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Pontoons or Hellbents

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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
What should i get im riding pure bigmountain and im looking at the 179 what is your opinion
Apr 7 2007 9:57PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
I'd go hellbents. If you're going to ski reverse camber, go all the way.
Apr 7 2007 9:58PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
hellbents arent reversed camber just rocker tip and tail there designed with little or no camber under foot so you can still carve on the hard stuff
Apr 7 2007 9:59PM
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finnafuckyobitch
Posts: 1647 - Karma: 865
can u ski park on the hellbents?
Apr 7 2007 10:01PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya you can that was one of the objectives for k2 when they made the ski so they are stiffer than the toons but im talkin bigmountain
Apr 7 2007 10:02PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Fuck, I meant rockered, dammit. Yeah, Hellbents aren't much wider than Pontoons, and the full tail means lots of fun. They also have a really sweet flex pattern, I'd love to see how they perform on snow. As for Pontoons, I guess go for them if you are only going to ski big lines and not be landing switch.
Apr 7 2007 10:04PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
no i plan on landing switch to but i wanted something a little less fat, eisier to carve and stiffer than the pontoon
Apr 7 2007 10:54PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
hellbents
Apr 7 2007 10:55PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
how do the hellbents handle on hard pack do they carve and are they stable at high speed. or at least do they handle better than the pontoons
Apr 7 2007 11:01PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,385
both are rockered, but the hellbents have a traditional sidecut, so based on that I would say yes.... 
I haven't skied on either,but I have heard that the hellbents are much better handling form people that ski both... and Pep and Andy ski the Maden's from the hellbent press in the park, so I would also take that as a hint they handle pretty well on groomers and such
Apr 7 2007 11:06PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
I'd ask NPM, he got a pair recently. I'd imagine Hellbents would be a little less stable and fun on hardpack compared to pontoons just due to the full rocker, but then again, rockered could be fun as hell on groomers.
Apr 7 2007 11:09PM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 149
werd speak to NPM
Apr 7 2007 11:21PM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,888
well maybe 3 people on this site have skiied the hellbents so dotn expect any first hand experience from most people.

ask andy
Apr 7 2007 11:41PM
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STACKS
Posts: 1938 - Karma: 42
hellbents
Apr 7 2007 11:43PM
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Aenigma
Posts: 11256 - Karma: 424
If you are seriously considering a pure big mountain ski you'e looking the wrong way if Pontoons and Hellbents are your options.
Apr 7 2007 11:45PM
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wdbo.
Posts: 4935 - Karma: 173
if you like to ski switch in pow get the hell bents, if you never ski or land switch in the pow get the pontoons
Apr 7 2007 11:46PM
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tjski
Posts: 5859 - Karma: 44
hellbents dude, pontoons only if you are always guna ski pow.
Apr 7 2007 11:46PM
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snowXrider540
Posts: 1182 - Karma: 12
well....if you ski strict powder like stated and dont ski switch in at too much i reccommend the pontoons. but if you wanna ski out of the pow some and ski switch in it more go hellbents...
Apr 7 2007 11:49PM
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nychka
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 61
wrongo, pontoons and hellbents have the same exact rocker pattern. Sidecut and flex are whats different
Apr 7 2007 11:53PM
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snowXrider540
Posts: 1182 - Karma: 12
hah yeah right.

thats why mcconkey skis pontoons right?
Apr 7 2007 11:54PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya i am riding the AK's to but how does the stiffness compare with the Ak's and hellbents?
Apr 8 2007 12:02AM
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Aenigma
Posts: 11256 - Karma: 424
Count the number of guys you see riding Toons in the next big mountain comp you watch.  I bet you can do it without any fingers.
Apr 8 2007 12:07AM
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hofferfish
Posts: 42 - Karma: 10
thats only because most big mountain comps are held with cruddy conditions. they dont postpone comps because the snow is bad and pontoons are designed for deep powder not chop
Apr 8 2007 12:20AM
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tride
Posts: 1038 - Karma: 26
This guy is right on the money.

If you want a big mountain ski, limiting yourself to pontoons or hellbents as your only options is a bit of a narrow view.

There are a lot of great big mountain skis out there, so why not give yourself a broader spectrum of choices?

Yeah, Shane uses Pontoons, but Hugo doesn't.

Not saying that pontoons or hellbents would be a bad choice, but why not consider all the other skis out there as well?
Apr 8 2007 12:24AM
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michael_bc
Posts: 1317 - Karma: 418
I skied the Hellbents for a day and it's pretty much the funnest ski I've ever skied. It's so easy in the pow, but then on the slopes and in the park it becomes so much fun too.
Apr 8 2007 4:42AM
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Silence
Posts: 16030 - Karma: 149
il look at something like b-squads instead
Apr 8 2007 4:45AM
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Casey
Posts: 7783 - Karma: 23,455
yeah i think NPM was saying in his review that they arent' really that different on groomers.
Apr 8 2007 4:54AM
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boxskier
Posts: 383 - Karma: 10
hellbents
Apr 8 2007 9:21AM
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dmiller
Posts: 210 - Karma: 10
hellbents
Apr 8 2007 9:59AM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
can someone give me a link to his review on them
Apr 8 2007 12:40PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
anyone?
Apr 8 2007 12:49PM
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*DrewT*
Posts: 7768 - Karma: 480
haha if you tried to go switch on the pontoons you'd probably die. Like seriously the tail may be rockered but the sidecut of the ski is designed so that the tail sinks and the tip stay's afloat.

If you plan on doing anything switch then get the hellbents. If you plan on ever leaving powder get the hellbents. You know what just get the hellbents
Apr 8 2007 3:33PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya i thought so to. what are peoples opinion on the fact that there is only 90cm of running surface, wouldnt that just suck for going fast outside of the pow
Apr 8 2007 3:44PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
and what about straightlines and what not
Apr 8 2007 3:49PM
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*DrewT*
Posts: 7768 - Karma: 480
well in powder there's gonna be more than 90 cms of the ski on the snow because you sink in. But ya going fast on groomers isn't the high point of either ski
Apr 8 2007 3:55PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya for sure but would it just suck to go fast anywhere else than in pow, like larger drops to hard steep landings how would that fair?
Apr 8 2007 4:01PM
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MarkieR
Posts: 5337 - Karma: 98
if that's what you're going to be doing, don't get the hellbent or the pontoon. i've skied the hellbent and it's mad fun for pow and playing in trees and whatnot, but if you're going big and skiing fast, you should check out the seth, the jj, the ant, bsquad, gotama, one of the big mojos, really anything but one of those two you mentioned.
Apr 8 2007 4:12PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya i have the ak to im pretty light and i crush on that its pretty soft to but im looking at improving my quiver so i am wondering if you can still get around going fast on it
Apr 8 2007 4:19PM
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DaysToCome
Posts: 1601 - Karma: 86
its the same thing pretty much
Apr 8 2007 4:20PM
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MarkieR
Posts: 5337 - Karma: 98
they're both actually considerably softer than the ak. like i said before, if you want something fun for playing around in fresh snow, either one would be a good choice. but if you are going to charge, get a real big mountain ski.
Apr 8 2007 4:24PM
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nashbuck
Posts: 2723 - Karma: 39
id deff go hellbents. sounds like theyd be more fun. and they look way sicker
Apr 8 2007 4:27PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya my plan was to get them for a play around pow day soft snow ski but i was wondering if i could still go fast on harder stuff without to many problems when there isint soft stuff
Apr 8 2007 4:27PM
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MarkieR
Posts: 5337 - Karma: 98
the hellbents get kinda beat around when skiing crud and firmer snow because they're so soft. i'd imagine the pontoons are the same way.
Apr 8 2007 4:36PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
ya i thought that might be the case i flexed the pontoons and they were really soft, ive seen people on them though just crushig the hill with and without pow
Apr 8 2007 4:39PM
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ski_powpow
Posts: 1247 - Karma: 1,200
the hellbents that is not the pontoons
Apr 8 2007 4:42PM
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Jeremiah89
Posts: 42 - Karma: 10
Buy them BOTH NOW!!!!!!
Jun 6 2007 1:43AM
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buchanan.
Posts: 1911 - Karma: 156
if youve got the ched to get a ski speciifcly for playing in pow id say go ahead with the hellbents
Jun 6 2007 2:04AM
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Jeremiah89
Posts: 42 - Karma: 10
NOH! buy them BOTH!
Jun 6 2007 2:05AM
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eheath
Posts: 61097 - Karma: 118,198
Pwnage straight from sam.
Jun 6 2007 2:25AM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,682
Well I have no Idea on what you consider big mountain, but if you are really talking about big mountain then I am wondering why you are considering the Hellbent or a 179 unless you are a dwarf. or why you are only considering those two. I know that a supper stiff ski is not what everyone wants or needs but honistly I am pretty sure bents would suck balls in real big mountain terrain they are supposed to to be mounted almost dead center and I would never want to ride a center mounted ski on serous terrain. Toons could be nice but what if the powder is all tracked out. or it's spring conditions your going to need a crudbuster. When I am thinking of a big mountain ski I tend to thing more along the lines of B-Squads, Legends, 103's  and on the softer side Seths, Prophet 100's,  ect... 
Jun 6 2007 2:31AM
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J.D.
Posts: 21362 - Karma: 5,141
Let's face it... Prophet 100s. I mean ideally On3ps, but that's not happening just yet, so in the meantime Prophet 100s. This whole rocker reverse camber 130mm waist thing is all well and good, but for a single-ski-quiver one-off big mountain stick, you should be looking at something with a flex between moderately stiff and an iron crowbar, between 95 and 110 mm in the waist, with limited sidecut. Prophet 100s are perfect. Seths are also a good option, though a little softer and turnier. ANTs are up there too, but aren't as versatile.
Jun 6 2007 2:32AM
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