I ordered them just before leaving UT. Needed them for the last 2.5 weeks I was there but what the hey. Next year!
http://www.wildsnow.com/1039/megawatt-black-diamond-review-ski/

Tossing this one out to the board. A what point do the skis get to be so wide and the float so great, that there is (practically) no difference skiing powder and skiing groomers? If there is no difference, why ski powder? What am I missing? (I'm sure BWPA will jump in on the last one.)

Sounds like a good purchase! These quotes make it sounds pretty sweet:

"I am hesitant to call this solely a powder ski, as our perceptions of what's inside or outside the box (or if a box even exists anymore) are being shattered and obliterated on a daily basis. Let's just call this a primarily off-piste tool and leave it up to imagination to come up with the Megawatt's limits, if any."

"I watched slightly struggling skiers become smooth soft snow glisse specialists and hard chargers up the ante one more level."

Cool skis! I have been eyeing some real fatties as all the closeout deals sweeten up, but everyone is out of stock in the sizes I want, so that is keeping my money in my wallet where it belongs.

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Fattest ski I have demoed was 141-111-131, and I still felt like I was skiing *in* the powder for the most part. The only time I stayed on top was skiing some windpacked snow, where my narrower 94mm skis also stayed on top. IMHO, the wider skis make it more fun and easier, but not like a groomer experience. Still felt like a powder day to me.

If there is one major factor in new-fangled powder skis, it's that they automatically want to float the tips up, which helps a lot. Whether it's because of rocker or tail shape (ie, swallow-tail causes tail to sink, thereby raising tip), many of these skis feel like they have invisible forces pulling the tips up.

Only one way to find out John. I'll tell you what made up my mind. On the bus down from Alta after one of those huge pow days there was a guy my age with a pair of superfats with rockered tips. I had felt undergunned that day with my 95mm Volkls. I had to read the terrain trying to ski where it was shallowest. If I hit a drift the snow just climbed up my waist and I stopped - stalled out. So I asked this guy how he liked the skis. "I like 'em, they're good". Me> "Good in powder but how about getting back to the lift on a groomer?" "No problem, you'd be surprised." Me> "So you like them overall, no regrets." His buddy then said> "Why don't you tell him the truth? They're friggin* unbelievable."

* A different word was used but you get my drift.

In case anyone wants some Megawatts like Denis, they are on Tramdock.com right now for $399 (188cm only).

I think it depends on the snow, John. When I rented some fatties last year, the snow was kind of thick where the wind had hit it and it was very much like skiing a groomer. In the trees things were better. On the other hand, this winter I felt fine in the powder on my traditional shaped skis (Volkl 5 Stars) but the snow was only about 12-18 inches deep with a relatively solid base underneath due to a warm previous two weeks.

You bring some Volkls into the backcountry or after a 2-3 foot storm and I'm sure I'd be in deep kimchi. On the other hand, I don't see the need for fatties in all conditions, either. The only way to know for sure is to ski powder a lot, figure it all out to your own personal satisfaction, and have the appropriate arrow drawn from the quiver on the right day. Now if I can just get to living that kind of lifestyle, that would be nice!

i guess if you are going to spend your retirement ski bumming and chasing powder, then you absolutely have to have these skis.

i tried some comparatively wimpy 102 waist skis from a demo tent this year and had a blast even on hardpack, which was a generous term for the day. and even though *some people* don't belive it, i didn't feel like i had any trouble getting an edge, but maybe that is because i don't really know what i'm doing anyway. so, even at 125 in the waist, i mean the skis, i think you will use these more than you expect.

SteepnCheep TRamdock Backcountree brociety dot com i must not clicky they sucked me in pretty good/bad so far this unseason, lbotta calls it retail therapy it's a sickness i tell ya, new marmot parka had to find a skiing in the rain jacket with teh goreTechs......... ooooo lookie these pants would look so good with.........

Brociety indeed. LOL

I don't know how long that deal lasted. When I clicked on the link a T shirt or some such came up. When they put up an item as coveted as that your index finger must be poised on the mouse at the very moment or you are too late. I have lost deals because I was too slow completing my billing info. They probably had only 10 pairs at that price. The internet - blessing & curse. I'd have been in a cold sweat with trembling fingers trying to complete the billing info on that, which would slow me down enough that I'd lose the deal.

I got my Megawatts on mountaingear.com for 499. That deal is probably still out there. I thought of watching & waiting for Tramdock, but considered it pretty unlikely that they would ever offer that ski.

There's a thread at TGR with people chasing (and missing) the Megawatts on Tramdock. They have come and gone a few times. Lot of heartache. Seems like a very coveted ski.

Trick with the ODAT sites like Tramdock is to setup an account ahead of time so you're ready to go, and use a password you can remember (it's used to login and also to verify checkout, which browsers won't auto-fill).

Most of the deals are up for 20-30 minutes nowadays, but in the past they have gone as quickly as 30 seconds. Those were a PITA.

If you get real addicted, check out my "ODAT Tracker" app on iTunes. Just keep your iPhone/iPod in a different pocket than your wallet