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Height: 6'1"
Weight: 164 lb
Age: 25
Location: Loveland
Terrain: White Ribbon of Death, extremely variable
Every company, especially the small guys, are focused on creating something new and unique. Revision builds that team influence and community feel. You have the HG guys with a mid fat, full cambered, symmetrical rail destroyer. You have Vishnu putting out possibly the most fun and playful symmetric, rockered out the ass jib stick. Of course, I spent each third of last season on the Dimes, Stingers, and the Wet; all very different skis. It's fair to say that I have a respect for all types of park sticks, and I like to change it up. When I hopped on the punx yesterday, I had a smile on my face the entire time.
I'll do some comparisons first, just so you guys can get an idea. I'm sure not too many of you have been on the Dimes, Stingers, or the Wet, but I have been focusing on the small guys for the past few seasons so those are the skis that I have ridden the most.
Dimes: The Revision Dime is a stiff, full cambered, narrow ripper. It likes to go fast, go deep, and loves to be ridden hard. What else would you expect from a stiff ski. The Dime would be a great pipe ski. This is where the Punx have a common stroke. Obviously you see Gus and Jossi slaying this ski both in slope and pipe. There is a reason for it. It really does ski like a race ski. Although Loveland didn't have much to offer terrain wise, the Punx ripped through the extremely variably conditions. Extremely damp in comparison to the Dime. The Punx do not ski like Atomic's all mountain offerings (I find Atomics to be very chattery and lively, which I do not prefer in a ski). It felt as if there was a layer of metal in the ski. The Punx are very predictable, where as the Dimes were on the opposite end of the spectrum. This is due to the dampness of the ski I mentioned earlier. The Punx do not rebound when you go through trannies or when you power through a tight turn. The Dimes would get skittish and if you tried to find tranny, the skis wanted to resist.
Stingers: I love my Stingers. If you compare the specs / dimensions between the Stingers and the Punx, they are based on the same idea, just different widths. I've been on the mid fat train for the past few years, and when I hopped on the Punx it felt so good to be on something narrow. Much quicker edge to edge on the Punx. The Stingers only come in a 178, which is a bit short for me, where as the Punx in a 182 is starting to hit that sweet spot. Major differences: the Stingers are much poppier. You can ollie sky high and over anything in your path. The Punx didn't quite have the energy in the tail, but I don't mind that too much. But again, you have to make a little sacrifice. The dampness makes landings that much smoother on the Punx. The Stingers don't have as much energy as the Dimes, but they are far from a dead ski (again, a ski being dead is not a bad thing. It's all based on personal preference. I love dead feeling skis). The Stingers are easier to butter as well. I didn't get a chance to hit any jumps, but I think the extra length and the stiffness of the punx would give them a nudge up against the Stingers.
The Wet: The Vishnu Wet was the best ski I had been on last year. It was a ridiculous amount of fun. Having all that rocker in the tip and tail made the ski do anything you wanted. It even floated very well in
Okay now the details about the Ski. At 182, the dimensions are 112.5/84/112.5 with 80% camber underfoot and 10% rocker in the tip and tail. Honestly, I couldn't even tell there was rocker in the tip and tail, even with the skis together. I'm sure the little bit there is helps initiate the turns and loosen the ski up just a touch without sacrificing that full camber feel and power onto the snow. I would say the flex is in the middle of the spectrum, leaning towards being slightly stiffer. If you are a big dude, you could probably butter these better than I could. Everything seemed very durable on the skis. Solid sidewalls, thick edges, sintered base. It's an Atomic; they've been in the game a long time and they know what works.
Overall, especially for the price, I think the Punx are the best bang for the buck this year from what I have seen and ridden so far. I love supporting the little guys and the core groups in this industry. That is very important. But I also enjoy skiing on top quality and excellent performing skis. Atomic, don't get your hopes up on my HG's breaking (I don't think they ever will), but if for some reason I am in need of a new park ski for this year, the Punx will be mine.
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