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Japan Pow Skis

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hey guys,

The last few years ive been heading to Japan as i love the powder you get out there.

Last few seasons ive been using K2 Public Enemys but feel i could get a better experience with a different ski. I basically bought these as they were going for a good price and didn't know any different.

Im now looking for a bigger powder ski and was wondering what people would recommend?

I love getting in to the deep pow and in amongst the trees where is can get quite tight. I guess i just like to go out and have fun and go wherever i can without having to worry about the skis not coping with the terrain japan has to offer. It never stops snowing over there so want something that will get the best out of the conditions.

I would say im an advanced skier but not an expert.

Am 6ft 2inch and weigh 205lbs.

The skis that have caught my interest are (2010/11 models):

K2 hellbent
Islandic Shaman
Line EP Eric Pollard Pro Model Skis
ON3P Billy goat


Also i know NOTHING about bindings so any suggestions would be appreciated!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
smclean0, welcome to snowheads.

I did a couple of weeks in Hokkaido & Furano in Feb & yes, something bigger than your PE's would be a good move, especially with your stats.

The conditions there, as you say, are so consistent that if I was going regularly I'd definately consider getting a full reverse camber ski, with my choice being the Whitedot Freeride Redeemer. The Redeemer's sold out last season but next seasons will be available in a few months.

I used PM Gear's Llasa Pow's in 196cm which were superb. They're not a full reverse ski but have minimal camber underfoot, a semi pintail & a long rockered tip so they perform excellently in powder & trees but are still also very good on firmer Euro snow which is what I wanted.

You'll be skiing on a highish DIN setting so go for a flat mounted binding with a higher DIN range, plenty of metal for durability & lack of flex. Most manufacturers now do brakes to suit the fatest skis so that shouldn't be a problem. My choices would be Vist614, Look P14 (I sell them both so I'm biased) or the Tyrolia Mojo 15. If you want a touring function the Marker Duke's are the way to go. Marker's Jester's are also popular but I'm not convinced of their durability as I've seen a few battered pairs lately.


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 12-08-10 20:11; edited 1 time in total
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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?
spyderjon's call on the Redeemer is certainly the one for the pow. If it was the tight radius that attracted you to Icelantic's Shaman then maybe you should look at the Preacher out of the Whitedot line up also.
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midgetbiker, it's pivotability that's needed more than sidecut which is why a full reverse ski or minimal camber ski is so good. The Preacher has too much camber for the Jap conditions - but that's what makes it so good on piste. Also the longest Preacher (twin tip) is only 189 which is a bit too short for a 6'2"/205lb'er.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I can vouch for the Redeemers being pivotlicious in the type of tree pow skiing you get round Tahoe & kept on trucking when the snow got more set up later in the day. So I gues sthey'd be a dream in Japan.
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fatbob wrote:
.......pivotlicious.......

Cool
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
smclean0,
I skied both Redeemer and Preacher all last season both are superb in powder. The redeemer's pivotability made it awesome in the trees Its easy to turn but in no way hooky.
It works fine on piste for getting around, I was surprised just how good it was. It has the width underfoot that a bigger skier will appreciate.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Thanks for the quick feedback guys.

What makes the Redeemer such a good ski?

What other skis could you compare it to?
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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.
smclean0, depending on when you are going to Japan, and Scottish ski conditions, you can have a go of my Redeemers if you can make it to Glencoe.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
smclean0,
As a powder ski its width under foot and its full rocker make it float very well. Its widest point is very far back and with the rocker this makes it very non-hooky but very easy to pivot. Its a bit like a reverse sidecut ski with a little side cut to make it useable on the groomed stuff. Its very manouvrable in the trees. In the open it is happy to go straight you can turn as much or as little as you like. I found it very easy to use in powder especially in trees.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Check out Moment skis too, they have some awesome looking (and I don't just mean the graphics) skis that should suit you.
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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.
Not many people get to ski lots of very good pow skis back to back in ideal conditions (& even if a demo centre has a decent range who wants o be schlepping in and out when there's pow to abuse). Hence you'll naturally get a bias toward the skis people own. I've also skied Hellbents and Shamans. I liked them both (and actually think the Shaman is a whole bunch of fun for all sorts of reasons not least being pow capable with the wiggle of a slalom ski) but have skied the Redeemer more extensively in decent conditions.

From reviews and talking to people skiing them I'd also put Moments, Rossi S7s, Armada ARGs and Praxis Pows/hybrids on the list.

Some of these skis may be available in La Plagne.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
You'll have fun here on any of the above mentioned skis!

Personally, I have the Line EP Pros. They're a really soft ski, and 186cm. I love them, but I'm 5'8 and approx 11 stone. You're a bigger guy than me, so they may be a touch soft for you?

Can't speak from real experience on any of the others though.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
This might help

http://www.snowjapanforums.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/366218/skis_powder_question.html#Post366218
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Rossi S7's.

Going to be rocking the Super 7's this winter for sure!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Armada ARGs? These just popped up in the FS section.

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=65821

Failing that, Volkl Kuro, K2 Pontoon or a pair of DPS Lotus 138?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
hmmm.....redeemer...grrrrrrrrrrrr....dribbledribble.......
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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?
haha, so many to choose from!

Made me more confused than i was before...

Guess they will all do the job im looking for, just want to make sure i choose the one that suits me best.
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HellBent wrote:
Rossi S7's.

Going to be rocking the Super 7's this winter for sure!


Odd username/ski choice disconnect there...

(S7s =/= Super 7s, btw)

smclean0, luckily ski tech hasn't really advanced in the last year or so, so you can go nuts on TGR reviews and see what you like the sound of. There're so many iterations of different concepts now it's nearly all down to ski style preference and construction rather than "what's best".
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
spyderjon wrote:
midgetbiker, it's pivotability that's needed more than sidecut which is why a full reverse ski or minimal camber ski is so good. The Preacher has too much camber for the Jap conditions - but that's what makes it so good on piste. Also the longest Preacher (twin tip) is only 189 which is a bit too short for a 6'2"/205lb'er.


No arguement with what you're saying here, the Redeamer is the ski for Jap pow. I was just suggesting the Preacher as a ski someone would like if they had enjoyed the Shaman.

Can't see 189 as being too short for a 6'2" though. I mean come on it's only a few years since we were all skiing on equipment that only came to our eyes, and now suddenly it's too short unless it's 3or4" over your head. rolling eyes Mind you I'm only 5'11" and I'll be on some 189s Toofy Grin
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the_doc wrote:
hmmm.....redeemer...grrrrrrrrrrrr....dribbledribble.......


Madeye-Smiley Madeye-Smiley Madeye-Smiley Madeye-Smiley Madeye-Smiley
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
the_doc wrote:
hmmm.....redeemer...grrrrrrrrrrrr....dribbledribble.......

Not biased then Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
How many people have actually skied White Dot skis that're recommending them btw?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
DaveC, on this thread, every person who has recommended them have skied them to the best of my knowledge (maybe 1 has only tried them in a fridge)
I really am not good enough to convince people to recommend WDF products on command without skiing them as on the whole I'm a bit of a plonker really and the company perfers to lock in a room and design skis and wheel me out from time to time to feed of my excitement. (thankfully, because I'm scared of people, I like being locked in a room playing with ski designs)

Thankfully most people that try our skis particularly the Preachers and Redeemers in the conditions they were designed for... love them.


Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sat 14-08-10 21:56; edited 2 times in total
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
The Redeemers work on piste too. I had a great afternoon skiing short turns on soft pistes last season. I haven't tried them out in spring corn but I think they'll kill it.

(don't really need to add that the pow performance is exceptional)
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Dot., fair enough - I'm not having a go or anything, just suprised how many people have I guess. Saying that they're "the ski for jap pow" is a little questionable given Japan has to be the best place on earth for reverse/reverse style skis and the totally pow dedicated style skis though. Maybe one day I'll get to add my own opinion on them Wink
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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.
Dot., bit off topic here but are there any softer WDF skis in the pipeline for us smaller, lighter-framed ladies?
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Zero-G, yeah, this season we're making the 169 Preacher 6% softer and the 179 3% softer and for the One we're making the 166 8% softer and the 173 4% softer. We've also had a load of requests for a smaller Redeemer so have a 180 Redeemer.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

the_doc wrote:
hmmm.....redeemer...grrrrrrrrrrrr....dribbledribble.......

Not biased then




shhhh...don't tell anyone....!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
when will the new seasons redeemers be available to buy and any idea of costs??
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Dot. wrote:
...this season we're making the 169 Preacher 6% softer and the 179 3% softer and for the One we're making the 166 8% softer and the 173 4% softer. We've also had a load of requests for a smaller Redeemer so have a 180 Redeemer.

Would that be the Weedeemer then?

Unashamedly contradicting myself on another thread, I may just covet these skis enough buy them in true gear junkie style!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Zero-G, I can see every directors meeting we have at WDF now the 180 Redeemer will hense forth be known as "Weedeemer" Laughing Laughing Laughing

smclean0, We're pressing skis now ready for early Oct. Coast vary from country to country but if you contact Jons Ski Tuning, Jon will give you the prices he's selling them for with a snowheads discount.
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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?
DaveC wrote:
HellBent wrote:
Rossi S7's.

Going to be rocking the Super 7's this winter for sure!


Odd username/ski choice disconnect there...

(S7s =/= Super 7s, btw)

smclean0, luckily ski tech hasn't really advanced in the last year or so, so you can go nuts on TGR reviews and see what you like the sound of. There're so many iterations of different concepts now it's nearly all down to ski style preference and construction rather than "what's best".


Haha yeah a little odd on the name, although I did have Hell Bents when I joined..

Nice skis, fun for throwing around in the Utah pow.
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smclean0,
The most fun on Skis off piste on piste since, well it would be wrong to say

Movement Fly Swatters! turn, surf, straight line or 720 switch EASY
as the the_doc,
says
Quote:

shhhh...don't tell anyone....!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
livetoski wrote:
smclean0,
The most fun on Skis off piste on piste since, well it would be wrong to say

Movement Fly Swatters! turn, surf, straight line or 720 switch EASY
as the the_doc,
says
Quote:

shhhh...don't tell anyone....!
livetoski, Are you speaking about the Redeemers??
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LOL no the Movement Flyswatters, could be another option for you Toofy Grin
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
livetoski, pity that the tech spec on the Flyswatter's on Movements website is pants rolling eyes
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