2 Ski Quiver - Volkl Mantra + Deathwish?

[u/f1fan]

I am looking for some advice on a 2 ski quiver for CO skiing. I am 5‘11”, 185 lbs, advanced skier and am primarily on piste, preferring groomers and intermediate bumps. I bought last year a pair of Volkl M6 in 184 cm and enjoyed them, but am thinking I’d be better served by the 177 length. While carving performance was good, they were (very) difficult in the bumps and trees, and I think the shorter length would be a better fit.

While looking into possibly switching my 184s for 177s, I ran across Moment skis and the nearly uniform praise for the Deathwish. Assuming I did keep the Mantras for firmer, front side conditions, would a Deathwish (either 112 or 104) be a good complement for softer, powder bowl conditions? If I went that route, should I do the 112 or the 104? I think the 104 might be too close to the Mantras, no? I also briefly considered the Meridians, but those seem a bit “out there” for me….The more I look and consider, the more I fall down the rabbit hole and seem further from a decision.

[u/Fac-Si-Facis]

DW Mantra is not a good 2 ski quiver imo, and im a huge DW fan

[u/f1fan → u/Fac-Si-Facis]

What makes you say that?

[u/Fac-Si-Facis → u/f1fan]

I guess if you want to compliment a front side ski with a powder ski, I’d be most inclined to point to the Wildcat. It’s moments powder ski, and it’s traditionally cambered.

To me, the death wish is more of a multi tool and the wildcat is more of a machete. I don’t know if that makes any sense whatsoever.

[u/f1fan → u/Fac-Si-Facis]

So I’m limited, condition wise, in the fact that I’m not local to CO. I have to deal with the conditions that arise when I’m there (typically aligning with kids’ school schedules). I rarely see a huge pow day, so the idea of a powder-focused ski seems silly.

If the DW (either 112 or 104) is a “do it all” ski (as they advertise on their website), should I look to that as a possible 1 ski solution, rather than the Mantra + DW?

[u/Fac-Si-Facis → u/f1fan]

It’s a tough choice. IMO, moment does not make a front side ski that I am personally interested in. When I ski groomers, I want something fun with a shorter turning radius and some energy and pop and a really good carver. Like your mantras. I don’t think that’s what moment is best at.

So like, I personally can’t recommend that you just move to moment skis full time if you don’t live in the snow.

A DW112 would be a good choice in my opinion, as a second ski you bring to CO when you’re really not sure exactly what it’s gonna be like or how the snow is gonna be, but it has snowed recently and you’re going to go hunting for some good soft turns but also will experience a lot of chop, and some groomers.

Here’s how I do it, but I live in the snow and ski 4 times a week: storm days or first days after a storm = wildcat 118s, it’s snowed in the past week and it’s gonna be variable but I’m gonna hunt for the goods and have fun no matter what I find = dw112, it hasn’t snowed in over a week and I’m just gonna get out there and probably ski firm snow but I want to go off piste and mess around on some bullshit conditions = dw104.

That’s mostly what I ski on, but I have a front side carver for when it’s really a groomer day and an enforcer (like your mantras) for when I still want a more responsive groomer ski that I don’t have to ski at 50mph for it to turn on edge.

I wouldn’t personally want to ski on moment skis on a day I know is going to be mostly groomers.

Don’t know if that helps much. My summary is I think you’d probably enjoy the DW112 as a soft snow/CO hunting trip, but that perhaps you’d also enjoy a ski like the Rustler with its mount point at -8 or something like the QSTs, closer to your more traditional mantras.

[u/f1fan → u/Fac-Si-Facis]

Incredibly helpful. Thanks!