Connelly GT First Rides

[Horton]

I just took ride # 1. A first ride on any new ski always makes me nervous. Do I have the right settings? Did I remember to tighten the fin clamp? Am I still Right Foot Forward? Will I run my first pass? What do I write if the ski sucks?

 

After my first ride on the GT, I am sure it does not suck. I did run my first pass. I think the settings are pretty good although I have some ideas about something I may try. First impressions are dangerous things but I am pretty sure the GT is more user friendly than the 2013 Prophecy and I LOVED that ski.

 

Off Side turns are crazy good and on side turns are not bad at all. These are very early impressions but I am pretty confident the GT turns very well.

 

19 rides to go

 

[skibug]

Would you say it still accelerates right out of the ball like the 2013-2014 models? I always "felt" like that 2013-2014 Prophecy just blistered across course; which I liked. The more you leaned on it; the faster it went.

[Horton]

@skibug gimmie 19 18 more rides before i answer that

[aupatking]

I got to take a ride on a 15 GT and cross course angle was super simple to build. Turned easy, like @Horton says, but like him, one ride told me nothing more than the ski feels like it holds promise. I'm not going to kid myself, I need a 68, and the ski I've got is a 67. I'm not going to drop too much time on it.

[Horton]

Second ride is a great example of why I don't say a lot until I am done. First ride On Side turns were good but sort of odd. Second ride I pulled my head out of my @$$ and fixed it. It was not the skis fault to start with.

[ozski]

I've got a lot of sets on the GT now, my own personal opinion is that the ski works really well on the onside if you stay tall and don't fall to the inside. Initiate the turn from a taller position and you will be rewarded, you can drop in and crank hard turns but for me it works better the other way. (with my setup)

[wskier]

ozski I noticed on your profile that you ski on a Denali. How do you compare the 2

[ozski]

@wskier I like both skis a lot, as yet I have not ridden a "production" Denali so any comparison is not a fair reflection on either ski. The GT is a very different ride to the Denali so the best thing you can do is spend time on both...

[Horton]

I asked @Sethski for his settings. His numbers are a little extreme but I thought I would try. So I put the settings on the GT for my first set today. @Colebrah was driving and the lovely @Kim H and Buford Danger were watching.

 

That first pass felt awefull. At the end I told @Colebrah that the settings suck and that it felt like 36 mph. @Colebrah got a sick look on his face and adjusted the ZO. Once @Colebrah set the boat for old man speed the settings are actually pretty darn good.

 

Considering all the times we have pulled @Colebrah at 34 I guess it is only fair that he forgot to change the ZO this time.

[Gloersen]

He was trying to help you:

36 MPH Ski

[Horton]

On a more serious note - what I LOVE about reviewing Connellys is they are not like every other ski. It is always easy to write about the Connellys because they are really different. I am 4 rides in and the honeymoon is in full swing.

[jjackkrash]

Any chance you can squeeze 16 rides in today?

[Horton]

@jjackkrash zero chance. To make it even worse since this is the first review of the year I might even take extra rides because I'm still bringing my skiing up level.

[jjackkrash]

No worries. I am going in for an MRI Sunday for most likely a blown or partially blown bicep tendon. Then I suspect I'll be under the knife. So its not like I'm in any real hurry. ):