Got a pair of 179 Pontoon last month (5'9" - 175 lbs)(usually ski on 168 Rossi B3), and skied a week in Japan famous Niseko pow. In the backbowls of the backcountry this skis were awesome. They just floated and the energy needed to ski deep powder was minimal. I was concerned about their handling in the trees, but had no problems with quick, accurate turns. Going back to the resort via the groomers was more of challenge, not very comfortable, and the knees and legs took a beating.
A small price to pay for the best rides I ever had in Pow.
For someone spending less than 90% skiing backcountry, I would suggest they look a another ski, for the other, enjoy the ride!

I took a pair out at Snowbird a few days ago late in the afternoon and pointed em towards all the lousy snow I could find. Duh they're good in pow, but what else? I'm surprised to say that they rally pretty much everything in front of you. Nasty chopped up traverses, funky cut up crud, mis-shaped bumps, and even groomers were fun. I was hating on these all year last season just on their looks but admit to being wrong now. The only thing is you have to be comfy standing in the center of your skis on the groomed as there isn't much contact with the flat snow. As a former East Coast Ice Jibber, I'm "lucky" enough to be okay while skiing around kinda upright. Off trail though, just point em! Seriously. I think I'll wax up a pair cuz it's gonna nuke this week. See ya at the bottom!

I used this ski on probably the worst day you can ski on them. They chatter a little bit, but mostly in the tip, which is rockered anyway, so it doesn't matter, because you don't feel it. On super icy steeps they don't handle well at all, but on groomers and crud they handle great. They felt like a pretty playful ski, but in powder that would probably be more apparent. I rode the 189, but at my size the 179 would be a little better. They were a really heavy ski, I am used to skiing a 185 Rossignol Scratch Steeze, but the Pontoon just felt super heavy.

After hanging out with too many "spat heads" who rocked their spatulas in everything under the sun I decided to buy this ski at the end of last season. I ended up skiing 19 of my last 20 days of the season (march and april) on the 'toons and never once regretted having them on my feet. The one day I didn't use them I demoed a pair of Dynastar Legend Pros which are a great ski but I was wishing for the reverse camber fun of my new favorite ski.

Conditions were powder, tracked powder, soft corn and soft manmade. Everything is fun with these skis! I love throwing the tails out and getting jibby. You have to be comfortable carving on your inside edge (of your uphill ski) occasionally as the odd shape of these skis will force you to throw out everything you know about conventional 'form.'

People who call these skis quiver or specialty skis are not opening their minds to new ways of skiing.

I had the chance to try the 189's out in 15 inches of new snow at Solitude here in Utah. They were amazing. Not only was I able to ski faster than I ever have in powder, I was also able to turn these more easily in powder. As long as you don't mind watching the tips flutter nonstop of the groomers, they're not too bad. Let's face it, though, you're not buying these to ski hardpack.