# least favorite ski brand?



## chase (Sep 24, 2008)

Is there a brand of skis that you are wary of buying???

I don't like rossignol very much. I have skied on several of their skis and every single one of them has been a noodle. I have also seen a few too many decambered bandits.


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## Moe Ghoul (Sep 24, 2008)

I demo-ed Salomon's at Elk  a few season ago and came to a similar conclusion. I also demo-ed the Recons that day and was instantly in love so the contrast was a good thing.


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## Hawkshot99 (Sep 24, 2008)

I dont really have a "brand" that I do not like.  I can always find something in the line that I do like.  Take K2.  I pretty much hate the entire Apache series, yet I really like the Twin Tip line.

For a brand I dont like.......Head, Elan, Fishcer, any company that works with Tyrolia for their system bindings.
.


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## riverc0il (Sep 25, 2008)

chase said:


> I don't like rossignol very much. I have skied on several of their skis and every single one of them has been a noodle. I have also seen a few too many decambered bandits.


Funny thing is I once broke a pair of Rossy skis and as a result, I have pretty much avoid Rossy's like the plague (the foam core doesn't help things much either). But I have Rossy/Look bindings on two of my boards and I love my Dynastar 8000s. When you break things down by who owns what, most people probably own at least one component from all the major players' parent groups. Never been a huge fan of the look of K2s but I can't remember the last one I have skied. Something about their design and their marketing that really turns me off to an irrational point. I try to be "brand blind" when evaluating gear. Its best just to go with the best product. But I do have a few biases against certain product lines, as irrational as they may be.


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## Philpug (Sep 25, 2008)

Last year, I would have said Rossi. But, I skied on a couple from this season and was impressed, the CS80 and some 95 waisted ski. I can't think of any brand that doesn't have some redeeming value.


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## andrec10 (Sep 25, 2008)

I have never liked Salomon's. That foam core just does not do it for me, Now Fisher Progressor's thats a ski I love, but you gotta stay on top of it!


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Sep 25, 2008)

I'm not a big fan of K2s..they are pretty fugly..even the high end ones and the two pairs of K2s I owned back in the day...Kreitlers and El Caminos had delam issues..


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## deadheadskier (Sep 25, 2008)

Honestly I think that change in technology happens so quickly these days that what might be considered a great brand today could be considered a crappy brand tomorrow.  I have a certain amount of brand loyalty to Rossi, but that might change tomorrow


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## WJenness (Sep 25, 2008)

deadheadskier said:


> Honestly I think that change in technology happens so quickly these days that what might be considered a great brand today could be considered a crappy brand tomorrow.  I have a certain amount of brand loyalty to Rossi, but that might change tomorrow



Then it really isn't "Brand Loyalty" so to speak is it? :smash:

I know what you're trying to say, but it sounds funny is all.

I've only skied on three different brands of skis so far, so I've yet to form too many opinions on the subject.

Skied on the Heads from the WaWa rental shop, but I was really too new to have any concept of what the ski was doing, then whatever brand SkiMarket rents, and now on my K2 Enemies, which I like, but I'm going to take advantage of Sunday River's demo days over Thanksgiving to try out some new stuff.

-w


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## wa-loaf (Sep 25, 2008)

Pre


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## Philpug (Sep 25, 2008)

The only loyalty I have is to my boots. Krypton 4 life!


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## Warp Daddy (Sep 25, 2008)

Rossi's  are not on my preferred list -squirelly as hell  at damn near anything approaching speed and edge -- did you say say edge  control  PHFFTT--------  noodly maybe


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## Geoff (Sep 25, 2008)

andrec10 said:


> I have never liked Salomon's. That foam core just does not do it for me, Now Fisher Progressor's thats a ski I love, but you gotta stay on top of it!



I've been on Salomon skis for years.  Everything I've owned has a wood core.  I agree that the foam core skis in their line aren't very good but I don't ski on those.  For example, a 2007 X-Wing Fury was foam core and sucked unless you are a flyweight in western conditions.  The 2008 and 2009 X-Wing Fury is wood core and I think it works well as an everyday ski for a big guy.  The old Xtra Hot was similarly beefy.

YMMV


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## Greg (Sep 25, 2008)

I've skied on Elans, Blizzards, Dynas, K2s, and Volkls. Of them all, the Elans were the worst, but they were also the cheapest and lowest end ski. For some reason, I still associate Elan with low end. Probably off base there especially since Plake skis them and designed the Bloodline...


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## Beetlenut (Sep 25, 2008)

Never been a big K2 fan. Skied Atomics for years. Just switched over to a Salomon X-Wing Tornado (wood core) this year.


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## Geoff (Sep 25, 2008)

Beetlenut said:


> Never been a big K2 fan. Skied Atomics for years. Just switched over to a Salomon X-Wing Tornado (wood core) this year.



I skied the 2009 Tornado for a few runs last spring.  I didn't like the old Tornado but the new one is a much higher performance ski.


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## wa-loaf (Sep 25, 2008)

Greg said:


> For some reason, I still associate Elan with low end. Probably off base there especially since Plake skis them and designed the Bloodline...



Elan had a couple years where they were making junk, but they really seem to back now. Really happy with mine.

I've always been a K2 skier. There seems to be a real premium on them these days and good discounts are hard to find. I'd buy them again if I found a good deal.


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## hammer (Sep 25, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> Elan had a couple years where they were making junk, but they really seem to back now. Really happy with mine.


Hope that's the case...just bought a pair of Elan's in March.  Haven't skied on them too much yet but they don't seem cheap.


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## Philpug (Sep 25, 2008)

I am not a Elan Magfire fan, but the 888's and 999 are sweet skis!


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Sep 25, 2008)

every major brand out there has some great skis in their line up and some dogs in the mix...its very tough to generalize based on brand.  Rossi and Salomon get beat up for the foam cores but they've got many models that are woodcore nowadays.  Its key to narrow your search and then demo if possible...if you can't demo, fnd a good shop with employees who have demo-ed and have a conversation with them.  Personally, I prefer woodcore sidewall skis, usually with two sheets of metal in them...and I have more confidence in Tyrolia bindings than I do in Marker.  I've pre-released in more Markers than all other brands combined.


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## andrec10 (Sep 25, 2008)

I Partly agree about the Markers pre-releasing. I have them on my Nodica Mach16.1's and they have been fine, but a Friend of mine who's son races also, had a very bad season 2 years ago due to Markers pre-releasing...


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## deadheadskier (Sep 25, 2008)

WJenness said:


> Then it really isn't "Brand Loyalty" so to speak is it? :smash:
> 
> I know what you're trying to say, but it sounds funny is all.



....like I said, 'I might change tomorrow'


signed

loyal and exclusive Rossi skier 1988-1992 & 2000-2008


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Sep 26, 2008)

andrec10 said:


> I Partly agree about the Markers pre-releasing. I have them on my Nodica Mach16.1's and they have been fine, but a Friend of mine who's son races also, had a very bad season 2 years ago due to Markers pre-releasing...



the last time it happened to me I was at a vendor event and was skiing with the guy who used to be the vp of sales and marketing for marker...I went into some bumps, everything going fine, did a little speed check on one bump and step right out of one ski...fortunately managed to stay on my feet...had stepped right out of the heel.  When we got on the lift he asked what they were set on...11 toes and heels, he said he always set his heels 2 settings higher than the toes.  :blink:


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## wa-loaf (Sep 26, 2008)

eastcoastpowderhound said:


> the last time it happened to me I was at a vendor event and was skiing with the guy who used to be the vp of sales and marketing for marker...I went into some bumps, everything going fine, did a little speed check on one bump and step right out of one ski...fortunately managed to stay on my feet...had stepped right out of the heel.  When we got on the lift he asked what they were set on...11 toes and heels, he said he always set his heels 2 settings higher than the toes.  :blink:



I thought "markering out" had to do with the toes releasing? That said, I've had many Markers through the years and had no problems.


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## deadheadskier (Sep 26, 2008)

I've also never had issues with Marker


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## Trekchick (Sep 26, 2008)

I [Hart] Skiing said:


> I can't think of any brand that doesn't have some redeeming value.


I agree with this statement.  I can't imagine that any brand will be the same today that it will be in the future, or past for that matter.
That being said, the times I've demo'd, the brands that left me feeling uninspired, were Rossi and Salomon.


wa-loaf said:


> Pre


I[Hart]........care to field that?



I [Hart] Skiing said:


> The only loyalty I have is to my boots. Krypton 4 life!


Oh baby........Since I switched to Krypton's I have not had one foot issue!  Love them!!


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## eastcoastpowderhound (Sep 26, 2008)

wa-loaf said:


> I thought "markering out" had to do with the toes releasing? That said, I've had many Markers through the years and had no problems.



that's another potential issue...the upward toe release...but in the last 5 years all the times I've pre-released in a marker have been from the heel...with some (not all) of the system bindings they don't have a forward pressure screw so you can't fine tune the adjustment like you can on their non system bindings.  I was a hardgoods buyer for a number of years and skied on dozens of skis each year with markers on them...K2, Volkl, Nordica...and all the other brands on the snow...it wasn't an issue on every ski or anything, but you tend to remember the times that it was.  I also had a M48 titanium heel blow off the forward pressure track on me...tore my rotator cuff in the process.  I avoided Markers for years after that...until they became the system binding of choice for Volkl, K2, etc.


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## campgottagopee (Sep 27, 2008)

Never a big fan of Dynstar or Rossi---could be because I've broken a couplke pair of each


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## Starter Jackets Rule! (Oct 5, 2008)

any ski "Hecho en China"!
LOL!


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## Sky (Oct 6, 2008)

I had a pair of Rossi CUT's a few years back.  Then I demo'd (and bought) a pair of Atomics...what a huge difference...no chatter etc.

Then I demo'd the Volkl's I currently own.  

I did a demo day @ Wa three years ago.  didn't like the Elan, the Rossi, Salomon.  Liked the K2, Head, and Atomic.  Can't recall if I tried Fischer.

Also...I scored a pair of Dynastar Contact 11's from a rep.  Love the Look binding...not a fan of the ski.


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## tjf67 (Oct 7, 2008)

Geoff said:


> I've been on Salomon skis for years.  Everything I've owned has a wood core.  I agree that the foam core skis in their line aren't very good but I don't ski on those.  For example, a 2007 X-Wing Fury was foam core and sucked unless you are a flyweight in western conditions.  The 2008 and 2009 X-Wing Fury is wood core and I think it works well as an everyday ski for a big guy.  The old Xtra Hot was similarly beefy.
> 
> YMMV




I thought the Exra Hots were foam core.  The exscremes were. I used them for 4 years straight.  Liked the performance but I would blow and edge every year.  Then 01 came and I dumped as many french companies as I could.


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