We have been proud partners with Icelantic Skis for over 5 years now, and year after year, they continue to be one of our strongest brands! For the first several years, Icelantic was focused on wider big mountain skis, but in 2014, they came up with the brilliant idea of making skinny (SKNY) versions of most of their wider skis. Diversifying the product line has allowed Icelantic to reach a much wider audience and create phenomenal skis that excel in different areas.
The original Gypsy is the go to deep powder ski in the Icelantic line. They boast a fully rockered profile and a 125mm waist making it reserved for only the deepest days. This past winter, Icelantic launched the Gypsy SKNY, now at 100mm underfoot and featuring a more subtle rocker profile. Now you have an amazing all mountain, everyday ski for western skiers. We first gave this ski a test when it was released at the 2014 February SIA snow show and it was love at first ride. The reverse camber design is popping up more and more with every ski company and it really creates an easy turning ski that can still hold up for hard charging riders.
Our test day did not really bring any fresh snow but there was still some soft stuff left over from the 5 inches the night before, making it ideal conditions to try the Gypsy SKNY. The first test run is almost always a quick groomer to get acclimated to the ski and I was blown away at the edge hold on these skis. Granted, the corduroy was still soft so you were still able to dig the edge in and feel a nice turn. We want to be honest in that this ski will not be friendly on ice or super hard surfaces, which is the main reason I stated, a great ski for “western skiers.” After gaining some confidence on the warm up run, we next decided to go to our favorite area, the trees off of Timberline lift at Copper Mountain. This is hands down one of the most fun tree skis I have ever been on. The reverse camber design makes turning a breeze, in tight situations. The third run back down to the tents was a mix of trees and bumps, so naturally, more smiles from the Powder 7 crew.
It is worth mentioning that the Volkl Mantra is another ski that got updated to reverse camber for 2015, but unlike the Gypsy SKNY, there are two full sheets of metal in the Mantra. Many people love reviews of the Mantra but are not quite skilled or sizeable enough to handle the Mantra. That is where the Gypsy SKNY should be incredibly attractive to almost everyone. For folks who have struggled in moguls in the past, the design of this ski will dramatically improve your bump performance. If you think about the full rocker design and the tips and tails being lifted up, you have less of a tendency to catch them on bumps and other debris that may be found in tight tree runs.
This ski is so fun and versatile, we would recommend it to any man or woman who is looking for a playful all mountain western ski. Lets be honest, it is also pretty damn cool that these skis are made right in our backyard of Denver, CO!
PS: If you want to see what is in store for Icelantic’s 10 year anniversary next year, check out Katie’s write up on 2016 Icelantic Skis!
