WhiteDot Freeride Preacher 189cm Review - one year on

A snowHead

First a bit of background info.
Me:- 195cm and 95 – 100 kg, and I would guess about an 8.5 on the S & R ability scale.
Current other skis: - Stöckli Laser SC in 170cm and Stormrider XL in 184cm.

After SHMBO got a pair of Mantras last year, and was very impressed with them, I thought that perhaps it was about time to take the plunge and get a proper pair of “mid fat” skis for skiing in July. Initially I looked at Mantras, Prophet 100s and Stormrider VXLs. As I couldn’t demo anything, I trawled through Snowheads and Epic to see what people had to say about them. The Mantras and VXLs just seemed to be wider versions of my Stormriders, while the Prophets seemed to fit the bill nicely. However, as it was now the beginning of April, they were getting hard to find in the right length, and I was starting to think that I’d have to wait until next season. But then the thought of WDF Preachers sprung into my head, and after talking to both Kiwi1 and Spyderjon I took the plunge and ordered a pair in 189cm, and hoped for the best. Got them mounted with Vist 614 bindings by Spyderjon. My first impressions were wide, wide and wide. And also that they were very light and flexi compared with my other skis. And with the 2011 – 2012 topsheet, not the green with white dots design. What a result!

Back to the present.
Just got back from two weeks in Las Leñas in Argie. On the first day I went out on my Lasers for a few hours, just to get back into the swing of things. They always put a smile on my face. They are a brilliant carving ski (although don’t like snow more than 1mm deep), and are easy to ski on all day long.

Then I went and got the Preachers out. Going from 63mm to 112mm underfoot was a bit of a culture shock, but the first few runs on piste showed that all I had to do to carve tracks almost as well as before was to give myself and the skis a bit more time to go on edge, but I only talking about less than a second. They really do carve unbelievably well for such a wide ski.

With such a high level of confidence in the skis, the next day I went looking for something a lot more testing. A popular tracked out and chopped up 45° slope off the side of the main lift was dispatched with ease. The skis just smashed through anything in their path, and any remnants of power were handled well (even with my pisspoor technique). I was actually laughing when I got to the bottom at how much fun it had been. Short turns, long turns, straight lining, these skis did it all and made me look good. But the biggest revelation was just how easy they were to ski. Powder fields I had struggled on previously with my Stormriders were skied with ease.

Over the next week I only used these skis, and hardly did anything but ski around looking for powder to get into trouble in. The Preachers never let me down. They were simply doubly fcuking awesome in almost all conditions. The only place where they were not so good on was ice, where I found that they had almost no grip at all. But who cares. They were simply that amazing everywhere else. So good in fact, it was like cheating. I really can not praise these skis highly enough. They are a total blast. If there is anything out there in the same category that’s better, then it must be made in by little green men in Area 51 from Unobtainium and Kryptonite, using nanotechnology from the future.

One afternoon, for a change, I had a go on my Stormriders. What a difference. They punished the slightest mistake, were extremely hard work and nowhere near as versatile.
Back on the Preachers, with 30 – 50cm of new snow, was the most fun I’ve ever had on skis, and as I said before, truly had me laughing like an idiot at how easy it all was. The skis never put a foot wrong, even when I did, and simply skied through my mistakes as if on auto pilot until I got some semblance of control back over my skiing.

On the last morning of skiing I went out on the Lasers, with the wife. Looking down it appeared that I had two cocktail sticks under my boots. They were great on groomed runs, but as I found out during a very hard fall, don’t like changes in snow type and thickness. It was my fault, as I wasn’t paying enough attention. The preachers would have looked after me and just blasted through the same patch without me even noticing. I spent most of the time watching other people high up above the groomers, skiing down the untracked power runs off the side of the Marte lift, feeling jealous and thinking that I should have been up there with them on my last day.

Conclusion.
Initially, when I first got on the skis I was very worried that I had made a huge mistake buying such a wide ski without any sort of demo, just using other people’s experiences off the internet. And I know there’s been a lot of threads on here about the pros and cons fat skis, and I for one was very sceptical. But now I’m a convert and these skis are the reason. They have been an absolute eye-opener to me. They are just so good, so easy to ski, and have opened up so much new terrain to me. I have been totally blown away by these skis, and cannot recommend them highly enough to anyone who is looking for a truly all mountain ski. Congratulations to WDF for making such a remarkable ski and whoever designed them deserves a medal.
Searching Snowheads I have found two other reviews of the Preachers, and both just how good, multitalented and tolerant these skis really are.
And you get some really amazed looks from other skiers in the lift queues when they spot these strapped to your feet. And they produce 4 – 5 ft high rooster tails when carving on the groomers.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Sorry, forgot to say - nicely written review.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

thats why i do it.

Skier from Argentina, thanks

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Glad to hear you liked the Preachers...buying a ski without trying it first can produce some buyer's anxiety...but sometimes it works out OK after doing some homework first.... As far as the performance on the icy hardpack goes, I have skied two different pairs of Preachers in different states of tune, and simply making sure you don't have excessive base-high or base-bevel conditions on this ski makes a world of difference.

My personal opinion is the Preacher can perform remarkably well on hardpack and icy surfaces if you make sure the base is flat, with less than 1 degree bevel and some tip and tail detuning...even with its 112mm waist. Even a slightly high base or a bevel greater than 1 degree can make a wide ski feel unhooked and drifty on firm surfaces. Having it ground flat with 0.5 degree (+-) bevel (or less) can produce a nicely grippy ski without making it "hooky" or "grabby"if you pay attention to tip and tail detuning. (I may have started a tuning philosophy war here...not my intent...not everyone likes the way I like my skis tuned...caveat emptor...)

Some people find it fashionable to bevel fat skis so much they slide and slarve on hardpack, but I much prefer err on the side of a grippy ski underfoot and have control. Wide skis tend to really reveal the state of their tune on hard snow (somewhat more than a very narrow ski sometimes!), and the exact same ski can behave with night and day difference on the same surface with just a minor tuning adjustment. It's not unusual to see a fat ski's base swell and change its flatness after a waxing or two and a couple days under pressure on snow, going from cold mountain to warm lodge and back a few times. See what the state of your base flatness and edge bevel are...I bet you can get the Preacher to grip very nicely on hard surfaces by making sure the base isn't high or the bevel isn't excessive. Nice design and good execution by the guys at White Dot.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Skier from Argentina, damn, I should have charged you more wink

exoticskis, edges were fine on the skis after two hot box treatments - he just needs to MTFU Toofy Grin

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Absolutely right sypderjon...tapering the base bevel fore and aft is the progressive method to retain full-length contact sharpness and reduce hooky feel. The "detuning" (read: dull the edges) is typically my last resort when I'm up on the mountain the first time after a tuning by an inexperienced shop and the ski is handling like a freight train on straight rails and there is no chance to get a re-bevel without the proper tools in my pocket or no chance to get the job re-done properly.... Thanks for the clarification.

I still think the Preacher does a remarkably good job gripping a hard surface when it is tuned nearly flat...in any case...a very friendly ski from very friendly people at WhiteDot.

OK, I'm now confused. Can someone (probably Jon) define edge bevel for me. Please Very Happy

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

midgetbiker, here's the basic intro: http://www.jonsskituning.co.uk/content/section/9/47/

You need to visit & it will all become obvious Toofy Grin

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Skier from Argentina, great review... any chance of some pics of the skis and you skiing on them Very Happy

snow reports

Skier from Argentina, just found this, great review. ummmmm, they sound a bit wicked. Smile

tempting!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Any chance of a review of Argentina too please?

A snowHead

Skier from Argentina, Looks like you got a kinda limited edition/prototype model there. I've ordered a pir of this seasons. If they're as good as you say then i'll be having a great time a couple of months from now Happy

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

OK, I lied. It’s fourteen months later, not a year.

Anyway, I’ve just got back from skiing at The Southern Most Ski Resort In The World, and thought I’d just update my Preacher review. But first I have a little confession. They’re not exactly the same Preachers. I’m now the proud owner of a new pair with the normal lime green topsheet design. The old ones have been handed down to my eldest son. Having seen both side by side in the fibreglass/carbon fibre kevlar/wood/ABS/rubber foil/steel, I have to say that I actually prefer the new ones. And they match my new Redeemers. I know, how pathetic for a grown man.

It was great being back on the skis again. Each time I clicked into the bindings the skis would look up, all those white round thingy’s wink at me, and say “Hey Stevie, what terrain would you like to rip up today (insert Kiwi word for Dude here)? Just point us in the right direction and we’ll do the rest. You just enjoy the ride, look at the view, and marvel at the splendor of Mother Nature”. By comparison, my Stöckli Stormriders (had they been invited on the trip) would have barked, possibly in a very Germanic/Swiss accent “WTF do you want? Go skiing? Make one mistake and we’ll rip your fecking head of and shite down your neck. We only want to go flat out everywhere on-piste. If we even think that you’re thinking about going off the sides we’ll make your life miserable. Or worse”. Guess which ones might be up for sale soon?

All the things I said in my initial review still apply, only more so this time, as I knew what to expect, and what the skis were capable of. Cerro Castor doesn’t have much in the way of off-piste, and so I got to use the skis a lot more on the groomers. Now comparisons with my Lasers, which are craving machines par excellence, may not be too valid, but once you get your head round the width and dial your skiing in accordingly, they are great on-piste, carving easily and leaving train tracks everywhere. They smash through chopped up snow and crud, as if it was made from something far less dense that I can’t think of a good metaphor for (ouch) at the moment. And in the little powder that I did manage to stumble across? Well, let’s just say that for a few turns I was transformed in to the best skier on the mountain (http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1697274&highlight=skier#1697274). Sorry Parlor.

And they keep on doing that amazing thing about concealing your mistakes and looking after you.

Of course they continue to have a serious allergy to ice, although not quite as much the Redeemers and their Anaphylactic shock reaction to ice. And due to the ginormous surface area under foot, generate huge stiction in slush and spring snow, which can lead to some highly amusing unscheduled instant stops.

On the final day I had a quick blast around on my Lasers, but then I had a real blast on the Preachers. I guess that would best sum-up up these skis. They are an absolute blast. And they still make me laugh.

Help!!

WhiteDot Freeride Preacher 189cm Review - one year on

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