K2 Baker Superlight Randonnee Ski - 2007 BCS

The biggest disadvantage of a phat ski for the backcountry is that they tend to be heavier. The heavier the set-up, the slower you go uphill, and thus the less skiing you get in for a day. Enter the K2 Mt. Baker Superlight - a fat ski which has been put on a weight diet. The MBSL is a blast to ski and floats through powder, chops up crud and eats up anything you can throw at it. I'm 5'10" and 145 lbs, so I like them in a slightly short size for the backcountry (167cm). I've used longer ones (174cm) as hybrid resort/BC ski and been happy with their stability on high speed groomers.

I picked up a pair of 174's (I'm 5' 10", 145lbs, and a pretty aggressive skier) I threw a pair of Dynafit vertical ST's on them. The idea here is a lite weight setup for ski mountaineering. At the moment, it's the only setup I have access too, so I've been skiing them here in the Utah deepness this winter. This setup has blown me away with regard to performance, first off, it's so incredibly lite that uptracks are sooooo easy! When you're ready to succumb to gravity, these little sticks rip. As a powder ski they're great! This is surely a backcountry stick, but you can rail a groomer with them if no need to as well. If you're looking for a lite BC setup that you can still rip on, check these out, 'cause turning is really for when stuff gets in your way right?