 Poster: A snowHead
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New to the forum!
I have a pair of Volkl Mantra's which I've had for seven or eight years and absolutely love (think I bought them the first year they came out).
I want to buy another pair of skis that are more piste orientated without feeling too on edge. My two kids (Aged 4 and 6) are learning to ski so I am going to be spending a fair bit of time on piste for the next two or three years so just fancy buying something more suitable.
I've been doing some reading and looked at the Blizzard Latigo's as they are a fair bit narrower underfoot buy being related to their Freeride skis should hopefully ski in a similar way to my Mantra's . Can anyone suggest anything ?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I tried some Volkl RTMs [all mountain DNA but more carving in shape/width] and enjoyed them. They make you go fast... But would be easy to demonstrate good carving technique with, and awesome utility for skiing backwards and technique-y stuff, I would guess. Also keeps you with Volkl 
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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 tried the Blizzard Cheyenne which is the women's version of the Latigo a few months ago and I loved it, it had the same smooth feel that I like in rockered skis but the agility and nimbleness of a piste ski. If I was buying a piste ski now I would buy it in a second, It's probably a bit softer than the Latigo but having skied other women's/unsex version of the same Blizzard skis I think they are similar enough to compare. I skied the Volkl Aura, women's Mantra for a few years and to me they ski very differently than the Cheyenne, I've also demoed the Mantra and the Mantra/Aura felt more like a fat piste ski than other rockered freeride skis I've tried. Caveat I skied the Aura in 177cm and the Cheyenne was a 170cm but the Cheyenne felt much softer than the Aura which I also loved in piste but was definitely more work. If you love your Mantras I would be tempted to stick to Volkls and look at a more full on piste ski, agree with trying one of the RTM models or if you do fancy Blizzards how about X power 810?
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Blizzard brahma or volkl kendo, both great skis and feel like a skinnier mantra. Or you could go properly piste and get something from the race tiger range!!
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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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Go the full hogg a pair of stockli sc's and don't go too long. Great fun on piste, I borrow my wife's regularly. In fact when I go for a trip later this month with a friend who is more piste orientated I'm pretty sure it will be those and the bmx 108's that will be busting my weight allowance. I have a reasonable quiver, sr95's, vxl's, head titans, preachers, Colby wests, gotomas. The 108's and sr95's are always my go to skis, but every time I get on the sc's I just have such a broad smile all day and wonder why I always seem to forget how much fun they are.
In fact an aim of mine for a few years has been to learn to be able to ski the pow well on slalom skis, enough do. But at the end of the season I'll still be looking for a deal on the fx94's to build a better backcountry rig and next season grabbing the odd day on the sc's when my wife lets me. Which isn't often. N+1.
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@Cheib, I also have Mantras of the same vintage and last year bought a pair of Völkl RTM 81s. Simply brilliant on hard icy pistes and actually really good for the usual European chopped up heavy powder. Recommended.
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Are not the full hog. You want the FIS Laser GSs.
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Talking to some friends who own a specialist shop, they are suggesting Blizzards over Volkl generally these days. E.g. Bonafides to replace Mantras. So something from Blizzard around 80cms might be a good pick.
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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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@Cheib, I've got some Volkl Code Speedwall S UVO's (2015) which have incredible on-piste grip. The harder you work them and the faster you go the more they like it, but they don't punish you when going slowly. Grip on ice is quite amazing, they never let go. I'm 5'10"/80kg and an old giffer. Have 166's - they're spot on for me and are wide enough (74mm) to mess around off-piste(ish) although I mostly ski with Mrs irie who's a piste only pussy 
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@Mt, The Stöckli SC's and AX's are other skis I was interested in before I bought the Volkls.
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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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Head over to Canada where everyone's nuts for the fatter skis and get some Kastle RX12's on the cheap.
500 CanAdian$ inc bindings and Canadian tax at whistler when I was there - the buzz is all on the MX etc so these are (were?) going cheap and lovely.
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You know it makes sense.
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Wow lots to think about here!
Just to clarify for Masque...absolutely love my Mantra's but I fancy adding to my ski collection! Messing around on piste with my kids is a good excuse. Also want to get some proper powder skis at some stage too.
Sounds like the skis I am going to look at at the Blizzard Brahma and Latigo, Volkl RTM's, Codewall's and Kendo's...and the Stockli's.
I am going out to Verbier in a couple of weeks.....skis will be sodding expensive over there but I'd rather test them properly. That's worth spending the extra for I think. Though there's no way i can test so many different skis. Anyone tried both the RTM's and Codewall's ? I am fairly heavy at 100Kg. Don't want something really nervous to ski on....want something that is a relaxing ski when I am crusing with the kids but also great fun in the short turns when I want to give it a go! Think the Kendo's are probably too similar to my Mantra's.
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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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At the ski test session at Braehead I really enjoyed the Latigos. The only skis I thought were better were the Head Titans. Very smooth and easy to turn. Couldn't really test at speed in the fridge but they give the impression they'd go fast and hold an edge very well.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Cheib, I'm a snowboarder . . . wtf would I know But if you just want to hoon around with crazy grip and turn tighter than the circumference of a badgers bollock then look to a comercial SL ski.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have the 2013/14 Volkl RTM 84's and absolutely love them, have spent 10 weeks on them thus far and they are still as exciting as the first day on them. I love them for everything; bumps, shorts longs and casual off pisting. I also have some Nordica Dobermann SL skis and they RIP and its just permanent smiles with them, but a lot more work than the volkls
(I am 92kg's)
Good luck!
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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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Brahma 
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Well just to update the thread....I have bought some Brahma's. Bouight them out in Verbier and got a very good price as all the ski shops were discounting by 15% because of the strong CHF. Paid £450 for them and got to test them for a day on the mountain first.
Couldn't test some of the other skis mentioned as the ski shops tend to stock a limited range of skis from each manufacturer and the guys that had the Brahma's didn't carry the more piste orientated Volkl's and only had the Brahma's bigger brothers.
Really happy with them....they feel as stiff and solid as the Mantra's but are that much shorter turning. The bloke in the shop reckons they will also float better in powder because of the rocker.....time will tell whether that is the case. They should also be a bit better in the bumps than the Mantra's being narrower underfoot.
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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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Apologies for hijacking your thread! I'm in a similar position. i have Mantras of similar age and ski off piste 50/50 but prefer to ski off piste where possible. Typical Europe snow : occasionally fresh snow frequently chopped powder/ crud/ chalky snow etc..find the Mantras do everything but are a bit slow edge to edge / like a long radius turn though surprisingly Ok in bumps?
Previously used Atomic GS skis, experienced skier 2seasons + 40 weeks. Love the Mantras but wonder whether a similarly torsionally stiff but thinner waisted ski would be more lively and maybe easier on the knees? I'm 6 foot 3 and 95kg what to try?
Thanks!
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Honestly I'd try the Brahma's....I'm 6ft 1in and 95 kg so pretty similar build. Chopped powder, crud, chalky snow the Brahma's are as good as the Mantra's in my opinion. They're 88mm underfoot so should be that much better edge to edge.
I bought the 187cm Brahma's and have the 184 cm Mantra's....despite being longer they ski shorter because of the rocker. They ski much shorter than the Mantra's...but also i was told should float better. Depends how many powder days you get....I ski for ten to fifteen days a year now and even in season's when I was getting 30 days you could if you were unlucky not get a single powder day.
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Likewise I ski a couple of weeks a year now and realistically powder isn't the focus it is more versatility. However don't want to loose the 'bombproofness' of the Mantras! Will look into the Brahma's which up to now I'd never heard of! Thanks
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