Vapor 2024 Notes

[Horton]

I am late getting this review done. For now here are some thoughts that will shape the final article. I am sure there are typos below. If you want a polished article then you will have to weight another week or so.

The meaning of the word “speed“ as it relates to slalom skis has not changed much since the introduction of all carbon fiber skis with PVC cores. Below are traditional generalizations.

Slow skis

·         are more work

·         often more stable

·         more forgiving

·         make it easier to keep the line tight from the second wake to the apex

Fast skis

·         are less work

·         make more space

·         are more finicky

·         requires more precise technique

The 2024 Vapor totally breaks the fast ski / slow ski paradigm. This ski creates as much space as any ski ever with minimal physical effort AND is stable, forgiving, and makes it easy to have a tight line from second wake to apex.

The ability to have extra tension from the second wake to ball line is the part that blows my mind. If you have read this website for long you know that I have long lamented the errors of my On Side. This ski does not erase my technical sins but it does make it easier for me to overcome some of them.

As far as the effort required, I am skiing more passes per ride and/or more rides per week on the 2024 Vapor than any other ski ever. My body should be shot considering how much I have been skiing on this ski but it is not.

 

Turns on this ski are just different. More than any other ski I have ever ridden this Vapor “feels” like all of the turns are originated by the front of the ski pulling the ski under the rope. There is no feeling of the ski rotating under my feet or the tail sliding. ( Obviously, the tail must be sliding and there is smear from the edge change to apex).

In some ways, it seems like this ski acts as though both sides are “on side”. What I mean by that is the roll of the ski to the inside controls the turn more than anything else the skier does. This is the other end of the spectrum from skis that feel like the turn on both sides is a long controlled smear.

 

This is a totally different ski from Radar. This is nothing like any ski I have ever ridden.

[C5Quest]

@Horton you still running those Short/Deepish numbers?  I’m playing with the numbers @ColeGiacopuzzi suggested.   Might try the ones you had tomorrow.

[Horton]

No use Cole's settings.

[C5Quest]

Ok. Lol. Onto something else then?  Not working?   

[jhughes]

@Horton The last time I had that exact feeling about a ski (albeit with less skill than now, but still) was the 2016 Vapor, that was really something  different and I'll never forget how cool that felt on the first ride. Amazing to hear they have caught lightning in a bottle again! Very interesting...

[Mose]

Sounds like a great ski I whish all the other companies would change from a PVC core to a PMI core

[Horton]

@jhughes the 16 Vapor is a classic

[UWSkier]

14 minutes ago, Horton said:

@jhughes the 16 Vapor is a classic

wish I'd kept mine

[Slalom.Steve]

@UWSkierI still have my old '16 in the basement (on the '22 now). You wanna buy it? 🙂 

[UWSkier]

3 minutes ago, Slalom.Steve said:

@UWSkierI still have my old '16 in the basement (on the '22 now). You wanna buy it? 🙂 

Nah. Mine was a custom Eddie-made special. Wouldn't have same sentimental value. 

[Horton]

rereading edits on the final review. should publish tomorrow night