Rocker

You'll never see me on a rail...and as long as I ski in the east mostly, I will prefer non rocker...maybe that will change if I have enough money for a quiver but for now...65 for cruising and 70 underfoot for everything else

Hey Ted...I'll donate my Gray Rossi 4s's 205 to the cause.  They might be a little wider underfoot than the Elans...BTW I have a pair of those too and actually skied them last year...My girls won't let me take them out of the house anymore

Anyone play on a Rossi S3 rocker? If so, what size, thoughts on hardpack, etc

Anyone play on a Rossi S3 rocker? If so, what size, thoughts on hardpack, etc

Sick Bird Rider sent me this link. It's worth a read:

http://blistergearreview.com/articles/skiing-101-safer-skiing-the-case-for-fatter-rockered-skis

Sick Bird Rider Skis at Jay Peak, and, as the article mentions, Rocker is really important for powder/crud/mank/cut up junk/corn/etc. Most people who ski Gore and Whiteface just don't deal with those kinds of conditions very often (count the number of days this year where that is the predominant condition . . . I think you'll be surprised).

I think I'd rock the Sir Francis Bacons if Gore got 355" a year like Jay does.

But, on the other hand, I'm thinking of getting a 94mm waisted ski as my daily driver this year (traditional camber), so who am I to talk? And I'm also thinking of getting a 121mm waisted, full rockered ski and taking it to Alaska or Jackson Hole this spring. And wouldn't think twice about using the superfat rockered ski on a powder day at Gore.

Just wish we got more of them.

I demoed a pair of Salomon Enduros (86 or 88 in the waist?) last winter with some tip rocker (full report here). Conditions were funny, sort of corn snow starting to re-freeze. After a couple of runs on those I returned to the Prophets, promptly hooked the tip and fell on my ass right under the chairlift. Very embarrassing.  This experience convinced me that tip rocker was the way to go. I decided to get the Bacons over the new Prophet 98 because they are lighter, more versatile, a little more floaty and will be easier to turn. All of this will help me be a better skier in my old age and stay off the DL.

Along with the Bacons I will also have other choices and am pondering getting Quiver Killers so I can swap around tele and alpine binders between the Bacons and the Sickies. The Sick Birds, at 94 mm, are currently mounted tele along with my old Fischer Big Stix 75s. The Sick Birds are a killer groomer/crud ski but too stiff to a be an effective powder ski for me (or I am just too much of weakling to make them work). The Big Stix are a great La La La cruise-y kind of ski for those La La La cruise-y days.

A few skis I considered that would match Matt's needs for the daily driver but have some tip rocker:

Salomon Enduro 850 (maybe on the narrow and heavy side)

Salomon Sentinel

K2 Hardside

Line Prophet 98 or 90

Oh yeah, forgot to mention. It SNOWED briefly at SBRHQ this morning! No accumulation but there were snowflakes in the air. Woo Hoo!

Atomic Savage Ti 93 underfoot with slight tip rocker. Skied them everyday last year and was never disappointed. The slight tip rocker is amazing at how it just smooths things out. I will never have a ski without at least tip rocker from now on. I am converted...rocker rocks!!

Darkside Shaman wrote

Atomic Savage Ti 93 underfoot with slight tip rocker. Skied them everyday last year and was never disappointed. The slight tip rocker is amazing at how it just smooths things out. I will never have a ski without at least tip rocker from now on. I am converted...rocker rocks!!

How did they handle on groomers or icy conditions?  Are they maneuverable enough in the trees? Does the rocker have any disadvantages for typical on piste eastern skiing?  

They are an Atomic so as long as you have a good edge they will hold like a rocket sled on rails, and they love to go fast.
Tree skiing is where they shine and I feel the rocker has a lot do with this as they definitely ski shorter, so they turn quicker, and smear with ease. In my experience I cannot think of any condition that I encountered last year, from the early season rock hard man-made to the nice powder dumps and the soft cream were treated to in the spring, they rip everything!

CMR wrote

How did they handle on groomers or icy conditions?

I ran into Shaman on Lies at Gore on 12/19 last year.  Conditions at the top were extremely difficult. Snowmaking had ended the day before and the headwall was a bulletproof mound.  There really was only one way down on skiers left. It was a luge run, not a full ski length wide and super slick.  Shaman on those Atomics, pondered a minute and then pulled of an incredible succession of three jump turns to make it through.

That may be more of a testament to his skills vs the skis but it shows it's at least possible for a talented skier to use a rockered ski on ice.  My own performance on that same pitch could lead to a different conclusion about a less talented skier.

Purchased the Line 90's last March.   Fun at Gore last few weeks of season, but not good in the trees (think Barkeater Glades).  Also used at Stowe in early April, great in corn, but again got in the trees as they had some fresh snow up top, they would not react quick enough (needed my Blizzard 8.1s)

HOWEVER - used them at Squaw and Alpine Meadows in mid-April,  absolutely loved them.  No problem with the heavier snow.  

Bottom line, stay out of the Eastern trees, and you'll have a blast with the 90s

That answers my question. Thanks.

If I ever go out west again, or hit Jay Peak after an epic powder dump, I'll rent a pair.

Well, I'm committed now. Look what arrived today:



And they definitely have some rocker:



I'll let you know how it works out.

You will like them.    

I demo'd Dynastar's (forget name here) 86mm under foot slight rocker the first week of December last year.   (at Gore) Powder was great, hardpack all I had to do was rotate then apply edge and they would pull any radius turn I wanted.    

Enjoy

Used the NYSB Daily Breads (rockered tips) the last week at Gore. One thing I learned:

Rocker can come in really handy in tight stuff.  Many trees were in play but those with less traffic, especially off the map were punky outside of the primary line.  A bunch of us went into BBA and I chose the far left line as I thought it would have had the most traffic. If you know that line the end is extremely technical (hard). It takes four super precise bang-bang turns, or a deliberate on turn at a time approach.

You're in awkward icy troughs that are so small that your camber does seem to be a hindrance. Not describing this very well, but the rocker really seemed to help me get through.

Maybe someone else who knows the spot can do a better job of describing it to those who don't ski Gore.

This thread is so old, TBatt had a girlfriend.

This thread is so old, people still debated the merits of rocker.

Spongeworthy wrote

I see that rocker is the next new big thing...

Pretty much nailed this Sponge. In 2010.

Anybody out there with NO ROCKER in their quiver for philosophical reasons (vs lack of money or whatever)?

Harvey wrote

Spongeworthy wrote

I see that rocker is the next new big thing...

Pretty much nailed this Sponge. In 2010.Anybody out there with NO ROCKER in their quiver for philosophical reasons (vs lack of money or whatever)?

Ahhh, how about "I Kant have rockered skis as then I couldn't ski the way I did before I had them.

TD

Hey, man, Jill and I are doing great!

mattchuck2 wrote

This thread is so old, TBatt had a girlfriend.