A One Ski Quiver

[LivingProof]

OK gang, the title will never happen to anyone in this forum, but...

My recent ski addition, Sultan 94, has been described several times a western, soft snow, "one ski quiver" candidate. Is a "one ski quiver" a kiss of death for ski hype? My whimsical mind has me wondering. If you can only have one anything, most will be practical and choose something versatile. For example, my car is a small VW wagon....4 wheel drive for skiing (of course), fair amount of internal room for hauling stuff between 2 houses, acceptable mileage.....and NOT EXCITING. Function over form, yeah, that's me. Some day, I'll treat myself to the ultimate powder ski a BMW 3 series convertible.

So, here's the question, if you had to limit yourself to just one ski, what would you select, and why? No changing the rules if you want to play!

I'm an eastern hard snow skier, therefore, the Sultan 94 will not work. My Supershape would not work for my western trips, sorry Max! My Kastle 88 would come pretty close, but I'd prefer something faster edge to edge, and, I know my knees would agree, so something less stiff works.

So the winner would be in the 78mm to low 80's range. Of the skis I demo'd last year, Nordica Firearrow 80 was a lot of fun, and the new Head Peak in the 78 to 85 range also would appeal. Maybe I could get Ron to part with his Kastle 78's that he never skis. While I could not select a winner, that's my thinking. NOT EXCITING choices to talk about in today's ski equipment forums, but, I'd continue to have fun.

Anybody willing to play along?

[Gary]

Mike...it really boils down to what kind of snow conditions you like to ski in, turn shape and ski skills.

I personally think you like me need 2 pairs of skis. Your eastern hard snow ski with a turning radius between 14 and 16 m and a ski like the Sultan94. Both can be used for a variety of conditions out east and west.

It just make skiing so much more fun having the right tool for the flavor of the day.

There...I'm all in!

[bushwacka]

"a one ski quiver is great, as long as you bring the rest of your skis along"

If I had to limit myself to one ski.... it would be.

186cm Rossi Sickle.

because skiing is most fun in powder, and powder is most fun on huge skis like that. also in the past year I skied more untracked than anything else so my one ski quiver reflects that. The Sickle rocks trees runs while crushing crud and is playfully jibby as well. It would do well enough on skied out woods and skied out steep out west to keep it fun. IF the snow everywhere on the mountain was to hard to ski it, I would just go skate skiing.

 with that said I normally have huge quivers......

This year its going to be....

183 Dynastar WC GS skis/P18s.
174cm Blizzard Mag 8.7/(unless someone wants to buy these)
177cm Blizzard "the one" /Marker Duke
180cm Blizzard Bushwacker /Marker Duke
185cm Blizzard Cochise /Marker Jester
190cm DPS Rp112s /Marker Duke

and I still want to get those Sickle's as well.

[LivingProof]

There...I'm all in!

G,
Not "all in", actually all out!
Read the rules, don't change the game. One ski only.....!

[Gary]

Ok Mike...if you're holding my feet to the fire...I'm thinking in that case....you can rent out west for big snow days...ha!

But  skiing east and west in less than boot high...my thought would edge towards 75 to 82 underfoot. I know you like Kastle products....you should give the MX78 a ride.

Lot of choices in that arena....guessing you'll be the demo king this year....can't wait to read your reviews....g 

[Liam]

It'd be something in the upper 80's low 90, with metal.   Maybe a Blizzard Bushwacker, or maybe I'd go for bigger iron like the Rossi Experience 98. 

You know, for the vast majority of the ski world-the One Ski Quiver is the reality.  I know at the shop most folks are not coming in to buy specialist skis  or additional ones (except for the racers) and they expect the ski they're buying to last 15 years just like the ones they're replacing.

[Gary]

15 years.....away Satan!.... If only the poor lost souls.

Hey Liam...I'm thinking for eastern hardpack...yes my Rossi's S3 comply but I have to work harder to carve them in all day hard snow conditions.

Still thinking something that has a shorter turn radius is special of the day. Might be a few in the upper 80's that could work.

This is fun....let's spend Mikes money....oh yeah!

G

g

[Liam]

The S3 is a great ski for sure, and it is popular in these parts--I'd think in the 178cm it'd be a dang near perfect New England Tree ski for folks who ski at slightly less than Mach 1 speeds in this terrain (like me, for instance).  It's serviceable on soft groomers, too.  Not a bad choice.

One young guy (son of a fellow patroller) who skis with me from time to time skis the Icelantic Shaman 161cm in all conditions!  And he flat out rips--he raced for Castleton State up in vermont for 4 years.  He has excellent technique, and he's also fast and fearless off piste and in the air.  I've skied with him in the sketchiest woods at Killington and around our local little hill-I can't believe the performance he gets out of those skis (from powder to the scratchiest of surfaces).  He tells me his whole crew is on these skis now as their 100% time skies--and swears by the short length in the Shaman.  In fact, for him the short length and it's concomitant short turn radius is the key to that ski's versatility.

Wouldn't be my pick for a 1 ski quiver, but I have to admit, he makes a convincing case for them. 

The S3 has me thinking....I don't know, I think it'd have to be a little more hard snow worthy to by a 1 ski quiver candidate around these parts. 

[Svend]

Mike...ready to sell your Sultan 94's already? You haven't even skied them yet! But I'm guessing you're not serious about that, and that this thread is a little amusement to stir up a lively discussion, and seems to be succeeding.   

Always the willing hound ready to chase a thrown stick such as this, I'll toss in my two-bits:

For an eastern skier with limited days out west (same as myself), I think a good performance ski in the 74 to 80 mm width would be the most versatile.  It's the rare day in the east that you need something wider than 80mm.  Granted, we do get a dump every blue moon, but for us working folk with families, by the time we get out to actually enjoy it, the groomers have packed it all down.  Soft spring mush is another good reason to go wider, but even at that, a moderate-waist ski with a compliant shovel can do wonders to prevent trenching in that stuff.

So, having said that, here's what I would look for:

-- laminate sidewall construction, Ti layer, laterally stiff for exceptional carving performance and edge hold on hard pack and ice;

-- stiff tail...you're a big guy, and need some energy back there

-- compliant shovel to ride over soft snow, crud, chop, spring mush...giving decent float and smooth transitions over rough snow

-- solid high-performance binding, Freeflex, Flowflex or the like, with carve plate.

Specific models? I haven't demoed much in that size range lately, so not really knowledgeable to advise.  I'm completely surprised at how well my Progressor 9's handle soft snow and spring mush, and yet are exceptionally powerful and stable carvers -- amazing for a 70mm ski. 

I tried a Nordica Hot Rod Tempest last year (80mm) and hated it -- shovel was way too stiff to be versatile; skied great at high speed; was a tank for moderate cruising, off-piste, crud, etc.

Peak iM78 was outstanding, but that was a couple of years ago -- not sure what the new ones are like -- last year's model was universally loathed as being a noodle.

Dynastar Contact 4x4 (no longer made?) -- I tried it in a 178 and found it to be heavy and demanding in that length.  172 would have been better.

Dynastar Sultan 85....hmmm....that might be a good one, if on the wide side of the range.  Skied it last year (see my review) and found it playful, light, agile, stable, great edge hold, quick edge-to-edge (for a wider ski).  Not sure how it would do on ice (likely not great), but otherwise a big surprise.

Of the new 2012 skis? Haven't read many reviews, but some look really interesting.  Fischer Progressor 1000 (78mm) looks like a ripper; Head Supershape Titan; Stockli Stormrider 78; Blizzard Mag 8.1.....just a few of the many possibilities...

[jbotti]

For me based on what I have skiied and demo'd it would be the Head IM 78. I continue to believe that there is an 84 or 85mm waisted ski that will ski similar to the IM 78. Every time I go above 85mm underfoot the skis start to feel slow edge to edge and I lose the abilty to really crank quick edge lock carved turns. For me this is essential in a one ski quiver (which means I can't take out me Head SS's or ISL RD's to crank tight turns). The IM 78's with their tight TR just rock on groomers and you can really tighten the arc and it's a great off psite ski as well.

My thought is that the Movement Jam and or the Head Peak 84 (I have skied on neither) may still be quite quick edge to edge (will do nicely carved slalom flushes) and be great off piste skis as well.

For me if I can't work on my edge lock carving on the ski and crank rocking tighter than GS turns, then it can't be a one ski quiver (for me). 

I can still ski the entire day on IM 78's and love the ski anywhere I take it. That defines a great one ski quiver. 

[Svend]

I wonder if the Fischer Motive 84 would fit the bill for Mike? Since the original and venerable iM78 is no longer made and virtually non-existent in the used market, what would be a good stand-in? Tough one....

From the reviews of the Motive 84, that might suit nicely.  Dawgcatching compared it favourably to the Progressor 10 and other highly regarded performance skis, yet with the versatility of the wider waist and softer flex.  Flowflex binding, race plate, sidewall laminate.....looks like a sleeper, but a sweet ski....

[LivingProof]

You know, for the vast majority of the ski world-the One Ski Quiver is the reality. I know at the shop most folks are not coming in to buy specialist skis  or additional ones (except for the racers) and they expect the ski they're buying to last 15 years just like the ones they're replacing.

I agree with Liam. Most people that I talk with at local ski areas have one current pair, maybe some older ones not used anymore. As he works in a shop, Liam has more data points than I do, but, standing in lift lines, I see a lot more aged (more than 2 model years) skis than I see current models. In SE Pa., there are very few wide skis and my 88's standout, many refer to them as powder skis. Of course, where I ski, we don't need no stinkin' quiver because conditions never change from thaw/freeze of manmade snow. Economics play a major part also as our ski areas are located in rural areas lacking in industry.

And Svend, yes, this thread is just a mind game aimed at generating discussion. I'm not looking for my next ski. I am looking forward to actually skiing, in about 10 weeks if the weather patterns run true to form.

[jim-ratliff]

OK, I'm like Svend.  Toss the stick and I'll chase it a bit.

I have two 1-ski-quivers.  The Head SuperShape Magnum for east coast and the SkiLogic Ullr's Chariot for west.

Since I ski more days out west than here in the east, and because I can ski firm surfaces on the UC's better than deeper snow with the Magnum's, if the rules to name a single ski are enforced then I'll pick the UC.  It does surprisingly well on groomed and bumps, and I'll trade the extra effort required for edging for the extra float other places.

[Gary]

Kastle FX84......looks like a very interesting ride!

Still....that MX78 is a brillant ski....just don't think Ron is going to part with it!

Come on Mikey....buy something!!!!....your nation needs you!!!

[bushwacka]

The majority of days for the majority of skiers are NOT pow days.

your are right but its also a self full filling prophecy at stowe. We have real true sometimes bottomless off trail skiing here. but

1.outsiders can not find it, and they certainly can not find all day, and most are unwilling to hike/traverse for it day after after day are just in simply not good enough shape to persue this.

2.When they do find it no amount of skill in the world is going to make their sub 100 mm skis that were killing it on the icey groomers work.

If my one ski quiver choice was a pair of IM78 there is no way I would be seeking out skiing in the woods every run, I would be toast by the end of the day. I would also be worried about being a bottomfeeder on powder runs here because there are tons of stuff underneath the snow to hit.

If I am choosing my Thugs, Sickles, or RP112 I am probably seeking out untracked all day long, and I am probably finding it. Why would I go anywhere near hardpack?

ski choice is a self full filling prophecy what you buy and own is what your going to ski.