 Poster: A snowHead
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As a bunch of people tried a bunch of skis last week thanks to the efforts of the Ellis Brigham guys, Whitedot and Swiss Tim, it would be nice if we could get a bit of feedback going for wider use.
The rulez
Don't worry about your level of experience and ability/hangover. All opinions are valid and if you genuinely couldn't tell the difference between skis say so.
A bit about yourself for context. Only as much as you are comfortable e.g. slothlike fatlad or aggressive pixie may suffice.
A bit on what you usually ski as a baseline e.g. "I usually ski WC Super G skis so I found these flacid,squirrelly and tortoise like by comparison".
Even if you can only say liked em or didn't like em that info might be useful to someone who can then pm you if they are contemplating a purchase.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Dave of the Marmottes, for any skis scanned out during the official test, they should show up in your profile already (mostly - it isn't perfect) and you can add a comment there which then shows up in the database http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/skibase.php? I'm not sure if you can see which skis any one particular user tested, but you can see which users tested a chosen ski.
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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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@Scarlet, I'd never looked in there until now. A good place to get info on the latest skis.
Unfortunately I didn't go to the EoSB but I did hire the Dynastar Powertrack 84 fluid (176cm) on my recent lads trip to Grand Massif. Very nice ski it was too. 
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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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Yebbut does anyone actually use it?
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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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@Dave of the Marmottes, I did! I very diligently wrote lots of nice things about the Whitedots whilst waiting for my tea to cook 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, thanks Dave. It would be super helpful to see reviews here. The snowbase tables are great but for quick access it's very nice to see reviews in the equipment reviews / questions area. I'm sure all the brands would love to see EoSB reviews here. Good and bad.
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@Dot., Only bad review of a WD Ranger CL 108 or new Rag CL's would be from a learner driver mate! 
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I love my CL preachers.
On piste they grip like heck but I found you had to work them hard. 69km on the groomers with @Ronald did kill my legs but I found they came into their element. on the slightly soft stuff and my first foray onto deep powder with them they highlighted my lack of ability.
What I find you need to do on them is get over the mental block and push onto the front tips. then they are really great.
I found them really stable at speed.
Cheers
Bob
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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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For context, I’m around 93kg have been skiing for something like 35yrs and like to think I ski fast and hard. Have been loving my 189cm Whitedot Preachers for the last 3 seasons but they have earned their retirement and I’m looking for a replacement.
So I tried….
Whitedot Ragnarok Carbonlite (190cm/118mm) – Unfortunately this was first thing in the morning and everywhere was still rock hard and frozen solid. This ski is fast, and hard work to carve into tighter turns. Felt quite stiff and challenging. Really impressed by how light these are.
Whitedot Ranger Carbonlite (186cm/108mm) – Jumped on these straight after the Ragnaroks and immediately they felt slower (I’m guessing the base prep was different). Was able to cover a much wider variety of terrain and snow conditions and these Rangers just seemed incredibly easy to use across the board. Much more nimble than I had expected.
Whitedot Redeemer Carbonlite (190cm/128mm) – now afternoon and everywhere either soft or slushy. The Redeemers are a hoot. Surprisingly nimble and quick to turn. Very stable at speed.
Fun as the Redeemers were I think they are probably too specialized for an everyday ski. The Rangers were, dare I say it, just too easy. Although I had the Ragnaroks out in probably the worst snow conditions for them I think they will really come into their own when everything underfoot isn’t bullet proof.
So I think I’ll be going for a pair of Ragnarok Carbonlites. Just need to start searching down the back of the sofa to find some money 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@AB Ski, 
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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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@AB Ski, looks like you need a 2 ski quiver like mine then, Ranger CL 108 as go to ski and a Rag CL for big powder days. You need look no further! 
Here's yer man! @spyderjon,
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FWIW:
After a few years now of not really having my 'own' skis (just using the Whitedot demo fleet) I am planning to have a small quiver for next year:
I'll hopefully be on 185 R-98 CL, 191 Director CL and 190 Ragnarok CL. I reckon that lot QC'd for a Beast will cover the bases, and not riding demo bindings day after day should give me poor old legs a rest!
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You know it makes sense.
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@midgetbiker, 98 not 108?!
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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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@Markymark29, well I'm going to try and do a bit more touring (got to do something to shift the pounds).
On that subject: my other half is giving up work in the middle of June so if you lads are still doing those Saturday morning rides after that, then I'ld be keen to join (might get Andy out too, as he's pinched his missus' bike and resolved to get fit).
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Poster: A snowHead
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@midgetbiker, but surely that breaks your self-imposed 100mm limit?
I've noticed at least two pairs of skis I tested are missing from my profile. I should really review them properly, not least because many "reviews" of women's skis come from men, who tend to say things like "I bought a pair of these for my wife for Christmas after I spent the household budget on [insert expensive toy of choice] and she threatened to run off with the plumber. She's still here so they must be alright."
For your reference, I'm 164cm and about 63kg (I think, I don't own scales), I don't pootle down anything, and would like to do a bit more off-piste but need to get some knowledge. I found my limits following @midgetbiker when it became apparent that nothing at that speed was going to end well (for me).
Whitedot Director Carbonlite 161cm
After trying a pair of Directors in the fridge, and it not going particularly well, I was a little apprehensive about committing to these for a whole day. But there they were, standing around on the balcony while all the full-size adults argued over who was getting the big skis, and well, it would've been rude not to. I took them almost to Courchevel 1650, via fresh tracks on the piste in the Meribel Valley, and they were just as much fun on the hardpack in the morning as the slush in the afternoon. They were extremely stable and I never felt like they were going to chuck me off, and I loved that they were so lightweight. The most fun I've ever had due to the skis! I felt a bit guilty that I tried these first, as nothing else even came close and every review when I returned them was "nice, but they're just not the Directors". A couple of days later it became apparent that 161 is too short, so I'll move up to 171.
Volkl Allura 158cm
These are only 75mm, so I took them over to Orelle first thing in the morning. They felt a bit skinny after the Directors, but they performed well and didn't pose any problems for me (the Aurena was also available to test, but despite doubts in my own ability I opted for the higher-end ski and I think that was the right decision). They are manoeuvrable and hold an edge well. As the snow got softer, they became less fun, and I've pretty much come to the decision that I don't need a ski that is only fun for two hours in the morning. YMMV.
Atomic Affinity Storm 159cm
At 84mm, these were a bit more versatile than the Alluras. Again, I took out the higher-end ski of those in the range (Atomic's all mountain women's range) and that was the right thing to do. These are fairly similar to the hire skis I usually end up with, and gave me exactly what I was expecting - ease and comfort. They were fine on the hardpack, fine in the bumps, and at speed they gave me the stability I was looking for. I am currently contemplating a sneaky sale purchase of these, as a sensible option for when I want people to think I'm sensible. Although the colour upsets me a bit. Why pink? Why?
Blizzard Black Pearl 166cm
I've heard lots of good things about these and really wanted to give them a go. Unfortunately, I handed them back feeling like I'd been picked up, shaken about and then had the s**t beaten out of me! We did not get along. Too long, too stiff, too heavy, too much like hard work. I wanted to like them, I really did, but no, not for me.
Whitedot Zero One 173cm
Still grinning from my day on the Directors, I spent the next morning on these for comparison. They were very flappy on the hardpack and it took me a good couple of hours to get comfortable, but by the time I headed back for lunch the snow was softening and I was having more fun. Maybe I should've taken them into the park, even though I don't have the skills to do them justice. Nice, but they're just not the Directors.
Edited to remove typos and idiocy.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 5-05-15 22:39; 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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@midgetbiker, anytime Carl just give me a shout, you're welcome
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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 took the DPS Wailers out - the big yellow hand-made carbon ones [DPS - Wailer 112RP2 Pure3 (184)]
The were very nice, but, £1000, flat? Nope. Can't see how you could justify that.
I have a pair of Whitedot Directors (181) which I like better, anyway. It's not like those are dirt cheap (altho spyderjon does some good deals!) but they're better value. They also don't look like giant bananas.
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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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I'm double posting this as it was meant to go here but opened as a new topic.: -
Whitedot Directors 171 - I have never skied with anything other than hire skis so initially it was difficult for me to know what I was supposed to look for or expect from a ski test. I found myself lodged with the extraordinarily lovely guys from Whitedot for the week so I had the privilege of quickly testing out the ski's through the week. I'm a cautious skier. I have about 6 or 7 weeks on snow in total and my ability is probably about 4 or 5 out of 10. I was a late starter and an average learner. Having skied my first reds and blacks about 4 years (just two trips) ago I made my agenda for this trip to work on tolerating higher speeds so that I'm not fighting gravity but allowing the skis to run longer so I don't have to work so hard to ski! I took my hire skis (Volkls) out on day one. It was okay but once that snow started to get even a bit slushy they were just getting knocked around and feeling very cautious at speed. It was 2 years since I last skied though so probably to be expected. Day two I took the Directors out and Andrew (Whitedot) commented how much more comfortable I was looking. I sort of noticed but wasn't completely clear as I was still finding my feet generally. On day 3 I took the Whitedot One's out. I liked them. They were definitely better than my hire skis but somehow for me didn't feel "special"...just okay. It was on day four that I really fully understood the significance of different skis. By now my skiing had improved as much as it was going to immediately and I had found my feet. So with it being day one of the ski test I was back to my old hire skis initially. First couple of runs of the day and I was skiing like I'd been on snow about a week! I was having one of those days where I was graceless, off balance, under-confident etc. SO I pulled into the ski test stand and got the Directors back for a formal "test". As I slid off down the hill it was like coming home. Up one lift and off. Suddenly I was skis facing down the hill and just surfing with wonderful certainty. No turns (just a green though)...picking up real speed at the bottom and then navigating some really bumpy stuff at the bottom with blissful ease. These skis felt like "LUXURY". They felt like a friend. Honestly...that moment..I actually felt a little bit emotionally overwhelmed....because I suddenly realised how much fun skiing could be....now WOULD be with these skis in my life. I connected with them as MY ski's. They were built for me. They were my brand. I loved loved loved them. I had come on this trip to get more comfortable with speed and these skis allowed me to do this. They were so solid and dependable that they allowed me to open up with confidence. I immediately headed up to a couple of red runs and they were just a dream. I heard some people say they weren't overly convinced by these skis on ice but honestly I found the same stability on steep and icy and I felt really confident to just turn them front down the mountain and trusted them completely to hold me when I put on the breaks/the turns, particularly on steeper stuff. I found myself quite easily skiing down reds rather than defensively "getting" down them, On a few occasions I pushed my skiing beyond my usual limits on these skis and ALMOST crashed but every time they saved me. An earlier review said some Whitedots were too easy but for someone of my ability it's exactly that that makes them so great. Luxurious and completely dependable is how I would describe them. As the snow went to slush later in the afternoon these skis handles this stuff like surfboards. Instead of getting knocked around by it they just surfed right through it. I met a few people on the trip who had Directors and loved them. They might not be for everyone.....those that like to be challenged might find them too safe but for pure enjoyment they are an absolute dream. Massive Thumbs Up for me for the Directors!!! Just try them...you'll love them too!
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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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@Dave of the Marmottes, Your 151s sir
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just as well Hurtle didn't see me following her withering "SUPERcamp!!" review of my performance on the 191 CL Directors.
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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 was full jazz hands down the bump field from the Folie on the 151s. You call it mincing. I call it "open" versatile skiing
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@Dave of the Marmottes, hey, I'd love to have seen that! You were on a flat piste when I saw you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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OK, here is my experience of the testing...
Whitedot Ragnarok Carbonlite (190cm/118mm) – I loved these skis. They were actually pretty easy to bounce around in soft bumps, you could turn them surprisingly easily for a long 30m radius ski with unweighting and pivoting. But let them blast and they cut through the slushy lumps like a hot knife through butter... being pushed by an Olympian weightlifter. Off piste they allowed fast carved turns over frozen crud (almost shook a few fillings out) and when the snow softened they really worked, large GS style turns were their forte. A very stable ski.
DPS Wailer 112RP2 Pure3 (184cm/112mm) - A great all round tool, they held an edge very well for a fatter ski; this slightly stiffer construction coupled with the large turned up rocker tip did transmit a bit of vibration on frozen crud but get them on edge and they inspired loads of confidence to let the skis run. This would make a good one quiver ski as they would have great powder performance without losing much in the way of piste performance.
Kneissl White Star GS (188cm/67mm) - I had a little holiday romance with these too. They are a stiff speed machine so not a ski to be on when your legs are tired. But take them out first thing when the pistes are frozen and boy do you have fun. I struggled with getting enough bend in these skis to pop the turns until I was hitting warp speeds (I need way more ability to do that), but at slower speeds they were surprisingly comfortable and with a bit of pivoting at the start of a turn you could be pretty nimble around other skiers. I also took them down an ungroomed red with piles of frozen crud and they ignored it all. I think that my brain may have suffered mild concussion with the rattling though Off piste they were very hard work but that is not what they are for. They did feel very similar to an Atomic FIS race GS ski I tried previously so the claims of being race compliant are certainly not bull. If you like high speed GS turns and have the leg strength to make these babies work then they are amazing. I definitely want a pair for my quiver!!!
For background info, this season I have been skiing the 2015 Atomic Bent Chetler 185cm/120mm as my main off piste choice and for a mainly powder oriented ski it is amazingly versatile. Although the two fatter skis I tried were excellent, when I went back to my Bents at the end of the day I felt no difference in what I could do. All the skis I tested had many strengths and only minor weaknesses regarding some condition suitability and I would be happy to own and ski any of them.
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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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And so it begins...
Just took delivery of what I expect to be one of many post EoSB purchases (not for me though, sadly)... a pair of ex-demo Kneissl Black Star MCs, filled and QK'd by the lovely @spyderjon, complete with bindings, extra bits of bindings, lots of screws, some tuning stuff and a note to call for instructions! I can see that the spare bedroom is soon going to need re-naming as the spare ski room
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FAQ
