Model: Thunder
Size(cm) / Radius(m): 175/22 185/23
Sidecut : 120-87-109
Length tested: 185
Manufacturer’s Description:
“How many untouched snowfields are waiting for you? A pure freeride ski for high speed and big mountains. Fantastic when it’s steep and deep, the Thunder is also surprisingly comfortable on hard snow. Already the winner of many tests, the Thunder is ready to join your adventure.”
Ski-Review’s verdict:
Just a few stats to give an idea where I’m coming from. 170cm height. 70kgs weight. 35 year old male. Skiied since 4 years old plus 7 seasons. Off piste orientated.
1996 - 2002 one quiver ski. 200cm AK Rocket. Salomon.
2003 broke tibial plateau plus wrecked all knee ligaments.
Now looking for ski to replace the AK - too heavy too strong - so tested Movement Thunder.
This was a one day test which is not long enough to test a ski but here goes. Temp -20 degrees. Hard Pack on piste. 60cm Powder off.
Mounts; Diamir Freeride.
It is about as stable as you could hope for without going for a course or race bred ski - AKs, Stockli Stormrider DPs or Pro Rider. I don’t think it competes with these skis but that is not what I think the Thunder is about. The Thunder will take you through anything in a way that you will never think ‘shit, this ski is not for here’.
How does it do this? Well it is torsionally very stiff so holds an edge on piste and is very light and wide so it floats in powder. Simple - let’s not complicate the issue further.
I skied it in 185 and personally I would not go shorter as I like the bigger area in the soft. But you would only lose a bit of stability and gain some maneuverability if you took the 175.
It excels at changing down from big carving turns to ‘Oh God this is nasty cut up crud through these tightly grouped trees and where the hell did those rocks come from?’
Its lightness too helps if you need to jump turn. Two or three of these with an AK and you are crying for your mother. Not so with the Thunder I promise.
I’m hugely skeptical of anyone saying ‘this ski will do it all’ but the Thunder comes as close as I’ve seen and if you are at least an advanced skier - too stiff for anything less - and really do go off piste you will love it. I wouldn’t put it through gates - whatever they are - but on piste friends wearing GS skis didn’t get away from me and off piste they looked as though they had gone into reverse. I would even say to the Backcountry crew that mounted with the Diamirs it is a friendly climber, when you put skins on you will be glad you are not dragging the AK rocket uphill.
If you charge about on piste and think powder is great as long as it remains safely on the other side of those lovely coloured poles then look elsewhere.
Any downsides? As I’ve said it does not compete with the big guns when it starts to get really fast but this is few and far between and who knows this might change if I get a few more days on them.
You can’t buy skis based on a review, but unless you have the advantage of hundred white days a year to test the hundred on offer, I hope this helps.
A note to Movement: You have created a great ski but have more places to test them than can be found on your or anyone else’s website. Let people know.
Freeski or Die
Mr Goose
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