Skied them today at demo day. They were amazing! Thought I was going to like the Blizzard Thunderbird R15 WB based on reviews, but the E-Rally won my heart at the end. They were just do incredibly smooth and dampened. My knees said thank you

The super HD, perfect lighting, slow pan profile shot is so good; big fan of that!

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

We plan to do that for just about every video this season! We've got some really cool shots coming in our next review.

As a father of a race daughter who moved over to skiing their WorldCup SL & GS skis in U14 last year, her feedback at the previous year-end demo before we made the decision was her massive smile at the bottom of the hill - ear-to-ear. She was searching, like you, for the words to describe exactly the difference - but smooth, not overly 'hard' in feeling, but very powerful - and for sure, some of that is that dampening circuit. At the year-end International at Sunday River, all the very top kids from Ontario, Quebec, & most of the US North East, 90% of the kids (80 boys & 80 girls) were using these skis - it blew my mind - the Head Reps covering these areas had virtually ALL the top kids in North America. In terms of that new binding, I would love to have that on all my personal skis. As someone that has tuned racecar suspensions, the thing I was hearing you say about the heel piece was bumpy track compliance and grip. One of the hardest suspension setups is when you go to a bumpy track - you need to find the right combo of a setup that will absorb the tiny bumps & track imperfections yet still control the car - that heel piece is clearly absorbing, but in a very controlled way, the texture of the hill, which does give you more grip when it's done correctly - and my guess is that it will also be less fatiguing over time because vibrations are tiring - the fact that it adds more safety to your knee is the reason anyone that skis a lot to immediately buy them. Great video - we see some of the better older skiers in my area north of Toronto on these - carving is what we do up in this location with shorter icier hills.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Always really enjoy reading your thoughts and experiences, Paul! Love your car suspension analogy for the binding. Such a good way to think about it. That lateral elastic travel feels like it's smoothing out imperfections in the snow surface, just like a well-tuned suspension. Now if only I could dial in my mountain bike suspension as effectively... ;)

@wallstreetoneil

Жыл бұрын

@@SkiEssentials My personal experience with mountain biking, my lady is a very, very high-level mountain biker/racer - and I have taken over setting up her suspension, is using the tire sidewalls as much as possible for your subtle suspension (just like I was speaking about above) - and if that means 5x as much sealant as recommended to keep the tire on, and a cushcore insert to further keep the tire on when running lower pressures, then also do that. Start with the tires as the principal suspension idea, let them do as much as possible because they are the thing touching the ground and they will react faster than anything else can - and then go to the bigger things. Also remember that volume isn't particularly intuitive in that a 2.6 & 2.8 tire holds much more volume than a 2.3/2.4 so if you can find 2.6&2.8 that you like, start with those, run LOTS of sealant & inserts if the trails can benefit from it, and then try and find as low pressures as possible (it's why they mandate min tire pressures in F1 - lower = faster almost all the time), and then find that tire/grip balance with your suspension first locked out before you go to step 2. Step 2 for me helping her, and her team members, was finding the minimum rear shock pressure that on a climb would keep the geometry from changing too drastically - like keeping you out of the back seat while skiing. Forget about sag-level and what it should or shouldn't be - what you need to find foremost is a minimum rear shock load that keeps the bike's geometry working on climbs - I found that this was often more air pressure than you would think - but it was rider dependant for sure. The next part is the real tough one for most people until they become really good - and that is what is your style because it really, really starts to matter when you go fast. In the car world, there are two types of drivers - and they absolutely do not like the same setup - there are drivers that like the rear-end glued to the ground so that they can come in brutally fast to a corner and not worry about the rear end coming around - and they love and can deal with the insanity of very fast corner entry and they need a very stable front end. Once the entry insanity is over, and they have made up the distance on the guy in front of them, they want a car where they can just mash the throttle, the rear end will hold and life goes on. The other kind of driver is a person that likes a lose rear-end - they use their right/throttle foot for steering - more gas and the car comes around more - people that grew up on dirt bikes, rally drivers, some of, but not all of the fastest F1 drivers - it really is a preference thing. With all that crap out of the way, this is the kind of stuff that the World Down Hill guys do - some like the front-end of the bike to be insanely firm so that they can just 100% count of the front-end saving them and they will just send it into the sanity (some of them actually run 50% more pressure in their shocks than similarly weighted riders that don't like that feel) - whereas, the guys who are flow guys, are coming out of corners faster but need that back end coming around more so a softer front end, that loads the front more, releasing the weight over the rear tire for it to come around works better - and of course, there are middle of the road setups; but personally, I would encourage finding a style that works for your brain and then pushing the bike into that direction. To find that 'like-zone', after you have found that climbing rear min shock level, you want to start with far too much front shock pressure and you want to start experimenting with what I call trail-braking corner entry - i.e. you want to come in faster than you normally feel comfortable doing, using the front shock for support, and then really lean into that front-end for grip - it should keep the rear behind you but it will be stable because there is lots of frontend to lean on -as an aside, this is how we drive Porsche GT3s with the engine in the rear - we throw the front in, not wanting the rear to come around, the rear weight of the engine further pushes the noise into the ground but we set up the car NOT to want to turn/come around - but we use the brutal attack on the corner to unweight the rear, but it's still stable and we turn around the noise of the car in a brutal fashion (but the rear end is glued behind) - this is the technique of some of the fastest World DownHill bike riders. You would then start to take big chunks out of the front shock pressure, add a little rear, and then see on entry if the bike, setup up to come around a little more, and to flow a corner with the rear end being looser, is more to your style. You can then finish the exercise by further softening the front, adding more pressure to the rear to be able to load up like a spring, and then get the feel of the bike where YOU are the REAR TIRE & suspension - your clipped-in feet and mass are one with the rear, and you are driving the corner, like Marcel Hirscher coming out of a turn, sitting on a chair, rocketing out with the energy stored up in the tails of the skis - with that carbon fiber springy ski poppy feel you get in those new Head Kores - or how dirt bike guys ride bikes.

@jerl.980

Жыл бұрын

Yes the Head race skis are that good ! They also have very good reps. I tested the 2022 e isl rd i may have mixed up the letters 😉. I made my best ski run of last year on that ski ! It was perfect, the edge hold was incredible and i was carving anything i wanted. I kept them for 2 extra run and give them back. The only other slalom ski that made a comparable first impression was the first fischer hole ski with the notch tail, fabulous ski also. By the way what the hell is happening with fischer ?

@wallstreetoneil

Жыл бұрын

@@jerl.980 Funny you mentioned the Fischers. My lady is an ex-Canadian level racer (long ago), but when my daughter was doing her Head e SL RD and e GS RD demos (the i you put in there belongs to the less stiff skis 'below' the stiffer WC skis), the Fischer tent was also there and my lady demoed the Fischer WC 158 FIS ski - and she loved it. The year before I demoed the lady's length 184 FIS GS ski (to see if I thought my daughter could handle it) - it was incredible. Fischer is a smaller family-owned company like Porsche used to be - the skis they make are insanely good - they own the Nordic world and basically sell everything they make. They would need to invest far more capital if they wanted to grow - and it just doesn't seem to be what they are interested in doing. Finally, they had a fire 2 years ago that destroyed a lot of their production ability - and then the Russian invasion of Ukraine has affected their labor force as they have a plant located in Western Ukraine and working-aged males have been conscripted.

Binding comparisons are so so fascinating. Great video 👍

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Hey Jeff/Bob, thanks for the update on tyrolia protector binding. I'm changing out the PRD12 bindings of the E rally super shape 156cm to this safer binding. 70 yrs of age and still playing hard. Keep on keep'n on Guys It's all Downhill from here.. Ho Ho Ho

Shout out from Hongkong for this great review. Keep up the good work and wish you guys a happy new year.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Happy New Year!

You guy both do a tremendous job in both the on snow and in shop ski reviews. To me, the best by far of anyone. My go to source when I want to see what real knowledgeable guys in both the product and skiing abilities have to say about a ski. I like getting both of you perspective too. One from a guy with a more freeride style and background, and one from a more carver/race background type of skier. I'm a member of the retired and "Senior Citizen" ski group now, but previously taught skiing and coached junior race teams for 26 years in Park City. It's all in the past now, but I really like and relate to what you say, the videos of you guys skiing and the really right on technical reviews of all you products. Way to go. Jobs well done.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Steve!

I tested them last year and they are very good. A bit on the heavy side and not very lively but so stable. They are a no brainer if you want a quality carving ski and don’t want to try 10 skis before buying take those. I felt they like heavier skiers because they are beefy.

Great job guys! I was able to do a side-by-side comparison with the PRD 12 and the Protector 13 bindings on two identical pairs of Head e-Originals and had the same conclusions you spoke of. I am hoping that you will be able to review the new e-Original. Having taught advanced skiing out west for 53 winters, I am not sure I agree with your comment about narrower-waisted skis like the e-Originals being harder to balance on. I feel that they are easier to balance on for me and most people I ski with because the edges are more directly under your foot instead of balancing on something hanging out to the side as with wider skis. Balancing on the edge of wider skis requires more lateral strength, laterally stiffer boots, and arguably is tougher on the knees. There is no question that wider skis are easier to balance on in three-dimensional powder but on hardpack, we are not balancing on the width of the base but just on the edge; I am only on my bases when standing in the lift lines. With a narrower ski, the edge is more directly underneath your foot and therefore easier to balance on. Just my experience, YMMV.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! I know exactly what you mean about the narrower skis, and don't necessarily disagree. I just find I can more confidently push against a slightly wider ski, especially in less-than-perfect snow conditions. Definitely tougher on the knees the wider you go, and maybe balancing isn't the best way to describe it. At least for me (Jeff) it doesn't really feel like a difference in balance, more just a difference in overall comfort, but that's negated by perfect snow conditions.

My problem with the rally and the titan is when a retaillor try to sell it as a all mountain carver .When i bought a titan i wanted something wider for a bit more snow.But frankly those are pure front side carver and that's all .They are powerfull and full of energy and by no means want to "play around".Once again you guy's are dead on! Great job and happy new year!

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Agree 100%. I was giving some feedback to a newsletter design for this review and there was a mention of "wide enough that's it's versatile for different terrain," and I just had to disagree and tell them to take that part out. The width is there, but I agree 100% that they're pure frontside carvers.

@chrisgravel7157

Жыл бұрын

You nailed it. The only people who think theses are versitile outside of a groomer are v. strong technical skiers and ex racers who can ski anything, anywhere unlike most of us. For me their a welcome step down from my race skis, easier, lighter but very high performance but I save them for hard snow days

@LukiausdemKaff

7 ай бұрын

Maybe that is because Didier Cuche was involved in the development 🙂@@chrisgravel7157

FWIW, this is an incredibly versatile ski that WILL absolutely do very short radius turns with aplomb. It skis well in shallow chalk, bumps, and off piste crud, and most certainly can be slowed down to teach and demo very accurate movements. If you liked the older iTitan, this is your replacement ski. All the carvy stuff is a given.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback!

long time rally skier and i agree it is easier to do med to large carves than true short turns on that ski, one has to commit 100% for it to comply and don’t try at slow speeds.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

100%. You need some good pitch and you need to be ready to really drive the tip into a turn. It's doable, and very rewarding when you do it, but it's not easy.

Great ski and I agree with comments. I found these to be very stable, easy to ski, and a definite on-piste only ski. I will admit that I prefer my thunderbirds and dobermanns to them due to those skis having a bit more snap out of the turn (at least that’s what I feel). Vibration dampening is also something I truly notice on them as well for those days in the east when we get “frozen ice pellets”for conditions.

@SkiEssentials

6 ай бұрын

I kind of agree with the Thunderbird piece--so much energy in that ski! but these are so incredibly smooth.

Excellent review as usual! I completely agree with your characterization of the e-rally (I'm on the similar I-Titan). It's a hard-snow technical ski that asks to be driven hard by an ex-racer, which can be bullied into shorter turns but doesn't like them much. My question is about the bindings - will you be able to offer Protector toe and heel - or even just the heels - for people who already own the PRD, to mount on their existing power rails?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Right now we only have them offered as a system, but that is something that I would like to explore down the road. I think it's going to require some conversations with Tyrolia, but certainly possible.

got pair of these and demoed them last year during test but only have 3 days on them. DOnt want to kill them on no snow so not going out. II agree with all the comment about carving. but I find it easier to skid and ski slow as well. In fact its why I bought it over the Deacons and Disruption. The Disruption was by far the most demanding carver and most demanding any ski I skied in the ski essentials test. I also think it will handle bumps and woods fine but wont do the skier any favors. I am unlikely to ski woods on them simply because why screw my edges when I have other skis I care less about...... but more time is needed to know, and currently no snow and not looking to ruin new skis

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Agree regarding Disruption, especially the 82Ti. Certainly the skier needs to provide input for bumps and woods, and around here in VT, the packed woods should be great on those skis. See you up there!

Love the Protector review. Can we get a review of the Attack version on something a little wider and test it off piste? It seems like the stand height is the only downside, but I just don't know how much that really matters. If you told me for the next 5 years I could reduce my risk of ACL injury by half for $40-50 a season I'd take that any day. Do you see either of you guys switching full time to them?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

We'll get on the Attack version at some point this season for sure. I'm not too opposed to stand height, although I know Jeff likes to be closer to the ski. I think it works better for some skis than others--that'll have to be looked at as well. We don't really ski on our own stuff all that much, so a personal Protector isn't really on my radar, but I really think the technology is right there and makes a lot of sense.

i don't know how much of this i am going to watch.. i am going to go to bed early tonight so i can go to bed early tomorrow.. at the beginning of the video i saw all that fresh snow and i thought it was weird that you guys were on carvers.. then i saw the groomers and i could see why.. out of the 10 days that i went skiing this year, i would say that i could have used my race skis 8 for sure 9 maybe.. there was 1 for sure powder day.. you guys just got me thinking about that.. i don't know anything about bindings so i am curious to find out what you guys have to say.. carry on;)

@darinsmith2458

Жыл бұрын

This is the first video that I heard you guys mention skiing around other people... Thank you;)

@darinsmith2458

Жыл бұрын

when you guys started talking about flat pitched terrain and with a race ski that is when i would talk about winding the ski up.. getting that energy out of the ski.. i am not sure how to say it but the ski starts giving you the momentum.. it is kind of a form of skating but you want the ski to bend so that the spring gives you the momentum.. i would have to do that for the flats when i was racing.. it was part of my racing for slalom and for the rare times that i would have super G... GS also but it was different.. the spring was off of more of a longer arching turn.. Downhill was all about keeping the bases as flat on the snow as possible..

@darinsmith2458

Жыл бұрын

my race skis are 70mm under foot;)

@darinsmith2458

Жыл бұрын

you guys brought up a lot of stuff.. the one thing about my race bindings that they came with spacers to increase my stand height.. that was a good thing.. i am pretty sure that was so that i could really lean the skis over.. some other stuff that came up for me.. pre-release.. when i broke my arm on 3.14.2022 my bindings did pre-release.. i was on a demo pair of skis QST 106 x 188.. some big skis that should have been set higher.. another thing is that i had race boots.. omg.. was it a pain to get my feet in them.. Salomon race boots that i loved.. there was absolutely no give in those boots.. so when you guys start talking about carving skis it starts getting into a discussion of racing and how much "give" do we want the equipment to have.. this is off the subject but when i had my 1 powder day my feet were flying around in my boots.. that was the only time in 2 years where i had to tighten my boots.. so then addressing that elasticity question.. as a racer, do i want any movement with my binding? that is the question that i ask myself.. do i want any movement in my boot? or would i rather have my movement in the boot or in the binding? or i could even ask would i rather have the movement in the boot, binding, or the ski? one story for you guys.. like i said we would normally race slalom and giant slalom but we had a super g race and this was before shaped skis so we all brought are longest skis and cranked the bindings up as tight as they went.. after our race we took cruiser laps... anyways there was this headwall that we all came up to and when we jumped, we jumped right out of our skis.. so out of like 8 guys 5 jumped right out of their skis.. total yard sale.. all race equipment cranked up as high as it can go...

Fantastic review as always guys! I have a question regarding binding compatibility: Will Tyrolia or Head branded Protector bindings also fit Elan Fusion X baseplates? As I understand it they’re all rebranded Tyrolia kit, so hopefully they would be interchangeable?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Yes? I don't see any reason why they wouldn't work on a Wingman with that Fusion X plate versus the Head platform.

Hey guys thanks for the great review. I was wondering if you could help me find my next pair of ski. What’s the best all mountain ski for someone who like to do carving on the slope but also want something good when off piste occasionally. I was looking for the Nordica enforcer 88, Atomic Bent 90 or the Volkl kendo 88. If you have any better suggestions you can let me know. I ski on the east coast. I’m 5’11 145 lbs. Thanks

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

The Kendo is certainly the carver of that group, with the Enforcer just behind. Bent is a couple of steps below when it comes to pure carving power, so if you're looking for grip and energy, I'd leave Bent off the list. Enforcer blends the two pretty nicely, but if you're looking for something lighter and more maneuverable, I'd also add the Elan Ripstick 88 to the list as a good option. Have fun! SE

Thnx for the great introduction. If I had to choose btw he Atomic Redster Q7 and this Head e-Rally, which one should I go for? I'm an intermediate to advanced to skier.

@SkiEssentials

7 ай бұрын

The Q7 is a bit lighter and more energetic while the Rally is firmer and more solid. If you are looking for the ski to do some of the work in the process, I'd go Atomic. If you're comfortable and capable of driving a heavier and sturdier ski, the Rally is amazing.

Love the review! If I have to choose between e rally vs thunderbird r15 wb, do you have recommendations?

@SkiEssentials

9 ай бұрын

Not really. They're both awesome. I'd say the Blizzard has a bit more of a versatile feel to it while the Rally feels more planted on the snow and much prefers groomed/smooth terrain.

I just finished rehabbing a torn ACL and I have a pair of Atomic Bent 90s. I’m mentally still afraid of reinjury (it didn’t happen while skiing but still) and I’m wondering if the protector would be a good choice of binding. I know it would be good for my peace of mind but I worry that the stack height might ruin the experience of the ski. Any thoughts?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

I think you're the exact type of skier that they had in mind when building the bindings. The Protector binding is a great option for skiers who are on the more hesitant side of the spectrum. It will not lose performance at all--perhaps a bit heavier, but no worse at all.

Thanks for this summary. What kind of ski would you guys advise for a little bit less burly (and heavy in the legs) all-day ski that is really playfull, damp enough for some late afternoon slush, forgivening enough to skid a while and stiff enough for high speed skiing and improve my carving. I know this is a hard to find combination but maybe you guys know some ski's that tick some of the boxes? I'm 28 years old, 185 cm, 92 kG, intermediatie/advance skier, and like short/medium turns. 90-10 on piste. Coming from a Rossi Hero Elite Ti Long turn, liked them on high speed but they were really hard to work and the radius a tad to big for my ski style I think. Really don't know what to buy, so much choice but not a place nearby here in NL to test ski's. Hopefully you guys can help :)

@bearclaw5115

Жыл бұрын

Dynastar Speed Zone 12ti 174cm. Very common ski, not sure if they still make them. They have a layer of rubber to dampen vibrations, are not super stiff and have a 15m turn radius which is quick but not slalom quick.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

I'd say something in the mid-80's underfoot makes sense for what you're looking to do. Volkl Kanjo, Dynastar M-Pro 85, and Black Crows Vertis all fit this zone. Slightly burlier and more on-piste, Rossignol Experience 82Ti, Elan Wingman 82CTi, and Armada Declivity 82Ti are all narrower all-mountain skis that use more metal than the above list.

Jeff, Bob, I love your reviews, thank you so much for all the information. Jeff - I always watch your skiing and I can't tell if it's the angle of the video, so I thought to ask: when you're carving do your inside and outside skis split forwards and backwards? i.e. lead change? I was taught to minimize lead change as much as possible and have the ski tips level throughout the turn, but the angle of the videos makes it look like you're getting a lot of lead change (your outside ski is behind your inside ski). But having said that your technique also looks beautiful and watching the videos I find myself wishing my skiing looks like yours, so perhaps I was taught wrong or it's just the camera angle? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Hey Paul! You're not the first person to ask about that. My girlfriend was a Nor Am racer and likes to poke fun at me for exactly what you're noticing. My own personal assessment is that it comes from so much time skiing park. Skiing switch, you're forced to stagger your feet (or lead change) so you can see where you're going. I think it's just been so many years of that, I now have the habit of doing it skiing forward to. If I'm really focusing, or racing, or something like that, I can just about completely eliminate it and I do feel the difference, but it still shows up quite often when freeskiing. So, no, I don't think you were taught wrong, I think if anything, I developed weird habits as a park skier that work, but aren't as efficient as they could be.

@markkoue1159

Жыл бұрын

Jeff, I noticed the same thing about your advancing the uphill ski on your turn transitions. I have been trying to use this technique when carving, it seems to get your uphill ski freed up and a smooth, quick transition to the downhill, weighted ski. I really enjoy watching your skiing and think you guys should expand from equipment advise to some technique advise, maybe with some PSIA instructors as guests. Watch you guys every week. Happy New Year from California!

@luftens

Жыл бұрын

@@markkoue1159 Mark I think the moral of the comments here is not to try and emulate this, unless you're skiing backwards. :) Skiing forwards you should be aiming for less lead change.

@luftens

Жыл бұрын

Jeff I keep trying to reply but it doesn't seem to post... Anyway I wrote thanks for the quick reply, the bit about your gf made me laugh! :) You make it look good all the same. Cheers and happy new year!

@markkoue1159

Жыл бұрын

@@luftens I agree it should be a subtle, shortening the uphill leg kind of change with limited difference at the tips. It seems to work for me, especially on my Slalom race skis. You gotta admit, Jeff still gets his carve on. Thanks for the input, have a great season!

Not sure if I missed it in the video or comments, but what are your height/weights? I'm trying to decide on length for the eRally

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Bob: 6/2 225 Jeff: 5/9 160

I tried these, the elan wingman 86, and the e-speed, back in 20/21. E-rally felt too business like, wingman didn't have enough cojones, and the e-speed was my soul mate. It is like a squirrel in a tuxedo on meth. Might appear to be professional, but that short radius lets it make lightning fast turns whenever and wherever (as long as it is groomed), while still being stable at high speeds (high being relative to it's radius).

@bobdavis2689

Жыл бұрын

Love your “squirrel in a tuxedo on meth“! That nicely describes my e-Rally 163‘s with 12.8 M radius. I now tune them with a conservative 1/1 and soften the tips and tails about 3” - to mellow out the squirrel a little bit.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

It's a nice blend for sure of those attributes for sure--narrow, yes, but if it's groomed, it's amazing!

Thank you for the review guys - amazing! I can't wrap my head around the following: I'm a mid-level *only on-piste* skier, who had Head Prestige before (which in general were somehow above my level of expertise) and enjoyed their stability and kinda "rail" contact with the piste. However I was dissappointed with their weight - when carrying them. So now I'm choosing between eRallys and e-V8 - what should I choose? eRallys are successors of discontinued Prestige series, V8s are more for my level of skiing, but I've heard their toes are not stable at high speeds (=steep slopes). On the one hand the v8's forgiveness and fun are tempting, on the other - I want to become a faster, more aggressive skiier - so which model do you recommend?

@SkiEssentials

9 ай бұрын

With stability at speed generally comes weight. It sounds like, if not for the weight of carrying the skis, you'd be better suited to the Rally when on snow. There are some mid-ground options out there, maybe not in Head's line, though. Check out the Rossignol Forza V-70 kzread.info/dash/bejne/X5V_1suLdMLah7w.html as a lighter option that still rips in that width range. Volkl Deacon 80, as well: kzread.info/dash/bejne/X6mNrrSfc8WacZc.html

@hexensage196

9 ай бұрын

@@SkiEssentials Thank you so much, appreciate your support! 👍🏻🔥

Are those Scott LCG goggles Jeff? If so, what's your opinion on them? Do you have them in stock?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

They're actually Sweet Protection Interstellar Rig! I know it's not what you're asking about, but I absolutely love them. Best peripheral vision I've ever had in any goggles I've used. We do stock the LCG, and they look pretty sweet, but I've never skied in them so can't honestly give you an opinion, aside from the fact they look cool and seem like great quality.

I`m 178cm and went with the 163cm Rally. Love it. Sometimes at higher Speeds i would love to know how the 170cm Rally feels (wayyy more stable ? Or just a lil bit) but in the end i did not want to have a larger turn radius. Compared to my very old Magnum: Rally is easyer to drive. It just plows trough everything. Thanks again for this video, watched it 100x :)

@SkiEssentials

5 ай бұрын

Thanks! I do think there's more eagerness in the longer ski to attain those speeds, but I don't think there's a huge uptick in stability--it's not like the ski changes construction in the longer length, there's just more of it to soak up the little bumps--kind of like a limo.

@kokibr91

4 ай бұрын

I have tried both lengths, I am a few cm shorter than you. 170 was way harder to ski at slow speeds. Getting the short radius require harder push and higher edge angle. They are manageable but felt too long. 163 is spot on.

@-bax-

4 ай бұрын

@@kokibr91 Thank you for sharing your opinion :) !

Hi guys, you said "carve fast" @15:47 and Im just wandering what does it mean? What speed do u have in mind? Btw it would be nice if youll add speed meter to your future tests 😊😊

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

I'd say up to about 35 is carving fast on these skis--not much more speed available in a turn on this ski.

Great video. I am trying to decide between these or the Thunderbird WB for my frontside ski for skiing mid-west hills, short and icy. Will be 80% icy groomers and 20% icy bumps. Looking at the eRally in 170 or the Thunderbird WB in 174,. Am not sure if the 174 is a little long for a frontside ski for me. I am 5'8, 170 pounds, advanced skier, about to hit 50 years old. Thoughts on length and how these would handle bumps? Ski Ripstick 96's as my travel ski.

@bobdavis2689

Жыл бұрын

5’8”, 150# advanced skier with e- Rally 163s, and now entering my second season on them. Remember that they have an unusually long amount of edge length for their ski length because the contact points are at the extreme ends of the ski. That was my reason for going with the 163‘s. 132-78-114 gives them a 12.8 m radius, so they are very aggressive turners when you get them on edge. To soften their character, because I’m not racing, I detuned the tips & tails more than normal and that did seem to calm them down a little. They now seem seem easier to drift when desired and are not so manic when they happen to be flat, although they clearly prefer to be on edge. For my relatively light weight, if I could further customize them for me, I’d make them softer, but that’s not possible. I hate icy moguls, but when faced with them, the tight turning radius does seem to help. Don’t know if it is the E feature, but they seem to have no speed limit and are very stable when really ripping. They do like aggressive skiing, like 100 turns on a single Whiteface run, and that’s fine if that’s what you want to do. On short midwest hills, that might be perfect. But for (senior citizen) me, at the end of a full ski day, my legs are beat, despite the fact that they have a relatively soft ride under performance conditions.

@DarrylCK

Жыл бұрын

@@bobdavis2689 thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated. Cheers.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

I'd say the 174 is on the long side for your stats and application. They work very well in shorter lengths due to the longer effective edge and burly build. Have fun! SE

@bearclaw5115

Жыл бұрын

eRally 170cm would work great for your use case. They are damp, confident on ice and the 14m radius will let you get some turns in on those short hills!

How the e rally 2023 vs 2024? Just graphic design or there’s upgrade with PR13 GW?

@SkiEssentials

8 ай бұрын

Just graphics and the available Protector binding option for 2024

How do the protectors compare to knee bindings in terms of safety and performance??

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Tyrollia is claiming Protector is the safest binding in the world. Performance-wise, the Protector is quite a bit lighter and less clunky. There's no right/left like there is in Knee, and I think that's a huge advantage for Protector.

Hi there, I (181cm (5'9), 70Kg(155) advanced )am at the moment on Völkl Race Tiger RC (175, R18) I really enjoy them on perfect pistes. Stable carving turns but fast speed. I am looking for either the e-rally in 170cm or the fischer RC one GT82 both with protector. Due to my more light weight. Do you thing the Fischer will work maybe better for me? Thanks a lot for your reviews. It is hard to find serious ski tests. The videos do the proof that you are very experienced.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

They both feel very planted and grounded to the snow. I'd think the Fischer would be more versatile and easier to turn overall based on the build and shape--not true tip to tail effective edge like the Rally. I'd lean to the Fischer!

@LukiausdemKaff

7 ай бұрын

Sorry for the late reply. I bought the e-Rally and I am really happy with 177cm. I was not able to get the Fisher for testing and I felt good with the e-Rally. The Protector I can confirm is great. I do not feel a difference at all compared to the normal binding I tested. Your Reviews were a great help 🙂 @@SkiEssentials

Very interesting review on the protector bindings and the extra weight on the heel. What are your thoughts on the possibility they may ski better due to the reduced ramp angle - 2 degrees on the PR13 as opposed to 5.5 degrees on the PR11 (I assume the PRD12 is also 5.5 degrees) ?

@SkiEssentials

3 ай бұрын

It's funny, the ramp angle is like the last thing I think about with bindings. We totally neglected that aspect of the review. Where are you getting your statistical information on these bindings, the manufacturer?

@davidgordon1994

3 ай бұрын

@@SkiEssentials I got the information on another web site not the manufacturers so the information might not be 100% accurate. I do know that a few years back myself and a couple of fellow instructors swapped the PRD 12 binding for a flat "racing" on our Titans and we all felt an improvement. Unfortunately I don't have access to either of the bindings to measure them for myself. I have recently been reading some articles mainly by Tom Gellie (Big Picture Skiing) on the effects of boot and binding ramp angles which prompted my question. Interesting reading and has me thinking I should at least experiment with making small "temporary" changes to my set up to perhaps change things for the better - or worse! Anyway many thanks for the great reviews you guys spend so much time putting together for our enlightenment!

I have the 2022 version - 170 cm, 132/78/114 r14.0m. Also have the Head Kore 87 (170 cm 127/85/108 r14.8m) I'm an advanced skier but older...tending to go slower. 5' 8" - 170 lbs. Carving ability improving with every run. How, briefly, does the eRally compare with the Rossignol Forza 60 and 70? (I've viewed your reviews of both.) Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and good humor!

@SkiEssentials

11 ай бұрын

Thanks! The Rally feels more lumbering while the Forza is lighter and more energetic. Depending on what you're looking for, this could be a good or bad thing. On a day to day basis, I'd personally rather ski the Forza because you get amazing carving performance with less overall effort.

@johnhoye3377

11 ай бұрын

Thanks, I have skied the 70 on a demo day and loved it. But for my current trend towards slower runs, maybe the 60 is easier/better? I understand the 70 is more stable. How sketchy is the 60 at speed? @@SkiEssentials

@SkiEssentials

11 ай бұрын

@@johnhoye3377 If you are a stable skier, then the 60 will be fine. If you're thinking that the ski will do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to stability, that's not really going to work as well. In our experience, the 60 was a lot happier at mid-range turns and moderate speeds. It just has a narrower waist and a relatively shorter turn radius that makes it a bit twitchy at speed.

@johnhoye3377

11 ай бұрын

Thanks very much - SE is a great resource - I'll go with the 60!@@SkiEssentials

You guys ever checked out the legendary late 70s Marker MMR twin cam "explodamate". You had to bend down to clip it on (it wasn't a step in) and click the heal piece together again if the heal released. (hence the name). When Marker dropped it for a step in design racers wouldn't cooperate! The twin cam toe had more lateral travel than anything today and no friction!

@vascopajama1959

5 ай бұрын

* Explodamat because the heal split in half. Had three din option I, II and III

@SkiEssentials

4 ай бұрын

I remember my old freestyle coaches had these bindings for moguls and swore by them.

Is 2023/2024 model still the same ski as the one you just reviewed because im looking to buy a pair. I noticed a different graphic and thats about all. I would like an advice aswell, I would rate myself as intermediate - advanced, I'm currently working on improving my carving technique. Just started skiing this year but went to the hill whenever I could and really made some progress, i think. Do you think I can wrestle this thing or is it too advanced for me? Thanks in advance and great reviews as always!

@MrKarisMatikable

Ай бұрын

P.S. which lenght would you recommend if so. So far i used some old 2007 atomic at 165cm and went to i-magnum 2015. which is 163 cm, it just feels a bit short and turny when not carving. My height is 175cm (5 ft 9) at weight of 198 pounds. Do i stick to 163 cm or go for 170?THANK YOU!

@SkiEssentials

Ай бұрын

Yes it's the same model with a slightly different graphic. The ski changes slightly for the 24/25 season with added carbon underfoot, but overall is pretty similar in performance and application. I do think it's going to be on the stiff side, but if you're looking to progress and rate yourself as an improving intermediate, you will be able to handle this ski. I'd go 170 in this ski based on your stats and application. Have fun!

@MrKarisMatikable

Ай бұрын

@@SkiEssentials thank you very much, been waiting for you response before ordering 😁

A question for Bob: what ski would you take if skiing with your kid(s)? I currently own Nordics enforcer 88 and Rossignol Hero Elite MT Ti...both great skis but they want to go fast. All would be ideal if I ski alone. But, my kid loves to make tight turns, make jumps and ski in trails. I'm thinking to add a skis for skiing with family. Currently thinking: elan wingman 82 cti or ripstick 96

@dick91p

Жыл бұрын

What type of skier are you? What’s your height and weight? Do you ski icy groomers on the East Coast, or hero snow out West? A “family” ski as in you and your kid, or more people, including beginners? How much are you willing to spend?

@jackychuang4692

Жыл бұрын

​@@dick91p 185cm 90kg, preparing for level 2 ski instructor now. I mainly ski groom runs in Vancouver / Westcoast but my local mountain Cypress mtn is more like east coast condition since it does not have so much pow. I intend to use the ski for beginners and kids. Budget isnt an issue.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Hey Jacky! Funny enough, Bob took the day off to ski with his kids today! Having had that conversation a lot, however, I can pretty much guarantee he'd say Ripstick 96 over Wingman. Softer flexing, more tip and tail rocker, and it's more compliant at slow speeds because of that. Bob would probably bring up twin tips too. Right now, he used the Atomic Bent 90 a lot when skiing with his kids.

can you give a video of testing Head E Race Pro ?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

We got on it once this year, but conditions were too soft to give it a proper run-through. In our 2024 ski test, we had more success, so keep your eyes out in August for the results!

I'm about to buy bindings for my new Peak 88's. So, Pivot or Protector? How about my old standby Griffons?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

I have no issues with any of those bindings! On the Head e-Rally that we skied the Protector heel, we were very impressed with the functionality and the performance. Always a fan of Pivot, the 88 mm waist is a bit awkward for the 95 brake. Griffons have stood the test of time, and if you're used to that binding, there are very few weaknesses. I'd say Protector, Griffon, Pivot, and it kinda kills me to put Pivot last, but I just don't like that brake hang.

@steveliberman3000

Жыл бұрын

@@SkiEssentials Thanks. I've purchased the Protector Attacks so it's too late to look back now. I could only get them with 95mm brakes. We'll find out next Tuesday if that's a problem. Peak says 95's are fine.

@therealjaypowell

Жыл бұрын

@@steveliberman3000 How have you gotten along with them? Haven’t seen any reviews of the Attacks yet

@steveliberman3000

Жыл бұрын

@@therealjaypowell I don't really have any way to definitively "test" bindings. They stayed on when I wanted them to, and yes, they came off when I wanted them to. I can get aggressive/stupid and apply some forces; they worked for me.

Has the 163 i-titan. It is a super rewarding ski, if you like to carve and ski aggressively. I agree that it’s not ski for intermediate growing along with. They might find it super punishing even on groomed runs, let alone off-piste. The ski requires attention. I use the head when I am working on my techniques, because it provides feedback to my form. On a crowded slope, I prefer this to my rc one 86, because the tight turn radius making it easy to navigate around people. That said, the rc one doesn’t give up much on the groomed run and it prefers to go wide and fast. The rc one is more versatile.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Great feedback, thanks for sharing!

Knee bindings are so freaking heavy. From metal on the ends of the table of elements

Be interesting to consider the wider Titan against say a Brahma too as popular frontsiders guys? Sounds like similar performance, just a different approach and shape, the tails especially. I have owned both and for speed, performance and locked in dependability wise, kinda quite similar. The Heads possibly engage slightly quicker due to more effective edge etc but overall such a performance envelope overlap from different classes...... Binding stats really interesting thanks.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

It's really the quickness that makes the biggest difference. When you're locked in to the carve, you can't really tell a big difference--that Brahma is so incredibly precise and powerful. Rolling edge to edge, the Head is clearly a smoother ski, and it is very predictable in this regard.

Anyone of you has a direct comparison to the Head Magnum? Got a older pair of 2013 Magnums and they are great for short turns....but are very bad if tracks getting piles of snow. Tested alot of other skis, but none is so agressive on short turns. So i dont wanna loose that, but getting more comfy on bad snow. I assume i should go with the new Rally eh? :)

@bearclaw5115

Жыл бұрын

I have the 2017 Magnums, yes they rule for short turns. I'd actually say that they deal with little bumps of snow better than other carvers. I have narrower carvers that are less tolerant of bumps. So I think you're most of the way there already. It seems you agree after testing many skis. The Rally's will be it bit harder to make short turns on but handle a bit more snow. But they are largely going to feel and handle similarly. Another consideration is the age of your skis. If you have over 100 days on them, maybe even less, they will be loosing their responsiveness (rebound energy). Depends on your bodyweight too. I weigh 250 and put my skis to work! This loss of energy sneaks up on you and it's easy to think your old skis are fine until you jump on some new skis. More than likely, you'd enjoy some new Rally's!

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

The Rally, with its increased width and slightly longer turn radius, does handle the softer snow better and with more confidence. It loses a bit of the shorter carve personality, but is still one of the better on-trail and carving skis on the market at its width. We've had an absolute blast on those skis so far this year.

@-bax-

Жыл бұрын

@@bearclaw5115 Thank you for your great information.

I had the last year of the iRally in the 177. Lets make no mistake, these skis haul ass - like a little bit scary fast. I 'm sure that they haven't slowed down with the updated dampening system. Did I say these haul ass?

@bearclaw5115

Жыл бұрын

There are faster, closer to race spec skis on the market. I consider the Supershapes to be great skis for intermediates working on their carving actually. Not that demanding for a carving ski. No doubt though, that you are likely ripping past most other skiers at the resort.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Great feedback, thanks for sharing!

What's the "ski bum" race?

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

We have a weekly citizens race series here in Stowe that's been going on for a long, long time. It's a dual GS format, about a 28-30 second course, and the gates are generally somewhere between an SL and GS spacing. There's prizes, parties, and friendly competition. It's one of Stowe's best local events for sure.

@johnklaus9111

Жыл бұрын

@@SkiEssentials I'm Epic passing this year. Do you have to be a resident to sign up or can anyone? I did ski racing in college. From Boston area.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

@@johnklaus9111 I don't believe it's required to be a resident, no. You need to have a team, however. It's all run through what's not Mt. Mansfield Academy. www.mmsca.org/events/ski-bum-series

@johnklaus9111

Жыл бұрын

@@SkiEssentials Yeah. I'm just a single and don't know any skiers really. So, guess I can't play.. too bad... Kinda the point for me is meeting people...

Synopsis, not Synapsis...

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Whoops! Yup, those are two very different things. I certainly misspoke.

Oh boy is this great !⛷❄️the reviews keep coming and coming even during the holidays.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

No days off!

“This was too long…” Wrong.

@SkiEssentials

Жыл бұрын

Good to know ;)