atris, for example, has much more splay in the tip, which helps it float better. The Katana 108 still is great in soft and deep snow, but there are skis in the same width range that feel more floaty. To your other question, I would say yes, the Katana 108 is going to feel more demanding overall than your Laser SC. Most of that has to do with weight. It's a much bigger ski, so much heavier, which makes it more fatiguing to maneuver. Hope that answers your questions!
I just picked up Bent Chetler 120 and will be throwing a shift binding on, any suggestions on location of binding? I requested 1cm back from factory line.
-1 cm will be sweet for powder! Great spot.
Awesome review :D
For an experienced on-piste skier but a first-timer powder skier(100kg), do you recommend the K2 Reckoner 112 or the Fischer Ranger FR 115 ? It will be a dedicated off-piste ski, no on-piste with it.
Although I may play around, I'm not going to park to do massive jumps, my focus is just riding the powder and the easiest to maneuver the better I guess :)
Those are very very different skis, what made you go with those two? Ranger is a stiff directional big mountain carver, the Reckoner is a softer playful freestyle oriented ski. Depending on the terrain you'll be skiing, at 100kg you may find the Reckoner too soft and too short in front of the boots (mount point is around -5.5 from center) to get enough float/support In deep snow. They'll probably work well for playing in the trees and lower angle stuff but steep chutes and bowls might cause problems. (I'm 105kg for reference)
@@src248 To be honest I only mentioned those 2 because I found nice deals on them :)
So I guess the Reckoner is more of a park ski and Fischer would be a better tool for what I want :)
I agree 10% with Steve, I think the Ranger 115 would be the better choice, especially if you can find a deal on a pair!
How are the new Spurs different from the original white ones that came only in a 189? They look like very much the same ski.
Hey Michael! Overall, they're actually pretty similar. The new one is just more refined overall. Materials aren't exactly the same, or rather how they use them isn't exactly the same. The new ski is a little bit lighter, by about 150-200 g. A little more energetic too, I'd say, but overall, very similar skis.
How does the Black Crows Atris and Fischer Ranger 102 FR compare? I ski the Blizzard Brahma 88 and looking to add a wider ski. Want it to be easy to turn in the trees and float pretty good in powder while still being decent on groomers. Also want it to be a little more playful and not super stiff. Also looking at the Line Sick Day 104. Thanks.
Blizzard Rustler 10 or 11 might be a good option. Check out their reviews.
having owned both I think you might wanna go with the atris for what you describe, 102 FR is stiffer/better for the frontside though, but atris still great.
Both could work for sure. pewpewpew brought up a good point about the Ranger 102. Definitely a more precise ski on a groomer and stiffer overall. The Atris has more float and a softer flex pattern, but you lose some responsiveness and edge to edge quickness on a groomer. How often are you in soft snow? That's a good thing to think about to try to decide between the two. Sick Day 104 is an interesting option too. It kind of feels like a lighter, softer-flexing Ranger, although it is more directional. Hope that helps!
I'm looking to get into touring here in Montana. Would a few of these make for good touring skis here in the West?
Definitely, as long as you're usually in deep snow when you're touring. I would recommend sticking to the lighter models and no going super wide just for more versatility.
Howdy, my bindings ripped out of my 2020 head kore 105's at the top of red cone - mammoth, CA 3 weeks ago. Long story short, looking to replace them. I live full time in Tahoe, Ca and get 15-20 BC days a season with 45-75 resort days mostly at Alpine/Palisades. The new generation of the Kore 111 seems interesting as I wished for a bit more float on softer days but also wanted to be able to push through more variable / punchy crust & chop with a more slarvy feel. This would be mounted with a g3 ion 12 and would be a tour only ski that would be ridden in all conditions. The atomic backland 107 didn't have enough tail rocker, to soft of a flex and I wanted a full rim of metal. I ride in-bounds on the 2018 / 2021 enforcer 100's and ruslter 11's I could almost ride my rustler 11's on anything but they are lacking in true edge hold and don't really shine in chunder. Thoughts on how the head kore 111 would hold up to my skiing?
I expect the Kore 111 would hold up to your skiing, yeah. It still feels pretty strong, similar to how the 105 achieves that while still being lightweight. Definitely more of a surfy/smeary/floaty shape, however. I've skied the 111 a handful of times now and really enjoy it. I do think the Kore tracks through chop and chunder better than the Rustler as it's just a little stiffer. Stays relatively composed when skiing fast through stuff like that. Feels like a good choice to me.
Same exact thing happened to me with the 105's. Questioning the 2022 Kore 111's. Will the same thing happen?
@@PillarsOfWealthCreation The new Kore 111's have a layer of metal under the binding area now to help with retention, so I bet we aren't the only ones. The Shop I got the skies warrantied at ended up botching the mount on the new kore 111's they gave me, so I took the refund and am waiting for stuff to show up this season before making a purchase.
Do you guys have a recommendation for switzerland free ride ski? I‘m 183cm about 100kg. I‘m a vers good on piste driver but new in free riding.
I saw your comment on the Enforcer 110 and certainly have no reason to not get that ski. The only thing I'd bring up is it's somewhat heavy. Other skis like the QST Blank, Rustler 11, or M-Free 108 provide similar performance, but feel lighter. Something to consider, at least.
How would you compare the Ranger 115 with the Kore 111 ? Which would be nicer as a dedicated European powder ski ?
Ranger feels a little stronger. More vibration damping and tracks better through choppy snow. The Kore feels lighter and quicker, but not as stable at speed. Both would be a lot of fun for a Europe powder ski, just comes down to skiing style.
Hey guys are you planning on doing an armada whitewalker review?/ have you had the chance to get your hands on them? Cheers
Hey Mike! We'll try to work that one in. Very unique ski!
How similarly do the QST 108s ski like the QST Blank ?
Hey Ben! They have a similar feel, the Blank and 106. Very similar construction, although the Blank has some improvements over the 106. I expect we'll see those upgrades go into the 106 whenever that ski is updated next. Anyways, even with those changes, the construction is still mostly the same. The rocker profile on the Blank is more pronounced. Longer and more splay, so that gives it a more surfy/smeary feel compared to the 106. 106 tracks a little better through choppy snow conditions and of course is a little quicker edge to edge on firm snow. Not as much float as the Blank either. Hope that helps!
can you do a review on the 4frnt devastators
We've had a lot of 4FRNT requests recently and will try to do some testing on the brand this season.
Hi guys! I currently have the qst 99s and im looking for something new. I mostly ski in scandinavia and in france. I want something lighter, more playful that handles drops and jumps, but also can work well in the deep powder. I dont even know if i should go for a freeride, freestyle or powder ski so i am really in need of your help!
Obviously I’m no expert, but I ski Scandinavia and France (Chamonix) like you.
I have the Nordica Enforcer 110, but it’s not a great ski for me. A bit heavy and not great for shorter turn. Maybe my technical level is too low for it :)
The issue in France is that one minut you’ll be on a broad red piste and the next hard narrow icy one. So at least for me, I want something around 100 mm that can handle everything pretty well.
I have been looking at the Atris and the Fischer Ranger 102 FR as a dayli driver and I’m pretty sure I’ll go with the Fischer.
The review these guys have done of it pretty much convinced me of that choice :)
Hello! A bunch of skis in the beginning of this video feel like they'd work great for you. Declivity 108, M-Free 108, Atris, Rustler 11, QST Blank... Those all feel like great choices. You don't need to go super wide into the skis on the left side of this ski wall. Those skis are so wide they have some limitations when you're not in super deep snow. If you're specifically looking for something that feels lighter, I think that M-Free 108 might be the best ski for you. Very light, very agile, super rewarding to ski. Hope that helps!
Rustler 11: similar to the enforcer little off the top end, more agile and mounuverable at slow speeds
Atris
Qst blank : floats the most, but not terrible on piste, last one to say it can curve
DPS pagoda:good for trees
dynastar m free
K2 mindbender 116 c : directional,
Fischer 115 : user friendly for a 115
Good input!
bought a katana 108 today, wish me luck :)
Sweeeeet!
Where are Faction skis in *all* of your videos? Especially the dictator series is awesome in the all-mountain to powder categories depending on the width.
Yea, I wondered the same thing. Faction is on my short list.
Hello! We just haven't done enough testing on them to include them in these comparisons, and we also don't have the brand readily available right now. We have done some testing on them, however, and we receive a lot of requests for Faction, so there's a good chance you'll see the brand in our content down the road sometime.
blackops has to be the best ski on this wall, but i will take one of each! 👍🤙
Have you only one leg? 😅😉
@@mbal4052 😂🤘
Agreed. Doesn't actually get mentioned much but coming from a resort powder skier, that ski kills! Every day is a fun day on the Blackops. Gives u confidence jumping stuff too.
So is it the 104 or the 110 enforcer for Big White and Silver Star? Ugh I can't decide...
I say get the enforcer 88 for Silver Star and 110 for Big White
Will these be your only skis? If so, I would get the 104. It's more versatile for a wider range of snow conditions than the 110. If you already have a narrower all-mountain ski and these will be filling the role of a dedicated powder ski, then it might be worth going to the 110.
Volkl Revolt 121 177cm how wide is this ski in middle pls someone help me ?
120 mm
I picked up some lightly used Shreditor 112s, similar to the Reckoners I believe. I like how playful the Shreditor is, but I found a deal on some Rustlers 11s I want to get for my adult kid, are they as playful? Thanks.
Rustler is great in deeper snow and has some more oomph than some of the lighter skis out there. Not sure if you are looking for this type of power or if you're looking for more manageable. If playfulness is high on the priority list, I'd take a look at the Atomic Bent 110 in the 172 or the Line Bacon 108 in that same length.
@@SkiEssentials Thanks, too late, I already bought the Rustlers. Price was a consideration, and I found a great deal on the 2023s. I have heard the Rustler described as "playful" and smeary, not just in your video, as long as they are somewhat close to the Shreditors, I think we'll be fine. I love the Shreditors ability to pivot under foot in the trees, and turn easily in the pow at any speed. I have been skiing Line Opus' for a decade and I do not find them anywhere near that playful. And my kids will be coming from 160cm K2 Gotbacks, which I don't think are playful at all.
What do you think of Head e-Rally skis ??
Great skis! Certainly don't fit into this category, but they're a heck of a lot of fun as frontside carving skis. Powerful and precise, but enough width to handle some variable snow conditions as well.
Im thinking of upgrading from my 2011 Armada JJ (I used them as my one-ski-quiver with marker barons for many years), been looking at the Nocta for a couple of seasons now. I ski in Finnish Lapland and we have a lot of low angle pow and short touring (less than 500m of vert). Some people say that Nocta is also pretty good in chop and in high speeds because of the long turning radius. Is this true in your opinion? I do also love full rocker skis, I use a pair of BC Daemons for my all mountain skis.
Yeah, I would say that's true. It might not track as well as some skis with the full rocker shape, but I do think it handles higher speeds and choppy snow well. My friend who skis them is known for skiing pretty darn fast and they work for him really well. In my opinion, if you like skiing the Daemon, you'll feel right at home on the Nocta. We did quite a bit of testing on the Deamon and although they're much different in width, the Nocta definitely share some characteristics.
can you do skis in the mid 90-100 range
That video will be up tomorrow!
Before I watch this, is there any particular ski that wows you? Like, is this an hour and half of pros, cons, but you don’t really talk about how “85% of the testers were in love with this ski because it was just the best on the mountain.” I can deal with nuance, but when a ski sets itself ahead of the pack, then SAY IT! 😍
All good
@@alnelson8484 as in, it’s 1.5 hours of “good” adjectives? Like they’re not trying to make any of the ski reps feel bad? Very millennial of them, everyone gets a medal. No, seriously, when a ski stands out amongst the testers, that has to be said. Every ski rating publication has always done that.
@@MattShafter I don't think the ski makes the wall if it doesn't stand out to the testers. This is not a review of all skis available. If they are talking about it, it's a great ski for somebody. It's up to you to listen/watch and decide what is best for you. Very millennial of you to not want to earn it and just be given a short cut. They give good critical analysis, not just compliments.
@@raysoutsideplace I will watch this weekend. I do love these guys. But I would like to know the number of testers. If it's 20 people, patterns FOR SURE start to emerge. I would simply like them to say "This/these skis stood out." That's all.
Hey Matt! The best answer I can give you is yes, there are certain skis in this comparison and all of our comparisons that "wow" me. What's always interesting, and a theme we carry through all our content, is the skis that wow me aren't necessarily the skis that wow Bob, or the skis that wow you, etc etc. We try really hard to discuss objective differences between skis and match it to different skiing styles, level of aggressiveness, ability level, etc. When we started our reviews and YT channel, we specifically never wanted to say "this ski is good at everything, it's the best" because ultimately ski performance is so subjective. What I feel in the Enforcer 110, for example, will be different than someone who is Bob's size, or a different ability level, or without a freestyle background, etc etc.
That said, we do actually call out when a ski is well-liked across the board in our testing. We do that in both our Ski Test and these comparison videos. You'll often hear us say something like "this ski has a very broad appeal," meaning it works well for a wide range of skiers.
Also, Bob's definitely Gen-X ;)
How come you guys never review 4FRNT skis?
Right now we don't do much testing on brands that are Direct to Consumer. J Skis, 4FRNT, etc. We can't sell them, in other words. We have had a number of requests for reviews of brands like that, so it would be cool to find time to do a comparison or review of some of these brands.
you guys should do k2 catamaran
K2 discontinued the Catamaran. I've skied it a handful of times, however. Super fun skis in the right conditions.
what do you recommend for a beginner freerider?
Hi Makar! Stick to a lighter, and relatively narrow ski. In fact, it might make sense to go into a different category. We have another video on mid-100 freeride skis and I think there are a lot of good options in there for a beginner freeride. Ripstick 106 from Elan comes to mind as a good one, or Volkl Blaze 106. Lots of other options too, but check out those skis and try to stick to relatively similar skis, I think that will be best.
Arv JJ 116 I think would have been a better overall comparison.
I don't disagree, but we wanted to include the Declivity because it's new and the Magic J is just so wild we thought it would be fun to have in there. Just thought I'd explain our reasoning.
I agree thank you for your post just wish we had the stock JJ 116 in there because most normal people won’t be using the magic J either the zero or stock 116. Plus they stiffened it up
Would Atomic Bent Chetler be a good option in crud snow aswell ? If not which one do you think has the best performance in crud ?
Don't think so. too light. I think none of these skis are "good" in crud, but the least bad should probably be the ones to the left (katana, declivity, m-free) as well as the enforcer and possibly the rossignol. Good crud skis are typically heavy, stiff (but not very stiff), straight (larger radius >22m) and not crazy wide.
Definitely too light, the worse the snow is the heavier you want the ski. Rossignol has two of the very best skis for that at the moment; the Gamer if you want something playful (like the BC) or the Sender Squad if you want a no speed limit, any conditions, big turn carving charger. The wider M-free skis and the Prior CBC (or any of their models) are very good in that regard as well
talling 120s or 100s? honestly neither are great in crud, superlight & nimble though
Thank you guys.I have a volkl mantra 102 and they were absolutley brilliant in crud but in pure powder they struggled.I think having both Bent Chetler 120 and volkl mantra 102 is a good combination of skis.
@@agonkumnova4891 I also have the mantra 102, amazing for cruddy fast stuff, hopeless for slow tree stuff with not so light powder , I have the bent chetler 120 for that, and pow in general, ohh and the revolt 121 for inbetween ;)
Whats up with the Armada ARV 116jj?
Fat, rockered, and pretty heavy, this thing is all fun and games, but only in fresh and deep snow. If you're looking for a great backcountry freestyle ski, this is a fantastic choice. If you spend most of your time on groomers, there are better options.
I dunno if it matters a lot but maybe it would be nice to take skiers weight into consideration? I guess for me as a short/light skier the bentchetler and the revolt would fit me.
Sure, and we do this for a lot of skis, probably just not all. If we've found that a ski works particularly well, or poorly, for a skier of a certain size or weight, we try to mention it. It does matter for sure.
Will there ever be a faction review ?
I don't understand why they don't include them...
@@thescheibe4 they don't sell faction
@@aidenbielefeld5005 makes sense then haha
We get more requests for Faction than any other brand. There's a good chance we'll add the brand sometime down the road.
Just wondering why the armada white walker isn’t on this list?
I don't believe we had it in stock just yet when we filmed this video... Great skis!
Bentchetler 120 is too light IMO for a resort powder ski vs a 2000plus gram ski Like the old Bentchetler or Newer JJ 116 with aspen ash core. Lighter is not always better hence why Salomon went with the blank 112 in 2200 plus grams. I would buy the old Bentchetler over the new one if they still made it.
Hello! I think 166 cm is the way to go. 173 cm feels like a lot of ski for your size, especially at your current ability level. 166 should feel stable and supportive, while being much easier to control and more supportive of progression. Maybe sometime down the road you'll want a longer ski, but I don't expect that to happen within 5 years.
Yes I agree 100%, I much preferred the old Bent Chetler. There has been so much undeserved hype over the lightened version of Bentchetler 120, and I don't think it is that good of a ski. If you aren't trying to ski that aggressively and never run into chop it might be okay. Yeah they are light but who cares, especially if they are being used as a resort ski (like 90% of the people that buy it). The DPS Pagoda Lotus 124 is significantly better in nearly every way (more predictable in powder, much better charger, absolutely destroys groomed runs / better than most aggressive all mountain skies, still very easy to swing around, floats better at recommend mounting point, and overall just much more versatile) and only slightly heavier. The Lotus 124 is still really light for how big it is. The DPS Lotus 124 can be demoed at Utah Ski Gear in Salt Lake City, if you are interested. I have skied several true Powder skies (over 115mm at the waist) over the years including the JJ, Rocker, Rocker2, ARG, Blizzard Spur, various years of the old Bent Chetler, and the Lotus 124 is my favorite by far just due to its ability to aggressively and predictable blast through powder. And like I said it holds its own on groomers even, when I demoed them I was beating my ski racer buddy down the slopes everytime when he had some all-mountain Fisher Ranger Tis. The old Bent Chetler was really good. THe DPS Lotus 124 feels like a lighter version of that ski, with a bit more energy, and slightly worse crud performance (but crud performance isn't bad on the Lotus, especially considering its light weight).
dope video but why do you guys never talk about faction? prodigy 4.0 and candide 5.0 could definitely have been in this vid.
Hey John! We do test Faction from time to time, but we didn't have enough experience on them to feel comfortable including them in this comparison. We may include Faction someday. Time will tell. Kind of a bummer they're losing Candide after this season.
Rustler 11 or QST blank?
Hard to pick a winner there. QST feels a little more playful to me, bouncier, if that makes sense. Rustler feels maybe a little smoother, slightly more vibration damping underfoot, but not as poppy/playful.
I had a custom set of skis made for me for powder. They're 450mm underneath and they rip. Wide is where it's at. I get to float in the pow, 4" ya know............. I'm an expert skeeeee-errrrrrrr just like all of you.
How long, though? Anything under 218 and I'll be disappointed.
Can we just put downhill bindings on 2 thin snowboards?
Edit: the more I think about it that would be a really fun video for you guys to make.
Can we get a "which skis do our staff use" video
Hey Toshi, I meant to leave links, but it seems my comment didn't go through? We have 3 "Whats in Your Quiver" videos that show 3 people on our staff and their personal skis.
ua-cam.com/video/Ts1_dSnxnMo/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/EVFyvHRBLrg/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/G11lYMqhEX4/v-deo.html
@@SkiEssentials Yes I saw the videos, thank you so much.
Bob did not accede to your, "mere mortal like us," comment.
Lola e fharli
magic j's are the shit
I'd love to watch these, but when I see 1.5 or 2 hours I just move along. Perhaps breaking them down into 15-20 minute bite sizes videos will help! Just my 2c's
They put time stamps on it exactly for that reason.
They're designed to click around through the different skis. We don't really expect people to watch the whole thing, although some do. 15-20 minute videos wouldn't allow us to include as many skis. We do have a lot of shorter-form videos too. (Edit) Most of these skis are included in our Ski Test with 3-5ish minute videos.
Always appreciate the feedback.
I like the long video
If they had to do it in 15 min, 1 min per ski is just not enough time, specially with footage...
@@jesseeng9598 same. I like to let it play on the background sometimes.