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Edge grip: Mantra vs. Bridge

post #1 of 17
1/20/10 at 2:41pm
Thread Starter 
Just curious about this one aspect of these skis.  In past reviews folks have said the edge grip of the Bridge was on par with the Mantra.  Tough to believe since the Mantra has metal and the Bridge has none.  Can others confirm that the edge grip is similar?

I demoed the Mantra at Cannon recently and was very impressed with what they did in all conditions.  There was no Bridge available.  I could buy the Mantra right now but I want to test drive the Bridge to be sure.  

I do about 50/50 on piste and off when the snow is good enough.  Performance on both is important to me. 
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post #2 of 17
1/20/10 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
And, to be clear, I'm talking about edge grip on severely scratchy terrain.  Think about the kind of icy hardpack typical of Cannon conditions.
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post #3 of 17
1/21/10 at 1:48pm
Thread Starter 
Bump
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post #4 of 17
1/21/10 at 1:54pm
I haven't tried the Bridge.  But my take is that the Mantra is overkill in anything less than a foot of fresh.  I own a pair, but find that my 74mm waist Tigersharks work as well when you don't need the float. For eastern off-piste skiing I'd probably look at the Unlimited or Tigershark series instead of the Mantra/Bridge etc. series.

Yes, the Mantras have phenomenal edge grip for a 95mm ski, but it's not nearly as good as the others mentioned above.
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post #5 of 17
1/21/10 at 3:20pm
Edge grip will be good on both skis, but edge grip is a unique experience. Meaning, it will all depend on the ski of course but how much you weigh, the edge angle in the turn, how much you are bending the ski, the length of each turn etc....
I may find bridge better edge grip you may find Mantra.
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post #6 of 17
1/21/10 at 4:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt View Post

I haven't tried the Bridge.  But my take is that the Mantra is overkill in anything less than a foot of fresh.  I own a pair, but find that my 74mm waist Tigersharks work as well when you don't need the float. For eastern off-piste skiing I'd probably look at the Unlimited or Tigershark series instead of the Mantra/Bridge etc. series.

Yes, the Mantras have phenomenal edge grip for a 95mm ski, but it's not nearly as good as the others mentioned above.

you say the mantra is overkill in anything less than a foot of fresh I say in 5 inches of snow ski the fattest ski you got make it ski like a foot of fresh. Whos right? whos wrong? 

also whats eastern off piste skiing? here you can find untracked snow EVERYDAY! every freaking day. The reason is most of is junky and unskiable to most people but if you have large skis most likely with rocker you can get though it all and have way more fun than the groomers.
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post #7 of 17
1/21/10 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt View Post

I haven't tried the Bridge.  But my take is that the Mantra is overkill in anything less than a foot of fresh.  I own a pair, but find that my 74mm waist Tigersharks work as well when you don't need the float. For eastern off-piste skiing I'd probably look at the Unlimited or Tigershark series instead of the Mantra/Bridge etc. series.

Yes, the Mantras have phenomenal edge grip for a 95mm ski, but it's not nearly as good as the others mentioned above.
Funny, the Mantra is my everyday ski here out West and with any fresh snow, I bring out some real fat skis! Saying that, I rarely ski the groomed and the Mantra is very good in the tracked up snow.

Haven't skied the Bridge, but I would guess that the Mantra would have better edge hold given it's stiffness.
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post #8 of 17
1/21/10 at 7:58pm
Thread Starter 
Having trouble swallowing the Tigersharks as off-piste skis...I definitely like the feel of a wider waist if I'm off the groomed.  I might try them but I'm picturing a Dynastar 4x4 feel.

I'm gonna try like hell to demo the Bridge at Sunday River tomorrow morning and hopefully the Mantra again back to back. 

You can't find a Blizzard Titan Cronus around here to demo.  I don't think I'm going to risk buying without trying again.
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post #9 of 17
1/21/10 at 8:26pm
well he did say it was his take on the mantras.
so obviously its right for him and would be wrong for other people.
so whats the point in that who's right and who's wrong opinion? he is just sharing his opinion on the mantras.

I agree that the mantras wouldnt be the best choice of skis on anything less than a decent amount of pow. I ski my mantras when I plan on skiing lines with about calf deep powder especially through trees or tight runs, since the mantras do hold a good edge in those conditions.

Not sure about tigersharks for anything not on the frontside, I'm pretty sure you'd sink a lot without leaning way back.

For eastern off piste skiing volkl unlimited would work best, you dont really need fat skis for that side of north america

Quote:
Originally Posted by BushwackerinPA View Post




you say the mantra is overkill in anything less than a foot of fresh I say in 5 inches of snow ski the fattest ski you got make it ski like a foot of fresh. Whos right? whos wrong? 

also whats eastern off piste skiing? here you can find untracked snow EVERYDAY! every freaking day. The reason is most of is junky and unskiable to most people but if you have large skis most likely with rocker you can get though it all and have way more fun than the groomers.


 
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post #10 of 17
1/22/10 at 9:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ed_d View Post

And, to be clear, I'm talking about edge grip on severely scratchy terrain.  Think about the kind of icy hardpack typical of Cannon conditions.

I would not want something 95 under foot when typical conditiosn are icy hardpack.  I woudl look at something 75-80ish (like the old top fuels) for every day and then find a good soft snow ski for playing in the trees...   the bridge should qualify there...
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post #11 of 17
1/22/10 at 10:24am
A friend of mine had a pair of Mantras last year and bought the Bridges this year.  He is pretty happy with them both but I did not care for the Bridge.  I didn't think it had near the edge grip of the Mantras on our mid-western hardpack.  He's a few inches taller than me but I weigh a good deal more.
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post #12 of 17
1/22/10 at 10:41am
I demoed them both in 177cm.  I found as you move toward icy, scratchy hardback the Mantra gripped better and were more stable as the speed went up, logical I guess based on construction.  In softer stuff where edge grip comes easier they were both fun but the speed limit is still higher with the Mantra.  I bought the Mantra as I was looking for a wider waisted ski that  would go anywhere with confidence.  The Mantra is better in Pow and Crud but I would give the Bridge the edge in tight trees.  So like comparing anything there are tradeoffs and I agree that the Mantra on icy, scratchy stuff probably isn't the call but if had to choose between the 2, pick Mantra.  I'm 5'10" 165lbs.
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post #13 of 17
1/22/10 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by juhocha View Post

Not sure about tigersharks for anything not on the frontside, I'm pretty sure you'd sink a lot without leaning way back.
 


Agreed.  Where sinking is an issue, they're not going to work as well as a wider board.  But where there's a foot or less on top of a firm base, they work adequately well since you're not going to sink in that stuff. For instance,  I take 'em into the glades at my home hill. 

The question would be how often the OP encounters sinkable snow at Cannon.  My experience is that I rarely see it in the eastern time zone.
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post #14 of 17
1/22/10 at 1:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by juhocha View Post

well he did say it was his take on the mantras.
so obviously its right for him and would be wrong for other people.
so whats the point in that who's right and who's wrong opinion? he is just sharing his opinion on the mantras.

I agree that the mantras wouldnt be the best choice of skis on anything less than a decent amount of pow. I ski my mantras when I plan on skiing lines with about calf deep powder especially through trees or tight runs, since the mantras do hold a good edge in those conditions.

Not sure about tigersharks for anything not on the frontside, I'm pretty sure you'd sink a lot without leaning way back.

For eastern off piste skiing volkl unlimited would work best, you dont really need fat skis for that side of north america
 


 

you havent tried a rocker ski yet in skied out trees have you? You dont need but if I find rockered skis faster than the Pig Volkl Ac50 than whos to say I am wrong.

I can ski the 183cm Katana quicker though any trees powder, wind blown, crust, slush, hard pack than a 177 or 184 mantra. Rocker is the way to go on this, if you dont believe come skiing with me on some rockered skis regardless of the day.
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post #15 of 17
1/22/10 at 1:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Walt View Post




Agreed.  Where sinking is an issue, they're not going to work as well as a wider board.  But where there's a foot or less on top of a firm base, they work adequately well since you're not going to sink in that stuff. For instance,  I take 'em into the glades at my home hill. 

The question would be how often the OP encounters sinkable snow at Cannon.  My experience is that I rarely see it in the eastern time zone.

again spoken like someone who really doesnt ski off trail in the east which is like skiing layer cakes most of the time. I can ski my head SS in woods as well but they do not compare with a couple inches of snow to what a rockered ski can do. IN crusty or skied out woods the rockers win again. Basically offtrail skiing in the east is in the woods(not wimpy glades that are treed bump runs) and the best tool for the job is a rockered ski.
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post #16 of 17
1/22/10 at 2:52pm
Thread Starter 
Question answered.  I skied the Mantra (a model from several years ago) and last years Bridge both in a 177 today at Sunday River.  I am stunned by the stiffness of the Bridge considering the lack of metal.  I felt like I couldn't lean forward far enough to have my ideal amount of control; the tails were super stiff.  The Mantra had a similar feel, minus the stiff tail, which was a plus.

I know the Mantra has changed a bit from the model I skied today.  I skied the current model in a 170 last week and found it more playful.  Even though I'm 5' 11" and 183 lbs, that ski felt like a better fit than the 177 from a few years ago.  I bet I can ski the crap out of eastern trees on that ski.
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post #17 of 17
1/22/10 at 8:13pm
The Mantra, skied down one size (maybe nose high instead of forehead, if weight is standard), is a really fun ski for a lot of skiers, and still with little limitation in performance requirements of speed and edge hold.

there have been many models of ski that have awesome edge grip and no metal, so that is not a determining factor.
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