I love skiing. I also love Wes Anderson movies. Birdman over The Grand Budapest Hotel? What? Well even if the Oscar judges don’t agree with me, I know the good folks over at Moment skis share my enthusiasm. Part of their Big Mountain series which also included the discontinued Jaguar Shark, the Belafonte has been updated for the 2016 season making it a bit more seaworthy for the average sailor, I mean skier. I tested this ski at Copper Mountain with about 2 inches of fresh snow that morning and conditions were great.
Triple camber, triple camber, TRIPLE CAMBER! Say it 3 times. If you have not ridden a Moment ski with this unique sidecut profile, drop what you are doing and head over to the Moment website to see a list of their remaining demo days. It provides exceptional edge control across all snow types. I skied on the 186cm length and I felt it was a perfect choice for 6’1″ and 175 lbs. This ski is amazingly fast and stable. At 106mm underfoot it can float on powder, cut through crud and absolutely rip groomed terrain. A nice thick sidewall holds down the turn, and you will need it because the Belafonte makes a wide and powerful arch. Turn initiation is a cinch due to the front rocker and flat tail. Groomers: check. If you like a ski that makes a fast, wide and aggressive turn with no speed limit, enjoy. Steeps: check. The beefy Aspen/Ash core combined with the triple camber is a paradigmatic awakening. This is where the Belafonte is truly at home. Bowl and chute skiing has never felt so predictable and effortless. Granted, the skis are a tad heavy compared to some capped all mountain skis but the stability and maneuverability was surprising. Although I wasn’t lucky enough to get these Bad Larrys in deep snow, I can only imagine that an awesome ski like this won’t disappoint. If I must have one criticism of the Belafonte, it would be that it is a bit stiff in the bumps. Let’s be clear: this ski isn’t necessarily designed for bumps but I managed them fairly well. They were long, wide and a bit heavy for a rally effort, but if you need to get from A to B and there are moguls in between, fear not. Just be prepared to exude a bit more energy.
If you already ski hard and fast, you will love the Belafonte forever. If you are looking to up your game, it will take you to the next level without a doubt.
Nice write up. Curious if you have any experience on previous models to compare? Currently on some 187 belafontes that I absolutely love but have beat up pretty good the past 3 years so looking to replace and at the top of the list is some new 186s. Thanks for the input
Hi JB,
I haven’t skied on the older Belafonte, but the construction is very similar, just without the triple camber. Expect more edge control and general grip all around. The new model I believe is a bit more playful as well.
Regards,
Blake
Thanks for the response. I know they softened the tips up a bit and I just wanted to make sure it didn’t take too much away from how hard it could charge through any type of snow at high speeds. Guess I’ll just have to get a pair and find out!