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EP pro or Hellbent

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montanadood.
Posts: 23 - Karma: 10
Has anybody demoed the new EPs or Hellbents? Im buying one of em and plan on riding them almost everyday. There both sick. Cant decide.
Sep 8 2009 12:15PM
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bootleg_BEN
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 44
New hellbents are exactly the same as old hellbents so check out reviews on them.

And my bro said he couldnt tell any difference in the flex when he hand flexed the new ep's so im guessing they are pretty similar to the old ones.

Just trying to help
Sep 8 2009 12:17PM
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schmies
Posts: 2032 - Karma: 511
EPs are significantly softer, so a little background on you, can help people help you choose. Skill level, height, weight and where/how you ski all factor into what is good for you.
Sep 8 2009 1:39PM
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montanadood.
Posts: 23 - Karma: 10
I am 6-01, 190 pounds. I ski everything, but im in the park the least. A lot of backcountry hitting jumps and cliffs lines. I ride the armada jjs-188cm from 2 years ago. I love how light they are, and would like some fatter skis with rocker that are still fairly light. How are the 189cm hellbents?
Sep 8 2009 3:21PM
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Elg
Posts: 2998 - Karma: 3,880
k2s are a little on the heavier side over all from what i've heard
Sep 8 2009 3:36PM
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bootleg_BEN
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 44
but will be stiffer than the hellbents so they would probably be better. especially if you are hitting some cliffs.
Sep 8 2009 4:40PM
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B4NE1
Posts: 876 - Karma: 16
My vote goes straight to line i don't like messing around with big corporate companies.
Sep 8 2009 4:52PM
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Dr.Rick_Marshall
Posts: 407 - Karma: 44
The hellbents would be a way better choice for you they are not as soft as the ep pros and they are super fun to ride, espically for what you want them for. But if you like a light skis hellbents are not light at all especially if you get them in a 189
Sep 8 2009 4:55PM
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DHogg
Posts: 3462 - Karma: 237
your kidding right? k2=line
Sep 8 2009 5:30PM
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schmies
Posts: 2032 - Karma: 511
We actually sit about 30 feet from each other.

Before you go and spout on an anti-corporate rant, take a step back and ask what both LINE and K2 have done for skiing. Both have innovated by producing many of the ski designs we now view as commonplace in addition to sponsoring a slew of athletes that have changed our sport forever.

K2 brought to the table the first modern twin tip in the Poacher way back in 96, 2 years before the 1080. First company to use edges almost 3 times as thick as everyone else to help with durability on rails, we also added tip rivets to hold the tips together through the most punishing East Coast and Midwest landings. K2 made the first women specific park ski, the MissDemeanor. K2 also came out with the first park ski with a specialized core for presses and butters in the Fujative in 03. K2 took McConkey's Spatula idea and produced the Pontoon, arguably one of the best tools for helping people shred pow. K2 went and created the first-ever fat-rockered twin tip with the HellBent and opened people's eyes as to what can be done on skis. The K2 Back 9 backcountry slopestyle was the early precursor to events now such as the Red Bull Cold Rush.

LINE has brought tons to the table as well, from pushing pure symmetrical twin tips since 99 to an attempt at a revolutionary binding system, to experiments with just how fat skis can get with some of Pollard's prototypes, to creating the AfterBang wood laminate ski to supporting a talented roster of skiers through the years that have also pushed the envelopes of style and trickery as we know it.

Some companies take chances and push the sport in the direction it needs to go through intensive and innovative product development, athlete, magazine and event support and marketing. AND some don't. Some just make a twin tip ski and expect you to buy it. It's up to you to pay attention to what companies have done and what they give back.

No hate, just setting the record straight. If you are ever in Seattle, hit us up and come get a tour, you can come see for yourself how it is.

-Schmies


Sep 8 2009 6:42PM
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,704
I wonder how long it will take for someone to recommend Caylor's.
Sep 8 2009 6:45PM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,404
my vote is for EPs, love mine to death
Sep 8 2009 6:46PM
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montanadood.
Posts: 23 - Karma: 10
Both companies have been pushing hard from the beginning. Schmies your artwork is always sick to. Think im gonna have to get myself some hellbents for the year!
Sep 8 2009 6:47PM
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Jesus-FlwrSubaru
Posts: 1077 - Karma: 53
I second this, i rode both and bought the EP"S instead becasue they are a lil' softer, and groomer skiing is better. Loved both of them but was more into the EP. I like to butter a lot and the softer flex helps bring the tips up more in powder. Not into charging and enjoy pow cruises.
Sep 8 2009 7:06PM
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coolhandluke
Posts: 4465 - Karma: 153
the idea from the caylors sprung from the ep pro / hellbent debates from a few years ago.  and the end result is actually a ski stiffer than either of those. 

but there is no doubt that mcconkey's and pollard's design innovations for the pow skis paved the way for everyone attempting to make a pow ski today with rocker/early rise/early taper/area 51 alien technology.
Sep 8 2009 7:25PM
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ZavierV
Posts: 5077 - Karma: 100
Have you given the on3p Caylors any consideration?

Similar to the hellbent and EP pro but considerably more lively and much lighter than bents.
Sep 8 2009 11:36PM
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dwags222
Posts: 91 - Karma: 26

dude stole my line.  the Caylor's are almost certainly your best choice based on how you described your skiing style. not to mention you can get a rad deal on em right now.  they are longer too, and when buying fully rockered skis you want to go 10 cm longer than a normal ski unless you are using it strictly for jibbing.  also they will be a little stiffer then the hellbents, but they are a bamboo core which means you still get a good poppy flex.

Sep 9 2009 12:24AM
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skyabamba
Posts: 1144 - Karma: 10
i as well am wondering the differences between these two skis, i think i will be buying a pair of the EPs as the last two seasons i have been on 169,and then 179 hellbents,  i have done alot of research, and have pretty much narrowed it down to the ep pro, but the only thing i am concerned about is the flex. when i had the hellbents i was already really suprised at how noodly and flexable they are, and to think the ep pros are even softer, i am scared they are going to be too soft! but with the early taper, and lighter weight (which i really need, the bents killed my knees because of the swing weight), i guess im gonna take the chance and see how they compare for myself.

has anyone ever heard of someone who thought they were just too soft comared to the bents? or is it just not that much of a difference to matter....
Sep 10 2009 6:32PM
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schmies
Posts: 2032 - Karma: 511
Well if you thought HellBents were soft......It all really depends on your skiing style, height weight and ability.
Sep 10 2009 7:10PM
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KingOfNothing
Posts: 368 - Karma: 264
I vote going with Moment Night Trains.  Moments are really good skis and the new Night Train is epic.  They are similar dimensions as well.  140-123-135.   The EP's are just to fat for multiple conditions and the Hell bents are heavy.  My vote is for Moment!
Sep 10 2009 7:41PM
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caylorswift
Posts: 10695 - Karma: 312
I can literally flex a pair of EPs into a perfect C.

No joke.

If you thought HellBents were soft, i would recommend not getting the EPs.

Depends on your stats (weight, height, where you ski, etc, as Schmies has said) as they are both great skis, respectively. I have had both in the past and had a blast on them. Definitely a couple of the most revolutionary skis of our day without a doubt.
Sep 10 2009 7:41PM
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skyabamba
Posts: 1144 - Karma: 10
as far as my stats, i am 5'8, 140 , i mostly ski backcountry and trees and like to build booters into pow. i love buttering around and basicaly trying to go off the style of eric pollard. I never like to hit big icy park jumps so i dont need stability spacificly for landings, i was just thinking if i went with a stiffer ski i might enjoy a little more pop. other than that i like to have the flex to butter around.
 becuse of my fucked up knees, all i can do in the park is play around with rails and boxes, like on groomer spring type days. and i pretty much rode the hellbent every day for every condition.

  as far as thinking they were soft, i didnt mean i dont like softness, its the fact that im not sure weather or not i would dig a stiffer ski , i have never really skied anything stiffer than a pair of old 1080s. So, I know i definitly want another pair of rockered skis ,  but there are just too many to choose from compared to  a couple years ago, when the hellbent was pretty much the only rocker you could buy besides the pontoon.


also im a little stuck because i work at a shop which hooks me up, so i only have the choice between Armada, Line, K2, Dynastar, and Volkl.

id go for the JJ in an instant, but unlike the hellbent, ive never seen people playing around in the park on them and they are also really stiff as i hear, which i dont know if i will like.

i have also looked into the chopstick, but have heard alot of mixed reviews of them being heavy, stiff, and uncontrolable-sounds worse than the hellbent for me, haha.
Sep 10 2009 8:59PM
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