I demoed these skis in 170 lenth last weekend up in mammoth. I’m an expert skier, and my current boards are the 05 Rossi B3s, until now my favorite powder and crud ski. I weigh 150lbs btw.

THESE ARE HEAVY SKIS!

The Hellcats are exceptional at crud busting in the heavy Sierra cement that we get up at Mammoth. They also performed great in fresh untracked powder. My only criticism comes in comparison to the B3s - the Hellcats are a bit flighty and less damp on the groomers - you have to keep them turning or they get skittish. You have to stay ON them - no relaxing and enjoying the scenery, but if you do, they are fine.

When I switched back to the B3s, I immediately noticed how much more reluctant they were to turn, and how much more effort it toook to steer them through the crud. That reluctance translated to stability on the groomers, but a lot more work on in the crud.

If you like to ski crud and powder, the Hellcats kick ass - they’d make a great powder and off piste ski. Definately on my radar now.

Got a demo at Basin on Killington and spent the day in 10 inch chop. Where other skis made this old frame wobble these skis felt like a plow on steriods. Loved the sense of power to go anywehere while still barely needing to think about a turn; felt like the F-16 ergonomics-part of you

after reading the reviews here i was scared to take my new skis out of their box…i almost sold them before even skiing them.  thank goodness i took them out of the box and took them for a spin because I am in love with these skis. 

I am a 5 foot 7 , 135 pound expert female skier.  I usually ski a 160 all mountain/park and pipe twin.  I did not find these skis flighty or heavy - in fact I found them extremely stable at speed for long radius turns and for cruising across flats.  They are extremely grippy on groomers and great at busting through crud.  They also are extremely responsive for quick turns on moguls or other short turn situations.

Have had the Hellcat’s all season at Alyeska.  These skis hold on anything, if you work ‘em.  Power to pop you out of short fast turns and weight to plow through slop and crunchies.  For the conditions we sometimes get here; powder on top, ice at mid-moutnain and slop on the bottom, the Hellcat’s really work.

I work in a ski shop and for the past few years have not had good experiences in demoing Nordica skis. Bad tunes is my guess. I have been wanting to get on something from Nordica for my personal use but it just never happened…..until now!!!! The Hellcat has given me an orgasm on the snow not to mention made me swear like a drunken sailor after finding a chest of gold. I was at the SIA demo last week at Stratton and hands down hoist this ski to the top of my all-time favorite ski podium right along with next year’s Helldiver (2008-2009). I can’t decide which ski is the one for me so maybe I will just have to get both.

I am older (50ish) and an advanced skier (don’t consider myself an expert) but these ski’s make anybody look good in the crud.  I demo’ed 9 ski’s one day and I thought these were the best.  After one day on my new ski’s I have to say I was not wrong and that these are the best ski’s I have ever owned.

After a 14-year skiing hiatus (was in Northern Ontario, stopped racing, got bored, switched to snowboarding, stuck with it after moving to the Alberta Rockies) I went out on shaped skis for my first time ever.  A local shop helped me to rediscover what I should have been doing all along by allowing me to demo a variety of skis over the remainder of the winter.  I picked up where I left off rather quickly.

The Couloir boys wanted me on fatter skis, yet I kept getting bigger thrills from ripping fast runs on carving skis and mid-fats.  I had a day on a pair of Salomon Tornado 178s that I’ll never forget.  Finally, after many offerings I went out on the Hellcats.  As a wider ski they make the most of the powder, power through crud, and still provide great, agressive turning on the groomers.  I’m glad I tried so many skis out last year, because now I KNOW how great these ones are.

I rented them, then bought them the same day. They shred the pow, kill the krud, and rip the groomers. This was all out west, I’ll try them in the east this winter (east is my home), but am expecting great things, except I doubt they will do too well in tree skiing, but that’s not what they’re designed for.

In the powder they keep up with the fats, except maybe with a little more work, and on the groomers they keep up with race skis, but with a little more brute force. If you’re going to be crossing between the two, and everything in between, the hellcat’s your friend.

The ONLY possible draw back is it’s weight, which makes the skis a little hard to maneuver at low speed, however, that’s what give’s the ski it’s major crud ability.

Basically, great for everything, EXCEPT for short turns (and not spectacular in the moguls, not bad either though). Overall, and amazingly fun ski, it does everything you want, and does everything very well!

I demo’s and bought the HellCat 186 last year.  I used them a couple of times, and I was amazed. I am a Big Boy at 300+ lbs.  I was surprised how stable and solid they felt under me.  One shop is suggesting I try the Fischers similar ski, but I love the HellCats too much.  It doesn’t take much for me to flex a ski so the stiff, heavy, powerful hellcat was perfect.  Pray for Snow….

Everything they said about them is true. I’m female,5’3”,wt 117 and I skied the 170 Hell Cats today and found them to be great at high speed. Rock steady and ready to turn, keeping a great edge on hard pack (even a little ice) and going through the crud without hardly noticing. They stayed on top and floated through some heavy fluff. A hard working ski, ready to go where you want to go.

These things weigh a ton but a lot of fun-

I LOVE THIS SKI!!!! 

As one can tell by these reviews this is a very good ski. I picked up a pair of 186 Hellcats a few weeks ago and was amazed at how easily the skis handle in all snow conditions and at all speeds. The turning effort for these heavy skis is very low and short turns seem fine. They are heavy but that provides alot of stability at high speed and great crud busting power. Best Ski I have ever used. Have yet to experience anything negative….well…new and not on sale they were $1,400 but I got a screaming deal on mine so their cost wasn’t an issue for me.