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EP PRO'S OR HELLBENT???

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andrewmeehan
Posts: 765 - Karma: 363
IM LOOKING AT SKIS FOR NEXT YEAR AND CAN'T DECIDE BETWEEN EP'S OR HELLBENTS.

PLEASE HELP

++++++++++K FOR LEGIT RESPONSES
Jun 9 2009 6:43PM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
how big are you?
where do you ski?
what type of terrain do you ski?
Jun 9 2009 7:18PM
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griffin.paisley
Posts: 1520 - Karma: 38
they are pretty much the same, the hellbents ive heard are amazing, i havent really heard anything about the ep pros.. but ya i would get bentz
Jun 9 2009 8:44PM
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amo
Posts: 6709 - Karma: 1,248
Without knowing anything about you and without ever skiing on either of those skis I can tell you that you should get EP Pros. Why? Because they look fun as fuck and they are noodles.
Jun 9 2009 9:07PM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
no, they arent pretty much the same. sorry
Jun 9 2009 10:39PM
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iFail
Posts: 2066 - Karma: 65
ya we need info....and make sure your comparing EPs to 179 bents since 179s will be around 185.  Ill try to compare...:EP Pros are a bit lighter and softer throughout.  They have a tiny tiny turn radius from the taper.  I know a few people that own both and they say the bents are better in park/cruddy stuff(duh..) and the comparison is mostly poppy vs surfy(EPs surfy, again from taper and having a longer and larger rocker than bents).  MOST people that have used both say they like EPs a little more in pow.
Jun 9 2009 11:15PM
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tedmgee
Posts: 1502 - Karma: 111
deff ep pros so nice and i think they are symmetrical
Jun 9 2009 11:41PM
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swanton
Posts: 455 - Karma: 11
They aren't symmetrical, but they're close.
Jun 9 2009 11:43PM
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SHastatahoe
Posts: 3414 - Karma: 19
I have bentlys and I have ridden the EPs a number of times.  the EPs are super soft and noodly.  They flexed so much once I popped out of the binders. 

The bents charge.  straight up.  it just depends on your style of skiing though.  when skiing powder I tend to charge it, and go fast, jumping from limb to limb all nimbly bimbly. 

Both skis are sick though.

Oh yeah, I have heard that the EPs can be difficult on taking large cliffs, they wheelie really easily and are soft so its difficult to stick the landers.  Though I didnt hit any cliffs on them so I don't really know. 
Jun 10 2009 1:12AM
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Z_rob
Posts: 3076 - Karma: 152
I got the EP's, havent skied em yet but let me tell you one thing they are SOFT
Jun 10 2009 1:14AM
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strongmark
Posts: 3278 - Karma: 883
get bentchetlers, buddy!
Jun 10 2009 1:24AM
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slottyboom
Posts: 439 - Karma: 40
this
Jun 10 2009 1:41AM
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andrewmeehan
Posts: 765 - Karma: 363
+++++++K 4 all of you!!!!

/thread
Jun 10 2009 9:54AM
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General_Ripper
Posts: 3327 - Karma: 189
haha

But restart the thread because I heard the 2010 EP pros are going to be stiffer. I am also choosing between these two skis for next year. i'm 5'10 and 165 lbs, going to use the primarily for powder and mabey mess around in the park on some days.
Jun 10 2009 11:22AM
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mr_hartl
Posts: 650 - Karma: 772
bents... i rode the 179 bents all last season. they slay pow, and hold the groomed stuff really well. I was able to ski waist deep pow and have some of the better park days of the seaon on these skis. Just by looking at people on the EP's i can tell its an awesome ski to get all buttery and playfull on, you can do that on the bents too but thats really what a nice flexy park ski is for. Get the bents if you wanna charge pow.
Jun 10 2009 12:40PM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
imho hellbents come with a great amount of park steeze, alltough i dont really like the graphics, they are gonna be my next powder ski....
EP pro however is a toy and has sweet graphics, hands down !
Jun 10 2009 1:09PM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352
2010 EP's are set to be 15% stiffer.
So basically just like this last years Hellbents.

EP's will still have more rocker, be like a CM longer, and I wouldn't be surprised if they were still softer. It all comes down to what kind of ski you want. If you want something for like 70% or more powder, Pollards for sure. But the Hellbents are a little more all-mountain oriented. In my experience, they definitely aren't a charging ski, (189's are kind of, but still too soft) so if you want something to huck 30+ foot cliffs, look elsewhere. But if you want an all around fun ski, Bents. They can be fun in the park, hold a decent edge on grommers except in icy conditions, and of course do well in any amount of powder.
Jun 10 2009 1:30PM
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ski-swagga
Posts: 5276 - Karma: 219
whick ski would be better for a smaller person? im 5'9 130lbs
Jun 10 2009 1:32PM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352
Depends on what you want.
Read my post right above you.
Jun 10 2009 1:34PM
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General_Ripper
Posts: 3327 - Karma: 189
response I was looking for thanks
Jun 10 2009 2:05PM
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MarkieR
Posts: 5337 - Karma: 98
i have the '010 EP pros and i skied them most of the past season. let me tell you, they are some of the most fun skis you can buy. i haven't ridden EP's before this past winter, and to me, the '010 EP seems almost identical to the 179 hellbents. so that may answer some of your questions about the stiffening of the EP for this upcoming season. i was able to ski them through much gnarlier conditions than i had anticipated being able to negotiate. they handled chop decently well, and were able to charge all day long on groomers at mach looney. they were a little goofy for dealing with larger drops, but then again, my previous pow skis were 191 ants and then the new mo'ships.

either one of these skis are absolutely unbeatable for skiing the conditions for which they were designed. i am partial to the line ep because they feel lighter and easier to maneuver, but the hellbent is a very capable alternative. whichever ski you decide to purchase, you definitely will not be disappointed.
Jun 10 2009 5:35PM
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General_Ripper
Posts: 3327 - Karma: 189
thank you too. I am really feeling the EP's now, now i just have to save up a shit ton to get them for next season.
Jun 10 2009 11:53PM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352

2010>2009

Save up for sure and get this next years.

Jun 11 2009 1:04AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 268
but next years will be softer :( which is no good.

anyway ive skied both and no matter what your using them for id choose the ep's every time. i found that the ep's to be super super poppy, and super surfey feeling. with the ep's i found myself popping off of every little thing i could find, and it was the only ski that gave me that super floaty surfey feeling, even on hardpack. the flex, pop, and feel of the ski was awesome, on some runs i honestly probably spent more time in the air than on the ground, and i think the rocker might be what makes for that floaty pop you get. in powder you never caught tips, and the flex was fine even for charging, you could ski the deepest powder and still have a very centered stance, it was almost scary being able to ski deep powder like you ski groomers, it was hard to trust that the skis could do it, but they could. one thing that was super hard to get used to was not leaning super far back on bigger cliffs, usually you try to land backseat to keep your tips out, but with these if you do that, you will wheelie or wash out. but whats good about that is you can land almost flat on even the biggest cliffs and the soft tips and rocker will spring your tips right back on top of the snow.
one of the coolest things about them was being able to actually slash in powder, like get sideways while still moving forward, usually in powder if you turned sideways you would either catch, or just stop, but with these, i find that sometimes you can actually kinda drift, and get your tails out and slide in the powder, which really made for a surfey feel.
in the park they were amazing, obviously not the best for super tech stuff, but just cruising around, buttering everything, and doing slower spins, even on really big jumps was great. you definatly need to change your skiing style with these, you look at the park completely differently. you look at a rail and think of a way you can butter on or off, you look at a jump and think of a way to use the side of the takeoff as your lip, or land on the side of the landing, or use the entire table of the jump as a butter pad, (you can honestly hold a nose butter for an entire table for a jump, like the whole 50 ft. or so) you kinda forget about doing the best trick and instead think about doing the most creative thing you can. its awesome. my only complaint is that i wish the skis had a little more spring, though you can pop really well with them, if your trying to come out of butters with a "pop" its kinda hard, you can still pop some, but not much, and if you get too backseat unintentionally, it would be nice to have a little more spring you can use to pop yourself back up. i think they need to put the carbon ollie bands in them to give more spring and keep the softness. my invaders with ollie bands are super worn out, and are softer than my ep pro's yet i can still spring out of super backseat landings or butters easily.

the hellbents feel like a normal ski but with rocker, the ep's feel like something completely new.

Jun 11 2009 4:39AM
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andrewmeehan
Posts: 765 - Karma: 363
^ thanks for the intelligent answer!!!
++++K

Does anyone know anything about the Bent Chetler?

That is also one of the skis im looking at.
Jun 11 2009 10:39AM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,270
both ski is fun in bottomless pow, bents do a little better all around because they're stiffer underfoot, but ep's are more poppy and better in trees, basically they're similar except ep's are softer than bents underfoot. for me i don't really like either ski, way too soft for me, if you start to go fast they just flap everywhere, i need something stiffer, but in bottomless pow they're amazing
Jun 11 2009 11:01AM
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Reed.
Posts: 4489 - Karma: 272
Im 5'9" and ski 179 hellbents last year in pow.  They are actually REALLY sick for landing cliffs.  Really easy to stomp stuff with the rocker into pow. 

cliffer from mike reed on Vimeo.



Dunno if anyone will look into these, but Rocky Mountain Underground is making a ski a lot like the hellbent next year, but a little bit stiffer to add to the charge factor.  The only place the hellbents really suck is chopped crud and tracked pow, just not stiff enough (I'm assuming the EP Pros are even worse).
Jun 11 2009 11:40AM
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B-runge
Posts: 16558 - Karma: 360
truth.

id say it depends on your size
height: if 185's too small (the same size as 179 bents by the way) then you need 189 bents
if 185's are too big,(hard to do cuz my friend is 5'5" and rides 179 bents) then you need 169 bents, thats talking about strictly size and not ski preference

lets say your 6'2" and 180 lbs, ep's would work in feet of pow amazingly but they are the flexiest ski on the market. so if you dont want wet noodles under your feet then get bents, bents are stiffer underfoot and still flexy enough to do presses and whatnot with the tips and tails

i think it mostly depends on what style of skiing you want to do, i would consider ep's to fit a smaller group of peoples styles

my 2 cents
Jun 11 2009 1:56PM
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powfoka
Posts: 2709 - Karma: 160
surface new life
Jun 11 2009 8:52PM
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scojohsta
Posts: 148 - Karma: 64
EP's are alll time. They're the winner on the day. Look tight. Ski tighter.
Jun 11 2009 9:28PM
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iFail
Posts: 2066 - Karma: 65
forgot to ask-  why are you down to these two?  did you narrow it down to rockered fat pow skis made to go forward and switch, and are CHOOSING to get something soft, or just set on these for the shape?  Chetlers or JJs fit that bill(tip and tail rocker, fat), and if you do not intend to go switch much than there are a lot more options.
Jun 11 2009 10:17PM
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Daydreaming
Posts: 1686 - Karma: 48
I'd definitely go for the EP Pro's or the Bent-Chetlers.

Ive been riding the EP Pro all year; ice, powder, everything, they're all I have.  They are really soft but they are so much fun.  In powder they are super surfy and pleasant, I would not trade them for anything else in this department.  However, despite the super tight radius they are harder to control on firm snow, albeit not as hard as everyone claims.  If the snow is even slightly forgiving the EP's will grab an edge and hold on, pack ice is where the issue lies.

This is where the Bentchetler comes in.  I will start by saying I HAVEN'T RIDDEN THEM SO MY OPINION MAY BE FLAWED.  But flexing them in the shop they seemed soft enough to be lots of fun in the powder but the pop rocker/camber will help it be more agile all around the mountain, and being stiffer than the EP's (and the Hellbents, I think, correct me if I'm wrong) they will provide for harder charging and more stable cliff landings.

BOTTOM LINE:

The EP is good for pure powder but I would only get it if you have another pair of skis for hardpack days. from experience this is not a one ski quiver.

The Benchetler is more versitile and would probably be better than the EP's as a one ski quiver.

I have no experiences with the Hell Bents so I'm afraid I cannot offer an opinion there.
Jun 11 2009 11:12PM
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andrewmeehan
Posts: 765 - Karma: 363
i don't care about looks because frankly that won't change how a ski performs.

I have narrowed my choices between

The Bent Chetler
and the EP

because my parents ski shop is a dealer for Line and Atomic.
I know the specs, but would like firsthand experiences from people that actually use them. Not just the damn book from line and atomic claiming how great their skis are.

I havent made my decision yet and would still like some more input.

++++K for legit unbiased answers.
Jun 12 2009 1:22AM
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B-runge
Posts: 16558 - Karma: 360
your parents own a ski shop?
awesome just get both shop form
Jun 12 2009 2:32AM
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Big_Spence
Posts: 16177 - Karma: 4,352
I would do/trade horrible things for a year of '10 EP Pros.....

I'm being serious about trading shit too.
Jun 12 2009 4:08AM
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General_Ripper
Posts: 3327 - Karma: 189
yea i want a playful noodle pow ski i already have a stiffer pow ski and a park ski
Jun 12 2009 12:04PM
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K2skipunk
Posts: 2837 - Karma: 111
the bentchetler will be more versatile
the ep pro will be more of a pow only ski.

i skied on my hellbents everyday for two seasons, so those get my vote since in my mind they are the most versatile ski one can get.
Jun 12 2009 8:51PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 268
noooo eps are just as versatile as hellbents, actually i found them to be a better park ski than the hellbents, plus more pop. if i was choosing between both for an all mountain ski, i would easily choose the ep every time.
Jun 14 2009 3:37AM
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slottyboom
Posts: 439 - Karma: 40
the bentchetlers are by far the sickest pow ski i have been on yet
i was previously on 179 hellbents then 190 atomic thugs
and this ski excels in places where the hellbent and or thugs did not excel
as the hellbent was not the greatest for charging or sending huge cliffs
because of how soft the flex was and rocker. the thugs were not as great in deep days i found myself getting a bit of tip dive and they do not feel as lively. they were VERY sluggish

onto the bentchetler it feels like you are surfing when you are skiing pow because of the rocker
and early taper. by far the most fun ive had in pow was on these skis. they are stiffer than
the hellbent so you were able to charge alot better than it. i found my self loving the skis in
the park and pipe because they were so light and poppy.
surprisingly quick on groomers unlike the thugs

i hope i helped you some what if you have any more questions
about comparing skis or have a specific question about the skis
that i did not cover pm me

peace
Jun 15 2009 2:26AM
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untracked.com
Posts: 69 - Karma: 5

So I also own both the 179cm Hellbent and the Line EP Pro. I love both skis, but as my everday East Coast, yes I said East Coast Ski, I would choose the Line EP Pro. I have been skiing them for 2 years now and love them for skiing in every condition from hard pack to deep snow. Tose of you who own them and are good skiers know what I am talking about when I say the Line EP Pro is the most versatile ski that I have ever been on. I do product testing so I have tested just about everything on the market for the past 10 years. My ski of choice, and I can choose from every ski, is the Line EP Pro. For how soft the ski is it is absolutley amazing how well it carves with its 15m turn radius on groomers. I have been out skiing my EP's and have had Race coaches tell their kids during SL training to try and match my turns. It is amazing the trenches that you can leave with the EP. The only time I like the Hellbent more is landing off big cliffs as the HB has just a little bit more beef underfoot, but for everything else I love how the EP responds in all conditions. In powder they are just amazing how they will surf, it is a totally different feeling then other powder skis. The one thing with the EP Pro is that you need to be a good skier as it will show your mistakes easily because of how soft they are. Don't overwork the ski as it will not be enjoyable, just ski and play that's what the EP Pro wants to do and that is what you should want to do. Other skis I did enjoy was the Atomic Bentchetler and for true resort rocker the Armada JJ is also a lot of fun, it really is just a narrower version of the Bentchetler.

2010 Line EP Pro Skis

 http://www.untracked.com/p3149-10_line_ep_pro_eric_pollard_pro_model_freestyle_powder_skis.html

Jun 15 2009 10:41AM
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