 Poster: A snowHead
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I have pair of Whitedot Directors in 188 cm, 108 mm underfoot. They're great and over the last 2 seasons, I have gotten good enough to get the most out of them. It helped that 3 out of 4 weeks skiing last year were in pretty much fresh conditions almost every day.  . My skiing has also moved from purely piste-skiing to almost all off-piste skiing.
While I was a bit reticent about the length initially, I think they are a good length for me (175 cm) and wide enough to help with float (71kg soaking wet). So much so, I've convinced several friends to buy long ish rockered off-piste jobbies which they seem to like. From my perspective, I love the float, that surfy feeling, the lack of deflection in chopped up snow, the way they turn, good stable landings on terrain drops (3 - 5 feet on soft snow, NOT the park) and the fact that they aren't too shite on piste. In fact I would recommend them to anyone looking for a nice off-piste ski for Europe. I struggle a bit with moguls and jump turns but that might be a combination of chicken legs and poor technique and will be addressed in the coming season.
This brings me to my question. Are they going to be too narrow (!!!) for Japan? Will I need fatter/ more surfier skis? I will be trying to spend all my time in deep, fluffy snow and want to ensure that I have the right too for the job. My head ( and spyderjon ) is telling me I'll be fine, but I'm not sure I can trust that spyderjon chap telling me not to buy new stuff!   I also have a bit of the 'Oooo, shiny, shiny...' going on but feel a bit confused. All these threads about 'off-piste skis' don't seem to be helping my decision making either!
edit: This is almost a mini-review. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Rishie, they will be great; you definitely won't NEED width more in super-light Japow.
If you like the surfy feel you defintiely do get more when you go wider though, and the Redeemer would be a great choice... Or just take the Directors and hire a pair of DPS 138s or Spoons from Rythmn in Niseko once in a while.
FWIW it's worth I took two pairs (118mm and 135mm underfoot) and spend most of the time on the wider skis, but there were a couple of days I was glad to have the narrower ones too. Saying that other people took only pure R/R Praxis Powderboards and were constantly stoked; it is a great place to try out the most extreme powder shapes and designs.
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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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clarky999, thanks for your input. Might consider the renting option though want to justify some Bibby Pros to myself.
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Rishie, ha, the narrower pair I took were Bibby Pros! The 118 underfoot generation though, not the newer 122(?)mm version.
Great skis, great in Japan, and very versatile in EU conditions too - with the longer camber, sidecut and running length actually better on piste than the Directors (judging by my sisters Directors anyway). Not hard to justify! I don't know much about the new versions, though in theory they should be a bit better for Japow and not quite so good as an EU allrounder.
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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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You're only 78kg so your Directors will be fine. However need and want are two different things so if you want new skis then I've got some Redeemer CarbonLites in the shop if you wanna call in  . I'd definately recommend a set of Resqski's though - remember that you have previous when it comes to lost skis and if there's ever a place you're likely to loose a ski it's Japan!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Rishie, for what it's worth I had a great time in Japan on my Directors (also at 188, but I'm a smidge smaller/lighter than you). I was skiing with a friend who was on Redeemers and was mildly jealous but not enough to have regretted buying the Directors - I never felt they or wallowed or got bogged down. I think I tried the Redeemers once or twice, and don't remember being that amazed by the difference.
BUT I'd also note that I used the trip to Japan as the excuse to buy the Directors in the first place (believing at the time that 108 under foot in Europe was overkill!)...mainly because I wanted some shiny new skis. If ever there is an excuse to buy fat skis, it's a trip to Japan - if you don't buy them now and buy them later then you'll always regret not having had them in Japan 
BUT (II), if you haven't already you should take a look at some of Mike Pow's pics...he seems to be very happy riding the J-pow with his skinny (80mm?) skis!
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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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admin, I love rule 3 but it's starting to seriously eat into funds...cars, roads bikes, skis and a lot of assorted hobbies. 
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I was out in Japan in 2013 with my 123mm underfoot 191 Bent Chetlers and had an incredibly good time, plenty of face shots and I could really take full advantage of the float the skis provided being new-ish to skiing powder that deep - although this meant I was skiing quite close to the surface and surfing on the snow which was great, but since then I've massively improved my powder skiing and I've lost weight and gained fitness and the desire to be more 'in the snow' than 'on the snow' has grown. When I go out there for the 15/16 season I'm going to go with thinner skis as I want to be more immersed in the deep stuff. Personally I'd stick with what you've got, I'm going 107mm underfoot! You'll have an absolutely amazing time with Directors, but if you've got the cash for some Carbonlite Redeemers, I'd struggle to say no to those!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Lad spent 2013-14 there with Elan SLX for teaching on piste and Down CD6 for the off.
CD6 are 107mm underfoot I think, he loved them. He is about 70kg and never felt the need for more as he loved the In rather than On with all that fluffy stuff.
Japanese Powder is really not like European which is almost always much denser (except of legend days) so being In is no hindrance at all.
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FAQ
I'll call sometime next week and come in for a cuppa and a fondle of them CarbonLites. Don't judge my lycra though!
