Category: 2013 Ski Reviews

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2013 Line Prophet 98 All Mountain Skis

 

Skis: 2013 Line Prophet 98 Skis

Size: 179cm

Dimensions: 132-98-123

Turn Radius: 17.2m

Stance: -77mm

Early Rise Tip & Tail

The Line Prophet 100 is no longer. Last year Line added Early Rise and an all new Capwall Construction!! Both of these changes makes the 2012 and 2013 Line Prophet 98 Skis some of the most versatile All Mountain Skis on the mountain. The slight tip rocker allows this ski to get edge to edge unlike a ski with out tip rocker. You wont even notice this ski is almost 100mm under foot.  These skis are designed for skiing everything on the mountain. If you find yourself tending to go in the woods more than anything then you will want to look at the all new Line Influence 105 Skis or if you enjoy wide like I do the 2012 Influence 115 or 2011 Prophet 115 (2013 Line Influence 115 is much more Big Mountain Oriented) is one of my favorite skis. You can take the Line Prophet 98 anywhere on the mountian with confidence that you have a ski that will handle the conditions at hand. They enjoy speed on those fast groomer days when it has not snowed in a few weeks and yet when it does snow they float wth ease thansk to the Early Rise.

For the masses the Line Prophet 98 Skis are going to be an easy go to ski no matter which coast you live on. With a 17.2m turn radius in a 179cm length you can see why many Volkl Mantra owners have started to make the switch to Line Skis and with a Fatty Base & Edge you are know they are going to have incredible durability.  Don’t be afraid to buy long in this ski as they measure short and the tip rocker makes them ski even shorter.  If you are looking for a one ski quiver around 100mm then look no further than the Line Prophet 98 Skis for 2012. If you do not enjoy rocker yet and are still not ready to change then you can still find some 2010 and 2011 Prophet 100′s on the market.

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2013 Armada Norwalk Ski Review

 

Ski: 2013 Armada Norwalk

Size: 179cm

Flex: Moderate (same as JJ)

Rocker: Tip Only/Camber Underfoot

Dimensions: 125-140-115-131mm

Turn Radius: 19m @ 179cm

The Armada Norwalk is a brand new ski for Armada in 2013 and we feel this is going to be a huge hit with those of you that are looking for a big mountain ski. If you enjoyed the Armada JJ Skis, but wanted a ski with more energy out of the tail the new Armada Norwalk is the ski for you! With tip rocker only and a traditional tail the Norwalk skis had incredible stability at higher speeds, something that you lose on the JJ because of the non traditional tail. Overall this was an excellent choice for big mountain skis, it was not as versatile as the Line Opus, however if you want a hard charger and enjoy the way Armada Skis ski then this should be a top pick for you. It plowed through chopped up snow and it had not issues at all going through tight trees or bumped up snow. It is one of the best new skis Armada has created. If you want more of a Powder Hound ski then check out the new Armada Magic J or Bubba.

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2013 Volkl Kuro Ski Review

 

Ski: 2013 Volkl Kuro

Size: 185cm

Dimensions: 164-132-139

Powered by Titanium

For 2013 the Volkl Kuro receives Titanium Power/Tough Box Construction meaning that the soft forgiving Kuro of the past is no longer. The all new Kuro is stiff and powerful and is now a true big mountain ski that can handle the biggest and steepest mountains that AK and BC have to offer. There are a few shops that still have the older Kuro and if you want a more forgiving powder ski that is an amazing choice and one that I ave enjoyed trying every year. For testing this spring I had a chance to get on the new Kuro and what a ski it is. The older Kuro was like a couch, super comfy and no effort at all in any condition except at higher speed. The new 2013 Kuro wants to go fast and boy is it ever stable. It will handle any speed on any kind of condition and it will still arc turns on groomers no problem at all. The one area where the new Kuro is a lot of work is in the bumps and tight chutes. If you are straight-lining areas this ski will be perfect thanks to the ELP Rocker and Titanium Construction. If you are going to be in areas that have a good amount of bumps you may want to consider the older Kuro or another ski that will be lighter and more forgiving.

 

The 2013 Volkl Kuro is a totally different ski from the past.