No, the Trout ones are the “Tatum” Monod/your dream girl model in the 176cm size only. Thought of you as I bought those backup “Swamp” 186cm size from her family’s store!
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Rossignol Black Ops Gamer 118, the best powder/crud ski being made? (at least for lighter and some medium sized skiers)
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Yeah, I like the trouts too. I’d probably own a pair if they were 186 or longer.
Greg -> Skiis and Bikes in Collingwood have 1 set of Tatums on the floor at 30% off. If they get to 40% off it will be a very tempting to buy and put them in my home office as ornaments, next to some NOS Skilogik Dark-Sides and NOS 2010 Scott Crusades. The trouts do look spectacular in person !
I’m positive Corbetts would get you to your desired price if you wanted a set. Would honestly be a blast in Spring snow at Blue the next few weeks. Corbetts has both sizes listed under the Swamp graphics.
Water world skis. Submerged into....... the shape of water
Only had a reported 10cm/4” overnight but the trees and upper mountain at Lake Louise was a blast today on the Blackops 118! Finally got some decent untracked powder on runs on open groomer with them and felt nice and stable with very good float. Did lots of glade runs and top to bottom mogul runs and didn’t feel like they were a super heavy ski at all in any of those conditions.
Takes more speed than the 184cm CT 3.0 to “come alive” and definitely sucks up vibrations more but not as lively or as poppy out of the turns. Love both and could see being happy on either on days like today. When I get home I’ll try them both out again in some Spring Conditions and I’m sure both will be fun there too.
Happy I’ve got backups and was impressed that I went over quite a few hidden rocks over the course of the day and only had to use diamond stones to clean up the edges a bit. No base damage at all today.
Takes more speed than the 184cm CT 3.0 to “come alive” and definitely sucks up vibrations more but not as lively or as poppy out of the turns. Love both and could see being happy on either on days like today. When I get home I’ll try them both out again in some Spring Conditions and I’m sure both will be fun there too.
Happy I’ve got backups and was impressed that I went over quite a few hidden rocks over the course of the day and only had to use diamond stones to clean up the edges a bit. No base damage at all today.
Back from my West coast trip yesterday and did a quick look over my backup pair of 23 Blackops 118 that arrived last week. Much flatter bases and more uniform edges than my first pair but of course could be improved with some hand tuning. This pair averages 2475gr Vs my original pairs 2500gr each and 2550gr factory spec.
Did a full re-tune of the pair I took out west and the bases suffered no damage and slight edge issues were easily corrected. Definitely less work than from the original factory tune so should be skiing even better again. Taking them out tomorrow along with the 184cm CT 3.0 for some Spring skiing back in Ontario.
Did a full re-tune of the pair I took out west and the bases suffered no damage and slight edge issues were easily corrected. Definitely less work than from the original factory tune so should be skiing even better again. Taking them out tomorrow along with the 184cm CT 3.0 for some Spring skiing back in Ontario.
If you’re talking the pictured skis out tomorrow, you might want to get busy with the drill. I want to try these skis every time I see a picture of them.
Nope, those are backups that won’t be mounted till the first pair are worn out. Have yellow Attacks on my mounted pair.
They are very fun skis like the rest of my twin tip quiver that I always tell people they “don’t make sense” if you judge them by their appearances.
Carve and grip even harder snow incredibly well, easier in bumps than you’d think, don’t feel as heavy as they are and make crud and variable snow disappear. Doesn’t feel like a 118mm wide, 2500gr ski when you’re carving it.
Will be a riot in heavy, Spring snow this week and I’m sure I’ll be one of the few mid afternoon still grinning on the rough groomers.
Havent used mine in spring noons yet. Looking forward to trying them and the ct3.0s. What wax you using on them for spring?
Put a mix of Universal/All temp wax and Warm weather wax. I crayon on the universal first/colder wax first and then melt a bit of Warm weather wax on the iron first before spreading it on the ski.
I use very little wax as the bases are flat after grinding and both places I use for stone grinding use a structure that’s a touch coarser/deeper than a universal or factory structure. Just use the big (500gr?) KUU bulk wax blocks that I get for $20 CAN on sale, then scrap and finish with hand hard nylon then rotary nylon brush.
Usually do a Cold wax crayon and All temp melt most of the year(or before I go away out West) and then a Universal Roll On in the hotel nightly when checking over the edges.
Taking out the 184cm CT 3.0 and BO 118 today while I hopefully get my CT 2.0 stone ground flat again at the shop at the hill. Used the CT 2.0 mostly at Banff/Lake Louise and hit lots of rocks. P-Tex repairs a few deeper hits yesterday(nothing too major thankfully). Those are officially my rock skis now! Lol
BO 118 is my go to for any snow days.
I have Volkl Mantra M6, Nordica Unleashed 98, Enforcer 104, and BO 118. It’s a wash between M6 and Unleashed 98 for groomers, but BO118 is what I grab for snow and off trail. The only time I like Enforcer 104 over BO 118 is on groomers with little or no new snow, but why don’t I just pick the narrower skis then? Not sure if Enforcer is overrated or BO 118 is underrated.
BO 118 is as stable as the Enforcer 104, but it takes much less effort to do anything(probably due to the shape and the close to center mount point). Charge over pow covered bumps? Easy. Want to quickly change direction or shed speed? Minimum input and the skis will show you exactly what you want. Going down an entire run of nothing but tracked out crud? Bomb it or slash around - it helps you do it all and makes you feel like a better skier. In contrast, the Enforcer 104 shows you how much of a better skier you should’ve been but are not, not yet anyway. BO 118 is so intuitive that you can just focus on having fun in bad condition as opposed to trying master your strength and focus just to pilot it. The enforcer 104 by comparison is much more dead and demands your efforts, but I do like the nice round clean carves it can do.
I have Volkl Mantra M6, Nordica Unleashed 98, Enforcer 104, and BO 118. It’s a wash between M6 and Unleashed 98 for groomers, but BO118 is what I grab for snow and off trail. The only time I like Enforcer 104 over BO 118 is on groomers with little or no new snow, but why don’t I just pick the narrower skis then? Not sure if Enforcer is overrated or BO 118 is underrated.
BO 118 is as stable as the Enforcer 104, but it takes much less effort to do anything(probably due to the shape and the close to center mount point). Charge over pow covered bumps? Easy. Want to quickly change direction or shed speed? Minimum input and the skis will show you exactly what you want. Going down an entire run of nothing but tracked out crud? Bomb it or slash around - it helps you do it all and makes you feel like a better skier. In contrast, the Enforcer 104 shows you how much of a better skier you should’ve been but are not, not yet anyway. BO 118 is so intuitive that you can just focus on having fun in bad condition as opposed to trying master your strength and focus just to pilot it. The enforcer 104 by comparison is much more dead and demands your efforts, but I do like the nice round clean carves it can do.
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Had the 184cm CT 3.0 out the last two mornings and then swapped to the Blackops 118 after lunch. As expected the CT 3.0 are quicker edge to edge, more poppy and required less speed to “come alive.”
On Monday, it never really warmed up as much as expected so it wasn’t too roughed up. On the smaller hill and lower speeds, the more damp Blackops felt a bit dead and slow edge to edge. Brought the CT 3.0 back out and was happier on them.
The next day at a larger hill with firm groomers in most spots and again started with the CT 3.0 but should have been on something like the CT 2.0. Things soften up soon after anyway and the CT 3.0 were great. Large heavy mounds started to form just before lunch and the 184cm CT 3.0 was still doing okay in that even at high speeds but knew the Blackops 118 would be the choice after lunch.
On fairly smooth groomers you could feel the softer, rubber damped tips better absorbing vibrations vs the CT 3.0 and again it’s like moving to a wide CT 2.0 in how they mute out things. It took a bit more work getting them edge to edge but with the added speed of the larger hill it wasn’t an issue like the day before.
The day before the Blackops were overkill and the next day I flew over large crud mounds that were a semi mogul field at speed with ease and actually said aloud to myself “holy fuck these are fun skis!”
So my dream CT 2.75/BO 108 ski is still a narrower 21 CT 3.0 with tips/tails slightly softer and add the rubber damping tip/tail like the CT 1.0/2.0/Blackops 118. Or just take off a few mm off the tip/tail of the new Sender Free 110 to lengthen it’s turn radius to increase stability, use regular tip/tail spacers(remove Air Tip) and run rubber all the way up the tips/tails. Would then be a proper narrow Blackops 118.
Pic during lunch break ski swap.
On Monday, it never really warmed up as much as expected so it wasn’t too roughed up. On the smaller hill and lower speeds, the more damp Blackops felt a bit dead and slow edge to edge. Brought the CT 3.0 back out and was happier on them.
The next day at a larger hill with firm groomers in most spots and again started with the CT 3.0 but should have been on something like the CT 2.0. Things soften up soon after anyway and the CT 3.0 were great. Large heavy mounds started to form just before lunch and the 184cm CT 3.0 was still doing okay in that even at high speeds but knew the Blackops 118 would be the choice after lunch.
On fairly smooth groomers you could feel the softer, rubber damped tips better absorbing vibrations vs the CT 3.0 and again it’s like moving to a wide CT 2.0 in how they mute out things. It took a bit more work getting them edge to edge but with the added speed of the larger hill it wasn’t an issue like the day before.
The day before the Blackops were overkill and the next day I flew over large crud mounds that were a semi mogul field at speed with ease and actually said aloud to myself “holy fuck these are fun skis!”
So my dream CT 2.75/BO 108 ski is still a narrower 21 CT 3.0 with tips/tails slightly softer and add the rubber damping tip/tail like the CT 1.0/2.0/Blackops 118. Or just take off a few mm off the tip/tail of the new Sender Free 110 to lengthen it’s turn radius to increase stability, use regular tip/tail spacers(remove Air Tip) and run rubber all the way up the tips/tails. Would then be a proper narrow Blackops 118.
Pic during lunch break ski swap.
What length Enforcer 104 are you skiing? Had the 186cm myself before swapping to the 183cm CT 2.0. Loved it off trail and very fun in bumps but the tapered shape didn’t grip as well as I wanted and with the lower turning radius, it didn’t like higher speeds much.
Very easy edge to edge so it should a much easier ski to ski than a Blackops 118 even in the 191cm length. Similar flex patterns and lighter overall and swing weight in the Enforcer too. So something seems up with your pair maybe.
For your quiver, I could see swapping the Enforcer 104 for the Unleashed 108 or new Sender Free 110. Both are less tapered than the Enforcer so more similar to the Blackops 118 than you could use on days where the 118 might be a bit too much work. Either will be more damp than the narrower Unleashed.
Could see losing the M6 too as there is a decent amount of overlap with the Unleashed 98(and Enforcer 104).
To me, the Enforcer 104/186 gets feeling too heavy and awkward in certain rough crud situations. In flat or low light especially, when at times visibility is good, at times non-existent, and the ground is unpredictably changing constantly, surprising me - on the 104 I want to see better where I'm going, because the ski is not as bombproof or trouble free, and likes certainty and anticipation in my skiing.
By contrast, on some other skis, like the CT 3.0 190, or the Black Ops 118, the Salomon Blank 112/19x, the V-Werks Katana 112/190, the Obsethed 116/190, and like the 190 pull Pettitors 118 most of all, the dang things are so stable and unflappable that it doesn't matter if I can't see for some stretches just what the snow is doing exactly underfoot. Confidence inspiring.
By contrast, on some other skis, like the CT 3.0 190, or the Black Ops 118, the Salomon Blank 112/19x, the V-Werks Katana 112/190, the Obsethed 116/190, and like the 190 pull Pettitors 118 most of all, the dang things are so stable and unflappable that it doesn't matter if I can't see for some stretches just what the snow is doing exactly underfoot. Confidence inspiring.
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By contrast, the CT 3.0 184 has a definite role that to me it excels in: it is an amazing "cheater" fresh powder snow/chopped snow bump ski and tree ski,
no equal that I currently can recall, that I've been on - especially for wider soft snow skis (though the old and final 116 K2 Obsethed was close, with its softer flex and yet longer length).
For me, no matter what tune or flattening is on it, it has a speed limit, for my ski profile, on long vertical, open, fast charging but sometimes very uneven terrain, even in soft snow.
But at the slightly slower speeds required or best for really dealing with/playing with soft snow bumps and trees, man, this ski is dialed in,
just so perfect for that. Almost automatic.
(And even the other years' versions of the 3.0 Ct 183/184 ski have this ability, though those have more of a speed limit than the '21 version.)
(I gather that the CT 2.0 may have this ability also, in a bit less snow at maximum.)
no equal that I currently can recall, that I've been on - especially for wider soft snow skis (though the old and final 116 K2 Obsethed was close, with its softer flex and yet longer length).
For me, no matter what tune or flattening is on it, it has a speed limit, for my ski profile, on long vertical, open, fast charging but sometimes very uneven terrain, even in soft snow.
But at the slightly slower speeds required or best for really dealing with/playing with soft snow bumps and trees, man, this ski is dialed in,
just so perfect for that. Almost automatic.
(And even the other years' versions of the 3.0 Ct 183/184 ski have this ability, though those have more of a speed limit than the '21 version.)
(I gather that the CT 2.0 may have this ability also, in a bit less snow at maximum.)
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And as for the Black Ops 118, and even more, its big brother the K2 Pettitor 118/190, from Seth Morrison,
(In between - and before and after - the jumps.)
(In between - and before and after - the jumps.)
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Camera quality has sure improved since these videos hasn’t it?! HahaAnd as for the Black Ops 118, and even more, its big brother the K2 Pettitor 118/190, from Seth Morrison,
(In between - and before and after - the jumps.)
Some insane skiing there!
(But he was on a ski much like the Black Ops 118s, so no worries: the powder turns before or "in between" his "drop dead," extreme moves
must have been
"falling off a log" easy.)
must have been
"falling off a log" easy.)
I can agree with this. Glad to have both the ct3 and bo118
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