What makes a good crud ski ?
I loved my Icelantic Gypsies for crud busting - fat, heavy, stable, damp. The 4 wheeler of skis. I once ran over a soccer ball-sized chunk of ice with them, and just kept right on trucking. They did not care. But they were also exhausting to ski all day. Heavy cuts both ways.
Getting on the Santa Ana was a revelation - an everyday ski that busted crud. I don't think they'd do quite as well with a soccer ball of ice, but short of that, they're pretty impressive. And THAT is what led me to realize that I am a big fan of sidewall construction in general, but especially in crud.
What I look for in a crude ski is stiffness, tip and radius allowing carve ability in 3D and an awful gutter mouth.
I loved my Icelantic Gypsies for crud busting - fat, heavy, stable, damp. The 4 wheeler of skis. I once ran over a soccer ball-sized chunk of ice with them, and just kept right on trucking. They did not care. But they were also exhausting to ski all day. Heavy cuts both ways.
My favorite crud ski is the Nordica Girish, slight tip rocker, traditional camber through the tail, 25m tr. Damp and smooth, very nice.
I like a crud ski that knifes through crud rather one that rides up and over. It comes down to 'intent', I would rather ski fast making longer turns than 'noodle', for noodling I would want something lighter with a bit more rocker and maybe a touch wider.