All Mountain Ski for East Coast Expert Skier

 

 

 

since everyone idea of all mountain is different.....

 

179 Blizzard Mag 8.1

180 Blizzard Bushwacker
180 Blizzard Bonafide and keep the edges sharp.

 

thats just the blizzard line up, I like them but Kastles, Volkl, and Nordica, and lots of other have some sweet skis as well but in my opinion its easier to edge the 88 or 98 mm skis on hardpack than it is to ski off trail on the 8.1.

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome tluyster!

 

There has been a lot of ski innovation since the X-Scream, which by today's standards is a soft narrow-midfat "resort" ski (by resort I mean general purpose all over a resort). It's a cap built ski and not very torsionally stiff (not so great holding on ice), though longitudinally soft (nice in bumps and soft snow).

 

Since this is all about compromise you will want to think about what you like and don't like about your current skis, and where you will really be using them most. It sounds like you will mostly be at areas like Hunter, Snow and Kton - where good hardpack/ice performance would frequently be of value (better torsional stiffness), yet you still want some degree of tail softness for bumps, and a reasonable sidecut (radius). There truly are a lot of great skis out there that will meet your needs, some are system skis (include bindings) and many are flat. Also, the skis you have now ski short, so don't be afraid to go a bit shorter in length with your new skis. I would recommend seeing what you can find the right deal on that's approximately 78mm to 84mm width underfoot, and is specified for experts.

Hi - I owned your exact ski, same length. If you want to replicate the general feel, suggest another Sollie, the Tornado Ti. Midfat, great grip on ice, still light and lively, stiffer. The Fischer Motive 84 is also said to be great, assume typical Fischer liveliness. Or what BWPA says about Blizzards; if you want to stress the 60% groomers, then the 8.1 is a superb ski. IMO better than the Tornado or (I'll bet) the Motive, but a little more demanding, too. If you want to stress the 20% groomers, then the Bushwacker (no, he doesn't get a commission on each pair sold; he'll wish he did by next January). But you'll need to decide whether off-road or on-road is more important to you. 

I know I will catch some flack but..... I would go with volkl racetiger sl in a 165. The tips are wide so the go over they crud... They are wood core sidewall skis that bite into our east coast ice.... They are short so you can get around in the woods.... I am sure i will get slammed but there has not been a place that i cannot ski them unless you are making super g turns.....

 

honestly get the Bushwacker then. With a lifted binding you are giving up very little if any edge grip to anything short of true race ski. Not to mention its skidded edge grip for lack of a better word is the best I have ever seen.

 

I bought the AC30 last year off-season and used it as my one-ski quiver this year in the East (Pennsylvania) and West (1 trip to Copper Mtn). I found it to be an excellent performer in all conditions from eastern boilerplate to 6-8 inches of chopped up fresh snow. I am 6ft 185Lbs (was 200Lbs at time of purchase) and ski on the 177cm. I am 46 and consider myself level 7 working toward 8.

 

I demoed the AC50 the previous season for 4 days at Bretton Woods NH and loved it as well. The demo model was only 170cm, which was a bit short. That was the first trip on which I actually sought moguls rather than avoiding them, and I feel I am gradually getting better. Are the skis good in bumps? I think they're fine; it's my technique that's not great. 20 years ago I struggled on bump runs with skis 25cm longer, so now it should be easy, right?

 

The AC line has been discontinued in favor of the Volkl RTM line, so it may be possible to find clearance models.

 

P.S. I have read so much good stuff about the new Blizzard line (esp. Bonafide) that I want to demo them next season. You will not be able to find an off-season deal on those. I hope to demo them next season and possibly purchase for the 2012-2013 season.
 

 

you are and I have to post because except for exceptional and masochistic skiers. SL skis as all mountain skis anywhere are not a good choice.  You very well may be a another coach at stowe I know and swears by SL skis all the time, but this is still not sound advice.

 

-First I know places you couldnt ski them. Even if your bode himself.....

-I know many places where despite being able to ski them, you would have alot of trouble keeping up with someone else on a real all mountain ski let alone a powder ski

-short skis arent always better in the woods, in fact many days more float and length let you go faster and turn easier at slower and higher speeds

-Sl skis make you lazy you forget how to drive a ski and actually turn it since the sidecut does it for you

-Sl skis are way to FING hard to maintain balance all day long skiing off trail

 

I suggest you post video of you skiing woods or bumps on your SL skis, because anyone who as ever claimed to me that they ski SL skis all the time pretty much has been the suck in the woods or simply doesnt  ski off trail all that much. I have seen low point FIS racers fall apart in the woods on SL sticks only to be redeemed when I find them fatter skis.

 

post a video and prove me wrong.

Finding a single ski that works well on hard groomers, bumps, and in fresh snow is difficult.  You have to compromise somewhere.  Some prefer a wider ski that can deal with bumps and hard eastern groomers (and several good skis in that category have been mentioned).  Others prefer a narrower racier ski that can deal with a bit of fresh snow and crud.  I am in that group.  If you haven't already done so, read Dawgs review of some good skis in that category (link below). 

 

 http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/99620/2011-sub-80mm-skis-from-fischer-dynastar-kastle-blizzard-head-nordica-stockli-elan

I also wonder if you should consider narrower skis.  My background is like yours, ie short turns, aggressive, Vermont etc... though I am lighter. I've skied several wider skis that carve pretty well (Volkl Mantra, Kastle MX88, Volkl AC 50, Dynastar Sultan 94) but every time I compare them to the narrrower skis, it's no contest on firm Eastern snow.  Out West these are your "daily drivers" as they say.  They carve well and  handle powder /crud beautifully.  But back East, at least for me, they only shine on powder days and spring crud days.

 

If you ski ice, bumps and corduroy 80% of the time in Eastern conditions, you may find that modern narrowish carving skis are quicker, grippier, and way more fun than the wider ones mentioned.  I narrowed it down to Blizzard Supersonics, Blizzard G Power FS, and Fischer Progressor 10.  All in the 72mm range.  I liked the Supersonics after 1 demo and bought them before I could try the others.  They are great carvers, esp for short turns, but also do really well in the bumps and semi-soft snow.  Just not great in powder and crud.

 

Can you get 2 skis? 1. East 80% ski     2. West ski / East 20% ski.

 

Yes it hurts the wallet but it definitely put a smile on my face.

I have the 2011 Fischer Motive 76's for icy and/or groomer days out west and can say I've been very happy with them after several days use this spring.  Good carvers and they actually float well too considering the width.  I've heard the 84's are pretty similar but I wanted to go on the narrow side to make them notably different from fatter skis.

My background... I am a coach and I run a full time ski tuning business. I guess we all have our own opinions and I was just offering mine.

Disagree about making you a lazy skier. They are not forgiving and react to every movement. You have to drive any ski in and out to get them to work... Balance, i guess that depends on the skier.

I do not have any videos, sorry. I will try to get one as I like the bumps....

I ski pretty much the same neighborhood and terrain as the OP and have settled on Head Monster 78's as my everyday ski though that wasn't the plan when I bought them. They were supposed to be a "fat" ski to complement the race carver/slalom type skis that had been my everyday ski forever; I was tired of working so hard in 3-D snow. Took them out the first day of the season just because they were new and I just had to (not a powder day by any stretch of the imagination), and 20+ days later found that I'd used my race carvers once in all that time.

 

They certainly don't handle boilerplate like my race carvers, and don't handle powder/crud like the wider skis I've since acquired, but I can throw them in the car without checking conditions and know that I'll be fine regardless.

 

When they die, barring any unexpected relocation, I'll look to replace them with something similar.

 

 

If someone were asking for the ideal high-performance short turn ski for the east, I might agree with you.  However, the OP is not looking for higher performance skis for hard snow; he's not complaining about his X-scream's weak performance in the handles like a race-ski performance area, he's looking to expand in the other direction.

 

BTW, if Bode Miller can't ski it on SLs, most folk aren't interested in skiing it anyway. 

 

And BW is perfectly correct, you won't be able to keep up in some places on sl skis; skinny skiny skis will slow your progress down in the deep snow on the flats, skinny short skis will have you bogged down real good.

 

I am from CT and have skied almost every worthwhile mountain in New England and have been in every New England condition and I can tell you I absolutely love my AC50's. I demoed a lot of skis before I bought these and my impressions all built up towards these skis. My next best options were Blizzard magnum 8.7's and 8.1's, the Salomon Ti's being an honorable mention. I was on 170cm before two days ago (finally got my longer replacements, I'm 6'3, 190 lb) and they work beautifully. Even on bumps they turn quick enough to make it a very fun ride, though once the bumps get icy (Bromley after an early spring thaw and refreeze) they will not bend enough and you will have to work hard to get through. Also, they don't really float in powder, but we don't get enough out here that you need them to. Waterville Valley I skied in 8 inches and counting, and all they did was dig through to find the hardpack and gripped onto it like a baby orangutan on its mother. Now's the time to get a good deal on them. The last 3 years are all identical, as I understand, except for the graphics so get the best deal you can and spend the savings on a more dedicated powder ski.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AC50's are NOT a "truly versatile all mountain ski". They are a wide groomer ski. Bumps and trees - umm, no.

 

To the OP - the blizzard's are a good choice, and the Dynastar Sultan 80 (or 85) might be something you want to consider.

Ok I got a little carried away. I had just gotten back from the bar(s) and went on a little ski rant. But now that I've sobered up, I think the point that I was trying to make is that I still take my 50's through the bumps and trees and have a blast. Ok there was that one icy time, but no one else was doing the bumps that day either. I just figured out why. Alll mountains all compromise somewhere, and if your preference is bumps and trees then no the AC50's probly aren't the right all mountain compromise.

 

Better yet, check out their replacement for next year, the RTM 84. Slightly rockered, less stiff, much better in soft snow, I'd go so far as to call them floaty. Not as stable going full throttle on the hardpack though. Aaaaand they aren't going to be on sale.

 

Guess I gotta work on posting responsibly...

 

 

 

At 6', 230 lbs, I do not find my 177 AC50's to be a stiff ski but I must admit after 3 seasons & 150 days they have loosened up a tad.  As no one told me I wouldn't be happy in bumps and trees I have been ignorantly blessed in Kmart tinder and SOFT bumpies. Edge hold on hard pack/icy also very good and thigh deep, crud and spring snow remain a blast. In short, if you are a stout (heavier then air), aggressive skier and can get a pair of 50's at a decent price I would consider as it has worked well for me as an eastern all mtn. ski.

 

That being said, large/hard bumps are to be avoided and beyond thigh deep be prepared to sink a bit. I demoed  184 Bonefides last month @ Snowbird & Deer Valley and thought they were an outstanding western ski but not so sure for eastern hardpack & ice. If I can shed 30lbs then the Bodacious may find its way into my quiver. I am looking to replace my AC50's with a 85 mm ish and may just get another pair of 50's

 

Just my 2 cents - Falcon_O aka Charlie
 

I think we are all right to a degree.  I would like to put the new Elan Amphibio into play.  First don't let the left/right ski get in your way.  They can be skied on wrong feet. I think next season it will be changed to camber/rocker.  The waveflex 14 is 74 underfoot and 82xti is 82 under foot. They both have two sheet of metal.  I haven't yet skied them they sound great and can't wait.

Edited by wildcat hank - 5/2/11 at 2:19pm

One more option is the Dynastar Contact Cross. It's torsionally stiff enough to offer great performance on groomers, the turning radius is comfortable (14.9m at 172cm) and it's forgiving enough off piste with its 72cm waist. Bumps are fine too on them. They're also stable at fairly high speeds, though I wouldn't want to race a GS course on them. At your height/weight, maybe the 177cm would be good. You may prefer the Dynastar Contact 4x4s as they're a bit stiffer. 

 

I teach on these skis and will probably do my level 3 exam on them (unless I manage to get some supershapes at a good price). 

curious what other skis do you own?

 

I really enjoy my Head Chip Monster 78's for skiing a fair amount of what the OP says he does ... they are more work off-piste, but they still seem fine in the bumps for me (I have 177s and really prefer them in bumps to my 184 Mantras).  They really can fly without chatter on the hard stuff and as gary alluded to above, I agree I can chuck them in the car and not be too concerned about what I will find day-to-day skiing the Cascade concrete (which is a different animal than the east, but still firm).

 

While the Mantras I have can also do all the things you mentioned OK, they are a better ride for me off-piste and I prefer my Chips for most of what you said you would spend your time doing ... and the fact that you would demo/rent a different ski out west anyway kind of sealed my impression in recommending the Head Chips.

 

Head has apprently renamed the ski as per below, but it's the same thing for all intents and purposes:

 

http://www.head.com/ski/ski.php?region=us&tag=chip&id=3025

 

Agree on the Contact Cross, good all around ski for the east. Found the Contact 4x4 to be too stiff and demanding for anyone looking to ski a lot of bumps. If you are looking for a good deal on a new pair of the 2011 Supershapes, check out forerunnerskishop.com at Killington. Supershape with FreeFlex 11 bindings, $606. With FreeFlex 14, $675. Last time I was there, they had all sizes from 160 - 175. They also have the new Supershape Titans, sizes 170 & 177, w/FreeFlex 14 bindings, also $675. Can't go wrong for that. The new Titan would have to be a contender for an everyday all around ski, east or west.

 

 

The Mantra's biggest issue isnt its width but its tail stiffness. It quite frankly sucks in bump IMO.

Yes, I agree they aren't any sort of a bump ski ... I really prefer the Chips for the bumps, of the skis I have. 

 

Similar situation, all Mt ski for the goods when we're lucky enough to be there for it and also be good for ripping groomers and edge hold on our more typical eastern hard pack icy conditions.

I'm 135lb @ 5'7" so can get away with a softer flexing ski. I have my eye on the Kastle FX84 & LX82, Dynastar Sultan 85, next years Blizzard Bushwacker and the Salomon X-Wing Enduro (local ski shop recommendation). The Enduro is heavy and may be a bit too stiff for me but ii like what i've read about it, also i think next years version will be softer but then it'll be a diff ski.

The current Salomon X-Wing Enduro could be a good one for you to consider.

hi everyone...i'm new here.  i just got done reading alot of the posts going back to the original post.  i ski very similar to the orginator of this discussion.  i am also looking to pick up a new pair of sticks very soon because of the great left over deals going on.  i had 4 different skis in mind....the volkl ac30/volkl ac50/k2 aftershock/k2 charger.  i've been researching alot over the past few days and was thinking about going with either the k2 aftershocks or the k2 chargers.  however, after reading all of this i haven't seen anyone reply to this guy about considering the k2's.  is there a reason why most people haven't brought these up?  i thought these were a premier ski?  please inform me and let me know if you think the aftershocks would be better than the chargers?  again, i ski northeast PA and mabey the occasional trip to hunter or elk.  thanks

I can't report the K2's.  If you can wait for next season skis the ELAN Amphibio is going to be the ski to get.  It will be great one ski quiver.  It has a rocker element and camber all in one.  Don't let the left and right get in your way. they can be skied any way.  they have four models for next year the waveflex 14 and the 82 xti have two sheets of metal. the other one with one of them being a womens ski.  the 14 is 72 underfoot and the 82 xti is 82. 

 

I will get some links for you and others to look at late today. I'm on the run.