Simmons are also a great powder ski, float like no other and absorb bumps better than anything else out there. They are heavy, suck in sticky wet spring snow, and feel like arm extensions waving in the air when the front end is up.....Great choice for the majority of riders. Weight was too great of a disadvantage for me to keep them.
Pilot 6.9's are a great ski if you like them on a XP. They work just that much better on a ZX or Rev platform. Absorb impacts, cheap to replace, I did not have one complaint on them(Had them on all my demo's from '06 - '10)
Pilot DS - another good ski from BRP. Cheap too! Prob the change I liked most(as well as seat) going from the '09 to '11. Little quicker response in all conditions, easier for the girlie riders to lay over and cut into a hill.
Haven't tried on a Rev but considering the attributes of the ski change on the XP, I would expect similar results for the Rev.
Mods - Been a great ski since I had them on my '97 Summit. They were too wide for me then(teenager) and too old(styling is the same as it was 15 years ago), heavy(not really but heavy in comparison), no longer made in my backyard. So no love from me, but others rave about how much they love 'em.
Slydogs and C&A's. I didn't get the super aggressive Mtn ski from either, as they are simply too much ski to move around. I don't like em, nobody I sold em to likes em, we just don't like the wide a$$ XT's and MTX's.
I have run a set of each in the normal "trail or sport" version,(C&A calls it their ADX version) I find with these less aggressive skis, trail characteristics are less harsh and more forgiving.
The Carl's Mod is the only way I would recommend either. The back of the ski bites super hard in firm snow when trying to counter-steer. To the point the bars will rip outta your hands. Condition is worse with the 7-8" Slydogs and C&A's.
The reason I grouped these two brands together is that they use the same handles, the same wearbars(carbides) and they were exact dimensions when compared together. ***Disclaimer - Only done with the Sport version of the skis, other versions may differ)***
With that being said, I run the C&A ADX skis on my sled. The outboard keels on the RZ, Outlaw, XT and MTX are way way too aggressive for me, so they get mega thumbs down from me.
The ADX's are positive on the trail without dicing and slicing the entire time, they float half decent(nothing like a Pilot or a Simmons) but my Rev is pretty nose light so floatation isn't my biggest issue.
They bite into the side of a hill great, hold the line for as long as I want, and take some wicked abuse I've put them through. But like mentioned, without the keel end of the ski being shortened via some mod(Carls is the most recognizable, NapaMatt on here ended up with a winning combo I believe, much more aggressive than Carls) the ski is a handful when counter-steering. So this mod is almost necessary.
Powder Pro's are a GREAT powder ski. Carl's Mod and they respond very well. However not my choice...
SLT's don't dart, float well, best ski for the majority of people barnone! THE ski to buy for the REV. Bolt on performance at it's finest. No mods, no bad attributes, nothing to concern yourself with, they just flat out work.
