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Overall
Overall these skis are phenomenal. If you're thinking about buying them go for it. I can guarantee you won't regret it.
Performance
Performance wise, this ski is phenomenal! One of the most fun skis I've ever been on. It stomps the shit out of every drop and cliff you come across, spins off of BC booters like none other, and charges the biggest lines you come across.
Design
Anthony did a great job with the graphics. In my opinion they're the coolest graphics out of the 10/11 skis.
Value
These skis are a GREAT bang for the buck. Really cheap for what you get.
Fit
I'm 5'10 150 lbs and bought the 174. I wish I would have bought the 184 but the 174 is great.
Characteristics
The NL is super stiff, but the symmetrical dimensions and 3 stage rocker make the ski really playful and jibby
Durability
I've abused these skis a lot and haven't had any problems. I've ran over quite a few rocks and haven't had any core shots, edge rips, or cracked edges. The tops sheets have chipped quite a bit, but that doesn't sacrifice anything performance wise.
Overall
surface makes a pretty sick ski. i would like to see them do a rockered double time or watch life though.
Performance
the ski is beast. it rails pretty hard on soft snow. though on icy hardpack it does get sketchy (but i mean come on, icy hardpack is sketchy) its quite playful and very light and poppy. definitely takes a few runs to get used to though
Design
symmetrical is so awesome. the rocker is nice too, not a terrible amount of chatter either.
Value
steal
Fit
184 for me (6' 165) is a very playful ski. I could have definitely rode the 194 or whatever it is.
Characteristics
stiff, nice and even
Durability
i have only had 3 days on them. so far they are holding up fine. normal wear and tear thus far.
Overall
This ski is all about big; big turns, big drops, big amounts of snow. In the areas where this ski is supposed to excel, it does. The deeper the snow, the bigger the drops, the better it gets. But take it outside of those idyllic conditions and the ski begins to disappoint. I wanted so badly to like these enough to buy them, but the fact of the matter is that I, like most people, simply don't ski enough in the conditions in which this ski excels for it to be worth my money. I wasn't expecting it to be an all-mountain powder ski, I knew what I was getting into when I picked a ski with a 122 waist, flat camber, and huge rocker in the tip and tail. But this ski wasn't just not good when taken out of its comfort zone; it was quite bad. Its distinct lack of versatility, even for a powder ski, disappointed me. Sorry, Surface. I still love what you're doing.
Performance
Depends where you are. On groomers this ski is surprisingly agile; it has a crazy short turn radius due to the rocker, and can carve quite well. It doesn't hold an edge quite as well as the JJs I skied earlier in the week, but still, it holds pretty well. It's stable at insanely high speeds, and just as stable switch as forwards. Reverting is an absolute joy. In powder, these things are beasts. The deeper the snow, the better they get. They just float and float and float. However, you had better be ready to make some big turns, because once you get into deeper snow you're utilizing all of that length and width, so the skis do not want to make tight turns at all. Off of cliffs, these things had my back. The word that comes to mind is bombproof. I dropped pillows, a couple 20-25 footers, a 35 footer; I couldn't have asked for a more solid ski to land on. Definitely glad I had them on my feet when I went huge. The skis also power through sun baked crap quite well, too. That's all for the good news, though. On crud and in any sort of tight situation that isn't covered in powpow, these skis become your enemy. They are very, very hard to control in such situations because they just aren't agile. When snow conditions got patchy I found myself fighting these skis for control, and usually losing. And I'm not a bad skier, I have skied identical situations with different skis and been totally fine. The New Lifes are simply too big to handle such situations. Of course, this is to be expected. But if you were looking for a pow ski that could also handle all-mountain conditions, this ain't it.
Design
I had the "prototype" version (same ski but without the production graphic) so they weren't very pretty. But man did they look imposing. They're just massive. I felt like a boss with them on my feet, on my shoulders, on my backpack, whatever. Great conversation starters, too.
Value
I demoed them for about $30 a day, so not bad. Would I pay $600 for them? I don't think so, only because they excel in such specific conditions only. If you're skiing waist-deep pow and dropping 180s off huge cliffs all the time, then they're probably worth your money. But if you're like the rest of us, and only get to do that every so often, they probably aren't.
Fit
The 184 was great for me (I'm 5'9 1/2" and 136 lbs). The ski has Surface's signature 3-stage rocker in the tip and tail, so the deeper the snow, the longer the running surface. In powder and off of cliffs, all the extra length was a godsend. On groomers, the running length was much shorter, so the skis were manageable.
Characteristics
Very stiff. Perfectly symmetric flex, which was cool, but don't expect to be buttering the hell out of these things. They were built to go big and that shows in the flex pattern. The flat camber makes them not very poppy. You'll definitely get more pop with a rocker-camber hybrid like the JJs or the SFBs.
Durability
Like I said; bombproof. No damage issues whatsoever. Can't say the same for the guy who had them before me; he put a few core shots in them that the shop then had to repair, but as for me, they held up great.
Overall
these are for someone who likes to skii hard, fast and just tear up anything on the big mountains. if you ski them like a pussy, they'll make u look like a pussy so dont expect them to be an easy skiing cruiser like the JJ's. they like speed, drops and crushing any sort of shit they come across. for a big mountain skier who wants to jump on the rocker revolution theyre perfect
Performance
basically for what i like to do, this is the ultimate all mountain ski (whistler). i like to ski fast and relatively straight and jump off anything i can find. i don't spin much or ski switch despite the skis being symmetrical. doest effect them at all. they honestly shine everywhere off piste. trees, steeps, hucking, pow, crud, windfuck, slop, slush. and im sure if you're into it, they would be one of the best out there for backcountry freestyle. on groomers theyre fine, i can make a carve, slide em around a bit, still bomb them pretty fast. nowhere near as good as my JJ's but they make up for it in pow. these things are powder demolishers. sooo smeary, easy to control, super poppy, love pillows and love to just go fast. they dont have the reverse sidecut/ early taper of the JJ's and toons in the tail so theyre a little less slidey and a little more carvey. you're gunna bounce and jump or carve ur turns in pow on these rather than slide them out. harder on the legs but a lot more rewarding IMO.
Design
the sidewalls are completely vertical so initially they chip a bit, doesn't really bother me. aesthetics aren't too important, i have the anthony b models which look pretty sick.
Value
i payed 600 for them, about 100 - 150 then other skis considered (Bentchetler 192, 189 hellbents). so good deal i reckon, still a pretty small company so lovin that.
Fit
i find the 194's absolutely perfect. never too hard to control in the trees, except maybe after a long day. they are so light and rockered i reckon anyone can handle them. the length is also a major bonus when letting loose down a big face, hucking a cliff. confidence inspiring especially combined with the stiffer flex. also considering you'd wanna mount them pretty centre the extra nose length is good cos you got some big tails on these things
Characteristics
flex is sick. itss pretty stiff and it compliments the ski awesome. quite a bit stiffer than JJ's, and even stiffer than my dads mantras. definitely some flex there tho allows for some sick rebound and pop but maintains incredible stability. the tails wont bail on u on these things.
Durability
the bases are absolute bombproof. i hit countless invisible stumps catskiing that fucked me up a lot more than the skis. no chips yet, i dont even think i could get one if i tried.
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