 Poster: A snowHead
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Over the last couple of seasons I've been using "All Mountain" type skis in various widths from 72 to 100 mm waist. All skiing out in BC Canada, so nearly all powder and soft pistes. I ski at a decent level, at least for an amateur, but I'm not exactly pushing forward the boundaries of extreme skiing. I grew up in the '80s on 205 cm GS skinnys and then happily went with the trend toward shorter carvers in the mid 90s. Now you could say I'm following the current trend toward longish fatter skis, hence my current 186 cm Line Prophet 100s.
So are they any good compared to narrower offerings in the AM category?
Well yes and no. I think they're in their element out in BC, surfing light powder and charging through the trees. They're even a lot of fun on piste as long as there's plenty of fresh snow and not too many bumps. So a big thumbs up on this kind of terrain. But as soon as the conditions are not so perfect (no fresh snow and pistes a little harder) they start to become a lot less fun and more of a hindrance. Carving (well attempting to carve) short or even medium radius turns on steeper hardpack is just hard work and not very satisfying. My Head Monster iM82s are miles better in this respect. So not really a 1 quiver option if you demand decent performance on hardpack. But out in BC freshies you don't really need or want anything else.
Bottom line (pun not intended): Line Prophet 100s are the business out in BC or on powder days anywhere and they're good fun charging or cruising on fresh pistes. Their surprisingly light weight makes them pretty nimble in the trees too. But as a do-it-all ski for Europe I wouldn't touch them. You'd want a second pair of skis for sure. Maybe the Prophet 90s might work better as a 1 quiver option? Or how about Prophet 130s for dedicated powder days? So let's call the Prophet 100s an All Mountain ski as long as you only ski when it snows a lot!
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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 can endorse the P90s for European alpine use as a possible 1 ski solution - went 90 over 100 for just that reason, and presume that's why line still make both.
But no, they're not at all like some AM skis I've liked such as monsters and atomic r11 (curse you atomic for the bleedin' metron, curse you!). They're good for messing about all over the place on, and will hold an edge like crazy for a medium flex, light, cap ski. Not so good for going mach schnell over ice, unless you're entirely happy to discount turning, but fortune favours the brave.
They don't immediately punch in and dive through crust though, unlike big damp racey skis, which is always a plus. Oh, and they were cheap 
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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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My new missions (89 waist) just about cut the mustard on mainly bare, hard packed pistes in the 3 valleys the past 2 weeks. They weren't muct fun on the really hard ice but what skis are? They were awsome in the deeper, chopped-up snow off the side of the pistes. (didn't manage to ski any proper deep stuff though).
Definately didn't feel that a wider waist held me back at all, they were just more stable and have a more flexible range of use.
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Prophet 90s are my go-to ski most days. I'm pretty pleased with how they perform on ice and I think they're fine for short radius turns. Definitely the ski I'd take to Europe.
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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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Fergus, I had same experience at end of last year on Punishers, which are basically the same ski. We were lucky to get end of season snowfalls in Les Arcs, and they were perfect for off-piste, and on, and brilliant in soft bumps. As snow melted away and slopes froze overnight, they weren't the best on early morning ice, and woul definitely have been better on something a bit quicker from edge to edge for the pistes, as the off-piste opportunities melted away. Having said that, if you're skiing in reasonable conditions most of the time, Punishers are perfect. I have yet to take them to Glenhee though, which will be the true test of grip on icy moguls!
Going to US next month where they'll be perfect, but might pick up a pair of narrower on-piste skis in end of season sales for family trip to 3 Valleys at Easter. Can't help but be tempted by a pair of proper "mine are fatter than yours" fat skis for deep powder, Punishers for most-of-the-time, and piste skis just-in-case, but a bit wary of going to the airport with a family of 5 and 3 sets of skis which are all mine!
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very exciting- waiting for some Prophet 90s with Marker Dukes.....
tried to get Prophet 90s in 2006- I think the year they came out (previously Assassins....) but there was a delay in shipping as Line had moved production to China from the US.......alls well that ends well as I should get them just before going to La Grave for a long weekend......excellent
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