skijosh.com: everything skiing

2009/2010 Volkl Chopstick - 185

Bottom Line: These are not the worst powder skis that I have ever skied, but they sure fall short of being close to the best as well. Sure they float well in deep snow given their girth, but they really don't perform how I would like them to, or how you would expect them to.  If you want a softer/really fat/rockered pow ski, stick with the Hellbent or EP pro! 

Pros:  Fat?  They do float well, I will give you that.

Cons:  Chow Mein would have been a better name for this ski, because it is soft like the chinese noodle it should be named after.  A soft ski is not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it did not work.   I enjoy the K2 Hellbent and the Line EP pro when the conditions are fresh, but this ski does not ski like those skis either.  The chopstick is slightly stiffer than the hellbent, but much more damp and less poppy.  This makes you feel like you are going to be able to have fun and pop around in powder like you would with the Hellbent, but then the ski underperforms.   

I honestly skied the 2008/2009 version of this ski.  But becuase it is unchanged for 2010 I have filed the review here.
Picture
Tech Specs:

Lengths Available: 175cm, 185cm 
Dimensions: 148 / 128 / 148mm 
[175cm] 28.4m;
[185cm] 32.4m 
Recommended Use: Deep Powder Jibbing