Best ski for the pro?

[m1kflyingtiger]

Since I got my 1st pro in '11 I've run stock skis. I liked the way they rode good enough that I didn't fell it was worth the coin to just see if something else was better. This is the 1st sled I've owned that I didn't hate the stock skis and swap them out almost immediately. However I'm still curious if a set of Carl's cut PP's would be better, or what your experiences have been with other skis on the pro.

Please elaborate on your votes by answering mountianhorse's questions below and why you like them.

 

[mountainhorse]

Opened the thread for you.

Second...You will find as many opinions about the skis as you do about wrap color choices. Everybody has their favorite and why they are good or better than ones they've tried before.

Here's some suggestions for input.

1) Make sure that the person talking has put them on a PRO RMK

2) Ask what the configuration of the sled is, length, track, suspension, power etc.

3) What geographic area is the sled ridden in most

4) Trail use mostly, pow mostly, bottomless, etc.

5) Is the person sponsored by the ski company.

6) What is the weight and height of the rider.



.

 

[tdblakes]

sled: 2012 Assault 155 - 5.1 track, suspension in Pro RMK mounting location.

what & where: Boondocking in the UP Backcountry & Snowies WY.

I had C&A XTXs and felt they were overly agressive in pretty much all situations. Got rid of them and went back to my Grippers.

Ridden my dad's '11 Std RMK 155 with SLP PPs many times, good ski, but more agressive on hard pack requiring more rider input. Handle well at slow speeds in fluff (less push through corners). Not enough of an improvement over the stock for me to get rid of the Grippers.

Stock - I like the low rider input and forgiving nature of the grippers. I don't like how much they allow me to push through corners with how my rear suspension is setup. Still not enough reason to get rid of them for me.

I vote stock. my .02

 

[tdorval]

I've only used stock and like them a lot, with that said I don't think I should vote because I've only used stock.

 

[Snow4life]

I have powder pros on and love them, Feels way more controlling in powder

 

[phatty]

You left out the best one.

SLP SLT

More aggressive than the powder pro, tracks better on trails and tight spots. Still floats just as well in deep fluff. Bites harder in turns. Its a much more predictable ski than can hold up to abuse better than stock or any of the others listed

 

[Super Dave3]

My vote would be stock with the Carls cut.

 

[m1kflyingtiger]

Phatty: I can't seem to figure out how to add it, but thank you for the input

Super Dave: In what was does it help with the stock ski? Any drawbacks?

 

[rmscustom]

You left out the best one.

SLP SLT

More aggressive than the powder pro, tracks better on trails and tight spots. Still floats just as well in deep fluff. Bites harder in turns. Its a much more predictable ski than can hold up to abuse better than stock or any of the others listed

What's the width of the SLT compared to the stock gripper and PP?

 

[Yamadoo04]

My vote is the Gen I simmons skis. I had these skis on my REV for about 7 years and loved them. Got some new brackets and put them on my PRO for two years and loved them again. I guess this next year I will have the stock skies on one PRO and the Simmons skis on the other so I can compare them side by side. I have ridden my buddies PRO with stock skis and I like my simmons better. Going down the trails at the beginning or the end of the day is really where I see the difference. My skis don't dart or follow other tracks down the trail. (well unless I am following right behind another set of simmons skis) I also think it holds a sidehill better having the edge on the outside of the ski rather than the middle.
Thats my $.02

 

[tdorval]

With around 70% voting stock, how many have actually tried a different ski and determined stock was better? I'm curious if most are just voting stock because they are happy with stock, but haven't tried anything else.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Grippers

Tried usi project x ski's (on it when i bought it) brother had c&a pro mtx on his pro.
Stockers are more predictable all around.
The mtx were heavy on the feedback thru the bars while sidehilling thru thrashed hills.

 

[Oregonsledder]

With around 70% voting stock, how many have actually tried a different ski and determined stock was better? I'm curious if most are just voting stock because they are happy with stock, but haven't tried anything else.

I prefer Grippers, and I have tried Simmons and Powder Pro's, always go back to Grippers.

 

[polarisIQmn]

I run the Powder Pros with the Carls Cut in them. I didn't run the PPs before I did the cut to them though.

Chad

 

[ak]

Stock grippers with a Carl's cut is what I like the best I would like to try a more aggressive carbide for a little more bite some times.

 

[Reg2view]

No Sly Dogs on the poll, and I know some Pro riders have tried them. I'm going to do a Carl's cut on a pair of original Dogs and experiment this season on a 14. We'll see.

 

[mountainhorse]

I have Slydogs 8" powder hounds on my sled and I love them... light weight, great rubber snubbers floatation is great.

Note that they have changed the design/geometry of the ski in the last 2 years... so any feeback on these should be viewed only in terms of what is currently available.

I run the "Shaper" wearbars and have great steering on hardpack and excellent floation on fluff

My riding, 80% backcountry, 20% hardpack/trail. 800 PRO 155" stock, All snow conditions from coastal to Utah pow. I'm 160 lbs without gear... strong intermediate rider.

 

[tdorval]

MH, do the new slydogs have as much flex as the old ones did. I had a set several years ago that I liked, but they seemed to flex a lot and actually had a solid twist in them as well as having the center where the carbide mounts pushed up a considerable amount. I liked the ski otherwise.

 

[goridedoo]

I also run 8" slydogs and love them. Ran them last year and I am getting a new pair this year because I am switching up wrap\colors. The 8" powderhounds work much better than the 7" IMO due to the extra width, deeper keel, and the "powder scoop" or whatever they call it, it seems to make it much more rigid, which seemed to be an issue or complaint for most people running the 7". I ride mostly deep powder in CO, WY and MT, but live in SD and do a small amount of riding here. They work well on the trail and shine in deep pow. I have run 4" round bars on them in the past but this year I am gonna try something with a little more bite to help beings I normally run minimal ski pressure. I may also so if its possible to run a slydog race loop on the powderhound, it is a thicker loop. I may also look into trimming the outside half inch of the ski to make it a 7". But before I do any of that I am goin to check out the new ski thats spose to get released at haydays. Btw I'm 6'0 150lbs soaking wet.

 

[gman086]

Stock grippers with a Carl's cut is what I like the best I would like to try a more aggressive carbide for a little more bite some times.

Got a pic of your cut? What I like about the Grippers is that they're light and the pronounced upcurve of the rear allow you to pull a sled out backwards. I'm hoping to get easier release for countersteer initiation, thus the whole idea behind the cut. The Grippers have the ribbed frame that goes a couple inches behind the spindle bolt tho and not sure I want to cut that part of the plastic for structural integrity purposes.

Thanks,

G