Ahahahaha....I'm going tele skiing in Feb!!

[bauerb]

I am very excited. I just booked a place at Whitefish Mountain Montana for the month of Feb. 28 days!!! thats literally more ski time than I have had in the last 5 years combined. now I just need to order new skis.....

some of you may recall that I spent August at Big Sky. the rental market at Big Sky was not as favorable, and Whitefish looks like an awesome town. I'm less into glitzy resorts, and Montana is less glitzy. Hopefully I like Whitefish and then spend 2 months there this summer. we will see.....

I'm pumped!

[Montana St Alum]

You'll love Whitefish.
I'll try to get a review out on those M-Free 108's.

[Woodserson]

I skied Whitefish when it was still called "Big Mountain."

My absolute favorite mountain in the West. You lucky dog, you!

[bauerb]

I still will need to "work from home" during the day, but being 2 hours behind the east coast, afternoons should be fair game....

right now I am leaning towards the Atomic Vantage 97 in a 172cm length with 22 Design Outlaw X. I think I need an all mountain ski since I will own 1 pair, and prob shouldn't go too wide.

[Woodserson]

I still will need to "work from home" during the day, but being 2 hours behind the east coast, afternoons should be fair game....

right now I am leaning towards the Atomic Vantage 97 in a 172cm length with 22 Design Outlaw X. I think I need an all mountain ski since I will own 1 pair, and prob shouldn't go too wide.

No. The "new" Vantage is being discontinued this year. It's way too stiff. Maybe you like a stiff ski, but if you're going to be skiing soft snow and telemarking wouldn't a rounder flexing less stiff ski be the ticket? If you're settled no worries, but if you're shopping around, what's your budget?

Also, that way short. My 97mm waist skis are 177/178 ish and just fine for me at 160lbs, 6'2" and east coast skiing. For comparison.

[Montana St Alum]

Here's Blister's 20/21 buyer's guide. There's bound to be something in there that would work.

https://blisterreview.com/winter-buyers-guide
They have a "Best of" section as well, to help narrow it down.

I think the safe bet would be a softer flexing ski in the 100-ish width for the skiing up there.

I have a theory that may or may not be valid, but if you have rocker front and back, I think you can get away with a ski that's stiffer underfoot. The ski is essentially "pre-bent" so that, as you lay it over a bit in powder, the front rocker acts like a canard on an airplane pulling you into the turn and the rocker on the back releases easily allowing the ski to come around quickly in deep stuff.

I say it may not be valid, because I'm about to test it this season on my new skis....so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[Woodserson]

I have a theory that may or may not be valid, but if you have rocker front and back, I think you can get away with a ski that's stiffer underfoot. The ski is essentially "pre-bent" so that, as you lay it over a bit in powder, the front rocker acts like a canard on an airplane pulling you into the turn and the rocker on the back releases easily allowing the ski to come around quickly in deep stuff.

I say it may not be valid, because I'm about to test it this season on my new skis....so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

I agree with you 100% and this is an important quality to have. Some skis have soft tips with rocker though (Sick Day 94 in personal experience) and they folded right up on me when I got into deep snow (like jumping off a cattrack into ungroomed). Also, the rocker means one can get away with a longer ski as well. But the new Vantage is stiff as a post. I've not skied it, but it's a weird one, turned me off.

[Montana St Alum]

I know, a shame, right? The previous iteration of skis in the Vantage series were so good!

[bauerb]

damn, I thought I had this sorted out.... basically all my skiing is in the west now, but I need 1 ski that is good for powder and packed snow. fortunately my days of east coast ice are behind me. I think the vantage with the outlaws was about $850 mounted. I could spend more if there was a good reason. I'm inclined to skis on the shorter side because on packed snow I like short snappy jump style turns. the whole idea of longer skis due to more rocker on modern skis is completely foreign to me. in the past I've always bought used gear, so I bought whatever was available. buying new skis seems very complicated. I just need a 1 good ski for western ski conditions....I'm also built pretty solid, so power to the ground is not an issue( which is also why I seem to have a problem spraining my ankles on trail runs...)

the other day I opened my old ski bag to see what length the skis were. but I couldn't stop admiring the Bomber Bishops. such cool bindings when I bought them in 2002 or so.

[bauerb]

now I'm thinking about the Atomic Automatic 109.