Ski Reviews: all-mountain, variable conditions
Skis reviewed: 2008 Fischer Watea 94, 2009 Elan 82Xti, 2008 Fischer Progressor, 2008 Head iM82, 2009 Elan 888
Conditions: I had a chance to try these in variable conditions: hardpack bumps, hardpack steeps, softer snow, soft bumps, spring conditions, firm to icy groomers, and cream-cheese soft snow. I also skied the Huge Trouble and Legend Pro during this time, but they are really different skis, so I chose not to review them here. These were conditions I normally don’t get to ski (bumpier and steeper, more challenging overall) and therefore it was a great chance to test these somewhere besides the easygoing, moderate Bachelor terrain.
Skier specs: 5 foot 9, 155lbs, solid skier, tend to ski relatively fast and aggressive, like to search out steeper off-piste terrain if good, also like to carve up groomers. I am (was) relatively fit, skiing 50 days/year and also riding my road bike (racing as a Cat 2). Currently out of commission with a broken leg, so no more ski reviews are upcoming for awhile.
2008 Fischer Watea 94: the widest ski tested, 94mm underfoot, 20m radius, 178cm length, mounted with a Duke binding.
Review: I have skied this many times (I own a pair) but this was the first time I have used it on hardpack terrain. In steep bumps, it was very predictable, quite soft, and super forgiving. The tip was easy to engage and predictable to release, and the same could be said for the tail. On relatively smooth hardpack steeps, it was easy to engage, and again, very predictable. The ski was a little long and wide to be considered nimble, and therefore gave up something to the narrower skis tested here. The weight was very light, and although it didn’t seem to bother the overall stability, I prefer a more damp ski, with a more typical wood-core/laminate feel. This ski, although fairly damp, just seems very light and has a completely different on-snow sensation. As a carver, the Watea was passable, although not superb. It was slow edge-to-edge, and lacked the power of the narrower skis. It didn’t have the stiffness in the tail, nor the aggressive lateral stiffness of a power carver. Overall, it was a solid ski, and workable in these conditions, but definitely not my first choice. I would go with something narrower and a bit more exciting for a ski in these conditions.
2009 Elan 82Xti, 176cm: new ski from Elan, same dimensions as the current Magfire 12/14. The 82Xti is softer than either, weighs less (2.4lbs lighter than the Magfire 14 in the same size) yet retains the lateral stiffness and power of the Magfire 14. The 82Xti has 2 sheets of metal, the 82ti 1 sheet of metal. Both have a 17m radius, 82mm underfoot, and have an overall GS feel to them.
Review: I had some time on this ski in wide-open crud fields, and was very impressed earlier. This would be a better test regarding the nimbleness of this ski. First off, this ski has no speed limit. It is simply as stable as anything on the market. The flex is so much more forgiving this season, and I would recommend the 82Xti to anyone over 180lbs or so. For me, it was a little stiff: it felt a bit like the Jet Fuel, in that it was just a little stout for me to flex. But, the Afterburner is a little on the soft side, whereas the Elan 82ti is more along the lines of a softer Jet Fuel, but not as much of a step down as the Afterburner is. In bumps, this ski was workable, but again as a stiff ski at 176cm, it was a bit of work to stay balanced on. It really pulled me into the turn: not overly aggressive, but still with a very powerful feel. The ski felt damp, stable, and with a bit of pop. On hard groomers, it was money, and pretty darn close to a real race ski feel. A little loss of edgehold that every wider ski has, and a little bit slower initiation, but still a complete powerhouse in these conditions. In a steep, hardpack chute, it was quick onto edge, and very predictable. A little stiff in bumps, but that was to be expected, and the 82ti is really the ski I should be on, at my weight. I would say it was equally suited to on-piste and off-piste performance, and when I previously skied it, I found this ski to be as good of a crudbuster that I have tried in these dimensions. It felt almost as stable as the Stockli XXXL, but so much more forgiving and versatile. I considered buying the XXXL, but decided the trade-off in versatility wasn’t worth the tiny bit of extra tability over every other crudbuster I have tried. The Elan’s edge engagement was predictable and powerful, but overly aggressive for slow-speed, technical steeps. Overall, the Elan 82X is a superb ski, and will make some waves this season. It is one of the best 80-85mm skis I have yet tried, in many areas my favorite, although I was planning on purchasing the 82ti for myself.
2008 Fischer Progressor 170cm (same as 2009 Progressor 9+): 70mm underfoot, 15m turn radius, Flowflex plate
Review: I had yet to ski this off-piste in tough conditions. It was workable in hard bumps, in steeps, although the tail was a bit aggressive. It wanted to kick me around a bit, and I had to stay balanced a bit more than on some of the other skis. On hardpack chutes, it was quite predictable, and relatively easy to ski, and I think that a good pilot in bumps would have had more luck than myself (I am not the world’s best bump skier, but was getting better until my broken leg). I could ski this as an off-piste tool, but for firmer, bumpier conditions, one could do better. In more GS-style crud, it is a nice ski, provided the crud isn’t too deep. And, as a carver, this ski is unmatched. It is the ski for somebody who wants race-ski performance on hardpack, but is looking for more versatility. It could be skied as a general use all-mountain ski by a good skier, but the ski is a little aggressive and the sweet spot a little small. Still, this is a fabulous ski ,and especially for that spring ski, where the bumps are softer, yet the groomers are firm in the mornings.
2008 iM82 172cm: this ski will be unchanged for 2009. 17m radius, 82mm underfoot.
Review: again, first time on this ski in these conditions. The length at 172cm felt a bit better for me than the longer 176cm Elan in tight spaces. The iM82 is softer and a bit more forgiving than the 82X, the tip is not quite as stiff laterally, and the ski eased into the turn a little better. The tail also released more progressively. I had a great time on this ski in off-piste conditions, as it seemed to build confidence in my skiing, and was virtually mistake-proof when skiing on. At higher speeds, I could have used more length, as well as on groomers, where the 172cm felt a bit shorter for carving. Not to take anything away from the iM82’s stability though: Head packs a ton of smoothness and ease in to such a short ski. As a carver, it was very fun, and somewhat punchy, but couldn’t match the 82X or Progressor. It bested the Watea 94, however. Overall, I would peg the iM82 as the ski for someone who wants a stable, smooth, fairly damp, yet forgiving (for this level of performance) ski. I would choose it as a do-everything ski, but I feel that the 82ti is a little bit better suited to my style of skiing, with the bit more aggressive lateral engagement and slightly longer length.
2009 Elan 888 177cm: this ski is basically unchaged for 2009, save for the mounting point being moved back 1.5cm. So, if you have a 2008, move the mount 1.5cm backward, and now you will be on the 2009 model! Or, just use a Railflex binding to find the sweet spot.
Review: I skied this everywhere, over most of the season. Steep bumps, icy chutes, lots of crud, groomers. It is just a superb overall ski. It isn’t too stiff that I can’t take it into tighter terrain, but is totally stable in crud. The ski feels like it is flexed perfectly for someone of my weight and aggressiveness, in that it likes to ski fast, but isn’t overpoweringly stiff. The weight of the ski gives it a bit of nimbleness that isn’t present in many 88mm skis underfoot, but doesn’t affect stability. It can go from crudbuster to GS carver on groomers, bump ski, to hardpack ski. I would probably pick it if I could only have 1 ski. On icy bumps, it engages and releases predictably, and felt a bit more aggressive and powerful than the Watea 94. The length was a touch long, but much easier to work than the 82Xti. It was quick enough edge-to-edge, and very confidence-inspiring in steep chutes, with a large sweet spot. On groomers, it has a mid-weight GS feel. Not super heavy, damp, stable, and stiff like Stockli, but more of a midweight, light yet muscular feel to it. I can see why it won the Ski Press freeride ski test shootout: is has probably the best blend of everything I am looking for in a modern midfat, and great snowfeel to boot.
Summary: Lots of good skis! The 888 is a great choice for a crudbuster and general use all-mountain ski, as is the Watea 94, although the Watea has better float in crud at the expense of on-piste performance and nimbleness. The 82Xti is a powerhouse, very good at everything, and the 82ti is the choice if you like that feel but weigh under 180lbs or so. The iM82 is classic Head: smooth, damp, very stable, predictable, and relatively forgiving, and the Progressor is as aggressive as the 82Xti, although in a narrower, more race-oriented profile. All would be suitable for at least moderate off-piste use like those we were skiing at Squaw (steep bumps, chutes, and hardpack) and the choice of which one is best has more to do with skier ability, aggressiveness, preferences, and weight. I can’t say that any one of the 5 skis were disappointing or not up to standard: they all did some things extremely well and some things only somewhat well.
