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In today’s episode, I sit down with Jonathan Ellsworth and Kara Williard to discuss just a small portion of all the gear we’ve been testing lately. We cover Head’s overhauled collection of Kore skis; Jonathan makes a confession after he took some carving skis off piste; Kara and I discuss a bunch of boots we’ve been testing; Jonathan poses an age-old question about boot flexes; Kara breaks down the setups she’s bringing to Japan; and much more.
RELATED LINKS:
Blister Recommended Shop: SkiBootRX
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Join us @ Blister Summit 2025
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TOPICS & TIMES:
Carv (1:18)
Ski Boot RX (2:10)
Summit 2025 (2:58)
Ski Boots (7:09)
Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD Boa & Salomon Shift Alpha Boa (7:42)
Head Kaliber BOA2 (11:45)
Armada & Phaenom Boots (13:10)
Would Your Rather: Too Soft or Too Stiff? (16:21)
Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro W (22:31)
4FRNT MSP CC (27:21)
Dynastar M-Pro Skis (29:49)
New Head Kores (33:10)
Head Supershape e-Titan: Carving Ski or Mogul Ski (37:44)
Nordica Enforcer 104 (44:40)
Kara’s Japan Ski Quiver (47:24)
Summit Products We’re Excited About (51:41)
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER PODCASTS (click each to learn more):
Pretty entertaining podcast – given the Colorado dry spell I’ve been getting out on some older Fischer Progressor 9+ with raceplate at 117-70-100 and 3629g per ski. Pretty decent all-mountain results skiing Copper everything from Boulderado to Main Vein. Had not been on a sub 84 waisted ski in years, and forgot what I was missing. Easier to ski bumps on than my Experience 86 Ti.
Way back in the day carving (specifically racing) skis were just what you rode. My daily drivers were 208 cm K2 GS Race 10.0 and then a pair of 212 cm Atomic SGs. In retrospect it was all pretty stupid, but we didn’t know any better.
All of this to say, you can have fun on almost anything. The e-Titan is actually a pretty good choice IMO.
I was cracking up pretty hard when Jonathan and Jake Stevens were going back and forth about what is “all mountain” last week. FTR I’m on Jake’s side of that discussion.
Related food for thought: If you want Schmidt and Plake in their 80s/90s movies, they were typically riding 218 cm women’s DH and 223 cm men’s DH skis, respectively.
Maybe I missed it, but curious what boot Kara is taking to Japan? I’m headed there in a few days and torn between my two options. My Hawx Ultra XTD 130 seems like the obvious pick (20% touring / 80% resort), but it doesn’t fit well enough for all-day comfort (6+ hours becomes quite uncomfortable and cuts into next day fun). On the other hand, my Zero G Tour Pro fits great but I’m uncertain about all-day resort use. Unfortunately, I can’t pack both, so I’d appreciate any insights anyone has!
Hi Loren. I recommend that you relisten to 4 minutes of the podcast episode starting at 7:42. Kara explains her reasons for choosing the Atomic Hawx Ultra XTD 115 BOA W GW, how well it fits her feet after some customization work, and how it aligns with her objectives for her multiple trips this season, which will include touring, guiding, and lift-served skiing. Also, see Kara’s Flash Review of the Hawx Ultra XTD 115 BOA W at https://blisterreview.com/ski-boot-reviews/flash-review-24-25-atomic-hawx-ultra-xtd-115-boa-w .
Also, you can relisten to 2-3 minutes starting at 22:31, to hear the details about why Kara is so impressed with the Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro W. However, I think Kara didn’t want to choose the Zero G Tour Pro W for her trips, because she regards the Hawx Ultra XTD 115 as a stronger candidate for the lift-served skiing that she will be doing.
Before your trip, is there enough time for you to improve the fit of your Hawx Ultra XTD 130? If no, then could you possibly improve the fit at a Japanese ski shop after your arrival?
My $0.02: +1 to what Mark said.
One key thing you don’t tell us here is _how_ your XTD 130s are causing you pain. If you sized them like Bode Miller’s plugs (like 3 sizes too small, mostly because nobody made plugs his size) then you’re pretty much out of luck.
OTOH if it’s just a single “hot spot” then a punch or at most a shell mold should get you out of trouble, and any competent shop can do that.
Where it gets interesting is in between, but that Mimic liner should give you and a competent bootfitter a lot of room to maneuver. I don’t ride Atomics because they’re just not right for my foot, but I’ve looked at them quite a bit and have nothing but respect for their design and execution.