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October, 2024

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Do they make hellbents anymore?

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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
Back in the day there were a bunch of skis that were like 160-130-150, with hella rocker and super thin that loved to butter all over the place. I owned a bunch of skis back then and still own a pair of Icelantic gypsies which are basically the same ski...

Why did a ski like that fall out of fashion? I'm just watching an on Nimbus movie and they're all ripping around having a fucking hell of a time.

Maybe I'm just drunk as shit and all old an jaded now, but seeing most of my friends riding G3 skis with soul crushing top sheets, not even twip tips just makes me so sad, they even ride switch sometime...

There was a time when artist made fucking rad topsheets and you were proud to own a ski, there's not really a modern ski I want to own. Maybe it's impossible to make a light twin tip ski with sick art, maybe I'm just old and drunk

Skiing fucking rules, the industry fucking sucks, I'm going to just buy old hellbents suck my dick, I went to the newschoolers school for highschool
Mar 24 2021 2:29AM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6981 - Karma: 60,975
There are still very many ski companies with cool shapes/profiles and rad topsheets. Even k2 is bringing back the funky topsheets.

Look into independent manufacturers. I think they’re where a lot of that heart and soul still lies.

I imagine the hellbents, etc. were just too niche for big manufacturers. Also, K2 has switched ownership since then (maybe even twice - I can’t remember).

Also, Liberty still makes a ski like you’re describing.


Coming back to edit to say yeah, I know Icelantic is independent but they contract out neversummer factory and they are relatively mainstream at this point.
ShredabilityBack in the day there were a bunch of skis that were like 160-130-150, with hella rocker and super thin that loved to butter all over the place. I owned a bunch of skis back then and still own a pair of Icelantic gypsies which are basically the same ski...

Why did a ski like that fall out of fashion? I'm just watching an on Nimbus movie and they're all ripping around having a fucking hell of a time.

Maybe I'm just drunk as shit and all old an jaded now, but seeing most of my friends riding G3 skis with soul crushing top sheets, not even twip tips just makes me so sad, they even ride switch sometime...

There was a time when artist made fucking rad topsheets and you were proud to own a ski, there's not really a modern ski I want to own. Maybe it's impossible to make a light twin tip ski with sick art, maybe I'm just old and drunk

Skiing fucking rules, the industry fucking sucks, I'm going to just buy old hellbents suck my dick, I went to the newschoolers school for highschool


**This post was edited on Mar 24th 2021 at 3:17:59am
Mar 24 2021 3:16AM
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CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6200 - Karma: 62,949
I have a pair of Hellbents and love them but they are on outdated ski. Heavy as shit and softer than my wides. That being said those things are what makes them fun. They are one of my favorite spring slush skis. But ski design has come a long way since and that’s one of the reasons they are so outdated.

I think K2 had stuck pretty close to the hellbent roots with their freestyle powder skis. The catamarans were narrower underfoot but decently rockered and soft and I’m pretty sure it’s the same with the new Reckoner 122s. Those skis are daily powder drivers the Hellbents are more of a classic car you only drive on perfect days.
Mar 24 2021 8:11AM
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alpineplease
Posts: 2791 - Karma: 1,789
I also went to newschool highschool and was wondering the same thing.

Why are beltchetlers 10mm thinner than the first version?

After riding ARGs for a few days straight, I realized, maybe it’s the knee leverage- too wide and your miniscuses hurt like shit 5-10 days of straight skiing.
Mar 24 2021 10:10AM
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 6981 - Karma: 60,975
We’re bent chetlers ever 130? I swear they were but I can’t find it online. I thought I was just going crazy
alpinepleaseI also went to newschool highschool and was wondering the same thing.

Why are beltchetlers 10mm thinner than the first version?

After riding ARGs for a few days straight, I realized, maybe it’s the knee leverage- too wide and your miniscuses hurt like shit 5-10 days of straight skiing.
Mar 24 2021 11:34AM
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Session
Posts: 5379 - Karma: 22,180
BradFiAusNzCoCaWe’re bent chetlers ever 130? I swear they were but I can’t find it online. I thought I was just going crazy


I think at it's widest it was 128.
Mar 24 2021 11:55AM
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TreyDudski
Posts: 362 - Karma: 3,827
Sadly they don’t make the hellbents anymore but if you’ve ever ridden a pair, you know they’re a ton of fun. Like others have said, they were super heavy and really hit hard during that time when people like pep were repping them with no poles around the mountain. Right now I’m on a pair of k2 catamarans and while they don’t have nearly the same rocker, they have felt very similar to my bents.... I’ve also wanted to try out the armada magic J to see if they compared at all
Mar 24 2021 3:24PM
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Pipe_Munky
Posts: 10888 - Karma: 2,184
Might be because 1) they skied like shit on anything other than super deep pow or thick slush and 2) they were BENTchetler's pro-model and he got scooped up by Atomic
Mar 24 2021 3:40PM
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Quaggy
Posts: 1150 - Karma: 19,157
I've got a pair of 189 Hellbents.
Imagine skiing on a banana, a surprisingly versatile banana. People that say they suck outside powder just never skied it. These were/are monsters but can be too much ski at times.

Mar 24 2021 3:59PM
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bradwalters
Posts: 381 - Karma: 3,034
No Hellbent currently slated to be delivered but I highly recommend the Reckoner 122. I’ve spent many, many days on the Hellbent and still take them out from time to time but this is the first winter where they haven’t made it to the mtn. That being due to the Reckoner 122 (and 112) being so much damn fun.

And in regards to graphics...I can promise you that we won’t be aiming for boring on the Reckoner (or Mindbender series) anytime soon!
Mar 24 2021 5:57PM
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leprechaunsissy
Posts: 645 - Karma: 237
If you ever want to sell those just let me know.
QuaggyI've got a pair of 189 Hellbents.
Imagine skiing on a banana, a surprisingly versatile banana. People that say they suck outside powder just never skied it. These were/are monsters but can be too much ski at times.

Mar 24 2021 6:59PM
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Schoess
Posts: 2080 - Karma: 24,858
Ski companies are moving away from ultra wide skis because research has shown that the big skis like that are just a lot harder on your knees and don't actually provide much benefit. Combine that with modern ski shapes which have vastly improved and you have a lighter ski like a 108 that can rip pow and everything else while being easier on your body as well.

I also disagree that the industry sucks. That's an overgeneralized and jaded view.

Lastly, if you want great skis with great art, and you hate big companies, ON3P checks all of your boxes and makes all the skis you could ever want.
Mar 25 2021 10:20AM
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CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6200 - Karma: 62,949
SchoessSki companies are moving away from ultra wide skis because research has shown that the big skis like that are just a lot harder on your knees and don't actually provide much benefit. Combine that with modern ski shapes which have vastly improved and you have a lighter ski like a 108 that can rip pow and everything else while being easier on your body as well.

I also disagree that the industry sucks. That's an overgeneralized and jaded view.

Lastly, if you want great skis with great art, and you hate big companies, ON3P checks all of your boxes and makes all the skis you could ever want.


Moment too.
Mar 25 2021 12:11PM
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nelsenderson
Posts: 102 - Karma: 676
I love my Bents. It's like skiing a comic book... everything about them is so funky. Obviously fun as hell in powder, but also great on slush and AWESOME for pond skims. Nowadays they only really get used when I tour with my dog, and go searching for low-angle untouched pow. So fucking sick.
Mar 25 2021 1:50PM
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XC
Posts: 185 - Karma: 1,293
nelsendersonI love my Bents. It's like skiing a comic book... everything about them is so funky. Obviously fun as hell in powder, but also great on slush and AWESOME for pond skims. Nowadays they only really get used when I tour with my dog, and go searching for low-angle untouched pow. So fucking sick.


I'm here for the dog pic
Mar 25 2021 5:04PM
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CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6200 - Karma: 62,949
nelsendersonI love my Bents. It's like skiing a comic book... everything about them is so funky. Obviously fun as hell in powder, but also great on slush and AWESOME for pond skims. Nowadays they only really get used when I tour with my dog, and go searching for low-angle untouched pow. So fucking sick.


You’ve got some strong legs my friend.
Mar 25 2021 6:00PM
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anders_a
Posts: 1680 - Karma: 5,603
nelsendersonI love my Bents. It's like skiing a comic book... everything about them is so funky. Obviously fun as hell in powder, but also great on slush and AWESOME for pond skims. Nowadays they only really get used when I tour with my dog, and go searching for low-angle untouched pow. So fucking sick.


awwww what a nice doggo!
Mar 25 2021 7:29PM
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freeballer
Posts: 726 - Karma: 960
SchoessSki companies are moving away from ultra wide skis because research has shown that the big skis like that are just a lot harder on your knees and don't actually provide much benefit. Combine that with modern ski shapes which have vastly improved and you have a lighter ski like a 108 that can rip pow and everything else while being easier on your body as well.

I also disagree that the industry sucks. That's an overgeneralized and jaded view.

Lastly, if you want great skis with great art, and you hate big companies, ON3P checks all of your boxes and makes all the skis you could ever want.


I don't really think companies quit making ultra wide skis because they are harder on people's knees, but I do agree that with more modern shapes and construction, you can have a narrower ski that floats as well as the older ultra wide skis but much, much better when it's not deep snow. Also, a big reason is that ski shops can't sell a super wide ski so the market for ultra wide skis is basically for ski bums who don't have the money to shell out to a retailer for a set of skis. The market just sort of shifted towards narrower skis for jerrys.
Mar 26 2021 7:05PM
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Ripline
Posts: 162 - Karma: 675
bradwaltersNo Hellbent currently slated to be delivered but I highly recommend the Reckoner 122. I’ve spent many, many days on the Hellbent and still take them out from time to time but this is the first winter where they haven’t made it to the mtn. That being due to the Reckoner 122 (and 112) being so much damn fun.

And in regards to graphics...I can promise you that we won’t be aiming for boring on the Reckoner (or Mindbender series) anytime soon!


Hmm. I have both hellbents, catamarans and reck 122's.

I still really prefer the catamarans to the reckoner 122s.

The reckoner is waaay more "chargy" and have completely lost that banana feel.
The reckoner shape makes perfect sense for the 112 and the 102,
but the 122 should be waaay more "surfy". The tail rocker is way too shallow,
which makes the bit behind the binding sometimes hitch up on a bit firmer snow.
They should have gone symmetrical shape, more of a tail, only 1-3 mm camber.

If you want something way more chargy, they are great tho.
Mar 27 2021 6:57AM
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KootenayRipper69
Posts: 74 - Karma: 425
unfortunately they don’t anymore. I stumbled across a pair on Kijiji this winter and picked them up for cheap. Definitely a wicked pow slasher and deadly for spring slush. If you a pair pick them up or let me know!
Jun 2 2022 1:51AM
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zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
As someone who used to love Hellbents, and had Surface Balances, pow ski tech today is SO much better. New tech pow skis float just as good, charge easier, shmear better, and can carve up a groomer. All while getting narrower and lighter which makes them easier on your knees.
Jun 5 2022 4:02PM
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Shredability
Posts: 2756 - Karma: 501
They should make a carbon fiber hellbent. Exact same rocker and width
Apr 26 2023 11:06AM
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