PhilPug (Eastern Hart Rep) EpicSki started a thread at EpicSki.com about the TwistedTwin:
http://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=65988
Hart Twisted Twin Twintip 168cm and 176cm
(119-86-117) 19m radius @ 168, 21m radius @ 176cm
2008-2009
[click for larger picture]
(sorry for the bad photo...people took them for a ride before I could get a fronside shot)
Manufacturer Info:
Hart Ski Corporation
641 E. Lake Street, Suite 225
Wayzata, MN 55391
Tel. (952) 476-7849
Fax (952) 476-7845
http://www.hartskis.com
Suggested Retail Price (MSRP):
$1,000 (estimated +-)
Usage Class:
All-terrain twintip
Your Rating (with comments): (1="get me off these things"->10="I have to own a pair")
9 (intermeditate to advanced)
8 (expert and serious park & pipe hardcores)
Summary:
Really, really easy handling all-terrain ski most at home when there is a little snow to dig into. Very low effort to initiate turns of tight or large radii. Spunky and "fun" are the words that come to mind. Not a muscle ski by any means...and not a super powerful pop when loaded or pushed into an obstacle...but very well behaved and predictable ride across multiple snow type surfaces. You could ski this all day, get some rowdy runs in across bumpy terrain, cut up snow, tight trails...wide open groomers...almost anything except good old New England boilerplate (where the ski of this design naturally gives up a little edge grip for some perfectly acceptable drift in the icy cue-ball surfaces). Very wide range of performance...really fun...a really winner with skiers who aren't trying to be a racer or the next park and pipe olympian. Teens and adults will find this ski has great performance without demanding much effort or concentration. I watched some intermediates using skis a few years old try this ski for the first time, and they immediately took right to it and upped their turn quality and fun factor. I think Hart has a winner here for a large segment of the recreational market. Not sure it's really a rowdy, "pro-level" park and pipe ski, but definitely a great recreational ski perfectly suitable for park and pipe antics and all-over-the-mountain travel in all snow conditions except the hardest icy surfaces. Great smooth arcs, great control and responsiveness, quick when necessary, never fussy. Definitely should be on someone's short list for twintips to try.
Technical Ski Data (if known):
Wood core, sandwich construction. Rubber dampening layer, melamine sidewalls, graphite bases, aluminum tip and tail components.
Pre-Skiing Impression:
Very nice quality, excellent finish, textured "no scuff" matte topsheet. Nice "hand flex" feel with supple front, round underfoot and tightened tail flex...probably easy to turn with spunk in the rear if you want it. Graphics not really exciting for me...but that's one guy's opinion...
Test Conditions:
Cold, dry packed powder conditions, perfect combination of packed groomers and some cut-up fresh stuff (only a few inches) on the side of some trails.
Test Results:
Impressively easy to ski, kinda "sporty" playfulness and responsive underfoot. Groomed hardpack was perfectly OK, but lacked the tight edgegrip of some twintips with stiffer flex and decidedly more demanding nature (to be expected). Really nice turn shapes and easy transitions and links between turns with little pressure required. It begged to be taken into the cut up fresh sidetrails where it floated and turned with great fun...an excellent "hug the edge of the trail as tight to the trees as you can" type of ski. Bumps and undulations in the snow made the ski respond really well and you start looking for more to play with the more you ski it. "Fun" is the word that comes to mind. I would put all kinds of people on this ski and bet they would come back happy. Don't try to race it, don't expect it to be a burly big-drop hucking ski. This is an all-mountain twintip with a great fun factor...just what the market loves. Very nice ski.
Analogies: (this ski is like...)
Playful labrador dog about 2 years old who wants to go run around everywhere with abandon having too much fun, but always obeys and never strays...but can sometimes slip on the kitchen floor if it runs too fast.
After Skiing These, I Want To...
Put lots of people on them who have "all mountain" skis a few years old and watch them grin after a few runs. I also want to change the graphics to something else.
Self-Description of Skiing Style, Ability, Experience, Preferences (be honest):
Expert groomed-surface carver, "old-style" race inspired, "foot steerer" with fairly sensitive edging feel. Loves to hold long arcs with lots of pressure on the downhill ski (you know the type), but also loves the feel of both skis on-edge leaving tiny railroad track edge tracks. Not an instructor, but 10 year coach for youth race team in New England (bulletproof is the norm).