I guess I would recommend the 173s. It will give you more ski for the powder days. they turn really well on groomers so an aggressive skier of your size should be just fine with that length.

I think its easier to put your goggles up w/out the brim.

I really recommend you get a ski with some rocker. It really makes skiing even more fun (seriously). I ski Salomon's and would recommend the Czar for a new powder ski. It has tip rocker only and normal camber under foot and in the tail. I know people are still skeptical about skiing a rockered ski, but they shouldn't be. Whatever you get, it should have rocker, I guarantee you'll love.

I'm fairly certain they will not be more than you can handle. The rocker makes skiing pow so easy you'll wonder how you did it before. I personally enjoy the Czars on groomers. For you I think it will be fine as long as you're not expecting a carving ski. Great for sliding around, very stable and predictable, but definitely not a carving ski unless your talking super G radius turns... it will also hold an edge really well on hard snow/ice.

I recommend everyone ski a rockered ski for powder. Its way way easier than traditional cambered skis.

Thanks for asking that question because its an important point with this ski. the Shogun has a small amount of rocker, so as soon as you put the ski on edge the entire ski (minus actual tip and twin tip of course) makes contact with the snow. so you actually don't notice the rocker on groomers. the only thing that you really notice on groomers is that the tip doesn't initiate the turn as quickly as a traditional skis would.

they certainly are. light weight and quick. the 191s are maybe a little long to be considered "playful" for most people, but the 182 and shorter lengths for sure.

I haven't skied the rossi's, but it sounds like they are soft in the tip and tail, stiff under foot with traditional camber throughout. the Shogun is a fairly stiff ski with slight rocker in the tip. this will be the main difference between the two skis... how they will feel different on the snow. The rockered tip helps the Shogun excels in powder, chopped up snow, and is blast on piste. Its not a full on twin tip, but very close, plenty for the park and riding switch. hang tight more Shoguns are on the way.

I ride the sth because I believe in the binding. They are the gold standard in what an alpine binding should do. The sth will give you years and years of great performance.

The ghost would be your higher performance better boot. but the impact 10 is good if you like softer(110) and wider(100). ghost has a rubberized instep that gives you grip in all types of places, on rocks, stairs, icy boot packs, snowmobiles and the like. Also, the ghosts have an extra piece that covers the traditional overlap of the lower, this keeps snow from finding its way into the shell. hope that helps.

This is for the 182s. Talked to Cody Townsend, he mounts them on the forward line. He told me Abma finds the exact balance point and mounts them there, ~3cm in front of the forward line. My first pair I mounted standard, second pair mounted between the lines. Didn't notice much difference. I've always liked the standard mount, but others swear by the forward mount... I don't think you'll have a problem with a forward mount, plenty of tip rocker for the pow. Not much info on the 190s as of yet.

You should get these: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/BLD0457/Black-Diamond-Ascension-Nylon-STS-Skins.html in the 140mm if you need them now. Or get the glidelite: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Black-Diamond-GlideLite-Nylon-STS-Skins/BLD0794M.html when more come in. You usually always want to buy skins that are wider than the widest spot on the ski. The exception would be a rockered ski where the widest part of the ski does not touch the snow often when skinning.

You definitely should NOT wear the avalung under your outer layer. The CO2 you exhale will fill your jacket and come right up through your collar and into your face again. Some good points about the fastening methods of the retrofit. Make sure the tube does not get crushed and also that its secure(If you go that route).

i just wanted to add that the xwing lap is not that stiff... more on the softer side if anything, but because it is so long it skis very well, nice even flex. I passed a pair onto this powder hound I know...not a rowdy skier at all, but weighs around 200, anyway he loves 'em.

Gotamas are made in China while the Shoguns are made in Austria. So that could be a possible trade off, because the goats are made in China they might not last as long. The goats are wider so more float in powder but wider is not better when it come to firm snow or skiing on piste. thats another trade off, Shoguns won't float quite as well in the pow but will be better most everywhere else (that is also of course a matter of personal preference).

Yup, 182 will probably suit you better than the 173. the slight rocker will also help in the trees, it gives you a greater ability to "smear" your turns and stay in control.

I think the 177 would be the way to go. the lords have a little more side cut than the pockets, so if u like to ski fast the 185 would be good too. they are quite a bit stiffer than the pockets so I think you'd like the 177 better. you'll love these things!

the 182 will be better for sure on deep days. if you've skied a similar length in the past... Yeah you might wanna go that route... especially if that's the way your leaning. go with your instincts ;)

Yo Chris, I just added my 2 cents on your ghost boot question. after reading this I'd be inclined to recommend the shogun boot and the 173 shogun ski. I think this because of your size, the fact that you are gonna be hitting the park, bumps, and trees, and because you are in Breckenridge where it can be FRIGID... and boots get stiffer in the cold. all these factors point to a softer boot and a quicker ski. I'm interested to hear what others think.

I would just add one thing... if you are a lighter weight and/or less aggressive advanced skier you might want to go shogun.

Hey Tom, the biggest difference is that these are way bigger than the lords. 198 cm vs 185 cm (longest lord)and much wider too. You should look at the shogun: http://www.backcountry.com/outdoorgear/Salomon-Shogun-Ski/SAL1803M.html it's salomons newest all mtn ski that is also wide enough for pow and has some rocker to smear through the crud. the lord is also very good but smaller than the shogun so not as good in pow and crud.

No, they are not full metal. they are a salomon sth 16 that says atomic on it. I switched from the full metal 916s to the Sth 16s 3 or 4 years ago and love the lighter setup. I was a little skeptical at first but they have been every bit as good as the 916s. the toe wings are still adjustable and all the most crucial parts are still metal on the toe and heel.

one of the best things about these boards is that they have enough rocker to smooth out crap snow, while still maintaining nearly full edge contact on firm stuff. of course, more rocker = better performance in variable snow (zipper crust, mashed potatoes, etc...), but its a trade off because more rocker will be floppier on firm snow. the shogun will be better than the verdict in variable or crap snow. I will upload a picture later to show the amount of tip rocker that these have, I think its perfect for an all mountain ski.

I'm not sure when the 191 are coming in, but as far as the bindings go, I'd definitely go with the higher din dukes. You might be able to get away with the lighter ones, but I wouldn't risk it.

all great skis. the biggest difference between the czar and shogun (and lord) is the width underfoot - 111 vs. 101 vs. 88. so then what it basically boils down to is... how deep is the snow? If it snows frequently in the 8-10"+ range then I would recommend the czar. It will be the most fun on the deeper days, wider w/ more rocker. shogun will be really good everywhere, turns better on piste than the czar, but has less width for the deep days. so if you get 4-8" days more often and want a better ski on-piste, then the shogun is probably the way to go. hope that helps!

Hi Don, the shogun is very stable at speed, very damp. You will love it in the bowls, makes life a whole lot easier.

The shogun will cover more of the mountain in more conditions than the tornado. So if you ski on and off piste and could only choose one I say Shogun, it is wicked fun everywhere, and carves really nicely. But its not as quick and snappy as the tornado, so if you prefer a racier ski the tornado is it. but the tornado is much narrower so I wouldn't recommend it off piste. Shogun is about as close to one ski quiver as you can get. hope that helps!

I say Shogun. Its the perfect CanCan ski. great at speed so it will be excellent for those fast Canyons cruisers. Its got a little rocker in the tip, noticeably helps on the deep days and smooths out the crud. plus they are the odds-on favorite to outlast anything else: full wood core w/ edge armor... made in Austria vs China. can't wait to ski 'em again! they kicked ass at snowbird all spring.

the ti version has a sheet of titanium in them while these are w/out. it all depends on if you want a lighter ski or one that will hold a little better on ice, and be a little more stable at speed. I would say the ti will be worth it if you like to ski fast on icy slopes. I had a hard time deciding which one I liked better, they are both super fun.

i'm looking into the weight difference. but i can tell you now that both ti & no ti will be offered next year.

I would really look at the 166 Czar.

these skis will do everything for you here except the deep heavy snow. to really handle that kind of snow you'll probably want to go wider. they perform great in mashed potatos but will require more work on the deep days.

these may be too stiff your liking. They were built to ski the whole mountain, including hard icy slopes, so they have bomber construction (on the stiffer end) in order to really hold an edge. If your ok w/ a full twin, check out the Salomon Suspect, or Gun

the x-wing fire is a low end ski made just for sports authority. I would say it's for beginner/intermediate use. A better fit for your level, would be the x-wing hurricane.

they will do good in crud, but not as good as the tornado.

184 fury sounds like a good match to me.

the obsethed has rocker in tip and tail where as the czar is just the tip. on firm snow, the contact point extends to the tail of the czar but only to 20 cm from the tail of the obsethed, so your stance is very centered on the k2 and more back on the czar. the tail releases more easily at the end of the turn on the k2 (nice going slower but a little squirly at speed). much shorted radius sidecut on the k2 than the czar, which is very noticeable on both soft and firm snow. persponally I like a shorter radius side cut on hard snow and a longer radius on soft & variable snow.

this fits more like a baggy glove. not sure how to compare it to the medic but it has a nice roomy fit so i think Large probably too. I'm 5' 10" and wear the large.

Hi paula-- Iv'e put lots of hours on this ski and it is a fun ski, but i would reccomend the line prophet 100 over these skis anytime, they will work better on groomers and float more in powder plus last longer due to the wood core and you will sve some money. for size if you gun go 181, but if you prophet go 179. as for bindings get the look px 12 legend wide or salomon sth12.I hope no one minds that I deleted all that, probably not the most helpful dialogue anyway...

Hey Mike,The fury definitely fits in the "aggressive ski" category. it can handle whatever you throw at it for sure. it will eat up crud but for deep bumps its pretty stiff. Check out the Salomon Lord 185. It might be a better choice because its is really sweet on groomers but also more versatile for bumps & crud. but make no mistake the lord is also quite aggressive.

very decent. light & wide. i see alot of people in the backcountry on this ski. also check out the salomon Czar. It will ski even better in variable conditions.

Yes I think this would be a great fit. I really love how the lord skis on the groomers and firm snow. the lord is a good balance between being wide enough for some pow and skinny enough for some bumps. the wider the ski, the better it will be in the powder, but it will be worse in the bumps. this a good middle of the road ski. for a softer ski, check out the Suspect.

i think this would be a good ski for you. I would look at the fury as well. they will be your stiffer option, so faster when racing. the hurricane is lighter w/ a more gentle flex so they will be a little more user friendly in the trees and bumps. i hope that helps.

yes, they work well for skinning. as the czars are only rockered in the tip and 110 mm under foot, you get plenty of ski/skin contact with the skin track, and therefore great climbing traction.

i would agree that the lords are would be quick, but I also found them to be very versatile. stable and damp at speed but still lively in the bumps.

I have not used them for touring, but If you like the dimensions, I'm willing to bet you'll love them. of course you could find something that is all feather light, but whats to use skinning up if the ride down is lame. the lords will eat up all bc conditions, and since they are still under 90 mm in the waist, they are still a lighter weight touring option.

there are many things to take into acount when choosing a ski size. most of all though is your ability and style. at your height the 174cm will be good for an advanced skier.

I skied these in Stratton VT after an ice storm that coated the mountain. I found that the construction of the ski makes them very torsional stiff & stable at high speed. the lord also has a nice side cut so you'll be carving it up with the best of 'em.