No-Skill-PhilNice topsheet! What a beast.
There’s a nice pair of commanders 108 in 182 near me that got me thinking. Anybody skied ‘em? Good firm groomer ripper?
powpatrol108 isnt going to be a groomer ripper no
They actually are fairly good on groomers and do rip. If they’re a good deal I wouldn’t hesitate at all to grab them. They’ll be great on groomers but also give you a lot of flexibility to ski them elsewhere. Obviously the 98 and 92 are more groomer oriented but the 108 more than holds it own. Here’s what blister had to say about them.
”Luke: The Commander 108 is very predictable on firm, smooth snow and can be a lot of fun when the groomers are either somewhat soft and/or have some room to let it run.
This ski requires some speed and aggression to really bend it and get it arcing across the fall line. It’s not for people who want to carve super tight turns on mellow slopes. Rather, it inspires confidence when laying down big GS turns at speed.
That said, it’s not as one-dimensional as some skis with longer sidecut radii, and strong skiers who know how to bend a ski will likely find the Commander 108 more engaging on piste than some of the other, longer-radius chargers out there. When I was confident enough in the snow’s grip to really lay into the Commander 108, it produced a nice amount of energy coming out of a hard carve.“
”Drew: The Commander 108 is the most satisfying as a carver at speeds I could reach on blue squares and easy black diamonds. It’s a ski you can drive hard, given its directional mounting point, and returns a fair amount of energy at the bottom of an arc. If the Commander 108 feels like it offers a plush ride anywhere, it’s at these speeds making GS-sized turns on groomed terrain. More speed and higher edge angles tended to produce chatter.”
”Jonathan: I’ve gotten along quite well with the Commander 108 on groomers, though the biggest takeaway for me is that, at my weight, I really do have to focus on loading up the ski to bend it. Again, the front half of this ski is not soft (see my comments about moguls). But heavier skiers and / or powerful skiers will be able to arc these skis, and I’ve been pretty impressed by their edge hold.”
