![]() We pretty much just publish one post a day on weekdays, and thus we don’t have the space or manpower to review every ski on the planet. In fact, perhaps you are biased against those of us who have the privilege of our writing being supported by advertisers?Īlso, please bear in mind that this is a blog, and not a ski review website. You can accuse us of bias all day long but that doesn’t make it true. He likes BD Kilowatt, so that’s what he used and reviewed. Just know that we could have come up with all sorts of different brands and model skis for Jordan to use on the Denali trip. Grudge, you have every right to your opinion. The ‘Watts will remain my go to skis for big days on big lines. In the end, I think Black Diamond made a winner even better, thus keeping the Kilowatt at the top of the ski mountaineering charts. The Kilowatts come with a wood core, certainly a plus, and due to durability and performance characteristics is something I prefer in all skis in my quiver. I think skiing anything up there with less beef under my feet would have been a much more difficult endeavor. The 185’s weigh in at 8 lbs 6 oz, not the lightest ski out there and perhaps this plank’s only downside, but in my opinion a satisfactory performance to weight ratio. While I am no slalom ski racer, I do like a ski with a nice short turn radius on steeper lines as it allows me to keep the speed under control and provides edge-hold on hardpack. The 185’s dimensions are 127-95-115 with a turn radius of 24.5 meters. Here he is on the West Buttress between 16,200 and 17,200. The ‘Watts handled the variations of Denali snow (from blue ice to 3 feet of freshies) just as we hoped they would. The diverse ski terrain above both the 11,200 and 14,200 ft camps demands a ski that can do more than just a fast climb or one type of snow. I even noticed a guide or two who shared our taste in skis. Three members of our Denali team (Joe, Caleb, and myself) took the Kilowatts up the Kahiltna and I heard nothing but praise. This new Kilowatt may finally replace my beloved older model ‘Watts, and it is probably about time given that I’ve bled them dry on the rocks of the Rockies. It seems this latest version has more pop than any previous iterations, while not relinquishing that hard snow edge hold I have come to appreciate so much. My initial worries vanished after I took my first turn down the steep powder face. Well, I got my first day on the new Kilowatts on North Maroon Peak just two days before we left for Denali. My initial reaction to the news was that of disappointment, as I have come to rely on the ‘Watts for their stiff flex and great edge hold on the varying conditions I usually find myself in. Rumors were swirling a while back that BD was releasing a new model of the Kilowatt that was going to be a bit softer. Super stoked to be skiing down instead of walking. Joe and I on the summit of North America.
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