Okay Pugski...choose a crudski

[Josh Matta]

The Capo can be an interesting ski in crud.....

Sometimes the soft tail is liability, sometimes it an asset. There is no doubt its better has better edge hold on hardpack than either of the Enforcers. It is really good in wind buff and tracked out denser snow, but prefer the Bonafides and their stiff tails for more types of cruds.

 

[SmileGuy]

^ never did - went from Girish to OG Enforcer (avatar) to FX104. With a detour in NS Enforcer - back to FX104 - prolly should have given them a whirl.

I have a pair of 2012 era 186cm enforcers new in wrapper I'm gonna mount up for crud and mixed conditions when fatter skis are overkill.. Any insight and what to expect?

 

[givethepigeye]

^no problem in crud, the lightning bolt ones had a small bit of rocker iirc. They do have a flat pretty wide tail - and more than once put a little more energy into an arc than I had accounted for. Solid OG 98mm ski IMHO. I didn't feel that they were particularly floaty for length/waist. My Fx104's were 184 vs 185 and a smidge wider, but softer tips.

 

[ski otter 2]

Current crud favorites: 184 & 191 V-Werks Katanas; 184 Bibby Pro (probably works because of my light weight); 189 Pettitors 120; Enforcer 100; 183 Dynastar Legend x106; Kastle BMX 105 HP; 182 & 186 Rossi Sickles 111.

Because of weight/height, I usually find the longest 19x of good, burly crud skis to be slightly too long/demanding for me for versatile use, but they sure can ski/charge crud, often. An exception to this for me, in a good way, is the 189 (pull length 191) K2 Pettitor, when mounted forward. Until my knee got weakened, that was my favorite crud/powder ski for some years. I would aim for crud rather than avoid it, at speed. It is great on groomers too, and versatile. It does those Sean Pettit turns.

Another exception, probably, is the 191 V-Werks Katana. I've been skiing it this year, but am not yet sure of it for deeper or harsher conditions. It skis crud well so far, quick, yet with the charge of a fairly stiff, longer ski. Something about its very small camber makes it "speed boat" through/over crud very stabily, damply, much like the shorter 184 version. Fun. (This year the Black Crows rep tried to describe the same damping/crud effect of little or no camber with his Daemon 98 ski, but I haven't gotten a chance to try that one, as yet.)

I suspect the Bibby/Blister Pro 190 might also be an exception, for me.

The Sickles work in part by holding an edge or contouring near the bottom, through all crud/chop that way: kind of like @Ron has described the Stockli SR 107. You mostly don't feel the crud. But the Sickles don't float more than a modest amount. Great crud ski, though.

I've only demoed them, but the new 183 Dynastar Legend x106s seem to work in a similar way, except with a quicker, shorter turn as default.

 

[Ron]

since we are at page 5, I would ask what kind of "crud" are we talking about at this point? Tracked to leftovers or spring slush or half-frozen refreeze irregular crap? Although I realize Stocklis are uber expensive, I think their design of a more softer tip paired with an even consistent flex and a stiff torsional design slays all kind of crud. Its incredibly stable and smooth. Of course, there's no substitute for good technique though. #1 rule, ski loose but stacked.

 

[ski otter 2]

I am planning on finally demoing the SR 107 Stocklis this season. (Already own two Stocklis, but on the cheap: XXL SR 80s from '08/09 or so, and '12/13 Laser GS WC c. 180/18. Both do crud well, though only one in bumps.) Now we just need a bunch of predictable, good crud/pow days during the week for me to do that.

 

[Ron]

I think the 95 should be plenty. BTW- the 107 was replaced by the 105.

 

[Rod9301]

The vwerks katanas are great in powder and also on ice.

 

[ski otter 2]

I think the 95 should be plenty. BTW- the 107 was replaced by the 105.

O say it ain't so, gone before I knew ye!

The vwerks katanas are great in powder and also on ice.

And crud. And groomers. Today I skied at Loveland, me on SR XXL 80 Stocklis, and I skied with a man who was out for only the second time this season, on 191 V-Werks Katanas. We mostly skied groomers, but also a few mild bump runs. He was a former club/high school racer, who did better for longer than I did back when, I gather. I could watch him on those fairly long Katanas, race turning on the corduroy and through the bumps. In the bumps he was turning quickly, a bit more so than me. It was fun to see someone doing about what I might do, in part, on those same skis.

He liked it when I told him he was on probably my current favorite ski.

 

[ski otter 2]

P.S. I use the Katanas as a soft snow ski, going for narrower skis on old snow days.

Last spring at A Basin I found out the Katanas are also my favorite skis for afternoon, heavy spring slush.