 Poster: A snowHead
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Seeing as lots of people tried skis at the EOSB and the EB boys, Spyderjon and Swiss Tim put in a lot of effort I thought we better have a review thread.
Me - erm unsvelte agricultural skier with a fondness for burrows. I can flex most stuff just by standing on it and occasionally, it will turn where I'm intending rather than seeking out the nearest granite.
Whitedot Ranger Pro Carbonlite 195
Took these out first thing one morning. These are very very good skis that definitely reward a trad style. I haven't skied flat tail skis in over a decade (other than the odd demo, some metal XXXs tele and indoors) and the very full tail was definitely catching me out in the fairly heavy fresh. Front rocker rewarded speed and certainly ploughed through everything. On piste a rocket like ( in a good way) a GS based ski such as the Mantra. No complaints. To get the best out of these I'd say you need a good solid trad skiing style or be prepared to put in a little time on piste drilling yourself into finishing turns ( 1/2 a day would probably do it).
Soundbite review - Crud crushin rockets with a kick
Whitedot Director Carbonlite 191
I took these out on the Friday early pm having previously been a bit bummed about firm to variable conditions. In fact I'd stopped by thinking of taking some of Swiss Tim's kiddie killers. Was glad I didn't. These were a non stop riot. With the effective edge and weight of a toothpick complemented by a more forward/ centred stance I was immediately on the sweetspot and a hip wiggle away from crazy Rollerblade turns. In a single run from the Col I nailed every type of snow available from graupel windbuff through very firmpack, sweet corn on the turn, mank, crusty mank, zippy softening groom and boot deep slop, never stopping grinning. I missed a turn with a couple of other she and caught them with a crafty dink down the toboggan run and then accompanied by the serendipitous chords of "You shook me.." slayed the bumps below the Folie Douche. If you tried the old Directors and didn't like them then bear in mind this is a totally different ski, gone is the old lack of punch, back is a good shot of laughing gas.
Soundbite review - Nuttier than a bag of squirrel sh#t
PS. BASI is a scam - you ski 20% better just by listening to AC/DC. Fact. It's why rural Canadians are such kick ass skiers.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 7-05-14 21:39; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Would be very interested to hear exactly what the changes (the ISUU cookbook thing doesn't really say) are in the new Director, and the weight of the 181 version....
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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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Hey clarky999, maybe I can answer any questions you have on the Director? Its one of (alongside the new Ragnarok) my favourite skis in our new line up!
-We reworked the ski's sidecut by lengthening the effective edge high into the rockerline but keeping a relatively longer radius (25m in the 191cm), but kept taper at the tip and tail. There's also a gradual shape change in all the sizes to keep a similar turn radius, ie 133-107-123 (171cm), 134-107-123 (181cm) etc.
-Smaller size range, 151cm all the way to 191cm, in both our new CarbonLite3 & Traditional constructions.
-The flex pattern is slightly more "rounded" and even than the first generation version; coupled with the more usable edge it gives the skis a far more "poppy" and lively feel.
-Higher tip and tail heights across the size range.
-A more centred stance (191cm is -5cm from ski centre for example) which gives the ski an easy turn initiation, and a balanced feel.
Hope that helps, happy to answer any questions from anyone of course
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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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| clarky999 wrote: |
| Would be very interested to hear exactly what the changes (the ISUU cookbook thing doesn't really say) are in the new Director, and the weight of the 181 version.... |
Specs on the new Director haven't been officially released but I've a pair of 181 traditional builds in my shop at the moment so here's the skinny on 'em:
134-107-123mm (versus the five point dims of the old Director which was basically a scaled down Redeemer)
Lengths: 151, 161, 171, 181 & 191cm
22m radius in 181cm
Zero camber
The tip & tail rockers are both approx 420mm in length so it'll ski pretty short
Weight of the 181 trad built ski I have is 1960g in the flat so I reckon that the CarbonLite will be 1600-1625g
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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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the_doc, spyderjon, thanks! If the 181 CL turns out to be below 1700g in the end it would seriously screw with my planned shopping list for next season!
New Ragnarok looks excellent too. Reminds me a lot of the Bibby Pro (which is a good thing!)... What's the rocker profile like?
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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 loved the 181 Directors and I'm going to get some before next winter. I'm still amazed to be skiing something so much bigger than before (I'm 162cm and 67kg and my last pair were 153cm!) but they're very nimble and manoeuvrable. Great in variable snow, but surprisingly decent on piste. Even early morning icy hard pack was ok. Fabulous in slush. Can't wait to try them with powder.
Also, they look well cool, and let's face it, that's what really matters 
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Tested
Head iSupershape Magnum 170
Nordica Spitfire Pro 168
Rossignol Pursuit 14 170
Blizzard Bushwacker 180
First three were piste skis, as that's what I asked the EB team for, and the Head probably would have been the best of the three for me but none were overly inspiring.
I asked the EB team to give me a ski that was comparable to what i have now ( 2011 atomic Crimson Ti) and they gave me the blizzards.
only a short test but as much as i could do from the hardest piste to the dampest slush i could find and......
i came back with one of these on my face.
it was defiantly a ski that i will use as a bench mark when looking for my next ski and may well be my next ski.
just didn't feel like an 88 on piste and a heck of a lot more fun than the Crimson.
Again many thanks to those who made the ski test possible.
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| clarky999 wrote: |
the_doc, spyderjon, thanks! If the 181 CL turns out to be below 1700g in the end it would seriously screw with my planned shopping list for next season!
New Ragnarok looks excellent too. Reminds me a lot of the Bibby Pro (which is a good thing!)... What's the rocker profile like? |
With the new Rag we matched the rocker profile with the sidecut, 30m each. It gives the ski lots of stability when entering the turn in soft or hard snow conditions, very stable! The flex as been dramatically turned down as well, although its still in the stiff end of skis its not as crazy as the first generation.
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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 had a play on three pairs, my considered opinion as a skier of generous stature and limited skill, combined with a talent for immediately loving or hating skis for no apparent or logical reason:
Kniessl Red Stars: I have previously loved these skis, recommended them to all and sundry as a brilliant piste ski. Weirdly, now I own some black stars which I have really enjoyed, I tried the Red stars again and they weren't as poppy as they were for me before. I think I might be overpowering them a bit, whereas the black stars suit me down to the ground. So my considered advice now needs to be that the Red Stars are great skis, but probably not in shorter lengths for bigger guys. Fairly obvious, but worth mentioning.
Whitedot Director Carbonlite: Did one run, tried them in a bit of the softer stuff, took them straight back. I have no idea why, but these didn't work for me. I think they might have been too light for what I was expecting, they felt much longer than the other Whitedots I'd played with, and they didn't throw it down like the other ones I've tried. I've not tried the non-carbonlite Directors, but that might be a better option for me. Weight doesn't make much difference for my skiing, and I seem to prefer heavier skis.
Whitedot Zero One: I don't know how they managed this, but these things were unbelievable. What a ski. Lean over and they carve all day, the 181 felt like a 165, I haven't seen the exact spec anywhere but they should have enough float with the extra length for occasional forays off piste, so far I think they are the best ski I've encountered in life. If someone from Whitedot can confirm the specs, lengths available and some idea of price I think they are on the radar for a summer purchase. From the very limited info it looks like they are being marketed as park skis, but they are so much more than that.
I tried some Volkl piste skis which were orange and did exactly what they looked like they would - nice piste ski, good carvers and easy to ski, but I'm not really in the market for a piste ski right now. Would happily have bought or rented these for a piste week of charging around. Can't remember the name unfortunately.
That was about it for my ski testing, but a very productive exercise for me, I was having a nightmare day on some 90mm waist skis and trying a few others really put the confidence back and confirmed my decision to sell them and buy new skis
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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spyderjon, in fact, given the 1520mm vs 1580mm effective edge, why go for the 180s when I get the same edge from the shorter ski? Just for float? This is getting marginally off topic but now I'm wondering some more.
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You know it makes sense.
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Mistress Panda, go for the length wot the oracle has spoken about and stop the nancying. Longer = better in rockered twins
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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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Mistress Panda, that difference is 6cm, the difference between 180 and 173 is 7cm, so they are consistent.
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
