 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for a new ski setup for the next couple of winters to compliment the powder skis I already own. My Armada JJs are great fun and you can ski them all over the hill, but they don't inspire great confidence when it gets super-steep, hard-packed and technical. Also whilst I've toured plenty on them in Canada and the US they're not really suitable (understatement alert!!) for the high-alpine in Europe.
I'm soliciting your help to point me in the direction of the skis you think I should be looking at. Here's a quick summary which should help keep the short-list, well, short.
Requirements
Intended use; front-side and touring chargers for Europe
All mountain ski with slight powder bias (90-100mm underfoot)
Will hold an edge and inspire confidence on steep technical terrain
Light enough for multi-day tours
Flat-tailed
About Me
Key stats: 6ft, 11st, 28 yrs old
Other skis: Armada JJ 185 (16m radius) w/ Marker Dukes
Ski experience: One season in France, probably 100 days since
Type of skier: technical, fast
Potential Options
Kastle FX94 : 128-94-117 : 176cm : 20m radius : 1900g/ski
Liberty Variant 97 : 132-97-118 : 179cm : 21m radius : 2200g/ski
Dynastar Cham HM 97 : 133-97-112 : 178cm : 16m radius : 1800g/ski
The Kastle's are well reviewed but are expensive and I'm worried about the lack of a goldilocks length option; 176 likely being too short and 186 too long. The liberty are also well reviewed, are slated to hold a solid edge and charge hard, but may be a touch heavy for multi-day tours. The Dynastar are light, wide and turny, which sounds like they might be leading the pack for me. However whilst I've read a lot of good things about the standard (non HM/High-Mountain version) which has a lot of metal in the construction, the HM seems to be more unknown, and I wonder if removing all that metal will compromise edge hold.
Any thoughts/help/ideas greatly appreciated. Cheers all.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You could also look at the Black Crows skis. I've been on the Corvus for last season but there are some more touring specific skis that they do.
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just got back from Argentina and a few days of touring using DPS Wailer 99s. Expensive but tour and ski very well.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Kelskii, + 1
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I use Scott Crus'airs and find them a very robus ski which operate in a range of conditions.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Kelskii, +1 got a pair of Wailer 112s and they are a pleasure to ski
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Thanks all for the suggestions. I've discounted the Alti Powder on the basis they're much narrower than I'm looking for, the others I've added to the test group, which now looks like this:
DPS Wailer 99 : 125-99-111 : 176cm : 16-19m radius : 1600g/ski
Scott Crus'air : 129-92-116 : 179cm : 16m radius : 1800g/ski
Scott Powd'air : 134 -100-123 : 183cm : 19.5m radius : 1800g/ski
Black Crows Camox Freebird : 128-97-118 : 177cm : 20m radius : 1600g/ski
Black Crows Camox : 128-97-118 : 177cm : 20m radius : 2100g/ski
Volkl Nanuq : 131-96-114 : 177cm : 24.6m radius : 1600g/ski
Kastle FX94 : 128-94-117 : 176cm : 20m radius : 1900g/ski
Liberty Variant 97 : 132-97-118 : 179cm : 21m radius : 2200g/ski
Dynastar Cham HM 97 : 133-97-112 : 178cm : 16m radius : 1800g/ski
So what started out as a small, manageable test group is now going to involve an early season 2-day testing mission. Any other suggestions or any of these that should be discounted, please let me know.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| meh wrote: |
| You could also look at the Black Crows skis. I've been on the Corvus for last season but there are some more touring specific skis that they do. |
Fondled the Camox Freebird (?) the other day, very nice ski. Well made, surprisingly stiff flex (like), pretty light.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 22-10-13 17:37; edited 1 time in total
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Oh-oh and then there were more:
K2 Annex-98 : 131-98-119 : 177cm : 23m radius : 1800g/ski
Movement Chill Out : 135-94-121 : 177cm : 18m radius : 1650g/ski
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ScottyGBR, Check out the Down CD4. I've been using the CD7s for touring recently and really rate them.
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You know it makes sense.
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lb for lb performance, Völkl are hard to beat - Völkl Nanuq.
If you go slightly narrower then K2 Waybacks.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Volkl Nanuq +1
Sports Pursuit had a deal on them last week, may still be running. £300 for last years graphics
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Tue 22-10-13 16:24; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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And now with RRP:
DPS Wailer 99 : 125-99-111 : 176cm : 16-19m radius : 1600g/ski : £775 (approx)
Scott Crus'air : 129-92-116 : 179cm : 16m radius : 1800g/ski : £640 (approx)
Scott Powd'air : 134 -100-123 : 183cm : 19.5m radius : 1800g/ski : £680 (approx)
Black Crows Camox Freebird : 128-97-118 : 177cm : 20m radius : 1600g/ski : £575
Black Crows Camox : 128-97-118 : 177cm : 20m radius : 2100g/ski : £550
Volkl Nanuq : 131-96-114 : 177cm : 24.6m radius : 1600g/ski : £490
Kastle FX94 : 128-94-117 : 176cm : 20m radius : 1900g/ski : £680
Liberty Variant 97 : 132-97-118 : 179cm : 21m radius : 2200g/ski : £510 (approx)
Dynastar Cham HM 97 : 133-97-112 : 178cm : 16m radius : 1800g/ski : £515
K2 Annex-98 : 131-98-119 : 177cm : 23m radius : 1800g/ski : £450
Movement Chill Out : 135-94-121 : 177cm : 18m radius : 1650g/ski : £530
DB, re: the Nanuq do you mean cost vs performance, weight vs performance, or both?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Buddy1664, Thanks for the Sports Pursuit heads-up - they do still have last seasons in a 177cm for £310, which is very tempting but I think I'm going to have to test some of the above before I make a decision.
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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?
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| ScottyGBR wrote: |
| DB, re: the Nanuq do you mean cost vs performance, weight vs performance, or both? |
Opps meant to write "performance per lb", they are not cheap but stiff for their weight.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've got 177 nanuqs with dynafits for sale. Pm if interested
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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They ski really good and are very light, only selling as I've become a bit of a desk jockey
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Alans deep bath the other half might be interested in buying that package off you. Could you PM details please? Thanks, Julia
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i have K2 Hardside 98 waist. good for day touring. pre cut skins available. pricewise do check sport conrad. usually cheaper than UK
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Dynafit Manaslu
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| ScottyGBR wrote: |
| The Dynastar are light, wide and turny, which sounds like they might be leading the pack for me. However whilst I've read a lot of good things about the standard (non HM/High-Mountain version) which has a lot of metal in the construction, the HM seems to be more unknown, and I wonder if removing all that metal will compromise edge hold. |
ScottyGBR,
Just read a german test on the Dynastar Cham High Mountain 97 - they said it wasn't very stable at speed.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I skied the Black Crow Navis and highly rated it. If the others in their range are of the same quality I'd put them high on the list. You see a fair few of them in La Grave and people seem to rate them.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You spend a helluva lot more time going up than down so no need to be too concerned about having wide skis. Why lug the extra weight?
How narrow is too narrow?
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ScottyGBR, +1 for Powd'airs in 183cm. I'm similar build/weight and ski fairly assertively. Great ski. Light for their stiffness, not a noodle. Lively ski, not too turny, decent edge hold, low swing weight, great control and confidence on steeps/narrows.
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You know it makes sense.
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Bergmeister, cause the reason you spent all that time going uphill was for the pure joy involved in coming back down on skis?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Nice list of skis.
A few random thoughts
- A 2kg ski is fine for v.long touring days. So long as your reasonable fit AND mount them dynafit 
- Using dynafit reduces the lifted weight per stride. This is actually much more important that getting a lighter ski.
- Very light skis get bounced about more in crud or chop. On way down there is merit to a heavier ski.
- With a wide 100mm ski you have much more friction from the skins.
- If you want a light weight set up for fast travel then get a narrower ski (80-90mm) and accept you wont be making big GS turns in softer snow.
- As ever with ski touring its about making a compromise between the up and down, there is no perfect solution.
FWIW : I reckon a 100mm ski is optimal for typical touring conditions + enjoying the decent.
With dynafit can be used for long days and multi day tours, and perform well on hard snow, plus not so heavy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Atomic Theory?
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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?
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I'd recomend the Dynastar Cham 97, if mounting a tech binding you could go for the standard ski which is stiffer and still have a reasonably light setup.
My Cham 107's ski incredbly well on piste for something of its size. the rocker really does mean it ski's shorter. still, it's best off piste tho!
Also what about the new Rossignol series which are meant to be super light and free-ride-y?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Opening weekend booked in the French Alps. The perfect weekend for a ski test; shortlist is as follows:
Volkl Nanuq : 131-96-114 : 177cm : 24.6m radius : 1600g/ski : £490
Dynastar Cham HM 97 : 133-97-112 : 178cm : 16m radius : 1800g/ski : £515
Movement Chill Out : 135-94-121 : 177cm : 18m radius : 1650g/ski : £530
The DPS, Scott and Kastle options were ruled out based on price. The DPS and the Liberty's removed as stockists are few and far between in France. On further research the K2s were not very well reviewed. That just leaves the Black Crows which I might give a run-out if they have them available for test, though I suspect they wont particularly the Freebirds.
I've purposely kept the list short as I'm also considering testing the skis in different lengths, as I'm worried a 177cm might be a touch short. Alternative lengths listed below:
Volkl Nanuq : 177cm or 184cm
Dynastar Cham HM 97 : 178cm or 184cm
Movement Chill Out : 177cm or 185cm
Any advice on ski length? My Armada JJs are 185cm but twin tip and rockered so ski much shorter, but I do feel like I might go over the front if I straight-line it in the powder. Is this likely to be a problem even with a more traditional ski profile (like those on test)? Quick stats reminder - I'm 6ft and 11st.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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ScottyGBR, no, trad ski = longer running length and more resistance to loosing balance fore/aft. Depends on how fast you want to ski whilst ski touring though. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Longer skis make kick turns more uncomfortable - and scary!
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That's what we all do innit?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Double post
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 8-11-13 8:47; edited 3 times in total
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| Quote: |
That's what we all do innit?
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Nope : not necessarily- you see many peeps (me included in early days) struggling to kick/step their skis round above themselves which as you say is a 'mare with longer skis. Kind of revalation when you discover the snap 
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FAQ
