From the first run, each of the Augment All Mountains have proven exciting, vibrant, and energetic; likewise the Salomon Stances were the surprise of last year--super fun, capable, and lively; yet so far, the Peak's I've been on this year have been just OK--not mind blowing or uplifting in any way....
(One note first before responding to the above post: the Peak ski that has sold out and been most in demand, seemingly, has been both the 104 and 104 sc skis that Bode goes out of his way to describe, and that one can infer were for him favorites. Seems like others have felt the same way. Because of my collision/accident/fractured arm in early December, I have been unable to get on the 104, even though I own it, and it is sitting in my garage with bindings, just waiting to get skied. I suspect I will find this ski pretty neat, but don't really know yet.)
Unfortunately, my own Peak impressions have been limited by my getting injured this season, and thus have to be of a more preliminary nature, for now. But still, I have to say, respectfully, so far, that Doc's post is not my experience, as I have described. Different experiences for different people, I guess. For me, the Stances were very good skis, but didn't do anything that other skis couldn't do as well or better. Not a "wow" for me, though a bit of a surprise initially that they tracked and carved so well. Since there are a number of different Stances, it's very possible that I'd like one of the ones I haven't yet been able to try, better - find it more of a breakthrough. It's also possible that I was only demoing the limits of the tune on those particular demo days.
On the other hand, for me, the two Peak skis I've been on and own (98 & 110) have in common an ability to respond really well to laying a ski over on edge at higher angles - they come alive and become more stable doing that, in a bombproof manner in the fall line - reminding me of a race ski. Big smiles. They are perfectly happy to cruise along at much more relaxed/less laid over angles however. So much so that unless one actually tries laying them over at higher angles, and sometimes at speed, it's quite possible to ski them in a normal all mountain way without ever noticing what they can do at greater angles carving or even charging. Yet they have a bit of long rocker that makes them great at uneven conditions (more than, say, most Stocklis), and they have a balance between carve and pivot/slarve that some good all mountain skis have - specifically, that the Blizzard Bonafide and Brahma seem to have pioneered. (But those Blizzards do not respond nearly as well to laying them over at steeper angles. Nor are they as versatile turn-shape wise with rocker, so far, although they have a damp, dialed in groove waiting to be found, and played with - great skis also.)
The Peaks also are very damp (because of keyhole, stiffness and rocker, probably) - quiet like a ski much longer and heavier. That is really noticeable, unusual, and nice, for me, as well; consequently, especially for the 110, no speed limit. The way they track and carve is a different dynamic - as others have said, including Bode; in common with a race ski, they are designed to carve by flex rather than so much by sideshape, without having to think about it; and thus they have a distinctive, easy, race ski like dynamic/feel to them I really like - very different, when that is wanted, that other all mountain skis, and even most carvers, do not have so much, near as I can tell. The Peaks are very forgiving at speed -
or slow - for a ski that carves so well when that's wanted. (Partly the keyhole also, probably.) And thus they are great, I believe, for lower advanced skiers also, probably, because of both their forgiving nature at any speed, and their ease/quietness at both carving and slarving. The ski is less tiring - again, as folks have noted. These things also Bode emphasizes, and to me has been successful at designing.
For me, the 184 Peak 98 is not as dialed in as the Peak 110, probably because the Peak 110 is longer, 188. At times, the 98 feels a bit short at speed in uneven or steep uneven terrain, unless I remember to treat them a bit like an all mountain/race ski combined, laid over a bit, on edge, at least. When I do that, they stabilize in a wider variety of terrain and conditions, and at greater speed.
I believe this is probably because the Peaks were prototyped by skiers who wanted an all mountain ski with race-like dynamics, and were skilled and ready to go to higher angles first, and low angles/more upright only as a secondary or change of pace tactic/style.
Look again at Bode skiing on the Peak 98s, in particular (or any of the other Peaks, actually). Without effort, very casually, his hip and his hand/arm are right down on the snow as he's turning - just as high angled as one could get without going up onto one's boots instead of edges. This is by design.
