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Metron skis & lack of ski reviews

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've been thinking of changing my skis - for no particular reason other than I just fancy a new pair snowHead
I have learnt (and 9 weeks skiing) on Atomic C9 (ladies) - the sidecut is 94-64-105. The skis are light and easy to use and easy to carve with. We started to do a little bit of off-piste and the skis were fine. In fact, I could probably never out-ski these skis. BUT, if I had a pair of Atomic B11 - which are a ladies ski, with a bigger difference in the shovel and waist (124-74-108) would I get a better performance off-piste, and better short turns ?
I can't find any reviews for these skis or their male equivalents. Are the ski reviews that are done for the magazines biased in favour of the advertising space the manufacturers buy? This was suggested to me by my local ski shop. Puzzled
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
erica2004, I was very interested in the B11 but I think you'll have problems even finding it anywhere in Europe. That was my experience at any rate. It's a bummer coz I was very taken with the idea of it, but I'm very happy with the Head Monster 72s I bought in the end.
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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?
Surely skis are all about personnal opinion, therefore if you are seriously looking to buy, you are the only person who can review the skis.
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erica2004,

I don't think europe has really bought into the Metron idea... the states is more enthusiastic, I think. Maybe the new Nordica's are
along the same lines but you will not know if they are a success, marketwise, until further on in the season.

The only option is to draw up a short list and demo them in the alpes but you may find the Metron hard to find as I did last year.
They were available on test at the PSB but I liked my slalom skis so much I didn't bother with them. That and the so-so reviews of the other PSB'ers.

If you do find them to demo, you should post a review
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
FastCarver, Exactly - I've made a short list, I'm asking for opinions, then I'll demo them!!!eng_ch, Did I read that you were in St.Anton? We're in Lech on the 16th Jan, but I suppose if they don't have the B11 in St.Anton then they won't be in Lech. Idea - I could e-mail the Strolz shop!
JT, Why? They're made in Austria aren't they?
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eng_ch, I am thinking of getting new skis,heard a bit about the monster 72,can you let me know what you think of them,ie what sort of skiing are they good for.ta
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yes, we went over to St Anton. We used Jennewein Sports (who were excellent and helpful we found) but even looking in the windows of the other sports shops there was a distinct dearth of any women's models. Absolute top of my list to try (having abandoned even the possibility of finding the B11) was the Wild Thang (the women's model of the iM72) which was available to buy in Zurich but not test, but they didn't even have that. Having said that I've only ever skied on unisex skis, the Monsters worked well for me and the graphics are better to boot Smile
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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!
Knee Deep, this link is to the review I posted last week:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=11004

It may or may not help you. What can I say? I loved them, you may hate them. But according to realskiers.com (with which I would concur), "This is a superb ski for almost anything except out-and-out bottomless powder or 40mph back-country blasting" (it's their all mountain cruiser ski of the year). Given that they are based in the Rockies and love it, and I'm in Europe and love it, I would guess it is an excellent all-rounder.
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eng_ch, thanks for the link-great review,I will certainly demo them now.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
erica2004, I'm a b5 owner & confirmed Metron fan. Do a search or post a question re your specific requirements on http://www.epicski.com & as suggested check-out the reviews on http://www.realskiers.com

You're also right re advertisers' influence over the magazine reviews (except for Martin Bell's mag of course).

As JT has said, the ski press just didn't 'get' the Metron last year when they were launched. I'm certain that things will be different in the reviews this year - if the magazines can figure out how to categorise them!

JT's also right in that demo availablity in European resorts may be difficult so you'll need to contact the ski shops in the reesort your visiting well in advance of your trip to ensure availability. The Metrons are superb skis & are worth the time spent trying to get to demo them.

BTW, the Metrons do reward modern technique so aren't great for any of that ankles together stuff.


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Fri 9-12-05 20:58; edited 1 time in total
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Oops, double posted by mistake Embarassed
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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.
They don't work close together because they are so wide...!! Very Happy

erica2004,

You may be lucky in St A with b5's. I wasn't in Switzerland or France..
They are a bit heavy and an odd shape ski for general hire... and rental bindings will not make them lighter.
I believe Atomic have taken this on board and reduced the weight somewhat....
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
JT, Are heavy skis a hindrance off piste? Trying to do that 'bouncy stuff' might be hard work. (sorry for my ignorance)
As for carrying them - what do you mean? I just carry the poles wink
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
erica2004,

Not ness' its the swing weight thats more important. My fave ski, the XL is a beefy ski and reagrded as heavy...not as heavy as the b5 apparently,
but feels light in deep snow and so carries the weight into busting crud. So weight is an advantage in chopped up snow as long as it doesn't show elsewhere whilst skiing it. If you pick the ski up - like I sometimes do - that can make the ski tiring.
The bounce should be a rebound of the previous turn so that would be ineffiecent, even jump turns shoudn't really tire you out as you are supposed to use the terrain and gravity.

As I said, I never found the b5 to try and I use a dedicated slalom ski for hardpack and a off-piste oriented ski like the XL or 8000 for everything else. And I hire these so I just need to sort the next day out and then hire accordingly...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Has anyone heard or read any reviews regarding the Atomic B11 Metron from the 2007 range? I have just bought some in Melbourne (waiting delivery) after I'd demo'd a pair at Mt Buller which I really liked apart from the fact that I thought they were a bit long for me - they were 164 cms - I am 64kg's, 5ft 9" tall and an advanced skiier although I find moguls challenging and am working on my technique there - thought I would buy the 157cm's - someone said that you are better to go a bit shorter with Atomics - hope I have made the right decision - I can't find a review ANYWHERE - I suppose it's b/c they haven't been skiied on much yet being a 2007 model - they are cream in colour, with honeycomb pattern on one side/dark brown other side and orange atomic writing and orange swirls all over ski. I would appreciate some feedback! Thanks.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
georgina, Welcome to snowHead 's. Not sure if anybody here will have tested this ski yet. Some of the recent Atomic reviews are here

Mention Metron in a post and Spyderjon's not responded, very strange wink
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
georgina, A very warm welcome to another Metron owning snowHead Cool.

Can you be more specific as to which Metron you've bought as the 06/07 Metron line up is, AFAIK: the existing B5, the new M11B5 which replaces the old M11, the M9 & the M7. I'm not familiar with the B11 & the colour you've described does not match any of the images I have of 06/07 line up. The colour you describe sounds to me like the it could be either be the B5 or the recently discontinued M11?

If you've got the new M11B5 then the ski hasn't been out for that long (still not on sale yet in the UK but there were a few around in the US at the end of last season) hence the lack of reviews.

As you don't appear to have had an opportunity to test the skis you can use Atomic's metron 'index' to calculate the ideal length Metron for you based upon your weight, ability level & turn preference.

A 141lb skier starts with a score of 260 + 470 for an advanced skier (Expert is +500 or Intermediate is +440) + your turn preference score of either 550 for long, 480 for medium or 420 for short radius. Therefore if you select short radius your total metron score = 1150, for medium radius = 1210 or for long radius = 1280. Metrons are designed to be 'turny' skis & the truth is that if your preference is for long radius turns then you should probably not be on a metron.

Each metron model has it's own metron index table, with a different score for each length of ski. The longer the ski the higher the number. The tail of the skis you've bought will have a large four digit number on it, say 11**, 12**, 13** 14** etc. This is the Metron index number for that model ski in that length. The idea is that your score reasonably matched the index on the ski. If your score falls between two metron lengths for that model then Atomic's advice to is to select the shorter model. So ideally your own personal score will be from just a few points below that stated on your ski to maybe 25-50 above, depending on the model.

One of the major benefits of the Neox binding system is that the bindings have almost infinate fore/aft adjustment (not just the central or forward postion as indicated) which allows you to experiment with the binding position which great changes balance point & the turn initiation characteristics of the ski. All of which makes the metron's true unisex skis as the centre of mass in female skiers tends to be slightly further forward than that of male skiers. So the marked forward position would be a good start, although you can go either further forward or plenty rearward.

The Neox binding instructions that come with the ski are absolute $hit so if you PM me I'll send you set of pictorial & written instructions that I've put together.
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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?
spyderjon, georgina has the Balanze 11 in 2007 colours.



I am impressed that she found a pair to demo.
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georgina, If it's the Balanze 11 it's not part of the Metron range so disregard the metron index info I gave you rolling eyes.

Here's the realskiers review for the 05/06 the Balanze 11. I'm not sure if it's unchanged for 06/07. The full report is available to subscribers on www.realskiers.com Their 06/07 reports should be out in the next few weeks.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks for your responses. I have referred back to my Australian Ski Mags to double check the name of the ski and it is the Balanze 11 Metron - tip/waist/tail being 124/74/108 - the picture above is it exactly - thanks - there are 2 brief descriptions in 2 magazines - one has the Neox 412 binding and the other has the 4tix 412 binding, which I must admit means little to me as my last pair of skis were bought in the 'straight ski' days... Have been skiing since I was 3 but have taken a few years off here and there to have study/ have children etc and when I have skied I have hired them which has been fine but now am really keen to get back into it. Have joined 4 competitions in last week to try and win o/s ski trips! It's really hard skiing here in Victoria, Australia - when there is lots of snow, Mt Buller is a fantastic mountain with heaps of beginner/blue and black runs, but this year is a really light year so there are limited runs open. Dream is to ski overseas - you are all so lucky to have so much at your doorstep - maybe we will ski in NZ first - must admit they have great snow and it's not too far away.

Anyway, if anyone does find a review on the above ski, I would really appreciate you posting it - I'll let you know how mine go when they arrive - we are going up to Buller on 8/9 September as long as there is enough snow. By the way, I did find an Australian websits with a very brief outline of the ski on it: auski.com.au
Auski is a ski shop in Melbourne which stocks a huge selection of gear. Enjoy!
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georgina, from your posts so far it's possible your new skis are far better than your boots.

That and finding snow at the close of the season are about the only things I'd worry about.
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