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Line SFBs or Prophet 98s....

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi,

I'm new to the forum, but have lurked for some time reading some of the excellent advice on here.

I'm looking to buy some wider skis for next season given the sales and was hoping for some advice on what to go for. I ski on average 3-4 weeks a year and have done so for the past 18 years, normally 3 weeks in France and 7-10 days in Colorado.

I'm 27, 175cm, roughly 185lb / 85kg ski to a high standard, albeit mostly on piste until the past couple of seasons, but am increasingly venturing off piste. My existing skis are 74mm underfoot and don't really do it for me off piste.

I'm trying to decide whether to go for the Line Sir Francis Bacon or the Prophet 98s. Both are heavily reduced, so price isn't too much of a differentiator.

Has anyone skied both? What would you recommend? If there isn't much powder I'd probably stick to my existing skis, so this is mainly for good powder days.

Thanks in advance.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:

If there isn't much powder I'd probably stick to my existing skis, so this is mainly for good powder days.


Go wider, then. Faction skis are going cheap on Sportpursuit atm.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I've skied both Prophet 100 ('08 non-rockered model) and SFBs ('12 model, same spec as current) extensively and would say the SFBs are the better choice for powder. The Prophet is probably a bit stiffer, with slightly better edge hold on hardpack, but in the soft stuff the SFB is sublime. Next year will be my third season on SFBs as my main powder weapon with no plans to change. They can be immense fun on piste too if the conditions are soft, with a surprisingly short turn radius for a big ski. The Prophets prefer bigger arcs, but are pretty versatile too.

In short you can't go wrong with either, but if powder is your main reason, go for the SFB or perhaps its big brother Opus.
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I can`t compare the two, but like you I wanted to venture off more, having a pair of iTitans for the piste. I am a bit taller and a good 15kgs heavier than you, and 2 decades older ! I got the 98`s last summer, and they have been perfect for me; much lighter, more float for my bulk, and much more flexible, which is the deal beater for me, because the Titans hurt my feet and knees, being much stiffer.
Realistically, if you are starting to "venture off piste", the chances are that you will still be spending a large amount of time on piste, like me, so unless you are going to have a quiver, the 98`s cover piste and off piste well; they are a true one quiver ski. The guy who sold them to me told me that I would`nt being using the Titans much again, and he was right. My only reservation about them is that the build does`nt look as high quality as the Heads, or OH`s Atomics.
Just re read your post, seeing you would keep your piste skis; Prophet 98`s would make you sell them !
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks for the advice. When I say venture off piste, the paste couple of weeks skiing that I've done I spent almost entirely off piste, or in the bowls in Colorado. I really enjoyed this (I guess as it was something new), but felt limited by my K2 Apache Crossfires. I love the K2s on the groomers but want something more playfull for going hors piste.

I demoed the Opus at the end of last season and thought they were great, but given that most of my skiing is in europe the number of occasions that I'd get to use them would be limited. I've found the SFBs for £275 which seems to be a very very good price so think that's what I'm going to go for, probably in a 178.

Just need to decide on bindings now!
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heroicab304, with it's rockered tip the SFB skis very short so you should go longer than the 178cm
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Agree with spyderjon, you need the 184 length. I'm the same weight as you (85kg) and the 184s ski very short with their twin tip rocker and very centred mounting. I can't imagine 178s would be enough ski for me.
On build quality my 2012 SFBs are a notch better than my older Prophets, which were pretty average but no problems in use. I don't know if the current Prophets have improved in this respect.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
heroicab304, Ebay has some 98's with Sally STH 12's, low start, no bids................. worth a look.

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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I'm a wee bit taller than you and ski the P98s in their longest length. They're a great fun ski that encourage having fun on skis. They'll carve well, bust through chopped up powder well, are a nice weight for long days, aren't too stiff that they become tiring, have a beautiful flex pattern, can pop out short turns as well as grind out big GS style turns... etc. etc.

A true one ski quiver.

There's probably more modern designs out there that are just as good (the dynastar cham series ski great) but if you can get them at a good price you won't be disappointed.

Have only skiied the SFBs in the fridge so can't really comment, but they seemed fun at the time.

Here's me on my P98s... the kind of fun skiing that they excel in Very Happy

Getting more and more confident on them

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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
oops... sorry about the image size. can that be reduced?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
heroicab304,

SFB 184 for a playful powder ski that can ride switch and loves to be in the air. More float, less charge.

Prophet 98s in 179/186 that is a directional 'go fast all the time' kind of ski. Less float, more charge.

I wouldn't go shorter than those lengths, esp. the little bacons (they're tiny!) If you like to carve lots then go for the Prophets, if you expect to get dumps bigger than 15 cm go for Bacons.
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