I personally find it maddening that few make a 180 cm. 177 skis short & 184 is more than I require in an all mtn DD ski. YMMV. 
Olympian & World Champion Bode Miller and Co-Founder Andy Wirth Launch New DTC Brand Platform Including Six All-Mountain, High-Performance Skis
- Thread starter Philpug
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I really second your point of view here.
I demo a lot of skis, though fewer since Covid. That includes whatever skis in a model I like, in these two length ranges. Usually, there is a fairly dramatic performance difference between a 184 and a 188 offering, whatever the method that brand uses to measure ski length. More than likely, a ski at 188 and over, for my profile, is likely to be a charger, more stable, and less likely to be as versatile in bumps, trees and off piste, in the ways that most of us want. Not always, but usually. Playing those odds (from actual experience), it's very reasonable to want a 184 (with what's most likely with it) and not the same model in 188 (along with what's mostly likely with it).
Myself, I'd probably prefer the 184, but for that ski, would like a good variable snow charger also.
That was one of the things I liked about the later Blizzard Bonafides: 180 length.I personally find it maddening that few make a 180 cm. 177 skis short & 184 is more than I require in an all mtn DD ski. YMMV.
Thread Starter
TS
Earlier Bonafides, the current (later ones) are 177's.
A lot of times we talk about a ski being a "long 177" or a "short 180" or that "It's ski's it's full length". With all that said, I still will come back to 10cm increments are too much. 7-8cm is ideal for most all mountain skis where 5cm actually is better once we get into more technical skis under 75mm.
It's not just the length of 178 vs 188 , its also how they may have ( or not ) a big flex change between those 2 lengths, whereas a 182-184 may have been "just right" in length and flex.
This is exactly what I went through when buying the Mindbender 108TI. Skied the 187 and the 179. Both skied great but skied different. For the spot I was looking for the 179 was a better fit but a 183 or 184 would have been perfect. After 3ish seasons I have moved the 108TI to one of my kids as it still wasn't quite what I wanted. I hope the new Ranger 108 in the 185 length I just acquired will fit the bill. Would have liked that to be the a 184 Peak 110, oh well.
Yeah, I know. That's why I said later ones as opposed to current ones. Didn't mean to be so unclear.
(Can't stand the current ones, actually.)
Thread Starter
TS
The first year Bonafide is was still one of my favorite skis of all time. It was the most bonafide of Bonafides.Yeah, I know. That's why I said later ones as opposed to current ones. Didn't mean to be so unclear.
(Can't stand the current ones, actually.)
IIRC & in my limited experience on the original Bones more than 10 yrs ago, I thought the 180cm & 185cm skied almost like two different models not just different lengths. YMMV
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Must admit this agonising over length is one of the things that makes me glad to be a big guy who can just get the longest length in anything going (though I didn't get the mythical 203 Shiros but they might have only really been available to pros?)
Interestingly my most used daily driver is 191 and its likely replacement would step up a little in width but drop down to 184 in length just because of size range.
Interestingly my most used daily driver is 191 and its likely replacement would step up a little in width but drop down to 184 in length just because of size range.
Yup me too! My shortest skis are 177 carvers and feel so short compared to my daily drivers.
So I just got the same notice on the Peak 110s: typo made them 184, and actual is 178 and 188. And I replied I'd go for the 188.
On further reflection, it makes sense to me that with the description of that ski - super fast from edge to edge, quicker turning than other 108s and over width - that folks doing the prototyping (including Bode) might like that ski longer for more stability, while retaining relative quickness, for its width, and length. Dunno. Alternatively, I'm hoping that the quick edge to edge thing isn't just confined to the 178 version, but fits the longer one too: in that case, if it is both quick and stable at speed, might be stellar ski.
On further reflection, it makes sense to me that with the description of that ski - super fast from edge to edge, quicker turning than other 108s and over width - that folks doing the prototyping (including Bode) might like that ski longer for more stability, while retaining relative quickness, for its width, and length. Dunno. Alternatively, I'm hoping that the quick edge to edge thing isn't just confined to the 178 version, but fits the longer one too: in that case, if it is both quick and stable at speed, might be stellar ski.
I just had a fun exchange with Mark Peruzzi at Peak skis about the 188.
When I emailed him I wanted the 188, I wrote, "I figure they've been protyped and selected as good at that length, so no problem."
He emailed back, "You're exactly right. You'll love the 188."
When I emailed him I wanted the 188, I wrote, "I figure they've been protyped and selected as good at that length, so no problem."
He emailed back, "You're exactly right. You'll love the 188."
That's a good point. I guess for touring skis, it's partly a weight issue/trade off.
* * * * *
Looks like I'm going to be getting more than one model of Peak skis, then, all things considered
(though I still am allowed to back out at no cost).
With the Peak 98, I'd have been awful tempted (though hesitant due to cost) to go for the Augment AM 98 instead, given @Philpug & et al. reviews and their stellar praises for those skis, dunno. But since Augment will apparently not ship skis to the U.S. for next season, that likely takes that out of the equation, for me, for the near future.
* * * * *
Looks like I'm going to be getting more than one model of Peak skis, then, all things considered
(though I still am allowed to back out at no cost).
With the Peak 98, I'd have been awful tempted (though hesitant due to cost) to go for the Augment AM 98 instead, given @Philpug & et al. reviews and their stellar praises for those skis, dunno. But since Augment will apparently not ship skis to the U.S. for next season, that likely takes that out of the equation, for me, for the near future.
Thread Starter
TS
The Peak 98 is a very nice ski but make no mistake, it's not a refined as the AM98 ... it shouldn't be expected to, it is about $500 less.
So not a peak so much as a false summit.
Thanks, Phil!.
And did I get that right, that you, or someone here, was saying that up to now, the AM98 will have supply suspension for a season in the states, and will not be available anytime soon, as well as other Augments?
And did I get that right, that you, or someone here, was saying that up to now, the AM98 will have supply suspension for a season in the states, and will not be available anytime soon, as well as other Augments?
