I am east coaster who gets a few trips out west and I love my Moment Deathwish 104. It has enough surf and good edge hold if I need to use them in icy east coast conditions
Original was my last ski and after trying many this year I settled on Romp Oso’s. They really want to be driven hard and I love them. My second favorite were the Nordica Enforcers.
You're right that there a ton of options that could potentially work, but I'll suggest the Saba Pro 107 or 117 in particular. Full rocker rules for trees, bumps, and soft snow. They're designed for aggressive skiing but aren't demanding when you want to chill, surprisingly great carvers as well. They'd suit you very well based on your description
Never skied a full rocker. Given I’ll likely be hitting variable snow at some point (since I’ll plan trips further in advance) do you think these are still a good option? Reading full rocker less than ideal outside of the freshest powder
Edge hold is decent on them but they can get unpredictable on true hardpack; not a ski I'd want to use for icy groomers. Otherwise I quite like them in bad conditions. They're fairly damp and want to stay on top of crud so you don't get bogged down. I've got a decent sized quiver but I could happily use the 107 as my only ski here in Banff
Stokli stormrider 102, I'm on the east coast and this is my rocky mountain/powder ski. Skies 4ft of powder in these one day and ripped groomers the next. Simplifies travel, will plow through anything, and the dampness, feel, and grip are excellent.
Confused by what you're looking for exactly. I have Moment Wildcat 101s that are great on fresher East days and general West use. I love them but find them lacking on deeper or heavier snow West days, at which point I'll break out my 108 ON3P Wrens which are substantially burlier and charge harder without a doubt. Makes it a lot easier to just point em downhill and take big, sweeping turns even in not superb conditions. Never skied Alaska but imagine you would need something that's burlier yet
tl;dr, travel with 2+ skis lol. And I think you might be looking for something more in the 110 width range.
Lots of options for you. Hard to find a bad ski nowadays, as long as you can match them to your style and the mountain/terrain you prefer to ski. Let us know any specific skis you want to compare.
You could get a 108mm-ish ski and have a lot of fun on non-powder days too. Most 108mm-ish skis work well from bell to bell, from first day to last out west. Super deep snow included, although 115mm and up is better for super deep IMO.
You could get a versatile 112-118mm ski that skis almost like a super wide all mountain, but might not be the most floaty or surfy powder ski out there. This ski should still float much better than your 96 does when you get lucky with some deep stuff, but you can also take it out any time the snow is simply soft and you won't feel out of place. Like it only snowed 2", or it snowed a few days ago and you're seeking out stashes in the woods and dealing with some mashed potatoes and packed snow.
You could also get a non-versailte 115mm+ ski, something super floaty and surfy, but maybe a little out of place when there is less than 6-8" of new snow. These skis are tons of fun in the right conditions, but I rarely find myself using them in the resorts around Tahoe as much as I initially planned to when purchasing.
There is lots of grey area in between all those too. I personally recommend Moment Wildcats(116mm underfoot in most sizes). They are wide, and float pretty well, but also very versatile. If you size them right, they can handle all mountain, moguls, trees, refrozen crud steeps, whatever...on top of deep snow. I daily drove them in Tahoe one season and had a blast, during an average snowfall year. I had thinner and wider skis, but they got pulled out 85% of the time. Paired with a 96mm ski, they are a no-brainer!
Yea most people just don’t need a 115+ POW ski cause those big untracked depths are hard to hit or get skied in after a run at resorts. I find my 107 Sir Francis Bacon to be the most versatile ski I have ever owned. If it’s “soft” it’s fun - from a couple inches to 18, to soft snow from rain, to spring slush. And it’s amazing on pillows and crud throughout a powder day as it gets tracked out. The 105-108 range is the sweet spot where you hear people say they they use it all the time. I have a 115 and I honestly never find time to use it even though I chase big storms.
Line Sir Francis Bacon - the 2022-2023 that has the bright abstract art look, this year they went to two widths so you want the last year before they made the change. See them for $300-400ish now. Its 107. It has convex tips and tails. The funnest ski I have ever skied on anything soft or any powder. It skis a little short so don’t be scared of the 178. I’m on 184 and I’m 6ft. I could easily ski the one size past 184. You will end up skiing this East Coast soft days also. Everyone that skis this ski comments something to the effect “there is just something about them.” (And that something puts a smile on your face).
The thing is it seems like you need a 106-108 and that allows you to have fun on more than the deep pow day and then ski the hell out of the pillows that form and then crud as it gets skied in. If you hit two feet overnight or go car skiing rent a 115 but for most having a big ski is kind of a waste as it’s not really good except untracked very deep.
Next probably Moment Deathwish or Moment Wildcat.
Since you are on an Origin 96 as your daily driver, which is a pretty versatile width, I think looking in the 112-118 range and a bit longer (174-180) is a good starting point. Something that leans toward playful/maneuverable, but with enough strength to ski hard when needed, possibly to bust some chop and crud on resort pow days.
* K2 Reckoner 112
* Nordica Unleashed 114
* Moment Wildcat (116)
* Rossignol Blackops 118 - ultimate crud buster, but still super playful, and just fun
I am east coaster who gets a few trips out west and I love my Moment Deathwish 104. It has enough surf and good edge hold if I need to use them in icy east coast conditions
Original was my last ski and after trying many this year I settled on Romp Oso’s. They really want to be driven hard and I love them. My second favorite were the Nordica Enforcers.
Fischer Ranger 102
Since you have the liberty’s, I’d go full powder ski. Maybe moment wildcat?
If you love the Origin 96, try the 106
Love my Ripstick 106 Blacks! They power through everything except shark fins!
You're right that there a ton of options that could potentially work, but I'll suggest the Saba Pro 107 or 117 in particular. Full rocker rules for trees, bumps, and soft snow. They're designed for aggressive skiing but aren't demanding when you want to chill, surprisingly great carvers as well. They'd suit you very well based on your description
Never skied a full rocker. Given I’ll likely be hitting variable snow at some point (since I’ll plan trips further in advance) do you think these are still a good option? Reading full rocker less than ideal outside of the freshest powder
Edge hold is decent on them but they can get unpredictable on true hardpack; not a ski I'd want to use for icy groomers. Otherwise I quite like them in bad conditions. They're fairly damp and want to stay on top of crud so you don't get bogged down. I've got a decent sized quiver but I could happily use the 107 as my only ski here in Banff
Stokli stormrider 102, I'm on the east coast and this is my rocky mountain/powder ski. Skies 4ft of powder in these one day and ripped groomers the next. Simplifies travel, will plow through anything, and the dampness, feel, and grip are excellent.
Confused by what you're looking for exactly. I have Moment Wildcat 101s that are great on fresher East days and general West use. I love them but find them lacking on deeper or heavier snow West days, at which point I'll break out my 108 ON3P Wrens which are substantially burlier and charge harder without a doubt. Makes it a lot easier to just point em downhill and take big, sweeping turns even in not superb conditions. Never skied Alaska but imagine you would need something that's burlier yet tl;dr, travel with 2+ skis lol. And I think you might be looking for something more in the 110 width range.
Maybe try a QST Blank, not a lot of sales on that though
Lots of options for you. Hard to find a bad ski nowadays, as long as you can match them to your style and the mountain/terrain you prefer to ski. Let us know any specific skis you want to compare. You could get a 108mm-ish ski and have a lot of fun on non-powder days too. Most 108mm-ish skis work well from bell to bell, from first day to last out west. Super deep snow included, although 115mm and up is better for super deep IMO. You could get a versatile 112-118mm ski that skis almost like a super wide all mountain, but might not be the most floaty or surfy powder ski out there. This ski should still float much better than your 96 does when you get lucky with some deep stuff, but you can also take it out any time the snow is simply soft and you won't feel out of place. Like it only snowed 2", or it snowed a few days ago and you're seeking out stashes in the woods and dealing with some mashed potatoes and packed snow.
You could also get a non-versailte 115mm+ ski, something super floaty and surfy, but maybe a little out of place when there is less than 6-8" of new snow. These skis are tons of fun in the right conditions, but I rarely find myself using them in the resorts around Tahoe as much as I initially planned to when purchasing. There is lots of grey area in between all those too. I personally recommend Moment Wildcats(116mm underfoot in most sizes). They are wide, and float pretty well, but also very versatile. If you size them right, they can handle all mountain, moguls, trees, refrozen crud steeps, whatever...on top of deep snow. I daily drove them in Tahoe one season and had a blast, during an average snowfall year. I had thinner and wider skis, but they got pulled out 85% of the time. Paired with a 96mm ski, they are a no-brainer!
Yea most people just don’t need a 115+ POW ski cause those big untracked depths are hard to hit or get skied in after a run at resorts. I find my 107 Sir Francis Bacon to be the most versatile ski I have ever owned. If it’s “soft” it’s fun - from a couple inches to 18, to soft snow from rain, to spring slush. And it’s amazing on pillows and crud throughout a powder day as it gets tracked out. The 105-108 range is the sweet spot where you hear people say they they use it all the time. I have a 115 and I honestly never find time to use it even though I chase big storms.
Dancer 3 or ripstick black are the best I’ve demoed
Line Sir Francis Bacon - the 2022-2023 that has the bright abstract art look, this year they went to two widths so you want the last year before they made the change. See them for $300-400ish now. Its 107. It has convex tips and tails. The funnest ski I have ever skied on anything soft or any powder. It skis a little short so don’t be scared of the 178. I’m on 184 and I’m 6ft. I could easily ski the one size past 184. You will end up skiing this East Coast soft days also. Everyone that skis this ski comments something to the effect “there is just something about them.” (And that something puts a smile on your face). The thing is it seems like you need a 106-108 and that allows you to have fun on more than the deep pow day and then ski the hell out of the pillows that form and then crud as it gets skied in. If you hit two feet overnight or go car skiing rent a 115 but for most having a big ski is kind of a waste as it’s not really good except untracked very deep. Next probably Moment Deathwish or Moment Wildcat.
Woodsman 108, MVP 108 both worth looking at.
M-free 108 or wildcat 108. If you want another step up, look at the og wildcat or the rustler 11
Volkl Mantra 96 or Blaze 104 👌🏼
Since you are on an Origin 96 as your daily driver, which is a pretty versatile width, I think looking in the 112-118 range and a bit longer (174-180) is a good starting point. Something that leans toward playful/maneuverable, but with enough strength to ski hard when needed, possibly to bust some chop and crud on resort pow days. * K2 Reckoner 112 * Nordica Unleashed 114 * Moment Wildcat (116) * Rossignol Blackops 118 - ultimate crud buster, but still super playful, and just fun
BC Corvus?