I wanted to start posting some gear reviews for 2009 kit. I’m going to start with all mountain skis.  While strictly aimed at the piste and slackcountry skier lighter all mountain skis can also be mounted with free heel bindings (AT or telemark) and toured but with the priority on skiing rather than climbing pleasure. This is the archetype single quiver ski but not specialized enough for some. We’ll post more reviews as we have time but please contribute your thoughts, requests and reviews.

Black Diamond Machine

Price: 499 euros

The Machine is in its third year. BD has revised the flex making the tail softer. The Machine is a lightweight ski with a wood/glass fibre sandwich core. The Machine skis well even at speed and is predictable with good edge to edge performance. It prefers longer radius turns with enough float for use in powder. It is the single quiver ski par excellence for skiers looking to progress.

The Machine gets Ski Magazines “Palme 2009” in the all mountain category.

Dynastar Legend 8000

The surface area of the Legend was increase last season with a deeper sidecut to improve turning. It is a Poplar wood core with a titanal reinforcing plate. The Legend is available in two versions this year - “Rando” and with integrated bindings for freeriders. A pure Savoyard ski made under the shadow of Mont Blanc.

The Legend has a soft shovel which works best off piste and in softer snow although the pilot has to work in deep powder. The ski is for the rider who prefers carving large and fast turns. The Legend 8000 is a go anywhere ski without any particular character, or vice. We tested the ski mounted with Dynastar branded Naxo bindings (Early Tram). Light enough for shorter tours but also orientated at slackcountry skiers. The Market Duke or Diamir Freeride Plus would be other good choices.

Lengths: 158, 165, 172, 178, 184 cm
Sidecut: 120 - 79 - 103 mm

Head Monster 78

The smaller of the two Monster all round skis. While it looses a bit of float in powder compared to the 82 it gains in manouverability with easy entry into and out of turns. It finds its limits on steeper, hard snow where it is unable to soak up vibrations giving it a feeling of instability if it is not controlled. Ideal ski for someone taking their first steps off piste but who wants to progress further while still having a fun tool for marked runs.

Lengths: 165, 171, 177, 183 cm
Sidecut: 125 - 78 - 111 mm
Price: 550 euros

The testers of Ski Magazine loved it, giving it their “Remarkable Ski 2009” award.

Rossignol Bandit 80 SC

Rossi has split the difference between the B78 and 83 to come up with the 80SC. The SC is an accessible easy listening type of ski for piste or off piste cruisers who don’t want to rip it up. Ideal for beginner off pisters but too limited for experts.

Lengths: 155, 165, 175, 185cm
Sidecut: 122 - 80 - 109mm

Stockl Stormrider XXL

Second and final season for the Stormrider XXL. The ski is a synthetique sandwich core with titanal and fiberglass reinforcements. We don’t really like synthetique cores much, skis tend to get a bit flappy and loose their grip on steep and hard pitches after 50 odd days. The XXL is a stiff ski aimed at good riders who like carving long radius turns. Good grip on the steeps and hard pistes, skiers can link turns with a good spring off the tail. The XXL has pretensions to be a big mountain ski but lacks a bit of float to cut it in the freeride category.

Lengths: 162, 170, 178, 186cm
Sidecut: 122-80-110 mm

Movement Spark

Popular / Okoume wood core construction with triaxial fibre reinforcement. Movement have lifted the shovel by 1cm for this season. The ski works as well in powder as soft slushy snow. Stable at speed and in large radius turns. The Spark cuts through crud like a sledge. However don’t bother to shorten your turn radius, the Spark won’t follow you there. Aimed at good to excellent skiers.

Lengths: 163, 173, 183cm
Sidecut: 121 - 82 - 119 mm
Price: 519 euros

Those all seem extremely small.  Although wide skis cause torsional problems for Fritscis I wouldn’t ski anything narrower then 95 under foot.

The Atomic Thug would be my choice, I prefer the 192 but smaller less aggressive versions will find the 181 nice too.  Stiff, light, performs great in everything from flawless powder to mash potatoes.  Doesn’t have an overly aggressive side cut so it works great on windpack and ice as well.  A plus is that they seem to be constantly available on Ebay for around $450.  I picked up a second pair I’ll mount once my current pair breaks.  Highly recommended by the other 4 people I know that ski on them as well.

mm Atomic thugs. never heard of them.  might have to have a look at them.

reference: i am 5ft 11 & 3/4” and 84kg.  and male (last time i checked).

I have been touring on Rossi B2,s for 2/3 years.  They have been great but are nearly dead.  Very versatile when it comes to avoiding trees and combat skiing through forest.  And they are not so heavy really for going uphill. 1000+ meters is not really any issue.

But Then i got some Volkl Gotamas (Dongshow i hear you), but unfortunatley with Alpine non-touring Marker bindings.  They are over 100mm fat at the middle and 190cm long. Absolutely blinding and very versatile.  Only thing they dont do very well so far is Moguls.  But i havnt really been on anything really steep either.  Once get used to them they are very easy to ski.  My only complaint is that i seem to end up straightlining all the powder and its over far to fast! . 

So last season i was always really upset to be on my B2,s when touring, when i wanted to be on the Gotamas. My concerns where confirmed when our Austrian guide instructed me to “lose the toothpicks” My concern over the gotamas skis is that maybe they are too heavy for 1000+m ascent, multi-day, and also how do they handle travsersing across real steep stuff uphill on skins in hairy/icy places. 

Soo, This season i,m thinking of something like this:

Tours ca. 1000m ascent, steep uphill, mountainous, no powder in sight, etc. - A new pair of something from Davidofs list (prob the Legends or the new Bandits).

Skinning from the lift, ca 300-1000m?, powder possible, or several smaller skins, - something along Donsghows lines.  Was thinking either 1) Simply replace the bindings on my Gotamas, 2) 4frnt VCT, 3) Movement Goliath, 4) K2 Coomba, and a few others....

Have had a look at these superfat type skis too, ca 130mm etc, but maybe they are just for Alaska and Canada and places where it is always powder?  Look interesting though

Which leaves me thinking that i only really need a pair of the really light proper AT skis, if i,m going racing uphill competitively or doing the Haute route!?

Boots wise i need some new ones too. Again, in the freeride/"no compromise” category, but they need to be good “mountaineering” boots, that can walk safely up icy slopes at the top of mountains, and not slip, bash steps, hold crampons etc.  There seems to be a lot of new stuff on the market from Scarpa (e.g. Skookums) to compete with Garmont (endorphin etc)?  Any experience with either of those?.  Blackdiamond have a new pair out too (factor), but they do not look much like a mountaineering boot to me.? Think i,ll go for the skookums.

cant wait til the day i buy all my new kit.

http://www.citizenski.com/2008/07/atomic-thug-skis-2009.html

That’s an ok write up, good stiff stable skis.  You’ve inspired me to write a little product review myself…

im going to be using some Rossi’ b94 respects this winter.  Like my bike riding im happy to climb for a good descent. but its the downs i love.  im only small so the respect version should do me well with any luck.  going to have some fritschi freerides mounted on them.

once i start using them i will get back to you all.

dynstar seem a good choice for touring skiis
and most of the blackdiamond range looks nice this year.

I will start a thread next week for ‘wide’ freeride skis and we can stick the Thug and other wide skis in there.

I skied the “ordinary” Legend 8000 in 165 in Zermatt a couple of weeks ago. Quite stable on pisted stuff, felt pretty narrow* in soft stuff up on the glacier. Holds it’s line well at speed

However a dodgy brake on the demo binding put paid to giving them a decent long test.

*In comparison to the other stuff I had out on test, namely Scott Crusade, Scott Neo, Movement Black Rose.

The Spark is a good all round ski, I’d call it a 50-50 on-piste/off-piste type.
Quite versatile in steeps but you’ll probably wish for a bit wider if you spend most of your time looking at that stuff..
You’ll probably find its speed limit a bit slower that you’d like off-piste as well, IMV.

But it does very well as an all-rounder and it is probably light enough to consider for AT