Edelwiser FIRNIS - Review From USA (Englisch)

[exoticskis]

Edelwiser "FIRNIS" Twintip
(124-77-110) 16m radius @ 170cm
(124-77-110) 17m radius @ 180cm
2008-2009


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Photo of Eric (ExoticSkis), Max and the fleet of Edelwisers at Suicide Six ski area - Vermont USA.
(SKIS IN PHOTO: "Wiener Schnitzen" 182cm, Firnis 180cm Speed 172cm, Firnis 170cm, Swing 162cm)

[click here for LARGER picture]



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[click here for LARGER picture]

[ externes Bild ]
[click here for LARGER picture]

[ externes Bild ]
[click here for lLARGER picture]


[ externes Bild ]
[click here for LARGER picture]


Manufacturer Info:

Edelwiser Sporthandel GmbH
Julius Tandler Platz 6/4
1090 Vienna/Austria
http://www.Edelwiser.com

Edelwiser USA
P.O. Box 4261
Aspen, CO. 81611
Contact: Max Werdenigg (970) 987-8555
http://www.Edelwiser.com

$800 usd (Greenhorn)
$750 usd (Newbie)
$700 usd (Member)


Custom grahics services @ $110 /hour
OR
Upload your own graphics !
(Illustrator or EPS template downloads you can modify)
See custom graphics examples (corporate branding)


Usage Class:

All Mountain TwinTip

Your Rating (with comments):
(1="get me off these things"->10="I have to own a pair")

9-10 (all mountain usage)

Summary:

Stronger-than-normal twintip all-mountain ski with remarkable carving ability and stability at speed. While most "all mountain" skis simply perform mediocre at everything, the Edelwiser Firnis really works well at nearly everything. Not a fluffy twintip as some skis are in this category. (See the tip and tail photos and check out the thickness of the pop-riveted reinforced shovel and tail). This ski can take a beating, or be finessed. Easy to ski in recreational mode, happy in nearly any terrain and surface type. Good, fast bases and sturdy edges. One of my votes for a really versatile "all mountain", one-ski quiver. While some twintips are compliant and soft in the bumps, the Firnis is more firm and transmits forebody flex to the rest of the ski. If you want a softie in the bumps, this is not your ski. If you want something sporty and athletic in the bumps all over the mountain, the Firnis works really well. Extremely lightweight skiers may want to demo the Firnis first to make sure it's not too stiff for them. Advanced and expert skiers will get very happy on the Firnis. Carving enthusiasts will be happy campers too. You can get the metal reinforcing tip and tail caps customized with different cutout designs! (see http://www.edelwiser.com/de/skis/ski/firnis/ )

Technical Ski Data:

Wood core, fiberglass, low-scuff slightly matte finish topsheet (customized).

Pre-Skiing Impression:

Slightly burly construction, relatively thick tip and tail thickness, stout and responsive flex pattern with excellent torsional rigidity. Good dampening. Nice fit and finish. Impressive riveted tip and tail protectors. Looks like the tip will float up nicely. You can get any design you can think of on your own Firnis models...very cool.

Test Conditions:

Cold, dry packed powder conditions, perfect combination of packed groomers and some cut-up fresh stuff (ranging from a few inches to some boot-deep stuff) on the side of some trails. We tested on several days and several ski resorts in Vermont.

Test Results:

I first followed and watched the Firnis 180cm driven by Max from Edelwiser on squeaky dry, perfect Eastern hardpacked powder and hardpack at Sugarbush, Vermont. Max is an amazing, no-poles master of the newest European carving technique, and frankly, I had a hard time keeping him in sight, and I definitely could not match his radii at the speeds he was achieving. My first thought after watching the hip-dragging, flawlessly etched edge marks left by Max on the Firnis 180s was "Holy Cow....that is no ordinary twintip...how is he doing those turns???". My second thought was "I want to try those skis." (I will try to salvage some video if I can and post it here if it's usable.)

First impression is the ski is definitely sporty and strong. The turns can be slid or carved. Short radius? Fine. Long radius? Fine. High speed? Fine. Bumps? Fine. Junk snow? Fine. Powdery snow? Fine. The Firnis is one of those rare all-mountain skis that really goes great on almost any surface. The fun thing about the Firnis is it can lay down some serious, hard-core carving trenches when asked. It has a huge reserve of strength and power if you need it. High edge angle or high-pressure radius turns are handled smoothly and precisely. It almost feels like it's an all mountain ski at the tip and tail, and a high-end carving ski underfoot at speed. Very interesting. The only place I found it got less than top marks was making short, slalom-like turns on the hardest Vermont boilerplate. It really wanted to respond best making medium to longer carves across the bulletproof surfaces with a rolled edge introduction rather than a stop-and-chop technique. This is due to its sidecut, I think, and you immediately feel what it wants and it naturally pulls you into it preferred mode across this kind of terrain. As soon as you have just the slightest snow depth to sink the edge into...the Firnis took off and hooked into its turns with zest.
Bumps are just fine, but don't expect a soft, fluffy ride and floppy forebody. The Firnis is full of rebound and response and doesn't really "soak up" bumps as much as it rides them and gets pop off them. The harder you ski it in the bumps, the better it works. Get lazy in the bumps and the ski will put you in the back seat. I recommend the lighest weight or less muscular skiers demo the Firnis first and see if it's the ski for you. All other skiers will probably find the Firnis really fun.
The Firnis is the kind of ski that grows on you after a bunch of runs and I found myself grabbing the Firnis out of the quiver first on several days after the initial testing, then grabbing it for my last runs of the day too.

Analogies: (this ski is like...)

A GNCC / ISDE dirtbike for snow. Fast, powerful, ridable all day and can handle anything in its path with speed and confidence. Easy going between special test sections, and a ripping fun tool in the special tests. A step up from standard showroom models.


After Skiing These, I Want To...

Get my own pair with cool graphics. The only question is which length...?

Self-Description of Skiing Style, Ability, Experience, Preferences:

Expert groomed-surface carver, "old-style" race inspired, "foot steerer" with fairly sensitive edging feel. Loves to hold long arcs with lots of pressure on the downhill ski (you know the type), but also loves the feel of both skis on-edge leaving tiny railroad track edge tracks. Not an instructor, but 10 year coach for youth race team in New England (bulletproof is the norm).

Videos:

The "Action" video gives some good footage of identical twin teenagers on the same slope with the Firnis 170 and Firnis 180 so you can see how the skis handle in the open terrain. The interview vids might give you an idea of what they thought of the skis.

EDELWISER INTERVIEWS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKqnDmBvAb8

EDELWISER SKI ACTION:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OboxUp5YAQ



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http://www.exoticskis.com/forum/defa...x?g=posts&t=56