Well, picked up my new Progressors on Wed....got 2 coats of wax on them...cold then the current weather and Saturday, we loaded up the truck and headed for Holiday Valley to meet friends from Chicago!
Me: 5'81/2", 156lbs : likes to mix up turn shapes, likes to ski in the soft snow along the edges, prefers a ski that can turn tight and be solid at high speed and versatile to ski bumps and ankle high powder.
The Former Skis: Head I Super Shapes, 165 length. tuned 1 base 2 side bevel
The New Ski:
Fischer Progressor 8's
The finish: the skis new colors are white with black and orange (go figure) trim. Excellent high gloss finish.
Length: 160
Tune: factory 1 base 3 side
Binding mounted in +15 position, Railflex design, Fischer version
Dims: 120 72 103
Turning Radius 11 - 15 meter (factory says shovel radius brings on the short turn capability and the tail radius helps make longer turns more solid.)
My concerns: did I go too short
Saturday morning temp: teens, to low 20's and sunny.
Snow conditions: Boiler plate patches, with marble and golf ball chunks. Some soft snow here and there mixed in with icy hard boiler plate.
Got off the chair lift and did a few ankle rolls to see how the skis responded...nice. Standing at the top of the mountain, I started in along the edge looking at marble snow pellets, granular snow and ice patches. I first noticed how easily the skis responded from a centered ski stance. Didn't have to hardcharge the tips...especially with the boiler plate. The skis came around nicely and both edges of upper and lower ski dug nicely into the hardback. After about 3 turns, I picked up the pace and started in some medium swing turns. Skis felt rock solid, no chatter and carved really well. Possibly the result of the 3 degree side bevel.
Looking for terrain where I could open up the skis and create some longer turns.....I could only find this kind of terrain on some of their blue runs that were long enough. Found the P8's had enough muscle to take me through GS turns as fast I could safely muster on a busy Saturday. The skis entered the turns solidly and finished with a release when I was ready. The tail of the ski has great energy and you can feel it back there in the turn exit or if you get thrown in the back seat. Very manageable and very supporting. AND their ice hold.....Fischer legendary....they eat ice!
The suprise of the day is when I jumped into some 2 foot ice bumps. The shorter ski was easier to maneuver but the biggest plus was that 72mm waist. It really allowed better feel underfoot compared to the 66mm waist of the SS. The skis worked nicely in the troughs or riding up the bumps all slick as they were. The 3 degree side bevel was not a hindrance at all and felt they actually helped my speed management.
Overall opinion: I absolutely love this ski...it's a wonderful natural progression from my previous ski and would highly recommend. Jbotti has the Progessor 9 and spoke very highly of it as well.
The RX8's have been a strong staple for Fischer and the Progressor 8's follow in their footsteps and actually increase their versatility.
If you get a chance....demo a pair!
Best,
Gary