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Stockli Laser AX vs AR

J

justaute

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Well, guess my decision has been made for me, can't find a single pair of 2021 Ax 175 anywhere. Haha
 
noggin

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mikes781

mikes781

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Give Rick a call at Ski Sharp in Waitsfield, VT. Bought a pair of SR95s from him at the end of last season when I was having trouble tracking them down. Good guy to work with.
 
James

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Eric Edelstein said:
The AX feels like a resort-oriented, mostly frontside all-mountain high-performance, carving-oriented design with a good variety of turn behaviors, while the AR feels like a wider, stronger platform definitely smitten with drawing strongly-carved GS radius turns deeply into the hill at higher speeds than the AX. If there were cruddy conditions...I would use the AR as the rock-solid platform of choice to generate float when needed, but freight-train through chop without any deflection or deviation from trajectory.
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I think if one really doesn’t know, and you can’t try both, go for the AX. At least in the east. Everyone I know on the AX is very happy. At least two people I know on the AR not so much. There’s just not the smiles about loving it. They are not hard, chargey skiers making big turns all the time.

My sense is they really nailed it on the AX for a wide range of people. Ski it for a bit with it’s bloated 1.3deg base bevel and then have it ground and down to 1 or less. Then you can learn about the effects of such things.
 
Wendy

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I’m a normal, average eastern skier and I love the AX. There’s absolutely no speed limit for me and yet it can be very easy going. It does seem to make me a better skier by offering gentle corrections or suggestions as I’m skiing. (How this works I’ve no idea but I swear it’s true). My favorite thing about it is that it makes any turn shape so easily, handles shitty conditions well and can charge hard or be playful and quick. It’s been my go-to ski this season: I have more than 40 days in and I’d say over 35 of them have been on the AX. I did move the bindings forward 2 clicks and that’s the sweet spot for me. I can’t think of another ski in this class that I’d rather be on. If I can’t do it on this ski, it’s definitely the pilot‘s fault!
 
Quandary

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Thought of something that would help me alot with the AX vs AR decision. Let me paint a picture of a day.

You start the day on a few beautifully prepared low to mid angle groomed runs, the snow is softish so you are just trenching run after run with varying turn shapes but always at speed. Then you move runs and find a nice stash of 3" wind blow on the edges and ski that awhile. You move to the steep groomed runs where the soft snow is mostly skied off so that it is hard, not quite ice. Nevertheless you rip the runs in big GS turns top to bottom, the thought of speed checks never enter your mind. Finally you notice that the rope just dropped on that headwall thats been closed all week. There is 4" to 6" over small to middle sized bumps so you ski that a few times. Nice day, 20,000 vertical, time for lunch.

For those that have skied both what ski would you have rather been on, AX or AR?
 
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Brad J

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I have skied the AR in those conditions and really liked them , very solid and predictable, I actually liked them better off piste than groomed , I think the groomer performance was hampered by the less than ideal factory tune. Should never have boughten a true bar !!!!
 
Noodler

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Quandary said:
Thought of something that would help me alot with the AX vs AR decision. Let me paint a picture of a day.

You start the day on a few beautifully prepared low to mid angle groomed runs, the snow is softish so you are just trenching run after run with varying turn shapes but always at speed. Then you move runs and find a nice stash of 3" wind blow on the edges and ski that awhile. You move to the steep groomed runs where the soft snow is mostly skied off so that it is hard, not quite ice. Nevertheless you rip the runs in big GS turns top to bottom, the thought of speed checks never enter your mind. Finally you notice that the rope just dropped on that headwall thats been closed all week. There is 4" to 6" over small to middle sized bumps so you ski that a few times. Nice day, 20,000 vertical, time for lunch.

For those that have skied both what ski would you have rather been on, AX or AR?
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For me the answer is neither. This is where the Fischer Pro MT or RC One skis absolutely excel and I would grab my Pro MT 86 or 95 well ahead of the Stocklis. You simply can't beat superior ski geometry no matter how much "baby seal fur" you use. ;)
 
raytseng

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Quandary said:
Thought of something that would help me alot with the AX vs AR decision. Let me paint a picture of a day.

You start the day on a few beautifully prepared low to mid angle groomed runs, the snow is softish so you are just trenching run after run with varying turn shapes but always at speed. Then you move runs and find a nice stash of 3" wind blow on the edges and ski that awhile. You move to the steep groomed runs where the soft snow is mostly skied off so that it is hard, not quite ice. Nevertheless you rip the runs in big GS turns top to bottom, the thought of speed checks never enter your mind. Finally you notice that the rope just dropped on that headwall thats been closed all week. There is 4" to 6" over small to middle sized bumps so you ski that a few times. Nice day, 20,000 vertical, time for lunch.

For those that have skied both what ski would you have rather been on, AX or AR?
Click to expand...
If that is your typical day is you got soft snow + 3" windblow and a ropedrop on 5" you should be having fun regardless and probably on not a laser.

I think the scenario you should consider is when it hasn't snowed for 10days, what is going to help you have more fun of 10day old snow/ice rather than putting the icing on top of really good fresh snow. At least that was my perspective and choice.

If your dream scenario really is the majority of your days, good to be you, I guess!
 
Quandary

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I already have Praxis 9D8s in a 185, #4 core. They are great, but as I have said want to add a skinny ski (for me 77 or 83 is a skinny ski) that is more toward the carver side of the spectrum. So AX or AR?
 
Tony Storaro

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Dougb said:
Seeing as I have a new (to me) pair of RC GT One 86s in my closet I’m itching to ski this is actually music to my ears.

Somewhere here @Philpug said the RC 86 was the ski the AR wanted to be this cycle.
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Please make sure you share your experience. I have a vacant spot in the 80-90 category in my quiver and still cant make my mind what to fill it with. These Fischers are very high on my list.
 
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