Replying to Looking For A Soft, Wide Park Ski
I've been riding ON3P Blue Steeles for the past three seasons and they're beginning to fall apart. I'm looking for a new pair of park/all-mountain skis with a mid-90mm waist that comes in a mid-180cm length. I'm about 6'3 and plan to center mount these skis. Additionally, I want a ski much softer and more "playful" than the Blue Steele. For skiing in the park, I'm willing to sacrifice some degree of stability on larger jumps for a forgiving flex on rails and around the mountain.
Skis I have been considering:
-Armada Al Dente. The Al Dente seems to be the perfect ski for me, but I've read a lot of reviews about the thin, weak edges. Durability is a huge factor for me. I'm getting ready to cross these off my list.
-J Skis Tropic Thunder. These look like a great fit for me as well (184cm, 98mm waist) but are sold out online. Any idea if they will be restocked, or another ski will be available soon?
-Nordica Soul Rider. Again, these skis look perfect (185cm, 97mm waist). Has anyone ridden them, what did you think?
-Faction Soma. I haven't heard too much about these but they seem fun and playful (184cm, 92mm waist). Again, has anyone ridden these? I like the rocker on the Soma compared to the traditional camber on the Faction Wednesday.
-Rossignol Slat. I expect high quality from Rossignol and know these would be a fantastic combination of a park and all-mountain ski (181cm, 97mm waist). They seem to be soft and the rocker is appealing to me. I haven't heard too much about the Slats, but they seem to have good reviews.
-Fat-y-pus L Toro. I've heard good things about the flex pattern and they look like a big boy ski (182, 101mm waist). These are on the upper end of the width spectrum that I'm considering, but they look awesome.
Lately I've found myself riding my K2 Hellbents on a daily basis (park skiing included) because they're so soft and wide. I love the flex pattern, but am obviously looking for something a bit easier to handle in the park and in sub-par condtions around the mountain. While I love my Blue Steeles, they're slowly falling apart and I need a replacement somewhat soon. Blue Steeles were great for the past few years when I was hitting bigger jumps and needed a quick, light, skinny park ski... But I'm ready to give up a little bit of nimbleness and stiffness for a more playful ski.
Thanks ahead of time, I appreciate it!
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