Author Topic: Realskier Ski of the Year: The Chariot!!!  (Read 3076 times)

jbotti

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Re: Realskier Ski of the Year: The Chariot!!!
« on: September 07, 2010, 08:17:26 am »
I do think that we have to consider Peter's bias here some. The last wide ski (it was certainly wide for back then) that Peter named ski of the year was the Head IM 88. Peter specifically cited the fact that this ski was at home off piste and in powder and at the same time a good skier could run a GS course on the skis. He has said something similar about the Chariot again citing it's ability to carve GS turns. It is failrly obvious from watching over the years that Peter likes skis that perform well on hard snow. His reviews of big mountain skis have lacked any real specificity (usually he just says great for Squaw, Jackson Snowbird, you know who you are). Using the IM 88 as an example because I still own a pair, it was in may ways a great ski for certain things. It will carve nice GS turns and it was a great crud busting ski. It was never wide enough for a true powder ski but in its time it wsn't far from the standard (back then 90-100mm was a podwer ski). It was however not a very versatile ski. It was very stiff, reasonably unforgiving especially in bumps and on groomed terrain it would carve only one turn shape (19m). The tips are so stiff that if you try to bend the ski to tighten the turn it really won't budge.

We will have to demo the Chariot. I have it set up for my trip to Col in early November. I think we all need to realize that Peter is giving this rating because the Chariot is in his opinion as close as it gets to a one ski quiver. Sounds great, may not be what I am looking for as I don't need a powder ski to be able to run GS. Love the tight turn radius. We will have to see if it can be my go to fersh snow ski.