Stock skis vs Simmons flex

[Attack gt]

My buddy and I baught identical sleds this year 07 Attak gt's with same mileage and everything. Only difference is mine is black and his red. He just picked up some new Simmons ski's and I still have stock with double runners. He said they cost like $380.00. I am sure that they are better then stock but is it worth the Money? Do the double runners even come close? If they make a huge difference, what is the difference?

 

[bottlerocket]

Do a comparsion and let us know! What generation Simmons did he get?

 

[MarkRTX]

If you do mostly trail riding get yourself some pilots. IMHO better than the Simmons for trail use and with a proper setup your sled will rail.

 

[MarkRTX]

I've had both so speaking from experience

 

[buddah]

The biggest difference most people comment on is better flotation off-trail with the Simmons skis. I have them on both my sleds and like them a LOT, obviously. Some people complain that they push in corners when ridden hard on the trails. Since I have had them for a lot of years I'm expecting it and set up for it in advance so it's not an issue to me.

Not a lot of experience with Dooley's and such so I can't give you a direct comparison between the two. Within the past month I've purchased 2 sets of good used Simmons for a local bud at about half of what you are talking money-wise. YMMV!!

 

[Super Sled]

This is my first season on Simmons skis. The Gen 1 Flexi skis, that is.

At first I was amazed and thought they were the best skis on earth. They are a very smooth ski and track very straight and even. They float amazingly well; better than Yammi Mt skis even IMHO.

But after riding them all year I have found some limitations with them. In particular, there is one common scenario where they seem to be flat out dangerous: High speed cornering in conditions where lots of slop/ powder exists on the trail. What happens is the Simmons seem to want to float on top of the crud and lose their bite.

While I'm no engineer, what I believe happens is as follows: the concave design underneath traps and funnels the loose snow through it at a very fast pace. This fast moving snow actually creates lift underneath the ski. No joke: LIFT, as in like an airplane.

When the ski lifts, the carbides lose their bite fpr that ski and it is effectively akin to a car tire hydroplaning. If this happens to both skis, then you lose control. So there you have it. I have described the scenario as best I can. It's happened to me twice.

So in retrospect, while I like the Simmons a lot most all the time, there are times I just don't trust them. And those times are always when I need to be trusting my skis. Not good.

So next year it might be time for C&A's for me. Not sure which model. Maybe XTX's? I want crazy cornering ability, a smooth tracking and stable ride, max flotation, and mostly skis I can trust.

 

[Sasquatch]

Yep Simmons push in loose snow over a few inches, they are doing what they were designed to do, float! If they can't get a bite they push. On fresh groomed hard trail they bite hard and become harder to turn.

The rest of the time they are awesome. So after a fresh snow slow down! On a fresh groomed frozen trail your arms get a workout. Little more resistance to roll over at speed in the long sweepers. I'm sure Be the Viper will argue this but they work.

The stockers bite good but suck off trail because of zero flotation. Dart all over the place unless you install 200 dollar carbides (never tried the triple keel carbides but everyone raves about them). Hated them! My Cat ski's where a ton better!

Curve XS skis bite good in fresh snow, float in the deep (Simmons are a tad better) No darting with the LE option on any trail and go where you point them with no push. Best of all three in my book!

Bring you wallet for all three with the stockers being the cheapest. If you going to spend more buy the CurveXS with the LE! Depends what you want in a Ski!

 

[tcona-AGT]

Yep Simmons push in loose snow over a few inches, they are doing what they were designed to do, float! If they can't get a bite they push. On fresh groomed hard trail they bite hard and become harder to turn.

The rest of the time they are awesome.

So after a fresh snow slow down![/b]

On a fresh groomed frozen trail your arms get a workout. Little more resistance to roll over at speed in the long sweepers. I'm sure Be the Viper will argue this but they work.

!

I really like that part!!

 

[Indy]

Great on the hard pack and off trail, but they can get you KILLED-DEAD on loose snow or slushy snow on the trail. You will go straight through a corner, I know this first hand. I like slydogs the best, but I do admit that I have not tried the curves yet. My second choice is the pilots. Your cheapest fix is duallies w/skisavers on the stock skis, but you still wont have flotation off trail.

 

[BigDog05]

I know there are guys on here that also like the Kimpex Arrow ski's.

I have them on my wife's 06 Vector GT and they are very good. Never dart and steer very easy. Also handle very well in turns. They have the less aggressive carbide but she only has 96 studs in her track and it handles great.

I have Simmons on my RX1, but run 192 studs and I'm little afraid of trying the Arrows on my sled. I should just bite the bullet and get a good set of carbides and try them on the RX1.

 

[BigDog05]

Great on the hard pack and off trail, but they can get you KILLED-DEAD on loose snow or slushy snow on the trail.

X2 on above. But the Simmons do float good. I've run some open fields at speeds that would have scared me with stock skis.

 

[Attack gt]

Thanks ffor all the replies! Just got back from a trip with my buddy and his Simmon skis. He loves them and I can see why. I tried it and they are great on hard pack groomed trails but were hard to turn going slow. They also seem great on powder. They look great too. Compared to my stock ski's with double runners they are hands down a better ski but are also big money. After hearing your reply's, I am not sure if simmons is the right choice for me. If I am going to fork out that kind of money, They better be perfect. More suggestions please.

 

[Attack gt]

Super Sled. Very interesting about the hydroplane effect. Sounds dangerous!

 

[Indy]

The simmons is a great ski in a a lot of conditions, but not a good all conditions ski. I put mine on here in Indiana when i am running the fields and ditches, but I will never run them again on the trails. I was running with some guys from TY @ Newberry/Rainbow Falls area, last in the balls out line, went straight thru corner, jumped the bank, I rolled off into a tree, hurt like hell, sled luckly went airborn for about 20 feet and landed in the woods. NEVER on a trail again for me. I ordered my slydogs that night from hotel, had them overnighted, and changed them the next day @ hotels garage. Old Alger Falls Motel.

 

[vector06]

I just put a set of Arrows on my Nytro. Got to try them on hardpack trails and they are mint. Turn easy and do not hunt much at all. Night and day over stock skis even with Deuce bars.