Comparison Review The 80-90mm Category: A Melting Pot of Technology and Design

[AngryAnalyst]

Groomers get cut up really quickly and I'm loving my 2023 Kendo 88s as the are unflappable on trail unlike a GS/frontside ski that gets deflected in the piles, chickenheads, chalk.... Plus a 80 ish ski minus a plate can be manipulated and shaped at lower speed (close down the radius & hip drag) instead of having to go 60mph to get the same effects.

Makes sense and would definitely agree extra width plus length with taper help with crud.

I was sort of coming at it from the perspective of that thread about tighter vs. longer radius all mountain skis. I believe someone (it was you actually on further review?) mentioned taper as increasing versatility or something similar with wider tip shaped skis. It got me thinking about why I don’t love extra taper as a design feature generally (ex: DPS Wailer), even if the somewhat modest amounts present on the Mantra line are well implemented, and the trade offs this might present vs. going straighter with a narrower widest tip point.

It seemed to me the nice things about longer skis with taper vs. shorter skis without it were most relevant for dealing with stuff like crud piles and it sounds like we agree.

 

[Brian Finch]

^ yea! from a tactical standpoint, I will just now stand on the skis w/ a lot of taper & ride out the debris zones instead of trying yo force a turn in junk.

 

[Andy Mink]

And speaking of casual day, if you are looking for a casual day of nice easy going skiing on a ski that will let you get casual then give the PX81 a go. This is not an MX. It is forgiving. You want to skid, slarve, carve or even be a dirty heel pusher this ski is all good. I had the 179 version in about 4" of fresh and it was no problem. I never tried to find the top end on this ski but I certainly got the feeling there is one. And yes it is not a crud buster but works just fine. Never had it the bumps but did have it in Spaulding Bowl at Copper. Most likely won't be a 1st choice for most of the serious skiers on here but worth a look for those just looking for a more relaxed type front side biased easy ski day.

It sounds like you've read our reviews on the PX81. Kästle did a great job with it, essentially a gateway Kästle. There is a top end for sure but below that it has a huge sweet spot for a skier looking for a very capable easy to get along with ski. A great ski for making the transition from an upper beginner/low advanced to upper advanced.

 

[wooglin]

Nothing cogent here. I'm still counting skis and getting 20.

 

[Philpug]

Stay tuned for our next comparison.

 

[Dougb]

I like the way you categorized the skis and it gave me a new way to think about them. I have to ask, where does the Fischer RC One 86 GT fit in here, @Philpug?

A fun and informative video, thanks.

 

[Philpug]

I like the way you categorized the skis and it gave me a new way to think about them. I have to ask, where does the Fischer RC One 86 GT fit in here, @Philpug?

The Fischer fits in right around that Rossi Exerperience 86Ti, dead center and a great balance of off and on piste.

 

[Wendy]

No Monteros ?!?!?!?

That's it! I am leaving this place!

View attachment 177061

Tony, you never disappoint!

 

[tromano]

Makes sense and would definitely agree extra width plus length with taper help with crud.

I was sort of coming at it from the perspective of that thread about tighter vs. longer radius all mountain skis. I believe someone (it was you actually on further review?) mentioned taper as increasing versatility or something similar with wider tip shaped skis. It got me thinking about why I don’t love extra taper as a design feature generally (ex: DPS Wailer), even if the somewhat modest amounts present on the Mantra line are well implemented, and the trade offs this might present vs. going straighter with a narrower widest tip point.

It seemed to me the nice things about longer skis with taper vs. shorter skis without it were most relevant for dealing with stuff like crud piles and it sounds like we agree.

The fischer rc one line removes metal and uses bafatex to torsiinally soften the tips and tails, The tails are also tapered. I think this adds a feel vert simiar to what volkl accomplished with their 3d radius.

With all the material manipulation, it adds an additional wrinkle to the shape discussion.

 

[AngryAnalyst]

The fischer rc one line removes metal and uses bafatex to torsiinally soften the tips and tails, The tails are also tapered. I think this adds a feel vert simiar to what volkl accomplished with their 3d radius.

With all the material manipulation, it adds an additional wrinkle to the shape discussion.

Isn’t the Fischer one reversed (i.e. short radius in tips, long in the middle) vs. Volkl? I’ve thought about a RC a few times, but I think for the first time in years my ski collection feels complete-ish without one. That said, funnily enough one of two 10 mm categories I don’t have anything in is the 80-90 segment.

 

[tromano]

Isn’t the Fischer one reversed (i.e. short radius in tips, long in the middle) vs. Volkl? I’ve thought about a RC a few times, but I think for the first time in years my ski collection feels complete-ish without one. That said, funnily enough one of two 10 mm categories I don’t have anything in is the 80-90 segment.

That's what the catalog says for Fischer's 3d radius, yes. Imo, you need calipers to see it. But the true tip construction is also there. And I think has a bigger impact. The tips hook up early but not agressively. Tails release smooth

In contrast the volkl ti frame and carbon tip make the tip more torsionally stiff but the shape is more tapered. The M6 is my Daily driver at snowbasin any it seems tailor made for that hill.

 

[Wilhelmson]

It will be fun to compare the Experience 88 TI verse the Candide 1.0 (92 mm). They seem similarly not too burly. But they are 187 and 179 long respectively so it won’t be quite a direct comparison. The experience have a more than less square tail, which only didn’t want to release on 10 inches of weird snow in the woods. Otherwise it was fine in the woods for our lean snow year although a little rocker would be easier on off days.

 

[GregK]

It will be fun to compare the Experience 88 TI verse the Candide 1.0 (92 mm). They seem similarly not too burly. But they are 187 and 179 long respectively so it won’t be quite a direct comparison. The experience have a more than less square tail, which only didn’t want to release on 10 inches of weird snow in the woods. Otherwise it was fine in the woods for our lean snow year although a little rocker would be easier on off days.

The Experience 88 Ti would be more like the skis on the Center or left rack especially if it’s 2 generations old as they had a very blunt “carver like” tip like skis on the left most rack. The previous gen Experience 88 Ti had more taper and moved more into the middle rack with more of a soft snow bias.
The current Experience in the video has the long effective edge of the older version combined with a slower rising tip slope giving you the best of both worlds-grip but not as catchy in afternoon crud. Great ski!

The CT 1.0 would sit beside the Kendo 88 as a ski that can still grip well but with more off piste capabilities than even the Center rack skis. Still less taper and longer effective edge than the Peak or Kore options which are even more soft snow biased.
CT 1.0 much more damp than any Experience ski or almost any ski near the 90mm width range with it’s extra weight and construction.