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Christophe V.

Skier // Mountain Biker // AT Skier // Camper/Hiker // Trail Runner

Christophe V.: #362 of 99,049 Top 500 Gear Guru More Information

5 Reviews:

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17 Yes | 2 No

0 Questions:

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7 Answers:

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  • Stomping Grounds:

    PNW
  • Bio:

    Backcountry.com is always to blame for my low bank balance.

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Atomic Bent Chetler Ski

December 9, 2009

4460g per pair, per my digital scale. That's definitely on the heavy side, but for some reason, they ski as if they were really light. The weight is comparable to other fat skis such as 182cm Liberty Double Helix (4320g), or 181cm Scott P4 (4440g).

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No

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Rossignol S3 Koopman Alpine Ski

December 7, 2009

186cm weighs 4070g per pair, which is lighter than most 100mm waist skis in the 180-183cm range. Because of the light weight and rocker, I suggest you ski the 177 or 186cm S3s. The 186cm run short for their size and are comparable in length to most 183cm skis. Because of the light weight and rocker, you can ski these a little longer than a traditional fat ski. Go too short and you'll sacrifice high speed stability and edge grip on hard snow.

I'm the same size as you and found the 178cm scratch brigades (98mm waist) too short in choppy snow and deep powder, so I'm picking up a set of the S3's in 186cm.

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No

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Marker Jester Schizo 16 Ski Binding

December 1, 2009

I tried bending 90mm marker brakes more than 10mm and ended up breaking the plastic piece that the metal brake arms fit in to. I would not recommend bending these because the brake arms are two separate pieces of thick, stiff metal and are not as easy to bend as the single piece of wire that is used for both brake arms in Look/Rossignol or Salomon brakes.

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4FRNT Skis EHP Alpine Ski

November 13, 2008

yeah that can't be true. Even the lightest of touring skis aren't that light. That's the weight per ski. They are definitely on the heavy side.

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No

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Nordica Enforcer Alpine Ski

November 11, 2008

I'm 5'9" and 145, do a bit of park but mostly all mountain and a little racing, and I ski 169's on both pairs of skis I own. The more competent and aggressive a skiier you are, the more length you can handle, and the extra length does give you more carving, more speed, and better float in powder, but a shorter ski is easier to control and turn fast for steep trees, moguls and such. Honestly, I like sacrificing a little float in the powder for the extra maneuverability, and with a ski this fat the float isn't really going to be an issue anyway. I don't know what exactly these skis come in, but I'd go with something in the high 160's to low 170's.Christophe V.- go 177cm, that way you will get good float in pow and still have maneuverability in the trees. 169cm is really on the short side for your height (I'm the same height).PS. These are no longer twin tips and I found them to be fairly stiff, unlike what Will stated.

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No

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Volkl Gotama Alpine Ski

November 11, 2008

there are woman's specific skis, and the gotama ski isn't one of them, so it could be considered a mens ski, but there's no reason a woman couldn't rip on emedit- the Kiku is the women's version of the Gotama. Slightly softer and lighter.

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Lib Technologies NAS Freeride Alpine Ski

October 27, 2008

Sure, any alpine ski without integrated bindings will take telemark bindings. However, these may have a lot of tail if you mount them using the boot center line on your boot center. I have a feeling that these are meant to be mounted close to center and the long tail would reduce stability and increase hooky-ness if mounted telemark.

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Light and versatile

Rossignol Scratch Brigade Alpine Ski

Rossignol Scratch Brigade Alpine Ski

Rating for this product: 3 October 26, 2008

I have a pair mounted for AT skiing because they are some of the lightest 98mm waisted skis I could find in 178cm length at 3720g/pair per my postage scale. They are a great ski for Colorado where snow is typically on the softer side and do well for an occasional lap through the terrain park or tight carves on fresh corduroy. I agree with Willie that the mounting point (even on "traditional") is very centered. I mounted mine 2cm back from "traditional" for better float and stability at speed. They ski very short because of their light weight and I recommend going for a larger size if you are in doubt. I would not recommend these for crud-busting and high-speed straightlining as they are not a beefy ski.

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes | 0 No

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Good but Rossis are better deal

Look PX12 Ti Lifter Wide Legend Ski Binding DO NOT USE

Look PX12 Ti Lifter Wide Legend Ski Binding DO NOT USE

Rating for this product: 4 October 26, 2008

Skied on these for the past two seasons. I've heard of reports play occurring in the heel track and toepieces breaking after doing big drops, but I've had no issues. The new heel design has grown on me as the ability to crank up the forward pressure really improves the feel of the skis and reduces pre-releases. These have worked well for everything from park to big mountain skiing. However, the new Rossignol SAS 120 offers a more durable binding for the same price. The Rossis have a teflon antifriction device, reinforced heel track, and overall shorter mounting pattern. Overall, these are a good all-around binding for those who aren't super heavy and go big but perhaps not huge in the terrain park or off cliffs.

I should note that the recommended skier weight for these (170lbs+) is not accurate. These are likely suitable for any skier who uses a DIN of 5-10.

Helpful Votes: 5 Yes | 1 No

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Awesome hot weather/gym shoes

Salomon Techamphibian Sandal - Men's

Salomon Techamphibian Sandal - Men's

Rating for this product: 4 October 17, 2008

I wear these to school, work, and the gym all summer long and they help keep my feet cool and comfortable. Toss in a decent, supportive insole and they are good for most athletic activities if you don't require ankle support. I'm on my 3rd pair and each has lasted at least 200+ days of wearing with lots of gym time.

The only drawback is that the heel adjustment never holds in place and the stock insoles have no arch support or cushioning.

Helpful Votes: 1 Yes | 1 No

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a kinder, gentler Legend

Dynastar Legend Pro Rider Alpine Ski 08/09 Model

Dynastar Legend Pro Rider Alpine Ski 08/09 Model

Rating for this product: 4 October 10, 2008

08/09 Legend Pros are softer in the tip and tail than previous versions but still have much beefyness under the boot. The turn radius is also smaller than that of their predecessors and the swing weight is reduced because the core is milled at the tip and tail. This is makes the Legends more accessible to the average advanced or expert skier but takes away from both their beefyness and stability at mach 10. Having skied 176's and flexed them and 184's in a shop, I can say that the 184's are marginally stiffer, but still nothing like the previous versions. In my opinion, the new Legend pros are a great all-mountain ski that turns and floats better than it's predecessor at the expense of high-speed stability and hardcore awesomeness.

Helpful Votes: 3 Yes | 0 No

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all-mountain carver

Elan 888 Alu Ski

Elan 888 Alu Ski

Rating for this product: 4 September 18, 2008

Spent two days on these skis in conditions ranging from freshly groomed corduroy to deep spring slush in tight trees. I would definitely recommend these skis to a strong intermediate or advanced skier, potentially with a race background, who likes to carve all over the mountain. Because of their significant sidecut, these things love to rail big, fast turns. They hold an edge even the most incredible lean angles and speeds. I found them to be extremely damp which made for a smooth ride on re-frozen spring snow, but took away from their liveliness when skiing bumps and tight trees. I attribute this to the generous use of metal and wood in their construction.

I would not recommend these skis to those who ski a lot of bumps, trees, or like straight-lining. Their deep sidecut makes the tails hooky when quick turns are needed and reduces stability when bombing straight down runs. Their relatively heavy weight and dampness make jump turns a chore. Because of this, I would recommend them for 80% on, 20% off piste.

Overall, 4 stars for a hard-carving all-mountain ski that is very enjoyable in most conditions and would serve well for most strong intermediate to advanced skiers.

Helpful Votes: 8 Yes | 0 No

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