The Return of Powder Skiing to SW Colorado!!!!!!!

I am extremely glad to announce the return of powder skiing to Southwest Colorado. We have been getting a regular cycle of storms that is keeping things fresh. We had snow last weekend that provided for the shots below and it has been snowing all day here today with an epic looking forecast. Stay tuned for more pictures from the latest storm. I don’t have any playtime until Tuesday. So there should be more showing up in the next week or so. Cheers and enjoy for the moment. Keep thinking snow!!!!

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Gear Review: 2012 Volkl Mantra

Volkl Mantra

There is not a whole lot you can say about a ski that has been having things said about itself for so many years. The Volkl Mantra has proven itself time and again all over the mountain. It works great as an alpine touring ski, a powder ski, an everyday ski, a one ski quiver, the list goes on.

What happens when you take something so good and change it a bit though? The Mantra didn’t change much, but the good people over at Volkl gave it a bit of rocker in the tip and a couple millimeters more width. The Volkl Mantra is available in 170cm, 177cm, 184cm and 191cm lengths. Its’ new dimensions are 132-98-118 (the old dimensions were 133-96-116).

I am very skeptical about all the rocker happening in the ski industry. You will be hard pressed to find a pair of skis that carry traditional camber anymore. It is going to take some getting used to, but it will have to be done because rocker technologies are here to stay.

The Volkl Mantra is a ski that inspires confidence at speed. It begs you to go faster and drive it harder. I found that the older Mantra carved a bit better than the new version, but that is not to say that you cannot lay over the new Mantra and dig trenches on the hardest of snow. Thanks to its’ race construction and two sheets of titanal the Mantra is stiff and will hold its’ edge on the hardest of snow. The small amount of tip rocker they added also allow this ski to get on edge easier than before.

When diving into trees and hunting out stashes of soft snow the tip rocker really helped the Mantra in a way that was needed. I found that the old Mantra liked to dive in deeper snow. It was happier pushing through the deepest spots and breaking crud trying to prove itself as a workhorse. It worked harder not smarter. The tip rocker in the new Mantra keeps these puppies on top of the snow and quite a bit more nimble when roosting through tight trees.

The only spot I found that I don’t like to ski the Mantra is in the bumps. It has a wide chassis that is not fun to try and zipper through and with two sheets of metal it is snappy and stiff. These are not fun characteristics of a ski when dodging Volkswagen sized bumps. I felt as if I were getting bucked like a cowboy on the back of a horse.

If you enjoy skiing powerfully and fast in all conditions I would recommend that you get on a pair of Mantra’s. They will perform for you no matter how hard you drive them (don’t get lazy on them though, you will pay). They eat ice for breakfast and powder for dinner, not stopping in between for lunch knowing there is more terrain to tear up. Jump on a pair and find out for yourself.

As a guy that is spends half his time riding backwards on skis, I am not typically into non twin-tip skis. However, these skis are just flat out fun and would not think twice about buying my own pair.

Find it here:

http://shop.skibarndurango.com/volkl-mantra-ski-2012.html

www.skibarndurango.com

Gear Review: 2012 Rossignol Super 7 Ski

Rossignol Super 7

The Rossignol Super 7 is the step up from the Rossignol S7. Think of the Super 7 as the S7 on steroids. The dimensions stay the same, but the Super 7 comes with two layers of titanium where the S7 comes with just a full wood core. It is available in 188cm and 195cm lengths. It’s dimensions are 146-117-127.

A lot of people may ask…How are you able to test and review a ski that has just been made available to the public? Every year right after SIA, we head to Winter Park for On-Snow. It is a demo festival that allows buyer’s to test equipment before they buy it. We ski for 3 days straight from open to close riding and getting a feel for all the products we potentially want to buy. It is hard work, but somebody has to do it.The conditions were not ideal to be testing powder skis, but fortunately the Northern mountains of Colorado were graced with an epic winter last year and there were stashes in the trees that could be found.

Now, how does it ski? It is amazing to put it simply. The combination of rocker and camber allow this ski to go anywhere in any conditions, even if it is 117mm underfoot. Immediately off the lift this ski is confidence inspiring. I was able to roll my ankles and get it on edge and swing through beautiful arcs on the hard pack snow. If you really get it moving you can lay down some serious GS turns. The titanium layers in the ski keep it exceptionally stable and quite a bit stiffer than the original S7. On hard snow, the only thing that caught me off guard was the tips flopping around due to the rocker. It didn’t seem to affect the way that it skied, but it just took some getting used to. When you dive into softer snow the Super 7 excels. The 146mm tip combined with a generous amount of rocker keeps the tips afloat. The narrower profile in the tail also helps keep the tips up by dropping the tails. This shape combined with the rocker also makes this a very nimble ski in tight spots. Hunting out stashes lead us into some tight trees, and I had no problems throwing the ski sideways to dodge a pine tree or two.

If you are looking for a hard charging ski that likes soft snow, big airs and high speeds the Super 7 is should seriously be considered. It will take you all over the mountain in any condition and inspire confidence every time you ride it. It could be considered a one ski quiver (one of our Retail Associates, Eric Hanson, skis it everyday) but is best suited for the deep days and softer snow.

Find it here:

http://shop.skibarndurango.com/ski-gear/skis/rossignol-super-7-ski-2012.html

www.skibarndurango.com

Discount Opportunity

Hi there everyone. If you visit our online store, please know that any orders of 2 items or more receive a 10% discount. This discount is automatically applied to your shopping cart when there are two or more items in it. I just thought I would pass this info on to anyone looking for new shred gear. Just click the link below.

www.skibarndurango.com

Ski Barn Online Store: Off and Running

The Ski Barn online store is now loaded with inventory. There is amazing deals on last years equipment  as well as the new 09/10 Product. Come and see if there is anything that you cannot live without!

www.skibarndurango.com

Ski Barn Open for 09/10 Season

Hi there everybody! I just wanted to let everyone know that the Ski Barn is open for the 09/10 season. Most of the new gear has arrived and is looking good.

We are having a Pre-Season sale on September the 12th from 9 in the morning til 5 in the afternoon.

Season Rentals will be available for all. We have a new Performance Season Package for adults this year.

If you can’t make it to the sale, check out www.skibarndurango.com for great deals on last year’s product or this year’s new product.

Hope to see you there! Remember…Pray For Snow!

2010 Gear Preview: K2 Hellbent

10% More Evil this year

No. No. No. They are not broken. They may look that way when put base to base, but the reverse camber is for floating through the deep stuff; and it works, very well. The K2 Hellbent is a powder specific tool for riding forwards as well as backwards in snow as deep as you are tall.

I have not had a chance to ride the 2010 model, but last years were a blast. Especially in anything deeper than 7″. I skied the 189 cm length, and it was full floatation. I am 6’3″ and weigh about 180 lbs. I am an extremely strong skier and found that with the width of the Hellbent you don’t need the extra length. The 189 was a little too much even for me, and I only recommend it to the heaviest and strongest of skiers.

The 20/40 Tip/Tail rocker ensures that it is almost impossible to bury the tips (or tails, if you are riding backwards). So there is no need to worry about learning the powder tip roll. Eliminate all those broken noses.

Be wary though. The Hellbent is flat underfoot (no camber) for harder snow performance, but I found that they are not too friendly on anything remotely close to hardpack. They will get you from the powder stash in the trees to the lift line, but that is about it.

Here is what K2 has to say about them-

” Often Imitated, but never equalled, the Hellbent’s twin tip rocker design equals supreme floatation in powder while allowing you to stomp both switch and regular landings in the deepest conditions. Not content being a mere pow tool, the Hellbent gives you generous ability to carve your way down to the bottom or back to the lift. We have a hard time getting Andy Mahre to ever take them off his feet.”

Not sure where to mount them when you get them? Not a problem. K2 is releasing them this year with the K2/Marker ‘Schizofrantic’ binding system. (Read the K2 ‘Extreme” review for more on this) Shred up the backcountry however you want!

We have a full size run in demo this year so come on by and try them out for yourself the next time we get a big dump. Or even a little dump. I will guarantee that this ski will change your entire view on the words “Powder Day”.

Oh yeah… they made them 10% more evil this year.

Click Below to Buy

http://shop.skibarndurango.com/2010-k2-hellbent.html

Tech. Specs.

Powder: 666% Park:10%

Radius: 26m @ 179

Construction: Vertical ABS Sidewall

Core: Fir

Available Sizes: 169, 179, 189

Bindings: Schizofrantic or Flat

Features: Tip/Tail 20/40 Rocker Design, Tip Plates and Tail Rivets, Triaxial Braiding, Made with PURE EVIL.

2010 Gear Preview: Volkl Gotama

What a sweet ride these were! Volkl outdid themselves and completely redesigned the Gotama this year. Everything about this ski changed except for how awesome it truly is. And changing such an iconic ski wouldn’t have been done unless they improved it.

The introduction of ELP (Elongated Low Profile) rocker design allows skiers easy maneuvering of reverse-camber ski design without sacrificing groomed-snow performance. Score! More versatile. The profile features a smooth gradual bend toward the nose and tail. It is high enough to float in powder, but when you tip the ski on edge, there is more consistent edge contact. This is a good thing.

It also now comes with 3 (count them 1, 2, 3) flex zones. The front of the ski is stiff- since the rocker design (which did not come in previous years) is pre-flexed, added stiffness in front provides stability. The flex in the mid-body of the ski is medium, providing a transition into the softer tail, which allows ease of turning on the groomed, and maneuverability in the powder. WOW!

The graphics this year are also oh so sweet. After several years of gaudy graphics(more specifically the gold of 07/08 and the black/neon of 08/09) the Gotama is back with a classy new suit. The wood grain really does it for me.

Wider this year(137-106-122) than last(133-105-124) you can bet that you float in the deep stuff.  It is also a very light ski that makes it favored by AT skiers.

Overall the ski really impressed me, and the fact that they built it for in-bounds skiing as well as out should make it a go to choice for anyone that spends time on the frontside, backside, in-bounds, or out-of-bounds. Learn it, live it, love it, SHRED IT!

OH YEAH…. they made it in a Junior modal as well. Gonna be some stoked mini-shredders out there!

Click Below to Buy

http://shop.skibarndurango.com/10-volkl-gotama.html

Dimensions: 137-106-122

Lengths: 178, 186, 194

Radius: 28.8m@186

Core: Sensorwood powered by Carbon

2010 Gear Preview: Salomon Shogun

Salomon Shogun

I haven’t ridden Salomon since my first-generation 1080′s, which was about the same time I got fed up with Salomon for refusing to build me a proper wood-core ski. That said, I’ve been watching them get closer and closer each year, and I think they may finally have done it.  Salomon is back!

The Shogun is a full wood-core, 130-101-120 Reverse Camber / Nose Rocker ski with bamboo and basalt layers.  It also has Salomon’s Edge Armor and Edgy Monocoque technologies, carryovers from last year’s lineup.

We got the chance to take a few out at Keystone during the SIA On-Snow Demo. First impression? The rocker is short and shallow, so it doesn’t have that ‘surfy’ feel characteristic of full-rocker skis, and it’s more predictable all around the mountain. (You know when you’re straight lining a pair of K2 Hellbents or Volkl Kuros as if they were race skis, and all of a sudden there’s a cowboy hat in the middle of the trail, and you’re forced to decide between a forty-foot gs carve and an out-of-control power slide? This ski isn’t like that). More than that: it’s straight-up playful. It transitions between the groomers, crud, and tree stashes with aplomb, and has no trouble executing turns of varying radii. It’s also somewhat lightweight, at around 9 lbs, and has this beautiful transparent top sheet that shows off the bamboo, if you’re into that sort of thing.

And the basalt/bamboo core? It’s solid, especially compared to Salomon’s past offerings in foam. It’s not a ski I’d push to the speed limit, but it does lay down some confidence-inspiring carves on the hard pack (and the crud, and the pow).

Some things to keep in mind: it’s got a rocker, so try the long one; this ski will feel shorter than it is. It’s also a small rocker, so if you want to do like McConkey (may he R.I.P.) and slash lines down the deep and steep, read on for the next ski review.

In short, if you don’t spend your whole day squeezing extra m.p.h. out of you skis, and you’re not Shane, this is the ski that will make the mountain your playground.

Coming to a ski shop near you (the Ski Barn, duh) this fall.

Click Below to Buy

http://shop.skibarndurango.com/2010-salomon-shogun.html

Oh, and check out Salomon’s team skiers ‘testing’ this ski: