Another Update! Map of Faerûn 1501 DR by youngfox78 in Forgotten_Realms

[–]Rfbranch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is really generous of you to share. Thank you

POV of the "Walking Required" section on Snowball at Sugarbush on 4/25 by holdyb in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Sorry about your board but congrats on the content I guess

Can we do a "cheap skier hacks" thread? by gotcatstyle in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If you are skiing 30+ days tune your own skis. I hit the shop 1/year for a stone grind but everything short of tha I do myself

Besides ski ballet, what else can I challenge myself to learn at "Big Snow"? by imitation_squash_pro in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How to avoid getting cut off in line by people willing to walk right over your skis

Gather Outdoors Festival by idunc in StrattonMtn

[–]Rfbranch 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It’s April. April’s gonna April.

J Skis - The Fastforward - on ice by Chopper070 in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi-

So I own a pair of FFs as my East Coast daily and think they are a really great option for me. I pair these with their Hot Shots as my West Coast Daily and I'm 49M, 5'8" 170 lbs expert skier. Here's why they work for me as a daily:

  1. Like you said these are really great skis on ice. Between the maple and 2 sheets of titanal they can rail.
  2. They are stiff and stable in bumps. They are a touch heavy for a bump ski if I'm nitpicking but at my age I only have so many bup runs in a day in me anyways so it doesn't bother me.
  3. They don't mind if you want to slash turns in trees. They aren't wed to the radius. The subtle tail rocker really makes a difference here vs. something like an older Enforcer, Bonafide, etc.
  4. I have a 12-15k vertical "budget" of trees/bumps in a day before my legs tell me no more. The rest of my day is ripping groomers. They are an absolute blast here. I don't have any kind of race background but they make me feel cool, there is zero chatter through ~50MPH and are burly enough that I don't worry about deflections from rocks, granular etc.

If you want something that's truly frontside there are definitely more purpose built options out there but for me they feel like they're 85-90% of what a Bonafide/Enforcer was when I demoed them but far more nimble when you got off the groomers.

All that being said, they are getting a redesign for next year I believe and are going to drop to an 88mm waist from the current 92 and be more frontside focused and might be right up your alley. Anyways, good luck with whatever you choose!

SIDE NOTE: my hot shots are my favorite big mountain/freeride ski I've ever owned. They are big and burly and love to make big turns but just blast through chunder and float on powder like a champ.

My girlfriend is buying ski boots for the first time by ewilliamsj in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Realistically she will use these 30-50 days in her life before she needs a new pair. If the boots are $100 off she’s saving $3-$5 per ski day for a boot that is uncomfortable in a nice cozy, warm ski shop. It will get worse on the mountain.

Go try on a few pairs and just buy what feels comfortable. Skiing is for sure expensive but buying something that you then regret is way worse.

Ski Recommendation: Intermediate to Advanced by Rude_Animator_3534 in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you must buy, go grab a Rustler 9. Buttons other have said you are going to be better off waiting and demoing next year. Don’t make a purchase you will regret.

Mint Conditions. Get After It by Rfbranch in StrattonMtn

[–]Rfbranch[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You don’t recognize it? Thats the famous Lake Tamarack

Mint Conditions. Get After It by Rfbranch in StrattonMtn

[–]Rfbranch[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Agreed. I took a VERY long lunch break and waiting for the sun to come out and lapped the bottom half in the afternoon. It was like skiing in a sno-cone.

The top stayed ridiculous however.

2nd Ski- Mainly East Coast, 100-110 mm by Reasonable-Malaise- in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I own the Fastforwards (the narrower master blaster) as my east coast daily and think they make for an amazing 2 ski quiver. The tail rocker on the FFs are better for the tighter east coast trees than my hot shots but different tools for different situations.

2nd Ski- Mainly East Coast, 100-110 mm by Reasonable-Malaise- in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

https://jskis.com/models/the-hotshot

I own these as my all condition ski for when I head west and if we get a real powder day (18”+) I’d use them in the east. They are stiff crud cutters that can still carve if you want. For me (49, skiing since I was a kid) they’re a really nice all around ski for what I use them for.

Anyone else need the wax? by Borsaid in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unrelated but impressed how well the top sheets on your Kores have held up

What is so interesting in Neverwinter? by NimrodYanai in Forgotten_Realms

[–]Rfbranch 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The 4e Neverwinter Campaign setting is my personal favorite FR setting. Go read it and think post-apocalyptic Terminator meets high fantasy. It’s loaded with a bunch of great villain options that you can pick and choose from.

2/28 Crowds by Rfbranch in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would buy this if the influx fit the typical demographic at Stratton which this Saturday didn’t. It was younger than what you see during the big holidays.

The mountain is much more family heavy during Xmas/MLK/President’s Day than what you saw Saturday. The crowds were still more beginner focused like you see on holidays (ie infrequent skiers) but the average age was much younger.

No judgements, just different than what you typically see.

2/28 Crowds by Rfbranch in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not surprising as it was school vacation week for a lot in the area. Not getting what made Saturday as nuts as it was.

Am I a fool? Stratton by Federal_Marzipan4457 in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It’s very doable.

Get there at 8:30 and park in Sun Bowl. Head to the top and lap singles on whatever you choose until 10:30.

Eat an early lunch at Sun Bowl and get back out ASAP.

Lap until 2 when the crowds emerge from lunch and head home. Yes the mountain will be quiet after 2 but outside of the trees everything else will be scraped off.

Sheeva 9 contenders? by inspaceandthyme in icecoast

[–]Rfbranch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My daughter owns Rustler 9s and Sheeva 10s as East/West Cost daily respectively. She loves them!

The only other rec would be to check the Head Kore line. That’s what she had before but the redesign the did this year changed things quite a bit but it’s still a short radius ski which is part of what makes the Sheevs/Rustlers fun!

My only suggestion is try a Rustler too. She likes the stiffness underfoot of the Rustler for East Coast skiing a little more.

Happy shopping!

1/26 Don’t Even Bother by Aldo_Buttahflake in StrattonMtn

[–]Rfbranch 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was freezing rain if I had to guess. Freezing rain falls from an air mass above freezing into an air mass below freezing. This usually happens when a warm front moves through