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Individual Review 21/22 Moment Wildcat 116 184 cm

Ron

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After my revelation on the Wildcat 108 last season I decided to go big with the 116. My review of the Wildcat 116 is pretty much identical to the 108 but with added float, quickness and even more stability. I think the main difference comes down to mass of the ski. They do feel fairly damp and very grounded on cut-up, skied out snow but have more float and ease when pivoting in the trees. I mounted these with Pivot 15's (raw) on the line. My initial thoughts were they were too far forward when I picked them up from Steamboat Ski And Bike but once on the snow, they felt balanced and just right. For 2021/22, The Wildcat 116 was beefed back up to the OG prowess adding some stability and dampness. This, with the stout section in front and behind the binding, along with moderate flexing tips and tails, the Wildcats ski beautifully. The dimensions of the 184 are 141-116-131 with significant rocker lines, again identical (or near) to the 108. I'm 5' 11+ and about 170. I ski the 184 and not the 190 because the ski is so stable, and I ski trees almost exclusively on a powder day, there is no need to go longer.

My testing at this point is just 2 days but they were seriously deep powder days with some of the most challenging weather conditions. With high winds, driving snow and low cloud coverage we were skiing trees with wind load, pre-existing bumped out snow and only able to see 1- 2 turns ahead at best. the Wildcats simply make this snow easy to ski, you can stay very centered over the ski and drive the tip as needed. The tips never once submarined, yes, they would go under the snow but when hitting the back side of a bump or undulation, the flex pattern is such that you don't get bucked, it's a very consistent flex and release of energy. They provided total confidence to charge. In tight spots, the skis at the factory suggested point of -6 from center, pivoted effortlessly. Edge hold when encountering wind scoured pockets and on sections of skied out groomers was superb.

Today I skied Hurricane, a long black bump run that was completely smooth with over a foot of wind deposited powder. It wasnt blower today but more towards medium density. (soft, but had noticeable resistance) dropping in on the top, I was treated to a virtually untracked run. The Wildcats floated over this snow perfectly and I made medium radius turns the whole run as if it was a groomed run with a few inches on top. I also took them into Steamboats Premier Bump run, Whiteout. Its a long bump run with VW sized bumps. The bumps were filled in with well over a foot of fairly light powder, the Wildcats showed how they can charge here. I was skiing off the tops and down into the powder filled troughs, the tips and shovels worked very well for such a burly ski, I would call it confidence inspiring since you really didnt know what was ahead of you, my friend Called it "puff, puff, slam" skiing. again the skis perform exceptionally well. For a 116 wide ski, its superbly stable and strong and yet so easy and flickable. l had no issues handling them. Because of the mount point, I was literally picking them up and redirecting the ski in the air.

I finished up skiing yesterday on Vertigo and Teds,. They are lower Mountain steeper runs that often get overlooked. The powder was tracked out with large piles well over the boot of loose and firm snow as well as a lot of natural terrain undulations. The Wildcats were remarkably composed in this snow, they were stable and assuring in this snow which was challenging. they allowed very smooth turn transitions and again, you could trust the ski not to fold on surprise undulations and hard pre-existing bumps.

So once again, I have to give the Wildcats my all-time favorite powder ski. The next phase in testing will be at what point do I grab the 108 vs the 116.


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Tony S

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It's amazing how they managed to transfer the graphics from that Young Adult book jacket to the topsheets. :duck:
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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I did not see that coming.
 
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Reactions: Ron

ski otter 2

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Great review, @Ron. I've been skiing the 184/116 Moment Bibby Pros for a number of years. (Also own the 190/118, but have not "clicked" with it. May never.) Sounds like the newest Wildcats 184/116 are pretty comparable. Hooray. Such a wonderful ski. It was the Blistergear flagship ski for as long as it was being made - for good reason.
 
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Ron

Ron

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Great review, @Ron. I've been skiing the 184/116 Moment Bibby Pros for a number of years. (Also own the 190/118, but have not "clicked" with it. May never.) Sounds like the newest Wildcats 184/116 are pretty comparable. Hooray. Such a wonderful ski. It was the Blistergear flagship ski for as long as it was being made - for good reason.

yeah, I was slow to the game but gladly chugging the Cool-aid now. :thumb: Its a time-tested design that is genius. It just skis so well. Yesterday we finished up on some steeper runs that had boot high + cut up medium density powder. the Wildcat just cut through the piled up snow with ease while remaining nimble and easy.
 

Ken_R

Living the Dream
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Yall gonna make be have to buy another pair or 2 of Moment skis again.
 

Ken_R

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...my ocd kicking in again: :facepalm: :roflmao:

Screen Shot 2022-01-07 at 10.43.33 AM.png
 

Truberski

Getting off the lift
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It is so hard for me to ignore this type of ski given my previous ski life but so impractical for my current locale (Vermont). But this type of design has such a halo effect from my Utah days. You could justify using them very often (in a normal Utah winter) and they really can be a lot of fun on the runouts and groomers (on an otherwise off piste day). I never tried Moments but this looks like a design that I would really like. Thanks for the help with my virtual quiver…..
 

ski otter 2

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Forgive me for the memories, but I can remember vividly the day (10" easier day at Loveland) when I first tried out my new Moment Bibby Pros 184, the ski the new, heavier Wildcats are like again. They had been billed as more playful than charger, in contrast to the 190, which was more charger than playful. I was in the fall line, basically testing the "charge" of the 184s, and it was like a light bulb going on: for a 150 lbs./5'10" guy like me who is a good but by no means elite skier, these things could both charge and be playful; they were so dialed in as they almost carved the powder, as if by themselves - just a dialed in, amazing turn and feel. Drop off into steep powder and drifts: my heavens, unflappable. Into the trees: my heavens again, so easy to flow/turn these babies there in a very fun way. And in the chop? Almost as though it wasn't there, or rather, as if it were almost as great a medium as pure powder. A ski that made wide skis make sense.

As I was getting tired and wanting to slow down a bit with more playfulness and turniness, and be throwing them sideways a bit also, in chop and crud, another light bulb went off, for what has become, for me, the defining quality of this ski - the way it finds a neat rhythm with its playfulness, slow or fast, just making any powder/crud conditions a sweet spot kinda day. It's a dang safe, comfortable ski, with almost no upper limit as a bonus.*
 

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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I am going to have to drop by Moment and see if I can get on a pair of Commander 98s. I've had Deathwish (a few runs, didn't mesh, sold them), Tahoe (fine at speed but didn't mesh), and Night Trains (125 under foot but cool graphics). I use them to ski at Chez Ziggy or down my street. Abysmal on groomers and I'm never sure I was in enough powder to make them work well. I keep asking Luke at Moment to make a narrow ski for guys like me who would really prefer a <90 for a DD but it's not going to happen. And that's OK; he and his crew know their market and are doing well enough that they're moving to a new place that is, I believe, about 3x the size of where they are now.
 

ski otter 2

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*P.S. The 190 Bibby Pro, and presumably new Wildcat 118, is another matter, at least for a mid weight to lighter person. It wants more speed with a bigger turn, than I am comfortable with, especially in deep, wet snow. Maybe for a heavier guy the 190 is more like the 184 is for me - safe and comfortable, whatever the speed and terrain/conditions. But for me the 190 so far works only on less steep or gnarly terrain/conditions, where I can let it run, make faster, more powerful turns, short or long. It's good then.

For me, at least, the 190 is more a charger: that is, for me it asks for more speed to get in its rhythm than I am comfortable with as an older guy.
 

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