Help me with a ski decision

I know, I know, Gear X, but I have maybe 12 days left in Colorado, and want to try a ski that would be good for Eastern pow, focusing on trees. I presently ski a pair of Carbon fiber 191 Llasa Pows, and I love them dearly, but would like to see if I can find something shorter for the tighter East. They are a handful when you get into the underbrush. I want a similar shape, with a medium rise and a not too sloppy tail. Maybe 110, or so, underfoot.
Today I was on a pair of Atomic Bent Chietlers, 178. They sorta sucked. Heavy, lacking any kind of snap. But the 178 length felt good in the tight, steep trees. But not in the crud out of the trees, and I sunk in the deep pow. Maybe I should live with the llassas, but I'm not giving up yet. Any ideas? What are you guys skiing in tight pow trees, so I can go out and try a few before the season ends, because there's no way I'm getting days in next month when I'm back home.
6ft, 210, old.

Btw, hate to rub it in, but, it just snowed four days in a row here in Summit County. Yesterday and today were two of the finest pow mornings I have ever experienced. Copper trees are the tits.

I ride Nordica Patrons (not this year) on my POW dayz --- they're 198's and turn on a dime --- I'll take them into any trees--they are BY FAR my favorite ski to be on. Man_0_Man  they wicked fun.

Benny - be interested to hear where you end up. For the specs you have laid out I use a pair of Sultan 85s but I am afraid that is not where you are headed.

Just get a ski for that sweet manmade stuff. Natural snow is overrated

I use Rossi experience 83 for the trees at gore.  Fantastic and tight sl like turns.  Almost too turny for front side. Perfect for glades at gore.

I am a little bigger than you and I use a 178 Nordica Vagabond for east days in the woods. There are excellent in powder and spring corn and they cut right thru crud. Like all Nordicas, they also carve pretty well.

Vagabond vs El Capo
Vagabond review

I have the El Capo and I love them.  For a pure carve on Eastern hard pack they require some vigilance, but otherwise I find them extremely versatile and fun to ski.  I've had them since last May, so no Eastern trees with them yet.  However, I have had them through some bumps and in some western trees, and they maneuver quite well.  I'm 6'4" and 180 lbs and I'm skiing them in a 185.  At 178 they'd be even more nimble for a big ski.  The guide I skied with at Crystal, who was using K2 Coombacks, was surprised how light they seemed for a relatively beefy ski.  The Vagabond without the added weight of the metal would seem like a great choice, being a little more nimble.

I like the looks of that vagabond. Thanks.

I had a set of Patrons for a while. Needs a firmer ass.

Have you looked into a Q lab? Not quite 110 underfoot, but but 183s are 104 underfoot. 20m radius makes them a bit easier to ski than a Cochise or Katana.

You may want to look at the Salomon Q-98 skis.  I bought them and used them this year - had a great time tree skiing in Utah and also used them a few times on groomers in the east.  At 96mm underfoot they are not full blown powder skis but I found them to be more than adequate in powder (I learned to ski powder on my old K2 Extremes 190's so my perspective is a bit different!).  I'm 5'8" and ski on the 172cm length for what it's worth.  They have partial (not full) rocker so I think that makes them a bit more versatile.  

Benny...as someone that is in a very similar boat to you...I would just recommend getting a pair of east coast skis like 90ish under foot, around 180.  They'll be fine for almost all your east coast days.  When it gets super soft, the Lhasas should be fine.  But honestly, so would something 90ish under foot.  Most powder days out east are really just chop/powder bump days anyways, unless you're getting into the backcountry.  I would say, however, that a powder ski that is pivoty/loose can be super useful in tight east coast trees...my skis are all kinda point it/gun type skis...and sometimes in eastern trees, I wish I had something a little more modern that can pivot quickly...like a five dimensional shape.

I'm 5'11", 170 (was 160 when I moved back east in November..haha), and I ski on a 105 waist, 186 length for most everything, just because it's what I currently have at the moment.  I don't find length to be an issue, but when it gets super firm, I'd definitely appreciate something narrower.

I think a shorter ski is good out east because it makes the terrain more fun.  Though my skis are totally fine out east, they generally feel like total overkill at Gore...eat up the terrain too fast.

Fat skis??!!!??? Before you know it, you'll be driving a big truck and growing a beard.

Enjoy those freshies out West.

http://www.kaestle-ski.com/en/products/tx/tx107-6536/

Dude, get the Vagabonds.  You won't be disappointed.  I just had, all circumstances bring different, one of the most fun runs I've had on skis.  At WF, cruising mountain run to lower thruway at race carve GS speeds, ripping Lower Valley to the tight bumps they held the Apple Butter on, ripping through the zipper line......mucho fun, on the El Capo.  They can handle the bumps, the trees will be easy peasy.  The Vagabond would've been even better!  Don't screw around.  Go! Now!!  See if you can find them on the blemish sale.

What are you waiting for?

A couple more more runs through some bumps, the El Capo acquit themselves quite well.  The Vagabonds would be even better.  Just sayin'.....

Can't find the Vagabonds anywhere. Certainly not to demo.

Benny Profane wrote

Can't find the Vagabonds anywhere. Certainly not to demo.

Nordica made the Vags for 1 season 13/14, so there's no chance you'll find them to demo. Just Google them and you'll find many places to buy them on-line.

You also might consider a NRGy107.

JTG4eva! wrote

Dude, get the Vagabonds.  You won't be disappointed.  I just had, all circumstances bring different, one of the most fun runs I've had on skis.  At WF, cruising mountain run to lower thruway at race carve GS speeds, ripping Lower Valley to the tight bumps they held the Apple Butter on, ripping through the zipper line......mucho fun, on the El Capo.  They can handle the bumps, the trees will be easy peasy.  The Vagabond would've been even better!  Don't screw around.  Go! Now!!  See if you can find them on the blemish sale.

What are you waiting for?

El Capo's have a following and are becoming kind of a collectors items. I know 2 guys who have 2 pair and a 3rd looking for a second pair at a good price.

This years Volkl Kendo is a true one ski quiver.  It's 90mm under foot.  It rips on groomers, holds on ice, and skis bumps well.  It's camber under foot and rocker tip and tail.  Very important to me is it has square side walls which I feel give you superior edge hold over cap designs.

Very nimble with the rocker so it would ski well in tight trees.  I love this ski.

As much as I want to tell Benny to run far away from the Vagabond/El Capo (so I can find another pair when I need 'em)......I got the El Capo out of lockup this afternoon, and those things rock.  Earlier today I was skiing my Hot Rod Helldivers at 90mm underfoot, which are great.  However, the beefy El Capo at 107mm were like C-4 compared to the dynamite Helldivers when exploding piles of powder.  Thing is, the El Capo are so darn nimble,  have good edge grip, and worked through the bumps just as well as the more slender Helldivers.  Yes, on a pure carve the wider Capo are a little harder to tip (and keep) on edge, but they do so much, so well, that whatever cult following they might develop is well earned.

Add to that the fact that, with AT bindings, the El Capo perform admirably as a touring ski......I can't imagine there is a better ski out there.