Unfortunately, properly tuned edges aren’t really an option for a skier who plans on hitting rails on a regular basis. Given the PB&J’s performance in the park, I wish that I had never kissed the ski’s edges on a single rail.
I don’t mean to imply that the PB&J is a terrible park ski, but I am saying that there is a lot to be desired when skiing park on the PB&J.
The bottom line is that the PB&J is too stiff for being such a wide park ski (101mm under foot). While this stiffness is one of the reasons the ski is such a good all mountain performer, it severely inhibits the skis playfulness. Simply put, jibbing wasn’t a whole lot of fun on the PB&J. Butters were a lot of work and were difficult to execute well at faster speeds.
On the plus side, however, this stiffness allowed me to pull off less than stomped landings. I was confident that the skis wouldn’t wash out on the jump line in Taos’ Out-To-Launch terrain park. Land a little tip or tail heavy, and the PB&J will push you back into position.
I only liked to ski fast and smooth through the park on the PB&J. The size, flex, and lack of snap in between turns makes the 188cm PB&J feel like a cruiser bike in an arena where a dirt jumper is the tool of choice. The PB&J really doesn’t have a whole lot of pop, nor is the swing weight particularly light. These characteristics are ill suited for skiers looking to do just about anything in the park besides slow, floaty spins.
Even simple 270’s out of rail were work with these skis. I didn’t find the 101 waist to be too cumbersome on rails, I also wasn’t spinning any 4’s off rails, nor was I doing many switch ups. The PB&J is a lot of ski to be throwing around like that.
I know skis with dimensions similar to the PB&J can perform decently in the park. The now dated Liberty Hazmat (94mm waist) was a much more poppy and responsive park ski. My last day at Taos, I spent an afternoon on Volkl’s take on the one-ski-quiver, the Bridge. This ski seemed better suited for park skiing despite a more traditional mount (-5cm from center). The 179cm Volkl Bridge has a more forgiving flex, is poppier, and more playful than the PB&J.
Of course, I was skiing the 188cm PB&J. Ideally, I would have been on the 182cm model, though I’m no stranger to skiing longer skis in the park. My current park ski measures out to about 184cm, and I have been on traditionally cambered, all-mountain skis as long as 186cm in the park. Those skis were not the best tools for park skiing either, but they still did a better job than the PB&J.
Yes, the 182cm model would be easier to spin and press in the park, but I highly doubt that the difference in performance in a ski that is 6 cm shorter would change my opinions about taking the PB&J into the park.
If you are a freestyle-minded skier considering the PB&J, you need to ask yourself the question “does my skiing style jive with this ski?”
If you want a ski that can throw around on rails, look elsewhere. There are all-mountain skis that are better for that purpose. I felt that with detuned edges on the PB&J, I was making too great a sacrifice in the ski’s all mountain performance.
In a freestyle context, the PB&J is for someone who primarily skis aggressively all over the mountain, likes to huck and throw tricks off natural features, and only ducks in the park from time to time to cruise through the jump line.
If your home mountain is a place like Taos or Jackson where rowdy terrain, not the terrain park, is the main attraction, then the PB&J would be an excellent choice for you.
Disheartened to hear the poor park performance on the PB&J, but thankful for an honest opinion.
What other skis could you suggest for a one ski quiver all mountain twin tip that is able to perform well in the park? Other than the Volkl Bridge of course..
There are a number of interesting skis out there that I haven’t had the pleasure of testing yet. The Nordica Soul Rider and the Line Blend are at the top of my list. I really loved Nordica’s Zero from last year. The Soul Rider is narrower incarnation of the zero so I imagine it is every bit as fun. K2’s newest version of the Kung Fujas is another ski that seems like a good one ski quiver that you could take into the park.
We hope to get on some of these skis in the spring – stay tuned.
lets see, you take a 188cm ski that’s 101mm in the waist into the park and complain that it’s to heavy, then you detune the edges and complain that it has no edge grip, your a IDIOT, NO ONE would ski a 188cm ski in the park. stick to your big corporate ski brands.
LINE has been dedicated to this type of skiing with the Blend for about 10 years, bro. Andrew was clearly testing how it held up for someone interested in using it for All Mountain Freestyle, like the Blend, the ON3P Kartel 98, and the ARVTI. There is clearly a purpose for this type of ski/ski style.
And just a suggestion, next time you try to insult someone by claiming they’re an idiot, you may not want to appear like you yourself are an idiot within that same statement, ie “your a IDIOT”.
Little confused about the pb&j mount points. Jonathan says he mounted his 188s -4.25 cm from true center which he says is -1 from recommended mount point . The park review says that the recommended mount point is -5 from true center. These 2 statements both can’t be correct. Mounted mine +1 from factory since I have some dedicated pow skis- blister pros and govs. I hope I didn’t mount them too forward – I”d consider myself a hard charging expert- old skis include 194 belas and 190 Bobby’s which I love. Got the pbs for a more fun playful ski that I csn still step on it with. I skied the night trains for a season and couldn’t stand them in anything but knee deep untracked…ie I’m not a jib and slash type of skier.
Moment’s website states mount is -5 from center. I have some 188’s coming in the mail and am thinking about where to mount.