 Poster: A snowHead
|
Snowgood - I use them a lot, have bought my Mantras, bindings and also helmet from them, they are brilliant, service is excellent dont worry 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Fogliettaz, GrahamN, thanks for the info, Think I'll be ordering soon 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
snowgood, just a wee question... Have you tried either ski?
Never buy till you try...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
under a new name, er, no! do you think it's a huge risk?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
New Prophet 100 top sheet is lush.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
fr0sty, agree, and I also think the Mantra's quiet cool too 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowgood, I do.
2 possible problems,
- You miss out on alternatives you'd like better.
- You make a dreadful mistake and hate what you bought (for whatever reason).
I have done the 2nd, not really regretted it as the skis are great for a specific purpose, just not what I bought them for.
Srsly, I'd wait till you get in resort try whatever takes your fancy and if you can't find a good deal locally, pay up the hire charges and buy online when you get back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
under a new name, I was thinking of trying them at MK but not sure it's all that relavant as skimottaret, mentioned earlier.
I'm going on a course in Tinges at the beginning of Dec, I have looked at some websites of hire shops but they don't seem to show the range of skis they have, or they aren't up and running for the season yet? Also they don't seem to show the skis they sell either assuming you could do a try before you buy arrangment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
under a new name, in an ideal world, yes that's the way to do it. The problem is that unless you manage to get on a free ski test (when it may be difficult to get enough time to test out properly), try before you buy can work out quite expensive. When I bought my Mantras I didn't really have much alternative as my previous skis died on me and I had to hire at the least. This was in Verbier, where daily hire for testing was pretty consistent at SFR50/day. So I was SFR150 down having tried 3 pr skis if I didn't then buy (and as my possibles were only at different shops I would have to pay at least on of those). The in-resort price was probably about €200 more than from somewhere like Conrad or Tele. Pyr. (even with SCGB discount), but waiting to buy at a discount internet outlet would have cost me more in hire fees for the rest of the holiday.
snowgood it really depends on what you want, and how you think your skiing matches what we've been talking about above. Looking back at your original post, my only concern would be about your penchant for moguls. The Mantras are really for hard fast charging - on piste or off. In small and/or softish moguls these are fine, but big icy ones....find somewhere else to ski! It does have to be said though, that any ski this size will not do a good mogul job - and you need something more like a slalom or park ski for that. Yes there is always a risk buying a ski you've not tried. UaNN's first objection - there will always be a ski you've not tried that may well be better for you, but you have to either go with something you really reckon will work for you, and not worry whether there's something better, or you'll spend every skiing day for the rest of your life looking for that perfect ski. His second does have more validity though, and I've I think only once bought something I've not tested (or at least something very similar). If
a) your Tornados are still doing the job for you, and you're just looking for something new without any immediate need (like dead skis), and are willing to use them as you ski for your next week out, and
b) you've got a few weeks after your first week before you ski again (to allow for delivery),
c) you're not looking for the absolute keenest deal and don't mind splashing out up to £100 for testing skis
then it may well be sensible to try the ski out before you buy.
I tried Mantras out for the first time at Hemel on a sH ski test - yes, it's difficult to give them a good tryout in a snowdome but you can get a good feel of whether they suit you or not. BTW, at the end of the day there're normally quite a lot of ruts and moguls at Hemel, but MK can build up such claggy crappy snow it may not be a too bad test of ability in heavy Alpine crap  . Whether you get enough out of it if you have to fork out ski hire charges...mmmm?
BTW - when are you in Tignes?...I'm there (with Snoworks) 27Nov-4Dec. The few times in Lac I've been looking for hire skis, the place I've always found the most interesting skis is Le Vallon Blanc (the one closest to the Aiguille Percee), but it's still not a stellar range of choice (says phone 04 79 06 33 70 on the card I have)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowgood, you can definitely (at least in some shops) do a try then buy. Also, even that early, as long as the snow's good enough, Tigbes shops will have some fun stuff to play with. I'd do that, myself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
GrahamN, I think that sums up the dilema very nicely.
Up until last year I was usually skiing one or two weeks a year and used hire skis so I didn't have to lug them about and could get up to date skis every year as they evolve so quicky. Last year I managed four weeks, two of them being last minute opportunities which I couldn't resist  . If I had known I was going to get four weeks at the start of last season I would have bought some last year.
This coming seasons plan is blossoming well so far, I'm in Tinges (in Lac) on the SCGB Leaders course from 4th Dec and have an apartment in Val d'Isere for four weeks in Jan/Feb with a mate too. Also hopefully will be doing some leading with the ski club too, provided I pass the course.
So I was planning to get the Mantras before the Tignes trip, obviously there might be a period of aclimatisation required to get used to the mantras. Having skied on Tigersharks a couple of seasons ago, which are by far the stiffest ski I've skied, and loved them after the first run, I have a warm feeling about the Mantras. So am inclined to throw the dice and get them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
is it just me though or do they only work out £5 cheaper than the UK? even though they have a €100 off??
if you want them I'll match it and throw in next day delivery what an offer! (this is when i get in trouble :-S)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| snowgood wrote: |
| Having skied on Tigersharks a couple of seasons ago, which are by far the stiffest ski I've skied, and loved them after the first run, I have a warm feeling about the Mantras. |
That addresses a point I forgot to make in the previous post - have you skied Volkl skis before and how did you take to them. Many manufacturers have a sort of house style, and if you love one you'll often love others. I've never skied a Stockli ski I've not loved after about 3 metres slide. I've never got on with a single K2 ski I've tried. Salomons have all seemed a bit missing in something - not bad but not great. I've not skied a lot of Volkls, but what I have all have a reassuring solidity and stability. If you loved the Tigersharks, I think you'll get on well with the Mantras. Just remember that they are built like a race ski, and need skiing appropriately .
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
dansmith, pm sent.
GrahamN, I know what you mean about ski "houses"
I thought occured to me today while browsing bindings...
I was intending to get the Jester bindings. However as the Dukes aren't that much more, I was wondering if it's worth getting them.
I'm not intending to do loads of touring but was wondering if there is much if any noticable reduction in performance compared to fixed bindings?
Just thought that if there isn't then would it be worth getting them incase a touring day or two is in the offing? I've had a quick search but did't find anything.
Over to you  s
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
snowgood, this thread is threatening to reach epic proportions. Could be competition for the 'inner ski tip lead' thread.
I have a pair of Naxo touring bindings mounted on mine. I find they are just fine, but it may be that my small problems with edge chatter at speed on ice would be reduced if I had a normal binding on. Not sure. Over to the experts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Having read your post on the Preacher thread and the one above I think you are now at a decision point. Are you looking for the best powder/deep snow performance, or are you looking for the most flexibility?
I've had touring bindings on my skis for the last 6 years or so. Although I don't do a lot of full on touring (I've done 3 week-long tours over that time), I probably do at least 4 day tours a year, sometimes more. This gives just so much more flexibility for accessing good terrain. A couple of years back I was on a SCGB week (all various shades of purple off-piste) and the valley we were staying in was pretty much all skied out, so we spent the whole week in the next valley over skiing great snow - as it had no lifts in it! We were skinning mostly just over 1hr/day to get all this great stuff, but had I not had touring bindings I would have been hiring all week and skied my own skis only one day. So yes, I'd say go for the Dukes. I have Fritchi Freerides, but I now ski hard enough that I really ought to replace them by Dukes (I've broken the Freerides twice now), and I really noticed the difference between the rental alpine bindings I tried on the test skis and the FR+ - so I'd not recommend the Fritschis for these skis. The Dukes are a bombproof build, but I've only skied them for half a day on skis I hated, so can't really comment particularly knowledgably on them. There do seem to be some really serious skiers doing really serious stuff on them, so I doubt you'd have a problem.
However, and this is where your decision point comes in, I've been with some guides who were very unhappy touring with any skis over 90mm wide. On a couple of days last year, even on short tours, we got to places where the width of the Mantras was really noticable and it made icy traverses feel very much like balancing on a knife edge (literally, as we had couteaux on - ah interesting point, I believe the Dukes first came out wihout couteaux able to fit them, but they are now available), and the leverage I could feel on the binding wasn't at all reassuring. I think the Mantras are the absolute widest you'd want, and I'd be seriously concerned with something 112mm wide (and I like sidecuts a bit above 20m as well). The big blunt nose of the Preachers may also make it interesting getting some skin fixings to attach to it.
Arno is probably a better man than me to comment on the range of touring bindings (and also skinning on fatter skis). He'll probably suggest Dynafits though! If you do go for bindings with touring capability though, remember you'll need to get some skins to go with them as well - as it's pointless having one without the other (and it's difficult to hire skins only). The only proviso with that would be if you were buying with a view to the future - no skinning this season, but intending to branch out next. Don't look too far into the future though, as skis, particularly if doing a lot of variable off-piste, have a finite lifetime (although bindings tend to have a longer one, and so could be remounted on your next pair).
(Steilhang I think it has more in common with D G Orf's "Find me a girlfriend" thread  . And Naxos are notoriously floppy )
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 1-11-10 12:05; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
GrahamN, ha! dynafits are great for some things but i'm not a totally dedicated fanboi... for the uses described by snowgood I'd go with dukes/barons or maybe the new Marker FT12s. dukes are the ones i have experience with and i don't think they give you any reduction in performance when compared with decent conventional alpine binding. the stack height is a bit higher but i'd been skiing on Fritchis for years before i got the dukes so that didn't really bother me. some people get excited about ramp angles etc but i am clearly a rubbish skier because i don't really notice this sort of stuff!
FT12s look to have potential but i am not sure the weight benefit is sufficient for me to buy some when i have some perfectly good dukes lying around. also the FT12s will be in their first season and it is always nice to let someone else be the guinea pig for any little bugs in the design...
in terms of skinning on fat skis, i dunno... it isn't so bad. doing an icey sidehill on 122mm skis does suggest you brought the wrong tools for the job but i was on 105mm skis last year and was mostly ok. maybe i used couteaux a bit more than i would otherwise have done but dynafit couteaux aren't too much of a faff. there is quite a bit of technique to skinning as well, which doesn't get talked about often. in fact i might be a better technical skinner than skier 
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 1-11-10 12:12; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Re the Dukes, after using the barons extensively last season on my Big Troubles, I'm putting some on my new Bibby Pro's even though I won't be able to afford skins for a while yet. They're perfectly fine as just an everyday resort binding, not great for touring (heavy), but it's nice to have the versatility for short hikes to get to the goods.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Arno wrote: |
FT12s look to have potential but i am not sure the weight benefit is sufficient for me to buy some when i have some perfectly good dukes lying around. also the FT12s will be in their first season and it is always nice to let someone else be the guinea pig for any little bugs in the design...
|
As I just put these on my Mantras (replaced Griffons) I will let you know how I get on this season!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
FT12s look to have potential but i am not sure the weight benefit is sufficient for me to buy some when i have some perfectly good dukes lying around. also the FT12s will be in their first season and it is always nice to let someone else be the guinea pig for any little bugs in the design...
|
Have you seen them in the flesh yet? I'm pretty sceptical tbh, they seem pretty flimsy. Defo wouldn't use them everyday in the same way I do with Barons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
clarky999, no but i skied for a few years on fritschi freerides without problems so i am prepared to believe that these things may be stronger than they look
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowgood, Here it is, but please don't warm it up again! All that could possibly be said has been said!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Conrad ski are excellent, you'll have no problems - I have used them for 2 pairs of skis, bindings and helmet, all good. Would definiteky use again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
snowgood, just noticed you're based in Leam. Re the bindings, go to Lockwoods for a good range and good advice, they have a really sound and knowledgable team.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
clarky999, Yeah. been in there a couple of times chatting to them about this subject, I'm waiting for a quote from them at the moment.
I saw you had a Leamington connection too, is your Independant Trading Co. based here?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sorry, my what?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
clarky999, From the style of your location info, I thought it was a take on the "New York - Paris - Peckham" tag line of Trotters Independant Trading Co.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Is religion making a comeback?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
laundryman, take a look at the tea party. Unfortunately the answer is yes!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| laundryman wrote: |
| Is religion making a comeback? |
see also The Answer, The Solution, Shaman, Pilgrim, Lhasa, Gotama, Lord (although arguably that's about ruling classes).
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Snowgood, hope I don't take this off at a tangent and get shot down - I was originally looking at Mantras Vs Prophets a while ago. Friend living in Whistler regularly praised his pair he had fitted with Fritchis. We're both around 100 Kg, me 5.10 he 6.2. I was on verge of buying them as looking to switch from Big Troubles when someone suggested Icelantic Shamans with Dukes to me.
Tried them, loved them, took em out to Whistler - mate and his wife have now ditched their Mantra and K2 wide planks. We tried Shaman, Mantra and Whistler's local Prior powder ski back to back in waist to chest deep powder on a day of Cat ski. The Shaman was everyones favourite hands down for ease of use and response, especially in the trees.
Skied North America and 2 or 3 europe resorts with them, usually kicking about resort with SCGB rep and group. Can crank over on piste and easily keep up with most of group on piste skis. And slightest hint of powder or drop off side and they come alive - downside - the skis get some strange looks and they are wide for skinning, more a side-country than true touring option. I have hammered my Dukes and they've been excellent in all respects whether on or off. Good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| snowgood wrote: |
| clarky999, From the style of your location info, I thought it was a take on the "New York - Paris - Peckham" tag line of Trotters Independant Trading Co. |
Lol, no just where I can usually be found (parents live in Leam, gf lives in Innsbruck, I'm at uni in Aberdeen).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I am now in posession of my Mantras with Duke bindings, I am one happy camper!
15 days till I'm on snow!
I got them from Lockwoods in the end, they did a good deal, which ended up about the same price as Sport Conrad, so with the peace of mind of them being up the road if I need them.
Thanks again for all your advice and comments.
Jim
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
