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.
I really second your point of view here.I have in my rotation skis ranging from 175 to 188. I don't want a 188 or 187.1 or a 186.3 straight pull ski for this spot in my quiver. There are plenty of great skis to choose from, no need for me or anyone else to compromise what the want because a certain manufacturer chooses not to produce a ski in the length you are looking for.
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.
Earlier Bonafides, the current (later ones) are 177's.That was one of the things I liked about the later Blizzard Bonafides: 180 length.
Yeah, I know. That's why I said later ones as opposed to current ones. Didn't mean to be so unclear.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.
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. YMMVThe first year Bonafide is was still one of my favorite skis of all time. It was the most bonafide of Bonafides.
Yup me too! My shortest skis are 177 carvers and feel so short compared to my daily drivers.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.
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.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.
So not a peak so much as a false summit.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.
I still have mine Loved those skis.If I am remembering correctly, there was already a Peak Ski. The Rossignol Peak, an autographed ski by Picabo Street. They must be rare; I couldn't find an image of it anywhere online.
I wonder if Bode has skied everyone else's skis, and decided he could design and make one better in each class than anyone else. Given the technology and testing capability of the major brands I am skeptical.
If I remember correctly, Augment is not available in the US next year (and this year), so the comparison is rather academic. If anyone found a way to import freeride Augments here, please share... Of course purchasing a $1,500 ski without a warranty looks like a rather risky proposition. The sad reality is that with Augment out of the country and Kastle having moved downmarket, Stockli has the premium ski market in the US all for themselves. Parenthetically, that is a rather sad outcome for us, people who fall between sizes in Stockli lineup.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.