Forgot to mention, I have been suggested the Super 7s, Shredditors, and Sick Days. I can find all of them new, but my local shop has a 2013 Super 7 for $500 that I could also pick up.

You can do better man, just gotta look around. Super 7's are great skis but $500 isn't that great a price and they're very directional. Not very playful or freestyle friendly which big mountain skis can be entirely capable of. Wide skis have become very usable and easy to ski with the way they're built these days, you'll be thankful for something with some girth when it gets deep up there.

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/line-mr-pollards-opus.aspx

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/armada-magic-j-2015.aspx#image=80386/376882/armada-magic-j-skis-2015-170.jpg

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/rmu-the-north-shore.aspx

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/on3p-jeffrey-122-2015.aspx

Just some ideas, and thats just on one sight

But 116 (Super 7 width) and up is the right idea. And to answer your question the 2013 uses similar tech, might still be the same honestly. The only way to know if a newer ski will do a better job is to compare the specs and features side by side for any given ski. Many skis that came out a few years ago are arguably just as good or better than similar skis made this year. Newer doesn't necessarily mean better.

Do You have any examples of more playful skis? I definetly want something that can hold its own on bumps and crud and trees for the days it doesn't dump, just don't care about groomer riding at all.

Also FWIW that's $500 Canadian, which works out to 365ish american

Nah, please don't go Super 7.... and I still don't think that's a very good deal.

My personal choice would be 189cm K2 Shreditor 112's. Super fun, super versatile ski, that's usually available for cheap. I got mine for less than 350, and that was a year ago. Also, they haven't changed other than graphics so it's totally worth it to get an older years model.

cydwhitNah, please don't go Super 7.... and I still don't think that's a very good deal.

My personal choice would be 189cm K2 Shreditor 112's. Super fun, super versatile ski, that's usually available for cheap. I got mine for less than 350, and that was a year ago. Also, they haven't changed other than graphics so it's totally worth it to get an older years model.

would second that...

i have the squads and they are a super fun ski, but i have a quiver. The shreditor is a very fun ski all around the mountain. I have a pair of the 189s center mounted and i ski pow, park, groomers, trees, and above all drop cliffs on them. They are a super fun ski and if you have a limited quiver i would highly suggest something more playful like the shreditor than a more directional charger like the super.

powderwhorYou can do better man, just gotta look around. Super 7's are great skis but $500 isn't that great a price and they're very directional. Not very playful or freestyle friendly which big mountain skis can be entirely capable of. Wide skis have become very usable and easy to ski with the way they're built these days, you'll be thankful for something with some girth when it gets deep up there.

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/line-mr-pollards-opus.aspx

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/armada-magic-j-2015.aspx#image=80386/376882/armada-magic-j-skis-2015-170.jpg

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/rmu-the-north-shore.aspx

http://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/on3p-jeffrey-122-2015.aspx

Just some ideas, and thats just on one sight

Awesome, thanks for all those suggestions, I'm going through all of them with a fine tooth comb right now. My main concern right now is just getting some skis that can handle both pow and the bumps that come after it, so playful is good.

One other suggestion I received today at work is the Elan Spetrum 115 ALU. Because they provide the skis for the rental shop I work in I would be able to get it for 25-40% off, though I will admit that most of the praise come from our Elan rep, so I would like some other opinions first.

hippystinxwould second that...

i have the squads and they are a super fun ski, but i have a quiver. The shreditor is a very fun ski all around the mountain. I have a pair of the 189s center mounted and i ski pow, park, groomers, trees, and above all drop cliffs on them. They are a super fun ski and if you have a limited quiver i would highly suggest something more playful like the shreditor than a more directional charger like the super.

Sounds pretty good, my only wonder is if it's worth it to get a more directional ski if I already have a park/groomer ski? Or is it worth giving up a bit of float in pow to get more control in bumps and trees?

I would say that totally depends on your riding style... Do you lean more for straight lining and charging, or you more about playing around and finding stuff to jump off..and do you like to ride switch, the shredditors are very comfortable switch the squads are super squirly

ljackstarSounds pretty good, my only wonder is if it's worth it to get a more directional ski if I already have a park/groomer ski? Or is it worth giving up a bit of float in pow to get more control in bumps and trees?

Nah man. What you're not seeing is that the rest of the mountain is the real park. That's where shit really gets fun especially in Alberta and BC. You want something that won't limit your ability to experiment and get creative all over the mountain (which a directional ski would do). And youre not really losing much control in the trees as long as you choose the right ski. Anything under about 120, as long as it has some camber underfoot, can still slay bumps and trees. The rocker/camber/rocker and 5 point sidecut setups everyone uses these days makes skis so agile and forgiving that width almost doesn't matter.

Also, imho, I found the shredditor to be somewhat dead so to speak. It was very easy to ski and its shape inherently makes freestyle stuff inviting, but it never felt very playful or like it had more to give. There are many equivalently designed skis I would take before the shredditor.