I recently purchased the 178s at a considerable discount. I am 6'0, weigh 185, and I ski about a 50/50 mix of typical east coast terrain (groomers/bumps primarily) and Alta/snowbird ungroomed terrain. After reading these posts I'm worried I went too short. Should I return the 178s and purchase the 186s instead? Will the difference in length make a significant difference?

Get the 186 for sure

Ljandrews, I just demo'd the Goats for the first time today. I am 5'9" 155 lbs and the 178s were perfect for me. If you decide to get the longer skis I'd take the 178s off your hands. Where did you find them at a big discount? I'm looking to buy a pair now... (beck.danny@gmail.com)

YES, you went too short. First I'd like to say it is impossible to find a ski that is equally good in both powder, groomers and bumps. In choosing a ski like the Gotama you choose 1. powder and 2. groomers. It is, like any other fat/semi-fat ski, not good for moguls. So now that we have established what types of skiing the ski is designed for lets look at the length issue. The increased length will give you better floating in the powder, you have the length to ride the 186 and this will support your weight better as well. When it comes to the groomers the rocker will make the ski feel shorter than 186. Without knowing the exact rocker measurements I would say the ski will behave like a 170-175 ski without rocker. So basically by adding 8cm to your skis you will get a better powder experience with out sacrificing the turning ability. A ski with a 105 waist will always be slower from edge to edge than a narrower ski but the rocker will give you the feel of a much shorter radius than what can be expected from a 186 fat ski. This is something every sales rep at any ski store should know. If they didn't recommend you to go 186 I would seriously suggest you find another dealer that has basic equipment knowledge. I use a '05/'06 Gotama for powder days. The ski is 183 and I am 5'7 and weigh 155. This works fine. I will adjust the binding position a little for this season to get better position for soft spring skiing in the groomers as well as easier navigation for tree skiing. For days in the icy groomers I use a pair of 170 Atomic SX10 which suits my weight and type of skiing well. I live in Sweden and ski both up here (like US east coast terrain) as well as in the Alps.