# ski comparrison tool



## gmcunni (Mar 5, 2012)

want to pick up a new all mountain ski this spring (end of year sale scenario).  anyone know of a good tool to narrow selection and compare models?

i have this one, it isn't great (needs more choices to narrow the selection)
http://www.skinet.com/ski/gear/skis


hoping to hit the Okemo for the this weekend and want to have a short list of skis to try (if i can confirm what brands will be represented)


> MARY DAVIS SPRING DEMO
> 
> Test out the latest in skis and snowboards from companies such as Nordica, Salomon, Bean, Never Summer, and more at the Mary Davis Spring Demo!
> 
> This demo is free of charge and open to the public. All participants are required to fill out forms and leave a credit card imprint to demo equipment. This event will take place at the Solitude Base Lodge from 8am-2pm on March 10th.


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## o3jeff (Mar 5, 2012)

How fat?


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## gmcunni (Mar 5, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> How fat?



mid fat to fat-ish but also phat


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## wa-loaf (Mar 5, 2012)

A lot of the manufactures have ski selection tools. See what you end up with there and then go to the online reviews to see how they stack up against one another.


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## gmcunni (Mar 5, 2012)

twin tip all mountain ski, 93-98mm, rocker tip, 177 - 182 cm


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## wa-loaf (Mar 5, 2012)

Just go demo the Atomic Theory.


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## gmcunni (Mar 5, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Just go demo the Atomic Theory.



it is on my list (having skied the alibi) but i'm looking for others to compare it to.


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## noreasterbackcountry (Mar 5, 2012)

Here's a comparison chart of backcountry (i.e. lighter) skis that I put together for 2011-12.

http://nebackcountry.blogspot.com/2011/10/2011-2012-backcountry-ski-comparison.html


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## gmcunni (Mar 5, 2012)

noreasterbackcountry said:


> Here's a comparison chart of backcountry (i.e. lighter) skis that I put together for 2011-12.
> 
> http://nebackcountry.blogspot.com/2011/10/2011-2012-backcountry-ski-comparison.html



that's a great list, i wish i could find something similar for the class of ski i'm shopping for.


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## gmcunni (Mar 5, 2012)

wa-loaf said:


> Just go demo the Atomic Theory.





gmcunni said:


> it is on my list (having skied the alibi) but i'm looking for others to compare it to.



dynastar legend 94 looks nice too


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## BackLoafRiver (Mar 6, 2012)

FWIW - I just picked up the Armada TST.  All Mountain twin with rocker in the front and camber underfoot. It is 102 at the waist (which might be a little bigger than what you mentioned) but is super agile.  It combines the tech from the JJ and the ANT with the elf-shoe shovel from the JJ that gives it some nice float.

http://armadaskis.com/product/skis/tst/

I haven't had a chance to put up a review yet but the short version: fast, nimble, and versatile.


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## o3jeff (Mar 6, 2012)

Have you tried to search Google for reviews?


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## gmcunni (Mar 6, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Have you tried to search Google for reviews?



http://lmgtfy.com/?q=skis+like+atomic+theory


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## o3jeff (Mar 6, 2012)

Have you considered last years Dynastar Sultan 85's? Thats what I have and was killing it on them last weekend.


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## gmcunni (Mar 6, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Have you considered last years Dynastar Sultan 85's? Thats what I have and was killing it on them last weekend.



my current thinking is i want wider than that,i have 84 now.  i did come across a Dynastar Sultan 94 in my googling last night, it got put on the list.

current list - 

dynastar legend 94
dynastar sultan legend 94

atomic theory - 95

Line Prophet 98
Line Prophet 90

blizzard bonafide  - 98
blizzard bushwacker - 88

nordica Hell and Back - 98

volkl Kendo - 88
volkl mantra - 98

rossi s3 - 98


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## o3jeff (Mar 6, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> my current thinking is i want wider than that,i have 84 now.  i did come across a Dynastar Sultan 94 in my googling last night, it got put on the list.
> 
> current list -
> 
> ...



Why are you using smilies instead of numbers? No wonder why your google searches aren't working.


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## 57stevey (Mar 6, 2012)

I've been on S3, Hell&Back, Bushwacker, and Solly Sentinel (similarly sized to Legend/Sultan 94 but perhaps a bit stouter.) I liked them all but in different ways. What would you like these proposed new skis to do better than your current mid-80's skis? Will you be *keeping* the current skis, or is this new ski to be the daily driver?


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## gmcunni (Mar 6, 2012)

SUV Steve said:


> I've been on S3, Hell&Back, Bushwacker, and Solly Sentinel (similarly sized to Legend/Sultan 94 but perhaps a bit stouter.) I liked them all but in different ways. What would you like these proposed new skis to do better than your current mid-80's skis? Will you be *keeping* the current skis, or is this new ski to be the daily driver?



looking for a new daily driver.  feel wider is better for ungroomed - be it rare pow, soft spring, occasional trees, soft stuff on sides of trail.  but i still want a ski with edge hold and decent bump performance.


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## Hawkshot99 (Mar 6, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> looking for a new daily driver.  feel wider is better for ungroomed - be it rare pow, soft spring, occasional trees, soft stuff on sides of trail.  but i still want a ski with edge hold and decent bump performance.



Based on your list, and description I would recommend the Blizzard Bushwacker.  You need to be truthfull with yourself on what you will really be using the ski for.  Would you rather have a ski that handles better on the majority of your days, or a fat ski that is awesome in the 1 powder day you get a year?


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## gmcunni (Mar 6, 2012)

Hawkshot99 said:


> Based on your list, and description I would recommend the Blizzard Bushwacker.  You need to be truthfull with yourself on what you will really be using the ski for.  Would you rather have a ski that handles better on the majority of your days, or a fat ski that is awesome in the 1 powder day you get a year?



i'm trying hard to make it up to Okemo this weekend for the demo day. i've done brief demos on a few mid 90mm skis, i *think* i'd be happy with them full time but want to test more.


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## 57stevey (Mar 6, 2012)

To be honest, I didn't feel the Bushwacker skied all that differently from my Nordica Afterburners (which I really like, so I guess by extension I really like the BW's?) Hell & Back was a big powerful ski and a bit much for me. I could be happy using the Sentinel as a daily driver (and haven't ruled out a purchase) but it is a little bit cumbersome at slow speeds (like, for me, trees/bumps.) I could own the S3 as top end of a 2-quiver, but not for a daily driver. From what I have read, I think the Legend/Sultan 94 might be right up your alley.


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## gmcunni (Mar 6, 2012)

SUV Steve said:


> To be honest, I didn't feel the Bushwacker skied all that differently from my Nordica Afterburners (which I really like, so I guess by extension I really like the BW's?)



construction aside, i would think an 84 and an 88 would ski similarly.


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## 57stevey (Mar 6, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> construction aside, i would think an 84 and an 88 would ski similarly.



Agreed... they are more similar to each other than to say, an AC50. But skis in general are so good now, I'm sure you'll come up with a winner from demoing. Good luck!


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## o3jeff (Mar 11, 2012)

Didn't you like the Kastle last year when you demo'd them, why aren't they on your list of potential skis?


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## gmcunni (Mar 11, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Didn't you like the Kastle last year when you demo'd them, why aren't they on your list of potential skis?



i did like them but was put off by the price tag.


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## wa-loaf (Mar 11, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> Didn't you like the Kastle last year when you demo'd them, why aren't they on your list of potential skis?



Blizzard is the new Kästle.


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## Glenn (Mar 12, 2012)

Did you get to demo this weekend Gary?


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## gmcunni (Mar 12, 2012)

Glenn said:


> Did you get to demo this weekend Gary?



yes, i did.
http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=108121


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## o3jeff (Mar 12, 2012)

What are you buying?


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## gmcunni (Mar 12, 2012)

o3jeff said:


> What are you buying?



there was no clear winner for me. i'm tired of my nordicas, i want a new everyday driver but i also desperately want something for soft and pow.  

if i was being practical i'd probably go with the blizzard bushwacker -88-.  tho i don't think the extra 4mm would give me much better performance in soft stuff.

another option would be to  get the Blend -100- or the Alibi -98-  and keep my old volkl (77) or Nordica (84)  for days i need something less wide.

or i could just buy 2 new skis bushwaker + something in 105/110 range


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## Glenn (Mar 12, 2012)

Based on that TR...the Bushwacker sounds like a really good ski. I kinda wish I had demo'd those when I took a bunch of skis out. 

How did you find the 100mm skis did? Do you think you could use in a ski in that width as a daily driver?


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## gmcunni (Mar 12, 2012)

Glenn said:


> How did you find the 100mm skis did? Do you think you could use in a ski in that width as a daily driver?



other than bumps i could see me on the Blend -100- or Alibi -98- as a daily driver.  and the way i ski bumps i don't know that having a wide ski would really matter all that much anyway. in fact, they turn so slow that it might actually force me to learn how to absorb and extend rather than slide and skid the way i do now.


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## wa-loaf (Mar 12, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> other than bumps i could see me on the Blend -100- or Alibi -98- as a daily driver.  and the way i ski bumps i don't know that having a wide ski would really matter all that much anyway. in fact, they turn so slow that it might actually force me to learn how to absorb and extend rather than slide and skid the way i do now.



I thought the alibi was a pretty good bump ski and I skied the 187. Because of all the rocker they really rotated nicely even though looking at them the tail really seemed like it would be a problem.


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## Glenn (Mar 12, 2012)

gmcunni said:


> other than bumps i could see me on the Blend -100- or Alibi -98- as a daily driver.  and the way i ski bumps i don't know that having a wide ski would really matter all that much anyway. in fact, they turn so slow that it might actually force me to learn how to absorb and extend rather than slide and skid the way i do now.



One of those days, I'll get out there on some 100mm boards and see how they do.


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## o3jeff (Mar 21, 2012)

When is your deadline to purchase new skis?


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