 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking for some inspiration/ideas for a new setup for this winter in Scotland. Not going to be able to make it away for the season but intend to get out as much as possible up north for touring days and further exploration of the terrain to hand. Lower altitude and more variable snowpack.
Will be pairing them with a Fritschi Tecton binding.
I am 195cm, 105kg.
I like to ski technical steep lines somedays and also faster more open terrain too. They will be my main ski for all my riding this winter and thus subject to the conditions of the day. Happy to tour for multiple hours to reach objectives. Trying to streamline my setup for the ascent whilst still having something positive and engaging for the downs.
Currently considering
Black Crows Freebird Orb or Camox
Whitedot Carbonlite Ronde 96
Atomic Backland 96
Scott Superguide 95
Would appreciate any feedback from people who have ridden these in a variety of conditions and open to suggestions of other options that would suit.
I have never done as much touring as I intend to do this winter and have always favoured a stiffer ski that can be driven hard. I think I am worried that as I get something narrower and lighter it will become noodlie and boring on the decents. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For performance and value (especially when paied with the factory skins) the Superguide 95 can't be beaten - I sell loads of them.
The Ronde 96 CL is new for this season (covid delayed the launch) and it's superb but will be at the top of the market price wise, ie competing against the Volkl V-Werks skis and DPS's etc.
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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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| spyderjon wrote: |
For performance and value (especially when paied with the factory skins) the Superguide 95 can't be beaten - I sell loads of them.
The Ronde 96 CL is new for this season (covid delayed the launch) and it's superb but will be at the top of the market price wise, ie competing against the Volkl V-Werks skis and DPS's etc. |
Thanks for the response Jon. Sounds like the Superguide would be a good shout.
I already have a few Whitedot skis in the quiver(Preacher, Redeemer, Ragnarok) and if the price tag for the Ronde 96 CL is at the upper end, I may be less inclined to get out there in low snow conditions etc for fear of damaging the skis.
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@Intuit, have only skied Scotts once and very nice. For what I imagine much of Scottish rando requires a 95 would sound pretty optimal. But I am a novice tourer.
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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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@Intuit, I think you won't go too far wrong with any of those - have skied the Camox and also the Ronde (regular rather than CL) and both are great, clients & colleagues also give good reviews of the Superguides and the Backland...
Doesn't necessarily help you choosing, but I wouldn't sweat too much between those different models!
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@Intuit, I have Orb Freebirds with Fritschi Tectons. I've used them for everything from resort skiing with the family to multi-day hut-to-hut tours and they cope pretty well with it all. Light enough for long days uphill, but still fun on the way down. On groomed snow they'll cope with most stuff, but I do struggle with edge hold when it's serious hard pack underfoot. (That may just be my dodgy technique.) Overall, I really like them and have been very happy with my choice.
My wife has Superguides and they also seem to be a very competent ski for most conditions.
As noted above, and from my knowledge of the skis on your list, I doubt you'd go far wrong with any of them.
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@spyderjon sold me some Superguide 95s at 184 a few years ago. They have been brilliant for touring and I have been really pleased with them in all sorts of conditions from powder to occasional piste. I've done a reasonable amount of Scottish skiing over the years, although nothing too serious, and the best thing about these skis in Scotland is they can cope with a bit of everything.
The Superguides are amazingly light for their size, and have coped with lots of mixed conditions while still being fun on the descent. That said I'm 20kg lighter than you, and as my skiing has improved I've started to find them a bit too flexible when going faster. When @Sowler borrowed them last year he didn't like them at all off piste, and he's a bit lighter and much faster than me. I'll keep them for Scottish skiing as the bases are now fairly shot, but my next pair of skis will be a bit heavier/stiffer as a compromise, to hopefully be a bit more stable at speed or in chopped up stuff.
The new Superguides are presumably better than mine which are now a few years old, and I haven't tried any of the others to compare.
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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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@Dr.Snow, they're too heavy.
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There is always a trade-off between weight and uphill and downhill performance - where that balance is struck is a choice the user has to make. And the weight is similar to the Black Crows Camox, which the OP listed originally as a possibility. I used the Mavericks exclusively for off-piste and day tours last season and they worked fine for me. As the OP seems to lean towards downhill performance over uphill weight-saving, which I do, and asked for suggestions for other options I thought it worth mentioning them as a possibility.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Intuit, if you like a stiffer ski, you may prefer the Superguide Freetour 105 over the 95. As @Critical_Al points out with the hilarious demo that Sowler did (haha lol), he didn't get on with the 95 as he prefers a stiffer, more heavily damped ski. This is exactly what the Freetour is. FWIW I got on with the old 105 absolutely fine but again, it was stiffer and more stable thena the 95. I've happily toured in Scotland on 105 underfoot and it's not a problem.
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