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  1. #1
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    Anyone ski the hellbents yet?

    There arent any reviews that I have seen. Please dont make me go to newschoolers...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    T-town, CO. USA
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    The Hellbent is not a ski for the new schoolers. It's a big mtn. tool. (even though Pep Fuja has jibbed with them-without poles so, whatever!) They rock in anything over 8".
    Leave No Turn Unstoned!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Ski-attle
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    I've skied them. They are fun.

    There you go.
    ROBOTS ARE EATING MY FACE.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Seattle
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    330
    I demoed them on groomers for the hell(bent) of it, but it's obviously a powder specific tool. I've seen a handful of jibber/newschooler guys riding them (mostly on days with no new snow).

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by bossass View Post
    I've skied them. They are fun.

    There you go.
    Thanks for the insight! They sound great!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Lapping the pow with the GSA in the PNW
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    Pretty sure Spindrift has a pair of 189's. Since we have had uber-sweet pow here in the PNW, he may have some insight.

  7. #7
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    Sep 2006
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    There's a couple people at Bridger you could probably track down to talk to if you want firsthand information. I know Eric has a pair, just look for the guy in an obnoxious blue/white outfit.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
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    PNW
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    Covered some of this before, but... Between assorted family members we have all 3 lengths. Mounts range from +4 to core center at +7.5.

    The Hell Bents are absolutely not a "pow specific tool" or just a "big mountain tool". They rail on typical local groomers (not so sure about icy groomers...). Not surprisingly, the sidecut makes them carvier than something like a Pontoon or Praxis - so despite having rocker they are less smeary/slarvy in powder but compensate by being great on groomers.

    "The kids" who are solid skiers chose 179s & took to the Hell Bents immediately. They kill pretty much everything on them. Forward, back - whatever. They can leave some pretty serious RR tracks on groomers. They've been loving the skis in powder. They've spent a bit of time in the park & seemed to have fun there as well. Lots of tip/tail buttering play action all over. So far with about 10 days each they have not taken anything else out this season. I distantly know two other skiers in the area who are skiing Hell Bents exclusively.

    Speaking for the Team Gaper(tm) end of the family, I really like them but IMO they are not a "carefree" ski. I feel like I really need to pay attention with the 189. And I've found it quite possible to dive the tips in deep snow if I get careless &/or run them too slowly/timidly. And when they dive, they really load up. Cloudpeak has been skiing the 169s. She found them "a lot of ski" to start with, but has been liking them more and more as she's gotten used to them - especially in powder & messing around in trees. Despite the Hell Bent's much-discussed softness, they do better when skied faster rather than slower IMO.

    The ski has huge surface area. And they ski "longer" than a "corresponding" reverse/reverse or reverse/hybrid - both because of the unusual size specs and, I believe, the sidecut. OTOH, I think they ski much "narrower" than they are. As I noted in another thread, I'd suggest buying them based on a combo of intended use and strength/style - and not so much based just on weight/height. If you range from average to pretty big & intend to mess around in tress, chutes, short little play around runs, etc - I suspect the 179 would do you fine. Likewise for spinny things - although that's speculative since I think I'm past the age for spinny things... The 189s are less "playful".

    Back to the "powder tool" comment for a second - at least from my personal point of view, I think there are better choices for someone who wants a no hassles and no worries just ski pure pow forward ski. Not surprisingly, Pontoons and Praxis jump to mind as examples of better choices in this regard. OTOH, if you want a monster all around play ski that is at home in and out of powder - including groomers - then you should take this ski pretty seriously.

    Based on what we've seen so far, I am convinced Hell Bents represent a major step toward the future of "all around" skis. They (and presumably EP Pros, Melees, Bro Rockers, etc) are very at home out of the deep. Surprisingly strong contenders for a soft snow country 1-ski quiver actually...
    Last edited by spindrift; 01-06-2008 at 09:17 PM.

  9. #9
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    Oct 2006
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    Thanks spindrift. Exactly what I was looking for. There were bits and pieces of that in the mounting thread, but it is nice to have it all together. I was looking for a pow ski, but at bridger the inbounds untracked is usually pretty shot by mid-day. So I guess I need a ski that is great in the pow, but can handle general soft snow use too. Sounds like the hellbents.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    C-Town
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    I skied Spindrift's hellbents for one lame run. Few observations.

    1. Light
    2. Long (longer than my xxls)
    3. Flap
    4. Carvy
    5. Fun
    Quote Originally Posted by twodogs View Post
    Hey Phill, why don't you post your tax returns, here on TGR, asshole. And your birth certificate.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Seattle
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    Stay forward on them and you'll be fine. Feels like there is no tail.

  12. #12
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    Nov 2007
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    Truckee, CA
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    Just got done skiing powder for two days at squaw on my 189 mounted at +4. Must say they took a few runs to adjust to. Once I began to trust the ski a bit more they ripped. Stomping landing has never been easier. I have tried spatula' s and saunouk"s, and found them to be fun but the hellbent is even more fun. It float awesome, carves ok on groomers, spins/pivots easily. They do lose there composure on hard surfaces going fast, too much chatter and they make you feel like you are on snowblades. At slow to medium speeds they are fine. Chopped up snow is easy to get through with these. Honestly I am tempted to re mount these back at the +2 mark just to see if they are easier to ski in pow. I did feel at times like I had to lean back a little to make up for my +4 mounting spot. More to come as I have to work today.

  13. #13
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    Nov 2006
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    Quote Originally Posted by murph View Post
    Stay forward on them and you'll be fine. Feels like there is no tail.
    I have a pair, skied them for 3 days at Alta. I agree that they feel like there is no tail. I was riding sat. with a bunch of friends that were all on XXL pros and I had a hard time keeping up once it got bumpy.

    I don't think they take "getting used to". I think they are way easy to ski. Surfy feeling in the pow. Really fun. They do have a speed limit in the big bumps or really lumpy hard crud but other than that they rock.

    Basically I would like it to be more like what I expect the Rockered BRO or the Lotus 120 to be. Rockered with a little more power in the tail. That will be next years buy!
    Quote Originally Posted by SpinalTap View Post
    I'm really troubled by whatever pictures the Don had to search through to arrive at that one...

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
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    SLicCity
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    305
    sedona, I've got mine mounted +2 on my 179's and could not get the tips to sink in the pow no matter what I did and they carved nicely on the groomers back to the lift.

  15. #15
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    Just mounted at +4 on the 179s, we will see how they fare this week. Worried that it is too far forward...
    Last edited by single; 01-16-2008 at 10:18 PM.

  16. #16
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    Feb 2006
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    Da Queen West
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    single, i ski my 189's at +6. and all i have to say is WORD!!! they dont wash, they dont wheelie out when ya get in the trunk. they turn quick in trees, etc.

    +4 is a good starting point but the further you are in the flat or reg camber of the ski the better

    a certain pro recommended that point and i am stoked i went with what he said.

    and i may i have a pair of 89's fer sale in the next two weeks

  17. #17
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    Nov 2007
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    have a pair of 179's(+2 w/dukes) and plan to ski them for at least for my first run of the season, for shits and giggles, reguardless of snow condition. If anyone wishes to view this spectale...my season begins on or around the 7th of Feb at Jay. Will definately write up on these after some decent fluff and a few turns at W/B in late feb.
    A woman reported to police at 6:30 p.m. that she was being "smart-mouthed."

  18. #18
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    Jul 2007
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    Seattle
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    Quote Originally Posted by 2nd mate View Post
    have a pair of 179's(+2 w/dukes) and plan to ski them for at least for my first run of the season, for shits and giggles, reguardless of snow condition. If anyone wishes to view this spectale...my season begins on or around the 7th of Feb at Jay. Will definately write up on these after some decent fluff and a few turns at W/B in late feb.
    I'd love to hear about how this setup does touring. I'm skeptical about touring on reverse camber skis, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

  19. #19
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    Oct 2007
    Location
    Portland
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    44
    interested to compare the hellbents and the pontoons. Maybe theres a way to strap on some water ski bindings for the summer time cuz they are BIG ol' mommas.
    teleknees

    -- if you know a good knee doctor, have him call me in a few years

  20. #20
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    Nov 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by murph View Post
    I'd love to hear about how this setup does touring. I'm skeptical about touring on reverse camber skis, but I'd love to be proved wrong.
    I am skeptical about 1.) Dukes 2.) hellbent 3.)tourning on this setup. But what the hey, you never know til you try. Will definately be screaming up the catamount as soon as i get back for some super short trial runs before i head up to the GMC haunted forrest from the back door. Still hunting for skins that fit, missed marshall's deal earlier.
    A woman reported to police at 6:30 p.m. that she was being "smart-mouthed."

  21. #21
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    Oct 2006
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    MT
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    awesome skis, wierd graphics. will post a further review later.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Åre, Sweden
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    7
    I just had my 179s mounted with dukes and am ready to get first tracks tomorrow.

    A few pre-ski comments:
    I picked up the skis from the shop and asked if they were correctly adjusted. Of course they said they were and of course they weren't..

    From searching and a little educated guessing I have gathered that the forward pressure on the dukes should be set so that the screw is flush and the toe height is set so that a thin paper can just be slid around between boot sole and binding. Correct?

    ..anyway while setting the toe height and forward pressure I figured I would set one ski up for my resort boots (Kryptons) and one for my BC boots (Axons). Just for the sake of getting acquainted with changing the rig for different boots..

    I've been following this thread trying to decide where to mount the bindings and here's where it gets interesting: I mounted my Kryptons +4 1/2 but when I set up the bindings for my Axons I'm at 6 1/2. Turns out my boot sole length for the Krypton is 2cm longer than my Axons and since the cradle moves forward I end up that much farther forward than planned..

    This may be obvious to everyone else planning on skiing the duke with a boot quiver, but I hadn't given it thought. In retrospect I should have mounted at 3 1/2 for some happy medium. Will see over the next few days if there are any actual real world implications..

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    3

    Hell bents

    Hell bents, Hell yes, I first ski'd them way to far back mounted, I was at plus 1 0r 2 and the girl at the shop (also rox the hellbents) said move your stance forward to at leastt plus 4, I have mine at 4.5 and have ripped them ever since. The funnest ski I have ever ridden in powder, you can dive the tips in to the snow making a real hard lunge turn and they blast out of it giving you this huge pop style turn. Love'm. Kinda suk on the groomers though.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    3

    Seths

    So I have been shopping for Seths really hard and finally came out on top. I got this years graphics on last years stix (no mini rocker). It's exactly what I wanted. I am curious to how to mount them though. I have read that Seth himself likes them mounted at +2. I am not a jibber but am working on my switch riding, mostly powder and steep is what drives me.

    Does anyone have any recomendations on mounting????

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Jet City
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    Quote Originally Posted by chefslim View Post
    So I have been shopping for Seths really hard and finally came out on top. I got this years graphics on last years stix (no mini rocker). It's exactly what I wanted. I am curious to how to mount them though. I have read that Seth himself likes them mounted at +2. I am not a jibber but am working on my switch riding, mostly powder and steep is what drives me.

    Does anyone have any recomendations on mounting????
    This is a thread about Hell Bents, dont thread jack. Search for Seth Mounting points, im sure it has been covered before.

    Oh yeah, JONG.

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