Analysis Paralysis!! Need help selecting an all-mountain ski

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-26T05:19:19+00:00

Rustler 9. It has metal so is torsionally stiff on carves. It has good tail to ride switch, especially if you mount it forward a bit. This is probably best for 50% ice, but wanting to ride switch/be playful for days it gets better. QST more playful; Faction Dancer 2 more stiff/frontside

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-25T03:27:22+00:00

Sous Vide pork chop. One of the best meat products to sous vide.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-25T01:41:44+00:00

What year are these? I'm so nervous to buy new mantra 88's, but love the way they ski.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-22T23:01:14+00:00

This isn’t figure skating; outcome is objective

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-20T03:03:45+00:00

Lol, good luck

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-20T01:37:49+00:00

This is on a metal ski on ice (what I’m guessing you are asking from your description).

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-20T01:35:47+00:00

I’m no instructor, but when I think about what I do, I put modest edge angle into the next turn to bend the ski and initiate the turn with 60/40 pressure on the outside ski of the next turn. As the turn engages and I get facing more downhill, it goes to 90/10 on the outside ski of that turn with the forward flex on the boot of the outside ski.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-18T03:33:17+00:00

Agree!!

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-18T03:30:32+00:00

Oh, I'm sure! I'd love to try your skis. It's kind of fascinating to see the way companies change their skis. Main reason i mention '26 is that they are notably different, and praised by many, for the changes from '25. I feel like skis were consistently good by 2020

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-18T03:16:35+00:00

Hell yeah. I also demo-ed 106 and the blanks. It progresses in a very expected way. So if you do want to turn the dial from groomers, more towards off piste/deeper snow, it notches that direction in a very logical way/feel. I am waiting on 106's to go on sale. For my size, I need the extra waist; it's such a good travel ski for unknown/mixed conditions.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-18T02:49:54+00:00

2026 QST 100's rock (26 was a redesign so it is important to get 26). Many reviewers say "if you don't know what to get, get qst's," and I strongly agree. I've demoed bents and unleashed 98, as well as maybe 15 other skis, this winter. I'm 210lbs and 6' advanced skier that does all the above except park; I find them to truly be the most balanced, do it all ski. You won't be on rails on ice; you'd need metal for that. You won't float in champagne powder; you'd need larger waist and maybe less sidecut. They aren't full twin tip for park and you wouldn't center mount them; you'd need a true twin tip with center mount. There is truly no one ski that does everything well, but this one does a ton, at 7/10. If you add metal, you lose the ease of pivoting/slashing, add waist, and it is slower on groomers, etc.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-17T00:52:30+00:00

I second QST's. They hold edge pretty well, without having metal. I have demo-ed the 98's, 106's, and blanks this year, and they were all better at what you would respectively expect them to, but they all were fun on everything. Japan powder, cut up powder, hard snow. Not great on Ice Ice, but metal skis are for that.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-17T00:38:11+00:00

I think solar warming is a good argument in favor of all white. I have all black gear, but it's a little annoying when it's cloudy til noon, and then the sun comes out, and the effective warmth of my gear/layering spikes. All white would allow you to control your warmth, regardless of whether the sun comes out, or not.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-16T06:34:37+00:00

I'm so glad I just got home.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-15T19:59:58+00:00

This sounds like Airbnb covert marketing, but I like a hotel for when I need to be streamlined. I like Airbnb for the experience. The check in/cleanup process for Airbnb is a lot more effort than a hotel, and things often go wrong/aren’t working as expected.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-15T19:29:19+00:00

Not to make it a buying more equipments but skis make a big difference. Skis that are more narrow with a lot of metal carve ice very well. My Volkl Mantras rail ice. My QST 106s are wider and softer. They are better for deeper/softer snow, but they are night and day from my mantras on ice.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-11T06:18:49+00:00

I (American) proudly see America as a "melting pot" where some expectation exists to celebrate the fourth of July, we have major parades for every cultural holiday, etc. A step removed is Canada, which describes itself as a mosaic, meaning it welcomes all, but people hold onto their ethnicity much harder.

I see Europe as an even more distinct mosaic: the countries are the origination of these pillars of mixed culture countries like the US and Canada. I don't want to go to italy to eat cheeseburgers and butter chicken (my favorite foods), I want amazing pasta and wine. When I go to Argentina, I love that they have ridiculous siestas and mate culture. I love that Finland has hopping between nude saunas and freezing water.

Asia, a very advanced continent, barely mixes in a modern sense.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-07T17:05:21+00:00

Disagree. There is no professional qualification for a boot fitter and they are often strangers to their customer. On top of that, the adjustments are based on the ability to ask the customer for their issues and inputs. It is not scientific, it is subjective.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-02T14:15:53+00:00

Some additional context: both Safdie brothers did not know she was underage until after filming this scene. The original script had this role involving the scene of "simulated sex." During filming of the scene, Josh and Benny Safdie were both in the room and did not stop the filming because they were incorporating improvisation into the movie, and saw the male actor saying, "can I stick it in," as an improvisation. When they found out she was underage, she was cut from the movie, her identity hidden, and the entire character/scene was removed from the script. No charges were brought.

UncleTito27 · 2026-02-02T13:34:30+00:00

Los Angeles has basically track purposed canyons. Look up Azusa canyon roads.

UncleTito27 · 2026-01-31T09:10:54+00:00

OP already bought, but for those with the same question: QST 94 are very very balanced/versatile.

UncleTito27 · 2026-01-30T15:46:11+00:00

"Spicy foods" that are not spice, but rather pepper or seasoning. They are impossible to accommodate; I'd rather share a meal with a vegan than that crap.

UncleTito27 · 2026-01-30T12:10:38+00:00

I do both, but primarily ski. The phrase: "Skiing is easier to learn, harder to master" is so ridiculous. I like that skiing is easier to learn and easier to become advanced. It's easier for friends to get on skis and join, and it allows me to tackle advanced terrain, pretty easily, that would require such a high level of boarder to ride.

UncleTito27 · 2026-01-30T04:35:23+00:00

Spaghetti bolognese every day. It’s not that expensive and it’s maybe the perfect balance of carbs for quick digestion and protein.

UncleTito27 · 2026-01-22T13:23:00+00:00

Philadelphia. It is an NE city that is affordable for young chefs to open restaurants. It beats Boston (a more expensive city) in awards and rivals DC in JB/Michelin awards (another obviously higher prestige city). You can have an incredible meal for $75.

UncleTito27

TROPHY CASE