Sizing the 2017/2018 ON3P Billy Goats

The question would be how large do you feel your 181 caylors are? Do they feel too big and cumbersome in tight trees etc?
A buddy of mine skis my old 186 bgs(same as 184) and he is 172cm 155lbs. He loves them and skies them hard.

I'm a bit bigger than you (185cm, 165lbs) and I ski the 189 BG for bigger days in Whistler. It's an awesome ski for me and great for when the snowpack gets a bit heavier. The 189 is definently a bit more work than the 186s i used to ride but not limiting in any way.

Have you spent time on any directional skis? The BG rewards driving the tips and does not tolerate backseat skiing. This is the only time my 189s can feel too big. The ski is extremely nimble as long as you keep your weight forward.

You're large enough for the 184 BG, its easier to ski than a 184 bibby (IMO)..

you could go with either.

179 will be quicker for tighter areas, billy goating through cliffs, and/or touring
184 will float better, and let you run faster.

FWIW, I'm 5'10 - 200lb and the 189 is great for me, but I demoed the 184 for a while and never had a problem skiing it in powder or airing off small drops.

Mr_pretzelHave you spent time on any directional skis? The BG rewards driving the tips and does not tolerate backseat skiing. This is the only time my 189s can feel too big. The ski is extremely nimble as long as you keep your weight forward.

In the last season I've tried out the Kye 110 (in a 181), The Hoji (in a 187), the Cochise (in a 178 - because the larger guy was already out on demo), the Atris (in a 182), the Zero G 95 (in a 185 - I borrowed these for a pretty decent little touring trip) and the Bibbys (in a 184).

The Bibbys were my favourite by a decent margin, with the Kye 110 behind it. You can see that I've had some experience with directional skis. Surprisingly, the Cochise felt the most cumbersome out of all these skis I tried - the two layers of metal in them really made them feel dead. Don't get me wrong I had a blast skiing Flute and the Harmony ridge area on them in a good bit of fresh / chop. The Hoji's weren't too too long, but I chalk that up to their reverse camber.

I didn't enjoy the Atris in a 182, felt like a really squirly ski and was prone to deflection.
The Kye 110 is fully directional, and I surprisingly had a ton of fun ripping groomers on them back to the chair - have a full tail does wonders for your turns. I really disliked the Zero G's on pretty much everything that wasn't a skin track, but I wasn't expecting much from a dedicated touring ski with tech bindings.

I never felt like my Caylors kicked my ass. They definitely don't feel outrageously nimble compared to some other skis I ride (like my JMos) - but they're fun all over the mountain. I have actually found myself wishing I had more ski in front of me at times (really deep days, and on some bigger terrain in Revelstoke). That said, I don't ride these as much of a pow jib ski anymore - so most of the ski's design is running against my ski style (it's closer to symmetrical, it's got a hugely rockered tail).

I measured my Caylors last night, and they're actually almost 183cm long by a straight tape pull. Depending on a few factors, that actually makes the 184 BG seem a lot less demanding. If ON3P's measuring is a bit closer to what they list now (Could be, as they've had a few more years to refine the process) then there could be only a ~2 cm difference between the skis.

How did your friend find the BGs in Whistler? Is he an exceptionally strong skier? Did he have issues getting them through places like Khyber or in steeper zones?

PharoahYou're large enough for the 184 BG, its easier to ski than a 184 bibby (IMO)..

You've skied both? Awesome. What about it made it easier for you? How would you compare the ride between the two skis (as I haven't been able to demo the BG in Canada).

cobra_commanderyou could go with either.

179 will be quicker for tighter areas, billy goating through cliffs, and/or touring
184 will float better, and let you run faster.

FWIW, I'm 5'10 - 200lb and the 189 is great for me, but I demoed the 184 for a while and never had a problem skiing it in powder or airing off small drops.

Cheers mate. I'm working on getting stronger as well. Realistically, a 5cm difference isn't a make or break kind of thing. We're talking about adding a few hundred grams of weight to my setup to gain (hopefully) some stability and speed. If I want to take these guys in to some tight trees or through some narrow chutes - yeah they might be a bit harder to maneuver, but my Caylors have been all over the place without much issue and like I said above, they measure to almost 183cm.

I have skied the larger sizes of both skis. The Bibbys, like most moments, are more "locked in" than most On3ps.. better for hardpack, but not as loose or forgiving in anything 3D

The Bibbys need more input to do what you want, whereas I find the Billy Goat to more intuitive.

The Billy Goats also pivot on a dime. The RES design allows for that, while Bibbys have more of a traditional sidecut.

The bibby isnt "hard" to ski, just not as easy to ski as the BGs.

All this being said, the BGs do not have a slower speed limit, even on firm. In chop/mank/chunder, the BG it actually has a higher speed limit.

My friend is a pretty strong skier and may sometimes comment on them feeling a bit big, but that's only on days were it hasn't snowed in a while and he should be on other skis. Never a problem as long as the snow is soft.

How are you measuring your caylors, straight tip to tail pull? All the On3p I have had over the years have measured true length. I'd bet a lot that the new BG's will measure 184cm tip to tail straight pull, Scott has always had the length dialled.

I say get the 184s, and with the times you have felt the 181 caylors "being too short" you'll have no issue on the 184.

That's a good point - I've got my FKS' in the way of a straight tip to tail pull - so I just put the ski on a workbench in my garage beside a stabilized tape measure, then a 90 degree metal ruler to ensure the tip was flush to the tape measure. I think it'd be the same measurement I'd get from a tip to tail pull without interference.

Either way, if the new BGs measure a true 184, the caylor's only about 1.5cm shorter in reality. The fact is, I have skis to bring out when the mountain firms up - so this could be a great opportunity to size up and let them run when conditions permit.

The new BG 184 measures 184 straight tape pull. Promise.

I would go 184 after reading this thread 👍

Thanks again for all the input dudes! Much appreciated.

I'm 5'9'' 170. Been rocking BG in 186. Ive considered going to the 184. 179 would be to short.

5'10 and 155lbs....i ride the 186 in almost all conditions and have never thought they were too cumbersome.

BamskiThanks again for all the input dudes! Much appreciated.

Did you end up getting them man? If so what do you think? I ski whistler too

BondyDid you end up getting them man? If so what do you think? I ski whistler too

Go 184s. These guys and the 184 Wrens are seriously fun skis for Whistler. Problem is I'm still rehabing a knee injury.