K2 ObSETHed Alpine Ski - 2010 BCS

I don't expect to see any more this season.

Hey thank's I am stoked to be getting these I demoed a pair this weekend and just ordered the last pair of 179's!

Nate, use the 110 and bend it. It will hardly even need to be bent.

I go with the 179, This ski mesures more like a 194 than a 189. I found that I didn't give up much stability on the 179. I could definitely could ski the 189 but found in tighter situations (trees and chutes) it felt like I was fighting the length. I am about an in taller and 10 pounds heavier than you FYI.

Nice name.

Watch the Warren Miller Dynasty film and check out how the Chinese people make their skis near the end of the movie. Unless you want to make a more modern ski for everyday use in which case check out this website http://www.skinet.com/skiing/how-to/diy-/-maintenance/2008/06/how-to-build-your-own- (I'm not convinced its any cheaper than just buying skis though.

Yes K2 stays with the same dimensions per size.

go for the 179 ive seen plenty of tele folks on them trees or anything else shouldn't be a problem on the 179

Go for the 179 bro. You'll not only get tons of float but also a bunch of stability. From what I understand the nose is supposed to be pretty with a pretty soft tail. If you really push the 179 you'll be able to get the quick turns in in order to help you in those tight trees.
These would be pretty goof for touring. The rocker might be a little hard to deal with at first because you won't get as much connection with the snow compared to the weight that you'll have underfoot. But that shouldn't thrown you off. Just more exercise!!
Good luck!
Any questions, just ask!

Which Gotama?I had the squared black ones and the gold buddas,this ski handles better than those in all conditions.

That is kind of like asking how a Hummer drives in the city. You can certainly get from point a to point b on hardpack on the obsethed's but the goal of the design was to create a ski that was very very good in powder or soft crud. It's not going to hold an edge like a race ski and it doesn't want to make slalom turns. But what you loose in hard snow performance you get back tenfold in anything soft.

Hey Brennan,I would go with the Marker duke or Jester,Ive got the jesters on my Obsethed and Dukes on the Hellbents, solid clamps all around,I just prefer to tour on my bents cause I only tour when its super deep so I can sendit

All right, but which bindings do you recommend for these . I would like AT bindings, but list other options.

The Obsethed kill it.U can put the hammer down on anything but ice!!My first run on them was day old tracked pow over 1 to 2.5 foot moguls,I just throttled right over the top like they werent even there for 600 yards,amazing ski!!

Since they meet his needs that were listed, brennan!

Um... Don't want to sound rood, but why?

These!

I'm 6'2" 195# and have the 189. It's the perfect length. Like you I questioned whether to get the 179 or 189. I'm glad I got the 189. I ski everything with this ski, powder, bumps, crud.....great all around ski.

LOVE THE SKIS! Work in pist as well, go carve on both skis!

I would definitely swap for the 189.

179 for sure. these things can turn on a dime and when in doubt you should always go bigger

With as much rocker as this ski has you shouldn't have any problem maneuvering the 179. It will not ski as long as a cambered ski of equal size. It will definitely handle much easier than the katana's due to the rocker and softer flex. It has the ability to "schmear" turns that make it a good tree ski. I feel like the 169 may leave you wanting on some of the bigger terrain in BC.

Thanks guys, definately need a ski for playful powder stashs, and not much steep and deep, 179 should be great!

Totally agree there. The ski is built to do what Seth does best, big fat lines. The 189 will definitely be a huge challenge but a great way to progress and build on your skiing. It will be a huge platform to help you ski the steepy deep. Of course with that comes a little less playfulness. Just keep that in mind.

Have you ever skied a ski in a 189? I'm your size and use 189's, but you may want the 179 since you ski a size close to it. The Rocker does give the illusion of skiing shorter, but the tail rocker is not so much on this ski, a hellbent has way more tail rocker and thats when you really notice that shorter skiing feel. The 179 is the most popular size, if your skiing deep snow and open terrain get the 189, if you ski more technical terrain get the 179.

Even though these are soft, how do they charge?

A lot softer and way more powder oriented. Then again with that comes more playfulness.

The Mantra is a much better all mountain ski, this is much more oriented to soft snow, big ol' rockered tip. I love it as an every day ski for Snowbird, but it might be a bit much in some locations

These are going to be a lot softer. The mantra will be better for everyday snow but these will be much better in the deep stuff.

The colors are different on each and every pair. So you may get blue or you may get pink.

Can't comment on the 179's, but the 89's are pink

I have a few different years of the Seth pro model ski cause they keep getting bigger and I really like how they ski. I would say that the Fujas is probably your best best for an all around forgiving ski that still has enough width and early rise to float through powder with shape under foot.
The Fujas is closer to the 09-10 Seth ski with smaller dimensions throughout. Still very fun to ski in all terrain. I would say that the Fujas would be an ideal one quiver ski. Whereas the newest Seth is a bit squirrely on groomers and hard pack if you aren't moving at a good speed with a wider more athletic stance.
All of the skis from K2's line are awesome, bomber skis that take a beating and are fun to ski.

DEMO them.

Would I be happier on the Kung Fujas if I'm looking for something as close as possible to the 2009-2010 ObSethed, since this year's ski is fatter? Or should I still go with the ObSethed? I just don't want to kid myself....most of my skiing is not big mountain lines in AK....I need the versatility to ski plenty of groomers and crud. But I have no interest in the park. Thanks!

189, I tell most people +1 to +2. I would only go +4 or more if you are used to forward mounts.

I would get the 189. The 2011 is way different than the 2010 obsethed but it will still do all the stuff you want it to do. The main performance change was that it floats much better. The sth 14 is a really good choice. You probably don't need a super high din or anything so i wouldn't recommend anything else other than the sth 14. The obsethed is not a very tricky ski to mount, some skis like the volkl gotama are very confusing. so anywhere between +1.5 to +2.5 should be awesome. Further forward would work well but i wouldn't go any past +4 unless you want it mounted at core center.

Nice idea on the casings!

haha same here, I am hoping to rig some spent .45 cal casings in there.

I don't use them, I have the pre cut skins so took them out. Its just a cosmetic thing really

I skied the JJs and Obsetheds this past weekend at Snowbird, so both skis are fairly fresh in my mind. The JJ definitely wins playfulness-wise which is good for the bc jibbing, but in my opinion it loses to the Obsethed in all other categories. The seths have better float, edge grip, and stability. They were really surfy in the pow and super stable on crud and groomers.

the bacon and the obsethed are great skis but for touring, i would strongly suggest the jj. Tee JJ is lighter than the bacon and the obsethed and is also more nimble. the bacon and the obsethed don't carve as well as the jj. bottom line the bacon and the obsethed are on the soft side and also a little heavy. the jj is lightweight, floaty, nimble and also stiff which makes it a much better chargeing ski. also the obsethed has pretty meh switch performance compared to the jj because it doesn't have much tail rocker.

I've demoed the ObSETHeds and SFB sticks, but if your main goal is touring and exploring the downhill possibilities in the backcountry, I would strongly suggest looking at the K2 Coombacks. I am 5'9", 175lbs. and ski in the east on Coomback 181's mounted with a pair of Dukes. The Coombacks rock on the east coast. The can handle hardpack, bust crud and are super-light for longer backcountry tours. Yet with the new rocker specs and dimensions, they rip in the deep when it happens. They can handle natural drop-offs and kickers, but due to the flat tail and touring design they really aren't meant for serious freeriding. Just something to check out if you are interested.

^^^^ x2 i have the Schizo's and i usually charge around core center. when i want to take them to the pow i back them suckers to about +2 off traditional. makes a billion times difference. 6'0 230

Write your answer here...I put a pair of Schizoos on my obSETHed 189s last year and move them around depending on conditions. Usually I ride them at +2.5, but go to +3 for tight chutes and +1-+2 for deep. Me, 6'2' & 200 lbs.

They say the skins will be available in a week. Not sure if they will be one here but wouldn't doubt it.

Thanks so much for the advice. I bought the G3 skins and think i'll leave the bindings to him with your recommendations. My husband shared that this is a pretty individual choice and preference is everything. When i told him I posted the videos, he laughed because he didn't know I knew how to do that. I didn't tell him it took a few tries...Again, thanks.

So all K2 Factory skis this year, such as the Obsethed and Hellbents, come with pre-cut skins. What this means is that there are skins that can be bought separately that are shaped and cut to fit the ski precisely. I haven't been able to find them here at backcountry but I am sure that you can find them on other sites. For example, here: http://k2skis.com/skis/skins/obsethed-skins
As for AT bindings I highly recommend anything Black Diamond or Marker. To be precise the Marker F12 or F10 tour bindings make a great set. The Black Diamond Fritschi Diamir Freeride Pro Binding is a great choice as well. These options are real light and look pretty cool as well.
Hope that this helps!

Yes dukes work well, k2 does make pre cut skins for the ski shown above, G3 and Black Diamond all make good products, all depends on what you want to spend.

You could got with a +6 since your used to that, I am and was on +4 for the 2 skis.

I tell most to +1 to +2, if your used to more forward mount then go forward accordingly.

189 wouldn't be to long for you to handle but for tight trees and chutes the 179 would probably be better.

get the obsethed. better all around backcountry performance. if you are hiking and touring the hellbents are way to heavy.

get the 189. the tip rocker is 2cm high and 40 cm long and the tail rocker is 1cm high and 20cm long

What kind of skiing do you do?

I have last years in 189 mounted with dynafits and they are a great backcountry ski. They charge through everything. The only downfall is the twin tip. It is hard not to step all over your tails when making steep switcback turns, but this is a bomber ski and really fun to tour with.

these should work well on crud and corn and other types of snow except maybe hardpack. there are lighter skis out there for touring but they aren't the heaviest skis out there ( as far as i know they are lighter than the s7). if you didn't buy them yet get last years obsethed or the jj! last years obsetheds did much better on every type of snow than this years model except powder. if you're getting last years obsethed get them and you'll like em on any type of snow. the jj's do it all in the backcountry and are awesome on every snow condition. JJ's bust crud, float, ski corn, carve well on groomers and hardpack, and are lightweight which makes them good for touring. the obsethed floats much better but the jj does everything else way way better.

I'm about the the same hight/weight and have last years in a 189 as well. i mounted +2 and love 'em. Im mounting this years 189s +2 as well since the tail rocker is the same.

189 might be better depending on your ability and how aggressively you ski. If you felt that the 179 was not stable enough for you go with the 189

It depends the type of skiing you will be doing with them and how much time you use them. I assume powder because they are powder skis. So i would think about getting a 189 for more surface area in powder but thats if you are good with riding a big ski but if you are a less aggressive powder skier i would get the 179 because of you height. Its all about preference. But with the dimensions you have given my about yourself i would go for the 179.

k2 fixed there measuring system so they should measure true this year.

I just bought the 189's, and they measure exactly that, no adjustment for the rocker in sizing like the hellbents had in the past.

Super Soft is not how I would describe these, Mid-stiff to stiff underfoot. The tips do chatter a bit while going Mach Looney, but for mere mortals, I think they are perfect, definately not super soft. I would actually put the flex of the underfoot part of this ski up with the older obsethed. yes, the tip and tail are a bit softer, but still have the stiffness and balls when needed.

Ski fast take chances!

Depending on what you're used to, you're size relative to the length, and the snow you're on, they might seem a little "floppy" at speed. But that doesn't mean they don't work. It's still a wide, damp platform.

they come alive at high speeds. i skied last years model for a couple days and they were hard to ski slow. they love high speed!

I'm basically the exact same height & weight as you, I have the old hellbents which these are now really similar to. I have the 179s and would not go any shorter. As others have said the rocker makes them ski a lot shorter, also you'll probably be mounted further forward than old school pow skis so want the extra length.

Just to make the decision difficult for you, I'll point out that you will be going up in weight a lot. The 179 Seth will be wider and longer than you're used to. Adding the barons to them will be on the heavy side. But they will ski awesomely.

If you are 5'9 a better length to go with would be the 179

Hey thanks, man. I appreciate the advice!

I would go with the 179. The 169 Obsethed would ski alot shorter than your previous 2 pairs of skis due to the insane amount of rocker that these things have (about the same as the hellbent) also if you are touring in them you may want them a little longer than the 169's because that does not leave that much surface area touching the snow for your skins to get a good grip on. Just my opinion but I hope that helps

Even though the obsethed is smaller i think it may be a better powder performer since it has more rocker. Both are great skis neither would disappoint in the deep days. If you are using them for back county to i think the obsethed would be better as it can probably handle hard pack better and ski tees better since it is shorter.

the length shouldn't be a problem since you a pretty tall guy both skis are really floaty and have a lot of rocker. the bentchetler is probably more playful but both should work well for trees and pillows. The Armada jj would be a great choice.

192, seems like alot of length to be carrying into the trees, even for 6'2'? As for looking for a powder specific ski for this year, you can join my club ... it's agony, too much choice! At the moment though I'm set on Faction Royale's. They are a European make and their Wednesday model has been my daily driver for 4 seasons, build quality is ace, and price is very reasonable for such a good quality product. Tested Royals as a pow ski very briefly last year and loved em, but was to broke to buy em. Basically think k2 hellbent but with stiffer flex (avoiding the hellbent wheelies) and slightly more manigable girth than this years k2 offering. For a more powder specific and largely inbounds ski, for me, it's between royale and the obsethed, but think royal's will win for their better float, whilst still retaining the ability to actually let you have fun on the groomers we all inevitably hit between stashes (seth apart). Ruled out the Hellbents as, for me, their tails seem to be designed for going backwards in powder (i.e. soft soft flex) .... a practice I personally view as somewhere between dubious and fully slapping god in the face ... I know, bring the hate.
My ad hoc and uniformed 'reckon' is that if you're looking for something to send it through the trees on inbound powder days, and not as a daily drivers, don't be afraid of going slightly shorter (into the lower 180's), and fatter than the obsethed. Mind you I'm no expert .. just thought i'd confuse you a bit more. Happy hunting
p.s. I'm dyslexic, I can't spell, I know this. No bullying please.

You can find a profile comparison here: http://www.skiforum.it/forum/showthread.php?t=40600

The tips of the 2010 chatter a bit on flat and flap a bit on chop, but then again, that "give" works to your advantage when you ski into troughs of bumps and hit landings. The flex is darn near perfect.

The 2010 has totally vertical sidewalls, whereas the 2011 has a cap construction on the very top and vertical sidewalls on the lower part next to the base. I would expect the cap construction to soften the tip vibration a bit. Personally, I don't find it bothersome at all. This ski rocks.

It is the same tip rocker as the hellbent and the same as the previous obsethed in the back.

We'll hopefully have profile pics of our rocker skis in the coming weeks. In the mean time I can tell you that the ObSethed has a nose rocker that looks a lot like the Hellbent, but the tail is the same as last year's. That way you get more ski to land those big airs on. They can be a handful on hard snow but in variable snow (and of course pow) you'll be loving it.

Yes it does chatter somewhat in hard snow.

Use some Dukes.

I am using something thats not on the market. On a past seasons chamonix trip I used Trekkers with salomon 916's.

thanks, Seth

Yes. Yes but the tail is not as soft as the hellbent and obviously its a bit narrower through out.

No it's too soft in my opinion. If you still want K2 maybe go Side Stash.
Other skis around that width that are stiffer that might be better are the ON3P Wrenegade, Moment Bibby, and Fatypus D-Sender.

so not a good call for the northeast?

They do well if its soft crud.