# Powder Boards



## ALLSKIING (Aug 24, 2008)

About to pull the trigger on these. My only question is what size? My Recons are 174 but not sure what size for my first set of powder boards.


http://www.k2skis.com/products/skis.asp?id=1


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## deadheadskier (Aug 24, 2008)

height, weight, ability?

I'm sure there are many who have skied with you that know these attributes, but for those who haven't those things need to be known to offer up advice.


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 24, 2008)

My bad:
6'1 225lb advanced


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## snoseek (Aug 24, 2008)

If you plan on mostly using them on a powder day than I would personally go longer. The 181 seems about right. Length is just as important as width in powder. They look like fun skis, I like the dimensions


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## deadheadskier (Aug 24, 2008)

If it were me and I'm 5'9" 200 advanced, I'd probably go for the 181's.  Your size, depending on the terrain you were looking to use them in, I'd possibly consider the 188 depending on how maneuverable they ski.  My current Powder boards Old School Rossi Axioms are 184's and I have little trouble whipping them around in tight trees.

Skis are pictured here (not my photo)


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## snoseek (Aug 24, 2008)

FWIW I'm maybe 10 pounds lighter but almost the same weight when I first bought my powder boards (almost identical dimensions) and am very happy with the 191 length, they float right over choppy crud and smooth everything out perfect. With a shorter length I feel they would ski crud more like moguls. They are o.k. in soft bumps, firm bumps notsomuch.


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 24, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> If it were me and I'm 5'9" 200 advanced, I'd probably go for the 181's.  Your size, depending on the terrain you were looking to use them in, I'd possibly consider the 188 depending on how maneuverable they ski.  My current Powder boards Old School Rossi Axioms are 184's and I have little trouble whipping them around in tight trees.
> 
> Skis are pictured here (not my photo)





snoseek said:


> FWIW I'm maybe 10 pounds lighter but almost the same weight when I first bought my powder boards (almost identical dimensions) and am very happy with the 191 length, they float right over choppy crud and smooth everything out perfect. With a shorter length I feel they would ski crud more like moguls. They are o.k. in soft bumps, firm bumps notsomuch.


That long a.  I know I will take them in the trees so 188 have me a little concerned.


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## snoseek (Aug 24, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> That long a.  I know I will take them in the trees so 188 have me a little concerned.





Yeah maybe the 181 for tight E.C. trees, I can see that. I think below that will be too much of a compromise.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 24, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> My bad:
> 6'1 225lb advanced



I'd go longer...my new Nordica Blowers are 193s..but they're twin-tips so they'll ski a bit shorter.  170s for me are only good for race-skis/nastar skis..


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## Philpug (Aug 24, 2008)

Nice Quiver.

For East coast, the 181's, especially if you are gonna be taking them in the trees.


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## madskier6 (Aug 24, 2008)

I agree with all previous posters who recommended 181s.  You don't want to go shorter & 188 might be a little too long for the East Coast.  My Gotamas are 183 but they are twin tips which ski shorter.  I think 181s would be perfect for you Dave unless you like em real long or plan to use them a lot out West.  Any chance you can demo them this season before you buy?


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 24, 2008)

madskier6 said:


> I agree with all previous posters who recommended 181s.  You don't want to go shorter & 188 might be a little too long for the East Coast.  My Gotamas are 183 but they are twin tips which ski shorter.  I think 181s would be perfect for you Dave unless you like em real long or plan to use them a lot out West.  Any chance you can demo them this season before you buy?



I don't think I can wait that long...I am thinking 181 as well.


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## deadheadskier (Aug 25, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> Nice Quiver.
> 
> For East coast, the 181's, especially if you are gonna be taking them in the trees.



oh, not mine, just found it on google images as when I say I have Rossi Axioms for powder boards, most people go 'wha?'   I'm guessing they are circa 1998 or so


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## BeanoNYC (Aug 25, 2008)

181's Dave.  I would say a bit longer based on your body size and ability, but I know you like to mess around in the trees.


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 25, 2008)

Done.........Can't wait for the first Powder day!!

http://www.getboards.com/snow/twintips/k208/apache_coomba.html


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## BeanoNYC (Aug 25, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> Done.........Can't wait for the first Powder day!!
> 
> http://www.getboards.com/snow/twintips/k208/apache_coomba.html



Nice, Congrats.  I really like my Mantras.  Was a fun adjustment using wider skis.  Your recons are fairly wide though, correct?


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## Greg (Aug 25, 2008)

Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 25, 2008)

BeanoNYC said:


> Nice, Congrats.  I really like my Mantras.  Was a fun adjustment using wider skis.  Your recons are fairly wide though, correct?


119 78 105 for the recons. Fun ski and does great in all conditions but these coombas will be so much fun in the pow and spring corn.


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 25, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?


You might like these...


http://www.k2skis.com/products/skis.asp?id=12


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## Moe Ghoul (Aug 25, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> 119 78 105 for the recons. Fun ski and does great in all conditions but these coombas will be so much fun in the pow and spring corn.



If yer over 200 lbs, you need more ski for deep powder than the recon, imo. I managed last year in 3' of fresh po in Jackson, but a wider board would have been better.


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## bvibert (Aug 25, 2008)

Congrats on the purchase Dave.  Those look like fun!   Make sure you mount them with demo binding so I can take them out for a spin when we meet up for a powder day.


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## BeanoNYC (Aug 25, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?



Check out the Mantras, Greg.


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Aug 25, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?



a 178 Fischer Watea 94...since you haven't been out west yet and don't plan on going this year you'll want more of an EC pow ski...bumps, trees, etc.  Good write up in Skiing gear guide.  I ski a 186 in the 94...in the east.


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Aug 25, 2008)

BeanoNYC said:


> Your recons are fairly wide though, correct?



recons are skinny...78mm waist.  That used to be a "fairly wide" ski for someone in the east, but not anymore...my skinny east coast skis are 82mm and 84mm.  Only time I go below 80mm is in a race course.


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## roark (Aug 25, 2008)

Nice, I've been thinking about the Coombas or something similar as a touring set up... not happening this year though.


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## BeanoNYC (Aug 25, 2008)

eastcoastpowderhound said:


> a 178 Fischer Watea 94...since you haven't been out west yet and don't plan on going this year you'll want more of an EC pow ski...bumps, trees, etc.  Good write up in Skiing gear guide.  I ski a 186 in the 94...in the east.



My buddy (same bsl) has a pair.  They rip!  IRRC, I think Hawkshot has a pair too.


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## Hawkshot99 (Aug 25, 2008)

BeanoNYC said:


> My buddy (same bsl) has a pair.  They rip!  IRRC, I think Hawkshot has a pair too.



Nope. i have Scott Mission's.  Great ski, but just not enough difference between them and my Scott P3 for powder days.


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## madskier6 (Aug 25, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?



I'd have to recommend the Volkl Gotamas, which is my powder board.  They are nimble, smooth & float so nice.  They have no metal in them & they are very forgiving IMHO.  I'm not knocking the Mantras cause they're great skis too but they are stiffer & better on groomers, which is not what I was looking for in a set of powder skis.  YMMV.

IMHO, if you're going for a powder board, go fat.  At least the width of the Coomba or the Gotama (105 mm).  Otherwise they overlap too much with today's mid-fats.  I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me but one of my goals was to avoid quiver overlap.


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## roark (Aug 25, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?


I've been pretty happy with my 178 rossi b4's. Light, nimble, forgiving. Still can get em around in tight trees. Only issue is the quality of construction seems cheap. Of course, that I paid $200 shipped new for them might skew my perception.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Aug 25, 2008)

madskier6 said:


> I'd have to recommend the Volkl Gotamas, which is my powder board.  They are nimble, smooth & float so nice.  They have no metal in them & they are very forgiving IMHO.  I'm not knocking the Mantras cause they're great skis too but they are stiffer & better on groomers, which is not what I was looking for in a set of powder skis.  YMMV.
> 
> IMHO, if you're going for a powder board, go fat.  At least the width of the Coomba or the Gotama (105 mm).  Otherwise they overlap too much with today's mid-fats.  I'm sure a lot of people will disagree with me but one of my goals was to avoid quiver overlap.



I can't wait to ski on my Nordica Blowers..at 110mm in the waist..the fattest ski in my quiver.by leaps and bounds..


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Aug 25, 2008)

I'm all for fatter...the 94mm waisted Watea is what I'll ski in the east on any day that's remotely soft, out west and on any day deeper than 6" here I'll be on a 114mm waist this winter.  But one of the characteristics greg was after was "nimble" and he hasn't been west and won't be going this year, so I'd go with something mid to upper 90s - better in the bumps and we know how greg loves the bumps...also wants something "forgiving" - so no metal.  Otherwise I'd say go over 100mm


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## lloyd braun (Aug 26, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?



Greg,

check out the Volkl Gotama. I ski the Gotama in a 176 and I weigh 140lbs and am 5'5" tall. Super sweet ski that is forgiving and rips all conditions from packed to pow.


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## tjf67 (Aug 27, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?



I have the nordica enforcers. They have a small turning radius for the tighter trails in the east.  They are in the upper 90's at the waste.  You can catch an edge when you want to but they do float in the powder.   I like a stiffer ski that needs to be worked.   The smash through the crud and they have a twin tip.  When your buddies are acting up you can fly by them and give them a good spraying.  I


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## ALLSKIING (Aug 29, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?


So........When are you pulling the trigger?


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## riverc0il (Aug 30, 2008)

Greg said:


> Any powder board recommendations for a somewhat lighter (165 lbs.) skier? Something a bit forgiving and more nimble?


Watea 94 for a nimble powder board. Not sure about the weight factor though. They now have a 178 length, IIRC. I got the Atua's which were the previous year's model but they are 184-186ish with a twin. They really fit my turny nature despite the width.


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## riverc0il (Aug 30, 2008)

eastcoastpowderhound said:


> I'm all for fatter...the 94mm waisted Watea is what I'll ski in the east on any day that's remotely soft, out west and on any day deeper than 6" here I'll be on a 114mm waist this winter.  But one of the characteristics greg was after was "nimble" and he hasn't been west and won't be going this year, so I'd go with something mid to upper 90s - better in the bumps and we know how greg loves the bumps...also wants something "forgiving" - so no metal.  Otherwise I'd say go over 100mm


That is the other deal... I couldn't believe how easy the Atua (Watea 94, same thing essentially) was to use in the bumps.

Greg, definitely avoid the Mantra. Worst ski I have ever taken through a bump field, bar none. Great ski if you want to ski groomers with some powder on the side. Any powder day will eventually have bumps, so having a powder ski that can handle late day soft pow bumps is important. I would imagine for a scrawny guy like yourself  that the Salomon Guns or whatever they are calling them now would be a good ski to look at.


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## Greg (Aug 30, 2008)

Thanks for all the recommendations. I have a nice short list now.


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## ALLSKIING (Sep 3, 2008)

Bring on the powder!!!!


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## roark (Sep 3, 2008)

So what bindings are you slapping on the coombas... dukes?


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## bvibert (Sep 3, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> Bring on the powder!!!!



Nice addition to the quiver!  :beer:


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## ALLSKIING (Sep 3, 2008)

roark said:


> So what bindings are you slapping on the coombas... dukes?


Not sure yet. Was thinking about the Marker 12.0 piston.


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## Greg (Sep 4, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> Bring on the powder!!!!



Are those Coombas made by K2? I can't tell.


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## bvibert (Sep 4, 2008)

Greg said:


> Are those Coombas made by K2? I can't tell.



No, I think those are Rossi's...


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## ALLSKIING (Sep 4, 2008)

Greg said:


> Are those Coombas made by K2? I can't tell.


Just go buy yourself some Pow boards!!


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## Greg (Sep 4, 2008)

ALLSKIING said:


> Just go buy yourself some Pow boards!!



Maybe just mount two bindings on one of the Coombas and they'll look just like two Cabrawlers glued to together. :lol:


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## Grassi21 (Sep 4, 2008)

Greg said:


> Maybe just mount two bindings on one of the Coombas and they'll look just like two Cabrawlers glued to together. :lol:



or you can make a split board for all you crazy boarders...


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## ALLSKIING (Sep 4, 2008)

Greg said:


> Maybe just mount two bindings on one of the Coombas and they'll look just like two Cabrawlers glued to together. :lol:


Put them up next to the teneightys  and they look pretty funny. Going to be fun skiing on them at MRG!


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 4, 2008)

Greg said:


> Are those Coombas made by K2? I can't tell.



Postwhore...


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Sep 4, 2008)

GrilledSteezeSandwich said:


> Postwhore...



troll:razz:


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## hardline (Sep 10, 2008)

the thing you guys should also be concerned with in addition to width is taper. i don't like the rocker stuff for the east coast because even on a powder day you will hit ice but taper is where its at.


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