Year to year Gotama differences? Best and worst years?

[1000-oaks]

Since the Goats seem to have undergone a lot of changes over the years, I thought it might be handy to have a thread covering the big points.

Any thoughts on the stiffness and durability of each year? I've read '06 and '07 Goats had weak sidewalls, if that's true.

[nickwm21]

it would be cool to see a pic of a gotama quiver.. one from every year.

ive seen a pic of the evolution of the 1080 that was cool

[mach.850]

I've heard rumours that they went 15% stiffer from 06-07 to 07-08 (white to gold). Other than that same dimensions over the years as far as I know. I love my white ones but they are beat to shit now.

[Skidog]

IN LOVE with the matte black version 05/06????? Personally I havent skied this years, but i have skied all other iterations including the original sidewall versions and have to say this is by far the best one of the bunch. Still made in Germany, bomber bases (as far as I can tell) and can ski pretty much any turn you wish.

im sad mine might be dead soon...150 or so days on em at this point...still holding up though.

[SILENCER]

IN LOVE with the matte black version 05/06????? Personally I havent skied this years, but i have skied all other iterations including the original sidewall versions and have to say this is by far the best one of the bunch. Still made in Germany, bomber bases (as far as I can tell) and can ski pretty much any turn you wish.

im sad mine might be dead soon...150 or so days on em at this point...still holding up though.

Still rocking a pair of black 05/06's, love them to pieces. Just bought a second used pair as my backup when these croak. I do remember the sidecut changing a bit (more sidecut) with the 06/07.

I have two pairs of golds, solid ski so far, but prefer the 05/06 blacks.

[Howie]

The buddhas were the best. They should bring those back.

[summit]

FIRST GENERATION: (full twin square tail 130-105-122)

03/04 Avoid the 04 as they are the softest with sidewall problems. (also mine had serious topsheet chipping)
(can't find a picture, but they were all black with a silver Buddah on the shovel)

04/05 BEST First generation 04-05 are the best... golden split Buddha and the stiffest version and no sidewall problems.

This and the 02/03 V-Pro are the most beautiful skis I've ever owned

05/06 Fine, some say the same as 05, but less pretty. Others say a little softer. I thought they were softer.


SECOND GENERATION: (half twin round tail 133-105-124)

06/07 Soft


07/08 Best second gen, stiffest, stiffer than the 07s


08/09 "Identica"l to 08, uglier graphics, ETA apparently vertical sidewalls


THIRD GENERATION: (rockered round half-twin 137-106-122)

09/10

[Skidog]

08/09 Identical to 08, uglier graphics

Unfortunately no EXACTLY identical. They dumped the trapezoid sidewall on these..this is a traditional straight sidewall.

I also just sold a pr of the original wood sidewalls that some say had issues. Probably had a total of 100 days on em again plenty of life left and no sidewall issues on my pair. Nice pow ski due to the soft tip.

[Meathelmet]

FIRST GENERATION: (full twin square tail 130-105-122)

03/04 Avoid the 04 as they are the softest with sidewall problems.
(can't find a picture, but they were all black with a silver Buddah on the shovel)

I wouldnt class them out totally. I know 3 pairs of originals (all with multiple cracks on sidewalls),one of them being my old, that are still up and running. The cracks were mainly cosmetical and didnt affect the core as the skis havent delamed at all.

[1000-oaks]

Do the '09's have the fragile clear sidewall like the Sumos, Kuros and Katanas?

[Skidog]

Do the '09's have the fragile clear sidewall like the Sumos, Kuros and Katanas?

No they do not!

[luke.at.me@gmail.com]

I have the 08/09s. They do not have the clear side walls, they are neon green. Great ski so far, bases seem pretty sturdy but the top sheet is chipping like mad (also when I first got these, parts of the top sheet were very rough, as I later found out these parts glow in the dark... hopefully next years doesn't have stupid gimmicks and are more durable). IMO they are a pretty stiff ski, stiffer then my PEs for sure. Great on anything steep, and they stomp cliffs like none other.

[Sphinx15]

FWIW I had the 06/07 in a 183 and I really didn't like that ski. Too soft, mount point way too back (freeride) and they had the softest bases I've ever been on, after 1 day they looked like they were made out of swiss cheese...

[Shin-to-Win]

I have only owned the 04/05's (183) and 05/06's (190). Much prefer the 04/05, best graphics and no sidewall issues at all. The 05/06's I had were plain Jane and total noodles (after 75+ days).

[butterscotch]

As hinted at elsewhere, 06/07 and 07/08 are angled sidewalls. I think the 06/07's had spring steel and the 07/08's went to titanal for the metal laminate, which might explain the difference in flex.

And yes, the 06/07's have soft bases. I regret skiing mine at Great (Rock) Divide in late April last year.

[Cordova Kid]

[QUOTE=Summit;2281251]FIRST GENERATION: (full twin square tail 130-105-122)



04/05 BEST First generation 04-05 are the best... golden split Buddha and the stiffest version and no sidewall problems.


Gotta agree with Summit. These were the best imo and I wish I still had em, thought the bases were a little soft though.

[slim]

03/04 (all black) and 04/05 (black with gold buddha) had the same sidewalls. Only difference is the addition of the titanal strip along the sidewalls in 04/05 which added stiffness. I've heard identical stories of sidewall blow-outs in both years.

04/05 and 05/06 (all black with white lettering) are identical except the 05/06 no longer had the wood sidewalls.

06/07 (white and red) went to China, became stiffer, has more side cut, and no longer has the squared tail.

07/08 (gold with buddha) supposedly stiffer underfoot because of reinforcement in the binding mount area.

08/09 (Big Trouble in Little China) identical to 07/08 except now with neon green vertical sidewalls.

I own the 03/04 (touring), the 05/06 (relegated to rock status), and the 08/09 (alpine) and the 08/09 is by far my favorite generation.

[1000-oaks]

How do the bigger Goats ski compared to the 190 Sumo?

[hafilax]

The next question is where will the 2010 version fit in? I found a French vid introducing it and my weaksauce interpretation is that it will have a slightly rockered tip that is quite stiff, an intermediate flex under foot and a soft tail. The rocker looked pretty subtle in the vid. It sounds like they're making it lighter as well. Dimm 137-106-122mm. The vid also seemed to push the Duke and Jester(?) as the bindings to mount on it.

[summit]

Rocker + 15mm tip/tail taper + soft tail = soft snow performance at the cost of hard snow performance

And with lightness, it sounds like they are making a competitor to the Anti-Piste

[davep]

04/05 BEST First generation 04-05 are the best... golden split Buddha and the stiffest version and no sidewall problems.

The 04-05s DID have some sidewall problems (I warrantied my pair when the wood cracked). They are also nowhere near the stiffest. My white 06-07s are significantly stiffer than any of the black model years, and the gold 07-08s are slightly stiffer still.

Basically listen to slim, he got it right.

[summit]

The 04-05s DID have some sidewall problems (I warrantied my pair when the wood cracked). They are also nowhere near the stiffest. My white 06-07s are significantly stiffer than any of the black model years, and the gold 07-08s are slightly stiffer still.

Basically listen to slim, he got it right.

"Stiffest" meant the stiffest of the first generation just like "07/08 stiffest" meant the stiffest of the second generation, never flexed em side by side. But 04/05 are definitely stiffer than 06/07s. I flexed those side by side when a friend was skiing 183 06/07s and I had 183 04/05s. Or one of us had a bad sample.

[Bird Blaster]

Felt up the new gotama in the shop today. Felt lighter as a pair of skis. Slight rocker throughout - not huge. but STIFF. Seemed as stiff as a mantra - not soft at all.

[Chainsaw_Willie]

I love my 05/06 plain black versions, they are my go-to ski. Not real stiff as mentioned but plenty damp and stable at any speed on any terrain. Float great, handle hardpack just fine, even okay in bumps. Only disapointment is the bases seem soft. Light hits that wouldn't leave a mark on my Mojo 90s require ptex work on the Gots. I'm going to be real sad when they wear out.

[SuperGaper]

Lamest thread in the history of Skiing.

Blah Blah Blah.. Gotama... Blah Blah Blah.

It is just a fucking wood and fiberglass ski. It is today's X-Scream.

And the new Gotama is stiffer with rocker as mentioned.