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Reviews by User: Jake (1)

 
Volkl Chopstick Alpine Ski    Read other reviews of this product
 
Chopstick for a Samurai   01-07-09   

This is my first experience with a reverse camber ski and so far all I can say is that I wish I would have had them last season. I was really leaning towards the EP pro or the Hellbents, but I was nervous about how soft they are. My other pair of skis is a pair of Gotamas and I love them for their versatility, but I am finding that if there is any soft snow to be skied I prefer to do it on my Chopsticks. I am 5'10 and 160lbs. and I bought the 185. First of all you will notice that this is not a quick turning ski and it takes some effort to put it on edge, but if you are a good skier this won't be a problem. I have found that getting them to the lift after a BC run isn't a bad experience, they hold an edge nicely on the groomers and are predictable. The key here is that they don't really like to do anything unless you are going fast. They like GS turns, but will manage shorter turns if you work them hard. Don't hesitate to buy the 185, they ski shorter than they look. I think my gotama is harder to maneuver in the trees. They really come alive once you get them up to speed and honestly I think the newest thing to me is how fast they like to go in the soft snow, because they ride high and the tips won't dive. For me the days of deep snow limiting speed are over. This ski will go as fast as you let it. I can literally ski this ski in crud and powder at speeds similar to those attained on groomers with GS skis. Switch the skis are easy to ski and very stable. I would mount them in the boot center line and not the core center. The boot center line is much further forward than a "traditional" mount and it skies great there, plus it gives a more surfy feel to the ski.


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