My Info: 5'10, 130, 26.5 FT's, I currently own Rossi S4's with PX10's. I ride a 6.5 DIN on my s4's but I've grown so I'd probably go to an 8. I refuse to own K2, don't even mention it, same goes for salomon skis, I'll ride their bindings though. I like how Rossi's ski, their light and solid, very stable.
So I'm heading out to whistler, bc for feb-may next season and I need to get some new gear. I'm thinking of picking up a pair of 178 Scimitar's with fks 140's for my park/all-mountain ski, I can only really bring two pairs out and I need something to fill the gap between my s4's and pow sticks. My other option is to go for a more versatile daily driver touring/pow ski with a 110ish waist and then keep my s4's. The second isn't a bad option for me, a 110 waisted ski would keep things lighter.
1. Pow Skis: I'm pretty friging picky when it comes to skis. I like a stiff (I'm light so mid-stiff), nimble, lightweight, fast edge to edge, and durable ski that can handle everything from waist deep to crud to groomers to a bit of touring. I like a ski to be playful in the sense that I can whip it around really fast when I need to, I don't really care about skiing switch in pow, I might do a bit of jumping but most likely it will be the odd 360 or back flip into pow. I like cliffs, pillows, steep trees, open bowls, and tight chutes, so basically everything, haha. Right now I'm looking at JJ's, BG's, Caylors, and Chetlers, I'd go for the 181-186 ski. My main concern is weight, once I add a touring binding, things could get heavy, I'm a pretty light guy so I don't want my skis to out weigh me in a sense that its hard to control them. For the 110 waisted ski's I'm looking at live free's, blog's, sfb's, and S6's (not sure of the new name).
I demoed some Czar's back in Jackson and I hated them, I felt like I had rockets on a crash course strapped to my feet, they were so heavy and stiff. I do get 30-55% off most mainstream brands like Rossi, Atomic, Armada, and Salomon because of a connection at a local ski store, I can special order anything in. I know that everyone raives about on3p but is it worth the extra money when I need to pay for rent.
2. Bindings: Non-touring I'm going fks 140's 100%, I just have no idea where to start with touring bindings. Realistically I'm probably going to be doing short side country tours to start, and then some day trips, nothing overnight. I'm planing on purchasing a beacon/probe/shovel/avalung/skins/etc and I'm going to take a course when I get out west.
I know that people have been raving about the new Salomon/atomic's (discounted), as well as the MFD Plates (I don't get a discount on the plate, only the binding). The other option would be dukes or barons, between the two I'm leaning more towards the baron, I'll lose all the weight I can.
3. Avi Gear: This is my least concern right now but I thought I'd throw it in so I don't have to make a new thread. I'm probably going for a Tracker 2, but I have no idea where to start with a shovel and probe. I found this, it gets me the avalung and a smaller pack for when I don't have camera gear. As for skin's I can't start looking till I buy skis.
http://www.backcountry.com/black-diamond-bandit-avalung-package
Thanks guys, I know this was long but I hate GT threads with no detail just as much as you do,
Zack.
