Epicski at SIA

If you happen to make it over to Jane side maybe we'll bump into each other =)

I should be making the trip to MJ, possibly even making my comeback runs....  Jan 29/30 I think.  

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Originally Posted by bumpfreaq 

If you happen to make it over to Jane side maybe we'll bump into each other =)

EPICSKI meets the Drunken Frenchman   

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Originally Posted by Finndog 

I should be making the trip to MJ, possibly even making my comeback runs....  Jan 29/30 I think.  

That's awesome news and a quick path back to the slippery slope!  Only a couple of groomers at the Jane but I'll be happy to show 'em to ya.

Be sure to let us know details about the Fischer Vacuum side country boot.  :-)

I will gladly take you up on that and will buy the 1st pitcher.  yeah, a groomer or two is about all I am hoping for, Its more of a "you can't beat me thing" than really skiing.
 

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Originally Posted by bumpfreaq 

That's awesome news and a quick path back to the slippery slope!  Only a couple of groomers at the Jane but I'll be happy to show 'em to ya.

 

Have fun at SIA. It will be interesting to follow what is going to be new for next year.

If you need some nature, head out to those mountains due west for a hike.

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Originally Posted by Philpug 

Head:

Supershapes, this popular line returns for that skier looking for that upper 60's-low 70's waisted frontside carver.

HEad's new Mya line for the woman look awesome and very fresh:

Stay tuned for more pics. 

I have a pair of skis like that that work great on eastern hardpack.   They're called Fischer RCR Supercarves.   Because

of the excess tip/tail shaping they stink big time in powder  and they pitch and dive almost uncontrollably in tree skiing.

Won't even think of bringing them on western trips.

Those Motive's look like a 1980's Graphic design throwback reminiscent of a academic text book i'd dread reading! I wouldn't want them.

The Kendo with early rise is of interest to me, but that top sheet is as terrible as ever. The ninja's bent knee on the current '11/'12 has got to be bad karma but at least it's on the tails which i wouldn't have to see skiing unlike that ugly demonic rat like dragon face, what's their targeted market, 14 year old's?

The K2 "Superfree" is cool:)

This is the year of the dragon -- those are dragons on the Volks if you didn't notice -- they've always had an asian theme with samurai's, swords, etc.  I think they look pretty bitchen and I'm pushing 40.  

The motives on the other hand I'm sure are going to fit in perfectly in the rental shops on the slopes of the Alps, which is surely their target market anyway.  For me, not so much, but each one each one.  Very few people on the West coast are going to be buying skis narrower than 98mm next season anyway, especially with Flipcore and all.

At the end of the day, your skis are covered with snow after only one run, or sometimes just skating to the lift, so what's the big deal?  You don't like them, you can always spray paint them or something....  Unless my skis had rainbows and unicorns or something, I don't really care what the graphics look like.  Not that there's anything wrong with rainbows and unicorns...

I have to say, the Fischer KOA line is as gorgeous as the Motive line is "meh".

TC, no Superfree for you?

I'm liking the Red, White and Blue four comp......maybe philpug can hook us up?!?!? (what binding goes on that superfree?)

I think they all look good. If anything, the Rev is a little bit "meh".

Looks as if the base Supershape will still be absent from the US market ???
 

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Originally Posted by Philpug 

OK..due to some flight delays, we get to the show late. We had some appointments set up so we didn't get to have a full run of the show so I hit a few key companies (and will get more over the next few days) but here is what I have so far....

 

Head:

Supershapes, this popular line returns for that skier looking for that upper 60's-low 70's waisted frontside carver.

Lots of appointments today. We had a nice visit with Hillary Hutchinson at the Salomon booth who introduced us to Kim Havell of the International Team and Salomon Mountain Collective to cover the Rocker2 and Rockette line of freeskis,

Hillary gave us the lowdown on the new Guardian binding for "360 use," meaning they can be used with confidence in the backcountry, sidecountry, slackcountry, and even resort Alpine skiing. Look for more details on what's new with Salomon in my in-depth story to come!

Any more info you can get on the Fischer line would be appreciated.  Love to see what they've done, or not done, to the Progressor line.  I'd also like to know if they've expanded the Vacuum boots models.

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Originally Posted by Philpug 

I forgot Tyrolia's introduction to the back country/AT binding shoot our with the current Duke/Baron and previously exposed Salomon Guardian/Atomic Tracker. Here are some pics of the Tyrolia:

 

 

 

What I know so far (I will add more), the Tyrolia will win the weight battle, it is around 2600 grams for the pair and the Markers and Salomons are closer to 2900 grams. It also looks that Tyrolia is following the other two's lead with a lateral spring toepiece. 

And presumably, the price battle as well, if history is any guide.  I'd be curious to see some up close pics and comparative analysis of the lockdown mechanism, but that's probably Lou Dawson's department more than anything.

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Originally Posted by TheArchitect 

Any more info you can get on the Fischer line would be appreciated.  Love to see what they've done, or not done, to the Progressor line.  I'd also like to know if they've expanded the Vacuum boots models.

We know that there's a sidecountry Vacuum in the offing.

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Originally Posted by epic 

If anything, the Rev is a little bit "meh".

"meh", not after Ppug's take on 'em, lol.

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Originally Posted by Philpug 
...The ladies get a Superfree with groovy graphics..time for free love and bra burning? :

 

Here is Volkls new Essenza frontside series and the Kiku:

...well nobody commented, those Essenza graphics look like they were lifted from a box of tampons, i couldn't picture Mancuso or Vonn on them ...eek!

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Originally Posted by TheDad 

And presumably, the price battle as well, if history is any guide.  I'd be curious to see some up close pics and comparative analysis of the lockdown mechanism, but that's probably Lou Dawson's department more than anything.

^^^^ This. If they can offer a lighter AT of similar functionality for less money, it'll ah....sell really well at the three stores in the U.S. that carry Tyrolia. Wonder sometimes if their failure to penetrate the market here is the fault of their own indifference/klutziness or a lower profit margin for dealers. Just curious why a large Euro brand that everyone respects for its value never seems to push out Marker, Salomon, or Look...

Glad the Supershapes are back, but disappointed that they come in KERS and well, KERS. Do the REV's have wiggly tips?

Phil, your "clown throw up" phobia becomes clarified. Sit back on the couch, please. Relax. You just really really don't like secondary colors, do you? Especially if they go outside the lines. Now close your eyes and think back to when you knocked over those cans of paint and your dad got so mad at you... 

Neonorchid, that style dragon face is actually a fairly accurate take on classic Japanese and Chinese reps. You've been watching too much Harry Potter or reruns of Dragonheart.

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Originally Posted by neonorchid 

...well nobody commented, those Essenza graphics look like they were lifted from a box of tampons, i couldn't picture Mancuso or Vonn on them ...eek!

I think it was OB that used to advertise that, with their tampons, you could swim, ride horses, play tennis... I guess they should add skiing.

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Originally Posted by beyond 

Just curious why a large Euro brand that everyone respects for its value never seems to push out Marker, Salomon, or Look...

Especially with the technical and marketing missteps that each of those other brands have made of late.  I haven't bought Salomons since they brought out the Z series.

When a top sheet has a lot of detail, they almost always look much better in person than in a photo.  I bet those Volkl Mantra and Kendo top sheets look pretty slick up close.

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Originally Posted by neonorchid 

 

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...well nobody commented, those Essenza graphics look like they were lifted from a box of tampons, i couldn't picture Mancuso or Vonn on them ...eek!

Actually, from the feminine squee I heard this morning, it's going to be a tossup between the Volkl Essenza and the white Koas for purchases next year...but only if the black Koas are sold out.

The wine allusion helped the Volkls, a bit.

Thanks for the pics!

The white ones are ok, but otherwise from the photo they're oddly 80's Eastern Euro style. Maybe they're much nicer in person.

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Originally Posted by Philpug 

HEad's new Mya line for the woman look awesome and very fresh:

 

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Originally Posted by Tog 

Thanks for the pics!

The white ones are ok, but otherwise from the photo they're oddly 80's Eastern Euro style. Maybe they're much nicer in person.

 

I found them oddly evocative of the Nordica Olympia series.

I will allow that the brown is ... almost the same brown as my '77 Elan CR 03s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyond 
Neonorchid, that style dragon face is actually a fairly accurate take on classic Japanese and Chinese reps. You've been watching too much Harry Potter or reruns of Dragonheart.
 

Yeah i'm not that esoteric, but the common Chinese dragon (4 claws ( Katana may have the reserved for the imperial family's 5 claws)), so highly rendered style on the ski creeps me out.

I don't know whats worse the Chinese dragon on the Kendo (Japanese for way of the sword), or the current 2011/12 Samurai warrior, i guess if i think about it, the image of a warrior:\

From the pictures the only thing that I like about the Tyrolia AT binding is the largeness of the tour mode switch behind the heel. Other'n that it looks like a lotta plastic (way more than the Duke).  Of course I'll reserve any legit commentary for after I've actually seen/felt them in person. Still, after fondling the Solly/Atomic AT binding, I'mma be saving up for that (unless I hear something incredibly stellar about the Tyrolia). I'm not a weight Nazi, so a few more grams ain't gonna make much difference to me. I just want a sturdy mofo of a binding.