Post by JimRatliff on Nov 19, 2013 16:38:36 GMT -7
Let me start by saying that I love this ski! When Max first skied this and told me it was great my first thought was that a 94mm waisted ski with tip and tail rocker is the last thing that I want to own. Throw in the graphics (motorhead with skulls) and you have a ski that few buy and even less tend to demo. Wow, Head has made a huge mistake with this ski starting with the graphics but most importantly with the way they describe the ski on their website. If this ski has any tip and tail rocker it is so modest that it is hard to notice. Perhaps it is just enough to make the ski release just a little easier which it does. Again the 94mm waisted thing is a real tweener, not really a pow ski, clearly not a carving ski. In reality though, this is as close to a perfect one ski quiver as exists (and i hate the idea of a one ski quiver). Amazingly this ski does really well in reasonably large amounts of fresh snow as it floats quite well for a 94mm waisted ski. For crud and chop I think it is my favorite ski ever, as it is plenty stout enough to be aggressive in crud and chop. It also is pretty nimble (due to the minimal early rise tip and tail) and soft bumps it skis great (it would not be my first choice for hard bumps but on the few that I have skied with it the RNR does amazingly well for 94mm waist). When you get to groomers the ski just shines. Probably took me 2-3 days t really get used to it and to be able to fully lay it over. The flex pattern is perfect and I can bend the ski and tighten the arc. I can carve tighter arcs on this than I can on my Kastle MX 78's (18m tr) and I love that ski. The ski just rocks tight GS turns and is ultra stable at speed (fun, fun, fun!!). When I attempt slalom flushes, the ski is just a little too slow edge to edge to crank these (a better driver might be able to). But brushed carved turns can be snapped off at a quite fast tempo (again perhaps due to how easy the skis release). I have never been able to say this about any ski but i could ski this ski all day in most conditions and not be wanting for a different ski. I think this is more true in the west (rockies, Montana, Sierra's etc) than would be the case in the east and I have not skied it on blue ice although with a 3 degree side my guess is that it would hold fine.
I bought this ski at the end of last season for $329 as two different sites were blowing them out. I think it is one of Head's worst selling skis (due to the graphics and the confusion over what kind of ski it really is). Almost every review I have read about the ski (other than the revised one on Expertskier which is essentially mine) has been wrong and not just a little wrong but crazy wrong about this ski. I think this ski is a real sleeper and my guess is that Head will not bring it back next year. If they do they should change the name and the graphics (which I really could care less about). Most that see it just hate the graphics however a lifty saw my skis yesterday and came up to me (looking like he had spent the last two hours with a bong) and said "hey dude where'd you get those skis. Motorhead skis, is there anything more Rad! I am definitely getting a pair." As you can see not what most people want on their skis!
Again, it's a tweener width so many may have no need for a ski like this, but I can tell you I am skiing this more than several other great skis. Absolutely the perfect ski for 2-4 inches of fresh or later on the day on a pow day or the day after a pow day.
Lastly anyone from intermediates up will find this ski enjoyable. It is amazingly user friendly.
I bought this ski at the end of last season for $329 as two different sites were blowing them out. I think it is one of Head's worst selling skis (due to the graphics and the confusion over what kind of ski it really is). Almost every review I have read about the ski (other than the revised one on Expertskier which is essentially mine) has been wrong and not just a little wrong but crazy wrong about this ski. I think this ski is a real sleeper and my guess is that Head will not bring it back next year. If they do they should change the name and the graphics (which I really could care less about). Most that see it just hate the graphics however a lifty saw my skis yesterday and came up to me (looking like he had spent the last two hours with a bong) and said "hey dude where'd you get those skis. Motorhead skis, is there anything more Rad! I am definitely getting a pair." As you can see not what most people want on their skis!
Again, it's a tweener width so many may have no need for a ski like this, but I can tell you I am skiing this more than several other great skis. Absolutely the perfect ski for 2-4 inches of fresh or later on the day on a pow day or the day after a pow day.
Lastly anyone from intermediates up will find this ski enjoyable. It is amazingly user friendly.