Denali Mid review

[Gashley]

Great to hear they are shipping some skis. Always a few hiccups with new production. Ordered mine first of February so hope to see it soon.

[Horton]

@LeonL go ahead and order your Panda T Shirt

[bradb]

Great to hear skis are being shipped. Really looking forward to getting mine and having the support of the Adams.

[customski]

Not sure of order numbers but they are getting them out. 2 ready for Australia, thanks Adams.

[Than_Bogan]

@customski Not sure Denalis should be skied as a pair, but do take video! :smile:

[customski]

@Than_Bogan I'll pay that.

[Fehlindra]

Even rich people need to start on two skies one as a dropski

 

[Higleyskier]

Never underestimate the power of humor. With that said, pandas are the BOMB! Finally testing my Denali today...

[6balls]

First ride out of a baggy drysuit today wearing a Camaro shorty (also for the first time ever in the Camaro)...holy schmokers the Denali is fast. Need to adjust my pull length, intensity, and timing. Would appear that without the drag of the drysuit I'm going to be able to load a lot less and really hum. Gotta adjust pull out to even earlier as well I was going deep into the course on glide today and having to turn in late before adjusting.

 

Looking forward to more sets. Will be running almost exclusively 32 off for a bit and report back as I work in some 35's. We are also in a time of water temp change giving me another variable. We are up 15 degrees in the last few weeks.

[6balls]

No drysuit set #2 today. I've got a Brenda rope with mid-loops. First set 28 off, 30 off, and a bunch of 32's. Second set 28, 32, 33.5, 35, 38(missed).

 

Ski gets cross course quickly. Turn initiation can begin early and the ski remains wide on approach to the ball...initiate this soon on another ski and I turn before the ball. At 28 and 32 I "feel" like the ski is fast and turns tight.

 

35 off felt "wrong" in my head--sorta disbelief in whats happening and what I'm feeling.

 

The sensation is that 32 mph was selected rather than 34.

 

I'm across course with tons of time (tho not sure how I got there) before each buoy and feel like "crap, too early". Gonna shut down early, be too slow at the ball, dig a huge hole, have to climb out with big load, and sling shot out of control to the next buoy.

 

None of that happened. Ski stayed wide, carried speed and width, allowed me to turn early, no slack, no stall and I'm gone.

 

I didn't FEEL that fast through the wake but there I was with a mile to go before 2 ball and already at width...a sensation that could only happen if the boat was way slow...right???? All 6 went that way.

 

Trying to understand how this happens in my head. All I can think is that I'm not losing speed at the ball, didn't then have to accelerate much...so I WAS fast across the wake but there wasn't load or acceleration...giving the "feel" that it wasn't that fast? Perhaps I'm losing that momentary stall at the finish of the turn that is typically part of my skiing at shorter lines? Saving just a blip of time there would be big. Whatever it is...pretty cool so far.

 

Probably done reporting for a bit (finally, eh?). Can't imagine much more to say unless I start crushing 38's. That happens with regularity you will hear about it!

 

I'm not a fin/wing master but am told my settings are "short and deep" and are:

 

6.855

2.480

.7805

8.5 degrees

29.25

[Razorskier1]

@6balls -- I think you are feeling correctly. Chet told me once, people don't perceive speed, only acceleration. So . . . if you maintain more speed through the pre-turn and turn, you need less acceleration, thus less perceived speed. Although as @Wish points out, that means you have higher average speed through the entire ski path.

[Than_Bogan]

Hey, when did they start letting Marines take geometry!? Seriously, that's a good observation/explanation.

[Wish]

It's pilot talk. You just have to imagine listening to him speaking slowly in a very low tone voice, mostly garbled coming through shitty speakers from the cockpit. Odds are they say very intelligent things all the time, its just that no one in the plane can make out what the heck they are saying.

[thager]

Just as well. No one can understand all them dang "ooh rahs" anyway!

[Ilivetoski]

I think I remember an article by Trent Finlayson (may have butchered his last name) describing how people assume when your late, you're going too fast and how it's actually just you precving that speed

[LeonL]

Closure rate in the only way we humans perceive speed. Oh, I quess wind in your hair (those that have it) is an indicator. That why @Horton use to have a lot of hair. Helped with ski reviews. But wet hair has to be factored in.

[Razorskier1]

I think that's why Will grew a beard -- helps with deceleration! And by the way, that's a really great beard.

[mwetskier]

when will is older he's going to make a great santa claus.

[Razorskier1]

Setting bindings further forward is where to be. Skied at 29.75 this afternoon and the ski was awesome! I'm close to optimal settings and can't wait for some nice water!

[LeonL]

We had a tournament Saturday and the lake is out of sight of our house. FedEx came and left a little note saying I had to sign for my package. The won't try again until Tuesday, dang!! Three days extra without my Denali.

[Higleyskier]

@Razorskier1 what length is your ski?

 

[Razorskier1]

@Higleyskier I'm on a 66.5. Moved DFT to .80. Terrific feeling this morning.

[RB]

Interesting @LeonL

 

 

[Horton]

Review is 90% written. Look for it Monday or Tuesday. Silly @AdamCord just sent me settings and asked me to take one more ride to see how I like them

 

[6balls]

@Horton probably @razorskier1's settings he got it dialed over the last few days with the finishing touch today.

 

I'm glad he's got it pefected cuz he would have to pry the Denali version 3.1 he's letting me ride from my cold, dead hands.

[Razorskier1]

Cord skied the settings I used with the bindings further forward still. Magically delicious.

[Drago]

@Horton offside dunk?