The good wingman

[Gary]

SKiing out at Park City, Deer Valley and Brighton this week we have been blessed with a great deal of snow so much that it's easy to find lines untracked anywhere. Yup the do groom some but off piste stuff is just amazing especially the last 2 days at Deer Valley. Add tickets at only $30 cause of the 30th anniversary it was a gift for sure.

Ron was able to come out and ski two days and we all know Ron loves to try out and review new gear, all kinds, and we love hearing his thoughts. Now skiing with Ron last year here and there he asked me to try his Kastle 78's and with some reluctence I did and my Fischer P8's were by by. Back to Deer Valley where at Empire Canyon you could demo Rossi Skis. Now I haven't been totally happy with my JJ's and I think part of the problem is at 160lbs I might be a tad light to really drive the ski hard on groomed snow or crud. Now I know it's not meant for that but I find it just not versatile enough but livealbe. Ron on Friday goes into the Rossi demo hut and says you wanna join me and I said no, I'm fine with my gear.....out he comes with some Rossi S3's. Up the lift we go me on my Kastle 78's. ROn skis a run looking for pow and broken snow and he's having more fun than Donald Trump in a hair salon. On the second run he asks "would ya like to try em"....well Ok...and there it goes, the cycle begins again. Darn if they weren't the most awesome, versatile fun ski I'd been on for playing in the pow, crud and I could put them up on high edge angle, charge hard and wow...just so compliiant. On the next run Ron stopped and said give them back please. Well I drifted up and just as he was popping out of my Kastle's I took off and oh boy, laughing all they way, almost to the bottom. Ron knew he had done it again. He found the right ski for my broken snow, pow, trees and crud days. More review on that shortly. Anyways it snowing like crazy here, 4-8" overnight plus the 3-5 they had the night before, I went into town to buy a pair. I'd like to thank Ron for being a great bud who knows his wingman well.

[midwif]

Well done!!
Glad you are having such a good time.
Lucky you guys are to have such good early snow.

Jim and I found some really nice untracked places  in nicely spaced trees last year at DV.
Because of its rep for groomed, its not a place that attracts the off-piste crowd, so what is considered
off-piste, lasts longer.

The area off Ontario, which requires either a small hike or someone telling you the easier access which is NOT
posted, off a flat green and thru the trees, is a real blast.

Jim and I are hoping for good conditions in the Dillon area this weekend.
I will have boots tweaked on thursday afternoon at the "skunkworks" by Harbs staff.
Have pretty much decided that the foam liners are the way to go. They just fit right.
Much better fit, even in the living room with warm legs and feet, than the ones that come with the new Nordicas.
THe only question is use the current liners or get newer ones. With all the break in time/pain req'd.
I'm a wimp. Hate sore feet.
L

[LivingProof]

Gary,

I'm happy for ya, mon! First, for getting some great snow following the barebone Chile excursion. Nice to get mid winter stuff in early December. Eating my heart out.

Second, A great demo experience is powerful motivation. Thinking about it, I'm not surprised you fell in love with a narrower ski. JJ is about 115 as I remember and that's a big jump from what you were accustomed to, plus, your a natural carver. It's really hard to get it right the first time, so enjoy the Rossi's. Did you ski Ron's MX 98 and if so your thoughts are???

More report outs needed.

Mike

[Ron]

Lynn, why would your feet be sore? do foam liners hurt? (seriously)

Mike, Gary did try the 98, its a bit on the beefy side for him.? Its an awesome ski, I wish it was a 178. Phil said it right; they should really make both versions of the 98 and call the new one somthing a little different like a 98R or something like that to differentiate the two. Typical Kastle feel, just more of it!

[midwif]

Despite the word "foam", the liners are of dense, stiff material.
So, yes they feel hard to me the first few days. Then, they continue to conform more to ones
anatomy.
There is a break in period for sure.

[Ron]

Ahh, OK, makes sense. thanks.  May you be dumped upon next week (since I will be going back to the boat as well!)

[LivingProof]

Mike, Gary did try the 98, its a bit on the beefy side for him.? Its an awesome ski, I wish it was a 178. Phil said it right; they should really make both versions of the 98 and call the new one somthing a little different like a 98R or something like that to differentiate the two. Typical Kastle feel, just more of it!

Ron,
Just before your trip, we were discussing that you had the MX88 and 98 and were they too close in performance to justify keeping both. As you sold the mx98, I'm wondering if it was simply a length issue. I'm thinking the Kastle MX series has a hard snow bias and some of its magic disappears as a soft snow/pow ski. Not surprised Gary found it beefy.

It just seems to make more sense to get a One or a S3 which have more of a soft snow bais. For sure, I'll demo one of these when I'm out with Phil.

[Ron]

Yes, it was purely length, as far as the decision. The 98 is actually quite adept on soft snow and an absolute rippin' ski on the groomed! it was very nimble and quick good float. A real charger. It was actualy pretty good in the soft bumps too!  I really thought it was a great ski. Just weird sizing. 174 then 184. Its a lot of ski but the 174 is an odd size. Most people skiing that size are not big or powerful enough to drive this ski, so a 176 or 178 is really a better size, then a 186 for the big-guys.

The decision to go to "the one" was really based on the pure fun-factor after getting on the S3. I would love to see you demo either of these skis.

[jbotti]

On foam liners, yes the first ten days or so they are very tight and they need to pack out. Mine packed out pretty quickly and after the third day they weren't bad at all. By the 10th day they were perfect. Having said that, once they pack out and are comfortbale, I find it impossible to ski in any other liner. I spent two half days in Colorado skiing in stock liners. Every time I tipped hard with my little toe edge I was feeling pain up against the hard plastic. As well I was getting abrasion sores from rubbing against the liner. Most importantly, much of the one legged skiiing drills I do were much harder and in some cases I couldn't do them in stock liners, too much pain and uncertain balance. When you tip in a foam liner you are up against firm, but it's foam and it does not hurt the foot. I strongly believe that anyone that tries them and breaks them in will never go back.

Ron, I didn't say at the time, but my hunch was that the 174 was going to be too short. Glad you found something that works and that you love. I have never skied on the One so I will have to try them sometime.

[Ron]

gtocha!  Sounds like a great option.

Ski's- yeah no way to know but go ski em'.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this new category. I think you would like the One. Much more run than rise, a bit stiffer, I think there's a little metal in them. So much fun to jib around the mountain on them. It's what you as a skier like, but that's exactly the ski I was looking for; fun, jibby but stable at speed and not too soft.  Gary is a mad-man on the S3, that ski is made for him.

[Gary]

Hey gang...gettin packed up to head home after my 6th day of skiing 5 hours a day..and today we spent a part of the day in the Lady Morgan bowl area. Snow was a bit stiffer than the past 2 days and lots of bumps with powder stashes here and there if you searched. My ski legs are now ready for the season although the first 3 days..they were screaming!

Mike, I did try the MX98's and it's just not compliant enough for me and besides, I really wanted a rocker ski. I just love the way the tips find their own way in any snow. More coming!
Although I loved the performance of the JJ's in the pow, trees and soft snow...they just pushed me around to much with vibration and what I'd describe as stiffness when I tried to get them up on edge. The 115 was never noticed when it was skied flat. I spoke with some bigger guys that rail on them so I'm guessing skier weight is a factor.

I parked the Kastle 78's after the first day although there was plenty of terrain I could have used them. I wanted to see if the S3 had any short comings...more on that shortly.

Lynn, I know  you've struggled getting the right fit in boots. It seems you've tried it all except for the foam fit. I understand that process has come along way too. Hope they give you a "fit guananteed".

Can't wait to hear Ron's report on the B1. Saw and pat down the ski in the shop...gonna be a good one me thinks!

Heading home to 15" of pow in Rochester....yikes. ..amazing!

best,
g

[LivingProof]

Jim and I are hoping for good conditions in the Dillon area this weekend.
I will have boots tweaked on thursday afternoon at the "skunkworks" by Harbs staff.
Have pretty much decided that the foam liners are the way to go. They just fit right.
Much better fit, even in the living room with warm legs and feet, than the ones that come with the new Nordicas.
THe only question is use the current liners or get newer ones. With all the break in time/pain req'd.
I'm a wimp. Hate sore feet.

Lynn,
Reading the above, I'm guessing that you had foam liners done for the old boots and that you have tried the foam liners in the new and have a slight preference for them over the stock liners. Correct?

In my present boot set up, I use Intuition aftermarket liners, similar to the foam concept, and these liners were originally custom fitted for my old boots. I transferred them to the new as they were superior to the stock liner. They work great. I believe John Botti did similar in trying his new boots.

Long way of saying don't be too quick to do new, your existing foams liners (don't know how old they are or what shape they are in) may very well serve the purpose.
Of course, the skunkworks (aka devil's den to Ron) know a lot more than all of us combined.

Also, when you indicate they will be "tweeked" does that include new footbeds / allignment. I'm guessing that you will go through the assessment in your new. Do you presently use shims or boots planing.

I've read very few detailed write up's of the HH process and would be interested in a report out.

Enjoy the new and have great skiing. Don't step on Elvira too much, and, damn, don't let her show you up on the mountain. Strut your alpha female stuff!