realskiers

As soon as I can, Bush.  Truthfully, I get up there for a few April Spring Skiing days every season (which may be why I like the front four so much, most of my experience on them is in 'sun softened conditions'...I think Starr is the greatest 'on-the-map' trail in the east.).  I love taking my wife to Stowe as it is also the pretties, and quite honestly classiest joint in the East (and I hate Flatton...er, I mean Stratton).

I will  be happy to square away some time for a mid-winter, midweek day trip to Stowe to see it through the eyes of Bushwacka for sure.  Maybe I'll come up early season, schedule a lesson with you and get off on the right foot for the winter.  Do I need an AT set up or can I boot pack the hidden gems of Stowe?

But back to my post...Your tastes reflect the needs of a full-time, aggressive, expert skier who craves the way-off-piste.  I get that. 

However, Bush, you are a full time (level three) instructor-Correct?  You're not taking the majority of your classes down Birthday Bowl(or Goat woods, or those trees off of Chin Clip, etc) are you?  Now, at the end of one of those classes, one of the stronger students says-Hey, I'm looking to get a new ski what ski or sort of ski do you recommend?  And you know, it will be his (or her) only ski.  What would you tell them..and no cop outs like 'I'd tell them to work on their skills and not buy a ski"-let's assume they are willing to do both. 

That's what I'm after-what does a full-time, top instructor at a resort like Stowe recommend, or look for in a one ski quiver-not for themselves--but in the general public they instruct? 

For me, and I'm not an instructor or even a very good skier (actually, I don't suck...but I ain't great neither) I'd probably suggest something in the low to mid 80's in waist width that was not overly stiff or powerful but reasonably competent.  The Two I've skied that I'd recommend are the Dynastar Sultan 85 and for the more hard snow oriented the Rossi Avenger 82 Ti (which is now the Basalt I think).  Based on what I've read I'd also look into the Fischer Motive 84, The New Head Peak 84 (I must admit, HH's recommendation makes it appealing) or even the Nordica Burner.

Liam

boot packing depends on the day. If there is alot of fresh snow boot packing becomes a frivilous exercise at best. I have loaner AT setups though that are middle of the range in lenght and width(like 180ish and 100 ish underfoot) with adjustable binding that fit people's normal Alipine boots.

I am semi full time Level 3 instructor. I teach alot of different levels but I mostly get called upon to  teach stuff more in my spectrum of things. Park, Bumps, trees, steeps. There are still times where I am teaching alot on hardpack. Usually my Bushwackers suffice but if someone is really into just laying trenches down I get my SL skis out. With that said I have converted alot of people over to my side. My taste and enthusiasm tend to rub off on people in person.  Alot of my longer time students are now full time woods skiers. I spend more than 50 percent of the time teaching in the woods. Including a day week with the Pro Stowe Buster Group which our aspire young freeriders. These kids are future Lars Chickering Ayers, Charlote Moats, and Doug Coombs in the making. To give you an idea of the skill level, these kids learn to play with mountain with technical sound skills. We can go hit cliffs and some of the kids can trick(360s off cliffs are common in this group) them, when skiing bumped run out they have learned like myself to not ski zipperline but instead to double and triple the bumps.

when recommending a ski when asked, I generally ask what people want people want to aspire to, and I am realistic with there skills where they are right now.  If they are someone who say has no intentions of going off the marked trails I generally go 80mmish and under and try to get them on a right stiffness. If someone has an interest in skiing everywhere but is not good at finding the stuff 90mmish is where I go. The Bushwacker from Blizzard can truly ski nearly anything you come into at stowe if your a good enough skier its also forgiving enough for strong aggressive middle of the road skiers to try. 

If there goal is to only ski in the woods, I do not go under 100mm with them but I also caution that anything much over 110 mm start to be a real pain in skied out woods. Skis like "the one", bonafide, Line P98, Rossi Scmitar are great every day woods skis anywhere in northern vermont.

BTW I am about making things easier on people. I would rather them having fun regardless of their imperfection than getting owned when they try to twist a ski in tight woods.