 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for a new pair of skis for use all over the mountain but with good performance in the powder. I've demoed the JJ's and I'm now considering getting them, however I can't decide between the JJ's or the Whitedot Directors ? I've not had a chance to ski the directors and there are not too many reviews for them online. Would anyone recommend them ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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How tall/heavy are you?
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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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My sister has a pair of Directors; well made and well designed skis. Personally I'd take them over the JJs (though the JJs will obviously float more) for a few reasons:
- I don't like Armada 'cos they tried to sue Rossignol claiming that they (Armada) invented Rocker - when in fact neither of the two companies did.
- Super short turn radius on the JJs - makes no sense to me on that size ski. Corroborated by all the reports on how it makes them unstable at speed in funky snow.
JJ's are probably great in pure powder, but when it gets chopped up I think there are better options in the 5-point-sidecut category.
I'll drop my standard plug for the OLD Moment Bibby Pro here, but also look at the 4FRNT CRJ, Bent Chetler, Rossi Soul 7, ON3P Billygoat and WD Ranger.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
- I don't like Armada 'cos they tried to sue Rossignol claiming that they (Armada) invented Rocker - when in fact neither of the two companies did.
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I don't agree with their decision to sue Rossignol either but that wasn't the basis of the suit.
Several points - the JJ is not great in crud or broken snow. It really shines in deep powder and especially in deep powder in tight trees. If you anticipate skiing a lot of that then they are a good option. The hardpack performance is also unreal for a ski of that size.
I like mine and it was a groundbreaking ski for its time but there are now better options out there.
As an all mountain ski I would be looking at something between 100 and 110 underfoot with tip rocker and at most a semi-twinned tail. At the moment I'd probably be starting with the Armada Norwalk or something similar if I had skied and liked the JJ.
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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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spyderjon, I'm 6ft tall and 65Kg , I'm leaning more towards the director now , do you know how these skis handle on piste? I generally like to ski very fast on piste making large turns will the directors be good for this?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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gorilla, I demoed the Norwalk at the MK test - heavy lifeless worst ski I skied - might have been a bum tune but they were seriously not fun. Mind you I had been on the CarboDeemers before so maybe not a fair transition.
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Polarbear59, I've got a pair of Directors - really like them in powder, very floaty and easy to turn, but also feel really stable. Their piste performance is a bit more difficult to rate...they're perfect tooling about and turn perfectly well, but I really struggle to get them into a carve. If I lay them over on edge I almost invariably end up with my weight all on the uphill ski and the downhill one slipping away from me. I can't work out if this is something to do with the rocker (not used rockered skis before these) or the fact I'm a lazy skier ith dubious technical ability. My money's on the latter if I'm honest...
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| Polarbear59 wrote: |
| spyderjon, I'm 6ft tall and 65Kg , I'm leaning more towards the director now , do you know how these skis handle on piste? I generally like to ski very fast on piste making large turns will the directors be good for this? |
The 188cm has a 1m running length on firm snow so fast/GS turns on groomed ain't their thing - which is the same for the JJ's. If that's a big proportion of your skiing you're looking at the wrong skis & shouldn't be looking a 5 point ski - the WD Ranger would be the one to go for.
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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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I'd still see if you could demo the Black Crow Corvus or Navis, just to throw another couple of possibilities up. Think the Corvus may be my next ski.
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fatbob, intrigued by that. From the write ups etc they look more like a directional jj. Re piste performance on the jj, GS turns are fairly easy on soft pistes but less so on real hardpack. It is very easy to set an edge on them.
It is still a quiver ski rather than one ski to do it all. More for the performance in crud rather than anything else. Not that they are bad in crud just that there are better options.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ChrisWo, With regard to working out the reason for their piste performance, try this: On a flat surface tilt one of them on to it's edge. Note how much ski is in contact with the floor. Also note the shape of the tip and tail.
I enjoyed mine when they were in the pow or chopped up snow but they are not what I would call an all mountain ski, unless you are a Heli guide in Alaska 
PS. It's not you.
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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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Neither, buy the Soul 7
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Polarbear59, WD Preachers? As well as being great in powder I find they carve very well indeed on piste. I see there's some for sale in probably your size on the for sale forum
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You know it makes sense.
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Atomic automatic good fun miles better ski than the jj ,jjs are OK for messing about on and playing but once you get up any speed on anything other than soft snow they just get too sketchy very short running edge.
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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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For what its worth if you Dont ski switch Dont bother with tail rocker either,you will get a more stable ski at speed.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Polarbear59, I've not skied the JJS but have skied the Directors and from everything I have read about the JJs they will ski very differently, I would imagine the JJs are a lot softer and they certainly have a much smaller turn radius. I would be wary about buying the Directors without a demo if you liked the JJs.
| meandrew wrote: |
| For what its worth if you Dont ski switch Dont bother with tail rocker either,you will get a more stable ski at speed. |
I don't really ski switch and like tail rocker, also liked the twin tips I have skied as well, I find the tails on the flat skis I have can get a bit stuck feeling in heavy snow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lynseyf, as Polarbear59, said he likes to ski fast on piste as well as off a flat tail will perform better at higher speeds on piste and have more edge contact and higher grip levels than a fully rockered tip and tail ski.Flatter semi twin tipped pin tail skis tend to be less hooky than most I've found,I just ski this type everywhere and in any conditions but that's just my preference 1 pair of skis and have fun.
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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 have Directors. No problems doing GS turns on piste for me on them but due to the short contact length the margin for error with regards to your fore/aft balance is rather small. Also, they don't really respond like your usual carving ski in that pressuring the tips of the ski to initiate turns on piste will get you nowhere - the tips aren't touching the snow! For me, pistes are just for getting to the next bit of off piste, and while Directors do pretty well on piste, off piste is where they excel.
I think you'd do better looking for a ski with a bit of camber and tip rocker only, with a waist in the range of 110 - 120 if you're after an extra bit of float. Plenty of sound suggestions already made above. I have no experience with current skis in this category, but if they still made them Line Motherships or Dynastar XXLs would be my recommendations. As far as the JJs are concerned I've heard they're a bit noodley which is not ideal, but I have no direct experience of them.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Faction's are also interesting skis... look very good.
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