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Gear Review
Black Diamond Megawatt Ski
Review Title
By Nick Devore
Ranked #208 - Big Mountain Freeride Skis
September 4, 2009
Some people like the Megawatts but they are just too big and sloppy for me, dont get me wrong they are loads of fun on deep days but I just all around prefer the new Zealots with a slight rocker tip. Without camber and side cut they just skip all over the place, I like a ski that cuts through the snow, not one that slides sideways when you try and turn. It is also a bit too wide for landing airs and is heavy for touring. Fun but not my favorite. Unless you can afford to have a full quiver including the megawatts for those 3ft utah days I wouldnt recommend it them. I have narrowed my quiver down to the kilowatts for groomer and bumps and hard resort days and the zealots for everything else. When traveling light to ski I would only bring my zealots, they preform surprisingly well on groomers and resort.
View Details: Black Diamond Megawatt Ski
Helpful Votes: 10 Yes
Tech Specs:
- Length:
- 178 cm, 188 cm
- Dimensions:
- [ 178cm ] 145 / 120 / 126 mm; [ 188cm ] 151 / 125 / 131 mm
- Turn Radius:
- [ 178cm ] 33; [ 188cm ] 35
- Profile:
- rockered tip & tail
- Construction:
- torsion box cap
- Core:
- poplar, birch
- Tail:
- slight rise
- Binding Included:
- no
- Weight:
- [ 178cm ] 9 lb 11 oz; [ 188cm ] 11 lb 4 oz
- Recommended Use:
- big mountain freeride, powder
- Manufacturer Warranty:
- 1 year
Change me.
7 Comments Last Reply: April 15, 2010 By: Anonymous
People seem to be split, but I love this ski. For what it's worth, I know people who have tele'd on it and generally these are the folks who don't love it. For the past 2 years I've had this ski mounted with Duke's and I have averaged about 65-70 ski days in the Wasatch. I'm on this ski more than I'm not (65% of the time?), and use this ski anytime there's more than 8" of snow. It smooths out crud remarkably well and edges on groomers a lot better than most rockered skis I've tried. This makes them ideal for places where it's pow-stash-to-groomer-to-lift. I find them to even be nimble enough for tight trees when there's snow. Obviously if you take them out in dust-on-crust or down rutted out trees or bumps you're going to hate life... but that should go without saying. They're also not a backcountry skinning ski. In-bounds pow days, the days after a storm, and slackcountry skin laps are where these excel. If I'm going further than that, I'm riding my K2 SideStash's. They're not a one-ski quiver, but that's not why you bought them... right? Ski in-bounds on 'em when it's deep, and then use them to hike around the resorts. Get these and then pair them with something 105ish in the waist and that's all you need in the West.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
I know I'm a little late to be commenting on this review but the Megawatt is a sick ski. I will say you make a valid point that the mega is not by any means an everyday ski. It is a powder specific tool that offers the rider an unbelievable experience. While riding this ski I've stomped some of the biggest airs I've ever attempted with ease and smiles. I too ride this year’s Zealot’s and if someone is looking for a great everyday ski, I couldn't agree with you more that the Zealot is the ski for that. This year’s Zealots are a strong, hard charging ski that can crush it all from crud to pow to the groomers. BD is pumping out some great stuff right now and the Mega is an awesome powder slaying tool whether its 6 inches or 3 feet.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
I agree with you, Nick. After skiing my Zealots for about a year I decided to demo the megawatts and I couldn't even finish the day with them. I made the mistake of trying to ski them like I ski my Zealots and it resulted in some pretty massive tomahawk style wrecks. At mid-day I traded my friend (who was skiing my zealots) and the day drastically improved for me.
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
awinstanle#: A friend who skis them says that they are so wide that you don't even have to worry about the landing, "because you're taking it with you."
Helpful Votes: 2 Yes
sounds like he just needs more speed!!!
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
Thanks for this review Nick, it makes an excellent points rather than many of the "mega is teh best" ones. Saving up for 182 Zealot, should work well in yurp conditions ...
Helpful Votes: 0 Yes
They're too wide for landing airs?!?!?!
Helpful Votes: 2 Yes