Enough has been said about this beast's outstanding pow capabilities, so I will not expand on this. Let me tell you why this is a must as a versatile second ski. I went to the Black Diamond sponsored BigLePowSki in St Anton late Spring 2010, (a must event in the US and Europe for back country fans and newbies, because BD lets you ride all their sleds all day, for free). The piste was mushy, melty, icy mounds and uber-crudy on the shady piste, etc. Piste you say, why are you on the piste at a back country ski venue – well you have to traverse on piste from time and again, and at the end of the day we wanted to get a few runs in and check out the Apre ski. I asked my trusted BD consigliere, Danny, what ski I should use if I wanted to get a few piste runs in at the end of the day. He said “Big man, you need to take the big ski,” so I did. I had already been on the piste earlier in the day, and had to labor on other DB skis. Let me tell you, these water ski’s slammed through the Spring Krap like the Ginsu cuts through a tin can, effortlessly. They were actually a pleasure, even when going over the endless ice bumps at med-fast speeds.

So what am I trying to tell you. If you are on a budget and you already have pair of all mountain / piste skis, and you are looking for a second ski to go off piste in the pow, this is it. Why?

1. Because this is a forgiving ski in the pow that is easy to ski, and a ton of fun that lifts you like no other.

2. Many people put their skis away when March 1 turns the calendar – not with these planks. Instead of saying as Feb ticks down “I can’t wait till next year,” you will be saying, “cool, I have another month or more of skiing and gawking at the snow bunnies.”

3. When you ride these sleds, everyone will stop and ask you about them. You’ll be the guy all the birds are flocking to, and if you are no so good looking like me, you need all the help you can get, and the Megawatt is it.

If you are a classically trained Swiss or French style skier that keeps your knees and feet together like a school girl who wears patent leather shoes, these will take some getting used to as they are wide and will clank together, but I found that after 2-3 runs I had it figured out, and I am not a great skier – just an average Joe.

Word of advise – think about the randonee bindings you want to use. Beefy bindings will add weight, while these skis are not as heavy as they look, they can become heavy with heavy bindings. If you go with a cheaper binding that is too light, you may not want to rip it up on piste. So think about the bindings. I recommend either the heavier Markers, or lighter Fritschi Diamir. Talk to someone smarter than me about which one is right for you.

Peace, Love & the BD Megawatts

Had to respond to the soccer players gripes, (I am a rugby dude, and we are not as particular about custom tailoring). These pants are great. The winter weight isn't overbearing off the slopes, (I wore them on a 4 hour bus ride to Garmisch on Vet's Day and they were fine). However, don't be fooled on the slopes - if it is a windy or cold day, you will need a light layer. They probably shouldn't be billed as winter weight, because the connotation is uber-warmth, (which they are not). If they are too long, (as many ski pants will be), roll them back onto themselves above the boot or knee and snap them closed. I found the waist to run slightly larger, and I need to wear suspenders, which I like to wear anyway. I like the small belt loop under the large belt loop for me to hook in my cross back suspenders with hooks instead of snaps. The front pockets would be great if they had a zipper so you don't have to worry about loosing stuff when the yard sale occurs, (but at least the pockets are deep and should suffice, unless you really tumble). I like the zippered cargo pocket, but why not put one on the other side as well. The Keprotech cuff is strong enough to stand up to your skis as they try to slice through, as they always do. However, it would be nice if there were snow skirts on the legs, (at the end of the day, snow gathers inside the bottom - and I don't know what it is like when you fall, as I have not fallen yet this year). I was concerned about the yellow pocket zipper nylon cord hanging down and getting caught on something, but it tucks nicely under the zipper flap. If it sounds like I am nip picking, these are the only things I could question about the pants, but these observations are insignificant, if not mitigated all together. I am not as particular about the insignificant, but I would not recommend them at the MSRP of $130. Overall, the fit is great. They are quite comfy. Looks great. Freedom of movement while sitting, standing, skiing. Warm, but not an oven. Great color contrasts. Practical, and very reasonably price when on sale, ($62).