The Ultimate Ski Review?

The video format is cool, but content is still king. I reviewed the video on the BD Gigawatt, which basically told me “Dude, this is fun in the soft” and not much else. Time Waster. No idea how much the testers weigh, how aggressively they ski, comfort zone, etc…

I can’t imagine Backcountry.com showing me how much better the gear will be if I just mod it a bit, nor am I expecting any long-term use reviews. Give me text or video, just provide enough depth so I end up with gear that works for me.

The best thing about these videos is when they put the skis together base-to-base so you can see for yourself what the rocker/camber is like – every retailer should post a picture like this in their product descriptions. A still photo would suffice.

I’m sure Jason and Elias are cool guys, but forcing them to banter about each ski for the duration of the vids is cruel. Just the specs, please.

I second the rocker/camber visual of putting the bases of the pair of skis together. Nice look at the rocker. Reviewer makes me want to grow a ‘stache.

Hi Oren,
I am not Lou but still I would like to try to help you as I am tele skier as well and know the problem of not being able to test any setups before buying.

Currently, I ski a K2 Coomback 09/10 model in 181 with NTN bindings and TX Pro Boots.
I find this ski the perfect one ski quiver solution and I have taken it out in any kind of conditions. I am 5’11” and ca. 160 and ski in the Austrian Alps as I am located in Munich, Germany.

I think with the AXL and Syner G set up you can easily go wider on your ski to give you the extra float and versatility for the BC experience that you prefer. The Coomba will do the trick on groomers fine for you and be plenty of fun in variable BC conditions from wind pressed to fluffy, and from chopped to spring corn.

I am currently looking at either the Sidestash 188 or the Gotama 186 to replace the Coomba or downgrade it to a rock ski and have something a little wider and stiffer to charge hard.

In general you can say that the rocker design with a gentle tip rocker and camber underfoot and a flat tail is perfect for telemarking (at least for my style of skiing which is traditional and quite forward but aggressive).
I have tried the Coomba with a mounting position a bit further back and it works but not quite as good as a classic telemark middle mounting position. The tips do not sink in in fluffy conditions and in mixed but soft snow the tip is soft enough to plough through or over most of what is in its way and the camber will give you enough edge grip and turning performance, also at lower speeds.

I can understand why you would like to get a ski that is narrower when looking a plenty of East Coast resort days, but let me tell you that you will enjoy a wider ski in BC conditions a lot more. Wider is not always better, don’t get me wrong, but it sure helps a lot.

I hope my lengthy post helps you a bit and keep shredding.