by Pat Moore
Powder Skis in Connecticut!
You don’t have to head for the Rockies to find a great selection of Powder Boards. And you don't have to head west to find great terrain! Powderhounds have found plenty of stashes at Eastern resorts like Jay, Magic, Mad River, and more! These boards are versatile and can handle anything thrown at 'em. Check out this lineup at Suburban!
Sidecountry's answer to the freeride rocker ski. Super light with the ability to hop from deep powder to groomed cruisers with ease.
The forecast says “snow” and it’s not gonna stop. When the weather gets like this and the powder gets deeper and deeper, snow performs much less like a solid and more like a liquid. With our patented EST Powder Rocker, the ARG mixes the necessary requirements of a ski with the principals of hydrodynamics to produce a tool that performs better the deeper the snow gets. And to top it all off, we throw 1mm of side-cut underfoot to make it easier for your friends to get back to the lift, because you’ll probably only let them try it when the weather clears.
Atomic Access
Award-winning and ultra-agile: the Access is the perfect partner for backcountry terrain and the piste.
Thanks to a 100 mm waist width and Powder Rocker, the Access delivers a smooth ride and delivers optimum lift in powder snow, while the additional Power Rocker in the tip area ensures easy turns and maximizes lift. On rough terrain the Step Down 2L sidewall and tip-to-tail wood core absorb shocks and cushion landings. The camber below the binding also ensures optimum edge grip and makes the ski easy to handle on hard snow. The Access is designed for skiers who expect nothing less than total control on compact snow and who like to be well equipped for powder snow adventures.
Here's what Ski Magazine had to say:
The tip-rockered Access is the narrowest of Atomic's powder-specific skis. With 100 mm underfoot, it'll do fine as a one-ski-quiver on many Western mountains. It's a wood-core construction with Atomic's Step Down sidewalls. A shortened sidewall supports cap construction on top, so it has edge-bit but won't be overpowering, and the flex gets progressively suppler toward the tip and tail.
Black Diamond AmperageDrawing inspiration from big-mountain powder lines, technical comp skiing and everything in between, the Black Diamond AMPerage is a hybrid fun shape that turns any terrain into a creative blank slate. Its deep sidecut, 115 mm waist, full tip and tail rocker and underfoot camber add up to a floaty ski that's as comfortable sending backcountry booters as it is smearing through windbuff or arcing on groomers. The everyday ski of choice for Black Diamond athlete Callum Pettit, the AMPerage is the closest thing you'll find to the mythical one-ski quiver.
•115 mm waist and underfoot camber for effortless transitions from powder to hardpack
• Full tip and tail Rocker for playful, creative, high-performance skiing
• Poplar and birch Internal Wall Core Technology plus an Ollie Bar in the tail for extra pop on take-offs and preventing wheelie-outs on landings
• Formula One Technology with three ribs and Torsion Box Construction for maximum torsional stiffness
• Optimal use: 60% soft snow / 40% hard snow
Here's what Ski Magazine had to say:
Dynastar's Legend series has long been a favorite of hard-charging, big-mountain skiers. Every ski has a full wood core, dampening layers of Titanal, and sidewall-sandwich construction that contribute to a sturdy and damp ride, while a rockered tip improves deep snow performance and maneuverability. The Pro Rider 115 prefers powder snow and crud to hardpack, but the camber underfoot helps it navigate all conditions. It's designed for big, aggressive skiers.
Here's what Ski Magazine has to say:
Every model in K2's massive ski collection features one of five variations of the rocker concept: All Terrain (moderate tip rocker plus camber), Speed (very mild tip rocker plus camber), Catch Free (mild tip-and-tail rocker plus camber), Jib (mild tip-and-tail rocker plus a flat midsection), and Powder (rockered forebody plus cambered rear). The ObSETHed is part of K2's Factory Team series, which consists of skis used by K2's pro team athletes. Narrower and stiffer underfoot than the Hellbent, Seth Morrison's pro model is built for charging fast, steep lines and sending big drops, but it retains plenty of width, at 117mm in the waist, to float deep snow. Powder rocker helps it plane high in deep snow and ups maneuverability. Holes in the tip and tail accommodate pre-cut climbing skins (sold separately). This version is sold flat
A true powder ski, constructed for diverse and difficult terrain. The Double Hollowtech and rocker technology deliver enormous boost in powder.
Waist 108 mm: Outstanding handling in powder. The running surface gains about 64 % in comparison with a classic on-piste ski. The combination of reduced weight with a broader waist cut guarantee the optimum uplift in powder.
Ski geometry: The wider radius in the shovel of the DUAL RADIUS BIG MOUNTAIN delivers exceptional stability and forgiving running characteristics. The front radius exits the running track before the contact point, merging the shovel geometry in a straight line. The LOW CAMBER concept minimizes deep powder aggressiveness and provides a harmonious flex line in combination with EARLY RISE. The ski has been reduced to a minimum of 5 mm, enabling greater maneuverability. The EARLY RISE technology improves the uplift and enables a smoother handling under diverse snow conditions. The slight rise of the shovel in front of the traditional contact point enables better floating. For the BMX108 the EARLY RISE design starts at 360 mm. This indicates the length of the EARLY RISE zone, measured from the tip of the ski in the direction of the waist.
Wood core: The core of this ski has been constructed from poplar (0.4 kg/dm³) and beech (0.8 kg/dm³). This enables a very low weight of the ski. The core has been bonded with an adhesive block binder, in comparison with sheet binding, allowing further weight reduction through the reduction of binder components.
Features: Due to the fact that torsional rigidity may be reduced in deep powder snow, both sheets are made of fiberglass plastic (GRP). Additionally this ski is equipped with extremely impact resistant ABS sidewalls. A further reduction in weight has been achieved with the Hollowtech technology that is not only applied in the shovel zone but also in the tail zone of the BMX108.
RAISING THE WIDTH BAR ON VERSATILITY
Are you ready for a little more horsepower to take you beyond the groomed, yet don’t want to be limited by a powder specific ski? The NEW! 2012 Line Influence 105 skis put you right in the sweet spot for the best of both worlds. Its new Capwall™ construction has the intuitive, light & nimble feel of a narrower ski, while the Early Rise™ & Metal Matrix™ provides effortless float & hard charging reliability of a legit big mountain ski. The Line Influence 105 skis are truly in a class of it’s own.
Freeski Pro Chris Benchetler's popular pro model is built for slashing and smearing big mountain lines in deep powder. Its tip and tail taper and along with Atomic's Powder Rocker-early rise tip and tail, with camber underfoot-are designed to give it a loose, quick feel. Designed to be skied backward or forward. A shortened sidewall supports cap construction on top, so it has edge-bit but won't be overpowering, and the flex gets progressively suppler toward the tip and tail. Wood core.
This unique award-winning ski is a dream come true for Chris. On the one hand its huge 123 mm waist width and Rocker at the tip and tail deliver optimum lift in deep powder snow. On the other hand, its camber and sidewall construction ensure stable edge grip even on harder terrain. Upgrades for the new season: not only has Benchetler produced a brand new design, the stiffness of the tail area of this pro model has been increased by 25% for even better performance. The Bent Chetler is the perfect freeski for accomplished backcountry skiers who like to have the very best in professional equipment for every trick.
Opus is defined as A great work of art or literature, especially the greatest single work of an artist. In Eric’s case, his 2012 Line Opus ski is developed over 13 years of progressing powder skiing & innovative ski designs with Line.
As Eric says - “Anyone can make a really fat ski float in powder, but making it also versatile enough to rip firm snow is where they all fall short.” The Line Opus ski is a breakthrough in versatility within the powder ski category. We actually lowered the Early Rise™ tip geometry enabling it to PLANE INSTEAD OF PLOW in the powder. We also reduced the length of Early Taper™ putting 20% more Active Edge™ length in contact with the snow than others in it’s class, for MORE GRIP & LESS SLIP. This better floating tip geometry allowed us to actually reduce the width to 118mm for increased quickness, reduced weight and a skiing experience that is as ahead of it’s time as the skier that developed it.
ERIC POLLARD - Over the past decade I have designed and skied over 100 different prototypes in search of skis that allow me to ride the mountain the way I want to. We have gone to every extreme from super fat 140mm to narrow, to super short, to over 200cm long, extreme Early Rise to no Early Rise, lots of side cuts to reverse sidecut, blunt tips, pointy tips. We have applied every flex pattern we can think of, mounted each ski in different locations and analyzed the differences over and over again, to learn so much from each ski. The new Opus and the Bacon are the culmination of the last 13 years of work. They blend a perfect mix of flex, sidecut, tip shape, overall shape/ footprint, mounting point, Early rise, Early taper, and camber. They are honestly the best skis I have ever skied.
The 2012 Line Sir Francis Bacon ski has been completely re-designed by Eric for a level of quickness & versatility previously considered impossible in this width, yet with enough float to be worthy of Pollard’s name. Its new break through lower Early Rise™ tip geometry PLANES INSTEAD OF PLOWS in the pow, while the length of Early Taper™ has actually been reduced vs. past years to put much more Active Edge™ length in contact with the snow for MORE GRIP & LESS SLIP. The Bacon’s new smooth reliable flex pattern feels like an extension of your feet, literally carving on a dime as well as it can float in the powder. This is the next level of Pollard approved fun, for everywhere on the mountain.
ERIC POLLARD - "Over the past decade I have designed and skied over 100 different prototypes in search of skis that allow me to ride the mountain the way I want to. We have gone to every extreme from super fat 140mm to narrow, to super short, to over 200cm long, extreme Early Rise to no Early Rise, lots of side cuts to reverse sidecut, blunt tips, pointy tips. We have applied every flex pattern we can think of, mounted each ski in different locations and analyzed the differences over and over again, to learn so much from each ski. The new Opus and the Bacon are the culmination of the last 13 years of work. They blend a perfect mix of flex, sidecut, tip shape, overall shape/ footprint, mounting point, Early rise, Early taper, and camber. They are honestly the best skis I have ever skied."
The multi-award winning S7 has changed the powder skiing game. Hard charging expert skiers and struggling intermediates agree the S7 is revolutionary in its ability to make powder skiing easier, more fun and with less fatigue.
The S7 Powder Turn rocker combines low camber underfoot with high tip and tail rocker. This game changer provides the skier with amazing floatation and tracking that gives him an efficient angle of attack for easier steering and instant speed control. The S7 delivers both more maneuverability and forgiveness than any other powder ski on the market.
Rossignol has created the perfect powder tool for any skier who has a fetish for skiing the deep.
Rossignol's new Super 7 is for professional big mountain rippers and hard charging powder skiers.
Originally, the S7 has revolutionized powder skiing making it easier and more fun for all types of skiers. The new Super 7 is the S7 on steroids, with two layers of titanium on top of that.
The Super 7 Powder Turn rocker combines low camber underfoot with high tip and tail rocker : this game changer provides the skier with amazing floatation and tracking that gives him an efficient angle of attack for easy steering and instant speed control.
The Super 7 ? A damp big mountain, badass powder ski !
Multi-Layer
Sensorwood
Power/Tough Box
Powered by Carbon
Flat
Full Rocker
Here's what Ski Magazine has to say:
Volkl's freeskiing collection runs the gamut from super-fat powder surfers to park-and-pipe specialists. With a few exceptions, the wider end of the group features more rocker while the narrower end features less or none. Fully rockered and with a waist width of 112mm, the Katana is designed to float easily in deep snow while remaining maneuverable on broken and firm snow.
Multi-layer Sensorwood
Power/Tough Box
Powered by Carbon
Full Rocker
Tested extensively by many, the Volkl Shiro keeps popping up near the top of the BEST lists. Powder is a dream with the rockered tip and tail while the zero camber base raised a few eyebrows with it's ability to produce smooth carved turns on the groomers.
Here's what SkiNet.com said: "The Shiro ranked No. 3 when the numbers were crunched, but consider this: It made every tester's Top 5 list-the only ski to do so. Discrepancy? No. Testers had to ding it in Forgiveness (No. 9) and Quickness (No. 13)-because it's huge-but loved Shiro for its unflappable power. To make it manageable, Volkl replaces metal with carbon and makes the Shiro dense underfoot and lighter at the extremities. Rocker helps, too. Still, it's a lot of ski, one that crushes crud (No. 1) and soars in powder. "So easy for such a big ski," said Hogen. "Makes you ski better.""
Ski Magazine designated the Shiro as Gold Medal Gear
