What the best one ski quiver?

icelantic nomad...

Try the prophet 100. Very versatile ski & super fun.

If I was going to limit myself to one pair of skis, I would go with something that is suited very well for my favorite type of terrain assuming that is what I'll be skiing most.  I wouldn't worry much about performance in other disciplines. I'd just make the ski work there best possible.  I'd shoot for best performance where I ski most.

The TST sounds like a really versatile ski. Because of having no tail rocker, it can really rail groomers without washing out. But...I'd go fatter. Because you already have park skis for groomers, get something more geared toward softsnow. My one ski quiver next year will be a pair of DPS 112RPs, which are 112mm in the waist. This year I skied mostly JJs, which are 115mm in the waist. I think that is a really good ski size that handles many different conditions well. Hey, and I'm also a teenager, and we know what we're talking about, right Anyways, take this FWIW.

yes tst is good too!

SFB is a little wide for a one ski quiver.  Of the skis you listed, I liked the Shogun.  Of the various skis I have tried, I liked the Fischer Watea 98 (or the 2013 Big Stix 98).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigurd 

The TST sounds like a really versatile ski. Because of having no tail rocker, it can really rail groomers without washing out. But...I'd go fatter. Because you already have park skis for groomers, get something more geared toward softsnow. My one ski quiver next year will be a pair of DPS 112RPs, which are 112mm in the waist. This year I skied mostly JJs, which are 115mm in the waist. I think that is a really good ski size that handles many different conditions well. Hey, and I'm also a teenager, and we know what we're talking about, right Anyways, take this FWIW.

having or not having tail rocker is not the only determinding factor on whether the tail will wash out or not. 

I'm happy with my K2 Sidestashes. 108 underfoot. Mine are 2 years old--the newer ones have a little more tip rocker.  The carve well, float well, turn well.  They are solid feeling skis, not the best bump ski in the world of course.  I like solid skis--if you want something lighter and a little softer there's the Coomback--also a little narrower. Might be a better ski at your weight.  I might add that as a teenager at 5'11 130 pounds you're probably going to be gaining a fair amount of weight soon--a ski you're happy with now may seem too short or soft fairly soon.  You might want to look at used skis so you don't have too much money sunk into them.  Since you live in ski country you should be able to find quite a lot on craigslist, and since skis don't have a lot of moving parts you can eyeball the skis and be pretty sure if they're OK--look hard for any delamination, make sure the edges are straight, bases don't look like any major repairs.  And make sure the bindings, if you're buying them used are still indemnified (you can google lists of indemnified bindings--that is, bindings a shop will adjust and test)--although it's very unlikely any reasonably modern ski will have an old binding on it. 

I haven't skied the SFB's but the LP100(or 98 for '12) is very playful - nice pop out of the turn, & there's a little bit of metal in the ski which keeps it stable. What you really need to do is DEMO - then you can see for yourself. 

Movement Source.

Can't imagine that the Rossi S3 wouldn't work.  From most reviews I've read, a most versatile ski. Not a one trick pony, and won't likely do deep fresh well, but for crusty hard snow, which should not be it's strong suit, it does quite well.  Also, turns in almost any radius with ease. You did say "one ski quiver", so I would quess you would not be happy with over 100 width. YMMV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplemind 

Can't imagine that the Rossi S3 wouldn't work.  From most reviews I've read, a most versatile ski. Not a one trick pony, and won't likely do deep fresh well, but for crusty hard snow, which should not be it's strong suit, it does quite well.  Also, turns in almost any radius with ease. You did say "one ski quiver", so I would quess you would not be happy with over 100 width. YMMV.

The rossi S3 is awsome as a one ski quiver. The only thing it really doesn't handle well is chopped up pow and crud, as they tend to go over it, and give you a heck of a ride. Here's a link to a good review: http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/2011-2012-rossignol-s3-186cm . I agree on most of the review.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh Matta 

having or not having tail rocker is not the only determinding factor on whether the tail will wash out or not. 

 

It's definitely not the only factor to take into account, but it one of the important factors that will cause a ski to wash out. No tail rocker, plus 16 m turn radius, plus being directional will make it carve quite well, however. This would be my choice if I'd get a ~100mm waisted ski.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by srooney 

What do you guys think of the 4FRNT Turbo?

I demoed the Turbo last week and loved it.

I also demoed the TST that same morning and hated it.  

A lot of people love the TST, and I'm not going to say it's a bad ski, but it's a bad ski for me.  That's why it's so important to demo skis yourself, as what makes any given ski a good fit or a bad fit is very unique to each individual skier.  If we all had the same performance preferences, there wouldn't be hundreds of choices.

I'm 5'10/165 and definitely no longer a teenager.  My quick take on each:

-TST in 174 and 102 underfoot, very pronounced early rise.  I found it twitchy, jittery, and nervous skiing....or maybe it just made me nervous skiing it.  Got tossed easily by deep, chopped up crud with a thin layer of easily breakable crust on it.  On firm snow, left & right ski seemed to wanna do different things.  Confidence-robbing rather than inspiring.  

-Turbo in 175 and 104 underfoot, subtle early rise tip and tail.  Skied right after TST in same conditions, and it was night and day...awesome ski.  Burlier, damper, smoother, more accurate, and a crud-crushing machine!  It balks at short-radius turns, tho, and much prefers them to be medium to long radius.  Rails turns on firmer snow as long you kept to a longer radius.  Floated and slarved really well for a 104 ski in what little untracked I could find.  More nimble in the untracked.  Had I not been looking for a ski that more nimble overall, I would have bought the Turbo on the spot...was tempted anyway!  

YMMV, tho, and you may find the opposite.  The funny thing is that I expected to love the TST and didn't.  When the shop guys recommended the Turbo instead, I was skeptical, yet I loved it.  Point is that what looks good on paper may or may not be in real life for you, which is yet another reason to demo, demo, demo....

Blizzard Bonafide, Kastle MX98, and Volkl Mantra would be good one-quiver skis for doing anything.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srooney 

...What should i do to demo?

buy some used skis with not more than one set of holes or cheap new skis that you might like, but that you could possibly sell if you don't like them.  mount with bindings you like and might want to keep if you don't like the skis.  make sure the brakes are wide enough for other potential choices

ski the skis/bindings 3-5 days and don't screw them up. 

if you like them, keep them. 

if you don't like them, sell skis and/or bindings

in the end, if you struck a good deal at the start, it is likely that you'll have paid less than $100-150 to ski them for 5 days...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by srooney 

I live in Southern Colorado, about 10 minutes from Wolf Creek Ski Area, a fairly small, but extreme ski area. They pretty much never have demo days there and since i dont have my license yet i cant really drive to other ski areas. What should i do to demo?

Hmmm, not sure on that one.  I guess demo what seems interesting that's available to you at Wolf Creek, watch hard for visiting demo days, plead with the folks for an occasional day trip elsewhere, or do as Dino suggested above.  

If buying without a demo, just research the hell out of 'em and get input from others on sites like this or from those you know.  If you pull the trigger on a pair and end up not liking them, do as Dino suggested and sell them quick when they still have value.

Kung Fujas, from what I've heard. Prophet 98 is also nice, both should be available at good prices very soon. Don't get something too stiff, given that you're light, and want this for soft snow and bumps. The wider skis (hope you're aware there are no 150 mm skis) will be more limiting, not so useful in bumps, trees. High 90's to low 100's is a nice western all around width IMO. 

I have been skiing my 183 TST's more and more as the season has progressed.  I haven't written a review on them yet, but on the lift today I was thinking I would call the review "Quiver Killer".  They are good enough where I am thinking of selling 2 pairs of skis in my quiver of 4  That would just leave me with the TST's and Lhasa Pows for really deep days.  On the TST's, I can rail groomers, have a blast in bumps, rail the off piste steeps and ya, they float my 200lbs great in the pow.  Really a very easy ski to turn with great edge hold when needed.  The more I ski them, the more I like them.

Just buy the 183 as they ski very short.

Quote:

Originally Posted by beyond 

Kung Fujas, from what I've heard. Prophet 98 is also nice, both should be available at good prices very soon. Don't get something too stiff, given that you're light, and want this for soft snow and bumps. The wider skis (hope you're aware there are no 150 mm skis) will be more limiting, not so useful in bumps, trees. High 90's to low 100's is a nice western all around width IMO. 

Kingswood Megafats - 199cm (*thread derail)

dimensions: 178/151/160

sidecut radius: 45m

Never ridden them, but I've heard nothing but positive reviews of the Sir Francis Bacons. I've skied Lines ever since my pair of the original 1260s, so I suppose you could claim I'm a bit biased. With that said, we just got our order of K2s for the upcoming season and I'm really digging the '13 Kung Fujas. I like its dimensions (102mm waist), as I've been shifting from primarily park runs to preferring all-mountain riding. My only gripe is that I wish it came in a length closer to the mid 170s (offered in 169 and 179). This year's Recoil's look cool, but are fairly thinner (90mm) and more of a 50:50 ski than a predominant all-mountain free rider. We've got both the Kung Fujas's and Recoil's up right now  http://www.park2peak.com/K2_Kung_Fujas_Skis_2013_K2_Twin_Tip_Skis_p/k2kungfujas3.htm - and are expecting our Lines and Salomons to arrive soon as well. Demoing is probably out of the realm of possibility depending on your location, but I'd check into your local shop and get your hands on a pair. Obviously it doesn't give you as good of an idea about the ski as if you actually rode them, but better than window shopping online. Good luck in your search!

I got to ski the Nordica Helldorado last season and have to say this is one of the best one ski quivers I have been on. Its the same ski as this season patron but has metal rails groomers blows through crud and floats great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srooney 

What do you guys think of the 4FRNT Turbo?

Very good ski everywhere.  I put mine in the truck every day.

I sold my 189 Kung Fujas to get a pair of 189 Turbos.  I found that for me the Fujas was too soft.  The Turbo is just right.

I'm 5'11, 190lbs; 189 Turbos mounted with Dukes at -1, Tecnica Cochise; I ski Kicking Horse.