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Powder ski help?

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Alistair.
Posts: 458 - Karma: 212
Long story short, I'm British, doing my first Ski Season in the Alps this year, hopefully being placed in Val d'Isere as a Kitchen Porter for the season, so best hours for getting ski time.

Anyway, I've skiied the 85mm waist chronics for a while over a few weeks of holidays, bought them to be an all mountain ski and begin to venture into the park, which in all honesty, I haven't really done.

So for the season I've got my all mountain/park ski sorted but I'm looking to buy a powder ski! Something that'll be decent on crud and nice fresh powder. I've only ever skiied little bits when It's been fresh, never been properly trekking through the trees or hiked anywhere to go skiing but I really wanna hit the deep stuff this winter!

Need some suggestions on some skis and lengths? I'm 6'2 and 165 lbs and riding 182 Chronics at the moment. I know this is a stupidly vague post but i don't know where to start!
Sep 18 2012 6:52PM
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jfrauen
Posts: 183 - Karma: 35
Armada AK JJ its an 195 pow ski thats what i ride im 6'3 170 and its perfect for me. Also might want to consider the Atomic Bent chetlers and salomon rocker 2

Sep 18 2012 7:23PM
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50Kal
Posts: 2828 - Karma: 5,373
what brands of skis do you have access to? Or are you gonna buy whatever you want and ship to UK?
Sep 18 2012 7:35PM
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Alistair.
Posts: 458 - Karma: 212
With a lot of looking around, I'll probably be able to find most brands on sale somewhere in the UK. If it's an EU company, I can always buy when I get to France and save on shipping. If It's US/Canada only then depends on the shipping prices!
Sep 18 2012 8:21PM
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Alistair.
Posts: 458 - Karma: 212
Anybody else?? I've had a look at the AK JJ and I like the look of it.. The main thing I'm worried about is going from the biggest ski I've skiied being 85 in the waist to skiing something 120 in the waist.
Sep 20 2012 5:03PM
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tomPietrowski
Posts: 7145 - Karma: 17,457

Have a look at the Salomon Rocker 122 and Rocker 115. The 115 may suit your needs better. It has an early rise tail instead of rocker, so unless you plan on doing 5's into pow you will be ok with the early rise.  The 115 is also stiffer in teh tail which means it carves and handles teh crud much better then the 122. Size wise I would prob go forthe 188 at your size, although if your not too agrerssive you could get away with the 178.

The Rocker 122 in comparsion is much more plafull, as it has a softer flex and more rocker in teh tail. Its more of a jib pow ski, whereas the 115 is more of a charger. I have been on the 122 for the last two seasons and I love them. Super playfull but can still handle the groomers when they need too.

Brighmas should have both in stock by now, so if you can get to a fridge shop you should be able to demo them, and see what works better for you.

Have a good season in france.

Sep 20 2012 5:08PM
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Alistair.
Posts: 458 - Karma: 212
^ Thanks, I'll have a look into that, but I'm quite far away from any of the indoor ones here in the UK.

Just looking for some more suggestions? I know this thread is a month old but oh well.
Oct 16 2012 8:31AM
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Kickerzzz
Posts: 234 - Karma: 62
Another vote for the Atomic Bent Chetler. Also check out Line Opus. Don't worry about stepping up to a bigger waist, you'll be thankful when you hit the deep stuff! Both these skis can so some park too, although they're not gonna shred. Besides you have park skis already.

Two more options are the Armada Bubba for a directional pow ski, and Volkl Gotama if you want something a little narrower that chargers and is very snappy between trees. All solid choices :-)
Oct 16 2012 10:45AM
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Banane.
Posts: 3102 - Karma: 414
Just bought some Opus for my season in Revelstoke, they will be my touring and go to ski. Opus look really sick. Might need some bigger and stiffer pow stick tought.

Btw you'll be good, I want from a 80 waist to an 115 waist and it was nearly the same thing.


Oct 16 2012 10:55AM
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Alistair.
Posts: 458 - Karma: 212
I'm not so worried about stepping up to the bigger waist now as I know I'll get used to it pretty quick.

My options so far then are AK JJ, Rocker2 122, Line Opus, Bent Chetler + Black Crows Nocta ( French company, ski looks sick)

It may be good to add that it'll be ridden in trees + open faces, it's gonna be my all over the place powder ski I suppose, and I'll be using it to progress through the whole season as It'll be my first powder ski aha. Cheers for the help aswell guys :)
Oct 16 2012 2:17PM
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chuckmarty
Posts: 344 - Karma: 448
Just got myself a pair of Bent Chetlers. No one I've talked to seems to dislike these skis.

What I've heard people say about them:
If you're going to be riding switch a lot, this is the way to go.
They are amazing in the trees.
Super stable for burning down the steep and deep.
Really floaty.

Reasons why I chose them:
Equal tip and tail rocker
Excellent floatation forward and switch
123mm underfoot
Good amount of camber, much more than the Obsethed. I used the Obsethed last season and lack of camber is pretty fun for doing what my friend and I called "whirly birds" (spinning in circles so effortlessly on the groomers that you make yourself sick) but it's super chattery when cruising around on the groomers and catwalks. Obviously it's a powder ski so you can't really knock it for tip chattering.
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Snagged them for $400 new. Couldn't find them cheaper anywhere else unless they were used.
Wanted to upgrade to 183cm length from my old 169 Obsetheds.
Oct 16 2012 5:54PM
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Alistair.
Posts: 458 - Karma: 212
I'm not gonna be throwing down big 5's on powder yet as I can't do fuck all in the park let alone on backcountry booters, nor will i be skiing switch too much, +k to all that are helping.. I need more opinions pleaseee!
Oct 18 2012 1:02PM
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Nicko1981
Posts: 527 - Karma: 180
Have you thought about the Liberty Helix or Double Helix? Light for their size, the Helix especially is still good on crud and piste, playful ski with a gradual rocker in the tip. Hit me up if you want more info:

Oct 18 2012 2:05PM
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