K2 Apache Crossfire Review
All Round – Intermediate/Advanced
What we say
I was keen to get out on the Crossfire’s as I’d heard so much about them being one of the most popular and best selling all round skis on the market. K2 have been making these for years now, so I was expecting big things.
I can honestly say they didn’t disappoint. The joy of the Crossfire is its versatility. On the piste I was carving sharp turns thanks to the 16mm radius side cut that remains from last year, but where I was really impressed was when I hopped into the trees and over the bumps. The Crossfire is well known for its on-piste ability, but this year K2 has increased the width all over to 70mm with deeper sidewalls and this definitely showed off piste, with good floatation and increased stability in the turns in the messy stuff off piste.
The crossfire definitely performs better on the piste, accelerating fast through the turns and ripping through crud, but if you are the sort of skier that likes to do anything and go anywhere like me, then you won’t be disappointed with the Crossfire. The Crossfire isn’t an expert in any category, but then again 95% of skiers aren’t experts in any category either, and perhaps that is the secret to the Crossfire’s success.
I give these 4 out of 5
What they say about them
The high performance Crossfire excels at arcing turns on groomers and hard snow, but is still versatile enough to explore the whole mountain. Its 70mm waist width creates this versatility and its ABS sidewall construction ensures that it will be responsive and hold an edge in the hardest conditions. The Titan Metal Laminate Construction and K2/MX Binding System deliver a precise feel and maximize power transfer for a smoother ride.
Who stocks them?
Burton Supermodel Review
An All-Mountain Intermediate Board
What I say about the Burton Supermodel
Burton have designed the Supermodel like Rolls Royce design their cars for comfort and an easy ride
This board is all about cruising, be it powder or on piste this board flys!
It’s a relatively soft board and burton have tapered the shape with mellow edges allowing a laid back riding style, which is great on well maintained pistes and powder. However it can become a little sketchy when your riding over ice, the board doesn’t quite hold the edge as well as stiffer boards.
That said, once you’ve got used to it you can get some serious speed up. Burton are making this up to a whopping 172cm long, the longer the board the faster you go and the easier it is to float on powder. This length is not offered in many other boards, so if your after a monster freestyle this is a great option
I have heard complaints about the lack of a wide alternative, especially considering the wide range of length options. If you have monster feet you might want to check out a wider board.
Overall though this board is a fine example of how to design a really decent freeride board, that’s speedy, stable and simply good fun.
What They Say
“Early morning goods-in-the-woods mentality meets post-lunch freestyle desire, the Supermodel is the OG all-mountain ATV”
Rating
Who Stocks Them
Burton Clash Review
A Progressive Beginner/Intermediate Board
What I say about the Burton Clash
Snowboarding is something you want to enjoy. You want to have fun when you do it.
It can sometimes be a bit of a messy transition between learning to carve and learning to shred. That’s why Burton have made the Clash so that anyone can pick it up and shred straight from the off.
It’s been designed so that the flex is soft enough to forgive those dodgy turns and the nose has been tweaked slightly upwards making everything a whole lot easier. Burton have also implemented their ‘Cruise Control’ system, essentially mellowed out edges which help riders push themselves without the risk of catching a nasy edge and exploding.
It may seem like a bit a cop out choosing something other than the top-of-the-range model but if your at the mid to lower end of the learning curve then it’s a waste choosing something way out of your league.
Why make life hard for youself?
One of our friends – a total beginner – was riding the Clash and he had an awesome time and improved so much over the week he was with us. It’s situations like this that you really see the difference a correctly chosen board makes. Other progressing riders have opted for boards way too advanced for them and as result didn’t enjoy themselves.
That’s what it’s all about, having a good time on the mountain.
What They Say
“The Clash has been crafted to help you carve the learning curve to pieces, then spread your skills across the mountain.”
Rating
Considering who it’s designed for, the Clash can’t really be given any lower than a 4 star, a great board for progressing on
Who Stocks Them
K2 Silencer Review
K2 Silencer Skis
All Mountain Park Ski
What I say about them
First of all they are red, very red. You won’t loose these in a pile of skis outside a mountain restaurant, not that you’d eat or drink there as a beer is about 15 euros, or with current exchange rate £15! Anyway they haven’t changed the construction of these skis since last years model which gives you the advantage that it makes them cheaper. In fact they won Value ski of the year from Fall Line ski magazine. However this does mean you don’t get the latest ski technology. Personally I don’t think that is any great shakes.
These skis are an All mountain twin, which means you can do piste, little bit of off piste and still hit a few jumps. This type of ski will suit a lot of skiers who go on holiday for 1 or 2 weeks a year. However because they do lots of everything, there are compromises, for example they aren’t as reactive if you ski them hard on piste, and not as poppy in of kickers as dedicated Park skis.
What they say about them
“The Silencer is an all-mountain pipe and park ski built for performance not just specific to the park. The cap construction gives the ski a feathery light feel without sacrificing durability. The Silencer has a slightly narrower footprint too providing a higher level of forgiveness and additional hard snow performance.”
Who Stocks them?
Salomon Aeromax Ti Review
All-round – Novice/Intermediate
What we say about them
The first thing I noticed about these skis is they look good. There are some really ugly skis nocking about at the moment. Now I know it shouldn’t matter but it does. The best skis in the world that were all things to all men wouldn’t sell if they were tartan with purple and yellow logos on.
These are purely piste skis aimed at begineers. Personally I found that thre wasn’t enough edge grip on them for my personal preference, but for a beginner or intermediate skier they would be fine, especially as the tail is much softer so they are really forgiving.
Infact I’d go as far as to say these are in the top 5 best beginner skis I’ve every had the pleasure to ski on. I was also very surprised to find out that they only retail for £275!
The only disadvantage of these skis if you push them really hard they become a bit unstable, but then they weren’t designed for that, it’s like expecting a Nissan Micro to get a decent time round a race track, it can get round but it wasn’t designed for it!
I give the Salomon Aeromax Ti 4 out of 5
What they say
This skis stands for sport carving sensations with maximum of maneuverability and precision
- Great grip due to 3D Sport monocoque
- Control in all conditions by choosing radius
- Effortless hybrid sensations
(Editor: Talk about short but sweet!)
Stockists
Burton Custom X Review
What I say about the Burton Custom X
First impressions is that its suprising lightweight, Burton have stuck in one of their Dragon-Fly Cores, a core that is super strong yet massively lightweight. Due to the lack of weight this board floats and is perfect for powder junkies. We went tanking it through a bunch of powder and it was brilliant, really good fun!
I was a little dubious having never ridden one before about its lack of weight and how that would effect its stability. I’m not quite sure how Burton do it, most probably magic, but the board is so stiff, so intuitive and just holds every edge. like every edge, it just drives you through corners.
It’s a little hard to pop, you’ve got to put in a bit more effort to compensate for the rigidity of the board, i didn’t get a long enough go on it to proper session the park but from what i’ve heard once you’ve got the knack of it the board really flys through jumps.
Overall this is an freakin’ awesome freeride board, its just so fast and intuitive on the flat and the powder. I’d avoid mogols on it, bit too stiff, i ended stacking and eating quite a lot snow!
What they Say
“Kazu and Peetu rocket above a 22-foot transition. Frederik floats down a pillowy face. Marko schools every possible spin off an Austrian booter. Precise, fast, and nimble on all terrain, the Custom X™ is the planet’s premier wood core board.”
Rating
Who Stocks Them
K2 Apache Xplorer review
All Mountain – Intermediate/Advanced
What we say say
I was quite excited when I got hold of these skis, as the K2 Apache range is legendary in the ski community and they suit my style of skiing, that is carving on piste and trying to find fresh tracks of piste. I was lucky too as we had just had a fresh dump of snow in Tignes, so I headed over to the hidden vally to see how they did off piste.
Off Piste
Although I got out early the “fresh snow” had already become a bit cruddy. But the Xplorers did a brilliant job in it, this is because they are quite stiff. When I did find some fresh snow they carved through beautifully, having said this not as well as some dedicated off piste skis. But what do want from an all round ski?
On Piste
They carved really well and did the job. However they lacked any get up and go, as they didn’t seem to react to how I skied, they just did the job. Maybe I have a new standard of what I expect from carvers as I have skied the amazing Atomic Double Decks.
In Summary
They do the job but because they are designed for both off piste and on piste means there has to be a comprimise some where. I think what I’m trying to say is there are better carvers and better off piste skis, but none others that do both as well. Definitly worth considering.
I give these 3 out of 5
What they say about them
The Xplorer is a brand new edition to the Apache series although the name goes back to ’97; a ski designed for the same skiing pursuits. The Xplorer was and still is the ideal choice for those who not only spend their day searching for fresh turns in the backcountry but also laying down arcs on the groomers. The 84mm waist and generous 17/16 progressive sidecut perform well on both soft and hard conditions. The Titan Metal Laminate construction, MOD Monic and MOD Technology keep it rock solid and stable in any conditions you discover.
Who stocks them?
Burton Operator Review
An Intermediate/Advanced Freestyle Monster
What I say about the Burton Operator
Well its Shaun White’s signature model. It’s a tad more expensive than you might expect; Mr. White needs to pay for his baked beans somehow.
It has be geared to allow Shaun to be an absolute nutter in the pipe and on big booters. Its fairly snappy, the board’s tail kicks you high in the air. However it’s not so good for jibbing around, this board is made for big park riding.
It has what’s called a “Carbon I-beam”; essentially a spine running down the length of the board which adds to the pop and generally regulates longitudinal movement creating stiff flexibility
The Operator holds it well on and off piste, its construction creating a fairly stiff ride making it a fairly decent all rounder. Its not the best option in terms of purely shredding pistes but its not designed for that, get this sucker on the pipe and it will fly!
What They Say
“From silent flights over slack jawed locals to mellow sessions with friends, Shaun’s board is so dialed it rides like an extension of his body. The versatility of a directional shape and you get a blade that’s easy to wield anywhere on the mountain.”
Rating
Who Stocks Them
Atomic Double Deck VC Review
Piste Ski – Intermediate/Advanced
What I say about the Atomic Double Decks
Again another ski that has won a Fall line award, like the Salomon Lord Skis. This time as the best on piste/carver ski. However this time I can see why straight away, these skis are a bit special. As you can see in the picture above they have slit in the nose and tail. When pressure is applied to the skis, i.e. carving harder, the tip and tails spreadout, increasing the radius of the ski making them carver better. They call this “Automatic Radius Adaptation” I just call it really really clever.
So are they gimick or do they work?
My god do they work, I hope they have got a good patent on these bad boys. You can just ski these like normal piste skis and potter along, going from edge to edge really quickly with very little effort. Then you step it up a gear and and start carving really hard and it’s like being on a different ski, they are so reactive. These are perfect for anybody who is a good piste skier and wants to get into carving.
Any disadvantages?
There is one massive problem with these skis. With bindings, they are £660! They may perform the job of two pairs of skis, but you could buy two pairs of skis for that price. Hopefully they will come down in price next season so people who aren’t investment bankers can afford them too.
What They Say About Them
“The first ski that automatically adjusts to every radius of turn. Thanks to it’s innovative design, it can change its radius while you are skiing. The D” Vario Cut ™ adapts to every turn and offers perfect skiing performance as a result.”
Who Stocks Them?
Burton Custom Review
An All Mountain, Advanced Board
What I say about the Burton Custom
For those of you don’t know, the Custom has been around for a while, you might call it a bit of a benchmark, something to aspire to. You know what to expect; an awesome all mountain board. A friend has been buying a new one every year and after having a razz around on one i can see why he loves them so much. The version i rode was the 3D binding mount version, not the ICS.
No joke, it felt like i was going around a million miles an hour in about 3 seconds. It’s super quick, which is most definitely a good thing, be prepared for it though! It seems like the board pushes you down the hill whether you like it or not, it’s built for speed.
So you have some control Burton have made the board stiff, but with enough flex to kick out of sharp turns and absolutely fly out of booters.
The board really grips the snow, i’ve ridden a few boards where it can get a little sketchy when your bombing but the contruction of the Custom really allows you to solidy hold an edge and it never feels like your going to lose it.
Compared with the Custom X, it’s not as stiff, and generally more forgiving. This is not a downside, it allows a bit more freedom if your into a bit of jibbing and messing around.
Finally the graphics need a mention, they are pretty rad, at least i think so. They make me think of some wierd hybrid of a neon glowsticks and sparklers, a pretty good mix!
Overall, this board is awesome if you want a well established, tried and tested board which shreds the whole moutain.
What they Say
“Riders like Mads, Heikki, and Mason get their dream freestyle stick; you get an adapt-and-destroy all-mountain magic carpet ride. “
Rating
