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Fatypus M5
Length: 188 cm
122/131-106-126/117
Radius: 15m
Mounted at -2cm and recommended
Binding: Jester Demo & Adrenaline 16
Days skied: ~20
User's Height / Weight: 6'1" 160 lb
Review Locations: Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone
Conditions Skied: Powder, groomers, variable night conditions, park
For the past five years or so, I have gone crazy on having absurd powder skis. It started with the Surface One Lifes and then moved to the Moment Ghost Chants. Both wide (the Ghost Chants were absurd at 126 underfoot) and rocketed to the moon. While extremely fun in the deepest of pow, I never got to use them to their full extent more than once or twice a year. I wanted to tone it down and find a pow ski that was more versatile, and when I saw the Fatypus M5 at SIA in 2015, I had to get them.
The trend of 5 point geometry is seen in a lot of skis these days. The M5 has quite a bit of taper in the tip, and a fair amount in the tail. The rocker is moderate in length and not as aggressive as my past two pow skis.
The skis came with Jester Demo bindings on them mounted at the recommended point. Being a park rat, I wanted to be a little closer to center so I remounted them with Adrenaline 16's at the sidecut center, which is about -2 from true center. This was a big mistake. My Adrenaline's crapped the bed so coiled the old holes and threw the Jester Demos back on. This is one ski, even as a park rat who likes to be more forward, that I would say mount at the recommended point, or just a smidgen forward. They float pretty well, not as great as some super rocketed pow skis, but they get the job done. The one thing the M5 does better than any ski I have been on: slashing. Getting these sideways in the deep stuff is crazy fun. Face shots are almost guaranteed.
Most of my skiing on these has been at Vail. Everything from the back bowls to dropping cliffs and snaking through trees. Although the M5 is definitely on the softer side, it takes drops pretty well. I dropped a 12 footer into some tracked out snow and thought I was going to eat it, but I landed centered and skied out with no issues. I also landed a bit forward and folded the tips the next time around. I probably wouldn't go sending larger cliffs on these, but then again that's not what I am doing most of the time. Being a touch on the softer side, they were a bit to handle in the tracked out bowls. My legs were on fire after ripping down half of China Bowl. Not a charging ski by any means (they do have a stiffer version available), but all you have to do is get sideways and they slash through the chop.
In the park. Silly I know, but who doesn't love bringing the fat sticks in to do some jibbing and jumping? Even being mounted at recommended the swing weight feels comfortable. Surface swaps are easy, with only 5mm of camber you won't catch too often. Buttering around is a ton of fun. You can really press the tips and get some nice butters around. Would I use it in the park every day? Probably not, I think there are better fat skis out there for spending a lot of time in the park. But if you are more of an all mountain jibber and like to hit a lot of natural terrain, these are perfect. Jibbing stumps in the woods and spinning side booters are a lot of fun on the M5.
Durability. I've never really heard much about Fatypus's durability. So far with about 20 days on them, they have held up extremely well. The usual topsheet scratches and chipping, buteven that's not bad at all. The edges are in great shape, bases are hard and fast. Jibbing rocks hasn't caused anything more than some scratches on the bases.
It's tough for me to compare the M5 to anything because I haven't had a mid wide ski in a long time. It is basically a wider, damper version of the Rossi S3 which was one of my favorite skis I have ever owned (although I know a lot of people did not like them due to the softness). It is definitely more directional compared to a lot the popular skis (shreditor / marksmen, bacon, ARV 106), but it's playfulness makes up for that, and it actually skis switch very well. Its been a while since I’ve skied a ski mounted this far back, and I actually enjoy it.
If you are looking for a ski to fill your quiver, either a ski for those half exploring half in the park days, or if you need a practical pow ski for somewhere that doesn’t get tons of pow every year, the M5 is a great option. It is definitely for the person that sees the whole mountain as a park; if you want something more for charging, opt for the athlete flex which is 20% stiffer. I definitely have a smile on my face every day I ski on these, and that’s what counts the most.
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