Chasing My Dream Daily Driver - The Heritage Lab FL105

[Marshal Olson]

Just thought to share a couple quick email reviews on the FL105

Got them out without the kid today after increasing the tail bevel. They still don?t like to go slow on hard pack but that is fixed by just going fast. They are great in soft groomed bumps and tech which is exactly what I was looking for and just mow through the crud. They feel perfect in slightly soft tech or bumps where it?s point shoot then scrub, just need to watch my speed to not hit anyone while going 40 around a blind corner

As advertised, super fun and stable even on the bumpiest of runouts. Good enough float in the powder days and stable on landings, not going over the handlebars from the stable forebody.Great work on these FL105s.You can see the big long tracks from the top

[turnfarmer]

Is there a separate thread for the R105/110? If so can someone link please?

[Marshal Olson]

Yeah, they have kinda bled across this and the FR110 threads. ?More than happy to explore anything here/dm/email though! Also, serious thanks you to on the boot offline chats. Really made great progress unlocking the new shells, much of it was that is to you!

[turnfarmer]

R110s to me look like a BMT 109 with a resort build? Thoughts? Was ready to pull trigger on a RC85, but got my skis tuned in that slot and will roll with for another season. So now focusing on where there is actually a hole in quiver and R110 looking good.
Glad to hear of progress on new shells. Fill me in via email when you get a chance.

[turnfarmer]

Thought this was interesting-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWA3zGCLe1k
Marshall does this ring true with you. Split difference of full rocker Volk and 4FRNT sounds pretty awesome.

[Island Bay]

Old mate Thicc has a shed full of nice skis!

[gaijin]

Even more drooling is how many are unmounted. Yet I somehow trust he knows his gear.

Me thinks Thicc skis a bit.


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[arild]

Yeah that video review was pretty sweet to watch.

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[whatsupdoc]

The BC105 looks sweet as a bc daily driver, especially for variable snow. Any word if/when another run will go on sale?

[abcdethan]

Say more about this, por favor.

I wanted to get another day or two on the BC105 before I follow up. I assumed these skis would be very intuitive, and easy to ski but they need more input than I thought. While trying to figure out what turns the skis like to make, they reward a very forward stance. The tails aren’t as supportive like more traditional skis, so if I got in the backseat I would wheelie back and wash out of a turn. I got another full day touring on the 105s storm skiing in right-side up light density powder and I had a blast. By driving them forward, I felt the most in control and the skis planed above foot deep pow easily. And in heavier manky snow at the lower elevation with a fog crust, they remained manoeuvrable and I could easily break free out of a turn. I’d like to try them in more variable terrain.



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[Marshal Olson]

The BC105 looks sweet as a bc daily driver, especially for variable snow. Any word if/when another run will go on sale?

word! I am currently looking to get a batch of them made for December delivery. I’ll get the word out on them via the email newsletter as soon as that is confirmed!

[whatsupdoc]

word! I am currently looking to get a batch of them made for December delivery. I’ll get the word out on them via the email newsletter as soon as that is confirmed!

Hell yeah, I'll be on the lookout

[EdwardsSki]

I have 10 days on my 178 C105s. Mostly in a spring diurnal cycle, but I have 3 days of 6"+ new snpow. I'd agree with abcdethan that you need to give them a fair amount of input to unlock them. Once you know that you need to do that this ski can make any turn shape, and they feel more playful once the snow conditions improve. In firm, refrozen snow these can lock in on edge and make smooth, medium radius turns easily. They are surprisingly damp in coral reef, but you really need to focus on driving them to maintain control because if you get thrown back recovering takes some work.

I wanted a ski I could grab when I wasn't quite sure about conditions, and it filled that spot in my backcountry quiver.

[slowroastin]

How stiff is the C105? Looking for a single do it all touring ski and I’m 6’1” 225 lbs.


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[MagnificentUnicorn]

How stiff is the C105? Looking for a single do it all touring ski and I’m 6’1” 225 lbs.


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I’m a little bigger than you and I’d probably buy the C105 if I didn’t own 190 Ravens which are exactly what you describe.


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[shank]

How stiff is the C105? Looking for a single do it all touring ski and I’m 6’1” 225 lbs.


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I’d describe the C105 flex as fairly middle of the road, it’s certainly softer than my resort skis, very smooth flex profile across the entire ski. I don’t feel like I’m overpowering it at 6’ 210lbs. I’ve had similar experiences with the tails described above, they’re soft enough that they can wheelie out on you if you get backseat, but that’s solved easily, don’t be a beater.

[Name Redacted]

Want, but hard to justify skis this time of year.

[EdwardsSki]

don’t be a beater

I agree with what shank describes on the flex pattern. Especially that last statement.

[slowroastin]

Thanks, sounds like a great ski. Looking forward to the next batch.


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[Full Trucker]

Thanks, sounds like a great ski. Looking forward to the next batch.


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Like shank, I'd also describe them as a medium to medium-stiff, even flexing ski. I think the hand flex might be a bit deceptive (due to the rocker?) because they're also pretty supportive IMO. Particularly the tip, you can drive them pretty hard. I haven't noticed anything funky or too soft with the tails, at least not yet but I've really only had them in deep-ish untracked backcountry powder and soft resort snow i.e. good conditions where it's easy to have confidence and ski them with intention. I am definitely not overpowering them at 6'2" 200lbs, and I'm definitely kind of a beater.

[bmath]

I'm 6'3, 220lbs, aggressive skier. The FL105 has been one of the best daily driver skis for going fall line I've come across. Heavy and stiff but with a slightly more gradient flex pattern from the tank underfoot to the shovel than other charging skis, so skipping over variable or chopped up runout is smoother than the comparable 192 cochise I was on before.

quibbles
My only quibbles are that skiing the further-back mount point Marhsall (correctly!) recommends for taller folks means there is plenty of ski in front to maneuver around. That said, they are the *fall line* (FL) model. That's like asking a ferrari to park like a smart car. Just want to caveat that it's slightly more challenging to throw them sideways than a ski that's, well, dedicated for that.

the key thing
But what you give up in maneuverability you more than get back in stability. If you're a fit fall-line skier, you get more for trading off less.

This is some of the smoothest runouts at speed have ever felt. I've done this run dozens of times into traverse tracks and it has never been this smooth: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QT7nPK9yZ3RpGAZv6

variable conditions
The FL 105 are fine to do short turns on in variable/chop/dust-on-crust/, but truly it takes less physical work to let them do what they are designed to: arc longer turns and just smoothly ride over it all. Compare the long tracks down the middle (mine) versus all the others. That's where the FL105 are happiest: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Yi5pdZjpy9CFtZAA8

carving
You do need to get weight forward on groomers to flex the skis if you want to carve. And doing that you still won't be doing slalom turns, but GS/SuperG. Of course that's what good form should be doing anyway, but you're not going to be making slalom turns anytime soon with this. And if that's your goal you shouldn't get a pair of FL105s anyway, etc. etc.

powder
Quite a bit better and more maneuverable than expected! plenty of float, and pretty maneuverable once you get your weight forward but steer with your heels like on waterskis. And see above about stability in runouts so once the snow starts to get chopped up a bit, they are still super smooth.

bottom line:
So, as advertized, if you want a chargy daily driver that gives you more than what you give up for it, the FL105 is great. It knows what it's about, and it's damn good at it.


conditions skiied in:
* Cold (for tahoe) powder day at Squ... Palisades
* spring conditions in Tahoe
* wet/rain at Big Sky Montana
* wet 3-4 inches on crust at Big Sky

It was best in amazing conditions (new powder) and terrible (manky variable). Kinda wild at how good the FL105 is when you want to zoom around.

[bry]

Ripping around on FL105s this week garnered more "intensity minutes" on my Garmin's weekly cume than anything else in the past year year, so fun.

Will be more of a conditions dependent ski for me, versus a true daily. A handful for a bit on day one, organic detune on morning bulletproof and we were good buds by day three.

[mr_pretzel]

Ripping around on FL105s this week garnered more "intensity minutes" on my Garmin's weekly cume than anything else in the past year year, so fun.

Will be more of a conditions dependent ski for me, versus a true daily. A handful for a bit on day one, organic detune on morning bulletproof and we were good buds by day three.

What conditions are you feeling they are right for you in?

[bry]

I can confidently ski a lot of rutted out refrozen crud and chalk on the 113s and 110s as they can pretty much slip right over a lot of the junk, but spared myself from some lines this week on the 105s as they were more locked in and harder for me to make quick turns in steeps off piste or I should say "bad snow" was harder for me to ski. But the organic detune helped a lot.

Mine came in at ~2400g/ski in 192; one a little under and one a little over, but the more I'm skiing them I'm getting along great with them. I'll be getting back on them next week for more fun. The 113 rocker and effective edge profile felt the most "daily" to me I think the r105 will be a nice blend. The 113s felt easier to ski, you can more just stand on them and bound down the hill, hit 50+ in that "time suspending calm" whereas the 105s were super composed and begged to to be pushed more, a little more sporty, precise and strung v cadillac. Only my commander 118s have elicited a similar cardiovascular effect on me this year

Up until skiing the fl105s this week I would say 184 monster 108s and r120 comps offered the most powerful turns I was able to make this season and these guys stepped right in there and said hold my beer. First thing I noticed was the radius at that length they just boogie.

I think they'll be best in packed pow no doubt. I mounted -10.5 no regrets.

[pfluffenmeister]

I can confidently ski a lot of rutted out refrozen crud and chalk on the 113s and 110s as they can pretty much slip right over a lot of the junk, but spared myself from some lines this week on the 105s as they were more locked in and harder for me to make quick turns in steeps off piste or I should say "bad snow" was harder for me to ski. But the organic detune helped a lot.

Mine came in at ~2400g/ski in 192; one a little under and one a little over, but the more I'm skiing them I'm getting along great with them. I'll be getting back on them next week for more fun. The 113 rocker and effective edge profile felt the most "daily" to me I think the r105 will be a nice blend. The 113s felt easier to ski, you can more just stand on them and bound down the hill, hit 50+ in that "time suspending calm" whereas the 105s were super composed and begged to to be pushed more, a little more sporty, precise and strung v cadillac. Only my commander 118s have elicited a similar cardiovascular effect on me this year

Up until skiing the fl105s this week I would say 184 monster 108s and r120 comps elicited the most powerful turns I was able to make this season and these guys stepped right in there and said hold my beer. First thing I noticed was the radius at that length they just boogie.

I think they'll be best in packed pow no doubt. I mounted -10.5 no regrets.

They look good with Senders.
Almost went that way, then decided to put the Senders on the pink R110s.
Pit Vipers for my FL105s.