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Changes in Hellbent performance?

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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
If I'm not mistaken, the 2010 model had Reverse Camber, where the 2011 has flat camber, and nose and tail rockers?

What is the likely difference in performance, wrt to turning, pop, responsiveness, etc?

Having only ever ridden regular cambered skis, some input would be appreciated. +k
Jul 20 2010 1:52AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7812 - Karma: 1,489
I can' fill you in on how the new Bents ride, but i can tell you what I thought of the old.
-They're heavy
-They're really soft
-They're great in trees
-They will get you back to the lift... but don't expect handling
-They have NO issues floating in any type of pow
-18 inches or more is when they are prime
-Bad at speed
-Don't even bother with crud/tracked snow
-Skating gets old REAL quickly
-Switch riding is great

In essence, the old Hellbent is great for what it was made for. If you are hitting booters, skiing pow switch, skiing deep snow, and skiing trees, then these are good skis. The new Hellbent is TOO beefy. Why anyone would ride a 132 waist is kind of beyond me, when the 122 floated like a dream. I think the extra width is a mistake in the new hellbent, but we will see.
Jul 20 2010 4:11AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7812 - Karma: 1,489
I can' fill you in on how the new Bents ride, but i can tell you what I thought of the old.
-They're heavy
-They're really soft
-They're great in trees
-They will get you back to the lift... but don't expect handling
-They have NO issues floating in any type of pow
-18 inches or more is when they are prime
-Bad at speed
-Don't even bother with crud/tracked snow
-Skating gets old REAL quickly
-Switch riding is great

In essence, the old Hellbent is great for what it was made for. If you are hitting booters, skiing pow switch, skiing deep snow, and skiing trees, then these are good skis. The new Hellbent is TOO beefy. Why anyone would ride a 132 waist is kind of beyond me, when the 122 floated like a dream. I think the extra width is a mistake in the new hellbent, but we will see.
Jul 20 2010 4:14AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7812 - Karma: 1,489
Sorry for what is now a triple post. NS fucks up right around 1:00-1:15 out here in CA.
Jul 20 2010 4:15AM
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schmies
Posts: 2032 - Karma: 511
Beyond your speculations, they are hands down favored by the team more so than the old design. We don't just choose random numbers of dimensions and start kicking out skis hoping it works:)

We also moved FCP and ACP in a bit, to reduce tip deflection in crud. This is noticeable when skiing them. We also have an entirely new top tooling with a dual ridge rolling into the sidewall. Basically and cap to sidewall hybrid to reduce any chipping and some unnecessary weight. Decker says his carve better on firmer snow and Pep and Ager lost their shit when they first skied them. As for the weight, Pettit never seemed to have problems and he isn't a huge dude. Hopefully you get to try them out one day this winter. I'm confident you'll be stoked on them.
Jul 20 2010 12:18PM
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wazzucrewskier
Posts: 2269 - Karma: 151
yeah, that new style sidewall seems like it will be awesome.  sidewall skis always have problems blowing out topsheets, but from the sets i saw at demo days all the k2's still looked prime.  i definitely think other companies are going to try to copy that in the coming years.  definitely looking to try out a set on a good day this year
Jul 20 2010 7:56PM
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austinmetsch
Posts: 525 - Karma: 17
i skied next year's hellbents in march in west virginia at a shop demo. i skied them in warm snow, slush, crud, and groomers. i can't say how they were in powder but because of the size i have no doubt they're sick. as far as what i skied them in they were great. they are still fairly soft for the size they are and they are somewhat heavy. they did well for being wide and carved suprisingly well. they were great switch. they got squirly on the flats at speed when the skis weren't on edge at all but that is to be expected. i liked the atomic bent chetlers much more is what i skied them in.
Jul 20 2010 8:22PM
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Ducky.
Posts: 5811 - Karma: 1,420
From what I hear, the new Hellbent's are miles better than the old ones. I can't say this for myself, since I haven't ridden the new one's, but coming from a K2 pro, they seem to be much better.
Jul 20 2010 8:30PM
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KramerC
Posts: 619 - Karma: 21
I got last years hellbents and they have allowed me to charge anything with fresh snow incredibly hard. If the new ones are better than the olds ill be buying some new hellbents.
Jul 20 2010 8:39PM
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