volklgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The Tester: 190+ lbs, 5'5", 42 Years old, PSIA Level II, Platinum/Gold level Nastar and 2x/week league racer. I prefer stiffer skis with lots of pop that can handle my preference for high speed ripping.
The Conditions: Started with 2-6" heavy, wet, packy freshies over a groomed "slush puppy" base (like well-packed drier spring corn). As the day wore on, the freshies either piled up into huge moguls or packed down into very slippery wet hardpack or soft ice.
The Test Runs: 1 run down a long mild blue groomer making high speed carves of various turn radii. 1 run down a steeper blue/black making medium and high speed carves through piled up glop and cut up powder. 1 run down a black starting with slow speed smeary turns and ending with medium speed carves through cut up crud.
The Skis (in waist width order):
K2 Lotta Luv 160cm (119-78-105, 15m): This is a very damp ski most comfortable at slow to medium speeds. I instantly found the speed limit on this one (it was almost like a limiter on a car - it just sort of shut down at a certain speed). It had very little rebound, and just felt too short and too soft for my high energy style. This would be an excellent choice for an intermediate or "improving skier" who prefers slow to medium speeds and a very calm, confidence inspiring ski. It was perfectly happy to skid around all day long though the tips got knocked around in the crud quite a bit. Crud 1. Short Turns, Rebound, Stability, Steeps, Powder 2. Medium Turns, Long Turns, Grip 3. Forgiveness 4.
Dynastar Legend 8000 172cm (120-80-103, 18m): A very easy going and confidence inspiring ski, best for skidded turns all over the mountain. This is a fairly damp ski that excelled at medium to long turns at medium speeds or short skidded turns on even the steepest terrain. Surprisingly, even at this length it got bounced around in the crud quite a bit, but it just loved surfing through powder. Best for intermediate to advanced skiers looking for a mellow ski that will allow them to explore more of the mountain at slower speeds. Short Turns and Ice 2. Long Turns, Forgiveness, Steeps 4. All Else 3.
Volkl Unlimited AC40 Carbon 170cm (125-82-110, 16.1m): Yikes
! I thought I would love this ski but really didn't. Despite the "All Mountain" label, this is really a race ski with different graphics. It wanted to carve, carve, carve....in fact, I had the tail lock up and shoot me across the hill when I tried to skid it on the steeps 
. I thought maybe I was just being a geek, so I had hubby try it too. He totally agreed and could not get the tail to release before the turn was fully completed (fortunately I reminded him of this trait before he headed off to the steepest run. He was very glad I did :D ). This was a stiff and burly high energy ski with a death grip on ice, best for ripping it up on the groomed at the highest speeds. Forgiveness 2. Crud and Powder 3. Short Turns, Rebound, Steeps 4. All Else 5.
Rossignol Bandit 83 176cm (120-83-110, 17m): This ski was the first one I tested that truly inspired confidence in the cruddy stuff on the steeps later in the day and this length was perfect for me. It was happiest skidding turns through glop on the steepest hills. It would carve, but only grudgingly. It was a very calm mellow ski, to the point where it was only Ho Hum on the groomers. This ski is best for intermediate to advanced skiers looking to venture into ungroomed terrain. Short Turns and Rebound 2. Medium Turns and Grip 3. Long Turns, Stability, Forgiveness 4. Steeps, Crud, Powder 5.
In a Nutshell: One of these skis clearly belonged in the carver group rather than the all mountain group and the rest just didn't have any traits to make them stand out from the others. They all seemed to be severely compromised in some aspect of performance, and I was not really impressed with any of them.
Special Thanks to: the guys at Nub's Nob Technology Center and Mike at Pro Sports Enterprises at Schuss Mountain - without whose unending patience, time, and attention all this would not have been possible.
The Conditions: Started with 2-6" heavy, wet, packy freshies over a groomed "slush puppy" base (like well-packed drier spring corn). As the day wore on, the freshies either piled up into huge moguls or packed down into very slippery wet hardpack or soft ice.
The Test Runs: 1 run down a long mild blue groomer making high speed carves of various turn radii. 1 run down a steeper blue/black making medium and high speed carves through piled up glop and cut up powder. 1 run down a black starting with slow speed smeary turns and ending with medium speed carves through cut up crud.
The Skis (in waist width order):
K2 Lotta Luv 160cm (119-78-105, 15m): This is a very damp ski most comfortable at slow to medium speeds. I instantly found the speed limit on this one (it was almost like a limiter on a car - it just sort of shut down at a certain speed). It had very little rebound, and just felt too short and too soft for my high energy style. This would be an excellent choice for an intermediate or "improving skier" who prefers slow to medium speeds and a very calm, confidence inspiring ski. It was perfectly happy to skid around all day long though the tips got knocked around in the crud quite a bit. Crud 1. Short Turns, Rebound, Stability, Steeps, Powder 2. Medium Turns, Long Turns, Grip 3. Forgiveness 4.
Dynastar Legend 8000 172cm (120-80-103, 18m): A very easy going and confidence inspiring ski, best for skidded turns all over the mountain. This is a fairly damp ski that excelled at medium to long turns at medium speeds or short skidded turns on even the steepest terrain. Surprisingly, even at this length it got bounced around in the crud quite a bit, but it just loved surfing through powder. Best for intermediate to advanced skiers looking for a mellow ski that will allow them to explore more of the mountain at slower speeds. Short Turns and Ice 2. Long Turns, Forgiveness, Steeps 4. All Else 3.
Volkl Unlimited AC40 Carbon 170cm (125-82-110, 16.1m): Yikes
! I thought I would love this ski but really didn't. Despite the "All Mountain" label, this is really a race ski with different graphics. It wanted to carve, carve, carve....in fact, I had the tail lock up and shoot me across the hill when I tried to skid it on the steeps . I thought maybe I was just being a geek, so I had hubby try it too. He totally agreed and could not get the tail to release before the turn was fully completed (fortunately I reminded him of this trait before he headed off to the steepest run. He was very glad I did :D ). This was a stiff and burly high energy ski with a death grip on ice, best for ripping it up on the groomed at the highest speeds. Forgiveness 2. Crud and Powder 3. Short Turns, Rebound, Steeps 4. All Else 5.Rossignol Bandit 83 176cm (120-83-110, 17m): This ski was the first one I tested that truly inspired confidence in the cruddy stuff on the steeps later in the day and this length was perfect for me. It was happiest skidding turns through glop on the steepest hills. It would carve, but only grudgingly. It was a very calm mellow ski, to the point where it was only Ho Hum on the groomers. This ski is best for intermediate to advanced skiers looking to venture into ungroomed terrain. Short Turns and Rebound 2. Medium Turns and Grip 3. Long Turns, Stability, Forgiveness 4. Steeps, Crud, Powder 5.
In a Nutshell: One of these skis clearly belonged in the carver group rather than the all mountain group and the rest just didn't have any traits to make them stand out from the others. They all seemed to be severely compromised in some aspect of performance, and I was not really impressed with any of them.
Special Thanks to: the guys at Nub's Nob Technology Center and Mike at Pro Sports Enterprises at Schuss Mountain - without whose unending patience, time, and attention all this would not have been possible.
