BW, did I miss something. I don't recall being at A-Basin last week or actually any time this season. No we have not met! With regard to your question, yes, I have owned several rockered skis and tried several others. My frst pair I bought in 2006 and it was a DPS Lotus 138 (a true reverse/Reverse ski). My second pair was a PM Gear Lhasa Pow that I bought and owned the first season that they made them. I have skied the Rossi S 7's (perhaps my least favorite ski of all time, softer than a lawn chair) and the Armada ARG, the Armada JJ, a bunch of others and the rockerd skis in Stockli's 2012 lineup.
I stand by my comments. If you pivot yours skis (something that I strive not to do when I ski) then rockerd skis will feel great and you will think of them as an improvement. I choose not to pivot my skis as a defacto move and because I use sidecut and edge angles to turn the skis, I prefer non rockered skis.
I think I understand how rockered skis work pretty well. Simply, I have worked to hard to get the technique I have to ride on skis that essentailly force one to pivot. Rockered tips I can live with especailly if it is modest (I own a pair of K2 Hardsides and they are OK). Tail rocker makes it almost impossible to put any lateral presure on the skis without the tails washing out. Some people love this sensation and it makes it very easy to turn skis in any terrain and from any fore aft position (and many are way aft on rockered skis). It is also why rockered skis have been a gamechanger for intermediates in powder and chop because they can pivot a rockered ski from the back seat and with a hard tail that just won't happen (the tail sinks deeper the more weight you put on it).
After much mileage on many different rockered skis, I have sold them all and I prefer a hard tail, trad camber and sidecut and a non rockerd tip. My powder ski of choice is the Icelantic Shaman which I ski in the 184 length and in fresh snow I really like this ski a lot.
I will look for you next time I am at A-Basin. Maybe you will be riding way back on some wide rockered boards! Yeah baby!!
I never strive to pivot my skis but being able to pivot and keep momentum is key to smooth off trail skiing, especially in east coast trees. I would also disagree with the statement that any rockered ski cant take lateral pressure. There were and still are alot of bad rockered ski now. today there are torsional stiff models that are out performing their cambered cousin even on hardpack.
this is ski with significant amount of rocker tip and tail on refrozen spring snow that was harder than any hardpack we ever had at stowe this year.
88mm tip and tail rocker camber underfoot
98mm flat underfoot, tip and tail rocker hard groomer
I would say that as long your are good at balancing againt and bending a ski that the new rockered ski will ski hardpack well enough, they arent made for that anyways.
IMO rocker is a game changer for anyone serious about off trail skiing not just intermediates, not only do they let the skis slide sideways when you want them to you dont have to time decambing movements any more . You will not see a single flim star, or Big Mountain Competitor skiing a fully cambered ski. They would have there choice of anything but yet the best in the world the guys who get paid to do what they do choose and have helped develop rockered ski. For me personally there are conditions where rockered skis are easier, and there are conditions and slopes where non rockered skis are flat out impossible and again for me the new rockered skis are just plain more fun. Id be the first to tell you that you cant 'buy" a turn but you can make your turn have better.
A-basin is simply not challenging and tight enough to make a big difference in ski performance. The biggest things rockered skis can do is open up tighter lines in REALLY tight trees. A basin have nothing I would consider tight trees. My guess is at stowe you would hate the shaman, not because of its width but because the sidecut dictates turn shape to much and the wide tip and tail with the camber tend to make a very catchy ski. You can strive to not pivot in our woods at stowe but that will pretty much leave either stopping alot or wrecking into trees. you would never come to stowe because you have no idea how truly good it is, but if you did I doubt the shaman would stay on your feet long.
basically with out the new tech skiing these lines with this much speed would not be possible by anyone. That is reason enough for me. Also with outhttp://vimeo.com/23796982 having a strong controlled pivot that keep you going most people would out run their skills before they avoided the trees.
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