Sweet at 98

[Gary]

Good stuff here guys....Perry I can carve the S3 on high edge angle. If it's slick or frozen over...not so much. The S3 hooks on edges like no other big board I've tried. I was skiing behind some guy at DV and he was on the Blizzard Ones and had at least one ski on high edge angle...so yup, with the right conditions, these babies to me feel like a GS ski.

It would seem to me that you should look for a ski in that 95-100 underfoot which I think based on the skis we're talking about, could be your 1 quivver ski out west. Another ski like the Sultan 85 is the Rossi S86. Both great carvers and good floaters. A friend of mine demoed and compared the two. He ended up buying the Sultan 85 as is one ski. It gave him a wee bit better edge hold on hard surfaces.

Still if your going to be a 2 quivver guy, I'd go into that 95-100 range.

G

[Perry]

There is also the S97 from Rossi.  Doesn't seem to be as frequently reviewed.

Dawgcatching on Epic really liked the Fischer 98 and the Sultan.  It will definitely come down to demo at the boat.

I have also planted the seed for Gloria to demo.  The rocker tip is interesting for her because her style is a little more rotary.  She is currently on the Fischer Vision 73

[Gary]

It would be great to see Gloria to demo a wider ski..these new skis can be rotary turned easily all day long and the waist and support under foot breeds confidence.

Should be great fun....Check out the womans version of the S86 on RS,,,,,good stuff!

G

[Philpug]

The Sultan 94 is a very nice playful ski. I am skiing it in a 178 mounted with Rossi FKS 15's. I just skied it in mixed (soft) conditions at Stowe, pretty much the conditions I bought them for, too soft for the MX88 and soft but not deep enough for a yet to be determined big ski. I recommend them for a lighter finesse skier, not a hard driver.

I got on the Kastle LX82 again, what a great ski this is. Shaweeet.

Oh, tease..I did see some prototypes of next years Kastles..a couple of very interesting skis.

[Gary]

Hey Phil...John Clendein skied the LX82 in Portillo and absolutely loved it. First time a saw that ski....it was his first experience on Kastle and is sold on their performance.

You know I was just thinking that Kastles going to have to step it up to keep with the the upswing in technology for their next season...they have produced such great skis to date...it will be interesting to see what's comiong down the pike.

G

[Perry]

The Sultan 94 is a very nice playful ski. I am skiing it in a 178 mounted with Rossi FKS 15's. I just skied it in mixed (soft) conditions at Stowe, pretty much the conditions I bought them for, too soft for the MX88 and soft but not deep enough for a yet to be determined big ski. I recommend them for a lighter finesse skier, not a hard driver.

Phil,
Just curious since this is on my long list for demo.  I am 6'2' and about 200 lbs in street cloths.  I am not a particularly hard edger but I do like to go fast from time to time.  54 yo decent skier who has taken advantage of both a Harb and Clendenin camp.  Do you think the Sultan might be too soft and would you recommend the 184 to demo?

[LivingProof]

The Sultan 94  I am skiing it in a 178 mounted with Rossi FKS 15's. I just skied it in mixed (soft) conditions at Stowe, pretty much the conditions I bought them for, too soft for the MX88 and soft but not deep enough for a yet to be determined big ski. I recommend them for a lighter finesse skier, not a hard driver.

Phil,
Just curious since this is on my long list for demo.? I am 6'2' and about 200 lbs in street cloths.? I am not a particularly hard edger but I do like to go fast from time to time.? 54 yo decent skier who has taken advantage of both a Harb and Clendenin camp.? Do you think the Sultan might be too soft and would you recommend the 184 to demo?

Perry,
I've not skied with you, and, I'll leave it to Phil answers that question in the first person.

I've skied with Phil and he goes at it a whole lot harder than I do. Faster, more in the fall line, more time in the air, GS style turns leaving RR tracks. He places demands on his skis far in excess of what I do and I'm about your size. That leaves the rest of us as the other 99% of "more finesse skiers". And heck, if you loose just a few pounds, you'll qualify as lighter!

[Perry]

Mike, good comments.  I am just wanting some ballpark info.  In the end, I would demo and based off of that would make my final cut.  The problem is narrowing the demo list enough to make it achievable.  There are so many good skis out there. I suppose the flip side of that coin is that it is hard to really go too far wrong.

[jim-ratliff]

Mike, good comments.? I am just wanting some ballpark info.? In the end, I would demo and based off of that would make my final cut.? The problem is narrowing the demo list enough to make it achievable.? There are so many good skis out there. I suppose the flip side of that coin is that it is hard to really go too far wrong.

Perry:
Interesting comment.? ? It seems we are often selling last years perfect skis and adding this years "perfect" skis.?

[Philpug]

The Sultan 94 is within 2mm of tip dimensions to the Watea 94, in skiing both I find the Sultan to have a bit more life and smoothness. For your size of 6'2" and 200, I think you would want to try the 184's.

[LivingProof]

There seems to be an awful lot of last years perfect skis that get sold and replaced by this years "perfect" skis.?

Jim,

As Gary would say "TECHNOLOGY" changes everything. You are living proof as your new skis  take narrow foot to max tip/tail to a whole new level. It's just such fun for us all to speculate and discuss. Good for ski companies to develop mojo to get us to buy.

I find it striking that the Head Supershape line has been around for 5 plus years and the original plain vanilla SS could still be purchased last year. Sure, the SS line has been expanded and presently tweaked with KERS, but, it's living proof that a good ski does not have to change.

And, yes, somewhere there is a 100 mm waist ski from 09-10 (or earlier) that would bring smiles to my face in soft powder.

[jim-ratliff]

Jim,

As Gary would say "TECHNOLOGY" changes everything. You are living proof as your new skis? take narrow foot to max tip/tail to a whole new level. It's just such fun for us all to speculate and discuss. Good for ski companies to develop mojo to get us to buy.

I find it striking that the Head Supershape line has been around for 5 plus years and the original plain vanilla SS could still be purchased last year. Sure, the SS line has been expanded and presently tweaked with KERS, but, it's living proof that a good ski does not have to change.

Now I'm confused.? I thought you were the Living Proof???
 

[Perry]

The Sultan 94 is within 2mm of tip dimensions to the Watea 94, in skiing both I find the Sultan to have a bit more life and smoothness. For your size of 6'2" and 200, I think you would want to try the 184's.

Thanks, that's helpful - this ski gets pretty consistent reviews.  Just curious what you are hearing about the Watea 98.  Different ski with tip and tail rocker as I understand it.

[Philpug]

The Sultan 94 is within 2mm of tip dimensions to the Watea 94, in skiing both I find the Sultan to have a bit more life and smoothness. For your size of 6'2" and 200, I think you would want to try the 184's.

Thanks, that's helpful - this ski gets pretty consistent reviews.? Just curious what you are hearing about the Watea 98.? Different ski with tip and tail rocker as I understand it.

Didn't ski the new Watea, don't know.