MDB1056

Tfactors are cheap compared to the price of hardshells 

 Any course's mainline should be floating deep enough that it's well below a level a prop or any lower unit could reach. The main issue with AccuFloat is that all their arms are the heavy sch 40 PVC and all collapse into one  - making them very heavy and more of a PITA to work with in and out vs the much lighter thinner PVC sections from EZ Slalom, Insta-Slalom etc. Accufloat sections as noted have a lot more hardware as all connectors are the  pins which have to be inserted individually, vs the pop up buttons that are inside the sections on the others that snap into place. Again Accufloat is a great set up with the stainless lines etc for a permanent/semi perm install but compared to the others the hassle factor is much higher if using it as an in & out portable solution.     

Accufloat is not an easy in and out. They are very solid but a bear to consider for an in and out for a day. Excellent for a permanent or semi permanent (seasonal)  solutions.  

Nothing is 100%. Make a well informed decision based on known information.  

@water_skier1 - IMO that's completely subjective. I've only ever ridden rubber and I love them.  

You’re wanting to buy high quality bindings that will perform and keep you safe. If some of the worlds top skiers are riding them that should hopefully eliminate your “concerns” regarding the laces. 

If considering a rubber binding I would recommend the D3 Tfactors as absolutely the best . Dual front laces make for easy in and out, extremely well made, and they give great lateral support. Some top pros ride them including Nate Smith and Dane Mechler who ride into 41 and 43 so you know they’re high performance . I much prefer vs HO Animals . Been on tfactors for many years and they’ve released in world class falls for me. I’m a fan for life. 

GTR and DV8 have been great. While a huge Connelly fan , expect to hold off on any upgrades for at least a couple years. 

@Wish April would not be pleased 

COBLE not CABLE

@Wish April Coble Eller . 

1 minute ago, unksskis said:

I don’t care what the logistics may be, make it happen, it’s a reasonable expectation of membership to see an effort to provide one, and yes it brings exposure to the sport and organization. 

@unksskis - "make it happen" ? ...................its funding. 

Anecdotal scenarios are nice to hear about, but are unique and don't apply to the masses .  It's a given that ROI is key. It's all by the numbers. Audience, market access, etc. Skiing today is down big time vs 25-30 yrs ago because of those being much lower today. Without a clear and supported strategy to reach large audience(s) that are of interest to potential sponsors etc., discussions are DOA, and we're left asking for donations to keep the lights on.... again.     

Planning ahead doesn't guarantee anything is going to work, but you'll at least know in advance if a go or a no go.   Reality check. 

No emotion here. This is strictly business . Organizers, venue hosts, broadcasters, promoters, sponsors , membership organizations all have a vested interest in having an event be as big and successful as possible. No one is in it for benevolent reasons. As such, like any other large event (sports, music, etc) planning is in motion at a minimum 1-2 years in advance.  Work the numbers, ink the deals, make the plans.  I'm always surprised that these discussions come up just before an event. It should have been known at least a year ago how this was all going to unfold for 2023.    

@Brownie_09 Welcome to the forum! There were some recent threads specifically about the HO Works skis that may give you some insight. Give those a read. Very positive comments. I rode an S2 for years, great ski, but now ride a Connelly DV8 which feels completely different as it rides very deep in the water vs the S2 which rode very high . Yes the S2 was easier to ski but the grip of the Connelly is amazing. I call it a water magnet. I remember distinctly feeling like it was more work to ski the GTR (original ski when I switched to Connelly in 2019) but the performance of the ski was better. Took a while to get used to it but now no there’s going back. I’m s huge fan of deeper riding skis for overall performance, especially as the line gets shorter. Im sure folks here that are HO riders can comment on Works and Pro. Keep watch on Ski-it-Again for great deals on used skis to save a bundle. Makes it less painful to try a few. To your other question yes you should always make sure any ski is set up properly for you. Start at stock. Make SMALL changes . Lots of advice on setting up here also if you ask. Trying different skis and settings is half the fun . If you have access to a course, that’s the best place to try things in a consistent environment. Let us know where you land 

Charlie is amazing. Destined for greatness in this sport . 

2 hours ago, escmanaze said:

@escmanaze  That's hilarious!

Is it still the case that a Vapor has not run 41 in a tournament? 

Wow that was an amazing mens final. Love to watch run-off's.  Kudos to Brando for running 39 cold after 1-2 hrs first time.    

Amazing skier. Amazing person 

only got through the women's last night.  Planning on watching the men tonight.   Great TWBC coverage as always 

@jhughes - Cost /Benefit makes the world go round. All depends on what you need. Many do not need the cost or touted improvements to fulfill their skiing needs.  Unless you are, or are on the path to being an open level competitor there is little justification for spending the ridiculous prices of newer boats .        

Keep the 94

DV8

Kool Aid being poured for the masses ........................

Agreed nobody wants to spend big at that age . My 11 yr old granddaughter is on a 64.5 A2 which has seen her progress tremendously from the earlier Obrien trainer. The A2 is a great older ski and one which does perform well at slower speeds, while also giving kid’s performance attributes of a modern ski. Stable and easy to turn and confidence building. She’s running 3 orange, 3 green at 23 (-15). A great ski for advancing and are around for low cost.