Altai Ko'm vs. Voile' Vector BC (and Rossi BC 125)

[raisin'heel]

The new from Altai Skis: "Kom" fishscale bottomed (waxless) ski is unique in that it is lite, snappy, lively, surprisingly edge holding fat BC ski.....and on the short, responsive side for us bushwhacking / tree skiing types. Not enough time on them, nor enough variable conditions to give a real comparative review to Voile' Vector BC except to say they have less rockered tips and tails, a very pronounced tip rise, and a very progressively forward binding mount position to provide a more balanced foat (+ climb!) in deep (pow) snow. My limited experience suggests they are lighter than Vector, nearly as aggressive grip, surprising firm snow edge hold, good pop and responsive for quick manuvering, and climb and track fine (as do the Vectors). The forward binding mount is accommodated with a somewhat forward side cut and feel natural and responsive to me, as I am used to progressively forward mounting (+ .5" to 1.5" Vector, +1.5" to 2" Rossi BC 125, +1" to 1.5" Karhu Guide). I currently have the Voile' Vector 160cm and Altai 162cm (also Rossi BC 125 -165cm, and Karhu Guide / (Madsus Annum)-165cm). The Rossi BC125s are great gliders and very responsive turning with the forward mount, though, because of the pronunced camber of my older version BC125's I'm sure, have somewhat more troublesome grip. The wider waist of the powder BC skis definately out perform the Guide/Annum in deep, soft conditions. I am looking forward with great anticipation to the production of the 150cm Koms that I feel certain will be great in tighter/unknown conditions such as this winter where the borderline snow cover made the Boreal 130cm the ski of choice for me most often for sweet turns in between the stones and stumps they most easily manuver around. Altai will also come out with a 174cm Kom.

Hope to give the Koms another try very soon on the summit snowfields of Mt. Washngton while the corn is soft, deep and long (see: http://mtwashingtonautoroad.com/current ... us-weather ).

[connyro]

Thanks for the informative review! I just wish the Koms weren't so short. Sometimes my 180 Vector BCs feel too short!

My limited experience suggests they are lighter than Vector

It's interesting that you say that because I've fondled the Koms and my first thought was about how light they felt. I was surprised to learn that they are actually heavier than the Vectors:
Vector BC 160 = 2.48kg
Altai Kom 162 = 2.85kg

What bindings do you have mounted to the Koms?

[EarlS]

Many thanks for these very useful comparisons (and for the private email you sent me addressing my related questions). This is especially helpful for me because I am planning to get some skis that are wider than my Annums for use in Colorado spring snow. I am happy to hear (from your private email) that you can control the Koms and the Vector BCs with Garmont Excursions because I really do not want to go heavier than my T3s for BC skiing. People on the west coast often say you need T2s with the Vectors, but they are dealing with much heavier snow. While I am happy using my T2s at a resort, I really worry about the increased risk of injury when I am far from a trail head. I am trying to decide between the Koms and the Vectors; I would use switchbacks with either ski because, while fishscales work fine in the spring, I often use skins on longer, steeper trails in our dry winter snow. I hope you will post updates as you get more time on the Koms. I would be especially interested to see what you think of the Koms versus the Vectors for turns in deep snow; does the increased rocker on the Vectors make a big difference ?

[rongon]

The new from Altai Skis: "Kom" fishscale bottomed (waxless) ski... comparative review to Voile' Vector BC... they have less rockered tips and tails, a very pronounced tip rise, and a very progressively forward binding mount position to provide a more balanced foat (+ climb!) in deep (pow) snow... The forward binding mount is accommodated with a somewhat forward side cut and feel natural and responsive to me, as I am used to progressively forward mounting (+ .5" to 1.5" Vector, +1.5" to 2" Rossi BC 125, +1" to 1.5" Karhu Guide). I currently have the Voile' Vector 160cm and Altai 162cm (also Rossi BC 125 -165cm, and Karhu Guide / (Madsus Annum)-165cm).

I have some of those same skis, and I'm curious about your very progressively forward binding mount positions.

I have a pair of Vector BC in 170 cm length. I'm 5' 7" and kinda heavy at 185 lbs. I have my bindings mounted boot center at the ski's boot center mark, which is forward of where I would normally mount them (I had them mounted at a ski shop in VT). I found that in wet, heavy powder (late last year), I had to lean waaaay back on the tails to keep any speed at all going down moderate to low angles. It felt like there was no tip in front to glide on the snow. I didn't like the feeling at all. I'm seriously thinking of moving the bindings back 1 cm to see if that balances them out for me.

I had a similar experience with my Madshus Anum skis, 175 cm. They were mounted with pins a bit forward of chord center (at the factory mounting line for my boot size), but they just did not feel right. I moved the bindings back to pins on chord center, and that's how I like them.

How are you skiing such short skis with such forward binding mount positions? Are you very light?

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