K2 Burnin' Luv vs. Lotta Luv

[bostonlaur]

HELP!??! I bought two pairs of skis...'08 Burnin' Luvs and Lotta Luvs...now it's time to ski and I need to decide which ones to keep?! Wish I could keep both, but can't...I am a 31yo 5'4" 120lb skier who skis east cost (pass at Cannon this year), might take a trip out west once a year. I have only been skiing for three years, but get about 40 day seasons and am definitely an advanced skier. I demo'd the Burnin's and loved them, I like how they turn on a dime and how I can charge on them. And we get a lot of ice here, and I have heard they are amazing in icy conditions. They don't demo the Lottas anywhere out here (that I have found) and am scared to give up the quick turn initiation of the Burnin's... but this year I really want to get into more off-piste stuff, ski trees, etc...we don't get much powder here, but I don't want to be held back when skiing the backcountry. I wonder if the Lottas are more versatile, but want them to perform on the groomers, too. Right now I ski Solomon Rush from when I started skiing, three years ago, which were great for learning but now they hold me back. I need to ditch them for a pair of my new skis!! Does anyone have some good advice for me? I'd greatly appreciate it!!!

 

[SkiNurse]

O course, my advice is to keep them both!!!

The followins ios just my opinion...not scientific fact and I'm sure someone else on this forum wil have a different opinon. First of all, they are both "heavy" skis. You will notice how heavy they are carrying them if you are used another women's ski. But, their weight DOES NOT WEIGH THEM DOWN in the snow.

Burnin' Luvs: I use them for early & late season. Hard packed, groomed conditions. Do well in the bumps and trees. Stiffer than the Lotta Luvs, but forgiving. They allow you to be the boss. Hold an edge well on the hard pack...but also do well in the powder & steep.

Lotta Luvs: Very lively and responsive in the bumps, trees, steep and powder. Fast, but they don't like hard pack as well as the Burnin'...I get some chatter on those type of conditions. Now this might sound really weird, but these skis have the capability to outski their skier and you have to show them you're boss!

I know...weird relationship I have with my skis!

Me: 5'2", 125#, athletic build.

Advanced skier. Ski mostly Colorado. Love powder, steeps, trees and loving the bumps more with the Lotta Luvs.

I just picked up my Phat Luvs from the shop and can't wait to give those a try!!!

Good luck in deciding...personally I never could!

 

[bostonlaur]

Thanks for this response!! Ugh, I wish I could keep both! Life is so tough...ha...

Weird relationship with your skis...I doubt it, I am sure everyone (myself included) on here has the same thing going on...

I'm wondering if, since we get lots of ice out here and hard pack is pretty much all season long, I should keep the BLs because they outperform the LLs on that stuff, but would still do okay everywhere else? Or do you think the LLs would still lay nice turns on the hard pack if I kept them in control and are that much more worth it for skiing the whole mountain?

Maybe I just want to keep the LLs because they seem a little more badass...! I probably couldn't go wrong with either ski, I just have a terrible time making decisions...!

In any case, thanks for your reply, very helpful!!

 

[volklgirl]

If you already bought them both, why can't you keep them both??? After all, a ski quiver IS the Diva way.

That said, I'd keep the BLs since they're most appropriate for the majority of your skiing. If need be, rent skis when you head out west and need fatter.

 

[SkiGAP]

I'm wondering what length you bought...the same in both?

I am by no means a powder skier, but it seems that if you will be limited to one ski, then perhaps the Lottas might be a more all around choice considering you want to spend time off-piste. On the other hand, Volklgirl may be right, for powder skiing it may make sense to rent. I have Burnin's, and like them very much.

 

[bostonlaur]

Thanks for responding!

Aah, I should keep both! I wish I could!!

I bought them both in 153s, and hope this is the right size...my current skis are 149 and I demo'd the 153s bc i guess that just seemed like the next step, and the 160s sounded too long...now second guessing myself, but it might be too late...! I got a great deal on last year's models. Planning on having bindings mounted early this week so I can ride New Years...

So, after this weekend's rain and spring conditions (seriously? it's December...) I'm expecting a temperature drop will get us some good ol' boiler plate and maybe, no matter what part of the mountain I ski, the BLs are the way to go!! But yeah, I'm thinking, if limited to one pair, BLs are the best for out here.

 

[SkiNurse]

153s will be fine for you.

As some Divas here are aware of, K2s (and a couple of other brands) measure their skis differently. They measure skiable area...NOT tip to tip. So, a 153 ion a K2 would be liek a 160 in another ski. I'm 5'2" and my BL are 160s and LL are 153s. The reason I went with the 160s originally in the BLs is the my T9 Flights were a 167cm (K2s first line of womens shaped skis)...which is the same length of my straight skis. I didn't know when I bought the T9s I was supposed to go "shorter" on shaped, so I bought what I was used too! So, when I bought the BL, I went with the 160cm...lets just say, because.:eyebrow:

And before I baable anymore, 153s should be a good length for you. Any shorter at 5'4" might not be "enough" ski for you.

 

[bostonlaur]

Hi Divas,

I'm back!! So, I've been skiing on my Burnin' Luvs, and they are amazing...they rip on the groomers, and when it's a little "too" hard pack for everyone else, I'm in my element! Good thing, since I'm a Northeast skiier...

Here's my next question...I did notice they're a little too stiff for bumps, a little too narrow for softer snow, and too heavy for powder...those of you who have tried both these and the Lotta Luvs, is there a big difference between the two for everything aside from hard pack? A friend might buy my unused Lottas, but now I'm thinking I need another ski for powder days (rare here) and trees. Is it worth keeping my Lottas for that, or should I kiss them goodbye and save up for a different ski at the end of the season? I just don't want to keep my Lottas if they aren't significantly different than the Burnin's, I want to make sure I notice the difference!!

Thanks for answers, and dealing with my neuroses!

 

[bostonlaur]

PS Ski Nurse, you were so helpful about the length...I skied w/ a friend the other day and my 153 BLs were way longer than her 156 Volkls!

 

[Shellski]

On paper, it would seem the Lottas are more versatile, but if I had to get rid of one pair (I have both too) I would keep the Burnins. I truly love this ski, but I don't feel that way about the Lottas.

 

[mtnbikegirl]

If I were skiing boilerplate a lot of the time, I would probably keep the Burnin. That being said, I live out west and we got boilerplate from an ice storm and my everyday go to ski is the Lotta. I didn't really like them on the ice but they luved me on the groomers once the snow softened up. The Lotta's are probably good up to ankle deep powder and they work around the chopped snow pretty well but once its more than about 6-7 inches, I get my butt kicked. For those conditions, I'm looking for something wider and longer (thinking Missbehaved in a 159). I'm riding 146's and I'm 5'2, 115lbs. These might be a tad short for the pow anyways.

 

[vanhoskier]

Stay with the Burnin's. I have them in a 170 (I'm 5'10" 165 lb) and they do great on groomers, as they should, but I've found them to be good in bumps (they were ranked "best bump ski" last year) and choppy stuff. They are not stiff at all, they are rather soft, I think, and forgiving for a carver. For eastern conditions, they are the go-to ski. If you want to purchase a "powder" ski....get something very different, like the Volkl Aura (it still can handle hardpack so if you're on a mountain with variable conditions, it will work) or a twin tip like the Missdemeanor.

 

[Daria]

I agree - I now have the BLs for my hard pack/ice days and just bought the Auras for the powder days. I am finding that both skis can cross over in variable conditions really well. I have taken my BL's in the trees and steep soft bumps and was surprised on how well they took to the conditions. Similarly, I am finding that the Auras handle great in the hard pack and ice that comes out after the pow has been skied off. I have never skied the Lottas to be fair, but from the reviews I have read and my own experiences on these skis I think I have a very complimentary quiver.

BTW - I love, love, love the bumps and I can dance through them in my BLs

 

[vanhoskier]

BTW - I love, love, love the bumps and I can dance through them in my BLs

I wish I could do that!

 

[missyd]

I am tempted to buy a pair of Lotta Luvs for the days with fresh powder and days whith no icy condition ....
I compared the specs on the K2 site but the measurements do not help really to decide.
I think the Lottas may be better for fresh snow as my Burnin'Luvs?

I am right or not?

 

[vanhoskier]

I am tempted to buy a pair of Lotta Luvs for the days with fresh powder and days whith no icy condition ....
I compared the specs on the K2 site but the measurements do not help really to decide.
I think the Lottas may be better for fresh snow as my Burnin'Luvs?

I am right or not?

The Lottas have a waist of 80 or 82, I think. That's much more than the Burnins. So they'd be much better in new snow conditions than your Burnins.

 

[missyd]

After work I spoke about the Lottas with my local sports shop. They think they will be OK for my needs. So I will order them as soon as possible!