The 2012 Connelly Prophecy can trace its linage back to the Connelly F1 and earlier versions of the Prophecy. While its predecessors were radical in terms of skiing attributes, the new Prophecy is more user-friendly and mainstream.With a top graphic that is a mix of carbon fiber and hard wood, this ski lets you know that it is not too conventional.
General Feel:
With a revised tunnel, bevels, rocker and flex from the original Prophecy, this ski is more stable and much faster. In terms of skier effort and technical skills needed to get wide at short rope lengths, this ski is a vast improvement over previous versions.
The personality of the new prophecy becomes even more apparent the first time you round a buoy.
Toe Side (Off Side) Turn
When approaching the off side and standing on the middle of the ski, the Prophecy draws a dependable and smooth arc wide of the ball. As with previous high end Connellys, this ski requires that the skier focus on keeping their shoulders level approaching the apex.Past the apex, this ski will continue to acquire substantial angle provided the skier does not prematurely rotate their shoulders toward the wakes. Patience is required exiting off side turns on this ski.
Heel Side (On Side) Turn
Many of the current high end skis will not turn on side well without substantial front foot pressure. The Prophecy does the exact opposite. It will carve a smooth on side turn, much like the off side turn, with the skier pressing on the front of ski, but it will also crank out abrupt changes in direction from the back of the ski. It is wonderful to be able to make a major mistake at off side and then crank a huge backfoot turn at on side and be right back in the pass.
From Second Wake to Ball
It is impossible to say what the step bottom design really does, but ample width is easily achieved. Compared to the original Prophecy and other deeper riding skis, this ski does not require advanced handle control skills to get wide of the ball line.
The ski does require that the skier be careful to not move to the inside early. Outbound direction will be lost if the skier’s hips and shoulders rotate or lean towards the wakes prematurely.
From Ball to Second Wake
The Prophecy rolls over and holds angle easily upon exiting the ball. If the skier leans a bit extra, the ski will respond with a burst of speed. Skiers working to be lighter on the line will find the ski simply goes where it is pointed.
Quirks & Notes
A skier who keeps their shoulders level and constant will get the most from this ski. As noted above, turns on this ski can be quite asymmetrical:smooth on one side and radical on the other. Radical on side turns may not be technically desirable, but it's fun and it will get you out of trouble when you want just one more buoy.
Binding settings are unusually critical. I rode the 67” at 29 1/4”, which felt great, and then I moved back to 29 1/8”, and I found the ski to be very hard to ride.
Final test fin settings were 2.495 depth, 6.860 length with tips and .770 with head of caliper
Conclusion:
In comparison to Connelly, most other ski companies have been making cookie cutter skis for a long time.This ski is less of an outlier but it is still not in lockstep with the rest of the industry. If you are looking for a new ski to shake things up, I cannot think of better ski than the 2012 Connelly Prophecy.
My personal best ever tournaments scores and practice scores are on the 2012 Prophecy.I believe that I ran more smooth passes on other test skis this year, but at my hardest pass, the Prophecy proved its place among the best skis in the industry.
My first introduction to SansRival was last winter over beers in a hotel bar in Vienna, Austria with the company owner, Alex Munninger. This charismatic Austrian businessman was explaining to me how he loved water skiing, and how he was building a ski in Germany that was, literally, without rival. At that point, I had never seen one of these German made Austrian skis nor had I met anyone who had skied on one. I had no idea who the design team was or if this company was for real.
Now fast forward to late July of this year. FedEx delivered a ski box that contained what is the most cosmetically beautiful ski I had ever seen. A flawless carbon fiber weave bottom has been done before, but the top of the SR2 takes it one step further with a deep blue glaze over the carbon that needs to be seen to be understood. The crisp red and white logo in the top coat is simple and elegant. From tip to tail, the SR2 shows the manufactures attention to detail.
When the time came to mount bindings on the test ski, I found the inserts to be unusually far back on the ski. After a month with the ski, this is the only design flaw that I have found. I presume this has been remedied by the factory for future skis, and to be fair, this ski may be a demo because of this issue. I was able to get my bindings where they needed to be mounted; thus, this did not present a problem for me. (Update: The factory has confirmed that there was an issue with the binding inserts position. This has been fixed. )
General feel:
The SR2 encourages the skier to take a deep breath and to ski a little easier than most skis. It gets plenty of angle, gets unquestionably wide, and performs with minimal drama. It is odd to think of a short line slalom ski as being particularly undemanding, yet the SR2 is that exactly. Every ski on earth works better when the skier is more technical, and certain skis will punish a skier less for their mistakes. The SR2 is not only forgiving; it is tolerant as well.
Toe Side (Off Side) Turn This ski’s basic stability makes the skier feel comfortable driving forward into the apex of the turn. As with all skis, more front foot pressure leads to shaper turns, but the SR2 is less demanding than most skis in this regard. The resulting turns are generally a smooth arc that ends inside the ball line. The tail of the ski never feels lose allowing turns that are comfortable and dependable - never radical.
Heel Side (On Side) Turn Unlike many of the current top skis, the SR2 allows the skier to stay back approaching the on side turn. This is clearly not the recommended technique, but it is refreshing to ride a ski that is easy going. With correct technique and front foot pressure, the resulting turns are smooth arcs similar to the Off Side. Turns with heavy back foot pressure are not as smooth, but it is nice be able to rotate off the back foot when things get ugly.
In the last few years, D3 has made skis at opposite ends of the spectrum: so called “fast skis” like the Z7 and then deeper riding skis like the X5 and X7. The fast skis are known for requiring less physical effort, gaining width with ease and turning aggressively .The deeper riding skis are known for carving smooth arcs around the ball and a more tactual feel.
General Feel: With the Fusion, D3 set out to combine the best attributes of the Z7 and the X7. From the Z, they wanted the speed and width. Form the X, they wanted the carving turns and stability. The result is brilliant.
Toe Side (Off Side) Turn Approaching and exiting the off side, the Fusion draws a continuous arc out and around the ball. The ski is very tolerant of skier mistakes and finds the right path with minimum drama. Unless pushed aggressively, the ski blends the finish of the turn and the start of the acceleration stage better than most skis.
Heel Side (On Side) Turn On Side turns have a tighter radius with more front foot pressure, but the Fusion is reasonably tolerant to extra back foot pressure. With weight centered and head up, this ski turns symmetrically on both sides.
The HO Syndicate A2 is the second of HO’s “A” or “Angle” series. Its predecessor, the A1, is one of the most popular skis in recent history. Fans of the A1 said the off side turn was ultra-forgiving, and the ski was stable and easy to ride. Detractors of the A1 said the ski was not overly fast, and it was slow turning at the on side turn. For the A2, the design team, lead by Bob LaPoint, has taken the proven design of the A1 and refined it into an even better ski.
General Feel: The A2 is a calm, predictable, and balanced ski. It waits for skier input and then does exactly what it is commanded. It is easy to ski technically correct on a ski that inspires confidence. The A2 is confidence inspiring.
In 2007, the Fisher #1 stormed the Independent Ski Tests. The test team was enthusiastic and excited about the new ski from Austria. Unfortunately, economic pressures and changes within Fischer took the ski off the market before many were seen in the US. In 2009, an updated version of the ski again became available under the name Razor.
In terms of technology, materials and construction, the Fischer and the Razor are identical. The Razor has a slightly modified flex but is dimensionally the same as the Fischer.
Some additional information about the history of the ski can be found at http://ow.ly/4VdgU
General feel:
The Razor is not what my father would call a “babysitter ski”. It is not a calm, relaxed, over-stable ski for the masses. It is a fire - breathing, radical angle generating monster slalom ski. It is different. It is aggressive. It is a fantastic short line slalom ski.
In 2008, when I received my first Digital Slot Calipers from David DiPol, I was perplexed and then amazed with this new method of measuring DFT (distance from tail). Since then, I have come to believe that it is the only consistent method for measuring DFT. For this reason I no longer use my much more expensive and name brand Mitutoyo Calipers. For a quick explanation of how DFT measurement is done with the Digital Slot Calipers, go to http://www.slotcaliper.com.
Having solved the DFT consistency problem, David DiPol then set out to solve the final remaining common measurement problem. Skiers who use the jaws measurement method for fin length will often find discrepancies in their measurements when they change calipers. This is because most calipers have an indentation at the base of the jaws. The indentation is inconsistent from caliper to caliper. David solved this by having calipers made without the indentation. For skiers using the jaws method, the new version of the Digital Slot Calipers is clearly superior.
In the above photograph you can see the new version of the Digital Slot Calipers. The blue arrows show where the measuring surface precisely meets with the leading and trailing edges of the fin.
Calipers on the top are my Mitutoyo. The blue arrow points to the indentation typical of most calipers not specifically manufactured for waterskiing. The calipers on the bottom is the Digital Slot Calipers, the blue arrow is pointing to a perfectly flush measuring surface.
DryCASE is the ONLY Waterproof Case that Actually Vacuum Seals Portable Electronics
Don’t you wish you could bring your iPhone, Droid, or other portable electronic device to the beach or pool without worrying that it might get wet and ruined? Do you find it difficult to trust those “waterproof bags” that look nothing more like a fancy sandwich bag? The DryCASE from Dry Corp has developed an ingenious solution: a vacuum-sealed case that allows for full touch screen functionality, including underwater pictures and video.
The DryCASE is a flexible, crystal clear waterproof bag that provides complete use of your phone or camera while keeping it dry and clean. Simply pump out all the air with the easy to use hand pump and the bag will vacuum seal around the contents and become completely waterproof. The air tight seal guarantees that the contents of the bag will stay dry even when submerged underwater. Every DryCASE comes with an extreme activity arm band for water sports, and is crystal clear so pictures can be taken through it while using the other side.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 17:46
Compared to top of the line skis that cost 3 times as much, the V is stable and predictable. Compared to other skis in the same price range, the V is remarkably high performance. The V does a great job filling the gap between ultra high end skis and lower level skis. With a MSRP of only $349 (blank), I think the V is the best ski for the money that I have ever ridden.
I rode this ski under 2 different mindsets.
First, I rode the V as if under INT Wide Ride rules (the 67” V is a little more then 7 ¼” wide). At 30 mph, the V was not only a lot of fun, but it also took me down the line into 39 off.
Second, I treated the V as a normal 34 mph ski and ran into 38 off (within few balls of my normal score on a top of the line ski).
The V turns with smooth arcs until pushed. If pushed, the V will comply with sharp changes in direction. Whereas some high-end skis will punish a skier for not being in perfect position, the V is very forgiving at the ball.
When the V is ridden beyond its limits at 34 mph, it does not hold angle and direction off the ball like a high-end ski. To be fair, I rode the V pretty far past its practical limit to find its bad habits. I think that mid-32 off at 34 mph is the practical limit for this ski. Ridden at 28 off 34 mph or less, the V holds plenty of angle. At 30 mph, I did not reach the ski’s limit.
The real surprise with the V is the width at the ball. The V gets as wide at 34 mph as any ski at any price. Ridden at 34 mph 35 off, the V carries direction from the wakes and out in front of the ball with ease.
For 2011, Connelly has two skis that I highly recommned. If you are running 32 off 34 mph and beyond, I recommend the Connelly Prophecy. See my 2008 Prophecy review. If you are anywhere between learning to run the course and running 28 off 34 mph, the V is a great choice. If you are skiing INT Wide Ride, the V is the real deal.
Simply put, this is one of my favorite skis in a long time. Marketed under the HO brand as opposed to the more prestigious Syndicate brand, the Coefficient-X may not be on every skiers list of top skis and that is a huge mistake. This is an easy to ride shortline super ski. This ski is distinct from every other high end ski on the market, and it does things I wish every other ski did.
Take your Slalom training to the next level with focused mental practice.
Use the power of your mind to change and improve your slalom technique.
Improve your skiing faster and easier through Visualization Training...
This West Coast Slalom Visualization Training is a natural next step to Mike Suyderhoud’s ground breaking West Coast Slalom Advanced DVD. This training features the smooth and fluid West Coast Slalom technique of Terry Winter as a model. The DVD is designed to be a regular part of your weekly training regimen. Based on the psychological concept of modeling and incorporating the Shortcut Method visualization training, the DVD will help you improve your technique through neuromuscular patterning. By following the simple, yet effective outline for focused mental practice your body’s own mechanism for creating movement will help you change and improve your slalom technique. Listening to your favorite music while viewing the visualization sequences makes this an enjoyable process. It also creates an auditory link between the images on the DVD and the music.
The Z7 is perhaps the most stable and easy to ride ski to date from a ski company known for stable and easy to ride skis. On the Z7, skiing within your comfort zone is just easy. When it is time to go for one last ball, this ski stays with you. Most high end skis have a distinct personality, the Z7 is simply a balanced performer.The Z7 is clearly one of the very best high end skis on the market.
Toe Side (Off Side) Turn
Ample front foot pressure at the apex helps the Z7 initiate earlier and finish smoother but this ski turns hard and fast no matter what the skier does. It is pretty close to automatic.
Heel Side (On Side) Turn
Heel side is much like Toe Side but less aggressive- no less dependable. You can pretty much expect this ski to turn at the ball no matter what you do.
From Second Wake to Ball
This ski carves out very wide with amazingly little fuss. It is quite fast without feeling fast. The skis stability (width under the binding) becomes apparent as you approach the ball. It almost makes you wonder if the boat is going slow.
From Ball to Second Wake
The tip easily stays down and the ski holds a lot of angle with little effort.
Quarks
The Z7 is extremely stable and easy to ride so much so that it is hard to find the best Set Up. Toe Side turns can finish very aggressively and some skiers will get so much ski in the water at the hook up that the ski will feel stuck for a brief moment.
Rides Deep in the water. Very stable. Requires a lot of physical strength. Ski seems to be always acquiring more and more angle. Handle control on this ski is much more critical then most.
Heel Side (On Side) Turn
Ski is so forgiving in terms of weight distribution that it almost encourages bad habits.
Toe Side (Off Side) Turn
Tip naturally rides deep in the water. There is never a question if this ski is going to turn and turn hard. Ski is very forgiving to weight distribution.
Quarks
Fin settings are very critical. Stock F1 settings are a good starting point.
From Second Wake to Ball
Ski carves a wide & early arc in front of the ball. If you do not control the handle well, you will not get wide.
From Ball to Second Wake
Ski continues to increase angle all the way back to the first wake.
When I arrived home today, I found a UPS box at the front door. Inside was a Digital Slot Caliper made by Dave Dipol. My first reaction was “Well, that is not going to work”. Ten seconds later, I realized that the slot caliper is pure genius!
The 2012 Connelly Prophecy can trace its linage back to the Connelly F1 and earlier versions of the Prophecy. While its predecessors were radical in terms of skiing attributes, the new Prophecy is more user-friendly and mainstream.
Quirks & Notes 
My first introduction to SansRival was last winter over beers in a hotel bar in Vienna, Austria with the company owner, Alex Munninger. This charismatic Austrian businessman was explaining to me how he loved water skiing, and how he was building a ski in Germany that was, literally, without rival. At that point, I had never seen one of these German made Austrian skis nor had I met anyone who had skied on one. I had no idea who the design team was or if this company was for real.
In the last few years, D3 has made skis at opposite ends of the spectrum: so called “fast skis” like the Z7 and then deeper riding skis like the X5 and X7. The fast skis are known for requiring less physical effort, gaining width with ease and turning aggressively .The deeper riding skis are known for carving smooth arcs around the ball and a more tactual feel. 
The HO Syndicate A2 is the second of HO’s “A” or “Angle” series. Its predecessor, the A1, is one of the most popular skis in recent history. Fans of the A1 said the off side turn was ultra-forgiving, and the ski was stable and easy to ride. Detractors of the A1 said the ski was not overly fast, and it was slow turning at the on side turn. For the A2, the design team, lead by Bob LaPoint, has taken the proven design of the A1 and refined it into an even better ski.
In 2007, the Fisher #1 stormed the Independent Ski Tests. The test team was enthusiastic and excited about the new ski from Austria. Unfortunately, economic pressures and changes within Fischer took the ski off the market before many were seen in the US. In 2009, an updated version of the ski again became available under the name Razor. 
In 2008, when I received my first Digital Slot Calipers from David DiPol, I was perplexed and then amazed with this new method of measuring DFT (distance from tail). Since then, I have come to believe that it is the only consistent method for measuring DFT. For this reason I no longer use my much more expensive and name brand Mitutoyo Calipers. For a quick explanation of how DFT measurement is done with the Digital Slot Calipers, go to 
DryCASE is the ONLY Waterproof Case that 
Compared to top of the line skis that cost 3 times as much, the V is stable and predictable. Compared to other skis in the same price range, the V is remarkably high performance. The V does a great job filling the gap between ultra high end skis and lower level skis. With a MSRP of only $349 (blank), I think the V is the best ski for the money that I have ever ridden.
