Hey it’s Lindahl on Blister. Does this mean you have to quit the TGR forums now? ;-)
Good review.
Can you compare the Variant more to the ON3P Wren? They seem to be of the same purpose, and very similar dimensions, same core material, etc. Which do you prefer and why?
The ON3P Wrenegade that I have experience with isn’t exactly comparable to the current Wrenegade. Mine is from 11/12, where not only is it 191cm, the mount point is also 3-4cm further back, it has a different rocker profile, and also a stiffer flex.
The only relevant comparison I can make is the dampness. Despite having metal, the Variant 113 isn’t quite as damp as the ON3P Wrenegade that I have experience with. I’m pretty sure ON3P hasn’t changed their construction much, so I’d wager a guess that the latest ON3P Wrenegade is also damper than the Variant 113.
That said, the new ON3P Wrenegade 108 is definitely a ski I’d like to get my hands on for a review. So maybe I’ll be able to give you a more definitive answer in the near future.
“While much of the ski industry has lightened up or even ditched their directional chargers” Why is this?
Last spring SA at ON3P gave me a beat down over the phone when I called to see if they could press an out of production model because directional chargers were outdated. So what the #@$% happened? I don’t want jibby, I don’t want park, I don’t want made in China. I hope ON3P kills it with the upcoming Wrenegade and it remains a directional charger. I have never skied a damper, tougher ski than what they build. And they do it in Oregon while choking down the associated expense.
The Wrenegade never stopped being a directional charger. It’s been there the whole time.
Great review!
How does this ski compare to the new (last two years) Volkl Katana 112? I have that ski, and while it’s less of a crud charger than the older Katana, it is for me, a pretty light weight skier, really good in crud still, at speed, seems like. But I’d love to get a comparison.
Thanks.
I’ve only skied the current Carbon Katana for 2 runs in the early season (limited terrain). In my experience, there is no comparison. The Carbon Katana is NOT a charger like the old, nor like the Liberty Variant. While it is relatively damp, it deflects noticeably compared to all heavier construction skis that I have experience on. I would not personally use it as an inbounds ski, but I demand a lot of crud busting capability from my skis. I could see it working for someone who doesn’t ski ‘heavy’ and has a different style from myself. I could also see it working for someone that wants to ski a lot of backcountry but would like a stable ski, and perhaps use it inbounds in powder conditions and then go out of bounds for some sidecountry powder.
Jonathan may have more insight, however, as I believe he has skied both extensively.
Hey it’s Lindahl on Blister. Does this mean you have to quit the TGR forums now? ;-)
Good review.
Can you compare the Variant more to the ON3P Wren? They seem to be of the same purpose, and very similar dimensions, same core material, etc. Which do you prefer and why?
The ON3P Wrenegade that I have experience with isn’t exactly comparable to the current Wrenegade. Mine is from 11/12, where not only is it 191cm, the mount point is also 3-4cm further back, it has a different rocker profile, and also a stiffer flex.
The only relevant comparison I can make is the dampness. Despite having metal, the Variant 113 isn’t quite as damp as the ON3P Wrenegade that I have experience with. I’m pretty sure ON3P hasn’t changed their construction much, so I’d wager a guess that the latest ON3P Wrenegade is also damper than the Variant 113.
That said, the new ON3P Wrenegade 108 is definitely a ski I’d like to get my hands on for a review. So maybe I’ll be able to give you a more definitive answer in the near future.
“While much of the ski industry has lightened up or even ditched their directional chargers” Why is this?
Last spring SA at ON3P gave me a beat down over the phone when I called to see if they could press an out of production model because directional chargers were outdated. So what the #@$% happened? I don’t want jibby, I don’t want park, I don’t want made in China. I hope ON3P kills it with the upcoming Wrenegade and it remains a directional charger. I have never skied a damper, tougher ski than what they build. And they do it in Oregon while choking down the associated expense.
The Wrenegade never stopped being a directional charger. It’s been there the whole time.
Great review!
How does this ski compare to the new (last two years) Volkl Katana 112? I have that ski, and while it’s less of a crud charger than the older Katana, it is for me, a pretty light weight skier, really good in crud still, at speed, seems like. But I’d love to get a comparison.
Thanks.
I’ve only skied the current Carbon Katana for 2 runs in the early season (limited terrain). In my experience, there is no comparison. The Carbon Katana is NOT a charger like the old, nor like the Liberty Variant. While it is relatively damp, it deflects noticeably compared to all heavier construction skis that I have experience on. I would not personally use it as an inbounds ski, but I demand a lot of crud busting capability from my skis. I could see it working for someone who doesn’t ski ‘heavy’ and has a different style from myself. I could also see it working for someone that wants to ski a lot of backcountry but would like a stable ski, and perhaps use it inbounds in powder conditions and then go out of bounds for some sidecountry powder.
Jonathan may have more insight, however, as I believe he has skied both extensively.