Quote:
Originally Posted by
SquawBrat 
I sold my Bridges last year in favor of the 4frnt MSP. They are a little bit more damp than the Bridge and a little less hooky in uneven terrain (probably due to a bit less taper) but if you like one you will probably like the other.
I think the MSP is a way under rated ski; really, really a good all mountain choice. The skis are different in graphic only for 2010 and are 96 underfoot in the 187 and 92 underfoot in the 181 (seems like 181 would be good for his weight. There are still some deals out there on last years' but the problem for your friend is good luck finding a demo. They are made in the Elan factory and seem to be good quality. If you decide you want to try fatter you should be able to find demos in the
Gotama and the Line Prophet 100, also both good choices. Hope that helps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RMRC
So many choices...the Scott Missions seem to be loved by everyone I've ever seen with them. A true all mtn twin around 90 underfoot I believe. I bought Afterburners for do everything all mtn use but they were quickly demoted. My all mtn boards are now Gotamas which I absolutely love for everything but hard groomer days where the afterburner is better suited. Can't say enough about the Goat - what a great ski for softer snow conditions.
I totally agree with SquawBrat and RMRC.
I think that the 4FRNT MSP is a fantastic ski, and while I haven't skied the Missions, I hear fantastic things. I'm a huge fan of the "dual-radius" shape. I've found that the big shovel helps you enter a turn quickly, but the straighter tail lets you feather the end of the turn into whatever shape you want, which is great for trees. The MSP is solid, a little planky for my taste, but it holds on the firm and plows through everything.
If you want to go wider, I think the 2010 Volkl Gotamas and Katanas are great skis. I'm not usually a huge fan of Volkl. I thought that the old P50s were great but I haven't really loved anything since, until I skied some of the 2010 ELP skis. ELP is Volkl's flavor of rocker, the ski is pretty much flat cambered in the center and slowly rises as you move toward the tips and the tails. The end result? A more maneuverable powder ski.
I've tried the Gotama and the Katana and I think that they are amazing. What surprised me about both was how well they carved. Sure, skis that are 106mm and 111mm under foot, respectively, take a while to get from edge to edge. But because of the camber and the softer tips, both skis initiate a carve very easily and surprisingly quickly. And once you get to the edges, they are solid. My only caveat is that soft tips and tails means
you need to stay centered. Tail riders will not like these skis. And I'm not sure how well softer tips and tails will do off booters (read landing), although it should make them pretty buttery.
