Thoughts on a future setup - ON3P Jeffrey 102s + Pivots

Turd__AuthorityWhat about the wildcat?

Pikachu.What's up everyone - It's been a while since I've posted anything on Newschoolers, but I'm glad to be back. I'm in the market for a new daily driver ski, and am hoping to crowd source some opinions from you all.

About me: I'm 6'3", 185-195 lbs. I live and ski in Colorado, mostly in the front range. I consider myself an advanced/expert skier, and spend most of my time skiing all-mountain terrain with a heavy freestyle influence (many years of park background). I'm in the market for a daily driver resort ski that is stiff/damp enough to handle someone my size skiing aggressively through variable conditions all over the mountain, but playful/balanced enough for lots of roller/side-hit ollies & 360s, 5-10ft cliff drops, etc. I'll roll through the park for a few laps here and there, but raw park performance isn't really what I'm looking for; If the ski can hit a rail or two and be stable enough to handle medium sized jumps, that's all I really need. I also highly value switch skiing performance - if I'm skiing groomers, I'm probably skiing switch 25-50% of the time. Durability is also important since I tend to be pretty hard on my skis.


For reference, my last skis were a pair of 184cm K2 Poachers, mounted at -1cm from true center. I LOVE these skis for doing the kind of skiing I described above, but thinking about the spectrum between freestyle and all-mountain performance, they lean just a bit too far in the freestyle direction for the kind of skiing I like to do nowadays. I'm looking for something just a touch beefier and more stable outside the park.

With all that said, right now I'm leaning towards a pair of 191cm ON3P Jeffery 102s mounted with Pivot 15s. I'm leaning towards these over the next top contenders:
- Moment Deathwish 104
- K2 Reckoner 102
- Icelandic Nomad 105
- Armada ARV 106
- Faction Prodigy 2 98

Are there any skis missing from this list that I should consider? For anyone who has skied the Jeffrey: Based on how I've described my ski style, does the ski seems like it would fit me well?

Any new binding thoughts? This subject is beat to death, and I've read a lot threads on this topic, so it's not super important to discuss here. I'm considering Pivot 15s and Salomon STH2 16s, but leaning towards the Pivots because I have disposable income and because spending time on this website in my youth has given me an incurable desire to look cool on skis.

I appreciate any of your thoughts!

Non_State_ActorAre you interested in "making the whole mountain your playground?"

Pikachu.I can't tell if you're fucking with me because this sounds ripped right out of a company product listing, but in essence yes lmao

bustedpivotI'm 6'4", 203#, and ski the front range about 60 days a year usually (Abasin, WP, Copper). I daily the Jeff 102 191 and the Deathwish 112 191. Agree with the guy above that the Jeff isn't great at all unless there's some fresh or the conditions are not firm. Otherwise, it's a sick ski that will fit your needs and I ski them a ton. Not a carver or charger, but poppy, damp, stable and playful.

I would really really consider the DW 112 also. It is extremely nimble, very quick and very very versatile. Does not feel at all like a 112. Had almost identical mount point to Jeff, skis switch great and is super playful. Handles bumps every bit as well as the Jeff 102.

If I had to choose one of these skis as my only ski for the front range for the rest of my life, I don't think I could choose.

JerryAllDayMy vote is for Jskis Hotshots. They're heavy, bendy, and very maneuverable. I've had a few sets of skis over the years, but always end up reaching for them whatever the conditions. I've also had my current set since the 19/20 season if I'm not mistaken and they're still going strong. I don't hit rails though which probably adds to thier longevity.

I actually have a question for you. I'm about your size and I was wondering what length of skis do you usually go for? I'm in the market for powder skis. My dailys are 184cm, and I'm happy with that, but should I being trying to size up as I progress? Also for float since I'm trying to get powder specific ones?

Pikachu.This is a super helpful response since we ski the same resorts and are the same size. Do the 112 waist on your DW ever feel too wide? I do enjoy some good trees and bumps (Mary Jane), which is part of why most skis I’ve been looking at are in the 105 range. I’m curious how the DW 104s compare to your experience on the 112s. I’m definitely going to look more into Deathwish and Wildcat based on this and other suggestions.

Can I ask what makes the Jeffrey’s not great in firm conditions? Just can’t hold an edge well?

Pikachu.I’ll check out the hotshots as well!

My personal ski length preference is 190+ whenever they’re available. My 184 poachers are basically just because they don’t make a longer length! A caveat is that all of my skis are full twin tips and I like to mount my skis forward of the reccomend line buy a few cm. So the effective length of my skis is probably a bit shorter.

I have a pair of 191 pow skis (K2 Catamaran) that I feel is the perfect length for me. I can still do a lot of playful jumping and spinning, but they float like heaven and are more stable for me at the longer length.

I’ll definitely be going for a 190+ ski with this new daily driver ski as well. It’s important enough in my mind that it’s almost a full requirement in the skis I’m looking at.

Also, if you’re still progressing, it’s definitely something that you could grow into. It might even make you more confident and progress you faster.

**This post was edited on Apr 18th 2023 at 12:11:28am

Pikachu.I’ll check out the hotshots as well!

My personal ski length preference is 190+ whenever they’re available. My 184 poachers are basically just because they don’t make a longer length! A caveat is that all of my skis are full twin tips and I like to mount my skis forward of the reccomend line buy a few cm. So the effective length of my skis is probably a bit shorter.

I have a pair of 191 pow skis (K2 Catamaran) that I feel is the perfect length for me. I can still do a lot of playful jumping and spinning, but they float like heaven and are more stable for me at the longer length.

I’ll definitely be going for a 190+ ski with this new daily driver ski as well. It’s important enough in my mind that it’s almost a full requirement in the skis I’m looking at.

Also, if you’re still progressing, it’s definitely something that you could grow into. It might even make you more confident and progress you faster.

**This post was edited on Apr 18th 2023 at 12:11:28am

bustedpivotDW never feel too wide to me, like not ever, and I ski trees all day at MJ and chutes and steep techy stuff a Abasin all the time. Tails are really easy to break free. They are a fantastic ski in those zones for sure. The thing about the DW which is so trippy to me is that they really feel like a much narrower ski and when you need to move them quickly, they just move.

The Jeffs just don't hold an edge well at all on firm, they don't lock in. It's the heavy rocker with stiff twin tips I imagine mostly, mount point, and I imagine something with the side cut.

JerryAllDayThanks for the info. I snowboarded for a few years, then switched to skiing in 2018. My first set are a pair of Jskis Metals which are the predecessor to the hotshots. Besides a core shot that's been repaired and being a bit banged up, they're still going strong. I can't say enough good things about them

bustedpivotDW never feel too wide to me, like not ever, and I ski trees all day at MJ and chutes and steep techy stuff a Abasin all the time. Tails are really easy to break free. They are a fantastic ski in those zones for sure. The thing about the DW which is so trippy to me is that they really feel like a much narrower ski and when you need to move them quickly, they just move.

The Jeffs just don't hold an edge well at all on firm, they don't lock in. It's the heavy rocker with stiff twin tips I imagine mostly, mount point, and I imagine something with the side cut.

Pikachu.One more question for you: where do you think the Jeffs outperform the DWs?

WabbleDeetbh I think the Jeff’s only shine in fresh snow. I’ve never taken my Jeff 110s in a few inches of snow and been happy about it. My wildcats I’ve taken out anywhere from 0 snow for weeks to 8 inch days and have fun, whereas the Jeff’s are literally only fun if the snow is fresh. Width/length def plays a role in that but wildcats are probably my favorite ski as of now

WabbleDeetbh I think the Jeff’s only shine in fresh snow. I’ve never taken my Jeff 110s in a few inches of snow and been happy about it. My wildcats I’ve taken out anywhere from 0 snow for weeks to 8 inch days and have fun, whereas the Jeff’s are literally only fun if the snow is fresh. Width/length def plays a role in that but wildcats are probably my favorite ski as of now

CeleryI used to think that then I figured out how to actually ski the jeffs.

five-centsJeffs demand a center stance. I've tried the 102, 110, and 118. Every width will wash out if you try to drive the shovels on firm snow. To ski them on firm snow you have to roll your ankles over while maintaining a balanced, center, and upright stance. Concentrate on making contact with your edges directly under your boot. If the snow is soft they're way more forgiving and less finicky.

**This post was edited on Apr 18th 2023 at 8:52:31pm