Winter planning...as in new skis (Schwack content)

About to pull the trigger on these...http://www.voile.com/voile-skis/voile-charger-bc-skis-2013-2014.html.   Any thoughts (on topic or otherwise...)are appreciated.  I need some encouragement as I tend to live for the moment - and winter is a vague memory...TD

How will I ever keep up?

is it a fishscale bottom? How do you get up without skins?

ml242 wrote

is it a fishscale bottom? How do you get up without skins?

  You don't.  Why would you assume he wouldn't use skins?

ml242 wrote

is it a fishscale bottom? How do you get up without skins?

Yes, they have a fishscale bottom. Yes, you can still use skins when the going gets steep. But you don't need to use skins when the going gets flat or low-angle, so approaches and meadow-skipping are easier. Skis like this open up a whole new range of possibilities for the open-minded.

From Voile, but it isn't descriptive.

Product Description

The Charger BC is the first big mountain backcountry ski with a waxless pattern. Without any compromise, the waxless pattern gives you amazing new versatility and efficiency while you are backcountry skiing. Leave your skins in your pack, when you reach rolling terrain or want to go for one more quick lap.

TD, I have a pair of the Charger BC's and they are very useful backcountry tool and a blast to ski. Pull the trigger, you will not be disappointed.

ml242 wrote

Without any compromise, the waxless pattern gives you amazing new versatility and efficiency while you are backcountry skiing. Leave your skins in your pack, when you reach rolling terrain or want to go for one more quick lap.

Exactly. Note that it does not say, "leave your skins at home."

On low-angle or flat terrain, the fishscale ski is faster and more efficient than the ski with skins. Not to mention eliminating the need for farting around with skins. The girth of the Charger would allow some nice turns on a hill without much pitch.

Trust me, we've been testing this concept for years. Up until the BC versions of the Voile Vector and Charger came out, the fattest fishscale skis were the Karhu Guide (AKA Madshus Annum) and the Fischer S-Bound 112, both around 78 mm in the waist. TD has the Guide, I have the S-Bound. They are fun skis for touring and mellow descents but are still essentially a wide cross-country ski and get bogged down when the snow is deep. Fat and rockered is where its at. Given the low vertical we contend with in our area, a ski like the Charger would also maximize the fun potential of a slope.

Thanks Darkside.  That's all I need to hear.  I've been sold on fish scaled XCD skis for years, I've also drank the rockered koolaid.  I won't buy any more new skis without rocker.   The Charger BC is both Everyone however, has missed the obvious.  The cool "zzzzzipppp" sound fish scaled skis make on groomers!

Oh, and thanks SBR for the backup.    That's an example of what a good back country cohort does in the off season.

Mmmm... Can't wait to shwack this year... Bought some fish scales and 3 pin bindings last year, buying T4s this fall

Hey Darkside....

What length are you skiing on...  I'm waffling between the 181 and the 191.

The only rockered ski I have now is the Elan Boomerang at 190, it skis really short, as in quicker turning than my old Sick Birds at 178.   I've read conflicting reports on the relative stiffness of the Charger's, ranging from stiff to soft.  

FWIW, they're going to be a BC schwack earn-your-turns ski.  lots of tight trees and rocks and minimum vert.  One part of me wants to go 181, but the other says 191.  I'm convinced that any rocker/early rise will always allow lots of slarvey type turning that will make up for lack of advertised turning radius, which means squat in powder anyways.

My skiing ability ranges from full on charging everything and anything anywhere to the occasional JONG moments.....

Thanks in advance

TD

I'm on the 171's and I definitely could have gone with the 181's as they ski short, but they are very stable, which has allowed me to still have loads of fun on them. They do turn on a dime, sometimes you just think turn and away they go
For what you are planning on doing with them, you will be a happy camper

BANG!!!!

Pulled the trigger.  (It better snow this year......)

TD

Nice move!

The Voiles seem the perfect fit for schlepping to and from the Adirondack slides. Clearly, you'll need skins once you get on the slides themselves, but the scales will make getting there faster. And for lower, lower-angle outings where the up-down-up-down is unavoidable, going without skins but with something more than kick wax seems ideal. Please post many reports from your trips on them this winter!

Got em.

Picked them up at lunch time.   Schweeeeeeeeeeeeeet.    They look awesome in reality......Unlike how they looked last year as vapourware.

Props to all the hardworking folk at Voile USA in Utah.   Gotta like that they were made by people who most likely ski.  To think that last year they were a bunch of Utards that were obviously too busy skiing to make me some skis.

Now I just have to figure out the binding dilemma.

TD

Dave if your still on 75mm boots, the voile switchback is a no-brainer. Great binding and very light!

Thanks Darkside.

Yes, I was considering the Switchback.  Though what I was going to do was take the G3's off of my Boomerangs and use them on the Chargers....and put the Switchbacks on the Boomerang.  

I've got a very strong Nordic skiing background and find I really don't need to use the tour mode for anything but very steep skinning....as the Chargers are intended for schwacking, then I'll make do with the combo of a soft spring Targa (also has a "tour mode" heel lever attachment) and my modified Garmont Excursions.  That seems to work perfectily for most of the skiing I'm doing.   The Switchbacks will fit the Boomerangs perfectly as they will become a dedicated "session" ski for special days and traveling to places where they truly belong.....

Thanks again for all your encouragement.  

T.D.

Even our cat is curious...
Just what are those graphics....???



Sorry that I live in a sideways house.  Apparently there's are lot of love lost with posting pics from an iPhone - no way to edit
 - tried rotating pic on my phone, HR forum doesn't allow for any adjustments afterwards