Charger Love....

No. Not the Chargers...
The Chargers!!!!
(With apologies to Maxwell Smart and the "Craw"... )

Tried my new Voile Chargers today.  First impression - why did I wait so long..  

They tour (xc) better.  Rocker + width + length = win.

They turn better, faster, easier.  Again, rocker for the win.

Uphill, in 24" of dry slightly consolidated powder, they climb as would be expected of a fish scaled ski in those conditions.  I set a lower angle skin (scale..) track, using 6 years of familiarity with Karhu Guides... and was rewarded with not having to pull my skins from the pack.. Pretty nice.  However, I won't leave home without them.  (Skins).

The Chargers turn on a dime, almost remote control.  The tails are definitely stiffer than the tips, but I didn't find that I noticed, other than that they like the fall line..which is a good thing.  (ie.
they don't overturn .)

All my downhill lines were in fairly tight gladed hardwood, so it was pretty slow-mo.  That bring said, it was very confidence inspiring to be in total 100% control in unmanaged terrain.  

I'll be taking the Chargers for another test drive tomorrow.  This time where I can let them run.  Hopefully we"ll get another dump soon, so I can go dawn patrol with them at a ski area poach...



TD

Telemark Dave wrote

Uphill, in 24" of dry slightly consolidated powder, they climb as would be expected of a fish scaled ski in those conditions. TD

Equal to or better than waxing?

As Cartman would say, Suuuuper Schweet!

Id have to say about equal in the -6c powder when first setting a track.  As the snow was pretty consistent (and temp) grip waxing would have been straightforward.  
Fishscales get better as the snow approaches 0c .  

Scales will never replace skins for climbing steeper pitches to access cold smoke pow.  They are however, a great quiver ski to have to enable max fun with minimal time and fiddling.  I spend my fair share of time dabbling in the black arts of grip waxing XC track set skis... And I enjoy it.   But the fish scaled Voiles (and Karhu Guides) are a no brainer.  

Darkside Shaman wrote

As Cartman would say, Suuuuper Schweet!

What's really cool is how fast they are when doing the XC tour to get to the goods.  I can't wait to use them again.. (But not today.. Going track set XC with my better half. ... But wouldn't the Nordic "race" ski crowd get freaked out seeing even the tracks from a pair of 140mm wide skis... I know a few that would prolly have an aneurysm just trying to comprehend... )

Thanks again for your input and endorsement of the chargers Darkside.  

TD

Step 1

Gee Harv, those sure are some purdy boots... Nice and shiny and all..  

Now go get working on step 2.  



TD

Telemark Dave wrote

Gee Harv, those sure are some purdy boots... Nice and shiny and all..  

The shop selling those is matching them with Rotte R-8's and Rossi's. I thought the guy told me the Rossi's were 125s but from the graphics it looks like they might be the 110s.

TD, Shaman... opinions on this setup?

I'd like to patronize this shop if it makes sense... a mile from the cabin... a nordic center... pushing out that package. Gotta like it.

Is that the shop at Garnet Hill? Isn't Adam running that shop? I've got some other friends who purchased the BC110s from him (they've never skied Tele before, but they want to screw around in the BC).

I've got the BC110s too (picked them up off of a close out sale from EMS last year). They seem great as far as I can tell. Cool on a golf course, cool on the toll road. Haven't tried hiking anything super steep on them, but I cut some skins to fit them just in case. Lots of camber, pretty good kicking and gliding with Rotte 3 Pin bindings.

mattchuck2 wrote

Is that the shop at Garnet Hill? Isn't Adam running that shop? I've got some other friends who purchased the BC110s from him (they've never skied Tele before, but they want to screw around in the BC).

I've got the BC110s too (picked them up off of a close out sale from EMS last year). They seem great as far as I can tell. Cool on a golf course, cool on the toll road. Haven't tried hiking anything super steep on them, but I cut some skins to fit them just in case. Lots of camber, pretty good kicking and gliding with Rotte 3 Pin bindings.

YES to all. Garnet Hill, Adam.

I want to tool around Harvey Woods (not too much vert but working on a "glade") and also head into the northern Siamese.  Kick and glide, then off trail to find some descents.  Some Raymond Brook and some Gore to Garnet/Harvey.

Cool. Let me know if you need help trimming some stuff in the woods. Would be fun to hack around up there, do some skiing, make some connections...

Also (way off topic, but who cares?), isn't there an old path from the dark side, over Pete Gay mountain to Garnet Hill Lodge? I remember Garnet Hill used to run BC tours from the mountain.

Theoretically, you could connect your backyard trails to the mountain (if the APA is reading this, I'm TOTALLY just kidding).

mattchuck2 wrote

Cool. Let me know if you need help trimming some stuff in the woods. Would be fun to hack around up there, do some skiing, make some connections...

Also (way off topic, but who cares?), isn't there an old path from the dark side, over Pete Gay mountain to Garnet Hill Lodge? I remember Garnet Hill used to run BC tours from the mountain.

Theoretically, you could connect your backyard trails to the mountain (if the APA is reading this, I'm TOTALLY just kidding).

The Gore to Garnet system can be used to get you to within 100 yards of our woods.  You do need permission to cross Barton's but we may know some one who knows someone.

Would love to design a loop that works for MTB and Nordic.  Actually I've spoken to Steve Ovitt about it and we going to meet to ski it and check it out when we get more snow.

There isn't really much pitch but if I got enough float it could be fun.

Steve it going to help me lay it out but I'll do all the cutting etc.  Would love some help.  

Gee Harv, that already looks "gladed"...  

Very nice...
As for the Rossi/Rotte combo, if the price is right, go for it.  I've got a friend who has the BC 90's and he skis them on groomers after the ski area is closed for the year.. They seem to work fine in ice to slush, so I'm guessing that they (or the BC 110's) would be great schwack - thicketeering skis.  
I only have experience with the Cobras for lift served groomers, so it's not fair for me to comment on how they would be in the woods.  

Really, it's not "what you're skiing" ,
It's "that you're skiing..."

Happy new Year..

TD

My opinion is as before, go big, at least to the BC125's, or the Vector, or even better the Chargers . But a good deal is a good deal so $$ always wins. But, ditch the R-8's and get a free pivot binding, or just go with a 3 pin toe plate without cable. A good match for all of the skis mentioned is the voile switchback.
Hmmm...decisions, decisions

+1 to Shaman's comments. The R8 is overkill for that type of ski. But if it is a killer package deal, what the heck, you can always put them on another ski when you get a set of LiteSpikes. Hint.

Harv, that is a nice-looking glade, looks skiable as-is. Nothing that two feet of snow wouldn't help. First priority would be get rid of those leg-breakers laying on the ground.

Happy New Year! Stay warm, one and all.

....back on track... The Charger love continues.  

Got to let them open up today.  They LOVE the fall line.  Definite slarvey-ness in initiation but they like to stay pointed down the hill.  Sort of a rockered slalom ski...kind of... But for the ungroomed. They are very purposeful, in a get the job done way.  Guess that's why they're called Chargers.  

TD

I skied those Rossis/RT-8s with my T4s in the backcountry this weekend and it was dreamy.

Shaman was basically like... OK if you want the skinny ass Rossis but lose the RT8 an get a Voile Switchback? I think.

Was also way fun skiing Harvey Woods with a guy who does trail design for a living.

Pipeline is on my bucket list.

Yup that was it. Kind of a backwards setup of the BC110's with an R8. The set up man should know better than to do that combo, as it will be hard to encourage the true user of that ski with that clamp holding your foot down. Just look at the pics you took of the Creator and I and you see the whole sole of our boot when kicking, while you are barely rising 2".

Forgot to mention that the Chargers rock!!