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June, 2025

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Ski Modifications - For science?

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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
So I have a pair of 192 QST 118s just hanging around unmounted and not being loved... and I was thinking.,. how about making them into a swallowtail?

Just measure out a tail gap and then dremmel it out nice and flush. coat it in epoxy and enjoy an even floatier ski. Dont even need to chew threw edges in the tail because it has a plastic tail bumper.



Anyone else done a modification like this? or other types of mods to their skis? Horror stories? Scientific discoveries?
5 years ago
25 1
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armchair_skier
Posts: 2724 - Karma: 34,936
Destroy your skis in 1 easy step.
5 years ago
27 1
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OregonDead
Posts: 7098 - Karma: 26,864
threads
5 years ago
5 0
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
armchair_skierDestroy your skis in 1 easy step.


I mean, when you have access to as many as I do to begin with, you may as well fuck around. Worse comes to worse, they split and I have another interesting ski for the wall.
5 years ago
25 0
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dolanslebensraum
Posts: 5959 - Karma: -13,093
Doesnt sound even close to being in the same zipcode as a gimmick.
5 years ago
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soup
Posts: 6354 - Karma: 4,486
I've done it with snowboards with great success. Swallow tails and some nose trimming has made for a some solid shreds.

Also, Just put a skins tail clip notch in my whitewalkers. Skis mods are what's up for sure. Go for it you won't be disappointed
5 years ago
8 2
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
My friend alicia was telling me about some guy at Baker who chopped an old ski in half and made them into a swallow tail for one of his ripper kids since they don't really make junior pow skis. So... Maybe practice on another pair though they aren't making the 118 anymore and those skis are pretty ba.
5 years ago
5 0
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TOAST.
Posts: 7783 - Karma: 40,127
See a lot of snowboarders doing it, I'd say go for it.
5 years ago
6 0
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
So this happened haha








5 years ago
33 0
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ColoradoDogfart
Posts: 2482 - Karma: 30,054
DingoSeanSo this happened haha










those look soooo sick my guy!! you need to do a review on them once you ski em
5 years ago
27 0
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OregonDead
Posts: 7098 - Karma: 26,864
like the all black nice!
5 years ago
3 0
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snowfinder
Posts: 2941 - Karma: 34,924
more of this please
5 years ago
3 0
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b0ss
Posts: 822 - Karma: 6,377
Do it. Put an adidas stripe vynil topsheet cover on it. Slavomon
5 years ago
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jps2.0
Posts: 480 - Karma: 2,479
this won't work on the qst 118 because it has a cork tail,
5 years ago
4 0
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
jps2.0this won't work on the qst 118 because it has a cork tail,


The QST I have is the model from 2018 or 2019. The tips and tails are koroyd. Probably a bit more friendly to this kinda modification?

Either way, decided to go with the Pinnacle 118.

So far cutting its length down was probably not ideal, as they ski way short and soft in the tail and the tips skyrocket out of the snow haha. But theyre also optimized for a short japanese guy so theyre probably great for him. If I cut these QSTs down, ill keep the same 192 length they are.
5 years ago
5 0
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Skibumsmith
Posts: 5474 - Karma: 12,431
katrinaMy friend alicia was telling me about some guy at Baker who chopped an old ski in half and made them into a swallow tail for one of his ripper kids since they don't really make junior pow skis. So... Maybe practice on another pair though they aren't making the 118 anymore and those skis are pretty ba.


Why are they discontinuing that ski?
5 years ago
0 0
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
SkibumsmithWhy are they discontinuing that ski?


I havent heard any news for next year.. but its still in the lineup for this season thats for sure. They only modified it 2 years ago, and unless they want to do a big ol lineup change again, Im not sure why they want to do that since theyve well dialed in the current line.
5 years ago
2 0
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katrina
Posts: 2395 - Karma: 15,195
SkibumsmithWhy are they discontinuing that ski?


Didn't sell well to the primary consumer base, majority of people who bought it were shop / industry people is what I've heard from salomon friends. The 112 will take it's place.
5 years ago
4 0
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SofaKingSick
Posts: 9805 - Karma: 66,230
that's really sick. excited to hear how they ride
5 years ago
1 0
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Mixy
Posts: 8358 - Karma: 50,512
those came out way better than I expected them to I bet they'll be fun to ride
5 years ago
4 0
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mnosbod
Posts: 96 - Karma: 932
DingoSeanThe QST I have is the model from 2018 or 2019. The tips and tails are koroyd. Probably a bit more friendly to this kinda modification?

Either way, decided to go with the Pinnacle 118.

So far cutting its length down was probably not ideal, as they ski way short and soft in the tail and the tips skyrocket out of the snow haha. But theyre also optimized for a short japanese guy so theyre probably great for him. If I cut these QSTs down, ill keep the same 192 length they are.


Are you gonna remount the bindings further forward with the decrease in tail? Wonder if that would help. Wish I had the space and gear to mess around like this haha
5 years ago
1 0
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Bended_Toenail
Posts: 1417 - Karma: 10,230
Next you gotta get some Sakanas and put a normal tail on them
5 years ago
12 0
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No.Quarter
Posts: 5257 - Karma: 16,966
I've been wanting to do this with my Jeffrey 114s. I almost never ski switch, and they are currently mounted with telemark bindings, so having a little less tail would be pretty nice in tight stuff. This was just the motivation I needed to send it.

I think I just suck at drawing neat curves, but I cant seem to draw a shape that I like. I'm thinking I may just print a picture of the Sakana tails and scale it to the width of my skis.
5 years ago
3 0
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mountaindewgirl
Posts: 2317 - Karma: 21,132
There's a handful of downhill speedrider snowskaters that experiment a bit with modifying skis.

They'll do a straight chop off the tail till the ski is in the 138-158 cm range and mount a deck on it.

The setups look pretty thugnasty cuz they usually chop their topdecks as well.

Pretty sure they just kinda started doing this in the last few months though and are still figuring it out. You never actually seem to see them speedriding the mods... yet.

I'm watching very intently as it unfolds, cuz Id be lying if I said I wasn't a little tempted to get in on the action...

But yeah dude, if I had access to a bunch of skis, best believe I'd be fucking around on my Dremmel. Glad to see you did it!
5 years ago
5 0
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weastcoat
Posts: 6508 - Karma: 75,460
So I don’t know anything about powder/ all mountain skis. What’s the purpose of a swallow tail or whatever it’s called.
5 years ago
2 1
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snowfinder
Posts: 2941 - Karma: 34,924
Less tail drag same amount of effective edge
weastcoastSo I don’t know anything about powder/ all mountain skis. What’s the purpose of a swallow tail or whatever it’s called.
5 years ago
2 0
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
mnosbodAre you gonna remount the bindings further forward with the decrease in tail? Wonder if that would help. Wish I had the space and gear to mess around like this haha


Id just mount them on the balance point of the ski. Ill be mounting the QSTs as a Telemark ski.



I also have a shed full of skis back in the USA right now that Im itching to get my hands on so I can do more of the same sorta thing as this to them.
5 years ago
1 0
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Skiing247
Posts: 112 - Karma: 1,049
you can wax with fecal for faster grinds
5 years ago
2 2
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TheClap.
Posts: 21685 - Karma: 4,254
DingoSeanI mean, when you have access to as many as I do to begin with


Cool claim, glad to see you are grown and still a fucking tool.
5 years ago
0 4
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
TheClap.Cool claim, glad to see you are grown and still a fucking tool.

Dude you have no idea. All grow’d up and such a fucking tool that I’m now hosting Tool Time with Tim the Toolman Taylor.
5 years ago
4 0
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