new powder skis?

I am currently looking to buy powder skis for the first time.  I am a 5'3" 140 lb woman.  I currently ski on Rossignol Scratch Girl FS 148 skis, I am very happy with these skis for east coast skiing in Vermont, and teaching, but I go out west once a year, and these skis just don't cut it out there.  I like to ski in the trees, deep powder (when I can get it), mogels, and steeps.  this past year I demoed some Volkl Aura skis in Alaska, and they did pretty good on the crud and heavy snow, but as soon as I got on the groomed trails to get back to the lift they were really heavy, and difficult to maneuver. I also Demoed a pair of (rossis I think but can't remember) skis with a rockered tip and tail, but with normal camber in the middle, and I thought those were fun, but I don't remember what they were.
  I am looking for something a little easier and lighter than the Auras since I mostly ski in bounds, and will inevitably have to ski on groomed or hardpacked trails.  The skis that I am currently looking at are the K2 Phat Luv, K2 Missbehaved, Head Sweet Fat Thang, Dynastar she's trouble, or the Rossi Scratch Girl BC (I love the FS so I thought maybe these would be good too, though I have heard that they aren't the best in deep pow) Any suggestions? What length do you suggest? I was thinking around a 160. 
Thanks!!!

The new Moment Pika in 160 could be a fantastic option for you.  My wife (similar specs) demoed them this past spring and fell in love.

Volkl Kiku....   Women's version of the Gotama.... 

My wife (roughly your size) had been on two generations of phat luvs.  She took one run on Kikus and we were in the store buying them that afternoon (I guess you could say it was a costly run).  Last year's are traditionally cambered with the shortest size being 168 but don't worrow about the length (Volkls are short).  This year they come shorter but I forget if the tweaked them or left them alone.

My wife (also roughly your size) has been in love with her 160cm Phat Luvs for three seasons.  Then I got her to demo the 160cm 09-10 Moment Pika late last season.  She almost didn't give them back at the end of the day.  She loved the way they performed everywhere -- in corn, they performed as well as the width suggests, but on groomers, they performed more like her 75mm or 85mm wide skis than the fatties.  (FWIW, I fell in love with the men's version, the Ruby.)

In light of the large twin tip tail, you might consider the 170.

My wife is about your size. She skis the Aura's as her everyday ski. She originally got them to use as a powder board, but likes them for all condiition. They do require an aggressive driver to make them work. They actually are a bit too stiff in the tip to be a true powder board. Which is why she now has the K2 Obsethed as her powder board. Its softer flexing, wider & has slight rocker, which makes them perform much better in powder than her Aura's. 

You may want to give the Obsethed a try. Easier to handle & more forgiving than the Aura's.  
Edited by wizard - 8/21/09 at 4:37pm

Let's make it even more interesting for you.  Line has changed the Pandora for this year with more width (115 mm underfoot) and early taper and rise.  I think that's the phattest of the phat for the ladies this year.  My guess is if you don't like them you could unload them in a New York minute.  If you are not familiar with Line its a K2 company.

Isn't this fun?

For what it's worth my wife went from Phat Luvs to Prophet 100's. Much more versatile, lively, and no high speed tip flapping 

Thanks for all the suggestions, I can't wait for the snow so I can get out on some skis.

I'm a little puzzled by your description of the Auras as being difficult to maneuver on groomed snow.  Possibly your demo had a bad tune?  Most advanced female skiers really like that ski because of its versatility.  In any case, if you don't like the Aura, I doubt you'd like the Kiku; it's a wider ski and certainly no easier to drive on the groomers, IMHO.  Possibly you'd like the 2010 Kiku's subtle rocker, however.

The Line Pandora is a much lighter ski, so it pivots easily.  It's also quite a bit softer and more forgiving than the Aura/Kiku.  The 2010 model has a big rocker in the tip, which should made it an even better powder board.  On groomers you can just say "screw it" and ski by pivoting on the bases; or you can use some fairly exaggerated movements to get yourself up on edge.  Having well-tuned edges helps make hardpack less exciting.  But they do look at you funny in the ski shop when you tell them you want your powder boards' edges tuned...

I demoed the Phat Luv a couple years ago and thought it was a dead, unfun plank.  Your mileage may vary.  Haven't tried the others you've listed.

I want to demo the Armada JJ, but haven't had a chance to yet.  Rockered tip and tail, cambered underfoot, and lightweight.  Allegedly as great on groomers as it is in pow.

As for length, if you're looking at rockered skis - demo long.  It's worth trying out.  A long ski gives you stability, forgiveness, and float.  Rockered/reverse cambered designs have the maneuverability of shorter skis, but the stability of longer.  The most fun skis I demoed this season were the Line EP Pros (at 185) and the Movement Flyswatter (also 185).  And I'm 135/5'5".  

 What about the K2 Get Back?
I heard that it has a slight rocker....

Baby got back?

I like the idea of the rockered tip and tail with normal camber under foot, I demoed skis like that last year and I really liked them.  So I think that might be the rout that I go.
As for the Aura they were really chattery under foot when I was on groomed stuff, and they felt really heavy, and wore me out when I was not in powder, but then again it ended up that I had mono when I was skiing them so maybe that had something to do with it.
Thanks!!!

What more can you tell me about the Pika?

Women's version of the Reno.  Pika is a 160 or 170; Reno is available as 170, 180, 188, and 190.

We demoed simultaneously -- The Mom on the 160, me on the 190 -- on a mid-April day this year, in spring Tahoe conditions.  For each of us, it was the third ski of the day, and neither were willing to return the ski until we were done skiing.  Great lateral rigidity meant that they seriously railed on the slushy groomers; I had to remind myself to slow down lest the grippy snow throw me over the handlebars and into clavicle-shattering hell.  Although we didn't try them in true powder, the float appeared strong.  As far as feel goes, I think that the closest analogy I could find would be a wider Mantra/Aura -- that same level of confidence on firmer snow, but that much more float in the soft.

Oh -- and they're purty as hell.

If you're within shouting distance of a 286mm BSL, come on out to Tahoe this year and I'll try to convince her to let you take them for a spin. ;-)

Here are some skis to consider:

• Nordica Nemesis: 98mm wide AM ski best in class for all around use.
• Salomon Geisha: 100mm AM ski with very mild tip rocker only. Close second to the Nemesis.
• K2 Gotback: New version of Phat Luv with tip rocker. Soft, light, easy, fair AM but really best for soft snow.
• Line Pandora: Very mild T&T rocker, light easy high fun factor. Powder specialty.
• Rossi Voodoo/Roxy Mumbo: Full load of Rocker and early taper. Std section underfoot. Hootin' fun on a pow day. Not great at other times.

SJ

I get the idea that TheMom is not much of a forum poster, but it would be so cool if she were to register on SkiDiva and give up the goods. 09/10 Moment Pika?

SJ, you know I have been drooling over the Nemesis!  Dang!
Look at me with a big fat quiver and no holes to fill.  I'm sooooooo embarrassed. 

The Mom is not at all a forum poster.  And she doesn't yet know that she owns the skis.  (They're currently in my partner's garage, waiting exactly a month to Mom's birthday.)  But hey, I finally got her on Facebook, so who knows -- maybe sometime during the season, I can get her to SkiDiva.

I just tried to pop over to SD to add comments in that thread, but I got booted for lack of 1/8 of a certain chromosome.  So here goes:

Although the Pika is the women’s version of the Ruby, that statement needs a little clarification.  To the best of my knowledge, the Pika has not been softened; in other words, the 170 Pika should be identical to the 170 Ruby, other than the (much cooler, IMHO) topsheet.  But the Ruby/Pika does not have identical dimensions or characteristics through the length range.  There are certain common characteristics, however:  strong torsional rigidity for such a wide ski, and relatively long turning radius for dimensional fatties (17.8m to 27.4m).  The 160, 170, and 188 are all longitudinally softer than the 180 and 190, and should ski relatively consistently to each other.  (By contrast, the 180 Ruby is stiffer, and the 190 is stiffest and has the least tail.)  And the Pika has a big enough tail (and therefore, a short enough effective edge) that most women would do well to consider the 170, even if they’re used to shorter skis these days — I think it would be great if Moment offers a 178 Pika next year, with a smaller tail reminiscent of the 190 Ruby, but they may be concerned that women won’t buy it.


Edited by TheDad - 10/29/09 at 9:12am

 The Dad, You Rock!  Thanks!

Robin Barnes, someone whose advice I would take any day, likes the K2 Gotback. 

What else does she like?

SJ

I'm gonna take a wild guess & say Nordica.

JF

Ya think?



BTW....I saw Zeke, John N, Bushie, and Bobblit within the last week and passed on that I'd heard from you.

SJ

The Pandora tops out at 172 cm.  Might that be short for a 5' 10" 145 lb. woman?  Alternative is Vodoo Pro BC 110 at 176 cm.

Depends upon the Woman. The Vodoo skis very short and is almost as soft as the Pandora. If she is a good skier either would be fine. If she is a GREAT skier (ie: big mountain charger) both may be too short.

FWIW a couple of women that I know that fit the great category (ie: mid 20's recent Div 1 college racers) skied the Roxy 176 (same=same) and loved it.

SJ

SJ,
I went for a hike up Tallac this summer with Robin.  Skied with Jonny Neon when he was out here a few years ago, but haven't seen those other guys in a looong time.  Thanks for sayin' hi.  Hope they are all still tearing it up.  Ran into Peter L. out here a few times too.

Now back to the regularly scheduled program.  I've got a pair of K2 Anti-piste which probably ski similar to the Gotback. I luv em in the pow, & since I do my best to ski like a girl, I would say they may be a good choice.  The rockered tip is a nice feature.

Thanks,
JF

That were a tongue in cheeky.................

SJ

But are your cheekies as adorable as these cheekies?