Mojo Commentary- Moved from "general site"

[Ron]

This is not a review but a few words about my experiences on my new mojo90's. Folks, I have a new respect for fat skis.  I always felt they would not perform well on hardpack or in the bumps but I can tell you that's just not the case. I bought the mojo 90's for soft snow and powder but ended up with a fantstic all-mountain performer. Fun and easy to ski, not demanding but quick, energetic, with lots of pop and real light underfoot feel. Turns effortlessly in crud and piled stuff. Carves very well.   The Mojo90 is a totally different ski than the Monster line, cap construction and much softer tip. The Mojo is very happy to stroll along or cruise at high speeds, it doesn't require constant input or pilot control. Its a blast. If you don't ski moguls well, get on a pair of mojos and watch out. they love soft bumps and turn on a dime in trees as well. I would encourage you all to just get on a pair to see what these skis can do.  They don't require a high level of skill to ski them, but with some skills, they are a whole other ski and can do that much more.  These are now my "go to" ski for steamboat, capable of hardpack groomers in the AM and soft crud, trees, bumps and natural terrain with ease. I still love my Supershapes and will ski them, but overall, for the 'Boat, the Mojo's rule!

[jim-ratliff]

Ron:

I'm trying to resist replacing my iM77's with 78's.  Can you do a brief compare between the Im82 and Mojo's?? Also, compare the Mojo 90 to the old blue Pocket Rocket if you ever skied on it?? Thanks.

Jim

PS.? I haven't seen Gary here is a while.? What is he skiing now??

[Ron]

Jim, I posted something similar to Brendan, but the 82 and the mojo90 are two different skis all together. This is not a knock at all to the 82, its a different animal. The 82 is truly more race oriented, Sandwich construction, stiff, a fantastic carver, stable, super damp but with more energy than the 77. The Mojo90 is light underfoot, super nimble, good energy and pop. Much softer, especially in the tips. Overall, Its a very easy and forgiving ski that really thrives in the soft snow. The 82 will handle powder and soft snow just fine, no problems, but the Mojo give much better float (not surfing) and maneuverability. fantastic ski in the soft bumps, just a fun all-around ski. I was telling Gary, its so much easier to ski than a SS. You don't have to stay on it and you can just stand on them and let them ride if you need a break! Much like a cadillac vs. a ferarri.  If I could ski all the time I would have a SS, the new 78 or 82, a mojo and a 88. I see uses for all of them.  Micheal Barrett was right, he told me if I bought the 88, I would love it but still want a true soft snow ski. I now understand what he was saying. To sum it up, the mojo is just fun.

I have to say that I was really wrong about "fat" skis, they are awesome. Easy to ski but with some skills, they are really fun and deliver great performance.  Interestingly, I have much less knee pain skiing on them.

[Ron]

Jim, heres what I posted to Brendan:


Brendan, I am on a 176.

The comparison is easy. First off, both are excellent skis, its just that they are two different kinds of skis. The 82 is 122/82/108, 17.7 m radius. The 82's are a sandwich construction race bred ski. It is a fairly damp, demanding ski that prefers speed although its not a true race ski. It excells on the hard-pack, rocks in the crud and is just fine in mogul, powder and even the trees. OK, sounds like the Mojo right? Yes it does all of that but just differently. The Mojo is a cap construction, 124/89/117 20.2 m Radius. Just looking at the dims shows that this ski is more at home on soft snow for sure. The Mojo90 feels super light underfoot and is noticeabley quicker and more nimble. Much more pop and energy and not as adept on real hardpack (although it does just fine with good pressure on the tips) The Mojo90 is a toy in the trees and moguls. It can be turned on a dime, you can carve it, you can slide it, (which you will need to do in back country conditions) it is great in moguls. With the extra pop, it is a lot of fun to play with in the bumps. I am not a park rat, but skiing in banks, rollers and small hits, these things are so stable and solid, you have much more confidence since landing on 89mm is so much more stable. In the trees, the 82's are fine, but the Mojo's just eat up that kind of terrain, much more float (without surfing on top) and so much easier to turn and really adjust to varied terrain qucikly.

As a wise man said (Michael Barrett) when I was torn over the 88's or Mojo90's, you will love both but if you get the 88's you will still want a powder ski. I now understand what he meant. There is a big difference between the two but both are fantastic at what they do.

Bottom line: Have a hard snow ski like a SuperShape, RX8 or Dynastar 11 and then a soft snow ski. I used to be a fat ski nay-sayer but now more I am really sold on fatties in the soft stuff. Can you ski a SuperShape in the Soft stuff? Yes, but the mojo was fun times 3!

[Brendan]

Ron,

That's very clear, thanks.  One more thing - I am thinking of these for Crested Butte - 'the north face' has a lot of very steep, double black terrain.  Sometimes it can get real hard snow conditions.  How does the ski perform in the steeps in hard snow.  I have read some of the reviews of the twin tips and they didn't rank well in these conditions - perhaps the Mojo is different.  I wouldn't expect it to perform as well as the IM82 but will it  still hold a good edge etc.  From memory Steamboat has a few really good steeps.

Best
Brendan

[Ron]

Brendan, typically twin tipped, soft snow/powder skis are soft by nature and there are some trade-offs. I would post that question ovre at epicski.com in the ski gear section. There are more qualified folks over there to comment on terrain like that. My guess is that they are going to tell you they are skiing on Gotama's, Mantra's, Elan 777's, PE's, Atua's, Seth's and other wide ski fav's. For some reason, the Mojo90 is not that popular although the ones who own it, love it. The Mojo90 is actaully considered a more stiff soft snow ski.

[jim-ratliff]

Brendan:

I've heard others say that, while twin tips have some real advantages in some situations, they don't release as well in really steep terrain.  Seems like the upturned tail can be grabbly in some situations.  I'd think that Ron is right on in his selection/use of the mojos in trees, etc., but I'll bet that he leaves a rooster tail behind him a lot of the time where the turned up part drags a little in the snow.

In fact, this month's ski magazine had an article about the group of ski movie icons (nobis, etc) that ski Alta and Snowbird.  One of their anecdotes was about one of the group that really liked twin tips but would always cut the tail off to ski it.

[Ron]

Ahh, the rooster tail!  Yes, I don't mind it. I haven't found it catching on anything yet, but I'm no Jeremy Noblis! These skis are totally different animals from there hard snow brotheren. If you are using them to ski super fast on groomed steeps, stick with a 82 or other gorrmed snow ski, if they are going to be used on natures playground and some man-made ones, go with a soft- snow or pow ski. There is no comparison. Both are integral parts of any qwiver like a race ski is for ice, these are for soft snow and pow.