Voile Objective BC- good grip, not a full review but thoughts

[phoenix]

I'll echo the feedback above. I'm on some 164 BC's; camber is perfect for my weight. I do often find I'd want 'em longer though... I'd try the 170's for myself at 5'6" and 125#. I spoke to the folks at Voile about what to expect in difference in camber between the two, and he said I should be fine with the 170's, that the camber remains pretty consistent.

[gbouchard8]

Anyway I just love these skis. The best general purpose XCD ski I have ever owned. Voile have just dialled a superlative all round compromise of characteristics. Light weight for going uphill. Stiff enough to handle icy conditions but still playful in soft snow. The pattern has good grip but combined with just enough camber not to be noticeable when going down.

Same for me!

[mikesee]

Woods, what are you using for bindings on your production Ob/BC's?

[Woodserson]

Woods, what are you using for bindings on your production Ob/BC's?

I am using Voile 3pin Hardwire, but swapped the blue cartridges with black X2 cartridges, which can be done depending on how long your foot it. (the longer the better)

[mikesee]

Woods, what are you using for bindings on your production Ob/BC's?

I am using Voile 3pin Hardwire, but swapped the blue cartridges with black X2 cartridges, which can be done depending on how long your foot it. (the longer the better)

Gotcha.

I have Voile 3 pins with both cable and hardwire options, trip dependent. 3 pins are mounted on my Ob/BC's using the B & D 4-hole tele shift plates:

http://www.bndskigear.com/adapters.html

Used these because I wanted to be able to experiment with fore/aft position of the toe piece for a bit before mounting it permanently. And because the shift plates have 5 mounting holes to spread the load in this not-warranted-for-tele set of very expensive boards. More peace of mind.

But because of the lack of warranty and explicit language re: not mounting tele bindings on these skis, I still have some concern over long-term reliability once I remove the shift plates.

I plan to use inserts to gain additional mount strength.

Did you do the same? Any issues with installing them, or since?

Thanks for any info.

[Nitram Tocrut]

I have nothing but good things to say about this ski in almost all conditions under 6-8" of fresh. Anything more and I would like a longer length. Also, it's so light it tends to get batted around a bit in chunder.

After much deep though, I think an Objective with a little more weight in a 183 or 185cm length would be perfect. The weight would add crud busting capabilities, the extra length would keep the tips up in deeper snow (higher profile tips would help too! Christ! Enough of the low profile BS). It would be important to maintain the current flex of the production models. This is my dream ski, if it ever came to fruition. Mid 80 waist, rocker, medium round flex. Not a stiff no-rockered ski like many manufacturers are pumping out in this waist width.

(Asnes Tindan 86 in a 187cm, basically! oh my! I have da fevah!)

You have a really good point about a longer Objectives for deeper snow especially for bigger guy like me. I took them on a low angle slope in about 4-6 inches of no so fresh snow and I had a blast with SB and Andrew Zenith. But on the same setup and 14-16 inches of deepless snow they were dead... those are very rare conditions for us, especially lasting more than a week, and it is a bit deceiving not to be able to ski, dh, rare snow conditions. On the other hand they are godlike conditions for touring in our trails... I never thought I would complain of having too much snow

[Woodserson]

But because of the lack of warranty and explicit language re: not mounting tele bindings on these skis, I still have some concern over long-term reliability once I remove the shift plates.

I plan to use inserts to gain additional mount strength.

Did you do the same? Any issues with installing them, or since?

Thanks for any info.

I don't know if inserts will do it. I've seen conversation where maybe they won't help due to the smaller size of the thread on the inserts than the size of the Voile threads of their screws. But who the hell knows.

No problems with mine, and I wail away on my BC-version Objective. But I'm light. But I have big long feet. But I'm not using a powerful binding and usually the T4 with the BC Objective. There is some back & forth here on the variables.

When I called Voile, they were having problems specifically with 4 hole bindings with power, ie: X2. 6 screw binding were OK at the time with no/minimal complaints, but they just pulled the plug on the whole thing to CYA.

[mikesee]

I don't know if inserts will do it. I've seen conversation where maybe they won't help due to the smaller size of the thread on the inserts than the size of the Voile threads of their screws. But who the hell knows.

When I called Voile, they were having problems specifically with 4 hole bindings with power, ie: X2. 6 screw binding were OK at the time with no/minimal complaints, but they just pulled the plug on the whole thing to CYA.

Not sure I follow you on 'size of threads of their screws'. Clarify?

I'll never use "more" than an Excursion on these, and it'll be mounted in a 3-pin binding on the ups, and sometimes with cables on the downs. I tend to think the cables will help, in that I'll have more control and be less likely to put huge forces into the skis making saves.

I've given some thought to removing the Voile risers -- which allow 4-screws for mounting -- and just using the B&D plates instead, which add what might be a critical 5th screw.

If I feel like I need a belt-and-suspenders approach I'll consider mounting the B&D plates into inserts.

Thanks for the clarification above.

[Woodserson]

I don't know if inserts will do it. I've seen conversation where maybe they won't help due to the smaller size of the thread on the inserts than the size of the Voile threads of their screws. But who the hell knows.

When I called Voile, they were having problems specifically with 4 hole bindings with power, ie: X2. 6 screw binding were OK at the time with no/minimal complaints, but they just pulled the plug on the whole thing to CYA.

Not sure I follow you on 'size of threads of their screws'. Clarify?

I'll never use "more" than an Excursion on these, and it'll be mounted in a 3-pin binding on the ups, and sometimes with cables on the downs. I tend to think the cables will help, in that I'll have more control and be less likely to put huge forces into the skis making saves.

I've given some thought to removing the Voile risers -- which allow 4-screws for mounting -- and just using the B&D plates instead, which add what might be a critical 5th screw.

If I feel like I need a belt-and-suspenders approach I'll consider mounting the B&D plates into inserts.

Thanks for the clarification above.

How far the thread extends off the shank, and thus, how much extra surface area of the screw is available to bite.

Excursion and 4 screw bindings sounds good to me, as I've had good success... so far. If you are worried, the plate with the 5th screw is even better. I would not go with a 3 screw set-up.

[Nitram Tocrut]

I have nothing but good things to say about this ski in almost all conditions under 6-8" of fresh. Anything more and I would like a longer length. Also, it's so light it tends to get batted around a bit in chunder.

After much deep though, I think an Objective with a little more weight in a 183 or 185cm length would be perfect. The weight would add crud busting capabilities, the extra length would keep the tips up in deeper snow (higher profile tips would help too! Christ! Enough of the low profile BS). It would be important to maintain the current flex of the production models. This is my dream ski, if it ever came to fruition. Mid 80 waist, rocker, medium round flex. Not a stiff no-rockered ski like many manufacturers are pumping out in this waist width.

(Asnes Tindan 86 in a 187cm, basically! oh my! I have da fevah!)

Just want to go in the same direction as Woods concerning the length of this ski. I tried the smooth 178 and sure was a lot of fun on a couple of inches of fresh snow over frozen ground. But when I tried them on about 16 inches of bottomless fresh snow I really had to find a steep slope to make them going. My guess is that a longer Objectives would really helped for heavier skier like me. Just for fun I mentioned that to Voile and they sais they would pass along the idea to the right people... I don’t hold my breath waiting for a longer Objectives but I think it’s worth asking and the more we say it the more likely we can get a longer one... of course I would not buy them as I already have too many skis