Ski: 2022-2023 Moment Deathwish 104, 184 cm
Test Location: Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado
Days Skied: 12
Available Lengths: 174, 179, 184, 190 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 181.8 cm
Stated Weight Per Ski: 1975 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1970 & 1993 grams
Stated Dimensions: 132-104-124 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 132.7-103.8-124.1 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (184 cm): 22 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 67.5 mm / 66.5 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 4 mm
Core Materials: aspen/beech + carbon & fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered 7500 series UHMWPE
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -5.8 cm from center; 85.1 cm from tail
Boots / Bindings / Wax: Tecnica Mach1 MV 130; Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 / Salomon Warden MNC 13 / mountainFLOW All-Temp
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 21/22 Deathwish 104, which returns unchanged for 22/23, apart from graphics.]
Intro
The Deathwish is one of Moment’s longest-standing skis, originally debuting more than a decade ago. It immediately stood out when it was released not only because of its name and graphics, but also because of its unique “Triple Camber” profile, which combined deep tip and tail rocker lines with “camber pockets” in front of and behind the bindings, with the goal of combining the maneuverability of very rockered skis with a level of edge grip that couldn’t be matched by a traditional rocker / camber / rocker profile.
Since then, the Deathwish has gained many fans, and it’s evolved a bit over the years. However, it was and has always been a 112mm-wide ski, which is pretty wide by most folks’ standards.
For the 21/22 season, Moment debuted a new Deathwish ski, but this one was 104 mm underfoot. We spent time on the new Deathwish 104 throughout the past season, so now it’s time to weigh in.
What Moment says about the Deathwish 104
“The same snappy, poppy, slashy, intuitive, playful feel of the Deathwish in a ski you can REALLY stand on in firm conditions. The Deathwish 104 is for anyone seeking that same telepathic connection to a ski, but with more grip and agility for tighter quarters and harder snow.
More than a narrow version of its big brother, the 104 features a beefed up core and a new dual radius sidecut, paired with a slight rearward shift in the mounting point for a leaner, meaner, damper, trench-laying machine. It’s narrow enough to put the power down on hardpack, wide enough to keep you off the bottom when it dumps, full of Triple Camber energy and grip, and made by hand in the city God forgot when handing out grace and virtue.”
Construction
The Deathwish 104’s construction is similar to the Deathwish, with the main difference being that the Deathwish 104 features an aspen / beech wood core, while the Deathwish gets an aspen / ash core. Both skis feature Moment’s carbon / fiberglass laminate, sintered 7500 series UHMWPE base, and 2.2 mm edges, and like all Moment skis, they’re made in Reno, Nevada.
Shape / Rocker Profile
The Deathwish 104 looks like, you guessed it, a narrower Deathwish. Both feature Moment’s signature blocky tips and a tail that looks a bit more tapered than the shovels. The Deathwish 104’s shape isn’t very out of the ordinary for a ~105mm-wide, playful ski, but its rocker profile is, and it’s nearly identical to the 112mm-wide Deathwish. Given its narrower width, the Deathwish 104’s rocker lines stand out even more for how deep they are, and it features the same true twin tip, as well as those signature camber pockets.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Deathwish 104:
Tips: 7
Shovels: 7.5-8.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 9-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-8
Tails: 7.5-7
The Deathwish 104 is a strong ski overall. The ends of its tips and tails aren’t wildly stiff, but they do feature the thicker construction that Moment implemented across the Wildcat and Deathwish skis for 21/22, and they do hand-flex stiffer than the earlier skis in those series.
Sidecut Radius
The Deathwish 104’s stated sidecut radius is on the longer end of the spectrum, with the 184 cm length’s coming in at 22 meters. That said, this is a bit tighter than the standard Deathwish (stated sidecut radius of 25 meters @ 184 cm).
Mount Point
Here’s another point of differentiation between the two Deathwishes — the 104 gets a slightly (1 cm) more rearward mount point. However, the Deathwish 104 still has a pretty progressive mount point of about -6 cm from true center.
Weight
The Deathwish 104 is a fairly light ski for its size, though it’s reportedly only about 50 grams lighter per ski than the 112mm-wide Deathwish, so the 104 is a touch heavier for its size (likely due to the beech wood in the 104’s core). At a little under 2000 grams per ski for the 184 cm length, the Deathwish 104 is no heavy weight, but these days, its weight doesn’t look very out of the ordinary for a playful ~105mm-wide ski.
For reference, here are our measured weights for some notable skis. Keep in mind the length differences to try to keep things apples to apples.
1800 & 1804 Head Kore 105, 184 cm (21/22)
1806 & 1862 Armada Tracer 108, 180 cm (19/20–21/22)
1820 & 1821 Majesty Havoc Carbon, 186 cm (20/21–22/23)
1836 & 1838 Armada ARW 106 UL, 180 cm (21/22-22/23)
1848 & 1903 Line Sick Day 104, 186 cm (16/17–21/22)
1875 & 1881 Line Sir Francis Bacon, 184 cm (19/20–22/23)
1905 & 1919 J Skis Slacker, 188 cm (20/21–21/22)
1920 & 2006 RMU North Shore YLE 110, 186 cm (21/22–22/23)
1947 & 2011 4FRNT Devastator, 186 cm (20/21–22/23)
1951 & 1953 Elan Ripstick 106, 188 cm (20/21–22/23)
1951 & 1957 RMU Apostle 3.0 106 Wood, 184 cm (21/22–22/23)
1964 & 1972 Moment Deathwish, 184 cm (19/20–20/21)
1970 & 1993 Moment Deathwish 104, 184 cm (21/22–22/23)
1993 & 2026 Black Crows Atris, 184.2 cm (19/20–21/22)
1999 & 2020 Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti, 180 cm (20/21–22/23)
2005 & 2035 Liberty Origin 106, 187 cm (19/20–20/21)
2008 & 2065 Wagner Summit 106, 186 cm (20/21–22/23)
2010 & 2023 Moment Commander 98, 182 cm (20/21–22/23)
2011 & 2028 Moment Wildcat 108, 184 cm (19/20–20/21)
2011 & 2046 Elan Ripstick 106 Black Edition, 188 cm (21/22–22/23)
2022 & 2046 DPS Foundation Koala 103, 184 cm (21/22–22/23)
2046 & 2120 Black Crows Corvus, 188 cm (18/19–22/23)
2073 & 2074 Season Nexus, 183 cm (20/21–22/23)
2074 & 2088 Line Blade Optic 104, 178 cm (22/23)
2096 & 2100 Salomon QST 106, 181 cm (19/20–21/22)
2110 & 2119 Moment Wildcat 108, 190 cm (19/20–20/21)
2112 & 2125 4FRNT MSP 107, 187 cm (18/19–22/23)
2068 & 2178 Salomon QST 106, 181 cm (22/23)
2116 & 2181 Faction Dictator 3.0, 188 cm (19/20–21/22)
2120 & 2134 Blizzard Rustler 10, 188 cm (19/20–22/23)
2145 & 2167 Sego Big Horn 106, 187 cm (20/21–21/22)
2153 & 2184 Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti, 187 cm (20/21–22/23)
2165 & 2211 K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 186 cm (19/20–21/22)
2165 & 2219 Icelantic Nomad 105, 191 cm (19/20–20/21)
2170 & 2180 Dynastar M-Free 108, 182 cm (20/21–22/23)
2177 & 2178 Moment Commander 108, 182 cm (20/21–22/23)
2232 & 2242 Blizzard Cochise 106, 185 cm (20/21–22/23)
2230 & 2290 Line Blade Optic 104, 185 cm (22/23)
2295 & 2344 J Skis Hotshot, 183 cm (20/21–21/22)
2302 & 2342 Dynastar M-Free 108, 192 cm (20/21–22/23)
2312 & 2386 Prior Husume, 188 cm (17/18–22/23)
2321 & 2335 Fischer Ranger 107 Ti, 189 cm (19/20–20/21)
2353 & 2360 Volkl Katana 108, 184 cm (20/21–22/23)
2449 & 2493 J Skis Hotshot, 189 cm (20/21–21/22)
Now, onto how the Deathwish 104 performs on snow:
FULL REVIEW
Soft Chop & Slush
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): I’ll kick things off with where I think the Deathwish 104 excels — soft, cut-up, and or pushed-around snow. Whether this is on a resort powder day or late on a spring day, the Deathwish 104 really feels at home in these sort of conditions, where you’ve got a fairly forgiving snow surface that also happens to be littered with tons of natural things to jump off.
In these conditions, you can really take advantage of the upsides of the Deathwish 104 while minimizing its downsides. Thanks to its strong, supportive flex pattern, I can drive the Deathwish 104 pretty hard through soft patches of snow with less deflection than I’d expect, given its moderate weight. And yet, I can also throw it sideways or get it into the air really easily. That combination is what I think of when I picture a ski that will feel great for taking a “dynamic” approach to these conditions — lots of slashes, airs, transitions, rather than making slower, more casual turns.
The Deathwish 104 also doesn’t get as bogged down as many similarly wide skis in deeper and/or heavier snow, thanks to those very deep rocker lines. It’s not what I’d pick if I knew I’d be skiing a ton of really deep, heavy chop, but for what it is, it handles these conditions better than most skis in the same class.
Now, the less you’re willing to stay light on your feet and actively adapt to the conditions and terrain in front of you, the more the Deathwish 104 encourages a slower, more conservative approach. It doesn’t have the mass to simply blow through or absorb impacts from patches of chop on its own. And while this is less noticeable in soft conditions, I think the Deathwish 104 will still be enjoyed the most by folks who value a lively, nimble ski, whether that’s because they like how those skis are pretty easy to turn at slower speeds, or because they’re a blast to ski actively and aggressively in variable conditions.
Dylan Wood (5’10”, 155 lbs / 178 cm, 70 kg): Luke sums it up well. The Deathwish 104 is a strong ski that can be pushed hard in soft conditions like chop and slush. It doesn’t offer great suspension on its own, but when the snow is soft enough to offer some natural suspension, the Deathwish 104 feels very much at home.
Luke is also right that the Deathwish 104 isn’t some monster truck in rough chop, and requires a more calculated approach to skiing fast through deep troughs and big piles of set-up chop. However, this ski is impressively poppy and offers a lot of energy return when bent, and it pairs very well with a more dynamic and aggressive approach to skiing through these conditions. Jump turns definitely aren’t mandatory on the Deathwish 104, though. If you prefer to keep your skis on the ground, it is also quite loose and easy to pivot in softer snow.
Powder
Luke: I took out the Deathwish 104 on a day when a combination of heavy winds and a bit of fresh snow resulted in about 8” / 20 cm of wind-loaded snow covering Mt. Crested Butte’s Headwall. This was when they weren’t running the T-bar, and consequently, Headwall wasn’t getting tracked out much at all. The Deathwish 104 handled this really well, despite being narrower and shorter than I’d typically prefer for those conditions. I definitely had to ski it fairly centered to keep myself from getting pitched forward in some of the deeper, more wind-loaded spots, but I was able to make a nice mix of carved and slarved turns from a centered stance. Its level of maneuverability in that snow was better than I’d expect for a ski of its width, though it certainly felt most intuitive in the steeper terrain like the top of Headwall, whereas it required more effort to release and pivot on lower-angle slopes like those at the bottom of Headwall.
Dylan: Unfortunately, I never got to ski the DW104 in true powder, so I’ll leave this section up to Luke.
Firm Chop / Crud
Luke: Like most skis, especially those of a similar weight, this is where the Deathwish 104 feels most out of place. While I’d say the Deathwish 104 offers above-average stability for its weight in somewhat soft conditions, it doesn’t magically offer way better suspension on really rough snow than most other ~2000-g skis. In ultra-firm, refrozen conditions, the Deathwish 104 feels pretty harsh and like it’s nudging me to say “hey, can we go somewhere where the snow isn’t this bad?”
In less brutal snow, where it hasn’t melted and then refrozen (think mid-winter Colorado after several snow-less weeks), I still get along quite well with the Deathwish 104. Especially in somewhat chalky conditions, I can take advantage of the same strength + maneuverability combo that I like in soft chop and slush and have a great time slashing and popping my way around off-piste terrain. And I do think the Deathwish 104’s suspension is a touch better than the 112mm-wide Deathwish’s. But that doesn’t change the fact that this ski does not feel very plush or planted on firm, inconsistent, rough snow, and those looking for really nice suspension in those conditions should look to skis that are a bit heavier on the scale.
Dylan: Firm, rough chop/crud is the quite possibly the harshest judge of a ski’s performance, and it’s also where I found the Deathwish 104 to lack performance the most. As Luke mentioned, this ski’s flex pattern allows it to feel impressively stable in soft conditions, but when the snow itself isn’t providing some suspension, the Deathwish 104 feels notably harsher.
In smooth, chalky conditions, the Deathwish 104 is quite fun. It allowed me to slarve around as well as dig in its edges and ski with a more directional style, and could be still be skied quite hard. Although, in refrozen crap and generally rough, firm snow, I believe the Deathwish 104’s above-average edge hold can be more of a liability than an asset. Its camber pockets around the binding area would occasionally catch on some rough snow and cause the ski to hook up a bit harder in a turn, deflect, or behave in another unpredictable way. But it’s really asking a lot of a sub-2000-gram all-mountain freestyle ski to perform very well in firm chop and crud. Keep the Deathwish 104 in relatively smooth and/or soft conditions (or just keep your speed down in variable, firm snow), and it makes a lot more sense.
Groomers
Luke: I’ve always been impressed by how much edge grip or “bite” Moment’s Triple Camber profile creates, and that held true with the Deathwish 104. As I said in our review of the Deathwish, the feel of Triple Camber is hard to describe and I don’t view it as an inherent good or bad thing, it just feels different from skis with a more regular rocker / camber / rocker profile. The best way I can describe it is that carving a Triple Camber ski feels like cutting into something with a serrated knife, whereas a more traditional ski feels like cutting with a regular blade. Or if you’re a snowboarder, it’s somewhat similar to a board with Magnetraction / a serrated sidecut vs. a traditional sidecut, though that difference is more substantial than Triple Camber vs. regular camber.
Anyway, the main point is that the Deathwish 104 provides a ton of edge grip at the camber pockets, especially when you’re driving it, and especially compared to skis with even remotely as much tip and tail rocker. However, other aspects of the Deathwish 104’s design also play a role in its overall carving performance. It’s still got a somewhat long sidecut radius, a fairly forward mount point, and a short contact length due to its rocker lines. So I wouldn’t call the Deathwish 104 a particularly snappy ski; it requires more speed and aggression to really get it on edge than tighter-sidecut-radius skis, and it doesn’t finish turns with that precision that flat-tailed, minimally rockered skis do.
The result is that I liked the Deathwish 104 the most on groomers that were pretty steep and wide (e.g., Mt. CB’s International), where I could make fast, fairly large GS-ish turns at high edge angles. It can feel a bit boring on mellow-angle groomers (though not as much as its wider sibling) and despite its very grippy rocker profile, it still wouldn’t be my top pick in this width class for actually carving ice (I’d opt for something far less rockered, tapered, and forward mounted, such as the Volkl Katana 108). But for a freestyle-friendly, ~105mm-wide ski, the Deathwish 104 offers very good edge hold on firm slopes, and it can be a lot of fun when you’re working to bend it and get it up on edge.
Dylan: Similar to smooth chalk, on groomers is where I noticed the benefits of the Deathwish 104’s Triple Camber profile the most. As Luke mentioned, it definitely feels different from skis with a more traditional rocker / camber / rocker profile. Bending the Deathwish 104 on a groomer results in very reliable edge hold, and I was impressed by how much I could trust this ski on firm, scraped-off groomers. To emphazie a point Luke made, the Deathwish 104 still doesn’t offer the carving performance of a more directional ski, but rather, it stands out when carving in the context of being a very rockered all-mountain freestyle ski.
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
Luke: Overall, the Deathwish 104 is a very maneuverable ski. It’s got a very low swing weight, it’s pretty lively, and (in most cases) very easy to release and slash around.
The one caveat is that, like the wider Deathwish (and Shaggy’s Ahmeek 95), the camber pocket behind the bindings on the Deathwish 104 can dig in and hook up if you get in the backseat. Most of the time I don’t even think about this, as long as I’m skiing fairly centered to pretty forward over the shovels. But particularly when I’m getting back on the Deathwish 104 for the first time in a few weeks, I usually have a turn or two in tight bumps where I get too lazy / sloppy and feel that part of the ski dig in.
So the less you get backseat and/or the more you’re used to the Deathwish 104, the more maneuverable and easy it feels. It’s just not as dead-easy and forgiving as some skis with similar weights, similarly deep rocker lines, and softer flex patterns (e.g., RMU Apostle 3.0 106).
Dylan: Yep, the Deathwish 104 can take some getting used to in tight terrain, and can feel unforgiving to those who spend a lot of time in the backseat in tight terrain. Once accustomed to it, though, it offers a quick yet powerful ride through bumps and tight terrain.
Playfulness
Luke: The Deathwish 104 is a very playful ski overall. It’s got a low swing weight, feels balanced in the air, skis switch well, is fairly lively, and easy to slash slide around. It’s not a very easy ski to bend, nor is it the most energetic at moderate speeds / skier inputs, but the upside is that it gives you a very nicely supportive landing platform.
Dylan: This ski offers a lot of playfulness that is best utilized at higher speeds and with more aggression. Luke hit the highlights, but what stood out to me the most was how poppy the Deathwish 104 feels. Its stiff tails and shovels can be loaded up very hard, and it offers a lot of energy in return to launch into the air.
Length
Luke: I don’t have much to say here — 184 cm is right around the range I typically prefer for this sort of ski, and I have zero desire to size up or down on the 184 cm Deathwish. If you’re truly caught between sizes, you could probably size up, just keep in mind that, while this ski is fairly light, has deep rocker lines, and a pretty progressive mount point, it’s also fairly stiff.
Dylan: Yeah, I thought I might be interested in the 190 cm Deathwish 104 at first, but for Crested Butte’s more generally tight terrain, I’d rather be on the quicker, more maneuverable 184 cm Deathwish 104.
Who’s It For?
Luke: Overall, the Deathwish 104 will best suit those who want an all-mountain ski on the quicker, more maneuverable, and more playful end of the spectrum. More precisely, it’s ideal for those who want some of the loose ride and freestyle-friendly platform of more playful skis, but who also want something that’s pretty strong and that offers good edge hold on firm snow. It’s not for those who want something extremely forgiving, nor for those who love really heavy, damp, planted, and rearward-mounted skis. But the Deathwish 104 is a solid all-mountain-freestyle ski for those who want something nimble but strong, as well as a good option for directional skiers who ski with a more centered stance and prioritize maneuverability over maximum damping and high-speed composure.
Dylan: I agree with Luke here. If you are interested in all-mountain freestyle skis but worry that most will be too loose, soft, and imprecise, the Deathwish 104 is definitely worth looking at.
Bottom Line
The Moment Deathwish 104 does what they say about it — it feels really similar to the OG Deathwish when it comes to that ski’s unique combination of maneuverability and edge hold, but in a package that’s a touch more damp, quicker edge-to-edge, and generally more practical in everyday conditions. Like the original, the Deathwish 104 offers a unique combination of maneuverability, quickness, precision, and stability.
Deep Dive Comparisons
Become a Blister Member or Deep Dive subscriber to check out our Deep Dive comparisons of the Deathwish 104 to see how it compares to the Moment Wildcat 108, Moment Deathwish, Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105, Salomon QST 106, Volkl Revolt 104, Whitedot Altum 104, Line Blade Optic 104, RMU Apostle 106, Line Sir Francis Bacon, DPS Koala 103, Season Nexus, Dynastar M-Free 108, Sego Big Horn 106, Black Crows Atris, 4FRNT Devastator, Armada ARW 106 UL, and K2 Reckoner 102.
This ski has been a lot of fun for me. I notice a few things though. The tails don’t engage unless at higher speeds/steeper terrain. It’s otherwise really easy to wash the tails.
It skis switch insanely well. It also inspires confidence like it’s bigger sibling. It’s more playful and more jibby overall. It’s a stark contrast to the Ranger 102.
Sweet, really excited you’re getting on these early, and taking them to the park no less! Would definitely be curious to hear if they are butter-able at all. On the flip side, would be interested to hear how they perform at speed on firm/chalky snow.. maybe somewhat opposite design goals, but sometimes your day calls for a bit of both!
Found the tips catch a lot more than the DW and have detuned them aggressively (maybe because the mount is set back a bit more . These skis absolutely rail groomers. Personally find they can feel like a liability in tight trees as compare to the loose Slashiness of the PBandJ. I’m 6’2” 200lbs and on the 190 length. Would be interested in sizing down to compare .
100%!
Detuning the tips made all of the difference for me. In their factory tune, they felt grabby always at the wrong time, particularly just skiing out on the cat track and the triple camber made them feel even stranger. After detuning they were a blast in everything other than refrozen chop. They railed groomers at Red Resort. Loved them in the steeps, trees, and soft bumps.
178cm/80kg riding 179cm DW104
As powder is scarce, Im looking spending more time on hard packed and ice. What ski and length do you recommend for hard snow and cruising, I`m 5`9 and 145? Several years ago I had a pair of Deathwish skis and loved them until they were stolen.
Thanks, Stella
Second year skiing (with 3 in my quiver) and in March 2021 had ACL surgery from a injury in 2008. These are the funniest all mountain ski that tackles everything. The triple camber is perfect, it also help the the stress of my new knee. Can’t stop talking about them!(
Any idea if a DWT 104 is in the works?
We haven’t heard anything from Moment about a Deathwish Tour 104, but we do know that if your size just so happens to be 179 cm, then the Sierra Tour is what a DW Tour 104 would be.
I got these at the start of 2022 and have found them to be a great DD ski, especially during this low snow Jan-March season, they make meh days quite a lot of fun.
They excel on groomers and once you get a feel for the balance, it feels like you can absolutely rail turns. At first the speed felt unnerving/unstable, but as I’ve gotten comfortable with them, I’ve realized their top speed is quite high.
I actually really like them in techy terrain and appreciate their predictability. I was doing a chute I had done the previous week on my powder skis and really struggled, but w/ the DW104s, my navigation felt rock solid and way more confidence inspiring.
In powder I find them to be a mixed bag. They will float on mellow terrain and make surfy center-balanced turns pretty well, but if it’s steep and deep, I found them to be hard to manage. I would say they are probably fine up to 6″ or so before I was wishing I was on something else.
I am pretty amateur in the park, but I like going off medium-sized jumps and these made that a lot more comfortable. They have great stability on landings and feel balanced in the air.
The triple camber does make it feel like the ski has two modes – when you’re driving, they have great grip and will carve well, and when you’re center stanced they will be light and pivoty and surfy. It’s something I appreciate about them since it really opens up the terrain and you can make any run a fun one. The only time this wasn’t helpful was during a warm slushy May day where I was trying to stay light and centered, but staying low and driven was the only way not to get tossed by the grabby snow, making for difficult run outs near the bottom of the mountain.
Overall I am very pleased with the skis and happy I took the dive sight unseen/without demoing them. This was my first foray into the Moment lineup and it set the bar quite high.
Thanks for taking the time to write this, Isaac! It’s always helpful to get even more constructive input. I’m glad you’ve been getting along well with the DW104.
Wildcat 101 review coming?
Thanks so much for this. I just pulled the trigger sight unseen as well. Hopefully my experience is similar to yours. Did you detune the tips?
Love my wildcat 116 for most days at the basin. My skinnier everyday is the ARV 106. Great ski. I tele (yea nobody cares) and ski 174/172 in those skis. What I want is the ARV in a 175. Since that doesn’t exist is the Dwish 104 ina 174 my best option?
I received by 179cm Deathwish 104’s in the fall of 2022. Since then, I have had a little more than ten days on them. Many of the days have been in the Mid-Atlantic where we haven’t had any snow and the temperatures have prevented much in the way of snowmaking. I also have skied these at Park City in a foot and in some places two feet of powder. By way of comparison, I previously owned 2016 Volkl Mantras (100mm width) and 2019 Line Sick Days (104mm width). Additionally, I have also spent a fair amount of time on the prior generation Black Crows Camox and had an opportunity to take a few runs on a Moment Wildcat 101. Over 50 but athletic, I am an advanced skier. Though I am not dropping 10 foot cliffs, but I can ski almost anything at places like Snowbird with a very few gnarly exceptions. I am 5’9″ and 175lbs. (I am putting all of this in this post in the hopes that it helps someone evaluate my post and its relation to them.)
Groomers/Ice
Conditions at Park City and groomers at Park City were optimal. They were generally soft and probably would be good with any ski. In the Mid-Atlantic, it’s been all manmade snow, much of which has been rained on many times. I have been very pleased with the Deathwish’s performance in these conditions. I have noticed on multiple occassions that skiers I am skiing with who are on the Camox or Masterblaster (both were tuned before the season) have their skis slide out from them when they hit icy patches as the groomers get worn by a multitude of skiers on the limited runs available. I, on the other hand, have yet to feel my skis slip out from under me. Even when not so much carving but using a more centered stance, the grip is there when I need it. This is tremendously reassuring and much better than I experienced with my Sick Days. Moreover, the skis are very easy to turn quickly if necessary and throw sideways. They do not feel locked in to charge like the Mantras, for example. I would note that I also found them much better on groomers than the Wildcats which also tended to be more locked in and were harder break loose to make small, quick turns without getting them more on edge. My son noticed the same thing in an A/B comparison.
Powder
I tend to go out West 1-2 times per year. Many times I don’t get any powder, sometimes I get 6-12 inches. Only once have I gotten over 2 feet in a single day. If you need a snorkel, these skis might not be the very best, but for the conditions I experienced at Park City, 1-2 feet of moderately light (not champagne) powder, I was very happy. I never felt the tips diving and was very pleased with the float. I have never ridden skis wider than 104 mm, so can’t speak to how these would compare. However, these are kind of the best conditions that I realistically would hope for in a trip out West and the smile never left my face.
Moguls
I encountered a ton of moguls at Park City (among many places, we spent a day on moguls off of Super Condor and skied McConkey’s Bowl for 1/2 of a day). The skis were excellent in those conditions but the moguls were also soft and covered with snow. I haven’t had the opportunity to test the skis on icy moguls that we often see if the Mid-Atlantic or East, but I imagine they will be fine. I seriously doubt that mogul performance in bad conditions will prevent this from being a daily driver for me in the Mid-Atlantic. I didn’t experience the grabbiness that is described in the review, though I do think I felt it a couple of times the first few times I ever used the skis on groomers. Since that first day, it has never been an issue. The triple camber seems to allow you to dig in the edges with little effort while also allowing for easier pivoting when flattening the ski because of the lack of camber under the binding area.
Trees
I find the skis easy to pivot in the trees. Generally they were easier to pivot than my Sick Days and much easier than the Mantras. They didn’t feel heavy and were easy to throw around. I didn’t have the opportunity to use them on rutted out snow in the trees since conditions were so good at Park City, but there is no reason to believe they wouldn’t be good in tight spaces.
Crud/Tracked out Snow
Our first day, it hadn’t started snowing yet and all of the off-piste snow was thick and oatmeally. I wouldn’t quite call it Sierra cement, but it was pretty close. Generally, the skis were a bit grabby and got bumped about some. I should note that the places that I skied them on this day were places where I didn’t see anyone else even bother to try, so I don’t know that any ski would handle the conditions very well. From the lift, it looked like barely tracked powder but once on it you could understand why no one was bothering. Once the snow came, the skis performed phenomenally. Tracked out powder wasn’t an issue and I didn’t experience much in the way of tip deflection as I went through it. Would skis with a little metal in them perform slightly better–probably–but they would also be heavier and tougher to throw around as well as less balanced in the air. I would say these skis punch a bit above their weight in crud, as you would expect from a company based in Reno making skis for the Tahoe area.
Overall
I bought these skis based on my chat with the people on the Moment website. Reading some reviews on discussion boards, the triple camber started to worry me. I wondered if I had made a mistake. These are the best skis I have ever owned. There is no reason you can’t use them as a DD in the East. Are there going to be some days where the mountain is ice that you will wish you had a 75mm ski, sure. But most of the time you will be extremely happy with the performance and not be worried that at any moment your skis will come out from under you which is the thing that worries most of us that ski in icy conditions. If you are looking at any skis over 90mm as a East Coast DD, there is no reason you shouldn’t go with these.
I know this was a bit longwinded, but I hope it helps. Blister does a wonderful job with their reviews, but the reviewers are better skiers than most reading the reviews. There isn’t a ton out there beside from Blister on these skis and I hope this helps anyone that might be worried they aren’t a good enough skier for these skis.
Thank you Craig, this is awesome!