Softer snow "forgiving" ski

[The Retired Skier]

Hi there! guy New guy here who mostly skis at Mt Batchelor but also makes it up to Crystal Mountain and to SLC Utah a couple of times per year. I want to add a very easy-going, easy-turning, stable ski to my frontside ski in order to have a single pair to take to Utah and Crystal and to use on snow days. I am very much an intermediate skier who took up skiing just a few years ago after some family moved to SLC. I ski mostly blue runs but can venture onto some of the shorter, easier black diamonds. Being just months short of my 61st birthday, I don't go very fast so I need a ski that turns easily at low speeds and has some forgiving rocker in the tail for the deeper days. I don't carve great turns yet and mostly "slarve" from what I am told. I am working on it, though, and will take a couple of lessons this winter.

I probably will buy online or at one of the resorts, as I don't have a local dealer. I have narrowed it down to the skis below based on reviews and I am sure that there are one or more of these that will work well for me. I want to stay somewhere in the 102 - 108mm range as I won't need anything wider and I want to have a different ski than my Rossignol Experience 88s for for the snowier places. Remembering that I need some stability due to my 240 lbs and I need easy to ski, forgiving, easy for an intermediate to get better on and easy to turn at slow speeds, do any of these skis really stand out? Blizzard Rustler 10, Dynastar M-Free 108, 4FRNT MSP 107, J Skis Hotshot, K2 Mindbender 108Ti, Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, Rossignol Sender, Salomon QST 106.

I would ski all of these around 180 in length. Some questions I have are: Is the Rustler going to handle my weight? Will the Dynastar be OK on low snow days if it is the only pair I have? Is the K2 going to want to go faster than I want it to go? Is the Sender going to be too unforgiving of my many mistakes? Is the QST going to handle my weight on hard snow? Are the Hotshot and MSP really as forgiving and stable as some reviews suggest?

What I purchase will definitely come from the above list and I am not looking to add more skis at this point, just to narrow these down to two or three. Thank you.

 

[The Retired Skier]

I’m not really sure if this will help my request garner more attention, but after talking with four different ski shops on the phone today, I can say that the Dynastar M-Free 108 and K2 Mindbender 108 Ti are off the list.

So, down to six.

 

[Tom K.]

Hmmm.....I find my MB 108s easy but with some stones if I feel like pushing. My favorite resort pow ski ever, and I've owned too many.

Also, they are a pretty traditional design/mount point, so won't demand a style change when swapping from your Experience 88s.

Finally, I'm a huge fan of Nordica skis, but maybe a jump from your 88 to the Enforcer 110 would make more sense than the 104?

 

[ELDoane]

If it's in your budget, DPS Wailer/Pagoda 112 RP. Get the 184 at least, it skis short.

I ski the Metal, the Hotshot is the updated version. Very forgiving, big sweet spot. Definitely wants to be in the snow, not on the snow.

 

[ejj]

Finally, I'm a huge fan of Nordica skis, but maybe a jump from your 88 to the Enforcer 110 would make more sense than the 104?

I second this--the 104 is a bit more of a generalist--if you have the 88, go big.

 

[The Retired Skier]

I second this--the 104 is a bit more of a generalist--if you have the 88, go big.

Hmmm.....I find my MB 108s easy but with some stones if I feel like pushing. My favorite resort pow ski ever, and I've owned too many.

Also, they are a pretty traditional design/mount point, so won't demand a style change when swapping from your Experience 88s.

Finally, I'm a huge fan of Nordica skis, but maybe a jump from your 88 to the Enforcer 110 would make more sense than the 104?

Even though the 110 was on my first couple of lists, I am looking for this ski to be a daily driver in Utah and more than likely at Crystal. A "generalist" with a soft snow bias is actually exactly what I am after for a resort ski.

Most of the folks I have talked to and most of the reviews I have read said that the Enforcer 110 is an awful lot of ski for a DD. Is this not correct?

 

[The Retired Skier]

Hmmm.....I find my MB 108s easy but with some stones if I feel like pushing. My favorite resort pow ski ever, and I've owned too many.

Also, they are a pretty traditional design/mount point, so won't demand a style change when swapping from your Experience 88s.

Finally, I'm a huge fan of Nordica skis, but maybe a jump from your 88 to the Enforcer 110 would make more sense than the 104?

Heard from all the shops yesterday that the MB 108 likes to go fast and doesn't turn well at slow speeds. I am all ears if that is not the case.

Of course, this could also mean that none of the shops had my size in stock, as well.

 

[Philpug]

At 240lb almost all skis become forgiving. LOL.

I like the Dynastar 108 a lot for what you are asking. I am not the Sender Ti at 102 is enough width for what you are asking, although it is one of my faves. If price is no object, the Augment AM108

 

[The Retired Skier]

OK, the Dynastar and K2 are two of the best for what I am looking for. Back on the list!

I think the Hotshot and QST can safely be dropped. I want a ski that is a resort ski so having the Hotshot loving to be IN snow eliminates it from consideration. All the shops said they had reservations about the QST 106 handling my weight at any kind of speed.

Probably the Rustler 10 can be dropped, too. It is just 101-102 wide at that length and may not be enough ski.

 

[Tom K.]

Even though the 110 was on my first couple of lists, I am looking for this ski to be a daily driver in Utah and more than likely at Crystal. Most of the folks I have talked to and most of the reviews I have read said that this is an awful lot of ski for a DD. Is this not correct?

Agreed. If it's to be a DD, I'd stick with the 104, but I thought this was in addition to your 88s?

Just my proclivities, but for a DD, I'd rather have the 88 than a 110. And you said you want to improve your carving......

Heard from all the shops yesterday that the MB 108 likes to go fast and doesn't turn well at slow speeds. I am all ears if that is not the case.

I find the MB108 to have a wide speed range. I certainly can ski fast, but mostly I'm about the turn and medium speeds. They are certainly better at lower speeds than my previous Ranger 115s.

Finally, note that Phil skis FAR more skis than I do, so pay attention. I know nothing about the Dynastars or Augments he recommends.

 

[The Retired Skier]

Agreed. If it's to be a DD, I'd stick with the 104, but I thought this was in addition to your 88s?

Just my proclivities, but for a DD, I'd rather have the 88 than a 110. And you said you want to improve your carving......

It is in addition to my 88. But the wider ski will more than likely be the only ski I take when traveling to Utah and Washington, so it will by default become the DD for most of my ski days each year. I'd still take the 88s for low snow closer to home or if conditions aren't going to be snowy when traveling.

I find the MB108 to have a wide speed range. I certainly can ski fast, but mostly I'm about the turn and medium speeds. They are certainly better at lower speeds than my previous Ranger 115s.

Finally, note that Phil skis FAR more skis than I do, so pay attention. I know nothing about the Dynastars or Augments he recommends.

I have lurked here long enough to surmise this. I am not going to spring for the Augment skis as I just don't ski often enough or well enough to justify the extra expense. I do realize my love of food and wine means I need to get beefy skis to carry to carry me, though, and I will need to get most manufacturer's top of the line to get that stability. So, my budget is $800 for skis.

 

[Tom K.]

But the wider ski will more than likely be the only ski I take when traveling to Utah and Washington...

No, no, no! Ski trips are a highlight of life! Do not limit yourself to one pair of skis. One of my most memorable trips with "the boys" to Jackson Hole was a low tide year. We spent 6 days ripping up perfect corn on slalom skis. It would have been a snooze fest on 104s.

Sorry for the life coaching!

 

[The Retired Skier]

At 240lb almost all skis become forgiving. LOL.

I like the Dynastar 108 a lot for what you are asking. I am not the Sender Ti at 102 is enough width for what you are asking, although it is one of my faves. If price is no object, the Augment AM108

Do you think the Sender Ti might be better than the standard version for me?

 

[The Retired Skier]

I found this interesting .....

Sooth Ski

Compare

compareskis.shinyapps.io

 

[François Pugh]

Why so short?

 

[The Retired Skier]

Why so short?

Maneuverability and more forgiving.

 

[Henry]

"But the wider ski will more than likely be the only ski I take when traveling to Utah and Washington,"
I've skied many days in both the Cascades and the Rockies. Most of those have not had fresh snow. Narrower skis (sub-80 mm) are the skis of choice those days. The few days with deep fluffy snow are few, and rental shops are many. For Cascade Concrete you don't want to get off the groomers, anyway. That deep heavy wet snow is like ski glue. Skiing wide skis on firm snow will set your development back.

For ski selection check the Ski Selector gizmo at the top of this page. I entered no years, 'cuz all are OK, no brands so all would be considered, Intermediate, All Mountain & Powder, waist width 100 to 110 (your preference), and got eight great choices to consider.

 

[François Pugh]

I see the point in going wider, given that OP is going short for his weight; a 104 mm waist for 240 lbs is not the same as a 104 for 150 lbs when it comes to float. At 150 lbs I found 96 mm the best compromise that worked in deep snow and groomed (softer) snow, even though it would be too wide for Ontario Canada snow.

 

[anders_nor]

At 240lb almost all skis become forgiving. LOL.

I like the Dynastar 108 a lot for what you are asking. I am not the Sender Ti at 102 is enough width for what you are asking, although it is one of my faves. If price is no object, the Augment AM108

damn you petite skiers

I never loved loved the m-free 108, but its quite nice

+1 for enforcer 110, but 104 has almost same float/feel, key beeing almost.

most of the skis on the list will do what you want really.

only ski to stay away from is mantra 102 :p it does not like slow.

 

[The Retired Skier]

If you flew to ski back east at Deer Valley, Utah and you only took one pair of skis for let’s say, two hard snow groomer days followed by three days with 2-4” falling each day, what ski would you want? All inbounds and riding lifts.

Blizzard Rustler 10
Dynastar M-Free 108
4FRNT MSP 107
K2 Mindbender 108 Ti
Nordica Enforcer 104 Free
Nordica Enforcers 110 Free
Rossignol Sender
Rossignol Sender Ti