K2 have had the Shreditor line for a couple of years but this would be my first opportunity to try the skis out side by side.
158 - 136 - 153
Size tested 191
The Powabunga is the replacement to the iconic Hell Bent. The Hell bent had a really soft, surfy feel largely thanks to its flat camber and I was interested to see if the Powabunga would retain any of those quality's now that k2 had added some camber. At 136 underfoot these would be the biggest skis I would try all test, but luckily it had snowed overnight so hopefully I would be in the right conditions.
The first thing I did when I got on the skis was test out the flex in the tip and tail. They do feel firmer then the Hell Bent but still extremely easy to get up onto. I tried a little tail butter off a ridge and the tails definitely allow some good flex. The added camber certainly does give the ski some extra power, you can actually drive these skis quite hard not something that was always possible on the Hell Bent. The camber also gives the skis some decent pop and does make landings a little more stable especially when you get more over the tails.
Any ski this large will always be quite heavy and the Powabunga is certainly no light weight but the ski does not feel slow and unresponsive. In deep snow they were incredibly stable, you could push into the tips to really drive the skis but I found the best stance was a little more upright.
In the wetter, cut up snow the skis did get deflected and bounced around quite a bit. Having such a wide ski can be quite hard to control when its not just soft deep snow, so if you were considering these as an all mnt ski I may look else where.
These skis are made for one thing and that is to have fun in the deepest snow. They are not a big line charger, they are a softer more playful big day ski. You can certainly ski them hard but if you are looking to straight line tight chutes these would not be my first choice. However if you were going on a Cat or Heli trip and just wanted a fun ski that can handle the deepest snow, the Powabunga could make a perfect option.
147 - 120 - 141
Size tested 179
I have seen a few versions of the Pettitor including some prototypes Sean had early on but this would be the first time I had tried a pair. After skiing the Powabunga the skis instantly felt more maneuverable but I was still finding no issues in the deep snow. I could ski fast down cut up powder and the skis did any excellent job of holding there line and not getting deflected.
They are certainly a softer flex then some skis in this category which does give them quite a playful feel but never did I feel out of control at speed. One issue I was having was that the bindings were mounted quite far back. I was getting thrown off a little by not having as much tail as I am used to but this would be easy to change. I would certainly recommend you can go closer to center on this ski then most powder skis. They do have a large park ski feel to them which may appeal to park riders looking for their first powder ski.
Skiing switch the skis certainly reminded me of a park ski and even with the fair amount of rocker the skis felt stable. A few times I really tried pushing into the tails on jumps and you can really butter these things, I could certainly see myself using these in the park occasionally.
On the harder snow lower down the Pettitor carved well while still always having quite a playful feel. I really do think these skis will suit a more playful park rider looking to get out into the powder. They may not suit bigger guys looking to charge but if you are a smaller guy, like Sean they would make a great freeride ski.
135 - 112 - 130
Size tested 179
The Shreditor 112 is the real go any where ski in the shreditor line. At 112 underfoot it still has enough float to handle some deep and I found no real problems in the deeper snow up top. In cut up snow the ski handled it well and did not get thrown around. Being a slightly softer ski I was finding they were not holding an edge as well as some other skis I had tried but they were very playful. Buttering around was easy and the skis still had a decent amount of pop.
They carved well on the harder snow lower down but were again not the best in class. The person I would steer toward the 112 would be someone looking for a softer, buttery all mnt freeride ski. You could happily ride somewhere like the PNW with this as your only ski.
My personal preference would be to go for the Pettitor and the Shreditor 102 but if you only have the funds for one ski The Shreditor 112 would make a great all round option for a skier with a more playful style.
131 - 102 - 135
Size tested 177
Although the 102 is not the smallest in the range, there is also a 92, it was the smallest of the skis I tried. I have become a big fan of the 100ish underfoot twin tip ski, as they often give a great option for an all round ski which can be used just as happily in the powder as the park.
Like the other skis in the Shreditor range the 102 has a fairly soft flex which gave a very playful feel. They do feel like a bigger park ski so if you are worried about losing the feel of a park ski when moving to a wider ski these are a good option.
I was skiing with a friend of mine who although a very good skier is in no way a park skier. I was skiing the Pettitor and he was on the 102 and after seeing me do a tail press on the Pettitor he was inspired to give it a try. Although it was one of his first try's he nailed it in no small part thanks to the skis. These skis can help anyone get a more playful style.
They handled the deep snow well but I was finding I was having to lean back slightly more then the wider skis in the range. On the more cut up snow they were easy to maneuver but did get thrown around a little bit. They carved really well on the harder snow lower down and I felt confident riding the skis fast on the Lower Dave Murry Downhill. They don't hold an edge as well as some stiffer skis so again I would not pick this ski if you like to charge around everywhere but if you prefer to throw butters and spins on any feature you should check these skis out.
I did not get chance to try any of the park skis and to be honest the conditions were not really right to test park skis but I hope to get on them to review at a later date.
As always check the review system for all the new gear being added and check back tomorrow for more new 2016 tests.
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Line 2016 reviews
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