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All Mountain Carver OSQ for Groomers/Groomer Powder Day-STockli AR v Fischer RC One 86 or others

Buddy4s

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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San Diego/Mammoth
I am an advanced skier looking for a good carver biased one ski quiver for aggressively skiing mostly groomers that will also work decently on a powder covered groomer day after a storm or briefly skiing in trees (5% or less). I demoed a Stockli AR at the end of last season and fell in love with it...I have never skied better in my life and it was magical! I then promptly preordered the new 2023 version which will come in a few months but still have the option to get something different. I was coming off an intermediate Salomon ski that was below my ability (too soft). I am now wondering if I should have demoed some other skis since the bar was low on the ski I was coming from such that many skis may have seemed awesome. I know the Stockli AR will be great for me but maybe should have tried other all mountain carver biased skis like the Fischer RC One 86, Kendo 88 or SR 88. I did also demo the AX and while I liked it I felt the AR was more "snappy" for skiing aggressively and liked the idea of more versatility.

I am looking for comments on how the Fischer RC One 86 or the others would compare to the AR and whether you think it is worth demoing them or if I should just stick with the ski I loved and call it good. My biggest reservation is whether the AR will hold up OK on a groomer powder day as a OSQ. As a final issue, I am 5'9", 160 lbs and wondering if 170 is the best size for me which is what I ordered (I demoed the 168 and new version option is 170 or 175-wouldn't go less). Thanks much!
 
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Buddy4s

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Jul 15, 2022
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2
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San Diego/Mammoth
I demoed Laser AR 168 but preordered Montero AR in 170. It seems they should be similar with a negligible 1mm width increase.
 

PinnacleJim

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Aug 21, 2017
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Killington/Pico, VT
I am about your size, and agree that about 170 is the right length. And a mid-80s width is a good compromise for a OSQ. No first hand experience with the skis you are considering, but they all have good reputations. If I was looking for something similar to what you are, I would have the Head V10 on the short list, mainly because I own the narrower V8 and really like it.
 

silverback

Talking a lot about less and less
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Sep 16, 2016
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Wasatch
I demoed Laser AR 168 but preordered Montero AR in 170. It seems they should be similar with a negligible 1mm width increase.
They didn’t just add a mm in width. Different build and shape too.
 

Slemers

Getting off the lift
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Jan 31, 2021
Posts
291
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PNW
I am an advanced skier looking for a good carver biased one ski quiver for aggressively skiing mostly groomers that will also work decently on a powder covered groomer day after a storm or briefly skiing in trees (5% or less). I demoed a Stockli AR at the end of last season and fell in love with it...I have never skied better in my life and it was magical! I then promptly preordered the new 2023 version which will come in a few months but still have the option to get something different. I was coming off an intermediate Salomon ski that was below my ability (too soft). I am now wondering if I should have demoed some other skis since the bar was low on the ski I was coming from such that many skis may have seemed awesome. I know the Stockli AR will be great for me but maybe should have tried other all mountain carver biased skis like the Fischer RC One 86, Kendo 88 or SR 88. I did also demo the AX and while I liked it I felt the AR was more "snappy" for skiing aggressively and liked the idea of more versatility.

I am looking for comments on how the Fischer RC One 86 or the others would compare to the AR and whether you think it is worth demoing them or if I should just stick with the ski I loved and call it good. My biggest reservation is whether the AR will hold up OK on a groomer powder day as a OSQ. As a final issue, I am 5'9", 160 lbs and wondering if 170 is the best size for me which is what I ordered (I demoed the 168 and new version option is 170 or 175-wouldn't go less). Thanks much!
I bought a pair of RC ONES in 175 wirh the system bindings this season on the forum. I'm 6'1 and 178 lbs give or take. The magical feeling you got with the ARs is what I felt with the the RC ONES. I started the season on Dynastar Speedzone 12s. After I purchased the GT 86s I would ski them every day I went out this season. Sometimes I would start out on the Dynas on the hardpack groomers but at lunch I would switch to the RC ONES.
They are super easy to ski , I don't think you can go wrong with this ski either :) They did quite well on the 3-4 inch powder days I encountered. I'm a bluebird skier primarily so I never encountered any deep stuff.
 

tromano

Goin' the way they're pointed...
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Dec 28, 2015
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Groomers with pow on top are hero snow. No bad choices on those days. I think you struck oil on the ar. Time to stop drilling.
 

Seldomski

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Sep 25, 2017
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'mericuh
I have the RC One and demoed the AR (before it was rebranded as Montero).
RC One is a bit stiffer than the AR, a bit heavier, and a bit wider. So it is better for charging in crud than the AR. I think the tail on the RC One releases a little easier too. They are both all-mountain carvers skis. I'd say the AR is biased a little more toward carving than the RC One and the RC One is a tiny bit more versatile.

I wouldn't pick either for a powder day (>6" of snow), but they are certainly skiable in powder. Fischer would probably handle a bit more snow than the AR before it became a real bear.
 

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