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I tried out the 174cm and 182cm for a few runs on a stormy spring day on Whistler's Peak and Red chairs. Conditions were some pow,some tracked out snow, and icey groomers. I liked the 182 more for the added stability and grip. This ski feels like the most playful member of the Rocker2 108/Soul 7/Automatic 109 threesome. It is poppier and easier to pivot than the other two, but that comes at the expense of some grip and dampness. These had a good amount of float and stability in tracked out snow. They didn't feel too narrow while making turns in heavy pow and traversing across bowls. I had to ski slowly due to poor visibility. Even at 182cm I found them easy to pivot and move through bumps. The suggested mount is only 3cm behind core center, which gives them a huge tail. That comes in handy for shutting down speed, skiing switch, and makes spinning easier. Edge grip on hard groomers was better than dull-edged park skis. Enough to keep me confident that I could handle anything that might come up. Overall I was impressed with the versatility and how easy they are use in soft snow. I did not get the chance to go fast in tracked out conditions with them.
I took the 172cm and 180cm out for some laps early on the Harmony and Peak chairs on Whistler on a spring day. Conditions were tracked out snow and some pow on top of refrozen slush. I swapped the 172cm for the 180cms very quickly. They feel like different skis! The 172cms had tenacious grip and didn't want to be slarved around. The 180cm was much more easy going. Maybe they have a larger sweet spot? First thing I noticed was the light weight. These are easy to spin and manipulate. They float well in heavy pow, grip well enough on hard snow (way better than beat-up park skis, but not like all-mountain carvers), and are ok in crud. The key think is they are easy to use and predictable. Compared to the Rocker2 108, they are mounted further back and have more running length/less rocker, so they ski a bit more like a traditional ski. These are grippier and a bit more work to pivot, but still playful and easy going compared to other types of skis. A lot of shops in Whistler offer these as rentals, and I see why. They work great in soft snow, and are totally usable on harder snow. They introduce skiers to newer technologies like hollow tips/tails and rocker without riding like something completely unfamiliar.
Mentally easy but physically demanding to ski. Mine are mounted at +6. Bottomless slush is a blast on these. Hellbents come to life as soon as they come in contact with soft snow (slush, tracked out, pow, whatever). They monster truck over everything, and pivot on a dime. They have so much width and rocker than you don't have to think hard about balance and pressure control when turning and landing in soft snow. The surfy feeling in just a few inches of snow is amazing. They are fairly damp and not too springy. The playfulness comes from being easy to maneuver in places other skis aren't. The down side is that all that wood makes them heavy. Heavy to hike with, and heavy to spin. They grip hard snow like park skis with detuned edges. You can make them carve on groomers, but it might hurt your knees after a few days. The short effective edge means you have to pivot them further across the fall line than other skis to scrub speed in bumps which gets tiring. I've been using them as a 1-ski quiver for BC trips for 3 years now, and I'm ready to add something more versatile. They are definitely a powder-specific tool.
I've been using this helmet for about 4 years now, and I'm happy with it. I'd consider buying another one. It doesn't smell funny yet. The adjustable vents can make the difference between getting sweaty and staying dry when ascending/descending a few thousand feet. I only need to wear a hat under this when it is less than -20c outside (night skiing in Ontario or Quebec) The brim keeps the foam on my goggles dry in the rain. No issues with fitting Smith I/O and Oakley Airbrake goggles under there. Like other matte black finished helmets, this shows all the scratches from getting bashed against boots, car doors, and skis in the trunk. Mine came with a protective fabric bag that I don't use often enough. The form-fit system works well to keep the helmet from shaking around. It is a bit larger than the older Giro G10. I wear a small Seam or a medium G10.
Overall All-around good ski, but it didn't really stand out amongst the others I demo'd. Oddly enough, my favourite memory of them were some high speed carving turns Performance I liked them. No problem floating through powder, they were very stable in crud, and I really liked the feel of carving on these. At this size, they were manageable in trees and the bumps. For comparison - these plow through crud better than the Salomon Guns, but don't feel as springy for jumping around. They don't float like the Hellbent, but they carve much better. They don't grip ice like the Faction Heroines, but they float through pow more. Maybe a bit heavy for park. Design My sister likes the graphics. I don't dig pink that much. Value Looks like they'll be a bit less expensive than other similar skis. Coool! Fit 169cm felt just right for me. These are a women's ski, but they work great for scrawny guys too I guess. I think 169cm is the only length they come in anyway. Characteristics Medium to soft flex. They feel most at home in soft snow. Not much grip on ice. Durability I only took a few runs with them, but they look pretty beefy.
Overall Most versatile fat ski I demo'd during the WSSF. They remind me of the Salomon Gun, but have much more grip on ice, and maybe be lighter. Performance They float just fine in pow, but got bonked around a bit more than some other skis (K2 Missbehaved, Hellbents) in the crud. With their light weight, they were great in the bumps and easy to spin in the park. The Heroines stood out amongst all other fat skis on ice. I was shocked by how well they held an edge despite their width and non-insane stiffness. These would be totally at home in the east too. Design Nice topsheet. Nothing else really stood out. Value I don't know what these are selling for next year. Definitely worth the free demo. Fit 178cm is 10cm longer than I usually in the east, and around 180cm the skis start taking over from me. However, the Heroines were very light and maneuverable in this size. Works for me! Characteristics Medium! Felt just right for skiing everything. I don't think there was anything park specific about it. Durability I didn't abuse it much. I would expect Faction to make some tough skis though.
