 Poster: A snowHead
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This ain't going to be a super technical review.
The ski is fat and at 189cm, long for a modern plank (apparently). The skier is 6ft, about 13 stone (82kgs) and 54 yrs (there endeth the facts). He is also a passive aggressive skier with despairing tendencies to timidity and girlsblousiness. Of course, in his mind, he is a 25-year-old gnarlfiend. These two points never manage to combine.
Where I'm coming from
The Preacher is the first ski I've bought since about 1983. Have skiied top line ("gold" or "platinum") rentals during that time. Rented a mid-fat Line ski three years ago which I think must have left more of impression and piqued my curiousity more than I realised. Never really got the shortski carving revolution. Have always preferred lift accessed off-piste to piste.
The Preacher's underfoot width and lack of sidecut was intimidating - when he first saw them, my cousin, a (truly) gnarly young boarder laughed his head off and said "Dude, why didn't you just buy a frkin snowboard and be done with it?".
Buying them was a plunge in the dark but I was well encouraged by snowHead reviews of the ski and Whitedot's vibe generally. The dimensions seemed to offer a chance to get truly comfortable off-piste instead of being just capable enough and slightly hesitant.
Of course, the graphics made my eyes pop and were the freshest thing I'd seen on skis since the K2 base stripes of the 70s. Sooperb!
The action
With big expectations and no small amount of apprehension, I rolled out the lime, green fat-bottomed girls for three days at New Year at Ischgl. As I don't want to dwell on bad times, just let's say it was miserable. I couldn't get on top of them. Just pushed what minimal snow there was around. Chattered and slid all over the place and could not make them grip even slightly adequately on ice. Even managed to fail in a turn and knock down my stationary ski buddy. Felt like it was my second ever day on skis. Even worse, I experienced what I imagine it's like to be a snowblader.
Returned home despondent, thought about giving up skiing as I'd lost the skill, expensive mistake, how much will I get for them on sHs etc etc. Obviously this was a full on mid to late life crisis minus the affair with the blonde secretary and the Harley Davidson etc etc etc
The search for answers
Sooo - took deep breath and booked a week in the Dolomites for mid-March and returned to the gym with much more serious intention than before. Also consulted snowHeads on various boot upgrade options and after much pfaffing about on my part, finally took the plunge on a set of foam liners from Profeet in West London - thanks to SZK, CEM and Heidik...and Profeet.
Conditions in Dolomites on 20 March were pretty good. Missed the previous week's dump but there was still lots of turns to be had off-piste with nice wind blown in the gullies (on the downside there was also a lot of treacherous crusty chopped up crud too). There was good on-piste snow at least in the mornings). By the end of the week, there was goodly amounts of slush on the low altitude pistes and tracks that everyone uses there were sloppy gloop roads by the end of the day.
And the Preachers just loved it!
Solutions
You definitely have to drive and ride these skis to get all they offer from them ( I don't believe I've reached that point yet). In clear, knee-deep windblown, they offer real stability although you have to get up front to lean on the big shovel tips and remain there. They keep trying to throw you back and I really appreciated the lextra ength out back a few times. I think I need to go on next season's sHOPB.
They were good on long fast, solid turns in the crud although often it was just too crusty resulting in a fair bit of tip flap. Can't say I ever felt in danger of crossing up though.
Preachers are never going to be a world beater on-piste carving ski but they put up a damn good fight. Lovely biting flex and light for their size and width - way lighter than many shorter, thinner carving skis I've lifted which is handy in the Dolomites with a lot of carrying going on during the day. The roll from one edge to the other was not nearly as much a problem or as along as I feared and did not hinder fast short turning at all.
On ice patches, they slide - no two ways about it. That could also be partly due to my technique. You can however, say they remain stable when doing so.
Moguls and I do not get on. They are skiing's equivalent of a pint of cold sick with hairs in it. They are God's way of telling you to stop skiing now and go straight to the pub. They are a mountain's acne, pus included. I expected to be completely utterly useless in them combined with these fat, long boards underneath but not so. I'm not going to say it was pretty but let's just say I managed to get through the lumpy bits upright and stay in shape to do proper, grown up skiing on the other side. The light weight of the Preachers enabling them to be flicked around on top of each bump relatively quickly.
Riding off into the sunset
Very pleased and very, very happy with these skis. The new boot liners deserve a mention too. I feel my skiing's stepped up a notch...well, maybe that should be "it's stopped sliding backwards". Whatever, it's a great boot-ski combo that's given the turns a whole new life. If you're umming and ahhing on a pair of Preachers, I'd say buy now.
Now...about those pretty new Whitedot Directors...
PS. With the graphics people are really curious and so feel free to comment all the time so you make new friends too. There was a group of ho-ho-ho, carving-is-the-bible, bronzed and leathery old Austrian blokes at Pozza di Fassa who couldn't help but gaffaw on about water skis until we pointed out (a la McConkey) that snow is frozen water and what length exactly were those skinny little things in their hands? We parted friends!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This could be a mid-life-crisis thead. I too have not bought a pair of skis since the 80s and was drawn to fat skis and in particular Icelantic skis by this forum - thanks snowheads. The even more wacky graphics were just the thing to spice up my skiing and embarass the children. So I fleabayed some Nomads with elephants on and headed to Monte Rosa for four days in January. These boards are so much fun ! We had every type of snow to play in and as has been reported before these skis are a hoot on all bar steep icy slopes. Having to take them in the bubbles was satisfyingly cringe making and they skied in a wonderful playful way which definitely makes you feel younger.
So it was back to fleabay for some Shamans and off to the southern french alps next week - I'll be the sad old git in a fat bag, shades, no helmet and a big grin.
.........now what about the Harley............
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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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BertieG, if the Nomads made you grin then the Shamans will have you laughing your c**k off. Enjoy 
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