Ok, definitely don't have the credentials to be a proper reviewer, but thought I'd share my demo reactions in case it can be of use.
Me: older woman. 5'4" 120lbs. Advanced skier with bias for off piste.
demos at Ski Santa Fe 12/12/15
I am looking to replace ageing Atomic Century skis which are 100 mm and 166 length. I lapped five runs on every ski, two bump runs, one groomer and a narrowish, slot in the trees. Conditions started with a few inches over firm refrozen to an amazing mix of fairly wet (for NM) powder with free refills. Was just shy of a foot by end of day. I will go in order tested.
Very disappointed that Atomic did not bring any fat skis, so no centuries. As an aside, one person said Atomic was completely redesigning the Century line for 16/17 and suggested I wait. If there is any way to get on some this season, I would be most anxious to do so. (hint hint)
I started my day on a Nordica Santa Ana. I wanted to try the Volkl 100 eight but it was taken by another woman. She and her friend invited me to go with them to get the skis on our return. One was on the 100.8 and the other on the Volkl One. Both loved the One and found the 108 too stiff and too GS like.
Santa Ana 168 and 100 under foot. was a damp, solid ski. Amazingly both light and steady carving the fast accumulating snow on the groomers and didn't skip a beat where it was scraped down to crusty. They did fine and were a lot of fun in the variable powder and in the softer, steeper, bigger (read spaced) bumps, but in the harder, less filled in and closer bumps they felt dissapointingly planky. They were jarring when hitting the bumps. They shined in the softer snow, the harder groomed snow and in the crud. I liked that they felt smooth and predictable, but lively and fun at the same time.
Volkl One. 166? And 110 under foot. Since the young rippers I was skiing with thought the 108 too stiff and I thougth the Santa Ana too stiff in the bumps, I changed my mind and took out the Ones. HOLY MOLY WHAT A HOOT. The difference in the firm bumps with now about 3 or 4 of new on top was amazing. It was like adding shock absorbers. Easy peasy so much fun. Just wiggled right on through.so simple to ski. They carved respectably on the groomer. Yes, you had to think about it for like a nano-second longer to get on edge but they did long and short turns with equal ease. So I would have taken them home except.... skiing the same speed (as I would on my Centuries or did on the Nordica) felt 3 times faster on the Ones than it was. Surprise! I liken it to driving a go cart. Loads of fun in the right context but not for the highway. I was concerned what they would be Iike on variable snow on, say, the outer edges of Montezuma bowl. Also, they did ok in the crud but felt bumpy lumpy where the Santa Anas smoothed it out.
Nordica Nemesis. 170 98 under foot. Talked into this by the Nordica rep. Very nice ski. Would make a decent one quiver ski. Light, easy, turnier than the Santa Anas despite having less side cut. But not as Solid as the other Nordica and not as fun as the Volkl. Sort of meh that way. Not what I was looking for so maybe not a fair critique, but felt competent everywhere, outstanding nowhere.
Then I said, what the heck, I wanted to try the Volkl 100-8 so that one came next. 108 under presumably. I think k they were 169. I didn't find them too stiff. They were not as fun as the Ones but still quick and responsive. They carved like a dedicated groomer ski, and were fun and stable in the now filled in soft bumps, while handling the occasionally icy troughs when encountered. I liked these skis a lot. My one complaint is an odd one, and that is that they felt kind of tinny, if that makes sense. I don't know what the construction of these skis is, but would be surprised if it's wood. They felt metalic somehow. Don't know exactly how to describe it. Also, like the Ones, these skis felt the lumps and bumps as opposed to the Santa Anas that smoothed it all out. these were the Grrr to the One's bounce.
Lastly I tried a K2 Remedy 102 in a 170. Nice all around ski. I don't usually like K2 skis, but this was good. It was not as fun as the Volkls, but plenty responsive and nimble. It was not as stable as the Nordica, but confident enough at speed and through crud, did not have the bumpy sensations. It did not react well to the icy bits that poked through. Light was flat, so not having that grip underfoot when the surprises happened was really apparant. Mind you they did hold, i didn't stumble, but it was a con for sure. Maybe it was the tune? What took them off my list, however, was that they felt heavy on my feet and I felt my legs for the first time that day. (now it was later in the day, so maybe i was just wearing out, but still they did feel heavy.
Next day, I took out my old Centuries on maybe 8" of more new sorta wet snow. It was sunny and very crowded, so it got both cut up and set up early. Still, the old skis were every bit as competent at all of it as anything I tried the day before with the exception of the fun factor of the Ones. Definitely more Tigger bounce on the Ones. So I'm going to wait and just hope that the Old Girls hold on and last the seaon.... sorta like This Old Girl!
Still want to try the Blizzard Shiva and the Centuries and perhaps the DPS Yvette. Although it's not clear how or where.
Me: older woman. 5'4" 120lbs. Advanced skier with bias for off piste.
demos at Ski Santa Fe 12/12/15
I am looking to replace ageing Atomic Century skis which are 100 mm and 166 length. I lapped five runs on every ski, two bump runs, one groomer and a narrowish, slot in the trees. Conditions started with a few inches over firm refrozen to an amazing mix of fairly wet (for NM) powder with free refills. Was just shy of a foot by end of day. I will go in order tested.
Very disappointed that Atomic did not bring any fat skis, so no centuries. As an aside, one person said Atomic was completely redesigning the Century line for 16/17 and suggested I wait. If there is any way to get on some this season, I would be most anxious to do so. (hint hint)
I started my day on a Nordica Santa Ana. I wanted to try the Volkl 100 eight but it was taken by another woman. She and her friend invited me to go with them to get the skis on our return. One was on the 100.8 and the other on the Volkl One. Both loved the One and found the 108 too stiff and too GS like.
Santa Ana 168 and 100 under foot. was a damp, solid ski. Amazingly both light and steady carving the fast accumulating snow on the groomers and didn't skip a beat where it was scraped down to crusty. They did fine and were a lot of fun in the variable powder and in the softer, steeper, bigger (read spaced) bumps, but in the harder, less filled in and closer bumps they felt dissapointingly planky. They were jarring when hitting the bumps. They shined in the softer snow, the harder groomed snow and in the crud. I liked that they felt smooth and predictable, but lively and fun at the same time.
Volkl One. 166? And 110 under foot. Since the young rippers I was skiing with thought the 108 too stiff and I thougth the Santa Ana too stiff in the bumps, I changed my mind and took out the Ones. HOLY MOLY WHAT A HOOT. The difference in the firm bumps with now about 3 or 4 of new on top was amazing. It was like adding shock absorbers. Easy peasy so much fun. Just wiggled right on through.so simple to ski. They carved respectably on the groomer. Yes, you had to think about it for like a nano-second longer to get on edge but they did long and short turns with equal ease. So I would have taken them home except.... skiing the same speed (as I would on my Centuries or did on the Nordica) felt 3 times faster on the Ones than it was. Surprise! I liken it to driving a go cart. Loads of fun in the right context but not for the highway. I was concerned what they would be Iike on variable snow on, say, the outer edges of Montezuma bowl. Also, they did ok in the crud but felt bumpy lumpy where the Santa Anas smoothed it out.
Nordica Nemesis. 170 98 under foot. Talked into this by the Nordica rep. Very nice ski. Would make a decent one quiver ski. Light, easy, turnier than the Santa Anas despite having less side cut. But not as Solid as the other Nordica and not as fun as the Volkl. Sort of meh that way. Not what I was looking for so maybe not a fair critique, but felt competent everywhere, outstanding nowhere.
Then I said, what the heck, I wanted to try the Volkl 100-8 so that one came next. 108 under presumably. I think k they were 169. I didn't find them too stiff. They were not as fun as the Ones but still quick and responsive. They carved like a dedicated groomer ski, and were fun and stable in the now filled in soft bumps, while handling the occasionally icy troughs when encountered. I liked these skis a lot. My one complaint is an odd one, and that is that they felt kind of tinny, if that makes sense. I don't know what the construction of these skis is, but would be surprised if it's wood. They felt metalic somehow. Don't know exactly how to describe it. Also, like the Ones, these skis felt the lumps and bumps as opposed to the Santa Anas that smoothed it all out. these were the Grrr to the One's bounce.
Lastly I tried a K2 Remedy 102 in a 170. Nice all around ski. I don't usually like K2 skis, but this was good. It was not as fun as the Volkls, but plenty responsive and nimble. It was not as stable as the Nordica, but confident enough at speed and through crud, did not have the bumpy sensations. It did not react well to the icy bits that poked through. Light was flat, so not having that grip underfoot when the surprises happened was really apparant. Mind you they did hold, i didn't stumble, but it was a con for sure. Maybe it was the tune? What took them off my list, however, was that they felt heavy on my feet and I felt my legs for the first time that day. (now it was later in the day, so maybe i was just wearing out, but still they did feel heavy.
Next day, I took out my old Centuries on maybe 8" of more new sorta wet snow. It was sunny and very crowded, so it got both cut up and set up early. Still, the old skis were every bit as competent at all of it as anything I tried the day before with the exception of the fun factor of the Ones. Definitely more Tigger bounce on the Ones. So I'm going to wait and just hope that the Old Girls hold on and last the seaon.... sorta like This Old Girl!
Still want to try the Blizzard Shiva and the Centuries and perhaps the DPS Yvette. Although it's not clear how or where.
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