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In a Nutshell
ZAG’s Slap 104 is a flexible ski that may deal with a complete vary of snow situations. It does a fantastic job of balancing a playful character with stable on-piste efficiency.
Size Skied: 182 cmWeight: 1943 gStated Dimensions: 136-104-125.2 mmStated Sidecut: 19 mRecommended Mount Level: -7.5 cm
The ZAG Slap 104 is offered now.
Intro
I’ve been intrigued by ZAG’s skis for some time, I’ve seen them pop up on Instagram, and I’ve checked them out on ski racks, however till this winter, I haven’t been capable of get a pair onto my very own ft. Julia wrote about ZAG’s improvement lab right here, and that solely made me extra wanting to make some activates these Chamonix-based skis.
ZAG makes 4 strains of skis. The Adret line accommodates slender, very gentle touring skis whereas the Uback line consists of wider, extra all-round touring skis. The Harfang line is oriented in direction of on-piste snowboarding, and ZAG says the Slap line is supposed for freeriders searching for “distinctive sensations.” It consists of 4 skis, starting from 92 mm underfoot to 112 mm underfoot, with women’ variations of every, together with a junior ski. The Slap 104 is the second-widest ski within the vary and ZAG says it’s “simple in troublesome snow, the Slap 104 permits skiers to play with off-piste terrain but in addition carve lengthy turns because of its glorious traction on laborious and groomed snow.” So, mainly, a playful do-it-all ski.
Fortunately or not, my time on the Slap 104 was blessed with loads of troublesome snow, and the Slap 104 dealt with all of it with ease.
Size and Mount Level
I skied the 182 Slap 104 and obtained together with it rather well. I may have bumped as much as the 188 cm model with no concern, however I are inclined to err a little bit shorter with skis lower than 110 mm underfoot. I’ve discovered that, based mostly on my snowboarding type, I prefer to lean into the quickness {that a} mid-width ski can supply by additionally sizing down a little bit. I’ve spent a complete bunch of time on 184-188 cm 110 mm+ underfoot skis, so after I go narrower, it’s enjoyable to go a contact shorter too, and reap the maneuverability advantages of sizing down. But when I used to be snowboarding the Slap 104 as a one-ski-quiver, I’d in all probability measurement as much as the 188 cm model for barely higher delicate snow efficiency and stability.
ZAG presents the Slap 104 in 4 males’s sizes, from 170 cm as much as 188 cm, and so they additionally supply it in two girls’s sizes, a 164 and a 170 cm, with barely completely different graphics.
The Slap 104’s really useful mount level is -7.5 cm from middle. That’s fairly common for a playful-ish all mountain ski, and I loved them mounted there. That stated, if I used to be planning on snowboarding a little bit extra park, or was nonetheless throwing extra spins and jibs in my laps, I’d in all probability bump them ahead to nearer to -4 cm for a extra balanced really feel.
The place does the Slap 104 Shine?
It’s been a tough winter within the PNW up to now, and I used to be offered with some fairly dire situations on the Slap 104. Ice, rain, refrozen crust, slush, and mulch. However via all of it, the Slap 104 was very easy to ski. I discovered myself not eager about the ski nearly instantly, and as an alternative specializing in the terrain. That’s as a result of there’s no unpredictable grabbyness or bizarre folding within the flex sample. As a substitute it simply does its job beneath your ft, and offers you area to do your job as a skier.
In minimize up snow, it’s enjoyable to slash the Slap 104 round–it’s simple to throw sideways, break the tails unfastened, and pop off of small lips. Within the air, it feels gentle and balanced. This can be a ski that I’d like to spend a bunch of time on in cut-up delicate chop–it needs to get off the bottom and mess around. And if you wish to ski extra historically, drive the information, and get on edge, the Slap 104 will oblige. It’s not probably the most secure ski on this class, and should you get too far over the information it’s simple to flex them out, however that’s form of to be anticipated.
Once you’re making fast, bouncing turns, the Slap 104 is energetic, simple to throw aspect to aspect, and rewards that energetic snowboarding type.
The place does the Slap 104 make some compromises?
There’s nearly all the time two sides to the “playful spirit” coin. When speeds get larger, and the snow will get actually dangerous, the Slap 104 isn’t focused on “plowing” or “charging.” It feels a little bit gentle, rather less composed in these conditions. However it’s nonetheless very dependable; simply dial your velocity down a little bit, and ski with precision, versus brute aggression, and the Slap 104 responds very effectively.
The 2 skis that got here to thoughts whereas I used to be on the Slap 104 had been the Second Deathwish 104, and the blackcrows Atris. The Slap 104 feels rather more playful and unfastened than the Deathwish 104. It’s simpler to press into the information and tails and throw round within the air, and I believe it’s additionally a little bit simpler to throw sideways and slash. The flipside is that the Deathwish 104 has a better velocity restrict in dangerous snow, and might drive via conditions that the Slap 104 would moderately dance via. In comparison with the Atris, the Slap feels rather more energetic and energetic. It’s simpler to get into the air and throw round on the snow. And surprisingly, I don’t suppose the Slap offers up a lot when it comes to stability or velocity restrict to the Atris.
What would an ideal day on the Slap 104 seem like?
For frolicsome skiers, the Slap 104 is a protected guess for many days on the hill. It’s enjoyable and assured sufficient to deal with dangerous snow, and extensive sufficient to deal with deeper days. However for me, the proper Slap 104 day is breaking bluebird, day after the storm, every little thing is tracked out, however not arrange, and I’m headed out with a gaggle of buddies to spice up off cat tracks and hunt for aspect hits.
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