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May, 2025

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Question for those east coast tree skiers

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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
I'm looking for a ski that I can dedicate to skiing glades, I will be skiing smugglers notch mostly. I currently only have park skis. I have been looking at the ON3P typhoon the blizzard bonafide and the epic planks ripper. All have sub 21 turn radii. And have just under 100 for the waist. I want something very nimble for weaving through tight trees but that will also be able to handle a little bit of powder. The dps wailer 99 looks perfect but the price is a little bit high. The crop duster also looks good but I have heard its extremely stiff and unforgiving if you get even a little bit out of control. The tychoon has the logest turn radius but I can't seem to find any reviews on it. All advise is appreciated
12 years ago
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
hands down, blizzard bonafide or the rossi s3
12 years ago
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Park.
Posts: 2480 - Karma: 4,587
I am in a similar situation as you and im liking the look of these:

http://bluehouseskis.com/mr-rocker.html and I dont really know what your weight or style is, but If you cant find any skis with sub 21 turn radius, just get a ski with a rockered tail for some easier pivots and quicker turns.
12 years ago
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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
Sorry I forgot to add hight weight and what not. I am 5'11 and a half (just under six feet and it haunts me every day). I weigh about 150 now but bill be gaining weight soon if that matters (I have to start bulking up for football and that is hard to do in season). I am definitly an aggressive skiier but at times find my self backseat when I am out of control (I know this is improper form but I like to push myself to my limits when I can) I thought that might be important considering the crop duster seems very good but in one review I read it is very unforgiving to skiing backseat.
12 years ago
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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
Also what size would people recomend! I was thinking 185 or 180ish
12 years ago
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shredsticks
Posts: 108 - Karma: 33
Check out the icelantic Shaman. I've heard nothing but good things about it and it looks like a rad tree skiing type of ski real fat up front to dig some turns.

Probably buying some next year for a touring setup in that area.

Also on sale very cheap on the clymb if you're part of that.

12 years ago
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a_burger
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 21,143
Really up to you, depends on the type of trees at your local resort. If it's really tight chutes you may want to stick with a 180, but if the trees are thinned out a bit more and have multiple lines you would probably be better off with something like a 185
12 years ago
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MacMahoooon
Posts: 9009 - Karma: 3,305
Low to mid 180s wide ski with pronounced early rise. I ski primarily tight trees on the east coast and probably my all time favourite bushwhacker ski has been my Moment Bibbys, followed not far behind by a pair of Salomon Rocker2 108s. Both are stiff and poppy underfoot, with nice long early rise making them super quick to transition from from turn to turn, yet wide enough to float and cut chop
12 years ago
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
and be floppy on hardpack unless on edge. if he's doing tight trees, no need for 108 underfoot. go with something 90ish and 180 in length.
12 years ago
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Park.
Posts: 2480 - Karma: 4,587
From my experiences, I would say try not to go under a 95 waist, and then unless it has a solid rocker profile, try not to stray too far below 130 for the tips minimum. Since you like to ski aggressively, but find yourself backseat at times, you can always have some boot adjustments as well as binding adjustments to counteract this. what boots do you have and what bindings were you planning on getting?

12 years ago
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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
I used to ski with technica infernos for boots. I recently got full tilts (after going to a boot fitter). For bindings I have fks 140s Thanks for the help
12 years ago
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Park.
Posts: 2480 - Karma: 4,587
i had the same things last year, and full tilts definitely helped me stay front seat and the bindings are my babies. First, I would put the thick wedge in your boots and get a flex 8 toungue. the 6 flex is just to soft for anything but jib park for me. second, I would see if you can get a wedge lift inside your boot to also help get some more leverage and stay frontseat. the bindings are great, but if you still have problems after all the boot adjustments, look into a binder with some ramp so its harder to ride backseat.
hoped this helped, and btw this stuff is pretty much all out, I am sure you can find that one of these adjustments should do the trick, especially the wedge in your boots.
12 years ago
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Poikenz
Posts: 1539 - Karma: 4,372
Probably doesn't help or make sense but I typically aim for skis with a 21m turn radius, maybe because I like them out of the trees. Never seems to hold me back, but I tend to pick the straight and true routes or more "open" areas over something a bit more technical, I guess I just like to go fast.
12 years ago
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beauchamp
Posts: 662 - Karma: 1,191
1-nordica soul rider
2-icelantic nomad rkr
3-line sir francis bacon

smugg's trees are really fast (some of em) and you got to be real quick on your edges. soul rider 97 underfoot alows you to float through pow and stuff and carves really well. Icelantics nomad are 100 something... so if you think you're gonna ski mostly trees and "pow" during season go with them. However, i would really take the soul rider if i was you
12 years ago
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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
From what I have read on blister revew the dps wailer looks like the perfect ski. My only concern is price. The crop duster is also very appealing but seems like it might be to stiff and twitchy. However it's 150 bucks cheaper. Any thoughts on these skis.
12 years ago
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Park.
Posts: 2480 - Karma: 4,587
uh the crop duster is 122 underfoot...
12 years ago
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MartianMan
Posts: 1101 - Karma: 2,094
If you are looking for tree skiing, I don't know if the bonafide would be the best choice because of the longer turning radius. When you are skiing in the tight trees, you need to be able to make quick turns. I would check out the Armada TST as well.
12 years ago
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NH_OPERATOR
Posts: 1070 - Karma: 2,883
I just bought some Elan Chainsaws for this exact thing. They were pretty cheap because they were last years demo model from a local shop but they were in amazing shape. They are pretty fat underfoot and dont have a very tight turning radius, but I tend to find that when I am in the trees I tend to do a good bit more jump turns than anything else. Also they seem to be quite rockered so I am fairly confidant they will ski a good bit shorter than they are (179). Anyone have any experience on these? I am hoping I scored a great deal for what I was looking for.
12 years ago
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k2andcannoli
Posts: 644 - Karma: -36
Buy the blizzard you'll love it.
12 years ago
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Ottog3
Posts: 24 - Karma: 21
Icelantic nomad rkr
12 years ago
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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
I don't know if it was different last year but this year it's 103 underfoot
12 years ago
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6747 - Karma: 11,771
Before I moved to Austria, I skied almost exclusively at Smuggs and pretty much lived in the Birthday Bowl. I felt the same way about the dimensions as you do- I was either on a Mantra or Prophet 100 and it was perfect setup for those woods. Given that, I think you should give the Atomic Alibi a look. It has all of the qualities I loved about my previous skis but a bit of rocker in the tip and tail for added nimbleness in the tight VT trees. Give it a look, you won't regret it.
12 years ago
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,056
Forgot about that ski! yea OP definitely look into that! Great ski at a nice price point.
12 years ago
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ARMADAR7
Posts: 401 - Karma: 36
Thank you for that. That ski looks like exactly what I am looking for. How stiff is the alibi in comparison to the mantra?
12 years ago
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MacMahoooon
Posts: 9009 - Karma: 3,305
Groomers are for getting between tree stashes. That said I can lay either of those on edge and carve a solid turn as well.

Anything around 100mm underfoot gives you a great platform for a little float when the snow is good, but most companies incorporate stiffness and shape underfoot so they are still quite usable on a groomer.

Though I will admit my daily drivers on east coast groomers are all 103 and above, and I can still blow away any of our crew on carvers, so my bias is to wider than the norm.
12 years ago
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.MASSHOLE.
Posts: 7583 - Karma: 12,741
Width doesnt always mean bad edge hold. Usually it relates to stiffness and camber rather than width. But, I ski a 105 underfoot for 99% of my skiing at Stowe, and I have little to no problem with those on groomers. Theyre no race ski in terms of grip, but thats usually due to my edges being dull compared to the race skis, not the width.

So to the OP, dont go DPS. Not hating on DPS, but there is NO reason to get them unless youre touring a lot or have a lot of money to spend. My advice would be look at the Icelantic, Bushwackers and the Atomic Access if you dont mind something wider. Also, I would take a look at the Shredditors in a 108 as well.
12 years ago
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