Medium Turns
Medium Turns
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5
September 23, 2010
Interesting: Testers liked K2’s lower performing ski, the Free Luv (see left), better than the Burnin’, an expert ski layered with metal laminates. Perhaps with a waist of 70 mm—the narrowest in the test—it got penalized for not being as versatile as others. As you’d expect, though, it was one of the quickest sticks—its edge-to-edge rhythm is as automatic as a metronome’s. But it insisted on short turns, and some felt the new “speed rocker” tip—a slight rise to ease initiation and transition—took some getting used to. “Best suited for an Easterner who wants to carve, carve, carve,” said Wilde.
September 23, 2010
We said “hard snow,” and Dynastar took us at our word. Straight out of the race collection comes the Course Ti. It’s a full-on, metal-reinforced, square-sidewalled speed demon with an ice-biting 72-mm waist. Flotation and Crud Performance? Not its bag. But it’s so good at what it does—medium-radius arcs on hard snow, the faster the better—that testers loved it. (Check out the Overall Impression ranking: No. 3.) Forgiving? Only compared to FIS-level race skis. But carve technicians and citizen racers will rip the groomed with confidence. “Exemplifies the best attributes of the ‘cheater race ski,’” said Garrett.
September 22, 2010
The Jet Fuel makes a lot of skis in the category feel like river barges. That’s how light, lively and quick it is. The layup is classic: wood core, vertical sidewalls, two sheets of metal. But this year Nordica lightens it up by using a less-dense wood core and replacing a section down the middle with foam. Nordica says it’s 20 percent lighter, and that weight savings is immediately apparent. Testers loved it in bumps and short-radius turns, especially, but they warned that it gets knocked around some in crud. “Slingshot turn finishes and nimble quickness; a high-energy ski,” said Gleason.
September 22, 2010
In a category where versatility is prized above all else, the Apex gets the job done with a pleasing blend of power and forgiveness. Testers gave it high marks for its hard-snow performance. Yet with plenty of taper (i.e., relatively narrow tail in relation to tip), it releases readily at the end of each arc, so you’ll never feel overmatched. It’s a no-gimmicks, unrockered, wood-core, vertical-sidewall, metal-reinforced construction with a smooth, supple feel—plenty of fun at speed. “Direction changes are quick, stability is super high—it does everything well,” said Preston.
Gear 101
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