The Never-Ending Peak By Bode Miller Skis Discussion Thread

[AlexisLD]

Peak Skis sent us a bunch of their skis to add them to our database.

You can see that the Keyhole is reducing the bending and torsional stiffnesses locally.

 

[ski otter 2]

I've had some more days on the Peak 104/184s, and, my o my, what a pleasant surprise.
I'm closer to understanding these skis by now, and this is the one Peak ski I can say for sure is worth buying for a lot of skiers.

There's a reason it's the favorite (along with the Peak 104SC/184s) of both Bode and Chris Davenport, apparently;
and why these two are the most successful models, that sold out first, at least going by their website availability.

On the other hand, to me, my sense of the Peak 98 and of the Peak 110 at their longest lengths is still incomplete, with cons to them as well as pros.
These two skis present difficulties I haven't solved yet in how to ski them best. The 110 seems like a great charger, on piste; but as things get steeper and more uneven on piste, or on mild but uneven off piste, they reach a speed limit unless they are kept laid over and carving - for me.
Something similar I've found with the Peak 98s. At a bit slower speeds, no problem; but as the speed rises more, and things get steeper and more uneven or rough - again, I have to be sure to keep them laid over and carving - more so than other skis - or I will hit quite a speed limit, seems like.

Not so with the Peak 104/84s. I don't have to remember to lay them over more; they are intuitive in how they guide a skier to how they best can handle things. And they can handle more, seems like.

I posted more about these 104s over in a new thread: https://www.skitalk.com/threads/looking-for-a-new-ski-around-a-100-underfoot.30712/

 

[abdul]

I think if you're a stronger skier, the Peak 110 (184cm) is too soft in the shovel as you go faster and hit rougher conditions, and maybe they're also a little too light to give enough damping and crud busting ability.

I think it's a great ski for intermediate to low-advanced skiers and for blue/black runs with 'smoother' conditions.

For me personally, the Katanas are what I was hoping the Peak 110s would be. First day out on the katanas they just clicked in the rougher conditions vs. the Peak 110s that I just couldn't dial in after 3-4 days in the same conditions.

 

[ski otter 2]

I think if you're a stronger skier, the Peak 110 (184cm) is too soft in the shovel as you go faster and hit rougher conditions, and maybe they're also a little too light to give enough damping and crud busting ability.

I think it's a great ski for intermediate to low-advanced skiers and for blue/black runs with 'smoother' conditions.

For me personally, the Katanas are what I was hoping the Peak 110s would be. First day out on the katanas they just clicked in the rougher conditions vs. the Peak 110s that I just couldn't dial in after 3-4 days in the same conditions.

I sure agree. Wish I'd figured this out quicker: for me it was a similar 3-4 days still trying to dial them in,
when, either the Volkl Katana 108s or the V-Werks Katanas 112/191 are not so limited, and both charge well.
(And there's a list of others that do a lot better also.)

It seems like in the end I will use this ski just as you suggest: "blue/black runs with 'smoother' conditions" -
maybe mostly early season. Disappointing: at first they showed such promise,
back in November and early December, when only such runs were open here.

 

[salvatore]

I would agree that after having skied the 98, 104, and 110 that I think the 104 is the star. Conversely, after giving my wife free rein to take any two that she wanted, chose the 98 and the 110. She enjoyed the snappy nature of the 98 and the playful nature of the 110.

For me, the 98 is a lot of fun, but not a ski that I need. The 110 I found too light. The 104 is quite nice and doesn't have a speed limit.

 

[DocGKR]

Got rid of my 98's and the 110's will likely go next.

 

[Tricia]

the 104 is the star.

I like the 88s pretty well in a variety of conditions where I don't want something wider, but so far the 104 shines the brightest by far.

 

[ski otter 2]

It seems like they used the keyhole to stabilize - and justify - lighter skis. This seems to have worked with the 104,
so there may be possibilities with the others, once modified next year or later.

But I maybe wish they would use the keyhole if possible on heavier, more naturally stable and damp skis too,
to see if it will help those grow even more stable and damp also (maybe also using the flex instead of sidecut turns
and the designs for that). God knows, the race skis that Bode discovered the keyhole in must have been already heavy and stable -
they were FIS race skis.

The Peak 110 in particular held the promise of being able to charge at 188. No such luck, but a longer, heavier version
tweaked to use the keyhole, etc. might fulfill that promise, instead of being mostly a dud, at least to some.

 

[ski otter 2]

I have a new #1 favorite spring ski, improbably replacing my FIS SL skis - surprisingly (surprising to me, at least).

Great Heavens, I have to post again because I've really fallen for the Peak 98/184 in spring conditions, and highly recommend it there.

(As background, I'd partly written off this particular model because it handled more challenging conditions, for me, by wanting to be on edge in the fall line as almost a necessity at speed in uneven or rough, at a slightly higher edge angle than usual at least, to stay stabilized; or else in those rough and uneven/ moguled up conditions it started to get tossed some. The longest model, 184, felt a bit short in such situations, without being damp enough as a fall back, too light weight to me, sometimes. But these skis were really first rate on groomers, and on groomers/even snow in fresh powder/crud conditions also.)

I took them out today, Friday, at A Basin in the slight crust, then cream cheese, then surfy slush snow (with a durable warm weather wax),
and instantly they were dialed in, just great. No matter what style or approach I used, they were just wonderful, dialed in, bigtime. Relaxing and confidence inspiring.

I was just almost laughing out loud the whole time: short turns, long turns, hard charging, slow and controlled, just wonderful and teaching me the whole time. Dear Lord, nice. And as I wrote previously, these skis reward higher edge angles and race technique more than most other all mountain skis I've been on. (As I found previously, the Peak 98/184 has no problems with crud on more even terrain, and it's the same with this ski in spring slush of almost any depth.)

Since this ski works so well in such typical spring conditions all over the mountain (in addition to how well it worked in early season conditions, on groomers and milder, even terrain), then I have a winner, a ski I'll keep and use a lot - and explore for what else it can do.

I maybe almost missed this ski, and let it go. No longer.

And this means that the similar Peak 110/188, which is a good charger on groomed, softer and more even snow, will also be dialed in for springtime.
I'll probably find it overlaps with the 98, being better in deeper fresh powder/crud or deeper slush - probably. And it's longer.
Guess if it snows again I'll see.

 

[ski otter 2]

Five days on the Peak 98/184 in springtime conditions, including morning re-freeze after rain, and various degrees of softening snow, into surfing
slush. Tomorrow will be day six on them. These are definitely my favorite all time ski in such conditions, at this point, still. They hold and carve well on the icy crust if any, first thing in the morning, and excel at the transition to cream cheese and then slush before noon. And they like modest slush bumps. First rate.

Looks like I'll get a dozen days on them this year in all, here at A Basin, before things close for the season. I don't want to stop.
What a great surprise.

 

[Jerez]

Last season Peak said they were going to add some length options to their line. When is the 2024 lineup likely to be posted?

Also, I am considering the Peak 88 among a list of options the Ski Talk family has recommended in another thread. I'm looking for a daily driver 'tweener' ski to go with a Laser AX and a Liberty Envy 106. Something that will be fun on the groomers with my husband but will be competent and fun if I want to wander off into the trees. The AX does most everything (groomers, bumps, hard snow steeps, and light powder up to 6" or so), but I find it can be a chore in soft, moist snow in the trees when I want to take a little detour.

Since you can't demo these things NM or WP that I'm aware of, any firsthand intel would be appreciated.

 

[Andy Mink]

 

[Tony S]

Last season Peak said they were going to add some length options to their line. When is the 2024 lineup likely to be posted?

Also, I am considering the Peak 88 among a list of options the Ski Talk family has recommended in another thread. I'm looking for a daily driver 'tweener' ski to go with a Laser AX and a Liberty Envy 106. Something that will be fun on the groomers with my husband but will be competent and fun if I want to wander off into the trees. The AX does most everything (groomers, bumps, hard snow steeps, and light powder up to 6" or so), but I find it can be a chore in soft, moist snow in the trees when I want to take a little detour.

Since you can't demo these things NM or WP that I'm aware of, any firsthand intel would be appreciated.

View attachment 208004

So ... Andy has bought a ginormous camper and has filled it with Peak skis so he can take them to your home hill for you to demo???

Edit: No. No way he could get that thing up the road to Ski Santa Fe.

 

[Andy Mink]

So ... Andy has bought a ginormous camper and has filled it with Peak skis so he can take them to your home hill for you to demo???

Edit: No. No way he could get that thing up the road to Ski Santa Fe.

Meet me at the bottom! Unfortunately, I was there on a Sunday. Empty parking lot! I have pulled a trailer over Teton Pass so it may not be out of the question...

 

[Jerez]

Meet me at the bottom! Unfortunately, I was there on a Sunday. Empty parking lot! I have pulled a trailer over Teton Pass so it may not be out of the question...

Let me know when you get here. I will buy you lunch or dinner.

 

[Jerez]

According to the website, Peak Skis are available to demo through Black Tie Ski rentalshttps://peakskis.com/customer_identity/redirect?locale=en

​

DEMO PEAK SKIS​

LOOKING TO DEMO PEAK SKIS?​

WE’RE SENDING FLEETS OF OUR SKIS TO A MOUNTAIN NEAR YOU.​

We get it, even with our 30-day money-back guarantee, you’d rather try a pair of Peaks before you buy. Now we’re making that easier. Our friends at Black Tie Ski Rentals now carry Peak Ski demos at all of their 18 locations including:

• Aspen
• Banff
• Big Sky
• Boone
• Breckenridge
• Crested Butte
• Jackson Hole
• Mammoth
• North Lake Tahoe
• Park City
• South Tahoe
• Steamboat
• Sun Valley
• Telluride
• Vail/Beaver Creek
• Whistler
• Whitefish
• Winter Park

 

[Philpug]

According to the website, Peak Skis are available to demo through Black Tie Ski rentalshttps://peakskis.com/customer_identity/redirect?locale=en

​

DEMO PEAK SKIS​

LOOKING TO DEMO PEAK SKIS?​

WE’RE SENDING FLEETS OF OUR SKIS TO A MOUNTAIN NEAR YOU.​

We get it, even with our 30-day money-back guarantee, you’d rather try a pair of Peaks before you buy. Now we’re making that easier. Our friends at Black Tie Ski Rentals now carry Peak Ski demos at all of their 18 locations including:

• Aspen
• Banff
• Big Sky
• Boone
• Breckenridge
• Crested Butte
• Jackson Hole
• Mammoth
• North Lake Tahoe
• Park City
• South Tahoe
• Steamboat
• Sun Valley
• Telluride
• Vail/Beaver Creek
• Whistler
• Whitefish
• Winter Park

Thats smart of them.

 

[fatbob]

Thats smart of them.

Pretty much essential. They've already sold to the freaks and geeks. Somehow they need to get people who ski and the regular skier who doesn't geek out too much on gear to try them. Still think a demo tour would be a good call and they could sprinkle the stardust but that takes investment.

 

[Philpug]

Still think a demo tour would be a good call and they could sprinkle the stardust but that takes investment.

Demo days are getting tougher and tougher, resorts don't want them and any resort that has a retailer does not want brands that are not sold on the premise.

 

[Jerez]

Right. So they should do the small ski area circuit, like .... Santa Fe.... for example