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Mapple T-1 and T-2 Evaluation/Review


markn
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Had the opportunity to ski both the E-1 and the E-2 at the Mapple Training Center on Friday. First and foremost, enough cannot be said about the positive overall experience. Andy M. is without question the ultimate guru when it comes to ski design, set-up, understanding the physics of skiing and coaching. He is also one heck of a nice guy. His son Michael, is also part of the Team, and is a really nice guy and a heck of a boat driver as well.

Have been skiing the AM-33 for the past 2.5 years. I did try the 6.0 and found the AM-33 slightly faster but not quite as forgiving and consistent as the 6.0. However, the slight increase in speed one gains with the AM-33, one gives up in durability. The ski is hollow and is more easily damaged by handle pops etc. That said, it has been the best ski I have skied........until now. The new T series BLOWS IT AWAY.

Began the set with the T-2. The ski established more angle at the buoy than you can fathom...then just maintains it and keeps going cross course with the angle that was established at the ball. The space and angle generated is nothing short of amazing. A few changes were made during the set including moving the binders back. This made the on-side turn the shortest radius turn I have ever made, but is did lose some acceleration. Andy said as much and thought we should move them forward as they were. At this point, this ski was srill faster and better than my current AM-33....and I LOVE my AM-33. I was ready to take the T-2 home.

Andy then suggested while I was on site, just try the T-1. The T-1 is more of a conventional width ski as compared to the T-2 which is slightly wider and shorter.

The first pass on the T-1, stock settings, was REVOLUTIONARY for me. While both the T-2 and the T-1 generate more angle than any ski I have skied, this ski, for my style did seem to be faster than the T-2. Andy did his magic and made a few adjustments, and all I can say is WOW. The ski, again, for my style is CRAZY fast, turns with a smaller radius turn and keeps more cross course angle than ANY ski I have ridden.

I took the T-1 to my course and skied it today. Felt really relaxed and the more I pushed the ski, ( Andy did say to "turn the ski"), the more I pushed the ski, the faster and more responsive it got. People in the boat observed the ski, compared to my AM-33, had MUCH more ski in the water and all they could say was "must be nice to be sitting there WAITING for the buoy". My first set on the ski I ran the widest, earliest 38 I have ever run.

I have always been more narrow to my 2,4 side (right foot forward) and as a result, never had a great on-side turn. With this ski, so much more angle is established, the 2-4 turn is smoothed out considerably and then I am SOOOO early to the 3-5 side.

I will be skiing the 68.5 inch later this week. All the above was on the 66.5 (think these are the correct lengths, but not certain). Will post the results of that session.

Bottom line, not certain how it works, but I am glad I am one! This ski is truly REVOLUTIONARY. Andy described the difference in the two skis as follows: when in trouble, if you try to catch up at the buoy with a turn, the T-2 is your ski. If you try to catch up behind the boat, the T-1 is your ski. Both skis are the best I have skied, but the T-1 worked for me.

 

These are AMAZING skis. Already lovin' my T-1!

 

MWN

 

 

 

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Yes, I tried the 6.0 when it came out and like it, but stayed on the AM-33 due to my perception of it being slightly faster for me. Skied a 6.0 about 1 month ago....off the dock and not set up for me, so difficult comparison. But if set up for me, would be a great ski. If I look back to when I tried the 6.0 when it came out, the differences are as follows (for me..each skier may find different results): T-1 is faster and quicker and I feel like if "creates" more space because of the turn..smaller radius and maintains the angle and cross course speed even better. The other thing I notice is a very explosive edge change allowing the ski to keep outbound direction. The 6.0 seems stable, predictable and fast. 6.0 is a great ski and I was going to buy my ski bud's if the T-series was not perceptibly better. Never tried the 6.1.
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I had my 2nd day on the T2, first day was in chop and high winds. I was able to run 38 and 3@39 despite a number of mistakes and a hitch in my turn at number one. In general, off side not as smooth as my NanoXT, yet, but better on onside and I can make up space better after a mistake.
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I can't wait to hear from the big brains on this forum (e.g. @Than_Bogan) who can explain why this new thing seems to work as well as it does. Seems counter-intuitive to me that by allowing the ski to flex torsionally it improves performance. Could be something to do with storing the energy up on the twist and then releasing it "later", e.g. a combination of the twist with the Zero-off hit. Dunno.
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no big brain here but it seems if you over load your ski theres almost always excessive angulation to go along with it. so if the ski can flex torsionally without losing cross course angle it can be forgiving of the over load error without detracting from the angular gain. almost like its self correcting since a less angulated ski is more easily pulled side ways down course. too much angulation and you cant hold against the boats power -not enough angualtion and your essentially doing a side slide -some where in between there should be a perfect balance between forces and maybe this ski seeks that perfect balance on its own? of course thats just an uneducated w a g.
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@mwetskier pretty much hit it on the head. Andy explained to me at Nats that the energy created by the load on a torsionally stiff ski will tend to pull the ski off its edge, where a torsionally softer forebody will twist while the majority of the ski stays on edge, allowing the energy to move in a forward, not sideways direction. It made sense when he demonstrated it to me with a ski in his hands.
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Actually, there was already a thread that was quite relevant to at least some of why this may work.

 

http://www.ballofspray.com/forum#/discussion/11368/ski-roll-angle-more-not-necessarily-better

 

But the plain truth is the dynamics are so effing complicated that reports that it DOES work are a lot more compelling to me than an explanation that it COULD work.

 

In engineering, theory drives experiment -- otherwise there are infinite number of things to try and no way to guess which ones might be worth it.

 

But experimental results drive decisions. Sometimes the theory turns out to have been wrong and/or overwhelmed by unmodeled factors.

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It's coming along, @SkiKolb. Obviously, I wish faster...but, there's no reason to do something stupid and set me back. It feels great, which makes it harder. I see the doctor on Thursday, and hope he lets me start adding some back, chest, triceps, and shoulders back in to the mix...I've lost about 30% of my size, and who knows how much strength. But, I have jeans that won't go over my thighs now...

 

I'm doing all I can. Thanks for asking

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Just ordered a Mapple Ski. Great service. I emailed Andy and got an immediate response. He called and spoke with me prior to shipping the ski to explain which ski and why. It is already at the USPS Facility and on it's way.
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@Mateo Vargas sounds good. @skidawg has been ripping on the Vapor. I heard he ran 4@41 yesterday.

@Razorskier1 one of Hortons favorite skis at the time, a 2011 67.5" A2.

@Krlee 67.5 T2. I'll let you know when it gets here. You might like the T1 better. Call Mapple or send him a video.

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@Ed_Johnson I have been riding a 66" Goode 9900 Mid and the T2 is the wider Mapple Ski. If I don't like the T2 I will try the T1. You really can't go wrong if you are in the market for a ski. You have 21 days to ride it. If you don't like it, try one of the other 3 skis.
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@Dirt...Thanks for the info..I went from the Goode 9900 Mid to the Mapple 6.0, two seasons a go...Absolutely Love the 6.0 but I finally got it tuned just right to get those really sharp Mid-Ride type turns at 35 and 38, but had to give up a little acceleration to do that..My thinking was that the T2 would give the best of both worlds.

 

PS: Let us know how the 9900 and the T2 compare..THX ED

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fwiw we did a measurement comparison yesterday between the goode xtm and the mapple t -2. across the front boot front inserts the xtm was ~6 7/8 in vs 7 1/4 in for the t -2. across the front boot back inserts the xtm was 6 5/8 in vs 6 7/8 fro the t -2 if i recall correctly. the owner of the xtm was a bit disconcerted that goode calls it their mid ride when it was so much narrower than the mapple.
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The thing I noticed with the XTM width was how much wider it was carrying forward of the front bindings. I measured the XTM against my A3 and the measurements were pretty close up to the front bindings. The XTM was about 1/2" wider then A3 as you moved forward. This was a 66.75 XTM. So I would be curious if the T2 did the same thing?
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Wanted to give a quick update on the T-1. Have skied it about 3-4 sets as of today. The initial perceptions in the original review still stand; phenomenal angle created at the buoy and space created and maintained before the next buoy is remarkable. Have skied it at Andy's site, Swiss Ski School and my site..all different conditions and drivers. One additional "discovery" was when I was in trouble. Andy indicated the T-1 will not "slide in the tail" or slide down course as much as my AM-33. I was in BIG trouble at the 3 ball @ 38 having too much speed. The ski made the turn and kept the front of the ski moving forward with the tail "following the path of the front" rather than the tail sliding. Still had space and ran the pass....no way I could have finished it on my AM-33.

My wife, who usually has had driving duties of late, was able to observe me today. She could not believe the difference in my skiing. She indicated I was much more symmetrical and created much more space between buoys, particularly going to my 2,4 side (weak side pull being right foot forward.) My buddy driving told me I was much easier to drive at shorter lines.

Really having a blast with this new ski

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As promised, below is a summary of the 68.5 Mapple T-1.

 

Have been on the 66.5 T-1 for about 2 weeks now and the ski continues to amaze. In the past, I have always skied better on 68 inch skis, going all the way back to the Obrien Mapple, MPD and Radar. Tried a 67 Radar and went to the 68.

Like any skier, always looking for an improvement or more buoys. To be certain I was on the right ski, I gave the 68.5 Mapple T-1 a go. I ski @ 34 mph and weigh 187 lb. and am 6' 2". My style, if you can call it a style, is more aggressive and less smooth.

Again, the 66.5 T-1 is crazy fast, creates exceptional angle out of the buoy, generates and maintains exceptional space. So I figured the 68.5 could possibly take it even further.

The first pass @28 off, on stock settings, I did feel a little more speed after the second wake, the ski was very easy to step on and ski. No adjustments were made, came back at 32 and then did 2 x 35 offs.

Based on the experience, the ski did everything the 66.5 does, but from the boat, Andy thought the ski was too big. Yes, more speed after the second wake (due to larger surface area) but more ski to turn.

Conclusion: With a few adjustments, the 68.5 would work great, but for a 185 lb. skier, the 66.5 seems to work better.

It was great to have the opportunity to try all the skis; both sizes of the T-1 and the T-2 as well. Of course being in the boat when the GOAT skied was pretty darn cool too!

 

MWN

 

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