• Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.

Initial thoughts of Moment Bella Tour & ATK Crest 10 binding

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I finally got to get out on my new backcountry setup. Here are my initial thoughts on the Moment Bella Tour in 172 cm in length and the ATK Crest 10 binding-

First, my stats and background - 5'5'' about 118-120lbs, an aggressive skier who skis everything in the backcountry depending on conditions (chutes, mellow glades, steeps, trees, open bowls, etc.). I prefer a playful setup that charges and can handle all types of conditions - powder, mank, breakable crust, wind board, etc. I have been backcountry skiing since 2005 and have seen the gear evolve over the years and options increase for women. I ski in the very remote part of NE Oregon. In the way past, I preferred a slightly heavier ski because I found touring specific skis way too light and chattery and not fun for the down in any condition. I have been using dynafit speed tours since I started backcountry skiing. I liked the simplicity of the binding. My powder backcountry boards (atomic millenniums) were starting to delaminate and were 10 years old and realized it was time to upgrade. My interest in a fully featured binding that was lighter than the speed tours picked my interest.

Snow conditions - Over the last 4 days about a foot to about a foot and a half of new snow had fallen. It had also stayed cold and overcast so the sun hadn't affected the snowpack yet. The winds had picked up overnight and changed direction so our original objective of hitting the alpine had changed to find more sheltered tree skiing and toning down our exposure due to the conditions. The snow ended up being that perfect hero powder snow that was fast but deep.

Moment Bella Tour & ATK Crest - First reaction picking them up from my friend who mounted them - Geez these are so freaking light! I went home and practiced putting on my skins and taking them off on the carpet. I take my skins off by keeping my skis on. Monkey with the brake on the crest was something new since in the past I went brakeless and used leashes. I realized since I cross the skis in front of me (in a figure 4 stretch style) that taking off the right skin the push button for the brake was on the outside (not on the inside like on the left) and not as seamless motion of pulling skins, clicking the release button for the brake, and turning the heal. This could be a slight learning curve or a clumsy move in the backcountry which proved to be a bit clunky the next day. Still working out the kinks on the right side. I usually go to our local hill to practice before taking any new gear in the backcountry but the conditions were too good to not take advantage so I took a risk and went out with my new setup.

These climbed like a dream. My legs did not get as tired as soon due to the light setup. Kick turns were even easier due to the weight and the length was not even an issue. This is the longest ski I have had in the backcountry. Breaking trail with these was a lot easier too due to the weight and wide front shovel.

The moment of truth came when I was all clicked in and went to make that first turn. My first reaction was these are so solid and ski just like my Moment Sierras. With that, I pushed them a bit harder. I hit some old frozen tracks and the skis stayed solid and didn't get bucked around at all just kind of felt like a mild bump. Man did I feel like I was flying. Again the snow was perfect. All day and every run I just felt like I was flying (wait, did I already say that?!!). I felt so confident all day even after our fifth lap and over 4300' of climbing and my legs were finally starting to get tired. They also turned when I wanted them to even in the very tight trees and could easily slash my speed if needed which happened when I needed to squeeze through a tight tree spot. By the end of the day, I was in love!

Even on our track out that can get super tracked out feel like a ski resort back to the car and I usually have to tell myself "game on" and "ski strong" with tired legs, the ski felt solid and didn't get bucked around and the track didn't feel as bad.

Since it was cold, I had on my neoprene boot gloves. I get really cold feet and some days need to even tour with boot gloves which makes it harder to see my toe pieces to click into tech bindings. The ATK crest just clicked in the first time every time. I didn't even have to do the one-pin roll to the other pin like I have to do on my dynafits. I also loved the "hot lap" feature of flipping over the middle raiser over the pins when lapping something which is what we were doing. No need to rotate the heal piece at all.

Little other things that were bonuses, the top sheets didn't really collect snow. Yet again, that could have been from the cold snow. My friend's skis definitely had more snow sticking to them than mine.

Summary - so far for powder conditions, these skis shine both on the up and down. The atk crest 10 bindings helped make it a lightweight setup and prefer their toe piece over dynafits. I am so happy with the setup and can't wait to see how it does in not-so-perfect conditions. And, can't wait to feel that sensation again of flying down the mountain with these skis. Fingers crossed for more ski days in April!
 

lrc007

Diva in Training
@arbusch awesome feedback to hear on your Bella Tours with Crests! I was just at the Moment factory this afternoon getting some tuning work done on my non-tour version Bellas. While waiting I, of course, drifted over to admire their whole selection of skis. I drool over the Bella Tours every time I'm in there. **So light!** I've been teetering on the verge of just buying the Tour 162's. My regular Bellas + Shifts are my only tourable setup (and my main inbounds ski this season) and they have performed amazingly well in all conditions. So fun in powder (of course!), but they've been a huge confidence booster for me in the backcountry in all yucky/crusty/icy skin track/wind-affected snow conditions. Minus the weight, I love the stability they provide on the up, and I haven't encountered conditions they don't give me confidence in. They just exhaust my legs by the end of the day (again, Shifts). It's really encouraging to hear how much you're enjoying the Bella Tours + Crests and some great snow conditions!

Have you ever skied on a DPS Pagoda Tour 100? I have the opportunity to acquire an older 153cm setup and am trying to compare the possible feels of a 162cm Bella Tour vs going for the shorter, narrower 153cm Pagodas. I tried to get a Bella Tour demo from the Moment factory but unfortunately, no demos for the tour versions.
 

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@arbusch awesome feedback to hear on your Bella Tours with Crests! I was just at the Moment factory this afternoon getting some tuning work done on my non-tour version Bellas. While waiting I, of course, drifted over to admire their whole selection of skis. I drool over the Bella Tours every time I'm in there. **So light!** I've been teetering on the verge of just buying the Tour 162's. My regular Bellas + Shifts are my only tourable setup (and my main inbounds ski this season) and they have performed amazingly well in all conditions. So fun in powder (of course!), but they've been a huge confidence booster for me in the backcountry in all yucky/crusty/icy skin track/wind-affected snow conditions. Minus the weight, I love the stability they provide on the up, and I haven't encountered conditions they don't give me confidence in. They just exhaust my legs by the end of the day (again, Shifts). It's really encouraging to hear how much you're enjoying the Bella Tours + Crests and some great snow conditions!

Have you ever skied on a DPS Pagoda Tour 100? I have the opportunity to acquire an older 153cm setup and am trying to compare the possible feels of a 162cm Bella Tour vs going for the shorter, narrower 153cm Pagodas. I tried to get a Bella Tour demo from the Moment factory but unfortunately, no demos for the tour versions.
I have never skied on any dps ski. I have always wanted too. I have known some male friends who like their dps skis but always shared they were more of a soft snow condition specialist ski. Thanks for the insight about how confident feeling the bellas feel in other conditions. I am going out tomorrow to help my friend to gather observations for the Thursday avalanche forecast. I am excited to get on them again.
 

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Second day on these skis. We ended up ski some short chutes that are super fun. The snow conditions was a bit heavier snow with a little bit of fresh graupel snow on top. Again these skis just ski solid and continue to respond the harder I skied them. So smooth and fast even with the springish snow. I was having so much fun and loving how easy they climb when my legs start to get tired. It makes it easier to sneak in one extra lap.
 

Sokolva

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thank you for the wonderful review! As someone who recently got the Moment Sierras, I’ve thought that the Bella or Sierra Tours would be an excellent quiver expansion if I ever got into touring. It sounds like a lot of fun, but I don’t live near any mountains, so my current quiver is sufficient. This would be an absolute dream if I get to live close to the mountains and snow, and your review was very helpful!
 

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@Sokolva thanks for the kind words. Not a ton of reviews on this ski so I thought this would be helpful. I know the wildcat 108 is the same ski. Yet I think it is always nice to hear from more women about skis.
 

Sokolva

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@Sokolva thanks for the kind words. Not a ton of reviews on this ski so I thought this would be helpful. I know the wildcat 108 is the same ski. Yet I think it is always nice to hear from more women about skis.
Is the Wildcat / Bibby Pro the exact same ski as the Bella’s with the same wood stiffness, or is it’s internal construction changed slightly (as with the Deathwish and the Sierra skis: the Sierras have a Poplar & Pine core which was the original construction of the Deathwish skis before they were given a stiffer wood construction). I always wondered about the differences Moment uses in their woman’s vs mens models!
 

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The tour version of both skis they are different cores. The bella tour are paulownia/pine core. The wildcat 108 tour are paulownia/ash core. Dimension wise same ski. Similarly for the bellas are popular/pine and wildcat 108 popular/ ash.
 

Sokolva

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The tour version of both skis they are different cores. The bella tour are paulownia/pine core. The wildcat 108 tour are paulownia/ash core. Dimension wise same ski. Similarly for the bellas are popular/pine and wildcat 108 popular/ ash.
Okay cool, that’s what I thought the only differences were! Makes sense too, since Moments founder said in an interview that he didn’t think there should anything significantly different between women’s and men’s skis aside from potential size differences. I appreciate that the skis are the same technology but made to fit even petite women like myself that couldn’t ski the men’s lengths and stiffnesses.
 

echo_VT

Angel Diva
I just came back from a ski trip in which one of the guides was on the moment Bella tour. She had great things to say. I’m on the DPS Zelda 106s and movement balance skis. While I love the way the DPS skis ski, climbing is hard bc they are heavy. I think I will upgrade the skins and see if that helps …but I doubt it. Thinking about getting the tour specific version (which would be pagoda now) … And I love the way movement balance skis climb, and while good coming down in consistent snow, a bit of a learning curve in mixed conditions.
 

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I just came back from a ski trip in which one of the guides was on the moment Bella tour. She had great things to say. I’m on the DPS Zelda 106s and movement balance skis. While I love the way the DPS skis ski, climbing is hard bc they are heavy. I think I will upgrade the skins and see if that helps …but I doubt it. Thinking about getting the tour specific version (which would be pagoda now) … And I love the way movement balance skis climb, and while good coming down in consistent snow, a bit of a learning curve in mixed conditions.
I am really loving how these climb. It was super deep again on Sunday and the weight made it easier to navigate kick turns and break trail. Then the down was a blast in the deep powder. I have been loving these late powder storms. It looks like it warms up this weekend which makes me sad.

I did get the pomoca free pro 2.0 skins for this set up. My first time using these skins too. I am loving how they climb and glide and small they fold up. This makes it easier to throw inside my jacket on the down if the glue is starting to ice up on cold days. They dry super fast and don't get as waterlogged. Overall just a solid package.
 

echo_VT

Angel Diva
That’s great. Those are the skins I have for my movement balance skis and I had a friend help me for a faster transition and she was pretty impressed with how easily they came off. Agreed about the weight and profile of the skins. So much more advanced than my old G3 skins!
 

arbusch

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hmmm, looks like Moment isn’t making women’s tour skis any longer, bummer
The moment wildcat 108 tour is the same ski. The wildcat goes to 165cm but not smaller. Yeah it is bummer especially the smaller sizes. I was hoping to grab some sierra tours.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
26,204
Messages
496,999
Members
8,482
Latest member
Gilly1965
Top