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I have know the HG crew since their inception. Every year I wanted to buy a pair but being a poor college kid I could not afford it. I finally bit the bullet this year and bought the Stinger. This is HG's 4th ski, and every year they have been a huge improvement over the last from what I have seen.
The Stinger is definitely at home in the park. While it is beefy enough to float in the soft snow, it doesn't float well due to being full camber and center mounted. If you are looking for a one ski quiver, look elsewhere.
Durability: If you take a pair of Stingers and hold them next to a pair of Lines or K2s (beefiest edges that I know of), the HG's will wow you. Thickest edges I have ever seen. That being said, it still only took about 5 days to get an edge crack, currently have about a dozen days on them with a crack underfoot on all 4 edges. Even though they are cracked, there is no sign of a pullout coming any time soon. If you take a look at the side profile, it looks like the edges have seen no use at all. This goes to show that edges will crack no matter how thick, but they will last much longer before pulling out or disappearing. The topsheets are more durable than most, but there comes a point where you can't avoid a nick or chip.
Flex: I would give it a medium flex, and they are very snappy. I tend to be a fan of damp skis that feel very dead. The Stinger is very alive, and I still love them. If you like to ollie and nollie around, these will do it for you. I have yet to wash out or overpower the ski. They carve beautifully out of the box with minimal chatter. Feels good to be back on full camber.
Base: The only negative aspect about the Stingers are the base. They aren't the fastest, but I've been on slower. They do not accept wax very well, but better than my Moments. I had to turn up the temp on my iron to really get the wax in there, and I have to wax them more often. Not as fast as a race base you get from some brands. The base is fairly hard and durable, no core shots or anything, just a couple thin scratches from bashing on features and in the woods. Nothing in need of repair. You sacrifice some speed for durability.
Weight: Nothing really noteworthy here; they are not heavy and they are not carbon light. I'd say they are a hair on the lighter side, but comparable to most park skis out there.
Overall, if you are looking for a dedicated park ski on a wider platform that will rip up the groomers, take a look at the Stingers. You will definitely get a lot of compliments and turn some heads. For more info and to learn more about HG check out their website (http://www.hgskis.com) and their FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/hgskis).
If you are looking for the perfect east coast ski look no further. Growing up at Whiteface I've learned how to ski a ice rink rather than actual snow. Which in the past has resulted in me buying stiffer skis over a soft ski to make up for the all mountain aggression you'd usually want to have. How ever, my biggest surprise about the Stinger is how well the skis ski out side the park. Its just wide enough for when you gain a foot or two of snow to rip the trees well enough for your average park rat. The Camber of the skis are way to much fun when ripping side hits and bombing the groomers, which is where I enjoying skiing these skis the most. They don't chatter, which is a first for me in my prior park skis. There snappy response makes carving a dream, and for those tight rail parks you can really get to any feature you want to. Its nice to have a softer ski you can lean into and have confidence that it will carve and not flex out sending you flying.
The best part about the stinger is the durability, non of my top name, big brand skis have lasted as long as my stingers. My first pair had 120 days on them lasting and entire season. My second pair has survived hood, a season, and are headed onto another summer at Hood. I have had 1 edge crack, and it ended at that. It did not spilt, it did not pull out, nor separate. Which is incredible considering I've been on a college budget ever since I started riding HGs. If I had to deal with the usual damage report of my past big brand skis I would just be broke, riding broke ass skis.
I can't wait to try and purchase another pair for the upcoming season.
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