2015-2016 Wagner Custom Skis

Off-Piste, Variable Hardpack

Similar to skiing firm groomers and moguls, the responsiveness of the Wagners allowed for quick turn initiation, easy directional change, and stable edge hold in variable conditions. While one of my former comp skis, the Dynastar XXL, offers stable edge hold in almost any condition, the Wagner’s excel in their maneuverability. When conditions changed down a single run (like my comp line in Kappl, Austria), I was able to adapt and maneuver around exposure and different snow types, while positioning myself on more ideal patches of snow to carve.

On wind buff and ice, I’ve been able to plant my edges and control speed exceptionally well. This is particularly advantageous when skiing tight chutes and long couloirs where speed control is a must.

Unlike thinner cap construction skis that often perform great in forgiving conditions (e.g., the Armada TST), these Wagner’s provide a stable and predictable feel in both firm conditions and transitions between unforgiving snow types.

And again, the all-mountain tip profile enhances these transitions between variable conditions. The tapered profile minimizes deflection off hard debris, and allows for more seamless transitions when blowing through debris or punching through wind lips. However, unlike the Scott Punisher (a ski that features a wider shovel at the tip), the Wagner did not plane and float as easily.

Powder and Chop

When conditions are soft and more forgiving, these skis are maneuverable, easy to turn, and easy to control in the air. The ski is most at home driving down the fall line, consistent with our intentions of designing a big-mountain charger. And yet, they are still quick and responsive, which was ideal both for deep snow in tight chutes, and for setting up cliff drops.

The all-mountain tip profile tends to promote driving through powder, with less floating on top. This may be ideal when skiing at slower speeds and seeking out face shots in blower pow, but when trying to charge and float easily at high speeds, the ski comes up short as a big mountain powder charger, or for this project, a big mountain comp ski.

Ultimately, though, this isn’t terribly surprising given that (1) the ski features a very minimal tip rocker profile, (2) the ski is fairly straight and stiff, and (3) it isn’t exceptionally wide. Quick? Yes. Stable? Yes. Good in variable? Yes.

For big mountain terrain, I ultimately felt that I wanted to go a bit bigger. But as an all-mountain ski, these have become my all-mountain ripper of choice.

The Big Surprise / The Wagner 100% Guarantee

After detailing all of this to Pete Wagner, it became instantly clear how serious he is about standing behind his product. I explained that the ski performs exactly as we intended it to in firm conditions, but when conditions are soft, I wasn’t getting the flotation I needed.

Literally without hesitation, he replied, “Understandable. Let’s make the ski bigger.”

And with that, Pete began working up the design of a second pair, so as to deliver exactly the ski I was looking for.

And this isn’t because I’m a comp skier or a Blister reviewer. Anyone who purchases a ski from Wagner will get exactly the ski they want, or Wagner will start over. It’s remarkable.

Since our initial design performed exceptionally well in firm and challenging conditions, which are far more telling than soft, we opted not to make any radical changes. To increase size and achieve greater flotation, we bumped the ski length up to 192cm, the dimensions to 143-112-131mm, and increased the tip rocker profile to a 30/15 rise over run versus the 15/15 of the original 108mm ski. The amount of traditional camber underfoot remained about the same, and the sidecut radius moved from 27 meters to 24 meters. Both skis have titanal.

We also reduced the additional bump up in stiffness that I had asked for on the original pair ( I’d requested “medium ++”) and dropped it to “medium +” on the second pair—which was precisely the flex pattern that Pete had originally suggested.

And since I had some mixed feelings about the tip profile, we opted for a design that was only slightly tapered in order to maximize the effective edge when carving.

I then submitted a new graphic for the new ski, and within a month, I was back on the Freeride World Tour with a longer, fatter, and slightly softer big-mountain comp ski.

This new Wagner Custom completely addressed all the deficiencies relating to soft snow flotation and charging that I noted in the first pair. And despite the size increase, which was very noticeable in terms of looks and feel, the ski still retained a remarkably light feel and swing weight.

Even better, I did not suffer a loss in terms of hardpack / variable performance with the slightly softer flex and greater width. If anything, the ski became more engaging on these snow types and became more versatile in general, yet still felt torsionally rigid when carving.

Bottom Line

Before designing and skiing a Wagner Custom, neither Jonathan Ellsworth nor I could have imagined recommending a ski that costs $1700-$1900. But after going through the design process with Pete and receiving a truly beautiful, fully custom, well-constructed ski designed to make you ski your best and to hold up for many seasons under Wagner’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, Jonathan and I would both highly recommend Wagner Custom. It’s an impressive and fun process that is guaranteed to result in a product you love.

 

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