Poppy ski for advanced skier in coastal/interior BC

[rivarunnamomma]

I am working my way through existing reviews but can't resist the temptation to tap into the wealth of excellent advice here for female skiers. So different to what is available online - mostly geared toward (and by) guys. I have never rread reviews that resonate so perfectly with the way I think about skis. Kudos for such an incredible resource!

I'm looking for a set of skis that is poppy and energetic for use at the resort on days without new snow. Here, in interior/coastal BC (Smithers) that means soft bumps and soft groomers with a few remaining stashes of powder on the edges or tucked between trees. Nice if they don't get too thrown around too much in cut up snow. Not sure this ski exists!

My other skis are the 112 DPS Yvette Alchemist in 178. I LOVE them! And they are bright PINK! These are my go-to for powder days and touring after big dumps. I also have the Volkl Blaze for travelling when I might find powder or might find harder groomers, and also for touring on lower snow days. Both are mounted with Fritschi Tectons. Love how light both are.

However, both skis lack the poppy, energetic feel I remember from a LONG time ago when I was married to a ski coach on the East coast and skied something that was probably a slalom ski. I particularly remember an awesome set of Salomons. Back then, I loved skiing bumps or railing groomers on a ski that really responded when you stepped (or stomped) on it. For the last 20 years, I've been in BC and so have been much more concerned with skis that float in powder as long as they are are "okay" on groomers ... but little else. I now have a bunch of grandkids and spend more time at the resort on less than great days, so I'm looking to add a third pair that will make these days more fun.

Past "west coast" skis (all around 175 cm except as noted)
1993 (ish) - 164 G3 Aviatrix - really twitchy and hooky :-(
Mid-1990's - Blue "woman's" ski - a bit stiff in the trees but I was just figuring out how to ski off piste.
1998 (ish) Rossignol S7 with Fritschi Freerides - I could make them work, but tips dove in powder so I had to sit in the backseat to float them and they were so heavy my legs were burnt after a day on them
2013 (ish) 112 DPS Yvettes (light blue) with Fritschi Freerides - best ski I had tried to that point - snappier than the newer version and awesome float but in retrospect, were really chattery on anything firm
2017 - Rossignol S7s with frame binding - Rentals in Portes de Soleil, Switzerland. Quite fun! Could handle powder, bumps and and groomers. But didn't buy for myself, as I had the DPS and my kids were still costing $$$!
2019 - DPS Lotus 124 180s? - bought them for a trip to Japan. Too long for kick turns but incredible float! Sold them when I got back because I preferred the (shorter) Yvettes.
Black Crows Corvus Freebird 185 (ish?) with G3 Zeds - My first foray into building a quiver. Dumb idea but they were PINK! Too stiff in the tail and probably too long. They just straight-lined in the trees. :-(

Current day: Yvettes and Blaze as described above.

Currently, I wear the Scarpa GEA, like them, and have always preferred softer boots.

I 57, strong, athletic. Advanced, finesse, directional (slarving is for those who can't ski :-) I am allergic to air. I generally ski at a moderate pace with short-medium radius turns. I love steeps, trees and soft bumps. I also like to go fast and big with my adult kids and younger friends on occasion, so don't want a ski that can't keep up.

At the moment, I'm all over the map considering everything from the Line Pandora 104 to the Coalition Snow Rebel, some of the newer Rossignols and Black Crows Camox Birdie; maybe Blizzard Sheevas/Rustlers? I'm scared of Santa Anas, Salomon QSTs and Black Pearls - too stiff or damp? Ripsticks look weird.

So you can see ... I need help! I would very much appreciate any suggestions for an energetic, poppy ski that might fit my needs in northwest British Columbia.

Thanks SO MUCH in advance.

 

[DebbieSue]

I don't own them (yet) but I think you want Sheeva 9s. I'll let the others who have them weigh in. If you enjoyed a slalom ski, you have nothing to be afraid of with SA, QST or BP, and the former two may do the trick. I have 20/21 BP88 short for my height as I like short turns, and they are plenty playful in the East; I will rent something wider for powder when I find it.

 

[DebbieSue]

Oh, and they are not pink, but they are very pretty!!! They appear on another thread here somewhere.

 

[chasinghorizons]

I'm looking for a set of skis that is poppy and energetic for use at the resort on days without new snow. Here, in interior/coastal BC (Smithers) that means soft bumps and soft groomers with a few remaining stashes of powder on the edges or tucked between trees. Nice if they don't get too thrown around too much in cut up snow. Not sure this ski exists!

However, both skis lack the poppy, energetic feel I remember from a LONG time ago when I was married to a ski coach on the East coast and skied something that was probably a slalom ski. I particularly remember an awesome set of Salomons. Back then, I loved skiing bumps or railing groomers on a ski that really responded when you stepped (or stomped) on it.

I 57, strong, athletic. Advanced, finesse, directional (slarving is for those who can't ski :-) I am allergic to air. I generally ski at a moderate pace with short-medium radius turns. I love steeps, trees and soft bumps. I also like to go fast and big with my adult kids and younger friends on occasion, so don't want a ski that can't keep up.

Two skis came to mind from this, both very different skis.

I have the Faction Dictator 2.0x, and it is a speed demon haha. When you really get into your carves, it is like stepping on an accelerator and is very energetic in my opinion. It loves going down the fall line, feels very light, and so, so stable. It's not a super damp ski, but it is STABLE, it just slices through bumps and soft tracked out snow that would knock me around on other skis. It's like skiing on knives and snow is butter. It doesn't feel like other skis with two sheets on metal - it's crazy how light and stable they are. That being said, bumps and moguls are not their strong suit, HOWEVER: I went with 155 length, which is normally a little shorter than I prefer (I'm 155 cm/5'1"/110 lbs), but that also keeps them pretty nimble when I'm doing bumps and trees. And the lightness/low swing weight means you can react quickly.

The other ski that came to mind is the Liberty Genesis. It's a very surfy, poppy ski, and they added a line of metal to it this year to improve frontside performance. The bamboo gives it a unique snappy feeling, so it feels very responsive. A good amount of tail rocker, so easier to release from turns and excellent in bumps. Probably still a little more off-piste oriented though, as their Evolv line is more of the frontside carving line (also has bamboo).

I tried the Sheeva 9 and it was very nimble, very fun, but definitely has a speed limit as the tips will chatter once you start going really fast. Some people are bothered by that, some aren't. It's also not what I personally would define as "poppy," although some people might disagree. It has all the metal underfoot, and very soft tips and a soft tail, which imo made it feel heavier underfoot. I own the Sheeva 10 and am considering selling it for this very reason and getting the Genesis instead (hubbs has the men's version and loves it).

 

[santacruz skier]

I own the Sheeva 10

What size are your Sheeva 10's? I'm a big fan of both the Sheeva 9 and Sheeva 10. I own the Sheeva 9's and have demoed the 10's in Tahoe on powder days.

 

[kmb5662]

I currently own the Sheeva 9 and ski on both the west and east coast. The Sheeva's are a ton of fun in the bumps, trees, and soft snow! They float really well and turn on a dime. When conditions are firmer or there's a lot of crud/choppy conditions they aren't my favorite due to the softer tips which can chatter/get pushed around a little bit and with the decent amount of both tip and tail rocker they have a shorter effective edge and don't grip as well in firmer conditions/on groomers. That being said, I've skied them on horrendous east coast ice and they've performed well considering that's not what they're designed for.

I just spent 3 days demoing the Black Pearl 88s out at Alta and Snowbird and I really really liked them! They are a very different ski than the Sheeva. They perform much better on the groomers and through the crud, have less rocker/more effective edge and feel much more stable at higher speeds IMO. I didn't really notice any tip chatter like I do with my Sheevas. I was impressed at how damp/stable they felt yet they were very easy to ski and not fatiguing at all! I also took them into the bumps and trees a fair amount and the one day we had about 4 inches of fresh snow and they performed great, although my Sheevas shine much more in the deeper/fresh snow. Overall the BPs are a very versatile ski!

I would consider looking into the Santa Ana's some more - I personally have not tried them, but the older versions had 2 sheets of metal whereas the latest models only have 1 sheet and from what I have heard they are much less demanding than the older models but still have the same great performance. I believe they have a little more rocker than the BP and likely perform a little better off piste. My understanding is that they perform somewhere between the Sheeva and BP but, like I said, I personally have not tried them.

 

[rivarunnamomma]

I don't own them (yet) but I think you want Sheeva 9s. I'll let the others who have them weigh in. If you enjoyed a slalom ski, you have nothing to be afraid of with SA, QST or BP, and the former two may do the trick. I have 20/21 BP88 short for my height as I like short turns, and they are plenty playful in the East; I will rent something wider for powder when I find it.

Thanks very much! I'll put Sheeva 9s on the short list. I'm headed to Whistler next week where there are a LOT of demo skis available for women, so I'm hoping to try these out. I also appreciate the encouragement not to ignore SA or QST. But I can't quite get my head around BPs :-)

 

[rivarunnamomma]

Oh, and they are not pink, but they are very pretty!!! They appear on another thread here somewhere.

Pink is fairly important. But not everything :-)

 

[rivarunnamomma]

Two skis came to mind from this, both very different skis.

I have the Faction Dictator 2.0x, and it is a speed demon haha. When you really get into your carves, it is like stepping on an accelerator and is very energetic in my opinion. It loves going down the fall line, feels very light, and so, so stable. It's not a super damp ski, but it is STABLE, it just slices through bumps and soft tracked out snow that would knock me around on other skis. It's like skiing on knives and snow is butter. It doesn't feel like other skis with two sheets on metal - it's crazy how light and stable they are. That being said, bumps and moguls are not their strong suit, HOWEVER: I went with 155 length, which is normally a little shorter than I prefer (I'm 155 cm/5'1"/110 lbs), but that also keeps them pretty nimble when I'm doing bumps and trees. And the lightness/low swing weight means you can react quickly.

The other ski that came to mind is the Liberty Genesis. It's a very surfy, poppy ski, and they added a line of metal to it this year to improve frontside performance. The bamboo gives it a unique snappy feeling, so it feels very responsive. A good amount of tail rocker, so easier to release from turns and excellent in bumps. Probably still a little more off-piste oriented though, as their Evolv line is more of the frontside carving line (also has bamboo).

I tried the Sheeva 9 and it was very nimble, very fun, but definitely has a speed limit as the tips will chatter once you start going really fast. Some people are bothered by that, some aren't. It's also not what I personally would define as "poppy," although some people might disagree. It has all the metal underfoot, and very soft tips and a soft tail, which imo made it feel heavier underfoot. I own the Sheeva 10 and am considering selling it for this very reason and getting the Genesis instead (hubbs has the men's version and loves it).

Thanks very much for two interesting suggestions. It's really cool to hear you recommend the Faction Dictator - a ski I haven't considered and it's got me thinking a bit "outside the box". But if they don't shine in bumps ... I think I should look at other options cause that's my real happy place. :-) The Liberty Genesis is more in line with what I have been considering ... and I really like what you say, which confirms what I've been reading in Blister's Buyer's Guide. And thanks also for your opinion on the Sheeva 9s. I'm okay with chatter (I've been skiing DPS on groomers for years) - I just hate how my ski tip looks! And it does wear you out if you get a full day of it so thanks for the heads up. I've put Liberty Genesis on the short list. Thanks again!

 

[rivarunnamomma]

What size are your Sheeva 10's? I'm a big fan of both the Sheeva 9 and Sheeva 10. I own the Sheeva 9's and have demoed the 10's in Tahoe on powder days.

Curious what you really like about the Sheeva 9? And what kind of conditions it shines in?

 

[rivarunnamomma]

I currently own the Sheeva 9 and ski on both the west and east coast. The Sheeva's are a ton of fun in the bumps, trees, and soft snow! They float really well and turn on a dime. When conditions are firmer or there's a lot of crud/choppy conditions they aren't my favorite due to the softer tips which can chatter/get pushed around a little bit and with the decent amount of both tip and tail rocker they have a shorter effective edge and don't grip as well in firmer conditions/on groomers. That being said, I've skied them on horrendous east coast ice and they've performed well considering that's not what they're designed for.

I just spent 3 days demoing the Black Pearl 88s out at Alta and Snowbird and I really really liked them! They are a very different ski than the Sheeva. They perform much better on the groomers and through the crud, have less rocker/more effective edge and feel much more stable at higher speeds IMO. I didn't really notice any tip chatter like I do with my Sheevas. I was impressed at how damp/stable they felt yet they were very easy to ski and not fatiguing at all! I also took them into the bumps and trees a fair amount and the one day we had about 4 inches of fresh snow and they performed great, although my Sheevas shine much more in the deeper/fresh snow. Overall the BPs are a very versatile ski!

I would consider looking into the Santa Ana's some more - I personally have not tried them, but the older versions had 2 sheets of metal whereas the latest models only have 1 sheet and from what I have heard they are much less demanding than the older models but still have the same great performance. I believe they have a little more rocker than the BP and likely perform a little better off piste. My understanding is that they perform somewhere between the Sheeva and BP but, like I said, I personally have not tried them.

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I want to introduce Sheeva 9 to BP and adopt their baby. Maybe that's the Santa Ana? You've definitely honed in on my real challenge - finding something that is poppy and fun, but also damp enough that my teeth don't hurt from too much chatter. You've confirmed that Sheeva 9s should be on my demo list; and I think I'll add the Santa Anas too. I've also decided to put on my big girl panties and demo the BPs to see if they really are "too much ski" for me, or if I'm just easily intimidated :-) Thanks and happy turns!

 

[chasinghorizons]

What size are your Sheeva 10's? I'm a big fan of both the Sheeva 9 and Sheeva 10. I own the Sheeva 9's and have demoed the 10's in Tahoe on powder days

Haha, wanna buy mine? Just kidding, I'm not ready to sell quite yet. They're 156, I went shorter because I wanted them for tight terrain soft snow. Don't get me wrong, I do like them. They're super maneuverable, easy to turn and release, and smooth out crud really well as long as it's on the softer side. I personally just don't like how planted they feel, in comparison to my Dictators and Stargazers(I know they're not "planted" compared to some other skis, this is just in comparison to the other all-mountain skis I own). Even though they are technically better in trees and moguls than my Dictators, the Dictators are just so light and stable and fun to me that I prefer to use them over the Sheeva 10s in almost any condition (except powder, but I have other powder skis).

Thanks very much for two interesting suggestions. It's really cool to hear you recommend the Faction Dictator - a ski I haven't considered and it's got me thinking a bit "outside the box". But if they don't shine in bumps ... I think I should look at other options cause that's my real happy place. :-) The Liberty Genesis is more in line with what I have been considering ... and I really like what you say, which confirms what I've been reading in Blister's Buyer's Guide. And thanks also for your opinion on the Sheeva 9s. I'm okay with chatter (I've been skiing DPS on groomers for years) - I just hate how my ski tip looks! And it does wear you out if you get a full day of it so thanks for the heads up. I've put Liberty Genesis on the short list. Thanks again!

And those top sheets on the Genesis... So pretty... (Also, the Dictator has a hot pink top sheet... haha ).
Also check out the Rossignol Stargazer then, if you can! Super versatile, it was my daily driver all last year (mainly skied at Mammoth). Felt very similar to the Sheeva 9 but with a higher speed limit. Not as fast or energetic as the Dictators though. I loved them.

Good luck and happy skiing! And we'd love a gear review after your demo experiences if you have time!

 

[Jilly]

OK, Ontario/Quebec skier....my daily driver here in the east is a Rossi Hero ST Ti. That's a tuned down slalom ski. Out west....I have the Santa Anna 88 to take.

But BC, Before Covid, I demo's the Brahama 82 at Lake Louise. We have soft groomers and my much younger friend decided I need to do a firg'g 10 acres of bumps. Absolutely loved this ski for that day. Steady, stable, held an edge, and went where I asked it. Love at first turn. Not sure how this ski relates to the Sheeva's though. I bought the SA's because it was such a deal from the area rep. Only been on them once, and they are not an eastern ski for me, but saw lots today at Tremblant.

BTW - -20C today....want to ski that??

 

[chasinghorizons]

Oh I meant to mention - the Stargazers are also the successor to the Soul 7, which I just noticed in your list of past demos. A Blister podcast recently clarified that they are more similar to the S7 than the Rallybird, which most people don't seem to realize since the marketing for the Rallybird and Sender (male version) was so much stronger. Kind of a marketing mishap, since so many fans of the S7 hated on the new black ops line because of it...

 

[MrsPlow]

I ski in interior BC and my 'hasn't snowed in a week' daily driver is the Rustler 10; it's a nice combination of fun and responsive without being demanding. It does respond well if you ski aggressively and also holds an edge nicely. If you'd said you liked to make big GS turns, I wouldn't suggest it as an option, but for short to medium turns plus bumps, I love it. It's poppy and wants to turn. Personally wouldn't take it out if there was a significant amount of chopped, heavy powder - I also own a couple of pairs of fatter, burlier skis that handle those sort of conditions better. So that might suggest a better option if those conditions are a priority. I think the Rustler/Sheeva 9 or 10 is probably a bit too light to really make easy work of chop...

 

[WaterGirl]

@rivarunnamomma don't discount the Ripsticks, if you can demo. I have the Ripstick 94 as my BC set up in the Sierra's and I have the Scarpa Gea boot. I do a lot of lift served back country and really enjoy ripping groomers on them as well as having capability to deal with snow. They are also light. I am a fan of the Black Crows, and own several pairs. Lots of love for the Faction skis and the Liberty skis. Are you able to demo any of these skis and are you mounting them with AT bindings?

 

[beane]

I have the sheeva 10 and find them easy and fun to turn, maneuverable in trees, and generally a like them a lot… but neither poppy nor energetic are words I’d use for them. I also struggle to carve them.

Last year in a very dry spell I got the elan wildcat 86 cx and have found them to be super fun to carve, would say they’re poppy and energetic, and actually not bad off piste.
(I’m in Tahoe) they like to go fast but I don’t ever feel out of control or like they’re driving me. Oh and they’re Pink!

 

[rivarunnamomma]

OK, Ontario/Quebec skier....my daily driver here in the east is a Rossi Hero ST Ti. That's a tuned down slalom ski. Out west....I have the Santa Anna 88 to take.

But BC, Before Covid, I demo's the Brahama 82 at Lake Louise. We have soft groomers and my much younger friend decided I need to do a firg'g 10 acres of bumps. Absolutely loved this ski for that day. Steady, stable, held an edge, and went where I asked it. Love at first turn. Not sure how this ski relates to the Sheeva's though. I bought the SA's because it was such a deal from the area rep. Only been on them once, and they are not an eastern ski for me, but saw lots today at Tremblant.

BTW - -20C today....want to ski that??

Hi Jilly - I love the new suggestions! I'm not familiar with the Rossi or the Brahama - but I will check them out. However, I think something closer to 95 underfoot would be better for me, because we almost always have a bit of soft stuff somewhere. Definitely considering a wider Santa Ana now.

While I don't wish -20C on anyone, that was a warm day here for most of December and early January. We saw -42C on the thermometer outside my kitchen window for two days running! And two long cold snaps (10-14 days each) of -30C or colder. Not a lot of skiing happening. And now, we have a January thaw in progress - hovering at zero for a week now and no new snow! :-( Kinda crazy!

 

[rivarunnamomma]

I have the sheeva 10 and find them easy and fun to turn, maneuverable in trees, and generally a like them a lot… but neither poppy nor energetic are words I’d use for them. I also struggle to carve them.

Oh I meant to mention - the Stargazers are also the successor to the Soul 7, which I just noticed in your list of past demos. A Blister podcast recently clarified that they are more similar to the S7 than the Rallybird, which most people don't seem to realize since the marketing for the Rallybird and Sender (male version) was so much stronger. Kind of a marketing mishap, since so many fans of the S7 hated on the new black ops line because of it...

Last year in a very dry spell I got the elan wildcat 86 cx and have found them to be super fun to carve, would say they’re poppy and energetic, and actually not bad off piste.
(I’m in Tahoe) they like to go fast but I don’t ever feel out of control or like they’re driving me. Oh and they’re Pink!

 

[rivarunnamomma]

Chasinghorizons - Thanks for the clarification on Stargazers. I didn't realize the Soul 7 "ancestry". I had a great couple of weeks on them in Switzerland, and definitely don't like what I hear about the BlackOps so the Stargazers are worth considering. (The Dictators are pink, huh? Hmmm.... :-)