K2 Public Enemy

[Lori_K]

(another shameless steal from Volklgir's format!)

The Tester: 5'3" 140lbs. Advanced skier, occasional NASTAR racer, ski all mountain, all conditions. Current skis are the Volkl Attiva S5 (161cm), Volkl Aura (164cm). Looking to improve in bumps, and looking for a ski to fill the quiver gap between the skinny S5 and the powder Aura.

The Conditions: No new snow for several days. No significant snow (6+") for two weeks. Weather has been cold & mostly sunny. Groomed runs were packed powder, with occasional areas of hardpack/wind-scoured snow (not quite ice). Off-piste conditions ranged from leftover freshies (12 inches in spots!) off the ridge, to tracked in, packed powder in the trees. Some light sun crust in exposed areas.

The Test Runs: Everything, but mostly steep off-piste and bump runs. Groomers used to get to the lift and connect trails. Also some goofing off on the sides of trails, small jumps, bumps, etc.

The Skis (in waist width order):

K2 Public Enemy, 164cm, 159cm. (118-85-109): To call this ski a park-and-pipe ski is to do it a severe injustice! This is truly a twin-tip All Mountain ski.
I asked for the 164 first, and as the shop guy stood the ski next to me, he looks at me and says, "Are you SURE?". (As in, "Don't you want to go with a shorter ski?"). "Yes, I'm sure", I said, and told him the other skis that I had.
The first turns had me exclaiming, "This ski can turn on a dime!" This ski loves, loves, loves the short turn, and medium turns. Long turns, not so much. It can be put up on edge, but does not have the "on-rails" feeling like the Volkl S5. Fun, forgiving, stable, yet playful.

Groomers, to bumps, to trees with some light powder and even some deeper powder, this ski handled all with aplomb. It won't carve like the S5, and it doesn't float through powder like the Aura, but it handles every in-between condition better than any other ski I've tried. The combination of its playful and forgiving nature has you out searching for those little jumps on the side of the trail, and just generally looking for trouble!

I felt the tails on the 164 were a bit hooky, not sure whether this was due to a tuning, or the binding position. After a couple hours I went back and switched to the 159cm ski, and skied the rest of the day on that ski. The shop also had the Nordica Olympia Conquer that I wanted to test, but it was only available in 154cm, a bit shorter than I'm used to. Plus, I had so much fun on the PE that I didn't want to change skis!

I think the most telling thing is that we skied from OPEN until CLOSE, with only a couple short snack breaks. We hiked the ridge. We skied some powder, we skied some trees, and we skied A LOT of bumps. And at the end of the day, my quads weren't screaming (as they usually are after all those bumps). It was an all-day, all-mountain ski, and I think will soon be the latest addition to the quiver. Since the PE is designed for park-n-pipe, it is built tough and can take the off-piste abuse we throw at it. The shop guy said he has never seen any broken ones come in. This is a bonus, as my husband tends to find a lot of rocks with his skis!

Overall Impression: 5. I think I need this ski! The Public Enemy doesn't have the "pop" of a Volkl ski, but was still fun and maneuverable, with a wide sweet spot. Surprising grip on hardpack, and predictable in powder. A total hoot to ski in the trees, and bumps.

Short turns, medium turns, stability, forgiveness: 5
All others, 4.

 

[volklgirl]

Sweet. Nice review. What size will you be getting?
Pics required when you get them!!! :D

I think you should have taken the Conquer out. I had the same misgivings on the Firefox at 154 - I looked at the guy and said "man this is short!!!" and he said, "just give it a try, I think you'll be surprised". Was I!!! That length just rocked (although were I to buy, I would have gone up at least 1 size).

 

[Lilgeorg]

My hubby just got a pair and when I read him your post, he was bobbibg his head up and down in agreement. He skis them like a kid!

 

[Lori_K]

Sweet. Nice review. What size will you be getting?
Pics required when you get them!!! :D

I think you should have taken the Conquer out.

I'd get the 159cm PE. As a matter of fact, I found a pair of leftover '07 in 159cm for $299! The hubby will have to buy new, but still only $450 (plus bindings).

I may still try the Conquer if I get a chance. The only drawback I see is that the Conquer doesn't have a twin tip, which I really like in the trees. Otherwise, they are similar in specs.

 

[Kano]

I may still try the Conquer if I get a chance. The only drawback I see is that the Conquer doesn't have a twin tip, which I really like in the trees. Otherwise, they are similar in specs.

Lori -- can you explain why you see the twin tip as advantageous in the trees?

I had my first tree experience this weekend, and it was FUN! (Poor DH....)

Kano

 

[Lori_K]

Hi Kano!

Couple of reasons I like the twin tips in the trees/off-piste.
1) For those tight, narrow sections where you need to adjust your position for the next turn, twin tips allow you to J-hook turns and slide back very easily. Then it's just twist & go.
2) The tipped up tail seems to release more easily during the turn. Trees and off-piste often have variable snow conditions, and it's a situation where you don't want your tails getting hung up during the turn. I ran trees a couple times with my Attiva S5, and while it can be done, it takes extra effort to make sure I don't catch the tails in the snow on the exit of the turn.

Note that you don't necessarily need a full twin-tip. Many skis have a slight taper or tip up to the tail, which provides the same benefit.

Oh, and on the groomers the twin tip tail really sends up a spray of snow, to roost whoever may be following you.

 

[volklgirl]

I'm with Lori_K,

Twins make the trees soooo much easier. My Karmas nag me until I go adventuring - I just can't say no!

Being able to slide backward to adjust your line without gettig hung up makes it so much less scary. Plus the twins are usually softer so they ride over the variable crud and twigs and rocks and stuff better than more carving-oriented skis.

 

[Kano]

That makes sense!

Now another question: J Hook a turn?

Kano

(I need a new "tech" term to confuse DH with!)

 

[Lori_K]

That makes sense!

Now another question: J Hook a turn?

Kano

So easy you'll kick yourself after I explain it...

Imagine your turn looks like a J. (Rather than a "C") At the end of the turn, your ski tips actually come back up hill a bit to slow you down. You slide backwards a bit, and pivot the tips downhill to start the next turn. (Taught to me in a women's camp several years ago, for dealing with steep terrain where you don't want to pick up a lot of speed. Unfortunately, sometimes I depend on it a bit too much!)

Does my crummy little drawing help??