Ski: 2012-2013 Line Influence 105, 186cm
Dimensions (mm): 141-105-131
Sidecut Radius: 19.8 meters
Stated Weight Per Ski: 2261 grams
Mount Location: Factory Recommended Line
Boots / Bindings: Technica Dragon 120 / Marker Baron
Days skied: ~50
Test Locations: Alta, Snowbird, Wasatch Backcountry, Tushar Mountain Backcountry, Utah
[Editor’s Note: While we continue to roll out reviews of new skis for the upcoming season, we wanted to take a look back at a ski that recently got put out to pasture: the 12/13 Line Influence 105. It’s a very capable ski, and there are still some floating around out there. See why new Blister reviewer Brett Carroll thinks you might want to go find a pair.]
I grew up racing slalom and GS on East Coast ice before moving to Utah and making the switch to all-mountain / big-mountain skiing.
As a former racer, I would say that the Line Influence 105 feels like a GS ski that has been adapted to handle all-mountain conditions. It responds best when driving the shovels with strong, dynamic moves into and out of turns, and, like a race ski, you get out what you put in. When skied aggressively, these skis are fun and poppy. Get lazy, however, and they will feel sluggish and unresponsive.
With a short rocker line in the tip of about 28cm, and a non-rockered, partially twinned tail, most of the ski’s length is in contact with the snow, which adds to their impressive stability. While the Influence 105 is very much a directional ski, the partial twin tip shape does allow for more versatility in turn shape when skiing off-piste conditions.
Lastly, although the 186cm Influence 105 isn’t a super light ski (~2261 grams per ski), most of that weight is underfoot, giving the ski a relatively light swing weight and making the ski more nimble than I had expected.
For me and my skiing style this ski is a perfect all mountain ripper, and nearly a one-ski quiver. I keep a pair of K2 Hellbents on reserve for the deepest of days, but use these for everything else.
Soft Bumps / Crud
As I noted above, the weight of these skis worried me about their performance in tighter spaces, bumps, and crud, where I would need to be able to make some quicker turns. As luck would have it, these were the conditions at Alta on my first day riding the skis. A storm five days before had left the mountain a smorgasbord of relatively soft bumps, choppy crud, and stashes of pow. I hopped on the Wildcat lift and pointed my new boards straight for the trees under the chair.
A few turns in, I learned my first lesson: ski these in the front seat. My previous pair of skis, the 2009 K2 Obsethed, had favored more of a neutral stance, and when I tried to ski these similarly I immediately found myself in the backseat playing catch-up with my own feet.
Regrouping, I dropped into a mogul field in an aggressive stance, much more in line with my racing roots. The difference was obvious, and the skis felt quick, poppy, and responsive. My worries about the skis not making tighter turns vanished, as in the variable snow I could easily transition from quick slalom to high speed GS-turns and back.
At higher speeds through the semi-firm, shallow, choppy snow, these skis refused to be bounced around, arcing turns through the crud like I was on a groomer. I reached the bottom smiling, and hopped back on for another lap.
Jumps / Drops / Landings
On my second lap I got a little more creative, and chose a line with some natural take off jumps and small-to-medium sized cliff drops. I certainly haven’t skied everything out there, but I have never ridden a ski that provides a better platform for take off or landing than the Influence 105.
Another place where the stiffness and dampness of these skis excel is on sketchy run-ins that keep the tips and tails of the softer, super fat pow skis (frequently seen around Alta) flapping away. These ride right through the ruts and bumps of those run ins, which made me feel much more confident and stable before reaching the take off.
Landings also feel effortless. As long as I was centered over the skis, the tails provided an incredibly stable platform even in variable or choppy snow. My only complaint is that landing backseat can lead to some shin bang, as the tails would not bend enough to let me tail press out of a backseat landing.
As for actually being in the air, the Influence 105 is a little heavy. I’ve never been one to spin off jumps, so for me this wasn’t a big issue, and the added weight actually added a feeling of stability to straight airs and shifties. However, I can see why someone who likes to throw spins off airs would complain about the swing weight. Although the swing weight is relatively light relative to the weight of the ski, the 105 still feels significantly heavier than a ski designed to spin.
Groomers
A few runs later I went to meet a friend on the other side of the mountain, so I had the opportunity to test these out on a top-to-bottom groomer lap. Unlike the variable snow off piste where I was able to smear, slash, and generally select my turn shape more than I had expected, the Influence 105 has a very specific turn shape that they like to make on groomers.
After chattering through a few short-radius turns, I opened it up a little and immediately felt my edges lock in. I soon learned these skis love to make turns that are in line with their 19.8 meter turn radius—essentially perfect GS turns.
Just as in the bumps and crud, these skis are designed to be driven on groomers. This was ideal for me with my racing background and style of skiing, and I arced clean, fast GS turns all the way down to the bottom. These skis felt very torsionally rigid, which, in combination with their stiffness, left me feeling confident in their edge grip.
After a season on these in Utah, I learned that I could trust them to hold an edge on groomers just as I had trusted my GS skis back in my racing days. (Caveat: I never got to ski them on true boilerplate / blue ice, and on that stuff, I doubt they’d hold like a GS ski. But their edge grip never wavered on the firmest groomers that I skied last season.)
Dust on Crust
As an East Coast native, I just call these days powder days.
But whatever you call them, the Influence 105 performs well with a bit of fresh snow on top of a firm base layer. They are wide enough with just enough tip rocker to float through the deeper sections, but stiff and damp enough that they weren’t getting bounced around when I’d hit patches of firm snow in the middle of my line.
Steep, Technical Skiing
I can’t say this enough—the combination of stiffness, dampness, and edge grip on these skis inspires confidence. And of all the lines I skied this winter, a single day in Tanners Gulch illustrates this the best.
One morning at the end of April, a friend and I started boot packing up Tanners Gulch, trying to reach the top before the sun and the predicted 50-degree temps heated up the snow too much.
As we hiked, clouds started to roll in, the temperature dropped, and it started snowing lightly. By the time we reached the top of the line we realized that the spring corn we had hoped for had been replaced by frozen avalanche debris.
The top of the line required a small cornice drop into a 40-degree chute featuring a couple inches of fresh snow on top of an uneven, frozen bed surface. Even though the cornice drop was only a couple feet, given the circumstances I appreciated these skis’ stiffness and predictability for the landing and immediate speed-scrubbing turn.
I then made a series of quick short radius turns and was impressed by how even in these extreme conditions the Influence did not get bounced around.
Lower down, the chute became clogged by large boulders of frozen avalanche debris. As I picked my way through, I appreciated both the edge grip and relatively low swing weight of these skis. I felt confident in my ability to make short hop turns around these boulders, and in the ability of these skis to hold an edge after each hop turn.
We finally reached smooth snow on the apron below, and I felt comfortable making some larger, faster turns through the shallow layer of dust on crust.
Couldnt agree with your review more. Perfect daily driver in-bounds ski. Sad to see this ski be discontinued.
Great review! But I do have a question: I’ve been on soft park skis for my whole skiing career (~15 years) I feel like I’m almost ‘advanced’ but not quite, I NEED to go fast. But I’ve never needed to pressure the front of the skis to turn. I’d love to improve my skiing and I’m thinking of either this or the belafonte, aside from the side cut difference, could you compare the two?
Hey Eric,
I’ve never had a chance to ride the Belafonte, so I can’t draw any comparisons between the two. You can check out a review of the Belafonte here: http://blistergearreview.com/gear-reviews/moment-belafonte-187cm. I’m sure that Jonathan could help you out if you have any more questions after reading his review.
That being said, here’s my two cents about the Influence 105:
-I don’t know all that much about your skiing style, but I found it pretty crucial to pressure the fronts of my boots and really stay ahead of these skis. When I did end up in a neutral or backseat stance I had trouble initiating new turns and adapting to variable conditions, and it felt like the skis were running away from me.
-I would also consider what type of snow and terrain you plan on skiing the most: on or off-piste. While the Influence 105 seemed to favor a forward stance in all the conditions that I rode it in, I think that it is a little easier to get away with a more neutral stance on groomers than off-piste. This distinction is mainly due to the fact that groomers tend to provide more leeway in terms of turn initiation and shape.
-Lastly, you’re right that the Influence handles high speeds well, but I would add the caveat that I felt very uncomfortable going fast on these skis while in a neutral or backseat stance. In my experience these skis haven’t felt very responsive unless I have been in the front seat pressuring the fronts of the skis, and I would want that responsiveness for quick speed checks or adjustments at high speeds.
I hope those answers helped. Let me know if you want any more clarification.
Hey Eric – Brett gave you a great answer, and my immediate thought is that you really ought to check out the LINE Sick Day 110. It is a less demanding ski than the Belafonte, and while I LOVE the Belafonte, I love it primarily for its abilities in crud and chop, not necessarily for its pure carving performance. The Belafonte will be a better crud-busting ski than the Sick Day 110, but for someone transitioning from softer park skis to more of an all-mountain ski, my hunch is that the Sick Day 110 would be a pretty great choice. Check out our review of it.
I forgot to mention these will be skis for me to go out west with on vacation so conditions will be unexpected . ( I live in the Midwest ) if I have the narrower forgiving park skis to slime around the mountain if I get tired of the stiffness, would the skis I mentioned fit the bill? I want these to be a part of a two ski quiver I guess that would force me to get better but also have soft snow/big mountain application.
Eric,
I think that both the Influence 105 and the Sick Day 110 that Jonathan suggested would provide that soft snow/big mountain application, and that they would both make sense as the second pair of skis in the quiver that you have described. However, I would like to share a little personal philosophy regarding ski selection. So take this advice for what it is; just my personal opinion.
I feel like skiers should choose a pair of skis to fit their own style, instead of choosing skis that will “force” them to adapt how they ski. In reality, most skis are not designed to target intermediate, advanced, or expert skiers, but rather they are designed to be best ridden with a certain style/technique. In this example, if the Sick Day 110 is more in line with how you like to ski, then I would recommend choosing that over a ski that would “force” you to “get better.” There are plenty of ripping skiers who ride skis like the Sick Day, so by choosing that ski it’s not like you are resigning yourself to an intermediate level. Both of these skis can be ridden successfully by people of any ability level, so choose the ski that you think makes the most sense for you, and not necessarily the one that you think might make you “better.”
I know that’s not the most technical comparison, so thanks for indulging me while I got a little philosophical. Hope this helps.
Brett,
I too spent my earlier days racing in the east and now run a race program on the weekends. I have a pair of the Line Prophet 100’s ay 179cm and am passing them to my 16 year old son (who is a top notch SL, GS & SG racer). I found them to be unmatched at speed and except for the deepest Utah powder, extremely responsive and exceptionally fun for a guy who spends his weekends on slalom race skis while working. I really liked your review of the Influence 105 and am torn between that and the 115. The latest review of the 13-14 115 made it out to be too soft snow oriented. I get to ski out west three times a year so need to maintain the one ski quiver. Thoughts?
Charlie,
For me the Influence 105’s are nearly a perfect one ski quiver. As I mentioned in my review, I have a pair of Hellbents for the deepest days, but as soon as all that fresh snow gets a little cut up, I’m back on the Influence.
It sounds like we come from pretty similar backgrounds, and based on your experience with the Prophets my hunch is that you would enjoy the Influence 105’s like I have. I haven’t gotten to ski the 115’s, so I don’t want to speculate about how those might perform as a one ski quiver. At this point I think I would recommend comparing both reviews, and keeping in mind that, from what you described, I think the 105’s would make a great one ski quiver.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Brett, thanks for the great review! I am about 95% ready to order a pair. I’m curious to hear how you think the ski would do back on the east coast. I’m looking for a ski for some side/backcountry skiing in northern New England and don’t know where to start. I don’t have quite as extensive a racing background but I have always favored GS race (or similar) skis in the past. I am ready to try getting off the groomers, I just need to find the right ride. Thanks again.
From my experience last year I think that these skis would work great as an East Coast side/backcountry ski. I really appreciated their versatility last year, as they skied well in all the backcountry conditions that I experienced. Their turn radius is short enough that they handled tight trees well, which is a pretty important characteristic for the East.
Like I mentioned they are on the heavier side, but if you’re fine with carrying a little extra weight than a ski more specifically designed for touring then I think you’ll enjoy them on the descent. Also, I haven’t gotten to ski them in true boilerplate conditions. I imagine that they would perform fairly well in those conditions, but probably not up to the standards of the GS skis you’re used to. Still, if this is primarily an off-piste/sidecountry/backcountry ski this shouldn’t be much of an issue.
I’m glad you liked the review. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thanks for the well-written and detailed review. I don’t have a racing background, but learned to ski in New England on ice so I also tend to drive in the front seat. I ski all terrain but normally pick shorter and softer flexing skis since I spend a good amount of time in the bumps and trees and prefer slower speeds with short radius turns rather than high speed GS arcs.
I want something fairly wide but versatile for ski trips out west and am considering the Influence 105 (since it’s better in powder and crud than the Prophet 98), but wonder if it may be a little too burly for me at 5’8″ and 145 lbs. I’d get the 172cm, which has a tight 16 meter radius (same as my eastern Salomon X-Wing Fury 165cm), but question if even that would be too sluggish for me at slower speeds.
I enjoy carving, especially the trampoline effect of the tails launching me into each turn, and don’t want to fight an overly damp, sluggish ski all day (especially in the bumps). Would I find this ski lively and poppy enough given my weight and laid-back style, or should I look elsewhere? Thanks again.
Thanks EG, it’s always nice to hear that people appreciate these reviews. As far as a versatile ski for trips out west for your style of skiing it sounds like you’re on the right track.
First, I wouldn’t describe the Influence 105 as a sluggish ski. I found that their performance and responsiveness were based more on skier style than purely on speed of travel. Even when I was skiing at slower speeds these skis felt poppy and responsive as long as I was in the front seat making powerful, dynamic turns. On the other hand, these skis felt hard to control at high speeds if I ever ended up in the back seat. So as long as you prefer to drive your skis from a forward stance, I think that skis will perform well regardless of how fast you are going.
I also really enjoyed what you call the “trampoline effect” with these skis. Like I mentioned in my review, you get out what you put in. If you ride these with the powerful style I described above then I think you will find them to be fairly poppy.
Lastly, while I do think that these skis perform well in moguls, I would probably opt for a softer ski if I planned on lapping zipper-line bumps all day. When riding these I was happy taking a run or two down High Boy (a run at Alta that can get pretty bumped up during dry spells) or riding through a few hundred vert of moguls on my way back to the lift, which sounds like the kind of versatility you’re looking for anyway.
Overall I think that the Influence 105 sounds like a good choice as a versatile option for your trips out west. If shralping bumps is your main goal then I would suggest looking at something a little softer. But if you’re looking for a ski that can handle a wide variety of conditions on vacations out west and still perform well when you come to a mogul field, then I think this ski is a good call.
Hope this helps, and feel free to comment if you need more clarification.
Thanks, Brett, for the clarification. Sounds like I could handle them. Have a great ski season!
How would the Influence 105s compare to the Sir Francis Bacon? I skied my friend’s SFBs in 178 length and loved them, but I’m wondering what else is out there that’s similar. My concern is that the Influences will be considerably stiffer/heavier.
Thoughts?
You’re right that Influence will be stiffer and heavier than the SFB. These two skis are designed for different purposes, with the SFB being a more playful, soft snow-oriented ski and the Influence being a stiff ski to charge through any condition. I think if you read Jason Hutchins’ review of the SFB and compare to this review of the Influence you’ll get the gist of what I’m trying to say. But overall, if you’re looking for a ski that is similar to the SFB, I think you would be better off looking somewhere else.
Great review Brett, as a an east coast former racer (not at a very high level), the Influence 105 sounds like a great wider ski for my quiver. Do you know of anyone skiing this tele? I am thinking of putting NTN on them to compliment my Nordica Steadfast (daily driver). The other question is about length. In New England a lot of folks ski on shorter skis, especially if their home hill is a small one. At 5’6″ 155lbs, I am torn between the 172 and 179.
Thanks JFR. Unfortunately I’m not sure how much I can really help you out in the whole tele arena. As far as an alpine ski goes, I think this one is a great wider option for an East Coast skier. I have just about zero experience on tele gear, so I can’t even guess how the 105 would adapt to that style of skiing. I’m not sure if tele changes sizing either, but for a traditional alpine skier I would recommend opting for the shorter size when in doubt (especially for skiing in New England). Hope that helps. Glad you enjoyed the review.
I know this review was five years ago but for what it’s worth I telemark with the 2012 Influence 105’s. Bindings are 22 Design Axl’s. Boots are Black Diamond Custom’s. It’s a fantastic telemark ski and the only pair I use. My home area is Monarch with occasional days at Copper Mountain. I’m an expert telemarker and I spend nearly all of my time hunting powder lines and tree skiing. I think it’s because the ski really excels at that. Great great ski for crud and chop too. 100% agree about driving a forward stance. I find the more I plunge forward and drop my hands to my knees and get my weight out front on these boards the better. Super tight tree skiing also great with these but they do kick out if you get back on your heels. Steep unevenly cut mogul fields are a challenge for any tele skier including me. I cant make the 105’s hold the line after about 10 turns. They eventually get away from me since I get in the backseat when I’m fatigued. For this reason they are an exhausting ski for telemarking in the bumps. On groomers they are awesome and I often open them all the way up getting lower mountain blues and greens out of the way as quick as possible. Super stable and great at high speeds. Towards the end of the day I can do regular alpine turns on these even though I’m on tele bindings. Highly recommend….Hope this helps the handful of telemarkers out there….
Thanks again, I pulled the trigger and have a pair of 172s coming. As far as skis I have liked, I like the same attributes for tele and alpine. skis that are solid, have energy and come alive with forward pressure and when on edge. I have also pair of Stockli SLs mounted tele that are a blast to play on. For alpines, my skis are both east coast carvers, Blizzard G-Power and Fischer WC GS 23m.
Good to know, I think you’ll like them. The 105 definitely has all those attributes, so as far as I can tell it sounds like a good ski for you. Enjoy!
I ended up buying the Influence 105 in 179cm. I skied it on some pretty brutal steep frozen base in Switzerland and then in Colorado powder. I am very happy with the ski and it is a good replacement for the Prophet 100 in 179cm. I’ll say it rips on the groomer run outs on the way home too.
I never worried about it weight since it was what I was expecting and the deep sidecut it something that is a real treat for a bigger ski.
Brett, nice review. I bought the 2012-2013 model based on your review so hats off to you.
Thanks.
Thanks Charlie, I’m glad I was able to help. It’s always nice to hear that we’re steering people in the right direction. Have a great rest of the season!
Brett,
Thanks for the great review, you guys rock! I am considering adding these to my quiver. I am a 6ft, 160lb expert. Mary Jane is my home mountain, skied 150+ days the last two seasons, but as I no longer live out west I will only get about 45 days this season. I might ski one groomer lap a day, if that. Most of the time I spend all day in the trees with bump runs and steeps/chutes mixed in. I ski fast and aggressively, striving to be on edge as much as possible. Current quiver: Icelantic Keeper 189- anything over 6″ of fresh, incredible crud busters, a bit of a handful when forced to make quick, tight turns in variable conditions. Line Blend 178- have been my go to ski for the last couple of years, amazing maneuverability in the trees, but nearly worn out and my style has evolved into much more of a charger since purchasing these- I overpower them all the time. Fun for skiing with family/ non ski fanatic friends, or more relaxed days, but leaving me wanting something more most times that I have them out. Blizzard Brahma 180- hard snow bias/ bumps. Demoed these last season and absolutely loved them, found a great deal on them this summer and pulled the trigger. Will be my go to ski for most days, but worried they might not have quite enough girth for all but the smallest storm days. Will the Influence fill the gap between my Keepers and Brahmas nicely for those 4-8″ days/ leftover chop, or be too much of an overlap to worry about? I have demoed these for a few runs a couple years ago (early season, groomers only) and loved them. I am thinking they will be great for days that aren’t deep enough to warrant the Keepers, but where the Brahma may not provide enough float/ not be as stable in crud. Able to get a killer deal on them, will probably go with the 179 to keep them more maneuverable in tight trees. Thoughts?
Hi Matt, I’m glad to hear you like the site and appreciated this review.
From what it sounds like the Influence 105 might be the perfect ski to round out a very solid three-ski quiver. I think that these would be a great choice for someone who likes to ski a wide variety of terrain with an aggressive style. As for filling the gap between the Brahmas and the Keepers, the Influence 105 and the Line Supernatural 108 are my two top choices for skiing soft chop, softer variable snow, and small to mid-sized powder days.
I hope that helps, I think that sounds like a fantastic quiver!
Brett,
I rarely see such a well written, comprehensive review of a ski that is not new on the market. You are right on with your assessment. The Influence changed my life on the hill when I purchased my first pair in early 2012. They are very much the closest I have ever been to a one quiver ski and gave me the confidence to try lines in conditions I had not ever dared riding on my girl’s version of that ski. (I am a female – ride a 172 Line-105)
Last season-2013/14, I got 92 days on the hill. I live in Breckenridge, Colorado and ski all of Summit County’s playground. I remember last season doing giant GS turns down Imperial Bowl in perfect wind blown powder conditions with such confidence, speed and shit eating grin. The Influence is so fluid when you drive them down the hill. That same day I hiked over the spine and dropped off the back cornice into some of the worst wind I had encountered that season. I found myself skiing on giant ice dunes in a defensive position against the wind blowing ice and rocks at my face. I think if I had been on any other ski, I would have hiked out of the ice crud over to the trees, but I was able to navigate through the rocks and iced dunes with some confidence on my Influence and made my way back to planet earth on the other side of the spine.
The lines up top at Breck and at A-Basin in Zuma Bowl or in the Alleys are so variable. I think that is why I like the Line Influence best, because they hold tight in almost any conditions. When people say of Colorado “if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minuets” – they aint lyin. We had a few days of 3′ dumps in early ’14. While its true that the Influence is not the quintessential floater in the deep pow, they do pretty good. I just rode them down the steep bump lines and bounced off the tops of all the filled in moguls, giggling like a little girl all the way. When in deep pow in the trees, you have to drive them and be careful not to get lazy, or you will dig in.
Basically, an all around awesome ski!
CA
Right on Christine! I couldn’t agree more. I’m glad you like the review, and hope you have many more great days on the 105s to come.
Brett,
First off, I am a big fan of your sites reviews and the first site I go to when looking into a new product. I am relatively New into skiing (5 years) but was instantly addicted and have rapidly advanced my skill set. I live in New England and ski all over the northeast. My first pair of new skis I purchased are the Nordica dead money in 177. They have been fun skis and allowed me to advance but I quickly felt like I had outgrown them and was overpowering them. I like to ski fast and hard. Within the past 2 years I have began venturing off piste and have finally gotten a few decent powder days under my belt. At the end of last season, I demoed the rossignol super 7 and really enjoyed them! Had varying conditions that day and they handled everything I threw at them. At the end of the day, I spotted a used demo pair of the 12-13 rossignol squad 7 and got a screaming deal on them. Unfortunately, I suffered a back injury at work a few weeks after and have still not been able to ski the squads. I am finally recovering from the injury and can’t wait to get back on the mountain! My question is, would the influence be a good ski to round out my quiver in the northeast? I found another great deal on these. 179 or 186? I am 5′ 11″ and weigh between 185-195. Any other recommendations? Also on a side note, I am anxious to try the squads but I am a little worried they will be just too much ski for the northeast. Thoughts? Thanks in advance foe your time and feedback!
Hi James, glad to hear you like the site/our reviews.
The Influence 105 is a very different ski from the Dead Money, but if you’re looking for a pair of skis that you can push much harder than the Dead Money then I think you’re on the right track. The Influence 105 will be far stiffer, heavier, and less forgiving than the Dead Money, but they will provide much more stability for skiing fast in any condition, from groomers to firm chop to powder. The Influence 105 can still feel quick and lively, you’ll just have to work harder to get them to respond that way. If that’s what you’re looking for in your next pair of skis, I say go for it!
As for sizing, based on your height and weight you seem to be on the line between the 179 and the 186. But given that you are skiing on the East Coast and you’re switching from a 177 park ski, I would recommend the 179. The Influence 105 is stiff, stable, and powerful enough that I think the 179 will be plenty of ski.
I would also recommend checking out my review of the Line Supernatural 100. The SN 100 is just a touch softer than the Influence 105 (but still much stiffer/more stable than the Dead Money), feels a little quicker in most conditions, and in general is just a touch more versatile in off-piste conditions at moderate speeds.
Last, if you haven’t done so already, you should read Jason Hutchins review of the 2012-2013 Squad 7. That is definitely a lot of ski for the Northeast, but if you want a fat, powder/soft snow-specific ski then it sounds like the Squad 7 is a good choice.
Thanks for the review. A friend of mine recommended these for me. I’ve been on Nordica Hell & Back but lost a ski yesterday in powder.
I like to get up on my edges and carve groomers and I am improving in powder, trees and crud.
I already have head rev 85s in a 177 for east coast groomers but need something for Colorado skiing or powder days out east.
I have been working hard getting in the front of my nordica xmax 120 boots when getting in the steep powder or in trees requiring tight turns. It has been challenging to get out of the back of the boot for me although I’m working on breaking that habit.
Do you recommend this ski for me? Any suggestions? Thanks.
SM –
I think you’re on the right track, but given your description of your skiing style the Influence 105 isn’t the first ski I’d recommend. The 105 performs best when the skier is comfortable pressuring the front of their boot and driving through the shovel of the ski. It’s not especially forgiving of backseat skiing.
I would recommend checking out the Armada TST. The is a fun all mountain ski that carves well on soft groomers and floats well in powder and soft chop for a ski of its width. It is also more forgiving than the Influence 105 and will feel more agile making quick turns through trees and crud.
Hope that helps. Have a great winter!
Great review, thank you! I bought a new pair last spring and took them off the groomers at the Palmer late spring. It had snowed about 2-3″ of wet snow and was wind blown ice chunks for the spines with a few vains of crappy powder. Visibility was not good and I must say I hated them. I was too upright on them and they felt clunky. Well I reluctantly took them for a second time last Sunday in 3″ of new over 12 inches of 2 day old chopped snow. I skied them like my Volkl Tiger Sharks and they blew me away. I could make any shape turns and pop off the tails in the exit when I wanted. They were rock solid and didn’t buck like my other rockers unless I accidently got in the backseat. I stayed over them in all the varied conditions and they put a smile on my face just like my fat boards do in plus knee deep powder. For chop and chunk snow they are amazing but you have to know how to ski them to make them work. For powder they do pretty well and for ice they do okay and will get you through. When good snow gets skied out this is the ski for me. I am so glad I gave these skis a second chance and I will ski these a lot from now on.
So…I happened to pick up a pair of these this year and just took them out this weekend (I got them for 350$ which is a steal…there are still some pairs out there on the internet). I’ve gotta hand it to you…your review was spot on. They are perfectly suited to a “charger” type skier–they like to go fast, and damn dude, you do have to drive them hard but they reward you for it. I’m 5’10” 145lbs and have the 179s mounted on the line with Rossi FKS bindings. They rip, but my legs are toast today. This is definitely not a very friendly ski…if you don’t ski really aggressively these things are not for you. I know that since these skis are a few years old my comments really don’t matter, but I will add that I noticed the tails hooked a little in tight crusty bumps. Regardless, thanks so much for your review. I chose these skis based on your comments, and got EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thanks dudes.
This is a 105 review and a question. I’m 5’9″ 150 lbs fast aggressive expert skier.
I’ve been on the Influence 105 for 5seasons now and love,love,love them. I came to these from the prophet 100’s and the 105 kept everything good about the prophets and improved a few weaknesses. They obviously added a little width to give them more float in the powder and gave them the early rise so they release out of the turns very predictably (aren’t hooky) giving you loads of confidence to let it run fast in all sorts of conditions. They predictably aren’t quite as quick edge to edge as the prophet but I would still say they are quick and lively and playfull.
After 5 seasons of 20-30 days a year the skis still ski great but I am starting to think about what is my next ski. I’m tempted to just buy another pair of the 105’s in 179 length just to have for when mine are worn out.
I’m wondering what other ski would be the closest to the Influence 105. I’m real interested in the SuperNatural 108 but the only thing I don’t like is the longer turn radius and reports that they are not a quick turning ski. I ski fast and aggressive usually searching for the softer snow off piste in the trees with small to medium air’s. I like being able to make quick turns at fairly high speeds. I’m just concerned the supernatural 108 wouldn’t turn quick enough for me.
Royce: Similar to you, I’m a 5’6″, 150lb fast, aggressive expert (40-day/yr Squaw Valley season pass) skier. I bought the Influence 105 several years ago and LOVE them. Best ski I’ve ever skied. Perfect 1-ski-quiver for Squaw. I agree with the excellent review, 100%. The biggest downside is that they’re so stable that I ski them way faster than humans should probably travel without seat-belts and air-bags. Unfortunately I just delaminated one tail (probably from banging the snow off of them in the parking lot). I’m debating whether to get another pair of Line Influence 105s (unused) or maybe gamble on going with a more modern shape, like the Line Supernatural 108 or Blizzard Cochise. If you replace your Influence 105s with something, please let us know how your new skis stack up. I’ll do the same.
Did you ever find a decent replacement for the influence 105? Been on mine for …8 seasons now! Best all mountain ski I’ve ever had. Is there anything that can match that performance?