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Individual Review Mantra M6 "Ball of Confusion"

AlexisLD

Getting off the lift
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what about m6 184 vs 191? I didnt feel the 191 was that much stiffer if any
You can select any ski you want in our comparator. You just have to search for the desired ski and click on it. But here is the link for that comparison.

They have exactly the same stiffnesses. They also have the same running length (i.e., they make the 191 longer by extending the ends of the tip/tail). If you test them on hard snow, you would have very similar experience. The 191 is slightly heavier and has a longer sidecut radius (22 vs 20), but that is about it.

The 184/191 are stiffer than the 177 and 170. We often see stiffnesses increase in "steps" for different lengths. That is part of why some lengths feel relatively longer/shorter than other models of the same length...
 
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Yo Momma

Yo Momma

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I was going to say the same thing! I want those pants because they’d match my ski jacket! LOL.

That is all.

Wait….no it’s not. What boots are you skiing in that photo?

They look like the well known Tecnica "Spats" model.
Boots are Salomon Impact CS 120 :beercheer:

FYI for anyone shopping for ski boots: ( Sorry for the long post and Thread Pimp... on my own thread!!! )

When I went to my buddy who is Master boot fitter in Stowe in 2008 to replace my Technica Icons I think?? ( don't remember the model), he told me that the boot for my foot shape had not yet been developed and after watching me ski, that was part of why I was having so much trouble fundamentally improving my technique and leveling up. The next year he called me in August and I went over and spent 6 hrs on a summer day w/ him fitting "The Correct" boot and footbeds. It was the Salomon Impact Pro. The shell fit so well, he dropped me from a 29.5 to a 27.5 (my Hoka running's are size 11 wide).

Those finally wore out after 600+ days and I bought TWO sets of the next several years versions of the Salomon Impact CS 120s plus ordering several additional heel and toe sets from Lockwoods Sports (amazing shop that carries some of the most detail items) in the U.K. On the Pros he meticulously set them up w/ custom foot beds so that my feet were completely flat on the granite slab he used for that purpose. I had new foot beds constructed ( Masterfit Instaprint + Snow ) and doctored the new set exactly as he showed me including my Hotronics discs, but adding in the shell heating component of the newer CS 120 gave an even higher level of support and comfort. I have one more set to go till I need to upgrade.

He had some interesting comments of note about boots:

1- He said w/ these particular Salomon's, no need to go higher than a 120 for serious recreational skiing. The Impact Pro line was developed for all day comfort as a "coaches" boot.

2- If your recreational shell fits properly (by his meticulous standards), no need to ever change out the liner. There was barely any room for the liner and I can only use ultra thin socks that are pretty much see through. No issues w/ the cold as my circulation is not impeded and shell pressure points are all relieved. As a test, I bought and I tried a pair of Intuition liners and failed as they were much too thick for my size shell. Now I like Super Tight....... not pain.

3- To get "Flat" w/ my body mechanics and terrible alignment, I needed a boot w/ a) Instep buckle adjustment b) boot cuff alignment adj c) heel and toe Cant adjustment. I'm curious to see how the new heated shells accomplish all this as it took an entire season of runs to micro adj all the parameters properly. Also as you gain and lose wgt season to season, you have to re-adjust your boots. That makes me suspect of all the newer heated shell boots that have done away w/ those micro-adjustments in favor of having to re-heat your shell to achieve optimal integration. Maybe @Philpug can chime in on this w/ more solid info as mine is only one guy's evidence based experience.

4- Booster Strap........... Did I say Booster Strap???? Yes ... Booster Strap! :beercheer:

High end recreational boots need to be "Skin Tight" ... Not Pain!

 

Tony Storaro

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Very interested in these to put them in rotation with the SR95.
How do I size them? At 6' and around 190lbs what do I do?


Please say 184... :ogbiggrin: :ogbiggrin:
 

anders_nor

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I have the Mantra M6 184. It feels like the perfect length for me (5'9" 190 lbs). It feels light compared to the GS racing skis I'm normally used to. Very fun. I was originally skeptical of wider skis, until I tried it. I am impressed that Volkl found this magic formula for the M6.
If used to GS racing skis, try the M102 2020-2022
 
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Yo Momma

Yo Momma

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Very interested in these to put them in rotation with the SR95.
How do I size them? At 6' and around 190lbs what do I do?


Please say 184... :ogbiggrin: :ogbiggrin:

For wide open spaces out west and many parts of Europe I DEFINITELY would go w/ the 184's. The M6 is well balanced and at that length you will be able to handle just about any conditions you encounter. If I were only skiing wide open glaciers and bowls, or if in "Beast Mode" w/ the legs to match (semi-pro athlete shape) I'd consider the M102's, but more likely the M6 in 191. If I were doing a trip to Europe, to just about anywhere I'd want the M6 in a 184 @ 6' 215 lbs. The 184 is an excellent general purpose choice that gives you the highest amount of versatility for your $$$. If you have extra cash to burn :huh: ...... there are lots of other skis I'd research in the wider categories. Personally for wider I went w/ the Line Sick Day and J Skis Vacation both in a 104 width and a set of Dynastar Cham 107's High Mtn's for B/C, all around 186 length. My next ski will most likely be something like the Moment Wildcat 108.

I ski them short @177 bec where I ski I'm on single track mtn bike trails and short bursts of steep, super tight trees. If it dumps I want something much larger, if it's chunky, chunder, thick messy snow... I'm on my Bones (Blizzard Bonafide's) w/ two sheets of metal to smooth out all that rough stuff.

I tested the 177's in the "rough" yesterday, just to see. Yeah.... not their forte at that length. I'm not reporting that as a "weakness" of the M6 due to my choice to size down. I needed a longer version for 3 to 4 day old "Chalk" snow w/ ruts and death cookies. :beercheer:
 
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anders_nor

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For wide open spaces out west and many parts of Europe I DEFINITELY would go w/ the 184's. The M6 is well balanced and at that length you will be able to handle just about any conditions you encounter. If I were only skiing wide open glaciers and bowls, or if in "Beast Mode" w/ the legs to match (semi-pro athlete shape) I'd consider the M102's, but more likely the M6 in 191. If I were doing a trip to Europe, to just about anywhere I'd want the M6 in a 184 @ 6' 215 lbs. The 184 is an excellent general purpose choice that gives you the highest amount of versatility for your $$$. If you have extra cash to burn :huh: ...... there are lots of other skis I'd research in the wider categories. Personally for wider I went w/ the Line Sick Day and J Skis Vacation both in a 104 width and a set of Dynastar Cham 107's High Mtn's for B/C, all around 186 length. My next ski will most likely be something like the Moment Wildcat 108.

I ski them short @177 bec where I ski I'm on single track mtn bike trails and short bursts of steep, super tight trees. If it dumps I want something much larger, if it's chunky, chunder, thick messy snow... I'm on my Bones (Blizzard Bonafide's) w/ two sheets of metal to smooth out all that rough stuff.

I tested the 177's in the "rough" yesterday, just to see. Yeah.... not their forte at that length. I'm not reporting that as a "weakness" of the M6 due to my choice to size down. I needed a longer version for 3 to 4 day old "Chalk" snow w/ ruts and death cookies. :beercheer:
you need to demo the M102 btw.
 
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Yo Momma

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you need to demo the M102 btw.
This is the quote from Blister: " It’s (M102 in 184) not that much heavier than the 180 cm Blizzard Bonafide " For me, the 180 Bones are at my limit, if not above my wgt preference for skis. My legs just aren't powerful enough to rock those, all day long. The Bones make up for the wgt by using "Flipcore" tech which essentially makes that heavy ski turn on a dime at even 5 mph from pretty much any position especially the newer Bones. They ski super light for their weight. I curious as to whether the M102 can pull that off? They are saying, it requires high input in tight spaces... whereas the Bones can easily flip around in tight spaces.

The M102 sounds like an impressive ski for hard charging and open terrain. It also sounds quite versatile for that terrain profile. I think that if I didn't have the Bones, I'd have a set of M102's probably in a 177 to calm down the wgt and stiffness factor. If you're skiing an M6 and saying, "Where's the Beef?" you need the M102's. Much respect if you can rock those all day! :beercheer:
 

anders_nor

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I think you think the M102's are more unwieldy then they are

just dont do slow in wet deep snow in tight treees and your good. If you do on 191's you will start to question things.
 
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Yo Momma

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There you go! :ogbiggrin:
Thank you!

Bindings? Marker I guess, but which one?
I mounted my M6's w/ Tyrolia Attack 14's, mostly to color coordinate. My current binding preference is the Look Pivot series. Either the P 14's or P15's depending on your budget. Those Looks are bulletproof. First pic is J Skis Vacation w/ P14's.
 

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Guy in Shorts

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Great discussion on skis that I love. Added the M102 in 177 to the quiver last year. Wife got a new pair of Volkl Secret 96’s so my turn is up. I need the M102 in the 184 for those rare hard charging days. Need to replace my worn out M5’s with the new M6’s Need to replace my loved to death second pair of Renoun Endurances with a third copy. Really would love to add a Katana 108. Which of these four should I pull the trigger on first? My current ranking.

1) Katana 108 in 184
2) Renoun Endurance 98 in 184
3) Mantra 102 in 184
4) Mantra M6 in 177 or 184

My stats again 62 yo 240# 6 ft tall daily Killington skier that lives in the untracked/ pushed up that others avoid.
 
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Thread Starter
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Yo Momma

Yo Momma

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Great discussion on skis that I love. Added the M102 in 177 to the quiver last year. Wife got a new pair of Volkl Secret 96’s so my turn is up. I need the M102 in the 184 for those rare hard charging days. Need to replace my worn out M5’s with the new M6’s Need to replace my loved to death second pair of Renoun Endurances with a third copy. Really would love to add a Katana 108. Which of these four should I pull the trigger on first? My current ranking.

1) Katana 108 in 184
2) Renoun Endurance 98 in 184
3) Mantra 102 in 184
4) Mantra M6 in 177 or 184

My stats again 62 yo 240# 6 ft tall daily Killington skier that lives in the untracked/ pushed up that others avoid.

I agree w/ @anders_nor for the Hard Charger category . :beercheer: I'm 60 yo so I now prioritize all day use, on these mostly used up legs. For a more versatile ride I'd personally go w/ the M6 184. My 177's charge hard but I have the "Chill Button" option and they easily comply. I may jump into the 184's at some point. The ski is just so insanely intuitive that I want to try them in a longer length.
 

Guy in Shorts

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The real problem is that I ski more that 150 days a season yet I am trying to get by with only one new pair of skis each year. First 70 days on a new pair are the primetime. Skis just age out after more than 100 plus days on snow in my world. Love all my gear to death so rarely ever sell anything. My quiver ages quickly so I end up grabbing used skis at the ski swaps to fill the fill in the gaps.

Last season added the 21/22Mantra 102 in 177 to the quiver. This is the sixth Mantra that I have owned all in 177. Perfect length for running all the bumps, trees and crud that I love to play in 90% of the time here at Killington. There are a few days that I wish that the ski were longer so would love to add the 184 cm version. Call the Mantras my "big boy skis".

Bought a pair of lightly used pair of Enforcer 100's shortly after to keep me for skiing thru the new Mantras too quickly. Still claim that I hate the Enforcer but it gets the job done with ever wearing out the legs. The most vanilla ski in my stable. I call them my "old man skis".

My preferred ski in the "old man category" are the Renoun Endurance 98's in 184 as I have used up two pairs of this Vermont based ski and plan to buy a third. Price that I happily paid because of this forum.

My treasured powder skis are the V-Werks Katana 112 in 184 cm and this is my second pair as loved my original pair to death in one season. Would love to add a Katana 108 as a side kick thus the reason it is listed in the first spot.

Label myself as a "Mantra Guy" vs a "Bones Guy". Had to pick one a decade ago so went with Volkl.
 
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Yo Momma

Yo Momma

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The real problem is that I ski more that 150 days a season yet I am trying to get by with only one new pair of skis each year. First 70 days on a new pair are the primetime. Skis just age out after more than 100 plus days on snow in my world. Love all my gear to death so rarely ever sell anything. My quiver ages quickly so I end up grabbing used skis at the ski swaps to fill the fill in the gaps.

Last season added the 21/22Mantra 102 in 177 to the quiver. This is the sixth Mantra that I have owned all in 177. Perfect length for running all the bumps, trees and crud that I love to play in 90% of the time here at Killington. There are a few days that I wish that the ski were longer so would love to add the 184 cm version. Call the Mantras my "big boy skis".

Bought a pair of lightly used pair of Enforcer 100's shortly after to keep me for skiing thru the new Mantras too quickly. Still claim that I hate the Enforcer but it gets the job done with ever wearing out the legs. The most vanilla ski in my stable. I call them my "old man skis".

My preferred ski in the "old man category" are the Renoun Endurance 98's in 184 as I have used up two pairs of this Vermont based ski and plan to buy a third. Price that I happily paid because of this forum.

My treasured powder skis are the V-Werks Katana 112 in 184 cm and this is my second pair as loved my original pair to death in one season. Would love to add a Katana 108 as a side kick thus the reason it is listed in the first spot.

Label myself as a "Mantra Guy" vs a "Bones Guy". Had to pick one a decade ago so went with Volkl.
Interesting! I also was one of the very few that could not bond w/ the Enforcers. Not sure why. I tried different widths and none of them felt right. It's a great ski, just not my cup of tea.

I also ski the Mantra @177. I'm 200+ lbs/ 6'. I've owned the 184's and 177's in several versions (used East and West coast) but always preferred the shorter length. The M6 is the first Mantra I think I might bond w/ in a 184.

For me, I compliment the Mantras w/ my Bones (5 sets used in diff yrs all in 180). I like the feel of both. They have a different feel and I like changing my technique to adapt to their strengths. The Mantras have always seemed to require a bit more precision as compared to the Bones. The M6's seem to know and more precisely, expect what I want them to do, before I execute the input. Volkl is on to "Something" here. I've never felt this before in the hundreds of skis I've had the pleasure of riding. Their design has changed the game of "Ski Feel". It's almost eerie how intuitive the M6 is. I'm waiting for the newness factor to wear off and get a few nicks, scratches and gouges in them so I can re-evaluate w/o the "shiny new toy" perspective.

So far, whatever IT is about the construction of this ski... that intuitive connection links back up every time like a "wearable accessory" that you somehow plug into your neural network.

Lean fwd, back, center... do the same switch...pop, hop, drive or charge in low gear or high gear and the ski responds like it's part of your body.... weird but in an exciting way.

One more thing...... nothing I've been on below race stock even comes close to touching the older Bones as far as stability at speed. The Older Bones nailed the speed thing hands down. As I've said before when I think I'm nearing top speed, the older Bones look up at me and say, "Poser! Is that all you got!?!? LAME! Let's GO!" I'm curious about the Bonafide 97's but I'm much to old to be going that fast anymore! :beercheer:
 
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Ratbastrd

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Demo'd the M6 this past weekend at Squaw. Conditions were about as icy as Tahoe gets. The new Mantra's rocked! Significant improvement over last few generations, almost a throwback to the original ski in some ways. I'm curious though what people are going to mount them with? I'm a pivot guy generally, but was impressed with the Griffon demo mounted on the ski's I tried. The standover height really accentuated the edge performance. I'm really torn on what to mount these with? Does Look or Marker offer a riser plate for their higher din bindings?
 

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