Gear – PowderPoachers.net

June 22nd, 2017

2018 Blizzard Bonafide Skis Review (New Shape!!)

'18 Blizzard Bonafide All Mountain Freeride Skis

Skis: 2018 Blizzard Bonafide Review

Dimensions: 135-98-119
Turn Radius: 18m @ 180cm

Length: 180cm

Actual Length: 180cm

Weight: 8.1lbs/3674.1g (pair)

Binding Used: Marker Griffon Demo

Bonafide Ski Review:

The 2018 Blizzard Bonafide was a pleasant surprise for the 2018 ski testing that I did. Blizzard quietly changed the Bonafide slightly and why they did not make a bigger deal of it I do not know as the changes, although subtle, make a huge impact on the maneuverability of the ski. The older Bonafide’s are great skis, especially if you are an ex racer looking for a hard charging GS ski that is a bit wider. If you like that more race like feel you may want to find an older model, but if you want something that can make any style turn you want it to the all new 2018 Bonafide is the way to go.

The new 2018 Bonafide has a slightly wider tip and tail making for a quicker turning ski than the older model. A change for myself that I very much enjoyed and made for a better All Mountain more user friendly experience. Don’t get me wrong you can still charge on the new Bonafide, but it is now just easier to make quicker and more medium range turns than it was before. Stability has never been an issue with the Bonafide and even with the changes made to the ski it is not an issue.

After skiing the Bonafide in multiple snow conditions I really found that this could make for a great one ski quiver ski if you find yourself split between charging groomers and searching for the goods on snowy days. East to West Coast this ski offers enough versatility to ski anywhere in the world.

June 22nd, 2017

2018 Line Mordecai Freeride Skis Review

'18 Line Mordecai Eric Pollard Freeride Powder Skis

Skis: 2018 Line Mordecai

Size: 186cm

Actual Length:

Weight: 9lbs/4082g (pair)

Binding Used: Tyrolia Attack 13

Dimensions: Dimensions: 141-114-138
Turn Radius: 17m

Mounted: Factory -21mm (from Center)

Line Mordecai Skis Review:

The 2018 Line Mordecai Skis got a good work out in Jackson Hole, WY in early April with almost every condition possible. Didn’t take long to realize that although the Mordecai is light it certainly is not soft. The Cloud Core Technology makes the skis light yet nimble and stable. Had these skis at cruising speed and they never thought about chattering even at higher speeds. With a 17m turn radius along with tip and tail rocker and taper these skis would make both quick and long turns with ease and for being fairly stiff underfoot they also did very well in bumped up terrain.

Was able to get a full day with 14″ of fresh snow beyond the gate and no crowds to track it up. What a dream it was to have a ski with the perfect width at 114mm and lightness for my legs to be able to handle skiing the amount of vertical all day. The great thing about testing in Jackson in the Spring is that you can have just about every condition possible with in the same run. The Mordecai was certainly right at home in every fresh snow condition I hit. Top of the mountain had light snow and the tip really had no issues with diving and like most Pollard Skis you want to have a more centered stance rather than to far forward. You do not need to drive this ski at all it does most of the work for you. Lower top of the mountain I hit more wind slabbed snow and again was able to bust through it as the Mordecai has plenty of rigidity to hammer through when the snow gets heavy which I was very thankful for as I moved down the mountain the snow had taken on sun and light rain and made for super heavy skiing. As long as you had waxed knowing you were going to have a little of everything the heavy and slush bumps were quite fun to play in.

In summary, I would highly recommend the 2018 Line Mordecai Skis as they are one of the most versatile skis that Pollard has ever designed. The biggest surprise about this ski is how fun it was to charge on a groomer day that never quite corned up like we were hoping. If you do get corn and have these skis get ready to feel like a hero though as they are amazing. Skis took no effort in corn and skied 40’000 vert and legs never felt tired at all. If you want to surf or slash the corn that was the most effortless, if you wanted to carve it you could do that and if you wanted to charge it down the hill it was super stable at 60 mph no problem.

Pick length for this ski for me was the 186cm length and for 90% of the people out there that will most likely be the size they will want as well. The 179cm I would suggest for someone under 5’5″ and 160lbs they could do the 179cm, but if you are more than that and an expert skier I would suggest the 186cm length. The 193cm will be a great fit for big mountain guys or guys larger than 5’11 and 195lbs.

May 7th, 2014May 7th, 2014

2015 Line Supernatural 100 Ski Review

Ski: 2015 Line Supernatural 100 Skis

Bindings: Griffon Demo

Size: 179cm

Total Weight: 14.25lbs

Early Rise/Early Taper

Dimensions: 132-100-121

Turn Radius: 21m

The 2015 Line Supernatural 100 was a ski I was very excited to get out on and test compared to the older Prophet 98 and new fully rockered Mantra. I was not disappointed the Supernatural 100 was a rocket ship out of the gate and I never found a speed limit with it. It held an excellent edge even on firm conditions and then when you got it in bumps and off piste I was pleasantly surprised at how nimble the ski was. With the new tip design and overall shape of the ski don’t be afraid to ski these in longer lengths. I find the 179cm to be really short although it does measure 178cm so it really just skis shorter than its length. The stability on the new Supernatural 100 skis can be attributed to the all new Shock Wall which certainly absorbs everything when you are in a turn and also helps you accelerate at the end of your turn.

Is this an upgrade over the Prophet 98? It’s different.. the Prophet 98 was and is a great front side ski like the Supernatural 100, the one big difference you will find though is the new Supernatural 100 is stiffer in the body but has a more forgiving tip allowing the SN 100 to be used by both aggressive and moderately aggressive skiers just like the Prophet 98. What expert skiers will find is more high end speed and stability with the new shock wall and inlayed Metal Matrix. When comparing to the new Volkl Mantra the SN 100 certainly does better on trail thanks to the still having camber underfoot. The Mantra is great off piste for bigger skiers but I would have really like to see them keep a little bit of camber and maybe soften the tip up just a little like Line did.

If you are looking for a super quick edge to edge ski that can bomb the hill with big gs style turns the Supernatural 100 form Line Skis is certainly one of the top 100mm waisted metal skis that I have ever skied. If you want quicker turning and slightly softer flex you may still be able to find some older Influence 105 skis which is still an excellent ski.

April 24th, 2014

2015 Volkl Mantra Skis Review

Skis Reviewed: 2015 Volkl Mantra

Size: 184cm

Bindings: Marker Griffon Demo

Full Rocker/Early Taper

Weight: 14.6lbs

Dimensions: 132-100-118

Turn Radius: 25.4m @ 184cm

The Volkl Mantra for 2015 has undergone some big changes. The ski is now Full Rocker and 100mm in the waist. What does this mean for the Mantra you know and love? This means that in softer snow it will have more float and with the early taper easier turn initiation. As most of you know I am not a huge fan of skis with metal just for my style of skiing, however I do love a few like the Prophet 115/Influence 115 and also found the new Supernatural 100 a lot of fun as well. The new 2015 Mantra, in my opinion, has to big of a turn radius at 25.4. With the amount of stability in this ski I would have really liked to have seen a slightly wider tail so when I was on groomers I could make shorter more nimble turns. The 25.4m turn radius is great when cruising at higher speeds and for skiers that like to smear their turns the new full rocker will allow for more of that as well. I still feel with the 100mm waist that camber would have gone a long way on the groomers, the full rocker is excellent in soft snow and fresh snow, but for hard packed Northeast skiing there is still something to be said for having some camber under foot. I did really enjoy how nimble the ski was and felt that it skied pretty short because of the new early taper and full rocker. If you are looking to replace your old Mantras you will probably love the new Mantra as it still has that race stiff and stable feel. If you are looking for something more playful you will want something softer in the tip. For skiers who ski fast I would certainly say the Mantra has no speed limit and craves the speed.

August 6th, 2013

2014 Volkl V-Werks Katana Ski Review

The Volkl Katana V-Werks Skis Review

Size Tested: 184cm

Binding: Griffon Demo

Mountain: Jay Peak

Conditions: Mixed Snow

Dimensions: 143-112-132

Turn Radius: 25.8m

One of the hardest skis to find this Spring for testing was the Volkl Katana V-Werks Ski. Only a few were brought in and the final edition of the skis took some time to fine tune. At $1200 I guess Volkl wanted to make sure they got it right.

The Volkl rep made sure they held a pair aside for me to get out on and I was very happy to get out on them. The first thing you notice with the V-Werks Katana is when you pick it up you just can not believe how light the ski is. It feels like you are holding nothing. When you first step in you are a little hesitant about how well they are going to ski as you do not really feel like you have anything under your feet, then you hot the slopes and all fear is lifted and straight charging is all the V-Werks Katana is all about. What this ski is not is a groomer oriented ski. This ski is made for big mountain skiing with big snow. When in bumps and groomers it is actually a little stiff and slow, when in softer snow it plows through everything in its way with power. At high speeds the ski has no chatter and sticks to the snow, if you try and make short turns on groomers you will probably be finding yourself overturning the ski as it is so light and turns almost to quickly at times. Once you get dialed in with the skis ability you will be able to get that under control, but remember it is V-Werks ski and because of that you want to make subtle movements as to not over ski the ski. When in fresh snow the ski was incredible and with an AT Binding I could see this being an all day touring ski with how light it is and on the down you will destroy everything thanks to the full rocker design.

On another note you do have to make sure you buy a Marker Royal Family Binding with this ski as those are the only ones that will fit with the design of the Volkl Katana Skis. In all the Volkl Katana V-Werks Skis are an amazing Freeride/Touring Ski and one that I would certainly recommend to those looking for a Big Mountain Touring Ski that is lightweight and powerful.

April 10th, 2013February 25th, 2014

2014 Line Sir Francis Bacon Skis Review

Model: 2014 Line Sir Francis Bacon Skis

Size: 184cm

Actual Length (Pull Chord): 181cm

Dimensions: 140-108-136

Stance -2.0cm from Center (Pollard’s Mark)

(Line Has a new line for 2014 that is -6cm’s for skiers who don’t want to be as close to center) I however found the ski to ski the best where Eric designed the ski to be skied which was at -2cm. the reason for this is that where Eric put’s the line is the sweet spot of the ski compared to the Early Rise vs the Early Taper of the Ski. If you know how to ski a ski center then DO NOT mount the skis anywhere but on the -2cm Mark.

Again for 2014 Line Skis has done an amazing job with the Sir Francis Bacon. It comes back for 2014 with an updated graphic which is another piece of art by the master Eric Pollard. I didn’t think that Line could do a better job with the graphic and I was wrong, Eric really put some amazing color into the ski and the graphic has been getting amazing reviews.

Now to the skiing. I said it last year and I will say it again this year, if you are looking for a one ski quiver ski that is playful and wants to always be searching out for the terrain off the trail then you will be very hard pressed to find anything more versatile in the 100-110mm category than the 2012/2013 Line Sir Francis Bacon Skis.

Other companies seem to always be playing catch up with Line and with the Early Rise/Early Taper on both the SFB and Opus Skis it is easy to see why! They turn on a dime with no effort at all, yet when you need stability on groomers the Line Sir Francis Bacon really holds on edge and with a turn radius of about 17m you will think you are on a ski 90mm in the waist. The Bacon allows you to easily get in and out of turns quickly and playfully. If you are like me and enjoy skiing the side 10 feet of the trail in the crud and sugar snow the Sir Francis Bacon eats those conditions up with ease! With the Early Rise and Early Taper the ski has a surf like feel to it and will easily ski all conditions that you throw its way. If you are into skiing pillow lines and searching out deep snow you can ski the Bacon, but you may want to look at its big brother the Mr. Pollard Opus for true powder lines in the backcountry.

One major factor you need to consider when buying this ski is the length. These skis not only measure short but they ski short as well. The one thing that is need with the Sir Francis Bacon is a 190cm length ski and for 2014 there is now a 190cm length!!! The 184cm length is the top selling length and when you get on it you will see why. It turns like a 170cm length ski and sometimes you forget that you have a ski on that is over 180cms. For bigger guys and more aggressive skiers I think the 190cm length would be a no brainer for adding to your line up. Just don’t sell yourself short, these skis may be 108mm in the waist but you still want the length to truly get all optimal ride out of this ski. If you are over 160lbs you should be skiing the 184cm length.

As for mounting point I would really suggest the Eric’s Choice mark that Line has already suggested. The skis do ski the best mounted on that line and if you are a tele skier I would really suggest talking to whoever is mounting your bindings and make sure they mount them so your boot mid sole is around the mid sole mark on your boot. These do ski best toward center even on a tele set up. If you are a skier that is not very centered when they ski then maybe you want to have them mounted a little further back, but I will be honest with you the ski skis best where Eric originally designed it to be mounted.

I look forward to getting out this weekend on the Bacon’s again and see how they perform on true firm Northeast snowpack! Please feel free if you have any questions to post them here and I will do my best to get back to you in a timely manner. Although it is April the weather and snow feels more like February so I have been getting out on the hill and testing as many skis as possible so look for more reviews to follow.

These skis did excellent on groomers but to be honest with you I rarely find myself on the trail these days.

2013 Line Sir Francis Bacon Skis Video

November 16th, 2012

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.

June 18th, 2012November 16th, 2012

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.

May 16th, 2012November 16th, 2012

2013 Volkl Kuro Ski Review

Ski: 2013 Volkl Kuro

Size: 185cm

Dimensions: 164-132-139

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.

May 16th, 2012November 16th, 2012

2013 K2 SideSeth Backcountry Skis Review

Skis: 2013 K2 SideSeth Skis

Size: 179cm

Dimensions: 147-118-135

Turn Radius: 26m @ 179cm

Rocker: Powder Rocker Tip/Tail Rocker

The all new 2013 K2 SideSeth Skis are unlike any Seth ski you have used before. Seth has changed his skis like he has changed his skiing to allow for more technical lines in more variable terrain and snow. Seth the past couple years has not been skiing the big mountain powder lines he was always known for up in AK. He has searched out the Alps and other areas that require more technical skiing then big fast lines in deep pow. If you want a ski that can handle every condition the backcountry can throw your way the all new 2013 K2 SideSeth Ski is one of my favorite choices. The major difference you will see in the 2013 K2 SideSeth is the ski is much stiffer than any of the Obsethed Skis and the tail is no longer a true twin tip it now has a more versatile shape not only for skins but to also be able to stick the skis into the snow. K2 also makes precut skins specifically for these skis which makes putting them on and off very simple. Because of the change Seth has made to these skis no no longer will be found in the Factory Series they are now in Backside Series. The ski comes with a good amount of powder rocker but also has enough camber to make the ski more versatile when skiing hard pack snow and those days where you are skiing big mountain hard-charging lines. The tail is much stiffer and has less rocker than in the past and this all has to do with making for a more versatile ski on big mountain lines. If you need a real ski to handle everything that the mountain can throw at you then you will want to consider the 2013 K2 Sideseth Ski. The ski was amazingly quick edge to edge and it was really at home in the trees easily skiing bumps and varied terrain with ease. When skiing on groomers the SideSeth got on edge much quicker than the 26m turn radius that K2 says it has. I think part of that has to do with the stiffer less rockered tail combined with a progressive sidecut. If you are looking for a similar ski, but one that is more playful everywhere on the mountain then you want to look at the Line Mr. Pollard Opus and the K2 Pettitor Skis.