Head iPeak 78 length question

[Steeps]

Hi all,

I took a PMTS lesson the other day and my instructor thought I could benefit from a shorter ski, something in the 172 to 174 range with about a 15m radius. I'm 6'3", 230lbs and normally ski a 184 to 188.

However, I'm trying to improve my technique in bumps and crud and longer skis can be a challenge there for sure, especially on steeper blacks or when the bumps are hard. I ski at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows and was looking at the iPeak 78 to practice PMTS which is mentioned by Harold as being a good "out west" one ski quiver. I used to consider myself an advanced skier until I learned in the lesson that I was actually swishing tails and falling back on my heels quite a bit. I never knew true carving was so hard and now I feel like a beginner again, lol.

At my size, would the normal (non Pro) iPeak 78 be okay for me in a 171, or should I go 177? I have a full quiver of longer skis, Kastle MX88 188, Blizzard Bonafide 187, Dynastar Speed Course 184, so I have plenty of stiff, long burley skis already which make learning PMTS extremely challenging.

Thanks!

[Steeps]

In addition to size, can anyone else compare these to say the iPeak 84 or the newer Rev 80 or 85? Any other brands/models I should be looking at as a good all-mountain entry level PMTS ski for a big guy? Thanks!

[jbotti]

Steeps, I am 6 3" 185 and I ski the old IM 78 in the 177 length. It has a 15.6m turn radius but the ski can easily be bent into some very tight arcs. I would not get the non Pro peak 78 because it is a very soft ski. The Peak 78 pro supposedly is similar stiffness to the old IM78 which is not that stiff a ski. At your weight something with less metal than this I think will border on being unstable.

The other thing to consider is getting a true carving ski like the Head Super Shape. On these you would ski the 170 length and the turn radius is 12.1 at the 170cm length. A ski like this really enables you to feel the G forces and you get immediate feedback when attempting to cleanly arc turns. It is however not the most versatile ski and off piste at Squaw and Alpine there are other skis that I would prefer.

I mostly ski in the Montana but I live in the SF Bay area and Squaw is 3 hours away. Happy to meet up and ski with you sometime.

I just saw your second post. I own the Peak 84 and I ski it in the 177 length. It's a great ski but it is definitely harder to bend into tighter arcs than the 78's (old IM78's). The tails are quite stiff and to complete a tight arc you need to weight the tails some and if you are working on getting your weight off the tails it's not great.

The Kastle MX 78 is a great ski. The turn radius is wider than ideal but it can be bent into reasonably tight arcs. It is light and very snappy and skis great off piste as well. It would be a wonderful ski for Squaw and Alpine. I ski the 176 length which would be right for you.

I have no skied the Rev 80 or the Rev 85.

[Max_501]

The problem is we don't know how you ski. Your PMTS coach does. That said I think jbotti has a great idea with the Super Shape in a 170.

[Steeps]

Steeps, I am 6 3" 185 and I ski the old IM 78 in the 177 length. It has a 15.6m turn radius but the ski can easily be bent into some very tight arcs. I would not get the non Pro peak 78 because it is a very soft ski. The Peak 78 pro supposedly is similar stiffness to the old IM78 which is not that stiff a ski. At your weight something with less metal than this I think will border on being unstable.

The other thing to consider is getting a true carving ski like the Head Super Shape. On these you would ski the 170 length and the turn radius is 12.1 at the 170cm length. A ski like this really enables you to feel the G forces and you get immediate feedback when attempting to cleanly arc turns. It is however not the most versatile ski and off piste at Squaw and Alpine there are other skis that I would prefer.

I mostly ski in the Montana but I live in the SF Bay area and Squaw is 3 hours away. Happy to meet up and ski with you sometime.

I just saw your second post. I own the Peak 84 and I ski it in the 177 length. It's a great ski but it is definitely harder to bend into tighter arcs than the 78's (old IM78's). The tails are quite stiff and to complete a tight arc you need to weight the tails some and if you are working on getting your weight off the tails it's not great.

The Kastle MX 78 is a great ski. The turn radius is wider than ideal but it can be bent into reasonably tight arcs. It is light and very snappy and skis great off piste as well. It would be a wonderful ski for Squaw and Alpine. I ski the 176 length which would be right for you.

I have no skied the Rev 80 or the Rev 85.

Thanks Jbotti--would be great to ski with you--I'm usually up in Squalpine every other weekend and should be back up next on the weekend of Jan 18th. PM me any time you are up and we can meet up!

I'm pretty sure my coach was suggesting a shorter ski to make tipping and carving easier, especially off-piste and in moguls. Im currently more of a tail swisher when cruising, unless I'm maching groomers. My current quiver is all long and stiff--Dynastar Speed Course (non TI) 184, Blizzard Bonafide 187, Kastle MX88 188, etc.

I've been skiing my newer MX88s in a 188 the last couple of days and they are simply astoshingly smooth blasting over frozen crud, choppy groomers, whatever. Super super smooth, heavy and damp. That said they are definitely long for my current ability in moguls and trying to get them on edge with pure PMTS technique. Not sure if it's the mount point or the flex, but I find it hard to stay out of the backseat unless driving them very agressively from the tips. In comparison to my 187 Bonafides with rockered tips and tails, it was much harder to do to one footed drills on them and such (nearly impossible with any kind of speed or steepness) which were fairly easy to do on my much lighter and wider Bonafides. For my old non PMTS technique though I could ride the tails on the MX88s all day long at mach speed and have a blast. Would love to see what a 176 MX78 feels like! I felt like a 177 mx88 would have suited me much better as an all mountain ski also...