I ski a 186 4frnt EHP most of the time. If in doubt, it is the ski I take out. I ski about 40 days a year, most of them at Mammoth where there is lots of windbuff. The EHP was discontinued years ago, but I liked it so much I bought an extra pair. In bad year I will ski the EHP about half the time and a 100 underfoot ski the other half.
What I really like about the EHP is that it has some rocker, but not TOO much. This means that If I am skiing something like Philippe's, and all the snow has slid, which happens on that line, I can make technical turns on firm terrain without too much worry. It is a great all-around ski. Skis with too much rocker can be tough to set an edge on, sometimes they want to be slashed more than driven with the shin. I like to slash and slarve, but I also like a ski that can be driven. I really think 116 is a great sweet spot if the rocker is right. Some people like skis with more rocker.
I actually also have a pair of Armada JJ's that I got because one of my wife's friends had her husband die (RIP). I like the JJs, but they have a bit more rocker than the EHPs and it is a different feel. You can't drive the JJs quite as much as the EHPs. They are still a great ski, but I have to adjust when I ski them. I am not sure if I am going to keep the JJs, I bought them because the woman wanted to get rid of them.
Elements like rocker and taper can significantly change the way a ski feels. If you want an everyday feel, like me, I would go with a 115 ski with SOME rocker, but not too much. If it is going to be more of a pow ski then you can go with more rocker.
I think the widest ski I ever skied was the old Armada ARG. It was wider underfoot than at the tip and tail, like the Spatula. I skied them on a thigh deep blower pow storm day on chair 22 at Mammoth and loved them, but they were not as fun when things started to get tracked out, and I would not want to ski a steep chute where the snow has slid on them. They would be a GREAT quiver ski.
I do think 115 or so is a great width though. I bought my EHPs thinking they would only be for pow days or the days a few days after things cleared, that they would not be everyday skis. I ski them more often than not now, unless it is REALLY firm they are a great option.
