Sunday, November 17, 2013

Backcountry Touring Ski Comparison Chart 2013-2014

If you ski stuff like this, you may need a new pair every year.
If you did any backcountry skiing in December or January of last year, chances are that you took more core shots than face shots and ruined an edge or two.  It might be time to buy a future pair of rock skis.



We've compiled a list of backcountry touring appropriate skis (all under 9lbs) for your review.

Undoubtedly, someone is going to ask, "Which ski do you recommend?"  The unsatisfying, but truthful answer is that each person has a different style, and goal, so you'll need to figure out what best suits you.  The best way to start is where you'll be doing most of your skiing and narrow down the choices on the ski width from there.  This chart should help get you started.  Step two is to go talk to the people that know these skis, have tested them, and can explain how the different materials and camber will affect your skiing.  Step 3, if possible, is to get out on a pair.

Or you can do it like most folks and just skip all the steps, pick the skis with the coolest graphics, best marketing and cheapest price tag and roll the dice.  That's how I've done it.

What little thought I've put into buying skis can be summed up as follows: I don't ski particularly fast and prefer a ski that can turn easily to one that draws a long steady slow arc down the mountain.  Given that I also ski primarily in the East and in the Mt. Washington bowls come spring, I sacrifice weight for skis that are a little thinner and heavier so they can hold an edge and blast through cruddy snow.  The ski pictured above, the K2 Backlash, is just about perfect.  It is just about 90mm underfoot but with a wide shovel that comes close to 130mm.  It has a wood core with a titanium layer which adds weight and stability.  Unfortunately they were discontinued, but there are certainly plenty of similar skis out there.  Especially ones with better graphics.

Listed from slimmest underfoot to widest, I've included a link to where you can find more information and pick up a pair.  The women's specific skis are indicated with a "W" after the name.  The listed sizes are what I (a 5'9", 160lb guy) would pick.

Manuf.
Ski Name
Wt/ #'s
Length/ cm
Front
Mid
Back
Camber
Construction
Link
Madshus
Eon
4.4
175
83
62
70
Camber
Wood
Ski Trab
Race Aero World
4
164
96
64
78
Camber
Carbon/ fiberglass
Dynafit
Dyna
6.3
161
99
65
80
Camber
Paulownia/ Carbon
Dynafit
PDG
3.5
161
99
65
80
Rocker
Paulownia/ Carbon
La Sportiva
RSR
3
160
97
65
77
Camber
Wood torsion box
Elan
Triglav
3.2
161
89
66
80
Camber
Wood/Carbon Fiber
Madshus
Epoch
5.6
175
99
68
84
Camber
Waxless track
Elan
Sierra
5.5
170
114
76
102
Wood/ Fiberglass
Tip Rocker/ Camber
La Sportiva
RST
4.6
167
116
77
106
Camber
Karuba wood core
Ski Trab
Freerando Light
5.2
171
112
79
96
Camber
Carbon
Dynafit
Nanga Parbat
4.4
171
116
80
104
Tip Rocker
Wood /Carbon Laminate
Ski Trab
Tour Rando XL
5.2
171
113
80
99
Camber
Fiberglass 
Elan
Alaska Pro
5
177
110
80
100
Camber
Wood/ Carbon Fiber
Elan
Alaska
5.8
177
110
80
100
Camber
Wood/ Fiberglass
Elan
Karakorum
5.9
178
120
80
108
Tip Rocker/ Camber
Wood/ Fiberglass/ Carbon
Dynafit
Baltoro-W
5.6
167
115
84
102
Tip Rocker
Paulownia/ Fiberglass/ Carbon
Black Diamond
Current
6
175
118
86
106
Rockered
Paulownia
Dynastar
Cham 87-W
7
166
127
87
103
Rocker Tip, Camber, Flat Tail
Wood/ Fiberglass
Dynastar
Cham High 87
7
178
127
87
103
Rocker Tip, Camber, Flat Tail
Wood/ Fiberglass
Parlor
Harrier
6.9
170
128
87
110
Camber
Customizable Wood / Carbon
Volkl
Amaruq
6.2
177
127
88
109
Camber
Wood core
Ski Trab
Ripido
6.1
171
123
88
109
Camber
carbon mesh
G3
Spitfire
6
177
120
88
111
Tip Rocker
Wood/ Fiberglass
K2
Wayback
6.5
174
124
88
108
Tip Rocker, Camber
wood core
G3
Zen Oxide 88 Carbon
5.2
177
120
88
111
Tip Rocker
Poplar + Paulownia/ Carbon
La Sportiva
GT
6
177
125
89
111
Camber
Wood/ fiberglass core
Volkl
Kendo
8.1
177
127
89
110
Tip Rocker
Wood/ titanium
Black Diamond
Stigma
6
176
115
89
105
Semi Rocker Tip
Paulownia
Black Diamond
Aspect
6.4
176
127
90
113
Camber + Semi Rocker Tip
Paulownia/ Carbon.
Ramp
Chickadee-W
7.4
169
126
90
113
Tip Rocker
Bamboo core
K2
Sideshow
8.4
174
132
90
115
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood core, metal laminate
Ramp
Woodpecker
8.2
179
130
90
115
Tip Rocker
Bamboo core
Lucid
Cannon
7
177
125
92
110
Camber
Wood/ Fiberglass
Lucid
Trip
6.6
177
125
92
110
Rockered Tip, Camber
Wood/ fiberglass core
G3
Saint
6.7
177
123
93
112
Rocker Tip, Camber, Flat Tail
Wood core, torsion box
G3
Zen Oxide 93 Carbon
6.2
177
122
93
112
Tip Rocker
Poplar + Paulownia/ Carbon
Voile
Vector BC
6
170
118
94
107
Tip Rocker, Camber
Waxless track, wood core
Atomic
Drifter
7.4
173
130
95
119
Slight Tail/Tip Rocker
Titanium/ Light Wood
Black Diamond
Ember-W
7.5
168
128
95
116
Camber
Poplar
La Sportiva
Lo 5
6.3
178
125
95
115
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood, fiberglass, carbon laminate
Dynafit
Manaslu
6.6
178
122
95
108
Tip Rocker
Wood Core
Black Diamond
Revert
7
180
122
95
109
Tail/Tip Rocker & Camber
Poplar
Black Diamond
Warrant
8.8
178
130
95
118
Camber
Poplar
Volkl
Nanuq
7.1
177
131
96
114
Rocker Tip, Camber
Wood core
Salomon
Q98
7.8
172
131
96
117
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
Wood core, Carbon stringers
Dynastar
Cham 97-W
7.9
166
133
97
113
Rocker Tip, Camber, Flat Tail
Wood/ Fiberglass
Dynastar
Cham High 97
7.9
172
133
97
113
Rocker Tip, Camber, Flat Tail
Wood/ Fiberglass
Kastle
TX97
7
177
128
97
117
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood/ resin core
Elan
Himalaya
6.4
177
127
97
114
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood/ Fiberglass
K2
Annex 98
8.2
177
131
98
119
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood/ titanium
K2
Hardside
8.7
174
131
98
119
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood core, metal laminate
Volkl
Mantra
8.8
177
132
98
118
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
Wood/ titanium
Nordica
Nemesis-W
7.8
169
135
98
125
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
wood/ poly core
Rossignol
Saffron 7-W
8.5
170
128
98
118
Low Tail/Tip Rocker, 1/2 Camber
wood core
DPS
Nia 99-W
7.2
168
125
99
111
1/2 Rocker Tip, 1/2 Camber
Carbon/ Fiberglass/ Bamboo
Ski Trab
Volare
6.3
171
129
99
116
Camber
carbon/ fiberglass
DPS
Wailer 99
7.2
176
126
99
110
1/2 Rocker Tip, 1/2 Camber
Carbon / Fiberglass /Bamboo
Atomic
Access
8
171
129
100
121
Tail/Tip Rocker & Camber
Wood core
Ramp
Beaver-W
6.5
169
136
100
121
Tip Rocker
Bamboo core /Kevlar Veil
G3
Cake 100-W
6.6
166
132
100
123
Rocker Tip & Tail, Camber
Poplar + Paulownia /Titanium
Parlor
Cardinal
6
178
136
100
126
Reverse Camber
Customizable Wood/ Carbon
Atomic
Charter
7.6
176
130
100
122
Tip Rocker/ Camber
Titanium/ Light Wood
G3
District 100
7.5
177
132
100
123
Rocker Tip & Tail, Camber
Tonic design with lighter core
Black Diamond
Drift
6.8
176
136
100
122
Semi Rocker
Paulownia/ Fiberglass
Ramp
Groundhog
8.8
179
136
100
121
Tip Rocker
Bamboo core/ Kevlar Veil
Icelantic
Oracle-W
7.6
165
138
100
120
Tip Rocker, Camber
Poplar Wood Core
G3
Tonic
7.9
177
132
100
123
Rocker Tip & Tail, 1/2 Camber
Wood/ Fiberglass
Armada
TST-W
7.3
165
130
100
121
All Mtn Rocker
Wod core
RMU
CRM
7.8
175
138
101
128
Camber
Poplar wood core
Armada
TST
8.3
174
118
101
122
All Mtn Rocker
Wood core
K2
Coomback
8
174
135
102
121
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood core, carbon web
Salomon
Stella
7.7
165
130
103
122
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
wood core
Salomon
Q105
8.2
174
133
104
125
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
wood core
Black Diamond
Convert
7
172
132
105
116
Rocker Tip & Tail + Camber
Paulownia/ Composite
La Sportiva
Hi 5
7.6
178
135
105
125
Tip Rocker, Camber
wood, fiberglass laminate
G3
Zen Oxide 105
5.8
178
131
105
123
Tip Rocker
Poplar + Paulownia/ Carbon
Dynafit
Grand Teton
7.4
182
130
106
120
Rocker Tip
Carbon/ Bamboo
Rossignol
Savory 7-W
7.7
170
136
106
126
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
wood core, fiber laminate
Rossignol
Soul 7
8.1
180
136
106
126
Rocker- Low Tip tail rise
Wood core
Volkl
Gotama
8.9
178
139
107
123
Rocker Tail & Tip
Wood core
Volkl
Nanataq
7.9
178
139
107
123
Full Rocker
Wood core
Parlor
Sparrow
7
172
142
107
117
Reverse Camber
Customizable Wood/ Carbon
Kastle
TX107
7.1
177
135
107
124
Tip Rocker, Camber
karuba wood core
K2
Annex 108
8.6
177
139
108
127
Tip Rocker, Camber
Wood/ titanium
LIne
Sir Frances Bacon
8.8
178
140
108
136
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
Wood & Composite
Atomic
Blog
8.3
177
132
110
124
Slight Tail/Tip Rocker
Wood core
Surface
Live Free
8.6
181
146
110
130
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
Poplar Wood Core/ Kevlar
Icelantic
Shaman
8.6
173
160
110
130
Camber
Poplar Wood Core
K2
Backdrop
8
174
142
112
121
Tip Rocker, Camber
wood core
G3
District 112
8.2
174
140
112
130
Rocker Tip & Tail, Camber
Tonic design with lighter core
Dynafit
Huascaran
7.8
177
134
112
123
Tail/Tip Rocker/ Ice Design
Paulownia/ Bamboo
Volkl
Katana
8.5
177
143
112
132
Full rocker
Wood/ titanium
Voile
V8
7.3
176
141
112
123
Tip Rocker & Tail, Camber
wood core
Rossignol
Star 7-W
8.1
170
140
116
130
Low Tail/Tip Rocker, 1/2 Camber
Wood core
Rossignol
Super 7
8.5
180
140
116
130
Rocker Tail & Tip, Camber
Wood fibro/ metal
La Sportiva
Hang 5
8.3
178
145
117
135
Tip Rocker, Camber
wood/ fiberglass /carbon
Voile
Buster
7.7
176
139
118
127
Tip Rocker, Camber
wood core
Black Diamond
Megawatt Carbon
7
178
145
120
127
Full rocker
Paulownia / Carbon
DPS
Lotus 120
8
178
140
122
126
Spoon
Carbon












As always, this list a work in progress so if you see something I've left out or gotten wrong, feel free to let me know and I'll update it.


2 comments:

  1. a few suggested corrections:

    "If you ski stuff like this, you may need a new pair every year."
    Incorrect.
    - Source: I ski a lot of stuff like that, many days/year, and I get many years out of skis. Most skis are a lot more durable than we think, and Ptex repairs are really easy. Every year people ask me if I "ruined" my skis by sliding of rocks and dirt in pre/post season. The answer every time is an emphactic NO.

    Core = "carbon" or "carbon and fiberglass"
    not true. There may be fiber-composite stringers in many skis these days, but those are not the "core". Those are strengthening ribs. There is still a core made of wood, foam, or honeycomb in every ski. A solid carbon ski (as is implied by a "carbon core") would be stiffer than a steel crow bar and useless as a ski.
    - Source: more than 5 years as a composite engineer in sporting goods, and a year as a ski tech actually drilling into many of the skis on this list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good point on the use of the word "core". I've gone ahead and changed it to "construction". As for your first point, I'm sure you've seen bony, but nothing compares to the boneyard in Eastern Gate when there's only four inches of fluff. I'm no stranger to the smell of Ptex in the morning, and my skis were totaled. Now nod your head in agreement before my wife hears us and starts questioning this year's ski budget.

      Delete