Thread Starter
TS
First off, I'm stoked to hear some folks can understand my inane mutterings, and maybe even enjoyed them, thank you. I have a blast with the Pugski test team, they are a fantastic blend of passion for skiing, intellect (no, really), and irreverence (no, really...).
Next, good news! I have made some progress in ticking off the lingering boxes of my Mulligan Pile, namely the '17-'18 Nordica Navigator 85, 179cm. Late season conditions in high altitude Colorado (call it 10,500 to 13K) have been reliably unreliable, which means refreeze when the lifts start turning, OR spring skiing after 10am, OR dust on crust, OR deep, wind-loaded pow, OR you name it. I have been able to sample the Navigator on hero groomer, 6" on crust, a bit of avy debris, and glorious, it's-late-April-and-I'm-slaying-pow-instead-of-biking, Betsy'sBirthday-Mother'sDay pow. I'm glad I didn't just hand the poorly tuned Navis back to the rep at SIA and write them off.
Turns out, It's not that bad.
Actually, it is nearly just right. to wit: better turn initiation than the Sollie XDR line for 17/18, and a bit more stability off piste. WAY better turn initiation than the Dynastar Legend 17/18 line. More personality than the K2 iKonic 17/18 line. Livelier than all of the above, and the 17/18 Volkl Kanjo as well (these are all new-for-'18 skis, each is important to their respective brand). It has enough stiffness, and a smart enough shape, to get into deep snow and NOT surprise you by letting the snow snakes grab at your feet and throw you over the handlebars; rather, they are predictable when submerged, and I had way more fun in pow than I thought I would, in a pleasantsurprise way.
As light as these skis are (yes, they are part of the lightness craze the industry is gripped by), I was pre convinced that I was going to end up writing how they are too short, and you need ought to size up...
...I even brought my Blossom White Out, and Stockli Stormrider 95s as backup skis in case they turned out to be miserable. Please don't tell anyone, I think I am supposed to be more committed than that, I shouldn't wimp out just so I can get on some known-quantity skis and enjoy my day.
But wait, I didn't swap out, I kept on with the Navigators, and had a great day. Of the new crop of mid range, all mountain skis for 17/18 mentioned above, I will go ahead and say more people should be on the Navigator and any of the other skis I mentioned. I'll flesh that out below.
...but before I do, the nearly good part. They lack the overall power of the iKonic, and they really lack the torsional rigidity of the XDR, or RTM; the XDR will do a great job of holding in the belly of the turn, while the Navigator will initiate more positively, but then just when things get exciting, it struggles to inspire as much confidence as the XDR when the g's start to load up. Like a lot of lighter skis, this is not the stick to choose when you want to rage, and motor though crud. The iKonic, or better still, the Monster 88, Stormrider 88, MX 84, and Vantage 90Cti will see you through, and with more composure, as the excitement/chaos builds.
Overall, however, plusses outnumber minuses for the new Navigator. I was not a fan of what it replaces, the Nrgy, but this lil' guy... I like it, I want it to succeed. The Navigator is the ski among this crop I would recommend for a traveling skier, an advancing intermediate who may have a home mountain (or may be a Texan), and travels to one or two of the big mountains each year, and maybe takes a lesson or jumps in a clinic because they want to keep moving forward, keep getting more efficient. Of the lighter, very accessible all mountain skis available right now, I would recommend this one if you want to visit Bob Barnes or Josh Matta (to name a couple talented instructors) and kick your technique up a notch. It will respond underneath you as you seek to execute what Bob or Josh is teaching, with enough feel to reward you with an Aha moment when you risk enough.
The Navigator is a very good ski for at least 80% of us out there, but not everyone. Stronger skiers will overpower it; markojp is better served on the outgoing Nrgy than by this. As well, Drahtguy will likely be too much for this guy. But if you are medium weight/medium pace, and you want a ski that makes you feel clever, and want something that is good at a lot of things, and will help you on the way to the next level, this one is hard to pass up.
Next, good news! I have made some progress in ticking off the lingering boxes of my Mulligan Pile, namely the '17-'18 Nordica Navigator 85, 179cm. Late season conditions in high altitude Colorado (call it 10,500 to 13K) have been reliably unreliable, which means refreeze when the lifts start turning, OR spring skiing after 10am, OR dust on crust, OR deep, wind-loaded pow, OR you name it. I have been able to sample the Navigator on hero groomer, 6" on crust, a bit of avy debris, and glorious, it's-late-April-and-I'm-slaying-pow-instead-of-biking, Betsy'sBirthday-Mother'sDay pow. I'm glad I didn't just hand the poorly tuned Navis back to the rep at SIA and write them off.
Turns out, It's not that bad.
Actually, it is nearly just right. to wit: better turn initiation than the Sollie XDR line for 17/18, and a bit more stability off piste. WAY better turn initiation than the Dynastar Legend 17/18 line. More personality than the K2 iKonic 17/18 line. Livelier than all of the above, and the 17/18 Volkl Kanjo as well (these are all new-for-'18 skis, each is important to their respective brand). It has enough stiffness, and a smart enough shape, to get into deep snow and NOT surprise you by letting the snow snakes grab at your feet and throw you over the handlebars; rather, they are predictable when submerged, and I had way more fun in pow than I thought I would, in a pleasantsurprise way.
As light as these skis are (yes, they are part of the lightness craze the industry is gripped by), I was pre convinced that I was going to end up writing how they are too short, and you need ought to size up...
...I even brought my Blossom White Out, and Stockli Stormrider 95s as backup skis in case they turned out to be miserable. Please don't tell anyone, I think I am supposed to be more committed than that, I shouldn't wimp out just so I can get on some known-quantity skis and enjoy my day.
But wait, I didn't swap out, I kept on with the Navigators, and had a great day. Of the new crop of mid range, all mountain skis for 17/18 mentioned above, I will go ahead and say more people should be on the Navigator and any of the other skis I mentioned. I'll flesh that out below.
...but before I do, the nearly good part. They lack the overall power of the iKonic, and they really lack the torsional rigidity of the XDR, or RTM; the XDR will do a great job of holding in the belly of the turn, while the Navigator will initiate more positively, but then just when things get exciting, it struggles to inspire as much confidence as the XDR when the g's start to load up. Like a lot of lighter skis, this is not the stick to choose when you want to rage, and motor though crud. The iKonic, or better still, the Monster 88, Stormrider 88, MX 84, and Vantage 90Cti will see you through, and with more composure, as the excitement/chaos builds.
Overall, however, plusses outnumber minuses for the new Navigator. I was not a fan of what it replaces, the Nrgy, but this lil' guy... I like it, I want it to succeed. The Navigator is the ski among this crop I would recommend for a traveling skier, an advancing intermediate who may have a home mountain (or may be a Texan), and travels to one or two of the big mountains each year, and maybe takes a lesson or jumps in a clinic because they want to keep moving forward, keep getting more efficient. Of the lighter, very accessible all mountain skis available right now, I would recommend this one if you want to visit Bob Barnes or Josh Matta (to name a couple talented instructors) and kick your technique up a notch. It will respond underneath you as you seek to execute what Bob or Josh is teaching, with enough feel to reward you with an Aha moment when you risk enough.
The Navigator is a very good ski for at least 80% of us out there, but not everyone. Stronger skiers will overpower it; markojp is better served on the outgoing Nrgy than by this. As well, Drahtguy will likely be too much for this guy. But if you are medium weight/medium pace, and you want a ski that makes you feel clever, and want something that is good at a lot of things, and will help you on the way to the next level, this one is hard to pass up.
