The Never-Ending Stöckli Discussion

[TheArchitect]

168. The size conspicuously absent from the PSA above.


And no, I'm not ready to pass them on...

I'm kinda glad the 168 isn't there otherwise I'd have bought them.

 

[mikes781]

PSA for anyone interested in the plaid SR105: 2019 SR105 in 159, 177 and 186 for $349.95

SkiEssentials

www.skiessentials.com

Oh boy SR105S in 186 would be nice. Really don’t need to buy another pair of skis but at this price….

 

[BmbrMcGnrly]

Oh boy SR105S in 186 would be nice. Really don’t need to buy another pair of skis but at this price….

Someone tell me that I don’t need these - already have a SR105 (2020) in 188. But these are a bit more burly (flexed a pair once) so could justify it as a crud buster…

 

[Wade]

I agree with Wade's review of Montero AX vs. Laser AX, "This new one is just as engaging on piste for me, but more versatile in mixed conditions and terrain."

For me the Strive heel was too low, not enough delta angle. I had to work continuously to get balanced forward. A 3mm shim (1/8" plexiglass) under the heel binding set me up just right. Ebay or a local plastics shop is a source for plexiglass; I needed a 6" x 12" piece and cut and drilled it (gently) with woodworking tools. I got 3mm longer screws from tognar.com.

To pick up on this…

I had my best AX day of the year today. I got out for about 3 hours and 18k vert between calls this afternoon at Stratton, VT.

There’s really good coverage here right now. It snowed maybe 3” a couple of days ago, and the temps have been mid 20s to low 30s with very little skier traffic mid week in early April. Really nice snow to ski on - not powder, but soft and edgable everywhere I skied today.

I skied a bunch of tree runs, some really high quality, well formed bumps, and threw in a few groomers to mix it up.

Today was exactly the day I bought the AXs for and exactly the conditions in which I really appreciate the changes from the Laser AX to Montero AX. If there was ever a use case for a narrow all mountain ski, today was it.

There are probably a bunch of skis I would have had a great time on today, but the day was just a little bit better because I was on the AXs.

 

[mikes781]

Someone tell me that I don’t need these - already have a SR105 (2020) in 188. But these are a bit more burly (flexed a pair once) so could justify it as a crud buster…

I have them sitting in my cart lol and need to check on how many Skiessential points that I have.

 

[KingGrump]

I had my best AX day of the year today. I got out for about 3 hours and 18k vert between calls this afternoon at Stratton, VT.

Glad you are having a good time at Stratton. Home for many years. Still home for Dec.

Had the worst day of the season on my AX today. Dust on crust. Not feeling the baby seal skins on the very firm groomers or rock hard bumps. Doesn't help that I have been on FIS SL for the past 3 days. The AX is a decent soft snow ski. Not very nice on firm.
Think I'll pass them to my nephew.

 

[anders_nor]

demoed some of stocklis for the girls, 1 favoured the GS, one the SX.

ideally one notch down on both sizes, but they carved them edgelock, even on steeper terrain, with a note on the gs saying "we need to test on the steeper hills on the gs" as they wanted that 40mph and up to be fun and to load up.

 

[Wade]

Glad you are having a good time at Stratton. Home for many years. Still home for Dec.

Nice! I bought a place here at Stratton a couple of years ago. It’s been a great home mountain for us so far.

The kids are in the seasonal mogul program here, the coaches are great, the village is a good fit for us, we have a bunch of friends here, and for what and where it is, it’s a great mountain to ski.

Would I prefer to ski Sugarbush or Stowe’s terrain? Sure, but neither of those are three hours and change from my house. Stratton feels like an excellent compromise between good skiing and somewhere I can get my family to every weekend.

 

[Wade]

Had the worst day of the season on my AX today. Dust on crust. Not feeling the baby seal skins on the very firm groomers or rock hard bumps. Doesn't help that I have been on FIS SL for the past 3 days. The AX is a decent soft snow ski. Not very nice on firm.
Think I'll pass them to my nephew.

Bummer.

Yeah, I agree the AXs have a pretty specific use case as a decent snow, narrowish all mountain ski, with the Monteros having a slightly broader conditions window than the Lasers. Yesterday was probably my last day of the season on them unfortunately.

it’s going to rain here this morning and get pretty warm as it’s stopping, so I’ll likely pull my SR 95s and ski some slush bumps this afternoon for what will probably wind up being my last day of off piste skiing here for the season.

Then with a refreeze overnight, the Deacon Master 72s or WRT Pros will likely get a run on Sunday.

I’ll have a great time skiing both days, and I’m sure that would be the case on the AXs also, but they wouldn’t be the best tool for the job on either day.

 

[JCF]

Glad you are having a good time at Stratton. Home for many years. Still home for Dec.

Had the worst day of the season on my AX today. Dust on crust. Not feeling the baby seal skins on the very firm groomers or rock hard bumps. Doesn't help that I have been on FIS SL for the past 3 days. The AX is a decent soft snow ski. Not very nice on firm.
Think I'll pass them to my nephew.

I had, an interesting day on Wednesday at SR on the Pros.
Day was spectacular bluebird Spring skiing at its best. Cold in the am and the skis were so much fun - especially on the race slope which was the first time this year I've seen it open to the public. Did a bunch of laps there and the snow was perfect, consistent and firm.
Then, as it got warmer and the snow softer I went to the Jordon side where the sun was not so direct, and things kind of fell apart.
Not sure if I had just had enough or if the edges went away, but I suddenly forgot how to ski, had no patience. Then, not sure what happened, hit a rut or just tripped over my skis - down I went. Humbling.
Also - I had mentioned that the skis are great in crud and you can turn them hard in soft snow - well there's soft snow and there's slush. Would have been easier turning with a surfboard in that stuff.

 

[Tony S]

I had, an interesting day on Wednesday at SR on the Pros.
Day was spectacular bluebird Spring skiing at its best. Cold in the am and the skis were so much fun - especially on the race slope which was the first time this year I've seen it open to the public. Did a bunch of laps there and the snow was perfect, consistent and firm.
Then, as it got warmer and the snow softer I went to the Jordon side where the sun was not so direct, and things kind of fell apart.
Not sure if I had just had enough or if the edges went away, but I suddenly forgot how to ski, had no patience. Then, not sure what happened, hit a rut or just tripped over my skis - down I went. Humbling.
Also - I had mentioned that the skis are great in crud and you can turn them hard in soft snow - well there's soft snow and there's slush. Would have been easier turning with a surfboard in that stuff.

Stuff like this happens to me more often than I like to admit. Expectations are a bitch.

More objectively, it's definitely true that stiff groomer skis become harder to work when they don't have something substantial enough to push against that they bend and stay bent.

 

[Brad J]

More objectively, it's definitely true that stiff groomer skis become harder to work when they don't have something substantial enough to push against that they bend and stay bent

I found those condition last Saturday at SL on the King Pine chair where they did a deeper till groom. more work and less snap, I try to be more patient in those conditions but its not my style or way

 

[mikes781]

PSA for anyone interested in the plaid SR105: 2019 SR105 in 159, 177 and 186 for $349.95

SkiEssentials

www.skiessentials.com

Ordered 186s. Too good of a deal to pass up with some loyalty bucks thrown in. Thanks!

 

[Tony Storaro]

Ordered 186s. Too good of a deal to pass up with some loyalty bucks thrown in. Thanks!

It’s an absolute steal this one. Please don’t forget to drop a line or 56463773 on them when you put them on snow.

 

[mikes781]

Also very good prices on 2021 SR95s and 105s but limited sizes.

SkiEssentials

www.skiessentials.com

 

[TheArchitect]

Ordered 186s. Too good of a deal to pass up with some loyalty bucks thrown in. Thanks!

You're welcome. I'm bummed that they don't have them in 168 but I'm glad someone is getting a pair for this price.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

To pick up on this…

I had my best AX day of the year today. I got out for about 3 hours and 18k vert between calls this afternoon at Stratton, VT.

There’s really good coverage here right now. It snowed maybe 3” a couple of days ago, and the temps have been mid 20s to low 30s with very little skier traffic mid week in early April. Really nice snow to ski on - not powder, but soft and edgable everywhere I skied today.

I skied a bunch of tree runs, some really high quality, well formed bumps, and threw in a few groomers to mix it up.

Today was exactly the day I bought the AXs for and exactly the conditions in which I really appreciate the changes from the Laser AX to Montero AX. If there was ever a use case for a narrow all mountain ski, today was it.

There are probably a bunch of skis I would have had a great time on today, but the day was just a little bit better because I was on the AXs.

Do you charge to use your time machine and/or what was the S&P on Wed the 5th?

 

[mikes781]

You're welcome. I'm bummed that they don't have them in 168 but I'm glad someone is getting a pair for this price.

The price of the 2021s for just a little more have me wondering if I should go for them instead. I did a little digging though and it seems like the 2019s might be a little stiffer with a shorter turning radius.

 

[TheArchitect]

The price for the 2021s for just a little more have me wondering if I should go for them instead. I did a little digging though and it seems like the 2019s might be a little stiffer with a shorter turning radius.

I haven't skied either but I know the plaid version is well regarded by most.

 

[Jeronimo]

demoed some of stocklis for the girls, 1 favoured the GS, one the SX.

ideally one notch down on both sizes, but they carved them edgelock, even on steeper terrain, with a note on the gs saying "we need to test on the steeper hills on the gs" as they wanted that 40mph and up to be fun and to load up.



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The GS is more than marginally better than the SX. I own both and if you asked me to choose one, it'd be the GS no contest.