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The Back Story: This past season I was determined to find as many uses for my DPS 112's as possible. I found that in deep pow, they were snaky, floaty, and sooo much fun to ski. Outside that, their versatility enjoyment factor was limited. Meaning, there wasn't a heck of a lot of conditions I'd take them in, especially if the snow was wet and compacted. So I must admit I was disillusioned. Yes they turn well, can be carved, but and double but, I wanted them for more than that. So I've been secretly lurking and looking for a ski without tail rocker, some tip rocker, that skied more like my Kastle 84's.....carvy, slippery, slidy, in all conditions. My only basis for selection was reviews I've read as I tried to find "the" ski out west this last trip.
Inducted: Head Rev 105
After much research, constirnation it took an act of "Internet God" to make my decision for me. I was prepared to go through another season with the DPS but then I received an email from "IG" and it said, "we'll take another 20% off our best sale price, one time use for any ski in our shop"....Now tell me....really....tha t's truly a sign.
So today, I picked up my Head Rev 105 and had my Marker Sczio's mounted. My deliema was do I buy the 171 or 181 length. After many mental calculations, I figured the 171 would ski shorter than my 168 no rocker no rise Kastle FX84's. So....I went with the 181 length. An interesting fact is that the turning radius on the MX78, FX84 and Rev105 is identical, 16 meters.
SO....if anyone wants to buy a great pow ski or backcountry ski, the DPS 112 is 178 in length, skied about 6 times, a few chips on the edges, and the bases are better than factory with over 10 coats of wax....oh yeah,,they're purty yellow!
On snow review of the Rev 105 to follow. Thank God my wife understands me!
Best, G -
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Hey - congrats Gary!!! Nothing better than a new pair of skis to break in. Too bad we couldn't find them to demo in Banff. Hope you can sleep well until you get them on the snow for the first time....anxious days
Can't wait til your report... Enjoy!
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Yes, the DPS has an interesting look on the snow.
Like Gary has been drinking too much coffee on the mountain.
Looking forward to reading your review of the Rev's.
L. -
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Lynn, I think Gary's aim has improved in recent years. I saw no sign of errant fluid on his topsheets last week....not that I was looking for it....and his Kastle's are black.... Hmmm....perhaps I will retract that assertion....
However, the story from upstate New York at Gary's home hill, is that when he skied the yellow boards there, the locals were looking in the glades for tropical trees from whence some bananas might have fallen. Very, very large bananas....
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Gary,
Congrats on the new boards. I won't go looking for the post, but, I think I did predict that you would change your quiver this season. Bless Alice for being very understanding.
For an eastern based skier, the DPS is "one trick pony", although you were smiling on our mini-powder day at Holimont. It is somewhat interesting that the DPS got rave reviews 2 years ago when it first came out and the west had a killer powder season. Not so many raves last year, that's understandable in the low snow season. May the Jackson snow in January be well suited to the new Heads.
The fun is in getting on a new ski. Hope springs eternal. -
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First of all my aim HAS improved and thank you Lynn for reminding me of past indiscretions...
AND yes Michael they were quite fun on that mini pow day at Holimont...but I demand so much more....ha!
Having Alice just remind me..." that last year the DPS was the best pow ski I've ever been on"....hmmmm....I wonder what is lurking in her mind....I just Can't go there. But you see...it really was...to date for pow...but as I grow I learn ...as I grow I spend....hmmmm
Still, we evolve and in my case....I've got 2/3rds of my quivver right on.
So next step is to get those Head Rev 105's onto the snow. What I find in my livingroom ski lab, the flex is even and not overly stiff, and I can see how they get that 16 meter turning radius due to the side cut. Based on my skiing skills, I think it's going to be a playfu, floaty, easy turning agile ski. Test to follow ASAP!
Best to all, G -
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I have found that when it comes to rocker subtle is usually better. I'm a big fan of the Volkl Katana which is a very subtle reverse camber. The Rossi S7 I had was amazing in very bad conditions though. I'd love to try the Squad7 which has the S7 nose but with a bigger flatter tail. My new pow ski for this year is the Kastle West 110 which has a bit of camber and rocker at the ends. What's unique about it is that the shape is totally symmetrical - you can mount the bindings facing either direction.
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I'm such a Kastle fan but and like you appreciate subtle rocker and flat tail for my skiing preference in 99% of the terrain I ski. Having the Kaste MX78 and FX84, I find their flex pattern is perfect for my 5'7" height and 150lb monster frame. In the past I've found the bigger wider boards from Kastle don't perform well for me....Although I'm not familar with the KW110, it sounds very interesting.
Not sure of your weight and height but I think that has some bearing on our likes and dislikes of skis. You'll have to post a review of your new pow ski.
Very cool regarding the shape of that ski as it relates to mounting....my mind is spinning with things like: bases I thought were designed to be skied primarily in one direction and wax and brushed in the same direction....GESH.. ..more for me to learn.
Of the skis so far, would you say the Katana was the most versatile ski in the largest variety of terrain (above boot high)? At least I feel that's my ultimate goal with my new pow ski in particular.
Best, G -
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The Katana is the one that I pulled my bindings off of and remounted with Dukes because it is the one I would trust the most in any snow condition I could find in dangerous places where it really matters. So.. yeah, it's been the best performer so far.
I haven't spent a lot of time on the wider Kastles, but the time I have spent on them didn't make me buy a pair. The FX104 has been my favorite so far (and I'd definitely buy a pair if I didn't already have the FX94) if I kill my Katanas and can't get another pair, the FX104 will probably be what I out my Dukes on. -
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Indeed, another FX Kastle Fan!
I like you have found the FX series a very versatile ski. My FX 84 is my take out west ski where it carves, slices, dices and floats providing me such great all mountain versatility. I know that series was designed for touring but wow, I just think it's no frills design is just outstanding for where and how I ski.
I hope the Rev 105 will provide the gap I'm looking to fill in boot high and above...
It sounds like you've got your ski quiver set up perfect for you....I'm close!
Nice chatting with another Kastle FX series fan! -
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The Katana is hugely versatile ski but its heavy, did not jump well(Was dead) and in the 183cm wasnt stable enough for me out west.
Touring on it was a pain in my ass. My 186cm Sickles are not light but much lighter than Katana.
the sickle give up alittle slow speed quickness, and hard crud(think refrozen 2 feet of wet snow) over the katana but make it up in more playful feel nearly everywhere, more stability and nimble at higher speed in normalish snow, and is easier to engage the edge on groomers and they also have real twin for messing around in powder snow. Both the katana and sickle share a nearly identical sidecut and the same long low rise reverse camber the main difference is the Katana has 2 sheets of titanal. The metals makes the most difference in crud that can cause deflection.
With that said the Cochise has hands down the widest range of performance in the 110mm ish skis. The 185cm Cochise has higher speed limit than either the 183cm Katana or 186cm Sickle, has more edge grip than either, bust though crud at higher speed better than either(the katana does a great job at slow speed manky busting though), ski powder better than both of them and is more nimble at moderate to high speeds than either.
Its downside are slow speed maneuverability read EC trees/bumps, and again weight(only a concern for going up). I really want a pair but considering most of our powder skiing is in tight confines I cant justify it just yet. It will be mounted with Alpine binding.
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Gary (and everyone else) I skied the Rev 105 the past two days here in Montana. It's a wonderful ski. It is by far the most nimble 100mm+ waist ski I have ever been on. It may be the best tree/glade skiing ski ever made. It is a great soft snow ski and any type of soft snow from a few inches up to very deep it just skis great. It is not however made for skiing big bowls at speed with Super G turns. It responds best with powder 8 type turns. Heavy crud and chop is not it's forte. The crud and chop we get in montana is modest because the snow is so light. Even in this I needed to alter my skiing style some. The good news is that the ski is so nimble that you can ski around stuff rather than blasting through it. The ski definitely responds to PMTS or race oriented technique. Max (who has skied it for several days ) says he is getting the biggest angles he has ever gotten off piste. I have been noticing the same thing, and the ski really comes around when layed over especially in soft snow. To accomplish this you have to resist the temptation to pivot the ski which it will also do. On groomers (I have only skied it on groomers that had 1-2 inches of fresh snow on them) it carves really tight turns (16m but the ski has no metal and it is easily bent to make a tighter turn radius). The tips are rockered and somewhat soft and on really hard snow I think this might bother me some as I would be searching for the front of the ski only to find nothing there. In fresh snow it really does shine. I could probably ski the 191 and it might even be preferable, but the 181 also skis fine for me (again not great in chop).
I think you will love the ski. -
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JB....so glad to hear you liked the ski too....I heard from Max and know too he felt the same way.
You're spot in...you can ski HH on these babies all day long. I mean I wouldn't take it out all day on a groomed snow day caue it's still a big board but man does the REV 105 love fineese techniqe. It's very quick and agile but not nervous. Create angles, edge managment, and let these babies rip. Short and long turns, whatever you like. The also can be drifted easily, floated, brush carve....extremely verstile...me like this.
What I really like about it is that it skis more like a traditional ski. The camber under foot is just the right amount, appreciated and noticed. Now, I can see value in full rocker skis IF I'm skiing shin to waist high pow. I unfortunately don't get enough of that.
Overnight Wed it dumped betwween 12 and 15" of wet pow on Bristol Mt. The ride up the chair coated our goggles with frozen must be scraped off snow. Our ski jackets became solid sheets of ice...oh yeah....great easter pow. I know the best ski for that day would have been my Kastle FX84 but I wanted to try out the Rev's. I have the 181 length and was worried a bit about the length. I have to say the length was not an issue, the ski is very easy to bring up on edge, release and transition. With my Marker Scizo bindings, I moved the binding forward a few quick adjusments on the mountain and "BAM", I was dialed in. The skis respond quickly and only to what input the skier applies, Very easy to ski tip to tail, happy on it's edges but also co-operative drifting or flat. Love that tail...gotta say...it's nice to have that support there for the majority of conditions I ski in.
Last run of the day our premier 1200 vert black run, I came off the chair and over the rise to the top of th run and entered a bump field top to bottom. Guys, these skis ski bump so relaxed....made me feel like well...what a barrel rider looks like on his best horse.....they just ride over, through and around anything and in any direction you point them. A lot to be said about that 16 meter turning radius. With soft foot skills and angles, these babies are the Blue Ribbon Barrel Horse of skis.
During the course of the morning skiing, there was patches of the most nasty unnatural blown crusty snow where the 1 and 3 edges bit like Jaws. Same too on the scraped off areas....create angles, the grip is very very solid.
So I look forward to more time on them but I feel they are going to make a great above boot high snow ski but certainly capable of getting there and back with ease.
Thanks for the positive feedback JB and Max....if you you all get a chance to demo one...I'd love to here other thoughts. In the meantime...my quiver is "just perfect with itself"!
Best, G
Sidetnote: Ron found a buyer for my DPS 112's...thanks Ron!
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Hey G -- good on ya! So happy that these are the ticket for you. Sounds like these have all the versatility you've been seeking these past years. Interesting that after the experiments with rockered skis over the past four or five years (Armada JJ; Rossi S3; DPS Bananas...am I missing any?), that you've come back to a more traditional cambered ski (albiet with early rise tip) as the best design for where and how you ski. I remember musing with T about this at the March Banff trip, and predicted you'd go this way. I could have earned a fiver had she been willing to make a bet with me.
Nice one, and congrats again! Looking forward to some reports from Aspen and Jackson.
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But Gary's "first day on a new ski" report is always this positive. It isn't until the next ski season that we get his real thoughts.
Having said that, I remain hopeful (for Alice's sake).
I hope that tough female moderator doesn't have a problem with my thoughts.?
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