 Poster: A snowHead
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I have a pair of X wing fury and I love them for all but the deepest snow (pilot error a major factor). I'm going to get a second set of skis with a touring binding. The reasons:
1 For some short clambering to access untracked snow
2 For the occasional day tour
3 For the really deep powder days
4 Possibly for use on a 13 day tour of Greenland this April.
5 For heli-skiing very very occasionally.
The skis only need to be passable on firm piste/moguls as they're not likely to be used there very often.
Current favourites are K2 Apache Coomba and Volkl mantra. I'd like to hear opinions. As for bindings... I'm no expert on tour bindings and so would welcome advice on the merits of the marker duke compared with the more traditional tour bindings... bearing in mind that the Greenland trip makes me think that lighter might be better.
Skis will be used mainly in France but also in Whistler. Owner is a 6ft 2 inch fat free 95kg level 8/9.
Thanks to anyone for their advice
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Coomba sounds like a good ski choice.
(as would most other ski's with a 100mm+ waist)
However - Coomba with Dukes is a classic mistake!
I suspect alot of ski shops are currently pushing this as a package...
However in my opinion its a badly thought out combination 
And several other's on the TGR forums seem to agree.
Fundamentally the Coomba is a light weight ski - and the duke is a very heavy binding. So they just don't sit well together. The light weight / maneuverability is what makes the K2 different - and is a key feature of the ski, even going downhill! As soon as you mount a heavy binding you loose this property.
My own Coombas are mounted with S14L downhill bindings.
Are they are *lots* lighter than Coomba / Dukes combos that I picked up.
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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'd go wider than the Mantra given your description.
Gotama maybe.... Obsethed another one. Or the Coomba but as Haggis_Trap says another binding. Maybe even the XXL Legend Pro as you have the weight to make that one work and now that it comes in a 186cm. Given what you want it for the Mantra is more all round IMO.
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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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Agree with the others about Coomba/Duke
You're asking quite a lot - a good everyday fat which is also tourable. How fit are you? Maybe the weight doesn't really matter that much. The Gotama/Duke would be a really nice combo but I wouldn't want to skin for too long on that due to the weight. I have a v fit friend who has this and won't have any trouble going uphill all day
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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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| Arno wrote: |
Agree with the others about Coomba/Duke
You're asking quite a lot - a good everyday fat which is also tourable. How fit are you? Maybe the weight doesn't really matter that much. The Gotama/Duke would be a really nice combo but I wouldn't want to skin for too long on that due to the weight. I have a v fit friend who has this and won't have any trouble going uphill all day |
Fitness definitely not an issue but there's no sense having more weight than necessary. I accept the comment about asking a lot but then which of us can afford an endless array of skis. Compromise is inevitable since my experience of rented touring gear is that there simply isn't the choice or the availability.
Seems the Coomba is the front runner for the ski. Would be interested to hear more advice on options for bindings
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Coomba and TLT Speed, Yes.
Mantra and Duke, Yes.
Any Rocker ski and touring binding, Why?
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dynafit bindings; but then you need compatible boots
i'd definitely try the coombas before you buy. they aren't to everyone's taste - my pal with the gotamas tried the coombas but found them a bit noodly. at 95 kilos you might feel the same. if i was in your position, money no object, I'd probably go:
Scarpa Skookum (cos Scarpas fit my feet, otherwise Garmont Axon or maybe the Black Diamond Method)
Dynafit TLT Speed
DPS Wailer 105 flex 3, 188cm
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Agree that the original question is too wide...
You could use the Coomba and Mantra with various bindings to do all bar the 13 day tour, IMV...where you would want weight and uphill travel as your goals so the ski would need to be around 85mm..but if weight and fitness isn't an issue
then an XXL combo might outplay the Coomba with your stats.
Tricky.. I think you'd get 4 out of 5 sorted pretty easily...maybe hire for Greenland
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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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| Quote: |
| Compromise is inevitable |
touring gear is always going to be a compromise between light weight and 'charge-ability'.
which is why I am gonna learn to telemark one day!
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| my pal with the gotamas tried the coombas but found them a bit noodly |
yup, good point. they are medium -> softish flex - so not to everyones taste.
but when your floating in powder thats ok (for me anyway).
Plus they dont have a huge turn radius of 40m...
Try skiing a goliath or XXL (both very good skis) in a tight spot or trees, its not much fun & very hard work.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Mon 29-12-08 17:13; edited 1 time in total
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
Any Rocker ski and touring binding, Why? |
'cos at some point you'll want to come back down, and if I'm earning turns they're going to be the most fun possible 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The comments are all really useful. I'm certainly looking for something that has some manoeuvrability... they're not just for giant GS turns on huge powder fields. Of course at 95kg most skis bend when I push them anyway.
I'm still inclined to go for the coomba. If I am going to use them for longer tours then I won't want a twin tip. Perhaps with a fritschi freeride. I'm sure carbon fibre skis would be good but I'm not sure I want to spend that much. I would like to try before buying but haven't found any rentals in France yet. Anyone know if the Obsethed perform in basically the same way?
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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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DaveC, Well good luck skinning on a 60cm contact surface, best be the man making the skin track or you'll be coming back down before you've gotten up. 
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You don't have to tour on a full on banana ski... losing a bit more of the tip on a 180cm ski still gives a solid 160ish left to stand on? Writing off rocker for touring feels like shooting yourself in the foot to me, but whatever floats your boat.
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You know it makes sense.
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Missed the chance to demo the Coomba in Zinal last year but a few sure looked like they were having great fun. I had to ski down and recover one and it was REALLY light with FR+ on..
Which was a big surprise after lugging various other K2's around..namely the Apache series..
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