Hey Gary,
Yeah, I was really surprised by how much I liked the RX in a few inches to about a boots worth of powder. The MX78 is great in powder, and in fact I was planning on keeping it around to ski on mixed days ... that is, until I skied the RX on a powder day. My one complaint with the MX78 was that I had to put a lot of focus and energy into watching my fore / aft and lateral balance in skied out powder and crud ... you know that feeling of instant acceleration and braking. There was that, and as I said both fore / aft and lateral were always something I had to stay on top of with the 78s.
I have about 4 days in powder on the RXs. A mix of depths of about 4 to 5 inches to just above the top of my boot; as well as a mix conditions ranging from amazingly fluffing white UT smoke (I just love it when it's 6 to 8 degrees and dumps) and in heavy, dense powder on a 36 to 40 degree day. What I experienced with the RX was that even as the powder was skied out (or dense and heavy), nothing seemed to deflect it. It was point, shoot, go ... and overall it just seemed to plow (cut) through anything and everything. If you like to float on top, it's not going to do it for you; though I've typically always enjoyed being down in the powder.
On piste, take everything you like about the MX78 and amp it up ... that's the RX. I didn't think it possible to find a ski I like better than the MX78, but I'd heard from a few how amazing the RX is and decided to go for it. I have no regrets, and as mentioned I'm shocked by how much I've enjoyed them in the powder.
I'm still looking at the FX94s, Ullr's Chariot or something similar as there are those days when it is so deep that if I don't get up out of the powder, well, then I can't breath and I just about have to go in a straight line to cary enough speed to have fun! I can't imagine ever skiing on some of these monster skis I see some of the young kids on. On the deepest powder day I've had on the RXs, I skied a few runs with some teenagers that had skis that were so wide (must have been 115 to 130s) that it looked like a snowboard on each foot, which did not look fun at all to me.
Thanks again to all for the recommendations. I have picked up the HH book and videos as well as Clendenin book. As I said, I'm sure I have lots of nasty, old habits to get rid of; though I've been surprised by how much I've liked getting rid of (or at least trying to) the up move in my transitions. It really does help with much quicker transitions. I hope (and feel like) I'm headed in the right direction, but I want to find a good instructor, get to a good camp or figure out a good way to make sure I really am.
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