Recommend me a powder ski

[epicentre]

Hello, good folks of pugski.

Here's a midsummer doldrums post for ya. I desperately need to replace my powder skis. How desperately? They are Nordica Helldorados.. that desperately! Heavy, old, no tail, did I mention they are heavier than tanks? Had them for too long now and they need to go.

I am looking for a ski that is easy going, very lightweight, twin tip or at least tip and tail rocker, 5-point, good in trees, and a nice mid-fat about ~110 - 115mm in width for inbounds resort skiing on powder days in the northern rockies. Don't need any nth degree of crushing power or anything. After years of serious skis I spent last year primarily skiing some totally underrated and bad ass direction twin tip Volkl Revolts. So that is the flavor I'm leaning towards, but fatter.

6'2", 180lbs

I'm not adverse to buying a new model but any new old stock is okay too. What's out there these days in lightweight playful powder skis? I've demoed the Line SFB and could easily see myself picking up a Mordecai. But any other skis I should consider? JJ 2.0? Gunsmoke?

 

[jmeb]

Rossignol Soul 7 or Super 7 HD is a perennial favorite in the category for good reason.

The JJ 2.0 is also very fun.

Gunsmoke is a great ski but I wouldn't put it in the same class of playful and easy.

 

[Lauren]

I am looking for a ski that is easy going, very lightweight, twin tip or at least tip and tail rocker, 5-point, good in trees, and a nice mid-fat about ~110 - 115mm in width for inbounds resort skiing on powder days in the northern rockies. Don't need any nth degree of crushing power or anything. After years of serious skis I spent last year primarily skiing some totally underrated and bad ass direction twin tip Volkl Revolts. So that is the flavor I'm leaning towards, but fatter.

Maybe the Volkl One. They give you back what you put into them; i.e. you can ski them hard, they'll take it. You ski them easy, they won't overpower you. Playful...definitely. Not sure if I'd put it in the "very lightweight" category...maybe more of a "fairly lightweight" category. Pretty similar construction (material-wise, not shape) to the Revolt as well, so since you've really been liking that, good chance you'll like the feel of the One. They haven't changed it for a few years (and re-named it the Bash for this coming season), so you can get them on killer discounts right now.

 

[Philpug]

If looking in the discount racks, how about the DPS Wailer 112RP, a perennial fave of our testers and much more playful than those Helldorados. The Mordicai is a great option. Atomic Backland 112's and even the 117's are a ton o'fun.

 

[BMC]

You could get the K2 Coomba 114. I have no idea how it skis but I've bought one so I'm sure it rips.

 

[Crank]

I rented the Atomic backlands for a powder day at Big Sky last season and really liked them. I am thinking they were narrower than 112 though, like 105 or 109ish. I may get a pair and will likely put AT bindings on and use for both in and out of bounds.

Length was around 188 or 189. I weigh in between 200 and 210. Backlands were fun and easy and were not at all squirrely on the steep stuff.

 

[epicentre]

Thanks for all the suggestions and feedback.

Jmeb you're the second person to tell me the Gunsmoke is not what I'm looking for even though it is a twin. And upon further research, I think I agree with you. It appears even Blizzard has replaced it with something new. Not much info on its replacement though.

Volkl One.. good suggestion, wasn't on my radar! Looks to be a very fun ski and can be found pretty cheap. Atomic Backland is also a great suggestion. Must be good if it replaced the Automatic. Will look into these more.

Anyone know anything about the Faction Candide 3.0? A bit pricey, but looks to check off all the marks. Plus I've got a few people rave to me about them.

 

[Scotty I.]

If looking in the discount racks, how about the DPS Wailer 112RP, a perennial fave of our testers and much more playful than those Helldorados. The Mordicai is a great option. Atomic Backland 112's and even the 117's are a ton o'fun.

Just an FYI - Level Nine Sports just reduced prices on all of their DPS Foundation skis. This includes the Wailer 112 RP that @Philpug suggested for you.

 

[Ken_R]

I am basically the same size and weight as you (6-2, 180-185) and got a pair of Moment Deathwish (112mm wide, 190cm long) as my Resort Powder Ski (and daily driver unless it has not snowed in 3-4 days or more) and absolutely love them. I was between those and the Nordica Patron which I also loved but the Moment had a bit more grip on slick patches of hard snow and bit "burlier" for chowder. (places where the powder is blown off).

 

[ZionPow]

Volkl 100Eight was an excellent powder and off piste ski for me in Utah last season. Very light and playful with the ridge technology and full rocker. And it carved well on groomers.

 

[DoryBreaux]

Wailer or Backland. Just buy one of them, you'll be glad ya did.

 

[Monique]

Powder7 also just reduced a ton of DPS skis.

http://www.powder7.com/DPS-Skis/on-sale

 

[TexasStout]

Just an FYI - Level Nine Sports just reduced prices on all of their DPS Foundation skis. This includes the Wailer 112 RP that @Philpug suggested for you.

Is the DPS Wailer Foundation what he was recommending or the Wailer RP2 Pure 3? Isn't the RP2 a touring ski and the one that is highly touted?

 

[ski otter 2]

A note of caution: I suspect there is a good reason so many old model DPS skis are on sale right now, besides it being summer.

As near as I can tell, and I may be wrong, DPS has had a real breakthrough with their freeride skis for the 17/18 season. And these new skis are much damper, in a good way, albeit a bit heavier, than their older models - enough to renew my interest, I know, after years of dismissing the DPS skis for their feel, and especially for how they do in variable and transitions.

Their new Alchemist series is what is getting the buzz. These skis have a new for DPS construction: the Alchemist Wailer 106, A Wailer 112, and leading the way, the Lotus Alchemist 124 Spoon. The 124 may soon, if not already, be Blistergear's favorite powder ski, for both resorts and heli trips both. (or at least one of them.)

For reviews, see latest '18 SkiEssentials tests and also the preliminary stuff on the A 112 and the more solid stuff on the Lotus A 124 for early reviews I've seen:

http://www.skiessentials.com/2018-ski-test?category=mens-freeride (for the A Wailer 106 and 112)

http://blistergearreview.com/tag/dps-wailer-112-alchemist

http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2017-2018-dps-lotus-alchemist-124-spoon

 

[Scotty I.]

Is the DPS Wailer Foundation what he was recommending or the Wailer RP2 Pure 3? Isn't the RP2 a touring ski and the one that is highly touted?

For some reason, I thought that @Philpug was referring to the Foundation 112. Sorry man.

 

[TexasStout]

For some reason, I thought that @Philpug was referring to the Foundation 112. Sorry man.

No need to apologize. I wasn't sure at first then saw he had RP beside the 112 and figured that to not be the Foundation model.

 

[ScottB]

I have been looking at the DPS skis, mostly the Wailer 112, and I can share what I have learned so far. Basically, there is a 112 RP model and a 112 RPC model which is a different ski (similar shape, but different flex). Whether it is a Foundation, or Alchemist (this years different constructions) is hard to tell from posts and reviews, as it is often unspecified (as Phil did). They make the same skis in different layups, which is confusing to sort out without the "full" description of the ski. This year they have a mostly fiberglass layup (Foundation) and mostly carbon layup (Alchemist). Old names were Hybrid and Pure (carbon). This years carbon layup has damping material added to it, as TexasStout has described, and according to DPS, has eliminated most of the negatives about the light carbon skis. The early reports of testing the carbon layup seem to verify DPS's claims.

I had a discussion with Phil about the Foundation layup, which Phil seems to favor and recommend (he skis it). The foundation is the most damp and "normal" feeling of the constructions, and the heaviest.It is also a reasonably priced ski. The carbon is almost double the cost. In the past, only back country types felt the carbon was worth the price, guess hauling the skis up the mountain by foot tends to make you pretty sensitive to weight. (I am being sarcastic).

 

[jmeb]

...This year they have a mostly fiberglass layup (Foundation) and mostly carbon layup (Alchemist). Old names were Hybrid and Pure (carbon).....

Agree that DPS names are a bit confusing -- they make lots of options which is a good thing once you know what you're looking for. But one thing to note, at least last year there was: Foundation, Hybrid T2, Pure and Tour. So Foundation from this year is not like the Hybrid from last. The older hybrid t2 layup had two layers of titanal and was pretty beastly.

 

[ScottB]

Let's hear from anyone who owns or has skied the 112 Wailer in any of its incarnations.

 

[fatbob]

I've demoed the 112RPC I think and a couple of the pure layups.

The RPC was stellar in soft fresh snow - just the right amount of charge and playfulness. The Pures I tried in more typical Euro variable snow not so much - far too rattley to be anything other than a primo pow day ski for me and actually IMV inferior to some other Euro designed carbon construction skis.

I can see why they would simplify the range and look to achieve scale in the damper skis.