Nov 16 2017
Now that the pendulum is swinging back from the fringes of phat skis to moderately wide skis, what used to called fat but is now even skinny, Black Diamond’s Helio 88 should perk your interest. It’s a solid ski that lets you minimize weight without sacrificing good performance. Of course, a lot depends on …
Mar 07 2017
Skis are a funny business. They are a combination of what one might consider mere mechanical construction, yet they are also part art. A portion of that is certainly due to the delight we experience when shussing through the snow, but the real magic is how ski designers can take what are essentially a common …
Oct 13 2015
Even with a pair of one of the heaviest alpine tech bindings mounted to them, Marker’s Kingpin, Volkl’s new VTA88 is a bonafide welterweight. Without bindings you might even consider them to be featherweight, but that would suggest an absence of muscle that in reality, the VTA has no shortage of. Think of the VTA88 …
Mar 02 2015
Last week I managed to get out on Blizzard’s Zero G for two days and can confirm they are a worthy contender for next year’s addition to your quiver. The Zero G is Blizzards entry into the lightweight, carbon enhanced backcountry ski category that continues to amaze with skis weighing less than three pounds per …
Nov 19 2014
Carbon is the rage in skis these days, and for good reason. From the rumblings I’m hearing, it won’t be going away anytime soon. One example of why is G3’s Synapse. It has the requisite muscle necessary to make up for what heavier skis do with mass. At speed they get a bit skittery, but …
Oct 21 2014
To behold the statistics of Black Diamond’s Carbon Aspect is to be tempted with a model of touring perfection. At least, to this ol’ guys perspective. Fat skis are the rage and weight is great and all that except that it’s not. In the backcountry extra flotation comes with a heavy price and for my …
Sep 22 2014
It was two seasons ago my preconceived notions about rockered skis, especially the too fat variety, were blown to smithereens. For me, that means anything wider than 110mm at the waist which simply cannot hold sufficient edge for good all round, backcountry skiing. The example was Volkl’s V-Werks Katana, a magical mix of wood core …
Recent Comments