PREVIEW: 2012-2013 MOMENT Governor

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Some Dimensions (mm):

150-116-123: stated dimensions of the proto-Special, 2011/12 Special, and 2012/13 Governor

150.2-115.6-123.2: actual dimensions of the 196cm proto-Special

149.9-116.9-128.0: actual dimensions of the 12/13, 186cm Governor

Now + / – one millimeter here or there is no big deal. But that extra half a centimeter of width on the tail of the Governor is going to make this ski handle differently, and I believe, much better.

As I noted above, it already looks like a more balanced ski than the proto-Special.

Momemt Proto-Special Tail, Moment Governor Tail, Blister Gear Review
Moment proto-Special on the left; Moment Governor on the right.

I contacted Luke Jacobson, the vice president and head engineer at Moment, to ask him about what I’d found, as well as a few further questions about the Governor.

Q: Just to verify: after we reviewed the proto-Special in August 2011, you guys tweaked the production version of the “Special” for the 11/12 season. For 12/13, was the Governor tweaked again, or has the design remained the same from 11/12 to 12/13?

Luke: There were no additional changes made from last year’s production Bibby Special to this year’s Governor. But while the build and design didn’t change, it is important to note that when assembling the 2013 Governor we only allowed men of a particular nature to participate in the build of this ski. Only workers that could bench 300 lbs; had at least one illegitimate child; had three or more tattoos; and that were lying about one of these requirements; participate in the production of the ski. This, we felt, added to the soul of every Governor made. ‘Merica.

Me: Huh. Well, since that all seems perfectly normal and obviously requires no follow-up questions of any sort, let’s move on.

Q: Please detail the changes that were made to the proto we skied—changes to the flex profile, core layup, rocker profile, or…dimensions.

Luke: The changes made are as follows:

  • The tail of the ski was significantly stiffened, about 40% stiffer
  • The dimensions did change quite a bit.
    • The nose dimensions decreased from 150mm to 149mm
    • The waist increased 2mm to 118 from 116
    • The tail dimension increased from 123mm to 128mm
    • The Radius thus became 24 meters from the prototype 23 meters
  • Please note that our listed dimensions do not match the true dimensions, that’s just how we role. Everything else was left the same.

 

196cm proto-Special vs. 186cm Governor

Hand flexing the two skis, the Governor definitely does feel stiffer than the proto-Special in the tail (though hard to say whether it “feels” 40% stiffer), but the overall flex of the Governor, while stiff, feels excellent: it doesn’t flex like a dumb plank with a haphazard flex pattern.

(Jason Hutchins, Will Brown, and others around here agree that we’d almost always take a ski with a progressive, unabrupt, predictable flex pattern—even if it’s a softer or stiffer ski than we’d normally prefer to ride—over a ski with a more abrupt, less progressive flex pattern.)

And while Luke didn’t mention any difference between the shovels of the proto-Special and the Governor, the shovels of the Governor do hand flex a bit stiffer.

Given the changes Moment has made, the Governor is now seriously interesting to me.

Moment Governor vs. Rossignol Squad 7 vs. DPS Wailer 112RPC

The Rossignol Squad 7 is a ski I love, and the Squad 7 and the Governor have a pretty similar tip profile. The Governor, however, is definitely stiffer than the Squad 7, and the Governor does not have tail rocker. (If you are not smiling right now, then do not buy the Governor—just get the outstanding Bibby Pro or Squad 7.)

And while I didn’t get a chance to ski the DPS Wailer 112RPC down in Las Leñas, the tip profile of the 112RPC—and its stiff tail—are reminiscent of the Governor, while the Governor doesn’t have tail rocker. So you’ve got seemingly similar skis, with the option to go tail rocker.

There aren’t a whole lot of people out there who will need more ski than a Bibby Pro or Squad 7 or Wailer 112RPC, but if you think you do, then I think I might have found your ski.

Can’t wait to find out for sure.

You can now read our review of the 2012-2013 Moment Governor.

 

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21 comments on “PREVIEW: 2012-2013 MOMENT Governor”

  1. A. probably going to go get this ski.
    B. I need a job, any openings?
    c. I am having trouble figuring out where this ski will fit in between my current quiver. I have the original Moment Garbones, Last years Bibbys and now the RIP Donner party’s. I find the Bibby’s fun, but thats about it. not exciting, thrilling, etc. It’s just a god ski. Bele’s rage like none other and the Party’s I haven’t skied yet. Anyway, I’m looking for the new powder charger, Jag Shark or Governor’s. Why one over the other?

    • a. Cool
      b. Not currently, sorry
      c. Obviously, I haven’t skied the Governor yet, but if “Powder” + “Charger” is what you’re looking for, my answer would be the Bibby Pro, which you already own. I don’t know your height / weight, but for me personally (5’10, 185 lbs.), I love the flex profile of the shovels of the bibby pros, and if you’re really talking about charging, I’d rather go stiffer than the Bibby Pro (Governor) than softer (Jag Shark). Moment rates the Bibby as an “8” stiffness, the Jag Shark as a 7, the Belafonte as a 9, and the Governor as a 10. While I’d say that those differences are fairly subtle, the question is whether you want a slightly softer shovel than the Bibby.

      I just flexed the 192 Jag Sharks & the Governors, and while they aren’t world’s different in terms of stiffness, the Governor is stiffer.

      And finally, the tail: the fattest point of the tail of the Jag Shark is definitely further back than the Governor’s. The Jag Shark skis like a conventional twin tip tail; we’ll see what the tail on the Governor skis like….

  2. Very interesting about the dimensions… I demoed last year’s production 186 Specials and didn’t dig them for many of the reasons you listed in your review of the protos. They really didn’t work for me and still skied very much like a pintail. I’ll be interested to see what you guys come back with on these.

    The 190 Bibby Pros and 182 Garbones (112 waist) are both in the realm of what I’d call a masterpiece.

  3. I’ve got a pair of last year’s 196 specials and the graphic lists the dimensions as 150-118-128, I’ve wondered on occasion if I got a set from a pre-production run. From reading this, though, it would seem that these are the production model with a different topsheet.

    I’ll have to break out my calipers and check. Interesting read, thanks!

  4. Be curious to see how the Governor stacks up against the Billy Goat. Given your talk of a stiffer Squad 7 and Bibby Pro, it seems like the logical comparison…with the obvious difference of tail rocker on the BG and not on the Governor.

    Any preliminary thoughts?

    • Good point, Zak. I’m afraid that my preliminary thoughts aren’t all that helpful: the specs on the 12/13, 191cm Billy Goat (145-118-128) are getting really close to the Governor, though less so the specs (specifically the shovels) of the 186cm BG (142-116-126). I don’t know what ON3P’s done with the stiffness of the BG’s shovels, but my hunch is that they will be slightly softer than those of the Governor. Which means it will really come down to the tails (as you point out), where my hunch is that the BG will ski looser and pivot more easily than the Gov. And we need to see whether the tails of the Gov feel more balanced. Seems like we need to ski that new BG….

  5. my bibby special topsheets say 150-118-128 aswell… considering that there is 5 extra mm in the tail and its “40%” more stiff, the problems you had with the prototype should be almost eliminated. on a side note, compared to my obsetheds the special/gov feels like 50% stiffer (i know the seth is hyper stiff underfoot to make up for the softness in the tips, but still) and i love how stable the obsetheds are. i think these things are going to be a mix of the bibby pro and the belafonte. freeskier mag said thats exactly how they are,”playful and stable”.

  7. Sorry for the denseness, are the Governors different than the Bibby Specials, or an earlier prototype? 186cm specifically. Thanks all!

  8. Thanks for spending more time on this ski as it’s easily one of my favorites that Moment has ever made (the racestock Comi from 2008 built with extra fiberglass and just as stiff as the M1 is a very, very close 2nd). I am obviously biased, but think the Governor does deserve a bit more recognition than it gets. Ultimately, this ski is the bastard child of the Garbones and the Comi (rest in peace). One thing to note though at least in my opinion, is that unless you’re a tall dude (>6 ft), you might have trouble engaging the 196 due to the long shovel. For short weebles, the 186 length inspires plenty confidence that would even make Rudy Garnshit jealous.

  9. I’m quite confused…
    really curious about the true dimensions of the 196 governor.
    the listed dimensions would deem them a pintail. just curious as to what the true dimensions are so i can tell the old guys at the hill its not a pintail ;)

  10. Easy there Chauncey, I am one of those older guys at 48 and I ski (or will be soon anyway) the Governor. Just got them. Can’t wait to give them a whirl. They look fun just leaning on my office wall – like a siren calling me dive in…

    More snow please!!!

  11. Any updates on this bad boy yet? Going back and forth between Gov and Bibby. Leaning towards Gov because of directional flex, but am intrigued by surfy feel of Bibby

    • Hey, Jason – I really have been hoping to A / B the Governor and Bibby some more in deep snow and a few days after a good storm, but I think I’ll just need to put up a preliminary review for now and update when I can. But I’ll go ahead and say this: this is a very different ski than we had with us in Las Leñas in 2011. Flex is great, tail is great, and the 186 feels like plenty of ski. Expect a 1st review soon.

  12. Jonathan,

    I am quite intrigued by MOMENT skis.Thanks for all the useful information you have been writing.I cannot yet decide which one to buy.I ski mostly in Las Leñas and Whistler/Blackcomb, and mainly I stay out of the resort runs and go touring or just out of bounds (CERRO MARTIN/ EDUARDOS). I am 1,85 cm tall and 87kgs of weight. I am trying to decide between 1,92 BELAFONTE, 1,96 GOVERNOR or 1,92 BIBBY PRO. I am actually on 1,85 ARMADA JJs, fun but too short and turny for me, as I like to ski fast and agressive.I would very much appreciate your expert thoughts about this. Thanks in advance!

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