Looking for advice on a new ski after a decade!

[ohno21212]

Profile: 29M, 6', 215lbs, 25yoe. Expert who can ski anything in bounds. Most comfortable in the trees, but also like to be playful, ski backwards, do spins, hit side jibs, jump moguls, and hit smaller drops

Hey all! Ive spent the last ~8-9 years skiing the same old used nordica boot + 2015 line chronic 171 center mounted. Grabbed it back when i was living on the east coast, and also thought i was gonna be a park rat haha. I had a ton of fun with the setup, and i kept resisting the urge to change, but the boots were throughly worn out and I always knew that the lines were WAY too short for me.

Im in Colorado now, got fitted for a new boot, and now I'm in the market for a new ski. I know I should go longer, but still want to lean more playful / light. I know that i have a bit of a bias now though towards a ski that isnt really appropriate for me, so am open to driving something a little heavier if the consensus is i just need to get used to a heavier bigger ski.

I went to Powder7 and described the above and they gave me a couple recommendations: Armada ARV 100, Faction Prodigy 2, Atomic Bent 100. I've been liking the look of the bent 100, but would love some additional opinions on what to try out! I demoed the Black Crow Atris in a 184 last weekend and liked it well enough (though it felt a bit hard to move which is to be expected coming from such a short ski haha), and Im going to try to demo something this weekend and then probably pull the trigger on a new ski since my old skis are pretty beat and would need to be remounted with new bindings to be compatible.

Thanks for the help! Im, currently leaning towards last year's bent 100 in a 188, https://www.powder7.com/Atomic-Bent-100-Skis-188cm-New-Flat-2023/for-sale

 

[GregK]

The Bent 100 and Armada ARV 100 are too light and not as versatile in firmer conditions as other options out there.
I’d lean towards the Faction Prodigy 2.0 in 183cm or (189cm in more open areas) over the Dancer 2.0 as it’s a bit more playful with its semi twin tail and actually more damp. Move the mount up to the “freestyle/Newschool” plus 3cm on either of the Factions as the factory “traditional” mount too far back for your style. Still much further back than your center mounted Line’s.

The 182cm Rossignol Blackops 98(192cm again for more open slopes) be a great ski for you on the rec line as you’re used to more center mounted skis. This will be MUCH MORE solid ski than your old Line’s. Great in all conditions as it’s very versatile yet still playful. Nordica Unleashed 98 186cm another solid option that has great grip like the Blackops 98 but still playful.

The Black Crows Atris is one of my least favourite skis I’ve ever demoed as it’s slow edge to edge for it’s width and feels/sounds like a touring ski through variable snow. And I demoed the previous version that was heavier. Lol

 

[raisingarizona]

My Bent 100's are incredibly good for soft snow conditions. I'd actually say that they are the most fun ski that I've ever had. I have some 193 Volkl Kendo's for hard, fast groomer skiing but prefer the Bents to everything else and they are still pretty fun on groomers too. I don't like to take those Volkls off the groomed runs, they are just too Bucky and difficult to manage in tight natural snow situations. I'm not a fan of any metal in my cores for free skiing but I am 35 pounds lighter than you are.

The Bents are the sh*t for the kind of skiing you say you enjoy, especially if you primarily ski in the rockies. They are so quick edge to edge, super playful and wicked light and responsive. If you think it they do it. The kind of ski that's just magical.

 

[altabrig]

At your weight a heavier ski with titanal can still be playful depending on the ski.

You might find the extra power and stability to give you more ability and stability to do the things you want to do without deflection and washout. Heavier skis still pop and pivot and do the things a lighter ski can.

A heavier ski can still be soft for creative new school skiing and retain some pop, they aren't all Mantras or Cochises.

I usually like a chargier damper build, but on a heavy wet crap 12" of high density grabber snow demo day, I was not loving the Unleashed 108 off piste at all and I had fun on the 105 wood lighter and poppier Atris. I preferred the Atris to the M-Free 108. Goes to show it depends on the conditions and your preconceptions may be thrown upside down. That said, I wouldn't buy the Atris, but I'd ski them sometimes if I owned them.

I skied the Bent 110s and they pivot mindlessly. The bounced around in the heavy broken cementy pow grabby snow, but did not have a ton of deflect in the front because of the forward mount and the style the want to be skiied. Really centered stance and they can be bounced and get pushed around and still be fun. I though they skied short and were not super inspiring though playful for certain. Certainly, would be a great western resort daily for a lot of skiiers.

Other metal skis are better for those heavy conditions and for the groom, but lots of newer metal and non metal tech can get you into the playful and not super heavy skis that are more powerful than a really noodle wood/glass ski.

Personally, I'd want a ski that didn't have a large powerless side unless it was given to me. Too much resort and not enough dreamy glade light pow days to want a real soft ski. Heavy metal and stiff carbon is great in pow too with a bit of rocker.

 

[jvskier]

Maybe a little soft at your size but you could get last years Line Sir Francis Bacon in 184 or 190. Could be an easy and fun introduction to longer skis. Should work as a one ski quiver for at least a season and you can get them on sale.

 

[Prosper]

Maybe an Icelantic Nomad 105.