Getting Volkls, need advise!

**Magnum420** · 11-02-2007, 12:37 PM

Hi!

Background. Type2 skier but have not skied in about 7yrs. I am 30yrs old, 6'1", 180lbs(will be dropping to 165-170lbs). I will be skiing 3-5days a week in Colorado this year. After I get the skis back under me I will probbably ski 40/60 or 30/70(groom to powder). Some bumps but wont be seeking them out. I can get a deal on 08 volkls but I am not sure what I should get. I have to order tomorrow and will not be able to demo any of these. I can get Tigersharks(10or12 ps), AC30, AC40, Katana, Gotama, Mantra, or the Bridge. I'm sure I would be happy with any of these but I am tryin to figure out what will best suit my needs.

I'm not sure if I should go with 1 pair of skis or two.. I had been thinking of just getting the AC30/40 until I found this deal but now 2 pairs are not totally out of the question. I've heard good things about the AC40 as a do all ski or should I be thinking more along the lines of the AC30 and a Gotama or something like that? Or maybe the mantra or bridge as a do all ski. I just dont know what to get...

Also.. Length? 177s if I go AC30/40? 184ish if I go fatter?

Any advise would be greatly appriciated!
Thanks in advance!

**mwthomsen** · 11-02-2007, 12:48 PM

I have spent time on the Karma (bridge), Mantra and the AC40 and I preferred both the Karma and the Mantra over the AC40. I would lean towards those two if if you ar 40/60 or 30/70. If you go with a 2 ski quiver the Bridge and Gotama would probably cover everything you will run into.

**Particle** · 11-02-2007, 12:54 PM

I'm going to be nice.

In all honesty, you'll get a better response to your question here:
epicski.com

**dre66** · 11-02-2007, 01:00 PM

apparently the mantra = most versatile quiver of one, but that depends on who you ask.
honestly most people on this board don't spend too much time on groomers so when they buy an "everyday" ski it is not what most people would consider an "all around" ski.
epicski.com is your friend.

**Magnum420** · 11-02-2007, 02:03 PM

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I have posted at epicski as well so I'll see what they say too.

Why wouldnt you be nice? I'm just a friendly skier looking for some advise.

Yeah.. I was told I would probably get flamed here but oh well, I can take it.

Now if I was looking for an 'everyday' ski biased towards powder, would the mantra fit the bill at 96? or should I go fatter with the gotama? How would these skis be in moderatly spaced trees(thinking keystone)

Reason I'm going Volkl is beacuse it is a BIG discount.

**PowTron** · 11-02-2007, 02:05 PM

What is up with the influx of clueless posters on TGR the last few days?

You really should go over to epic, but good luck!

And if you want a POW ski, go Gotama or Katana, and point them straight down the hill...

**MakersTeleMark** · 11-02-2007, 02:08 PM

Type 1 poster: advice.

**hemas** · 11-02-2007, 02:09 PM

197 cm Katana should be about perfect for ya.

**SILENCER** · 11-02-2007, 02:27 PM

Originally Posted by mwthomsen

If you go with a 2 ski quiver the Bridge and Gotama would probably cover everything you will run into.

Ditto on this.

**dookeyXXX** · 11-02-2007, 02:29 PM

as someone who was (and probably still is to some extent) a JONG, it's not that hard to read around the site and get a general vibe for it before posting.

i stumbled upon Epic and TGR at about the same time. It was pretty easy to figure out the differences (and similarities) between the two forums just by reading the threads and responses.

it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that posting about a groomer ski on TGR is like asking Rachel Ray what kind of tires to buy for your SUV.
ditto posting about a reverse camber powder ski on Epic is like asking a pet groomer how to change a light bulb.

do your homework (or just read a bit before posting aimlessly).

Of course all of that said, I've gotten good racing/groomer ski advice here and good powder ski advice over on Epic. It all depends on who reads your post and replies (and being familiar with said person's preferences for skis, knowledge, personality, etc.).

also, i know BIG discounts are cool and all, but do you really want to buy a ski that you've never test driven? if you could wait, i'd demo.

that said, you can use a Mantra as an everyday ski (plenty here do) and i used it as a dedicated powder ski back in 2005 (it was the first wide ski i'd ever owned). it held up well in Utah powder and Jackson Hole spring mank. It's quick and agile and good for tight spots. At least that's what I found. then again i've manovered through the Keystone trees on Recons...

personally, i'd hold off on the Big Deal until you've tried the skis. Even if it's a deal, if you end up with a ski you don't like that's money down the drain.

i mean how can you really know if a ski is to your liking based solely on the opinions of folks you've never met, haven't read many of their posts, and most likely have no clue what your skiing style is? (of course I'm being something of hypocrit since i plunked down on a pair of Lib Techs without ever having skied them...)

best thing to do is hold off on the deal and demo, baby, demo!

**ChowdahRidah** · 11-02-2007, 02:31 PM

Seriously, for 1 ski buy the Mantra at 184 or 177. Maybe try demoing them at the beginning of the year to narrow it down. Otherwise but 2 pairs the Bridge and the Gotama or the AC4 and the Gotama. You'll use the Gotama 7 days out of 10 they're awesome and ski way better than you'd expect for something of that width. The good news is you're buying Volkls and they seem to be slightly ahead of everybody else right now so you have that going for ya... which is nice.

**dookeyXXX** · 11-02-2007, 02:38 PM

at 6'1" i'd say get the 184 Mantra at the least. I had the 177 and I'm 5'11" and it ended up being hella short. I hear the Goats ski even shorter.

**dirtybryan** · 11-02-2007, 02:48 PM

We are off our game, this is the 12th or so reply and no one has called him a
FUCKING JONG!!!
yet?

**flip** · 11-02-2007, 03:03 PM

Telling this guy go to go to epic because he mentioned the AC30 is just douchebaggery. He's planning to be on the hill in Colorado 4 days a week and is biased towards off-piste... that sounds to me like more powder skiing than most on this board do.

He came to the right place, and I totally agree that the Mantra in a 184 would be a great do-everything ski. Don't let the folks at epic convince you that the AC30 is fun in powder, and don't let the folks here convince you that anything wider than a Gotama is fun on a groomer. Skiable yes, but not fun.

Grab the Mantras. If you don't like them, unloading them will be easy. Also, if you have to buy marker bindings with the skis, be sure to get the Jester, not any of the bio-metric models.

edit: and it's not like I'm the authority, but the definition of jong has gotten pretty loose.

**liv2ski** · 11-02-2007, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by dirtybryan

We are off our game, this is the 12th or so reply and no one has called him a
FUCKING JONG!!!
yet?

Welcome to the TGR. This is a great place. Now that you have been properly welcomed, read everything here for a few weeks prior to buying what your posting about. In two weeks time, I know you will want different equipment, but if you need to pull the trigger buy the 183? Gotamas IMO.
Good luck

**Magnum420** · 11-02-2007, 03:47 PM

For those that are helping, I greatly appriciate it. For those who are not, I am very sorry to waste your time. But no worries, flame away! Karma will take care of the rest!

j/k No hard feelings I hope. Again, appriciate the help from those that are giving it out.

The problem with demo'ing them is I'd have to wait 'til thanksgiving until most places out here will let you out the door with demo skis. Then I have to figure 2-3weeks order time so I wont be skiing until around Christmas. What I am thinking is that even if I didnt like them for what ever reason, I could still sell them as used and if nothing else, break even. The earliest I would be able to demo anything I think would be at Loveland on the 15th but I bet its a mad house!

Again I appriciate the info. And yeah... I'm a jong.. but you'll get over it!

I definetly have to pull the trigger on this soon. Decisions decisions...

**irul&ublo** · 11-02-2007, 04:18 PM

Hey Magnum...in your next post ask about what color fart bag to buy.

**stuckathuntermtn** · 11-02-2007, 07:07 PM

that was mean. You guys are just jealous because he's gonna ski 4 days a week. (I am).
Mantra in a 184 is a great every thing ski, but very stiff, especially if you haven't skied in a while. Think wide, slightly softer race skis. You wouldn't go wrong with a 190 gotama, either. Softer (no metal), and wider. Depends on where you would rank your self in skill, and what you need in a ski.
As for not demo-ing, My enforcers which I didn't demo, just arrived, review to follow once the lifts are turning.

**KANUTTEN** · 11-03-2007, 11:16 AM

At 6ft1 I think you should go longer than 184. 190 would probably be more your size. And 90mm-110mm waist sounds good for your use. The mantra, karma and goats all fit the bill.

**MTT** · 11-03-2007, 12:29 PM

So you used to ski 7 years ago

Gonna start sking again (alot)

Type 2 (Not expert but) OK?

If you get 1 ski. 184 Mantra

If 2 Skis.

177 Mantra Groomers, tight spots, getting back in the game\.
191 Gotama.s Powder days crud days, go fast days. (Eaisest to resell here if you don't like them (but you will like them)

**dookeyXXX** · 11-03-2007, 12:32 PM

while some folks have, to some extent, been yanking your chain, both MTT and SierraJim (over @ Epic) have given you probably the sagist advice.

to that i will add some additional sage advice from MTT that he gave me recently: "just pick a ski and make it your bitch."

**liv2ski** · 11-03-2007, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by dookey67

"just pick a ski and make it your bitch."

I have never demoed skis (I know I am a Jong). I just do the research, pretty much know what I want to begin with anyways, buy it, make it my bitch.

**Magnum420** · 11-04-2007, 11:24 AM

Thanks everyone! Decided to go with the 184 Mantras. Oh yes... they will be my bitch! Now I just need to get some bindings and I'm good to go!

Thanks again!

**FFsup** · 11-04-2007, 02:32 PM

good choice, absolutely amazing ski.

**HammerinHankTX** · 11-04-2007, 07:35 PM

Go with the Tigersharks or the Goatamas. Last time I was in vail I demoed the Katanas, Tigers and Goatamas and they were really bad in the bumps. I could really parallel with tight turns on the Tigers. AC30 are for girls. Goatamas looked cool though. We had some new snow and the ski patrol hadn't groomed everything so my turns weren't as tight and my skis weren't as close together with the goatamas but man they looked fun. I bought the Skiers Edgehttp://www.skiersedge.com/ this year so I should really be able to cut.

How 'bout them Cowboys????