What about Paul?

[Gary]

Paul is the Dr. buddy I skied with in Utah this past week.

Paul is 56, 6'2, 190lbs, in good shape and only skis 10-15 days per year. Paul has been skiing on a pair of Dynastar______, for 5 years, I forget the model but the waist is 67 and the length is a 170...wow short indeed. He has one tempo and basically like his short to medium swing turns.

It was time....Paul needed to demo. I've been trying to get Paul to try new gear this past couple of years but he has always? has been resistent. However, how could he pass up "free Rossi demo's" at Deer Valley.....heck, I couldn't!

So, Paul tried the Rossi S86 in a 178 length. After his first run the smile on his face was ear to ear and he kept muddering, I can't believe I'm having so much fun and have so much control with these skis...
DUH!!!!....new gear, new technology. Now he started looking for powder and steeps and bumps and well...his tempo was still the same but he was so much more mountain adventurous. He then wanted to try the S3....he did and felt it required more effort to turn but like it's stablity in the pow. Paul's true goal was the illucid "one quiver ski". By days end, he fell in love with the new technology and was considering the S86. Both Ron and I agreed it was important for him to demo something to compare. So the Dynastar Sultan we thought was a great choice. He skied it all morning, parked it and then demoed the S86 again. Both tests were done in the snow filled Lady Morgan Bowl. What he found was the S86 had more stability on the pow while the SUltan , although was good in pow was better in the crud and hard snow whcih is what he skis mostly. I think the Sultan was torsionally stiffer.

Happy ending, Paul buys the SUltan 85 in the 178 length and was hunting for pow and broken snow, bumps and long runs our last day on the mountain.

It was good to see how great equipment made him a better and more relaxed skier, a skier able to explore more of the mountain....the final word...Paul was a happy man! Heck, he even showed up with a new ski jacket and left that one piece home.

For those of you who don't think better technology will bring a bigger smile....just talk to Paul!

Best, G

[LivingProof]

Gary,
Dr. Paul is about my size and his traditional Dynastars are not that different from my Supershapes in both length and size. The 'Shapes are not about to head to a yard-sale and will be seen frequently at my home hard snow mountain. I would argue that missing from your analysis is the role that "hero" snow plays in analysis of a ski. Is the new technology that much a better ski or does some combination of snow and individual technique work small miracles? Does a lesser skilled skier gain additional benefit?

There is a classic phrase "form follows function" and, I would argue, serves as the basis of then modern quiver concept. Simply stated, match the ski conditions to the ski being used. Our thinking about skis is shaped by where we ski and there is no doubt in my mind that my 2 ski quiver would be different if I skied the Rockies or Sierra's.

Many have posted about the improvements a wider, more forgiving ski, specifically designed for softer conditions have resulted in many more smiles in those conditions. We're all about more smiles, so, when in Deer Vally...jump on a ski made for that snow a see what it tells you. Why fight with a ski not designed for those conditions or, perhaps in the case of the Dynastars, not forgiving period.

But as a one ski wonder-quiver, I don't think so, at least at my home mountain.

[Gary]

Mike, wow brother...great questions...hope I can do them justice!

Certainly hero snow does play a different role making most skis super fun...I mean those days you could strap on 2X4 studs and still carve and have oodles of fun! BUT the tests we put are acquisitions through were as varied as the terrain and snow conditions we skied. I don't think it could be argued that a little more underfoot provides more stability and given the fact that Rocker technology is here to stay and is showing up on front side skis....a whole new ski universe awaits the new skier and those wanting to increase the fun factor. It should also be said that the better skier will notice their "ski versatility parameters" increase significantly with these newer models. The lesser skier will gain the benefit of being able to tackle more difficult terrain more easily as well as skis that frankly, are much more compliant.

Form following function....certain ly plays a significant role in all sports. BUT, if someone had said to me 5 years ago my carving ski would be 78 underfoot or I would be carving with a board that's 98 underfoot...I would have laughed no doubt. I must stress that my personal experiences on this new breed of skis truly enforces the fact that given their design and versatility, these mid to fat widths can be a truly one quiver ski west of the Mississippi. Having said that, a shaped ski that's designed to carve up hard snow surfaces like we have in the east and only periodically in the west, certainly do come in handy..just like your supershapes will.

I would love to see you give the S3 or the Blizzard One a ride Mike, or the Dynastar Sultan 85 or Rossi S86 a poke down the mountain. I'm pretty sure you'd be impressed. BUT...don't be giving up those carving skis...there's always a home for them without a doubt...at least for now. I expect to see the next genration of carvers with all sorts of techno goodies aboard this next season. I await with eager anticipation and a huge smile.
Best, G