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Quiver swap- Evolv 100 for ?

MNskier

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So I'm a 6'3, 240 lb former racer who has lots of technical/race skis and a 2 ski "out west" quiver that currently consists of the S/Force Bold and the Evolv 100s (VMT 2.0 version). The evolves are the first skis I've owned wider than about 85mm, and I like them quite a bit on soft snow or pow over groomers or in bowls. However, my kids are getting into trees a bit and I feel like the low rocker/flat tail design of the evolv perhaps makes them a bit harder to pivot/skid/throw around in those situations than some other skis. When I was younger I just muscled race skis around in those situations, but I'm not that guy anymore (less muscles). That said, the lack of rocker and flat tail is why I like them so much everywhere else! Given that I have the Bold's though I probably don't need two pairs of skis with that much of a carving emphasis out west, so I'm thinking of making an incremental move. On my skis to consider list I have:

Enforcer 94/100
Kore 93/99
Maverick 95/100ti
Stance 90/96

I'd also consider the Bonafide 97/Mantra M6 and a few years ago those would have been my top picks but perhaps I'd benefit from a bit more relaxed ski in middle age...

Reading the comments here it seems like perhaps the Stance 90/96 would be the sweet spot for me in terms of a ski that can still carve fairly well like the evolv, but a bit easier to throw around in the trees? The maverick and the Kore are interesting just due to the low weight, and the enforcer 94 is probably fairly similar to the Stance? A bit more power but perhaps a bit more work?

Thanks!
 

ski otter 2

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I wish you could demo, because there is also the factor of what "clicks" for you,
what puts a smile on your face because it's so dialed in for your skier profile. Hard to guess in advance.
Of the four (with extra width versions) you mentioned, for instance, the one that "clicked" for me, improbably, and may well fit your situation,
was the Kore 93 (not the 99). Second choice of the sort being considered, from your description,
would be the Rossi Experience 86 Ti (not the 100), or the Enforcer 100 (not the 94).

It can get very specific for you, with your own skier profile. A demo of various options is a big deal.

The Evolv 100 to me felt like a great "in between" ski, that is in between carving and being more playful, pivoting better:
to give you the best of both worlds, so to speak. Their Origin 101 ski tips more towards the pivot/great in moguls and trees
end of the spectrum while also carving, so it might be another option.
I know folks who love that ski, and for LIberty, the Origins tend to be their foundation skis,
the ones that have sold best also.

In recent years, as I understand it, Liberty has made the Origins better carvers,
while retaining the easy turning and playfulness.
 
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Andy Mink

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Take a look at the Dynastar M-Free 99. Very easy to toss around but enough spine to get you back to the lift in the groomers without feeling like you're on a noodle.
 

Philpug

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Take a look at the Dynastar M-Free 99. Very easy to toss around but enough spine to get you back to the lift in the groomers without feeling like you're on a noodle.
I thought about that too, but he is a big boy at 6'3" 240 and the longest length being a 185, it won't be enough, maybe the 108 in the 192?

The Stance 96 was mentioned but I would suggest the Stance 102, that is a 96 for someome his size and with the more gradual tip profile it has a bit more playfulness than the 96. Cage Match video with the Mantra 102 HERE.
 

Andy Mink

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I thought about that too, but he is a big boy at 6'3" 240 and the longest length being a 185, it won't be enough, maybe the 108 in the 192?
Oops, missed that part. Yeah, that would be a lot to ask from the 185.
 
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MNskier

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Thanks guys. I definitely want to demo. Of course, that requires the right ski in the right length to be available at a time when I'm out in the mountains so I can try them in the intended environment. Oh, and in a decent state of tune...

Trying to narrow it down to a couple of skis to try. At least then I can use that data to decide if there is something else I should really try.

One more I suppose I could add to the mix- Stormrider 95, although the 184-193cm sizing gap seems a bit large...

As far as the evolvs, I do have a linear grind on them right now. I saw someone on another site say that they really need a "thumb print" style grind to help them move laterally. I suppose I could try that.
 

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Of course, that requires the right ski in the right length to be available at a time when I'm out in the mountains so I can try them in the intended environment. Oh, and in a decent state of tune...
Yeah, good luck with that, especially in your size. By the time you possibly get to demo everything, it will be 23/24 and we will be back to the beginning. Narrow it down to 2-4 skis, choose the graphics you like, buy them, mount them and don't look back ... unless you are skiing switch. ;)
 
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MNskier

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Ha! Exactly. That's why this site is so useful! Thanks!

Buying used skis is helpful here, I just buy them, tune them, and if I don't like them re-sell them until I get a better idea of what I'm looking for.
 

GregK

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Only ones who typically use a linear grind would be for DH or maybe SG events as they want the ski to track straight. Would indeed be a nightmare to pivot on especially if the structure is coarse/deep. Wouldn’t doubt they used that structure in error. Can be sometimes used to “reset” skis before the flattening stage but I bet they selected that by mistake as their final pass/passes. Actually had some skis just done and had the same issue. Power surge reset their default/universal structure memory for this coarse linear pattern in their older machine.Thankfully I caught the error and they are being re-done.

So definitely get them reground with a universal structure and you should notice a big difference.

That being said, those Evolv 100 would still not be as easy with something with a bit more rocker and tail splay in the trees. Stormriders would have better tips for passing over things but their tails would be just as bad if not worse than your Evolvs for skidding off trail.

The longest lengths of the Origin 96 or 101 would be options or maybe the 191cm Enforcer 104.
I had the 186cm Enforcer 104 Free which was a fun ski for my 6’2”/175lb size in the conditions you are describing. Now have the 183cm and 188cm 21 Faction CT 2.0 which is a bit narrower, more precise and even more stable. Float isn’t as good but I have wider skis for that.
The 188cm CT 2.0(which I also own) would be perfect for your size. Similar to a 189cm Bonafide 97 in weight and carving performance yet it’s a twin tip that’s much easier to pivot. Absolutely HAULS on soft groomers and would be a revelation in crud vs the much lighter Evolv 100. Harder to come by as it’s a 21 model but there are places with stock still for good prices($560 CAN/$405 US).

Do the same “catch and release” on skis I don’t love as demos(especially the last 2 years) are hard to come by!
 
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MNskier

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Only ones who typically use a linear grind would be for DH or maybe SG events as they want the ski to track straight. Would indeed be a nightmare to pivot on especially if the structure is coarse/deep. Wouldn’t doubt they used that structure in error. Can be sometimes used to “reset” skis before the flattening stage but I bet they selected that by mistake as their final pass/passes. Actually had some skis just done and had the same issue. Power surge reset their default/universal structure memory for this coarse linear pattern in their older machine.Thankfully I caught the error and they are being re-done.

This is what the current structure looks like. They seem quite flat using my true bar, but not a very interesting grind...


Evolvbase.jpg
 

Tony S

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However, my kids are getting into trees a bit and I feel like the low rocker/flat tail design of the evolv perhaps makes them a bit harder to pivot/skid/throw around in those situations than some other skis. When I was younger I just muscled race skis around in those situations, but I'm not that guy anymore (less muscles). That said, the lack of rocker and flat tail is why I like them so much everywhere else! Given that I have the Bold's though I probably don't need two pairs of skis with that much of a carving emphasis out west, so I'm actually thinking of making an incremental move.
Why incremental? You have other skis. Just go all in on something that's actually designed for your use case.
 

GregK

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This is what the current structure looks like. They seem quite flat using my true bar, but not a very interesting grind...


View attachment 180473
Better than I thought they were going to look like and definitely finer structure than mine were. Deeper structure and they would have been very slow in colder temps and a nightmare to pivot.
If they are already pretty flat it shouldn’t be much work to make them perfect.
 

cantunamunch

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This is what the current structure looks like. They seem quite flat using my true bar, but not a very interesting grind...


View attachment 180473

That's noticeably linear, but not too deep, should work OK as both a mid-winter and a semi-spring structure. Was that taken at the waist? By my rough count that's 14-15 grooves/cm.

If you're up for experimentation, put a hard wax on and scrape it but don't brush it out. If the ski becomes more tossable after that, you'll know the structure was playing a role.
 

Tom K.

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Meh, just buy a pair of Enforcer 100s and move on to the next life challenge.

Plenty of performance everywhere, yet pretty easy. As an ex-racer, they'll feel like a regular ski to you. No adjustments needed.
 
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MNskier

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Why incremental? You have other skis. Just go all in on something that's actually designed for your use case.

That's a good question. And the answer is because even when I'm spending part of the day in the trees with the kids, probably 70% will be out of the trees. And I just can't see myself on a ski that doesn't do at least OK making gs turns down the fall line. Frankly, the Evolvs are adequate. But what is the point of life during the off season if not to try and justify new ski purchases? :) BTW this purchase will theoretically replace the evolvs, not supplement them.
 

Tony S

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That's a good question. And the answer is because even when I'm spending part of the day in the trees with the kids, probably 70% will be out of the trees. And I just can't see myself on a ski that doesn't do at least OK making gs turns down the fall line. Frankly, the Evolvs are adequate. But what is the point of life during the off season if not to try and justify new ski purchases? :) BTW this purchase will theoretically replace the evolvs, not supplement them.
So get the tree skis now and sell them when the kids have flown.
 
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MNskier

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That's noticeably linear, but not too deep, should work OK as both a mid-winter and a semi-spring structure. Was that taken at the waist? By my rough count that's 14-15 grooves/cm.

If you're up for experimentation, put a hard wax on and scrape it but don't brush it out. If the ski becomes more tossable after that, you'll know the structure was playing a role.

I think it's forward of the toe piece. I don't think a different structure would make a radical change, but perhaps a small one depending on the conditions.
 
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MNskier

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Meh, just buy a pair of Enforcer 100s and move on to the next life challenge.

Plenty of performance everywhere, yet pretty easy. As an ex-racer, they'll feel like a regular ski to you. No adjustments needed.
You're probably right. Sometimes I just like to be a bit contrarian and do things different. But that seems to be the reference for a do anything, powerful 100mm ski. Certainly the sales volume should make finding a used pair to try fairly easy.
 

tromano

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I have the M6 184 for groomers and open off piste terrain they are great. But they feel more like a wide carver than something made for soft snow. For trees they are a compromise and the tighter and steeper the more it becomes a chore. Think eagles nest at Alta or gad2 at bird.

I got a QST 106 for resort trees and pow after touring on the QST 98 last year. I suspect it will be a very good tree ski for snowbasin. For a soft snow tree ski at other UT resorts the qst blank would be the pick in a 194.

My advice, go bigger.
 

AngryAnalyst

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I’m a bit lighter, shorter and younger but I am happy with the mantra 102 in a 191 in anything but exceptionally tight trees and screwed up bumps. The M6 is by all reports even easier, the big thing to me is that both have enough long and low tail rocker they are pretty loose.

My other favorite in this category was mentioned a ways up, the M-Free 108 in a 192 is way more maneuverable and floaty at the expense of engagement on piste.
 

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