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Tricia

The Velvet Hammer
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As one of the people who has had the opportunity to get on this ski technology, I'm at a loss for words. Not because it doesn't work but because I can't really tell a difference between the skis with and without Phantom.
Conditions that I was able to ski on these skis varied from early morning groomers, to chalky blown in patches, to lower elevation low angle springlike snow.
I wish I could tell you something amazing happened, or that it stood out from other skis with traditional wax, but it didn't. It just skied well and performed well on all types of snow, even the spring like yucky snow, in the trees below Wizard at Mt Rose.
 
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E221b

New Yorker Dreaming of the Mountains
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Nov 19, 2017
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129
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New York, NY
So where can I buy Phantom? Backcountry.com says it will have it exclusively but the DPS website has a preorder button. Any ideas?
 

Started at 53

Making fresh tracks
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Mar 26, 2017
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Not Ikon, UT
OK, 2nd time

What product do I use to take the existing wax OFF before applying The Phantom treatment?

I need to get this stuff ordered.

Come on, help a guy out
 

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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Oct 26, 2016
Posts
4,806
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Whitefish, MT
I'm interested in their performance in negative temps on fresh snow. I temporarily ran out of CH4 and skipped that step of the preseason prep for one pair of skis. I definitely noticed some slowness getting off the chair this AM. Was fine headed down, but now that I've got more CH4, I've brought the skis home to get some slapped on (okay, is there really such a thing as slapping on this stuff, no.). Was using the Race Wax green and I don't think it's got the below zero stuff covered so well. Will redo these skis since I'm not going again until the crowds leave. (No crowds today, tho.)
 

Jacques

Workin' It on Skis Best I Can
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Apr 24, 2017
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1,616
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Bend, OR
Real data? I am sure DPS has some, but I am going by on snow feel and glide.

Going by feel! No you gotta' measure by 100ths of a second! :yahoo: Really, that's a novel concept, yet I'll go for that from an experienced skier. :beercheer:

Probably going to be fine for most recreational skiers. They don't wax much anyway.
From what I gathered already, it's supposed to run good in wet snow if the structure is correct for that.
Looking forward to the "feel" testing to continue.
 

Monique

bounceswoosh
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
10,561
Location
Colorado
I'm interested in their performance in negative temps on fresh snow.

Yeah, I'd like to know this, too. As a rule, I'm fine waxing skis - but I don't really have a great setup (or inclination) for using temperature specific wax. Hence really cold snow is so sticky that it's not much fun. If it can make that scenario work ... then I still probably don't want to pony up the cash for it, but it would be more compelling.
 

Tom K.

Skier Ordinaire
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Dec 20, 2015
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As one of the people who has had the opportunity to get on this ski technology, I'm at a loss for words. Not because it doesn't work but because I can't really tell a difference between the skis with and without Phantom.
Conditions that I was able to ski on these skis varied from early morning groomers, to chalky blown in patches, to lower elevation low angle springlike snow.
I wish I could tell you something amazing happened, or that it stood out from other skis with traditional wax, but it didn't. It just skied well and performed well on all types of snow, even the spring like yucky snow, in the trees below Wizard at Mt Rose.

Real world report from a trusted source. Money. Thanks!

To clarify, when you say "I can't really tell a difference between the skis with and without Phantom" do you mean compared to a control ski with nothing on the base, or one that is well-waxed in the traditional sense (like by @Jacques, or one of the other ski tech masters on the forum)?

EDIT: Thought this was another thread. Didn't realize that @Philpug and @Andy Mink and others had also been on them.

To me, this will be worth it when I get the 50 day report, preferably without any stone grind "refreshes" (VERY skeptical on that idea).

And as a reminder to DPS, get on with the XC approach! Serious XC skiers won't blink at this cost if it lasts.
 
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Magi

Instructor
Instructor
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Posts
404
Location
Winter Park, Colorado
Still waiting on how to remove wax prior to the Phantom application

In the instructions for Phantom application - Step 2 is clean the skis of wax.

2. Clean the base of your skis or snowboard.
BEST - Fresh stonegrind.
BETTER - Off the shelf base cleaner.
GOOD - Use houshold itmes such as hot soapy water or olive oil with a clean rag to clean your bases.
OK - Apply PHANTOM over the top of a waxed base.​

Lots of wax manufacturer's make ski base cleaner - any of them should work per the "better" rec for the cleaning step. There are posts in this forum you can search up talking about base cleaners more.
 

Alexzn

Ski Squaw
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Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,956
Location
Bay Area and Truckee
Quick thoughts on the Phantom- very little difference with conventional run of the mill wax. I’m sure race day concoctions are way faster, but that’s not the point. Most people don’t wax their skis or wax them once a season. I have a tuning setup and even then I’m lazy to wax as often as I need. So for most skiers Phantom can be a significant enhancement of the skiing experience.
 
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Philpug

Philpug

Notorious P.U.G.
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Can you do a base grind and see what happens? :)
I will. One of the selling aspects of the Phantom is how it gets into the base and grinding it jsut rejuvenates the treatment.
 

trailtrimmer

Stuck in the Flatlands
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Oct 18, 2016
Posts
1,110
Location
Michigan
I will. One of the selling aspects of the Phantom is how it gets into the base and grinding it jsut rejuvenates the treatment.

Awesome, very much looking forward to hearing about it. Would like to treat my non-race skis if it's all that it's cracked up to be.
 

Mallet21

Booting up
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Joined
Feb 29, 2016
Posts
30
Location
Minneapolis, MN
I have no doubt these will glide very well. Can't wait to find out how durable the treatment is. Judging by how my bases look after skiing man made Midwest hills this weekend for 3 hours on freshly waxed and 1 light scraping skis, I am somewhat skeptical.
 

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