Goode skis

[Skihack]

I was looking to learn a bit about the evolution and history of the Goode skis from the 8000 on to the current 9960. There just isn't much info on their website. What little I know, is heard second hand. One thing I hear from many is that the 9500 was their best ski. To be honest, we have a 125amp 9800 and a 100 amp 9500 and I just can't see a difference in the skier on either ski. I am curious about their 9000's and 9400's. Are they good skis?

Thanks.

[Horton]

9100 9500 9700 most loved I think

[Than_Bogan]

Although every model worked for somebody, the 9400 was one model I didn't particularly like. I found it just a hair faster than a 9100, but unpredictable in the turn -- sometimes biting off a radical angle that I couldn't hold and other times stalling and turning like a truck. Fin and binding adjustments did not help.

 

In my opinion, the 9100 was a huge technological breakthrough that made all other skis obsolete for a few years. It is far superior to any 8000 models or the 9000. After the 9100, the subsequent changes were just incremental.

 

I've heard great things about the Fire right here on BOS. Never tried one, though.

 

I thought the 9600 skied great but the construction process seemed a little unreliable -- Dave Goode all but admitted to me that the 9700 was the same ski except made better.

 

I have been extremely happy with my 9900SL. For me it is lightning fast, easy to handle, and predictable. It doesn't seem to have broken down after 2 season of heavy use. It's not radically better than my old 9100 was (may it rest in peace), but it's nevertheless the best ski I've ever skied on.

[A_B]

9100 all time favorite.

9500 second all time favorite.

9900, seems ok.

Did not like the Wide Ride.

Did not like the 9700. Tried a 240amp, which was probably a 340, did not take flex measurements, but it was the stiffest ski I ever had been on. Maybe the 220 would have been better, or a 240 flexed like my 9100. I do know a lot of people that liked the 9700.

[Ed_Johnson]

HISTORY: Kauai, Hawaii...Early 90's.

 

I had worked as an Instructor for Mike Syderhouds Dad, Jaap, in Hawaii Kai, on Oahu, on my days off from flying 747's for Northwest Airlines. Later moved to Kauai, where I had a Slalom Course set up on the Wailua River. Did instruction and pulled tourists, along with two others on the Wailua River...One day during the Winter on the Mainland, this Guy shows up wanting to test these Black Carbon Skis he built. Said he had a business in Michigan building Carbon Fiber Ski Poles and had decided to expand into building Slalom Skis. Said his name was Dave Goode......All the skis were 67," pure black, with no numbers or markings. Two of us ended up skiing on them with hard shell bindings. First ski I ever got into 38 off, which was a big deal back then. I had been skiing a Kidder Redline and it blew it away. Ended up skiing every model of Goode since then, up through the Nano Mid. Favorites were the 9100, 9400. 9800, Wide Ride, and the 9900 Mid. Even though I had tried other skis during that time frame, every PB I ever set was on a Goode. So it has been quite a history..........Ed

[ScaredOfCorbets]

I have the 9100, 9500 and 9900SL. I like all three of them.

[jackski]

9100, 9200 ltd, 9400, 9700, Nano traditional. I tried others too but kept comming back. Ithink all of them were a step forward although of varying degrees. Always took a little change in style for each one. I skied the 9100 last year again for fun but it's not as good as the Nano. It's a toss up between the 9700 and Nano but I was skiing hurt last year. PB - 9700 2 @ 38 (toury)

 

 

[KM]

My favorite Goodes were the 9500, 9900SL (Traditional), and the Nano Twist Mid. Not coincidentally they all have very similar flexes (within a few pounds) as measured by my own flex tester.

[sixball]

I skied the 9500 for a number of years and loved it. Some runs on the 9700 but back to the 9500 in short order. I always thought the 9500 was one of the one of the most forgiving hi end ski's.

I have moved on to another brand thinking I get better performance on wind chop water.

[MrJones]

9100 was huge. 9200-9400 just tweaks. 9500 was as very sweet ski and what I believe Jeff R. may be on now. I have to disagree about the 9700 being that loved. I didn't like it nearly as much as the 9500. T-Gas had a feature article in Waterski when the 9700 was Goode's current ski and actually told a brief story about going back to his 9600 after struggling on the 9700. (He ran 41 on the 9600 in Europe that year I believe)