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Moving to Utah next year, big mountain/powder ski? +k

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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
Hey guys just wondering what you would recommend for powder ski/big mountain ski that would last me a good while and also a pair of bindings to best fit this scenario and ski.

I was thinking Armada JJ's with either griffons or fks
Or Line Opus skis or Sir francis bacons

I am 5 10'
150 lbs
Intermediate-Advanced skier
I am a big mountain noobie and more of a park orientated skier but I want to expand my skiing skill range.

let me know what you think fellas

+k
Mar 26 2013 9:07AM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
Considering your park background, and the skis you've been looking at, it seems as if a twin rockered ski is more appealing. I currently own one pair of twin rockered pow skis, the ON3P Caylor, see my review here -http://aslansskiblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/on3p-caylor-ski-review.html
Mar 26 2013 9:37AM
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Crispy.
Posts: 6109 - Karma: 7,683
I would not recommend FKSs for big mountain/powder. Such a pain to get on in snow, look into the Salomon STH Driver 14.
Mar 26 2013 9:53AM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,591
I fucking love my night trains, for sure look into those. Opus' are also a ton of fun
Mar 26 2013 10:05AM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
Yeh, I ride STH16 Drivers on my Wrenegades, and I love them, would highly reccomend. Looking to get a sold 50 days on them first before I write a review on the STH16s
Mar 26 2013 10:37AM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
*solid
Mar 26 2013 10:38AM
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Caucasian_Asian
Posts: 2447 - Karma: 1,665
Since you're light, 180 CRJs and Deadbolt 15s.
Mar 26 2013 11:48AM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
4FRNT YLE's. With your park background, the transition in shape will be seamless. They're essentially a fat, rockered park ski. Ive been shredding big lines and doing park laps on them for the last couple years.
Mar 26 2013 12:29PM
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Park_Mho
Posts: 351 - Karma: 390
stay away from griffons. buy marker dukes or barons for the armada jj's
Mar 26 2013 12:51PM
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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
I have armada halo's so I am used to rockered skis, I have heard that jj's are very similar in shape and I can buy them for 425
Mar 26 2013 1:08PM
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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
could i put 110mm binding brakes on a 115 ski? just bend them a tad?
Mar 26 2013 2:26PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
I wouldn't reccomend buying dukes or barons, unless you're going to be touring. If you're just going to be skiing lift serviced or boot pack to terrain, I'd reccomend just sticking to a standard alpine binding.
Mar 26 2013 3:09PM
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MothaHucker
Posts: 4678 - Karma: 2,591
This but if you got the dough to fund a touring setup, then for sure head down that path
Mar 26 2013 4:08PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
Yeh for sure if you've got the opportunity/funds get into touring, you won't regret it. It's just it seemed as if @SHADDUPFOOL127 was advising OP to get frame AT binders, so I was just trying to clear stuff up for OP.
Mar 26 2013 4:34PM
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50Kal
Posts: 2828 - Karma: 5,373
JJ are nice in deep untracked powder, but chop and high speed they sucked for me. I went with ON3P BG 12/13 but I only go forwards in deep snow. BGs in chop fucking rule the world. The only thing is Im limited to days I can take out my BGs (more than 4inches). Wish I could of tested the Vicks cause that was one I was debating on.
Maybe also check out the ON3P jeffery. That would be a good pow jib ski (110 underfoot). with 25m turning radius it will Handel big mnts better than JJ( turning radius of 18)
Mar 26 2013 5:14PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
yeh sure, a 110 brake would fit a 115 ski with very little bending
Mar 26 2013 7:05PM
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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
awesome! I eill probably go with griffons, I have them on my halos and they kick ass
Mar 26 2013 7:36PM
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50Kal
Posts: 2828 - Karma: 5,373
ehhh you could do better for binding just saying. Salomon sth 14 drivers 115 brakes are on sale at Backcountry. $200.

http://www.backcountry.com/salomon-sth-14-driver-ski-binding
Mar 26 2013 8:21PM
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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
griffons are 179 on evo with 10% of on top of that and I have had a solid season doing park, urban and what not and beating them up an they are quite solid bindings I would say, I'm on kind of a budget
Mar 26 2013 8:37PM
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bnewbs6
Posts: 1919 - Karma: 1,463
I LOVE my JJs. They are a super fun ski. And really easy to maneuver and turn. I also like to go REALLY fast. They never seemed sketchy at high speeds to me. I would recommend the FKS over the griffons. But that's only because i switched from Griffons to FKS this year and it was the greatest change ever. I had a bad experience with the griffons. But if you like them then go for it!
Mar 26 2013 9:01PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
Surface 179 One Lifes or 181 Live Life's could both be great inbounds utah skis if you grew up as a park skier. Also 177 4frnt YLE's or ON3P Jeffrey's (Caylors or BG's will probably be too 'burly' if your only intermediate-advanced). All four have A LOT of rocker, making it really easy to ski pow, but they are also have less taper, camber, and are stiff enough to ski mid day chop or a few days after the storm. That is the key problem with JJ's or other extremely tapered and soft pow skis, in crud they can suffer from deflection and instability at speed.
Mar 26 2013 9:36PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
This is very true, it's been said by other members before too, the thing about ON3P skis is that you have to be a pretty good skier to really enjoy them. Not a criticism at all, -I own 2 pairs of ON3Ps and I will continue to purchase them for the foreseeable future; its more of an observation, that worth bearing in mind when OP chooses his skis.
Mar 27 2013 5:44AM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
I personally would stay away from JJs, but it depends what you like. Id probably go with Caylors mounted with STH14/16s. JJs are horrible on hardpack.
Mar 27 2013 7:17AM
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slc_utahboiii
Posts: 1755 - Karma: 1,441
Where do I get my bindings mounted on my skis? center or a little farther back, please let me know!!!










.
Mar 27 2013 10:06AM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
Each ski has a reccomended mounting point. This will be marked on your skis in a variety of ways, a notch or a dimple in the sidewall or a mark on your topsheet. These marks aren't always spot on, so it's worth measuring your skis, and dividing that number by 2, to give you center. Then come on here ask what the reccomended mount is on you skis in relation, and work back from there. For example on my new skis I know reccomended is -3 from center, therefore I mark 3 centimeters back from center on my topsheet with some tape. Usually you will find that your reccomended mount and that on the topsheet agree.

Once you've decided where reccomended is you can either decide to go +/- of reccomended. This is very much personal preference, but for your first set of powder skis, I'd reccomend going with rec. mount. If they're a pair of jibby pow planks, this will feel adequately far forward, and you shouldn't have too much of a problem adjusting from your center mounted park skis.
Mar 27 2013 10:29AM
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Crispy.
Posts: 6109 - Karma: 7,683
Probably not for a big mountain ski. Some people do like their pow skis mounted dead center, but just go with the recommend mount on the ski (there will be a line that says recommended)
Mar 27 2013 10:30AM
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MRoden
Posts: 753 - Karma: 211
mount at -5, factory. or a little bit forward. I have mine at -2.5 .
Mar 27 2013 7:58PM
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GoodasGold
Posts: 174 - Karma: 507
I've heard the K2 Penitters are also good big mountain, super playful
Mar 31 2013 10:27AM
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paige.
Posts: 1932 - Karma: 924
If you do like the look of the shape/width of the Caylors it would be worth looking at the 181 Caylor Lite rather than the standard version. I agree that a (slightly) softer flex would probably be beneficial as you get used to more big mountain skiing.
Mar 31 2013 5:29PM
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zahava
Posts: 7791 - Karma: 12,039
That's a good point, but idk, I haven't seen a pair floating around in a long time.
Mar 31 2013 10:35PM
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GrahamGould
Posts: 713 - Karma: 2,439
Faction Royals would be sick. You would be able to butter around and ski switch, but they are still stiff enough to hold you when you get rowdy
Mar 31 2013 11:05PM
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VD.
Posts: 4054 - Karma: 4,565
Yeh I think they were only for the 11/12 season, I'm not sure how many were made either.
Apr 1 2013 4:56AM
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