I was thinking more of the magazines than Pugski.
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Do Unkind Reviews of Skis Still Exist in the General Media?
- Thread starter Chuck danache
- Start date
Provided they are tuned, I’ve only been on one truly bad ski and that was a long time ago. It was a Graves, heavy and without any life - it was like “numbness”, no feedback.
I once read a review in the seventies that said “ this ski is to a ski what a hockey stick is to a golf club” I don’t remember the ski but I never forgot that analogy.
As devices, skis aren’t complicated and truly bad skis are rare yet truly great skis don’t grow on trees either.
I once read a review in the seventies that said “ this ski is to a ski what a hockey stick is to a golf club” I don’t remember the ski but I never forgot that analogy.
As devices, skis aren’t complicated and truly bad skis are rare yet truly great skis don’t grow on trees either.
The magazine reviews of late have been reading like well placed ads written by the manufacturers ... well I guess that makes sence considering that the magazines are pay to play in that they will not review a ski without the brand paying to get the ski in the test.
Yes, this really seems to be true for me also - including disliking the carbon-y feel and sound; and skis that get "bucked"/tossed around that like happy feet, and tire me out.I try to make it clear that I have a pretty strong preference for skis with ti in them, and I do not like skis that have that weird carbon-y sound. I don't mind some tip flap, though, at least on an all-mountain ski. That being said, I got on a ski yesterday that has ti in it, and still got bucked around which wears me out. It did finish turns strongly, and was really easy to ski, so a person who does not have arthritis in her knees and two torn meniscus might love the livelier feel of those skis. I skied that ski right after being on 3 skis that were really delightful--quiet, damp, playful, and very intuitive to ski. That being said, it still took me a thousand vert to warm up to them. Once I did, I was really tempted to just ski them the rest of the day
I, also, tend to like (often) heavier, "quiet, damp, intuitive" and strong on edge skis, and some that are "playful" in addition.
Lots of people here have been saying skis are just getting better and better - no bad skis anymore, for the most part.
There are to me lots of complicating things in skis and ski reviews these days, in all that diversity of skis, including this year.
Are they really getting better?
Some of the very best still, in my experience, are some pretty old classics - damper, heavier skis that are "quiet, damp and intuitive" -
and strong on edge. In their place are the lighter weight and "lighter swing weight" skis
(many of them "carbon-y" and relatively "bucked" about).
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- Dec 2, 2015
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The who’s it for is pretty important.
And how you ski.
“Playful” descriptions, especially coupled with “progressive” mount are huge red flags for me disliking it. Playful has lots of meanings, but it comes often to mean, skis in a centered upright stance, slashes, wheelies, and butters a lot.
I had the Menace 98 twin tip, skied it for 8 or 9 spring days. For some, it’s probably just great.
I felt it basically kept saying, “go aft young man”. Really, it could care less if you tried to enter a turn at high edge angle forward. Just didn’t respond.
I called it a brain dead golden retriever. But hey, goldens can be fun. And playful.
I have heard from a Rossi rep that the new Forza carving line will be differentiated in models by how much edge angle you ski with. Which I think is quite smart.
And how you ski.
“Playful” descriptions, especially coupled with “progressive” mount are huge red flags for me disliking it. Playful has lots of meanings, but it comes often to mean, skis in a centered upright stance, slashes, wheelies, and butters a lot.
I had the Menace 98 twin tip, skied it for 8 or 9 spring days. For some, it’s probably just great.
I felt it basically kept saying, “go aft young man”. Really, it could care less if you tried to enter a turn at high edge angle forward. Just didn’t respond.
I called it a brain dead golden retriever. But hey, goldens can be fun. And playful.
I have heard from a Rossi rep that the new Forza carving line will be differentiated in models by how much edge angle you ski with. Which I think is quite smart.
Sweet mother of Pearl, ain’t that the truth. One of my top three skis of all time is the Blossom AM77/Whiteout/Hart Striker/etc. That build is decades old and fantastic to this day. New isn’t always better. When is the last time legit SL skis changed?
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- Feb 15, 2017
- Posts
- 567
Sorry, I haven't read all the posts but my buddy demoed about 10 skis at Mammoth Mtn a few years back. He had 1 pair of 78 width skis so I suggested maybe a mid 90 ski too.
I cant recall all the skis but I suggested starting with 90-92 type skis first. By the way, he's an advanced 6'5" 220 skier.
He liked about 3 of them but wasnt sure. The very last ski was the Volkl Mantra (I think 100 width). He knew within 15 minutes that these were the skis for him.
Bottom line, he had no idea what skis were best for him until he demoed about 10 pairs of them until he had the biggest smile on his face
I cant recall all the skis but I suggested starting with 90-92 type skis first. By the way, he's an advanced 6'5" 220 skier.
He liked about 3 of them but wasnt sure. The very last ski was the Volkl Mantra (I think 100 width). He knew within 15 minutes that these were the skis for him.
Bottom line, he had no idea what skis were best for him until he demoed about 10 pairs of them until he had the biggest smile on his face
Just read this review a few minutes ago: https://gigiski.com/review-fischer-rc-one-72-multiflex-2/. Pretty clearly negative.
Yes, people here are biased about their own skis. Not sure how that addresses the OP’s question about reviews in the general media. It’s all pay to play, and it’s obvious everywhere. Which is why the topic was brought up.
Thread Starter
TS
And a bit funny as well!
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LOL at the comments section "this must be why they burned the whole factory in Ukraine and all the skis with it". They don't sell that ski in the US and I've honestly been dying to try it, no big loss I guess. Then again, maybe it is the ski for me, we may never know.
At gigiski.com, we have some not-very-positive reviews online:
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gigiski.com
Review: Review: Fischer The Curv DTX
Model year: 2021-2022Sidecut: 117-70-100Size: 171 cmRadius: 15,5 mTechnology: wood core, full sidewall, 0.5 mm titanal, carbon, tip-rocker About this ski Fischer has revamped their entire Curv seri…
gigiski.com
Review: Head World Cup Rebels e.GSR
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 120-68-101Size: 177 cmRadius: 15.7 mTechnology: wood core, full sidewall, metal, EMC F About this ski Just like the rest of the World Cup Rebels skis, the e.GSR has …
gigiski.com
Review: Stöckli Montero AR
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 128-84-114Size: 175 cmRadius: 16.3 mTechnology: wood core, metal, tip and tail rocker About this ski The Montero AR used to be the Laser AR. All in all, not much has c…
gigiski.com
Review: Head Supershape e-Speed
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 121-68-104Size: 170Radius: 14 mTechnology: wood core, sidewall, graphene, metal, tip rocker, camber underfoot, EMC About this ski Head’s Supershape series has been aro…
gigiski.com
Review: Atomic Maverick 95 TI
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 129-94.5-113Size: 180 cmRadius: 19.3 mTechnology: wood core, metal, full sidewall, tip and tail rocker, HRZN tech tip About this ski This Maverick line is Atomic’s ‘Am…
gigiski.com
Review: Line Blade
Model year: 2021-2022Sidecut: 154-95-124Size: 181 cmRadius: ‘tight’Technology: wood core, full sidewall, some metal and TPU reinforcements, tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot About this ski Line…
gigiski.com
Yeah, that's the ultimate burn in my book.
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- Dec 2, 2015
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I remember demoing the Liberty V76. You had to throw it on edge for each turn. Transitions were scary. But, it was clearly a horrible factory tune I was stuck on for a day. Had the snow been firm everywhere, I would’ve had to take the time to switch.
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Well Fischer put a hole in the tip…
It’s the only thing people want to know about, why the hole? I’ve had to make up some crazy answers, from being greener by saving material, to haning on a wall.
If you talk about the real reason, people become a glazed donut, do I’m just helping humanity.
The latest, developed with a 9 yr old, the hole is for hanging the skis from the straps to pull the bubble down. That’s so when you’re trapped on the lift, and have to spend the night in there, patrol knows you’re in there.
Reading those reviews makes me appreciate the measured, thoughtful tone of SkiTalk and Ski Essentials even more. YMMV, clearly.At gigiski.com, we have some not-very-positive reviews online:
Review: Review: Fischer The Curv DTX
Model year: 2021-2022Sidecut: 117-70-100Size: 171 cmRadius: 15,5 mTechnology: wood core, full sidewall, 0.5 mm titanal, carbon, tip-rocker About this ski Fischer has revamped their entire Curv seri…Review: Head World Cup Rebels e.GSR
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 120-68-101Size: 177 cmRadius: 15.7 mTechnology: wood core, full sidewall, metal, EMC F About this ski Just like the rest of the World Cup Rebels skis, the e.GSR has …Review: Stöckli Montero AR
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 128-84-114Size: 175 cmRadius: 16.3 mTechnology: wood core, metal, tip and tail rocker About this ski The Montero AR used to be the Laser AR. All in all, not much has c…Review: Head Supershape e-Speed
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 121-68-104Size: 170Radius: 14 mTechnology: wood core, sidewall, graphene, metal, tip rocker, camber underfoot, EMC About this ski Head’s Supershape series has been aro…Review: Atomic Maverick 95 TI
Model year: 2022-2023Sidecut: 129-94.5-113Size: 180 cmRadius: 19.3 mTechnology: wood core, metal, full sidewall, tip and tail rocker, HRZN tech tip About this ski This Maverick line is Atomic’s ‘Am…Review: Line Blade
Model year: 2021-2022Sidecut: 154-95-124Size: 181 cmRadius: ‘tight’Technology: wood core, full sidewall, some metal and TPU reinforcements, tip and tail rocker, camber underfoot About this ski Line…
Whoah. Crushingly negative review. What a relief to read something unquestionably negative.
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Ah yeah.... forgot about that one. Must have deleted it from my memory somehow.
This attitude of not offending manufacturers will lead to consumers, like me, not trusting any ski reviews, which btw, was one factor in the demise of ski magazines.