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Best Freeride/All mountain ski for advanced/expert skiers 2007/08

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Doing a bit of a clear-out and came across a DM Ski & Snowboard magazine from Nov 2007. The big equipment test for this issue were the new season's freeride skis.

They had split them into "Advanced" and "Expert" with the expert skis being "wider than those in the advanced category and more geared towards off-piste use".

So, thinking that this was only 3 seasons ago, which skis do you think topped each category (there were 2 in each)?

The testers included Martin & Graham Bell, a couple of professional freeriders and a few old duffers - sorry, I mean the editorial team.

No cheating.
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B-Squad? Funny how that's coming back..
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Legend 8800?
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Scott Mission?
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HellBent, no

gorilla, no

Arno, Not even included in the test!
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Apache Recon?
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nodica hot rod?
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Expert would be about 85mm wide - too early for the Fischer Watea?

I think I've still got a copy of a DMSS where the Movement Thunder was rated best expert offpiste ski. Thinking of running mine as a hardpack only pair.
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bandit b 83 ?
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mantra?
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Arno wrote:
nodica hot rod?


Think the Hell Cat was that year and about 92mm underfoot. Weighed a tonne too!

I'd go with Volkl Mantras too.
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Here's a clue.. the 2 winners in the advanced category were 74mm and 78mm; and the 2 expert winners were 78mm and 96mm (which was the only 90mm+ ski tested)
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banditb74/b78 and b78/mantra
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jzBun, been hanging on please tell Smile
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meandrew, You've got 1 out of 3 right.

The Mantra was joint best for experts.

Quote:
Volkl Mantra. £430.00 IB.
"The Mantras did amazingly well in this category considering they are so wide underfoot they could be classified as Big Mountain skis. They came top of the class for powder/off-piste, long turns, straight-line stability, high speed and all terrain versatility. But they did less well for groomed piste, moguls, liveliness/responsiveness and edge-hold, showing "poor grip on ice"
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Mantra, bombproof.
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The concept of "all mountain" is a bollux marketing term as far as I can see. What it really means is mainly piste with the odd bit of offpiste, sort of what most experienced holiday skiers do. If you want a real off-piste ski that will really have the best design characteristics for powder/corn/mank/crust/windpack you have to look in the "big mountain" category.

"Freeride" is even less meaningful - is it everything except racing? FWT style burly lines and hucks?

Why don't they characterise skis by type of condition? Soft conditions ski, hard pack ski is more meaningful.

The Mantra is a damn good ski as an allrounder (at least when I tried it a few years ago) but the review above only states what anyone could have guessed from the dimensions and a bit of knowledge about the type of ski Volkl make.
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fatbob, I reckon all mountain is good if used properly - although as you say it's usually not. 80-100mm, proper 50/50 compromise is all mountain.

Freeride, yeah, it's a way of skiing (or kayaking, or biking, etc) rather than a category. Maybe BC Freestyle is a better description for it? FWT gnarly stuff = big mountain IMV.
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ac30
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Rossi B2 (78 underfoot)

These were pretty highly rated when they first appeared and received a few "ski of the year" awards. I think they're still pretty good, despite the "punter ski" tag they subsequently attracted.
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The Volkl AC30 Titanium came joint bottom of the advanced group with 7/10 and was described as having "...the look and feel of a skiercross ski"

The B78 scored the same 7/10. One reviewer said..."Not really exciting in any category".

Monium, The other winner in the Expert section was the Recon.

So, now we have the 2007/8 winners for expert skiers: Mantra and Recon.

Which 2 won in the Advanced.

Also I've just noticed that they also have the same format for women's skis. I'm probably gonna sound really chauvinist piggy here but...Movement Chicka?
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Nordica Hot Rod Eliminator?
Head XRC800?
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lynseyf, Nordica Hot Rod Eliminator?

Got slated really..."middle ranking for powder/off-piste and less remarkable on-piste"

Head XRC800. Not featured.
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jzBun, this has got to be the best thread its like top trumps of ski`s Very Happy I just cant think ive had to much wine Laughing
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meandrew, I've just had a look at the same feature but from the Jan 2009 edition. That might be next. snowHead
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Are the Legend 8000s on there?
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clarky999, Yes, but same score in the advanced section as the AC30's and Bandits i.e. bottom marks. Described , a little cryptically, as "A bit tough for this group and, despite the tighter radius, they scored less well for short turns and liveliness/responsiveness". One reviewer said..."they have to be worked quite hard". Scored well for off-piste though.
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Acacia, I loved my B2's as a beginner ski (4 days in). But after 4 years they felt like wet noodles and then started to delaminate. My skiing improved dramatically when I tried stiffer skis. Were the first model though.
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jzBun wrote:
meandrew, I've just had a look at the same feature but from the Jan 2009 edition. That might be next. snowHead
yeah baby bring it on lets go all the way back to the sixties.
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i think,i think it might be the head monster i78?
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meandrew,
Quote:
i think,i think it might be the head monster i78?


Head monster iM78 SW. £425.00 (IB)



No, sorry...
Quote:
Best for - Lovers of long fast turns, on or off-piste. Came top for long turns, smoothness and all terrain versatility. They were also joint top for high speed, scoring well for on and off-piste. Less impressive in short turns and moguls
. Score 7.5/10.
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jzBun wrote:
lynseyf, Nordica Hot Rod Eliminator?

Got slated really..."middle ranking for powder/off-piste and less remarkable on-piste"

Head XRC800. Not featured.


I tried the Eliminator and Recon when I was looking to buy my first skis which must have been around this time.


There must be a Salomon but I can't remember what would have been around then as I've never really skied them??
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What was the Fisher that was before the Progressor that's out now? Fischer something 8 or 9?? They were really popular for a while
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RX I think?
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It was the RX which was tested in the expert category, they also had the AMC 73 which appeared in the advanced.

The RX got the worst score in the test - 6.5/10 "Powder/off-piste, long turns, high speed and smoothness scores weren't strong". Not great then.

The AMC 73? Not great either according to the Bell brothers et al..."Felt like a race ski" and "struggled a bit off piste" 7/10.

lynseyf,
Quote:
There must be a Salomon but I can't remember what would have been around then as I've never really skied them??

There is and it was a joint winner.
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clarky999 wrote:
RX I think?


Yeah that's what the one I meant

ooh can't think what Salomon it would have been, too early for the Aero something or other, I remember somebody trying to flog me some of them at one point?
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lynseyf wrote:

There must be a Salomon but I can't remember what would have been around then as I've never really skied them??


Salomon Tornado? (Or did they come later?)
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... Or one of the other X-Wings?
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abj,
Quote:

lynseyf wrote:

There must be a Salomon but I can't remember what would have been around then as I've never really skied them??


Salomon Tornado? (Or did they come later?)


The Tornado was featured in the expert category. They scored 8/10 which seemed a bit generous because, for an all mountain ski, they didn't get the thumbs-up for powder..."They need to be fatter" was a general view.
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abj wrote:
... Or one of the other X-Wings?


Fury
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