Best AT skis

[BootsandPants]

Anyone try the K2 Backup or Sideshow? I've been looking for something narrower than what I tour on now for days when the conditions dictate. I do want the metal laminate and progressive sidecut of these skis (rules out the Wayback).

Would mount with tech binders for sure (G3 swap plates ftw).

[tvashtarkatena]

BD Aspect? Dynafit Manaslu?

 

I'm going 95-100 underfoot.

Edited February 3, 2012 by tvashtarkatena

[counterfeitfake]

I demoed the Manaslu, it is really, really light. Pretty stiff and the rocker is nice, but I think it's a little too light. It gets knocked around easily and seems like it won't take much abuse.

 

I demoed the Stoke, and thought it was good, I might have bought it if I could have found a deal. Definitely stiffer with more edge bite than the Coomback. More sidecut than the Manaslu.

 

Dynafit's skins are rad.

 

I demoed the BD Drift and didn't like it, I can't remember why.

 

Generally I haven't liked BD skis much, they seem stiff in a weird way, I have heard that it's the tail is unusually stiff relative to the rest of the ski. I owned BD Verdicts and sold them for this reason, they were always kicking my ass in soft snow. I have a pair of Kilowatts with tele bindings, but I suck at tele skiing so I can't really tell whether I like them or not.

[tvashtarkatena]

Atomic Drifters?

[JoshK]

I demoed the Manaslu, it is really, really light. Pretty stiff and the rocker is nice, but I think it's a little too light. It gets knocked around easily and seems like it won't take much abuse.

 

Dynafit's skins are rad.

 

I have a pair of the Manaslu and it's true that they can get knocked around easily in icy or chunky snow. In softer snow they ski quite well and the weight is hard to beat. Indeed, the Dynafit skin system is very well done. For days with a lot of uphill skinning, the Manaslu weight combined with the Dynafit skin system makes things about as easy as they'll get.

[trumpetsailor]

Might add the Voile Vector to your list of ~95-100 mm skis. Marmot had 'em on a bit of a sale last week. I've seen rumors, maybe on telemarktips, of sales online too. ~95 mm seems like a great size for a do-it-all ski.

[Pete_H]

Atomic Drifters?

 

You're really good at getting Atomic and Voile mixed up. Voiles are a U.S. company, Atomic is from the Austria.

[wfinley]

I've skied the Manaslus hard for 4 seasons now in just about every condition from deep powder to solid ice. Yes you get pushed around a bit but if you're looking for a BC ski the light weight is well worth the trade off in getting pushed around in mank. That said... I just got a pair of Stokes and am liking them. However I've yet to ski them in anything but blower powder so I can't really give a review.

[trumpetsailor]

Atomic Drifters?

You're really good at getting Atomic and Voile mixed up. Voiles are a U.S. company, Atomic is from the Austria.

They may be from the Austria, but they make a ski called "Drifter" that's 95 mm underfoot.

 

BD also makes a "Drift".

 

Voile started the whole thing with the "Drifter"

 

 

Naming a ski "Drift*" is the next big thing in skis, now that "early rise" is commonplace. Look for DriftBacks and SideDrifts from K2 next season.

 

[ryanb]

They made the manaslu stiffer last year by giving it the stoke construction and made the old version the new women's version.

 

[backclipped]

I just mounted up some MFD plates for some guy yesterday....has anyone given these things a spin?

[backclipped]

...looks pretty flat. How many passes over the grinder did it take? The last time I worked over a pair of Never Summer's skis it took about 30 passes +/- a few. Just mounted up a friend's Nomads. I didn't take a true bar to the bases, but I did throw a coat of wax on them, and they definitely seemed flatter than earlier generations. Like Never Summer boards, these planks are indeed built tough.....

 

[tvashtarkatena]

Thinkin' Manaslu w/Dynafits

[backclipped]

....bummer.

[tvashtarkatena]

Oh, I'll be just fine.

[backclipped]

I know. I still haven't choked down the Dynafit Kool-aid, and it isn't likely that I ever will; but those Manaslu boards review quite well. Good luck, and of course, have fun.

[tvashtarkatena]

After 30 years of tely, I'm more worried about the meat puppet than the stix.

[Bronco]

Do the Mansalus match your pants/jacket/pack? I can't beleive this was overlooked in this important thread!

[tvashtarkatena]

I'll need to purchase all new matching winter clothing of course, but that'll only be a fraction of the cost of hardware.

[Pete_H]

Shit. A new shell is like 500 bones.

[wfinley]

Have fun. I love my Manaslus & you can't beat the weight. Besides - when snow conditions suck you should go ice climbing.

 

You'll need this to match your new gear:

 

[stevetimetravlr]

The best pair of skis is the ones having the most fun! Thats what Im talking!

[jon]

This thread warrants a "shit backcountry skiers say" video.

Edited February 6, 2012 by jon

[tvashtarkatena]

Have fun. I love my Manaslus & you can't beat the weight. Besides - when snow conditions suck you should go ice climbing.

 

You'll need this to match your new gear:

 

 

Holy shit you beat me to that punchline. Is there a pressurized option so I can ski the Martian poles?

[tvashtarkatena]

Ordered Dynafit TLT5 Mountains and Manaslus. Got fresh skins for em. Now for bindings...

 

Anybody want to get rid of a pair of dynafits?

 

BOOTS ARE HERE. FUCK YEAH.

 

Dynafit Manaslus and Speed Radical bindings are on order.

Edited February 10, 2012 by tvashtarkatena