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2012 Saddleback Bluegrass Festival

Saddleback hosted their 2nd Annual Bluegrass Festival on August 12th and 13th and what an amazing time was had by all. When it comes to hospitality Saddleback Mountain located in the beautiful Rangeley, Maine really knows how to make people feel welcome weather it is the middle of summer of the depths of winter. Thank You Saddleback and crew for putting on one of the cleanest and most respectable festivals that I have been to. If you failed to make this event then you better mark your calender now for next year because it is going to be back and it will be a festival that you will not want to miss. It is the most kid friendly music event you will ever find and you couldn’t as for a more amazing back drop to listen and dance to some amazing music from local acts to national acts.

Everywhere I went people were having a good time and the large crew dancing in the Ditch seemed to be having an especially good time during Ricky Skaggs! Thanks for bringing such an incredible line up of music to this great state and for sharing your amazing mountain views along with your welcoming spirit. May the spirit of Saddleback, Maine touch all of those that enjoyed the Bluegrass festival and hopefully I will be seeing many of you again when the grass gives way to snow and the leaves give way to the beautiful rhime ice.

Mark Robie put on a World Class event and his willingness to take positive critisizm and ideas will just allow this event to grow into the biggest and best Bluegrass festival in the Northeast in the not so distant future. To all of you Saddleback employees that I saw from Jim, Jared, Chris,Kevin, Ian and many others thanks for your dedication to continually put the people first and to allow such a wonderful mountain to be shared. A huge thanks goes to out to the Berry family who with out them the growth of this mountain would not of been possible.

Again many thanks and I look forward to an even larger crowd of like minded folks at next years Bluegrass festival!

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2012 Icelantic Nomad All Mountain Skis Review

What can I say about the Icelantic Nomad other than it is one of the lightest skis on the market with its waist width of 105mm. If you are looking for something that is going to be versatile enough for some powder, all mountain skiing, and light enough to also do some touring with the 2012 Icelantic Nomad Skis are the skis that you should be considering. They are light but fairly stiff so they have excellent edge hold at high speed on groomers and if you are lighter weight and dont want something so stiff then you can also buy the ski in a SFT version. Icelantic is known for making versatile skis and they really pride themselves on the Icelantic Nomad Skis. If you are a skier that enjoys a lightweight ski that will push crud around and arc trenches on groomers then consider purchasing the Icelantic Nomad Skis.

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2012 Icelantic The Gypsy Freeride Powder Skis Review

If you enjoy unique skis and companies that continue to push the limits then you will love the all new 2012 Icelantic Gypsy Skis which come in at 125mm in the waist and are the first ski that Icelantic has created with reverse camber. If you are looking for a ski that will slay the deep powder with ease yet will have edge hold like a race ski on the groomers than the Gypsy is a ski that you want to look at. Icelantic has really grown the past few years and this year I expect them to make an ever bigger jump as they continue to put out an amazing product with a very narrow focus on Freeride/Powder Skis such as the Gypsy. The Icelantic Gypsy was a lot of fun in crud snow and had a lot of playfulness in the trees and on the side of the trail. This is no ordinary ski and Icelantic would have it no other way. You want a Freeride tool to add to your quiver the Icelantic Gypsy Ski is a ski you seriously need to consider! Its lightweight and yet has incredible performance that Icelantic has always been known for.

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2012 K2 Obsethed Skis Review

The 2012 K2 Skis are back and the biggest change is the graphic. With a very subtle graphic for 2011 Seth decided to bump it back up to a more evil look. The K2 Obsethed Skis is a favorite among freeride skiers and with a longer turn radius and more rocker than the 2010 Obsethed the 2012 Obsethed is built more for the true freeride skier that spends most of his time off the trail and in the search for powder and less time on the trail. On trail the turn radius is very long and it sometimes feels like a long time getting the ski on edge, however thanks to the Powder Rocker the skis float and slash powder and crud with ease. If you are into jumping off everything you can find then you will enjoy taking the Obsethed into some very fun adventures. Suggested mounting point depends on where on the ski you want to be. I suggest for Freeride/Powder skiing to be around the +2cm mark, if you are more all mountain then go around the +3 to +4cm. Overall a great ski for powder skiing and big mountain lines. Does lack some versatility on the groomers but if you are not worried about that then this is a great ski for you.

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2012 Line Influence 105 Freeride Skis Review

The 2012 Line Influence 105 Skis are the All Mountain Skiers dream ski. If you want one ski to do it all then you have found yourself the right ski. At 105mm in the waist with a Metal Matrix, Early Rise, and Capwall Technology the Line Influence 105 skis will do everything you want the ski to do in every condition. If you find yourself more groomer oriented then go with the Pophet 98, but if you find yourself wanting to search out glades and fresh snow then it sounds like the Influence 105 is the ski for you. Built for playing off trail more than on you will be pleasantly surprised how easily this ski will carve trenches on firm East Coast snow. I prefer the Influence 115 for my own skiing but understand why for the majority out there the 105 is going to be a more versatile ski for them. The Marker Griffon ski binding is a great match for this ski and one that I highly would recommend using.

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2012 Line Prophet 98 Skis Review

The Line Prophet 100 is no longer. For 2012 Line decided to make some changes to the Prophet Line and the Prophet 100 went to 98mm in the waist but more importantly it now has Early Rise and an all new Capwall Construction!! Both of these changes makes the 2012 Line Prophet 98 Skis some of the most versatile All Mountain Ski on the mountain. The slight tip rocker allows this ski to get edge to edge unlike a ski with out tip rocker. You wont even notice this ski is almost 100mm under foot.  These skis are designed for skiing everything on the mountain. If you find yourself tending to go in the woods more than anything then you will want to look at the all new Line Influence 105 Skis or if you enjoy wide like I do the Influence 115 is one of my favorite skis. For the masses the Line Prophet 98 Skis are going to be an easy go to ski no matter which coast you live on. With a 17.2m turn radius in a 179cm length you can see why many Volkl Mantra owners have started to make the switch to Line Skis and with a Fatty Base & Edge you are know they are going to have incredible durability.  Don’t be afraid to buy long in this ski as they measure short and the tip rocker makes them ski even shorter.  If you are looking for a one ski quiver around 100mm then look no further than the Line Prophet 98 Skis for 2012. If you do not enjoy rocker yet and are still not ready to change then you can still find some 2010 and 2011 Prophet 100’s on the market.

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2012 Line Sir Francis Bacon All Mountain Skis Review

The Line Sir Francis Bacon or SFB Skis has been one of our favorite skis of the past 4 years. Last year it received tip rocker and the reviews were all for the best!! For 2012 the ski gets a total makeover. Instead of 115mm in the waist the ski is now 108mm and with a totally different profile the ski is actually more versatile then ever before. With an Early Rise and Early Taper that allows the ski to have more effective edge when on groomers the 2012 Line SFB is the perfect one ski quiver ski. If you are looking for just one ski to be able to use in all conditions and terrain the Line SFB is an excellent choice. I tested this ski in multiple conditions and really found that it handled everything with ease. The new 2012 SFB is more responsive then it ever has before and with an AT Binding on it this would make an excellent backcountry setup. The bumps were a ton of fun to do with the new Line SFB thanks to its amazing tip profile and its ability to just absorb each bump. In the powder it floats with ease and snow does not get stuck underneath like it can with some wider skis with rocker that is not well thought out.

The past Line SFB was an excellent ski so if you enjoyed that ski dont be afraid to try and find a pair at a reasonable price. Some people just do not enjoy the rocker setup and that is their perogative, I however dont own a pair of skis with out rocker.

If you enjoy wider skis the Line EP Opus is the best new ski for 2012!! The Line EP Opus is now my everyday ski and and should be yours too if you enjoy having the versatility of a wider waist. If you want 115+ then go with the Line EP Opus it is going to be hard for you to be disappointed. If you want something for skiing a little bit more on trail then the Line Sir Francis bacon is an excellent call.

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’12 Marker Griffon 13 Ski Bindings Review

One of the best updates for 2012 is the Marker Griffon Bindings. One of my favorite bindings to suggest to a majority to skiers that need a binding that is perfect for freestyle and freeride Skis. The updates for 2012 include a new 13 DIN, Adjustable AFD Height, and a much better plate to toe interace. These changes combined wih the lightness and excellent transmission of power make the Marker Griffon 13 Bindings one of the best selling bindings on the market. Thes bindings are now available at select online shops right now. If you want a grat binding I can say the Marker Griffon 13 is a great choice. If you are a skier that likes to their DIN at 10 or above then you will want to consider either the Marker Jester which has the same updated features or the Jester Pro which is a new 18 DIN version made for Big Mountain skiing and for skiers who like to go big everywhere on the mountain.

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2012 Line EP Opus Ski Review

Most versatile pair of skis I have ever owned is the all new 2012 Line EP Opus skis. The Line EP Opus skis does whatever you want the ski to do in any conditions and terrain. With the float of the EP Pro and the maneuverability of the Sir Francis Bacon the Line EP Opus skis are the ultimate one ski quiver ski. Although the ski is narrower than the EP Pro it still has amazing float thanks to where the Early Taper and Early rise have been located. Eric Pollard designed these skis as his masterpiece and as someone who has not only skied every ski that Pollard has designed but also has been skiing with the man himself  he has combined all the best of his creations into this one ski. If you are looking for an excellent AT ski but don’t want the waist width of the Opus then I would suggest the Sir Francis Bacon.

If you are looking for a ski to help you poach your favorite places then this is my weapon of choice. It will ski the deepest of powder with ease while attacking the windblown snow with very little effort. 2 places the EP Opus excels in where many others in this 115mm+ waist category does not is on the groomers and bumps/moguls. I was able to make full pull bump runs with very little effort or adjustment. When it came to skiing glades there was no other ski I would rather be on than the Opus. If you are charging hard and enjoy a stiffer ski than you would want the Prophet 115 or Influence 115, but if you enjoy a ski with tons of playful energy and one that just enjoys everything in front of you then the Line EP Opus is a ski that you really should not pass by with out buying. It looks like untracked.com or Al’s Ski Barn has these in stock right no and ready to sell!!

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2012 Armada AK JJ 195cm Skis Review

You have been asking for it an Armada has delivered!! The 2012 Armada AK JJ was one of my favorite skis that I have ever in my life had the privilege to not only test but now own!! The 195cm AK JJ is 5mm’s wider than the regular JJ and it is also stiffer making this ski that much more versatile. With an 18m turn radius in a 195cm length the Armada AK JJ will leave trenches on whatever terrain gets in its way. If you are looking for a big ski that is nimble look no further than the 195cm AK JJ Skis. Made for big mountain skiing the AK JJ may look like a lot of ski to handle but if you are an expert skier this ski will quickly become one of you all time favorite skis. Stable a mach speeds and nimble enough to take in tight trees in the East Coast. I am 5’6″ and weigh 185lbs there is no reason that I would ski this ski in a shorter length than the 195cm length. With tip an tail rocker it feels like you are on a 150cm length ski. You want the feelings that the pros get then time to man up and buy the 195cm AK JJ Skis.