# Volkl Mantra Vs Salomon 1080 Guns



## lagoonia

I am trying to decide between getting the Mantras and the 1080 Guns. Has anybody skied both of these and whats your opinion. I currently ski 185 Pocket Rockets. One of my main concerns is will the Mantra be as good in the bumps as the Pocket Rocket. Yes I know that neither is particularly designed to be a bump ski, but the the PR really does do very well in moguls. I average about 70 days per year and spend about 90% of my time in bounds and 10% out of bounds. I am an alpine skier. The reason I am so concerned about the bump issue is I don't have enough money to buy several pairs of skis and I want something that is fairly versatile like the PR's. Seems like if you want to ski inbounds and you want to ski the more challenging terrain on the mountain you are going to be skiing mostly bumps. Whether it be the palivaccini at a-basin or Vails bowls it all seems to get bumped out eventually. I would be interested to hear how they perform in other conditions as well and I would consider other skis. Does anybody know of any demo days coming up on the mountains or which shops have the best demo deals? Any info would be appreciated.


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## paddlebizzle

Depends on what kind of skier you are. Pocket Rockets are good in bumps because they are supple, forgiving, and have both lateral and torsional flex. It was a breakthrough ski that did very well for lots of different skiers.

The Volkl Mantras were a best buy this year: versatile, hard-charging, and durable. Great lateral flex, but very stiff torsionally: a great all mountain tool for all conditions.

The 1080 guns are textbook Solomon - fun, but softer, less responsive, and less stable at higher speeds. On the flip side, because they are softer, they will do better in the bumps.

You have to decide between something that skis better in moguls (1080 guns) or something that will kick ass all over the mountain and last you more than one 70-day season. Volkls are durable: wood core, versus Salomon's foam core. You can still ski the Volkls in the moguls, but you'll have to remember to stay forward. Finally, the Volkls will hold up to a beating for 2-3 years before you have to consider another purchase.

Sack up and go Mantra.


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## yard-sale

ill just say that ive been on 1080's for the past 3 seasons and that is about 100+ days, working, bc, groomers, bumps, trees, ice, steeps, speed and I love them. Im also 190, 6' and like to change up my style a little from aggresive the cruzzing. tortional stability is what i was looking for in a moderatly wide now narrow ski. hope this helps.


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## mescalimick

Try the Karma or this years Public Enemy.


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## mwdenker

*Volkl!!!!*

I competed freestyle moguls for 6 years and coached for the last 2 and I would say if you want a quality ski go with the volkl. They seem to me have some of the best lines on the slopes for free skiing the last couple of years. The solomons are going to be lighter and easier to throw around but the volkl karmas or mantras are going to give you a more stable ski all around.


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## GagePLoungin

I know it wasn't an option, but if you haven't tried them yet, you may want to give the K2 Seth Vicious or the Apache Chief a shot. As a tech for the past few years, I've seen several issues with the 1080 line including de-laminating, broken cores, loss of camber, and tailpiece splits. They're awsome for a season but are inconsistant after that. As for the Volkls--- I would hope you are a MUCH better skiier than me (which still doesn't say too much) to ride those on bumps!
I found the fat K2s to be the perfect place between the 2 skis you mentioned. The AK twin-tip line is stiffer (still more forgiving than Volkls) and more of a freestyle feel while the Apaches are soft skis- without the issues Salomon has. Hope this helped.


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## paddlebizzle

GagePLoungin said:


> you may want to give the K2 Seth Vicious or the Apache Chief a shot.


I'll second that. Next to Volkl, K2 makes the finest line of skis, hands down. The Apache Chief is a great resort ski, and the Seth Vicious will accomplish everything you want in-bounds and when you duck the rope.

Above all, I simply can't resist: What in the sam hell are you doing skiing fat skis in moguls? :shock: Get a role model. :evil:

That said, you would do fine with the Volkl or with the Apache Chief.


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## lagoonia

Thanks for all of your responses. Sounds like the Mantra is a better choice. Paddle Bizzle, like I said I usually only have the money to buy a new pair of skis every few years. I used to ski on Volkl G3's before I got the PR's, but my wife got me the pocket rockets a few years ago and I started skiing them on the mountain and found I could ski just about everything better including bumps on them. I know it sounds funny, but when the PR's came out they were one of the wider skis available and yet I thought they were one of the best skis I had ever used in the bumps (granted I have never skied on an actual ski specifically designed for bumps). Since I really don't ski a ton of backcountry I want to get a ski that will perform well all over the hill and besides Highlands Bowl I can't think of any resorts challenging terrain that eventually doesn't get bumped out. Can you? By the way the pocket rockets aren't fat......They're American


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## paddlebizzle

> Paddle Bizzle, like I said I usually only have the money to buy a new pair of skis every few years. I used to ski on Volkl G3's before I got the PR's, but my wife got me the pocket rockets a few years ago and I started skiing them on the mountain and found I could ski just about everything better including bumps on them. I know it sounds funny, but when the PR's came out they were one of the wider skis available and yet I thought they were one of the best skis I had ever used in the bumps


I'm glad you didn't get all teary-eyed and bunched up over my comment. Skip the Solomon's: they'll last you about a season. .

Get the Mantra or the Apache Chief and call it good. Better yet, demo them and you can ensure that you're making the right choice ust make sure you mount a Marker or Look binding.

SYOTM.


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## mescalimick

Anybody skiing pocket rockets should be on the "Gapers Swarm..." post, and not in a good way.


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## Reckdol

paddlebizzle said:


> The Apache Chief is a great resort ski


Which I'm sure is the reason Valdez Heli Guides chose the K2 Chief as their premiere rental ski.

And PR's as noted bump skis?

So what resort (other than Dragon's Tail) are you skiing at?

:roll:


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## paddlebizzle

> Which I'm sure is the reason Valdez Heli Guides chose the K2 Chief as their premiere rental ski.
> 
> And PR's as noted bump skis?


If you read my posts, you would indeed see that fat skis are NOT a first choice for bumps, Einstein.

The reason VHG chose the Chief as their "premiere" rental ski is because it is a wide, all-mountain advanced ski with SIDECUT and slightly more forgiving that the bigger, harder charging sisters, the Seth Vicious and the Made'n AK. This by definition makes it easier for all the ***-bag wearing chumps to carve in powder and variable conditions found while heli skiing.

You're name is "Reckdol" huh? Does that mean you like to tomahawk down your favorite resort powder lines? Or does that mean you "reck" on your favorite 5 foot "cliff?"


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## Reckdol

> If you read my posts, you would indeed see that fat skis are NOT a first choice for bumps, Einstein.


No, I've not read the history of your posts. I found this gem on the FIRST one I ever looked at: "Pocket Rockets are good in bumps because....."




> The reason VHG chose the Chief as their "premiere" rental ski is because it is a wide, all-mountain advanced ski with SIDECUT and slightly more forgiving that the bigger, harder charging sisters, the Seth Vicious and the Made'n AK. This by definition makes it easier for all the ***-bag wearing chumps to carve in powder and variable conditions found while heli skiing.


The Made n's have a 27m radius.
SV's have a 21m radius.
Chiefs have a 23m radius.

I admit I'm no mathematical wiz, but it looks to me as if the Chiefs fall somewhere in between. Maybe when the Chief grows up, it'll get a 3rd rivet in his nose and he can rock n' roll like his big sister Seth. 

For dimensional comparison:
SV's: 130/98/118mm
Chiefs: 131/98/116mm

Looks like the VHG fartbag crew should consider a move to the SV's. The smart money would be to simply bring you on board as a consultant.



> You're name is "Reckdol" huh? Does that mean you like to tomahawk down your favorite resort powder lines? Or does that mean you "reck" on your favorite 5 foot "cliff?"


It's "your", but sure - I'll play: Yes, the name was given to me because of a little incident at the Rock Garden in JH last year. Humility - try it on sometime. :wink:


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## paddlebizzle

> Yes, the name was given to me because of a little incident at the Rock Garden in JH last year. Humility - try it on sometime


Fell in the Rock Garden in Zion, huh? Ever heard of the field-goal hit off Thunder Quad? Probably the gutsiest in-bounds cliff I've ever seen, and I witnessed the biggest tomahawk of all time. I swear the guy broke his back, but he skied away. 

Name well earned!


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## c--man

I have a pair of the chief- yes they are awesome skis (over 180 days last year) for crud and the pow. However, they can be a hog in the bumps you really have to work your ankles. I've just got a pair of the the K2 outlaws. What a great ski. It can pretty much do any thing you want for resort and the back country. At 88mm underfoot it does give float however, if we get a big dump then I will ride the cheif's (98mm). If you do go w/ the outlaws don't be afraid to go a shorter length. K2 measures their ski differently than others. My 181 cm are a 188 in other skis. They measure the running surface. plus the outlaws have a sheet of metal. That's my two cents worth. The outlaws are the best do anything on the market. Later it snowing up here in the high country. Time to practice safety.


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## mdre21

salomons ski nicely if you are only going to ski on them for like 10 days. their construction is horrible though. and they are overpriced. foam core, cap construction. You are just asking for the core to break down and the whole top sheet to de-lam. go with the volkls


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## ACC

hey bizzle -- can you elucidate the locale of the field goal line a little more? I am having a hard time picturing it, but I should know what you are talking about. Is it in the mushroom chutes area, more over by toilet bowl, or under the lift, i.e. hollywood? or none of the above? thanks.


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## paddlebizzle

The hit is not a straightforward one, until you actually see someone tee off - and then it looks like something straight out of heaven.

The Field-Goal cliff is about 3/4 the way up the Thunder Quad on the left (if you're looking down from the chair) in the Tower Three Chutes area.
The cliff is an embuttment that sticks out from the steep glades and is marked by two trees shoulder-length apart. 

You ski the glades and then basically straightline it and squeeze through the said "goal posts" to hit the cliff. The crux is that the landing right underneath is rocky - so you have to ski the path mentioned above with a fair amount of speed to clear the rocks into the safety zone - about 50 feet out. 

I've only seen it hit twice - both on huge powder days. One guy exploded, and the other skied it like it was Sunday Morning. (I won't mention who it was because he isn't a mere mortal).


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## ACC

thanks. I know exactly what you are talking about now. I had forgotten what that looked like, but you are right, it is a sick line. I saw some tracks off that when I was up there for the winter of 03-04, during the late dec-early jan period when it snowed almost a foot (or more) everyday for about ten days. I would always look at it on thunder and think about the chutzpa required to sack up and hit it. are you talking about shroder? Now I am really jonesing to get back up there, hopefully there will be a big storm over winter break.

Edit: Alright, upon further reflection, I think that you are talking about alta chutes, not tower three if I am thinking of the same huck as you. Riding up the sublette chair you would look uphill and see the huck coming out of the trees in alta 1.5. Skier's right of alta 1, but not quite into 2. Right?


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## paddlebizzle

ACC - i couldn't remember if it was off sublette or off of Thunder Quad. You know exactly which one I'm talking about. As with many lines in JH, this cliff is indeed NOTHING like anything that I've ever seen.


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## paddlebizzle

ACC - i couldn't remember if it was off sublette or off of Thunder Quad. You know exactly which one I'm talking about. As with many lines in JH, this cliff is indeed NOTHING like anything that I've ever seen. 

I was with Will Burks - he was in the air for a very long time.


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