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So I gave it a 10, why not? Take them out if you ever get the chance and you will see just how fun these things are. Its a feeling you will never get from a clasically designed ski, and in the pow these things are the most fun you can be clipped into. Im pretty much sold on it, as the ARVs are my fattest ski I figure this is probably the next big decision quiver ski of choice! As long as you get enough powder days during the year and can afford a quiver ski they are totally worth the money. There's so many things to be skeptical about with such a crazy new kind of ski - but those that actually get to ride them will realise most of this skepticism is misplaced!!!! Even if you are totally not interested in buying a pair or just don't get enough snow - do yourself a favour and try and get out on them for a day or something - its a feeling you won't forget!!
Performance
These things are so unreal! They totally outdid all my expectations. Its so easy to assume so many things about this ski (eg. its not going to ski switch, it will suck in trees ra ra ra) but so many of these assumptions are put to shame when you actually get on a pair. In powder they are the ticket, its a crazy feeling. You could think of it as cheating because they are so easy to ride in the pow, but the more you put into these things the more you get out. So just about anybody could stay afloat and ski deep powder in these, and they definately inspire confidence. However, if you are able to just let them open up and run at speed through long wide open turns they are so much fun!! In the trees they were also incredible, I was lucky enough to find a sweet tree run that had been untracked since the snow fall and the pontoons hauled me through them. They love to turn so you definately don't have to worry about them being awkward and this makes them seriously fun through the trees. Not only are they great floatation and turning wise, they are also super fast - a combination which makes for an awesome ride. As I said earlier, they performed super well in the chopped up snow too, they still seemed to just skim on top of the chop - especially with speed. On hardpack snow they are a little squirrelly but not to the out of control extent that I thought they would be. Before you try and turn them for the first time they certainly feel like it could be hard to stop (but not true). And nobody is going to be buying these to ski much hardpack anway.
I was so curious before I rode these skis as to how they would ski switch, if you could land on them switch, and if they were spinnable. Ok so you wouldnt buy them as a jib ski, but I'd say for most of us we'd like our skis to be able to do this stuff, at least to some extent. I was stoked to find out that they were rad for skiing switch in the pow (didnt try on anything else) - so much fun, never felt like diving. Sure the tail is thinner than the rest of the ski but its still big and it's rockered, and it was sick, so all my scepticism was blown aside. Stoked again to find they could land switch too, I tried them off a few small drops and natural hits and they were sick! They are so light, and I was skiing on them with a demo binding, and so yes, they are spinnable. Thats not to say its easy or doesn't feel awkward, but it can be done. I tried a 3 off a tiny cat track at on my last run back down and I didn't quite make it round, but pretty close. They do feel long and fat in the air but they are light so its not impossible. Off something with just a little more size its easily possible. You would need something pretty big to be able to spin them much more than 3. Also just a quick note, they are so soft they are actually kinda fun to get a little buttery on and stuff. So performance wise - they totally out did all expectations.
Design
With the continuously tapered shape from tip to tail they are so easy to turn, they dont really carve, they just kinda float from side to side (the rocker plays a big part in this). Its kind of like standing on a swing and swinging from side to side, its pretty much surfing on snow. Think of the rocker of the pontoon if you lay it down on a flat surface, you only have about 120cm of contact, so the further you sink the ski into that surface the more ski you have to ski on. I would say they only need 5cm of fresh snow to be seriously fun because thats enough to get alot out of these skis. The sheer size of these things makes you feel like you can jump off anything. Every drop I hit I felt so confident dropping and landing, even if you end up back seat, they just kinda ride away. Sure it spawns from McConkeys original spatula idea, but this takes it to a whole new level of innovation and design. Loved the whole concept, totally new feeling and I loved it. Quick hint for those who read this - you might just find a small rocker on next years seths!!
Value
Well I havent bought it yet, but I'm seriously considering it (gotta love proform). They retail for like $CAD980 and if you ski more than 20-30 days of pow a year, they are worth the money. If you are looking to buy a quiver ski, its definately worth the money, especially compared to alot of other big skis. You wouldn't buy it as you only ski unless you only ever went heli skiing or travelling and sledding to stuff. For those that work in shops or whatever and can get them proform or any kind of deals - they are a steal for that kinda money.
Characteristics
So I rode these in the 189 (and its definately the way I'd go for anyone over about 5'9). These things are definately soft, very soft. When I took them out we'd had 50-60cm of snow in the last 24hours or so. In the powder the rockered tip and tail and the soft flex feels amazing, its totally like surfing on snow. It doesnt carve, it literally feels like it surfs. Guaranteed there would never be an issue with floatation! You only really feel how actually soft this ski is when skiing chopped up snow. Instead of plowing through it, it manages to skim ontop of it, and you really feel kinda bouncy yet completely in control (really hard feeling to describe).
Durability
Well its a capped construction, and it works - it keeps them super light. They are designed as a powder ski, hence they aren't really designed to take mass abuse from rails, or icy snow, or rocks/stumps whatever is sticking out. I have only skied them for 4 hours or so thus far so haven't put them through a whole lot of abuse, but I'm confident if kept to days with at least some fresh snow, they will hold up to alot of skiing! Dropping off stuff not only felt awesome but they seem like they could cop a landing off anything - I landed quite backseat on one drop and I thought they were going to wash out or snap or something but they just kind of hold on and bounce you back up - so pretty durable in that regard.
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