Spring / Volcano Skis - Suggestions

Great advice folks. I'm leaning towards the Nanuqs since I can find 'em for a reasonable price. LaSportiva skis seem to be tricky to find, especially the Lo5.

Right now I ski BD Justices (111mm underfoot) and I used to have a pair of Baker Superlights. I never liked the Bakers - too soft and too light to really be any fun at all in my opinion. So I'm looking for a replacement for them that's stiffer, wider, and a little heavier.

The Chams seem a little funky for a volcano ski, but I've also never skied a 5-dimension ski (JJ, S7, etc...).

I've thought about the Wailer 99, but aside from being spendy 99mm underfoot seems like it'll be a little wide for a spring ski.

Too many choices! I suppose I just need to go to various shops and see what's on sale.

If this is a quiver ski, than I would embrace that and go skinny. Why consider a bunch of compromises that’ll only affect a small portion of your ski time?

If you are expecting an all-day mush fest you might as well just bring your fat skis. But if you are skiing a big objective where you’ll ski a bunch of corn and some mush you might as well ski something skinnier and lighter.

I ski Coombacks for winter and super mushy spring, but switch to Shuksans for late spring/summer skiing. Occasionally, you just have to work a little harder on the down.

I think something in the 90’s would give you soft snow quiver overlap and leave some unfilled harder snow quiver space.

Chams are nothing like normal funshape skis. I have the regular Cham 97 and it's my favorite ski ever. Everybody I've talked to with any of the Cham skis, regular or HM, have nothing but praise for these skis. The most common comment I hear and espouse myself is that they inspire confidence. I would like to get the Cham 87 HM in 184 cm for spring touring. Might not be the lightest, but I don't think you could go wrong. They have all the best attributes of traditional ski with the benefit of rocker and tapered tail.

I don't see the point of going much skinnier than mid-90's unless you're rando-racing. You can find skis these days that are ridiculously light with these dimensions and they are so much more versatile than skinnier skis, which is a huge plus with the snow we have in the PNW.

Another ski to consider would be the Elan Himalaya. I almost picked a pair of these up but was turned off by the soft tip. However, they are supposed to ski quite well and are really light; and designed by Glen Plake, for whatever that's worth.

Also might want to check out this Wild Snow article referencing a German ski review of mid-fat skis (not suprisingly, they really liked the Volkls).

www.wildsnow.com/9535/backcountry-freeri...iews-alpin-magazine/

If this is a quiver ski, than I would embrace that and go skinny.  Why consider a bunch of compromises that’ll only affect a small portion of your ski time? 

If you are expecting an all-day mush fest you might as well just bring your fat skis.  But if you are skiing a big objective where you’ll ski a bunch of corn and some mush you might as well ski something skinnier and lighter. 

I ski Coombacks for winter and super mushy spring, but switch to Shuksans for late spring/summer skiing.  Occasionally, you just have to work a little harder on the down.

Agree - I have a similar 2-ski quiver (winter -> early spring: ~100mm, w/ some rocker, late spring/summer:  ~80mm, w/ traditional camber) and like it.

Agree - I have a similar 2-ski quiver (winter -> early spring: ~100mm, w/ some rocker, late spring/summer:  ~80mm, w/ traditional camber) and like it.

Same for me.  I ski a BD Zealot for the winter to early spring, 110 underfoot with an early rise tip.  I ski an Atomic Kongur in late spring to summer, 83 underfoot with traditional camber.  If I was buying new, I might bump the Kongur for something in the 90s, but I don't see any real need to replace it at this point.  It's stiff, stable, and can make any turn necessary.  I think any late spring/summer ski needs to be stiff and traditionally cambered regardless of width.  Dynafits just don't like soft flexing skis on hard snow.