Moment Bibby Pro Special Ski - 2011 BCS

About me: 5'8" and 145 pounds. Aggressive skier. Riding the 196 mounted at +1.5 from recommended. Have the tips detuned (highly advise this).

Quick sidenote:don't buy these unless you go fast. They are pretty dead feeling at slow and moderate speeds.

The stiff tails have saved me on some off-balance landings that I could never have recovered from on my hellbents. They bust through chop like there's no tomorrow if you're willing to charge, and you will be. The edge hold is shockingly good on firm snow but breaks free predictably.

A couple of notes on the specs:backcountry (and Moment, for that matter) has the dimesions listed as 150-116-123. My skis are labeled 150-118-128. I find that odd. I'd also debate the "rockered tail." I disagree with that description but maybe that's more of an issue with my definition of rocker than anything else.

TL;DR:Want to charge and don't ride switch? These will treat you well.

"How would you describe the Bibby Special in one word"?
Confidence-inspring.

As someone whose everyday ski for the past 2+ seasons has been the 190 Bibby, I was beyond stoked to hear of this new design since it's pretty much everything I've ever wanted in a ski that no one has yet to make. After 12 days of slaying groomers at Breckenridge and Keystone, and after a powder day at Vail with 9" of overnight snow, I'm convinced this will be my everyday driver for the life of the ski.

"What makes this ski so awesome?"
The Bibby Special will push you. It will make you a better skier.

Not once have I found a speed limit. The Bibby Special loves speed. It thirsts for it. And it will reward you handsomely for driving it as hard as possible. Unlike the 190 Bibby which I understood after only a few turns, it wasn't until after a few runs did I fully understand how the unusual sidecut on the Special functions: half the ski wants to turn, the other half wants to go straight. But once you allow the ski to travel on its predetermined arc and not force it beyond its capabilities, I feel most skiers will be amazed with how well the Special handles firm conditions.

"How does this ski handle soft snow?"
Simply put, the Bibby Special is a powder destroyer.

The key to powder skiing on the Special is to keep a more neutral stance. I found that when driving the tips hard into the snow, the ski was not reacting favorably. But once I remained centered and allowed the ski to do the work for me, I could not have been happier with its performance. Immediately, I began searching for anything and everything I could jump off of, and once I did, I was amazed by how well the Special stomps. Never before have I been more confident flying off cliffs and expecting to land each and every time regardless of how smooth or sketchy the impact may be.

"But what happens once the mountain gets tracked-out?"
I dare you to find a better powder ski that can bust through crud this well.

While the statement above may seem over-zealous for a few, I have not been on a ski this shape before that sliced through crud so easily and effortlessly. Towards the end of that lone powder day at Vail, I was cruising through chop at unsafe speeds without any hesitation. At one point, I tried my best to point the tips straight downhill through a long mogul field hoping to yard sale and prove a point that the Bibby Special has a flaw. I failed. There are no flaws. In the end, the Bibby Special will elevate your skiing. For those that desire a stiff powder ski that can be used anywhere on the mountain, that can handle any condition, and that will give you incredible assurance in the air and on snow, check out the Bibby Special.