Profile page for Mike from Departmentofgoods.com

Home
Mike

Volkl Mantra - the good

Volkl Mantra Alpine Ski

Rating for this product: 5 February 3, 2009

2/2/09
I never thought a ski design could make so much difference. I'm 55, 198lbs (wet), 5' 10" (dry) and pretty sporty but no marathon man.
I started skiing 14 years ago to get my 14 year old son into the sport - We live and ski in New England. Specifically Maine and New Hampshire's ice laden Hills!
The Good
I stepped out of my Atomic Supercross 160's and strapped these 177 fats to my boots during a recent demo day at Sugarloaf. The deal was I could try up to 3 different skis during the day - the reality was I never got past the first pair - The Volkl Mantra with Marker Griffon binding @ 177cm was (is) the ski for me.
I'm not a tree or mogul skier but I like to try and take on whatever the day and the conditions dictate. My Atomics were great on fresh groomed or virgin pack. But with my moderate to advanced skier skill I had trouble in late afternoon crud and powda' over 6". The Atomics would run away from me and in those conditions. I would hunt down virgin corduroy or simply justify my age and head for the bar! The Mantra on the other hand has me doing the opposite - the crud and powda' is Mantra heaven. I was now looking for late afternoon build up, the thicker the better. Hard messy tracks were no match for these stix and I'm sure when New England turns on the fresh, the Mantra will exceed my limitations as a skier. Who ever thought a tool could make craftsmen. The Mantra makes me look (or at least feel) just that. I can't wait for them to take me to the status of a (senior) master Yedi knight! Meanwhile the bartender will have to wait till dark before he'll see me again!
The Bad
I had to pay Volkl for the privilege.

Nailed It? 2 Yes

0 Comments

Sold Out

<form class="ask_question_form solicit_expanded" name="ask_question" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="https://www.departmentofgoods.com/sales/content_upload/question/${association}/${question_id}.html">
        <span class="flag_close" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.close_dialog_onclick(this)"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow"><img src="/images/departmentofgoods/pdp/flag_close.gif" alt="Close Edit Question" class="flag_close"/></a></span>
        <input type="hidden" name="question_id" value="${question_id}" />
        <input type="hidden" name="from_profile" value="1" />
        <h3></h3>
        <div class="error_message"></div>
        <div class="textarea_container">
        <textarea name="question_content" onkeyup="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.question_content_onkeyup(this.form)">${content}</textarea>
        </div>
        <input type="image" src="/images/departmentofgoods/buttons/ask_question.gif" alt="Submit Your Question" class="ask_question_button" />
        <span class="question_chars"></span>
    </form>

{if display == 'inactive'}
        <div class="question"> 
            <div class="question_by"></div>
            {if messaging.question}<div class="qanda_question confirmation">${messaging.question}</div>{/if}
        </div>
    {else}
		<div class="question" id="question_${question_id}">
			<div class="content_image">
			<h3>
				{if product_active}
					<a href="${qanda_link}">${title}</a>
				{else}
					${title}
				{/if}
			</h3>
		{if image_url_small}
				${image_el_small}
		{else}
		 	<img class="item_image" src="/images/${item_image_href}" alt="${product_title}" />
		{/if}
			</div> 
		<div class="content_right">
				<h4>
					{if product_active}
						<a href="${pdp_url}">${product_title}</a>
				    {else}
					    ${product_title}
					{/if}
				</h4>
				<div class="question_date"><p>${display_date}</p></div>
				<div class="question_text"><p>${body}</p></div>
				<p class="helpfulness">
					Nailed It?
					<span class="helpful">${helpful_count} Yes</span>
				</p>
                <p class="question_options">
                    {if user.id == viewing_user_id}
                        <span class="editq_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.edit_question_onclick(this, '${question_id}')"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Tweak This</a></span>
                        <span class="delete_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.inactivate_question_submit_onclick(this, '${question_id}');"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Delete This</a></span>
                    {/if}
                </p>
				{if product_active}
					{if product_status == 'toos'}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Temporarily Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{elseif product_status == 'poos'}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Permanently Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{else}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{/if}
					<a href="${pdp_qanda_url}" rel="nofollow">Read all Q&A about this product ></a></p>
				{else}
					<p class="sold_out">Sold Out</p>
			    {/if}
			<div class="clearb"></div>
		</div> 
        {if messaging.question}<div class="qanda_question confirmation">${messaging.question}</div>{/if}
	</div> 
    {/if}

<form class="provide_answer_form solicit_expanded" name="provide_answer" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="https://www.departmentofgoods.com/sales/content_upload/answer/${association}/${question_id}.html?answer_id=${answer_id}">
        <span class="flag_close" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.close_dialog_onclick(this)"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow"><img src="/images/departmentofgoods/pdp/flag_close.gif" alt="Close the answer form" class="flag_close"/></a></span>
        <input type="hidden" name="question_id" value="${question_id}" />
        <input type="hidden" name="answer_id" value="${answer_id}" />
        <input type="hidden" name="answer_edit" value="1" />
        <input type="hidden" name="from_profile" value="1" />
        <h3>Impart your wisdom.</h3>
        <div class="error_message"></div>
        <div class="textarea_container">
        <textarea name="answer_content" onkeyup="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.answer_content_onkeyup(this.form)" onfocus="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.answer_content_onfocus(this.form)">${content}</textarea>
        </div>
        <input type="image" src="/images/departmentofgoods/buttons/answer_it.gif" alt="Submit Answer" class="answer_it_button" />
        <span class="answer_chars"></span>
    </form>

{if answer.display == 'inactive'}
        <div class="answer">
            <div class="answer_by"></div>
            {if messaging.answer}<div class="qanda_answer confirmation">${messaging.answer}</div>{/if}
        </div>
    {else}
		<div class="answer" id="answer_${answer.answer_id}">
			<div class="content_image">
				<h3>
					<a href="${qanda_link}">Answer to: <span>"${title}"</span></a>
				</h3>
			{if answer.image_url_small}
				${answer.image_el_small}
			{else}
				<img class="item_image" src="/images/${item_image_href}" alt="${product_title}" />
			{/if}
			</div> 
			<div class="content_right">
				<h4>
					{if product_active}
						<a href="${pdp_url}">${product_title}</a>
				    {else}
					    ${product_title}
					{/if}
				</h4>
				<div class="answer_date"><p>${answer.date}</p></div>
				<div class="answer_text"><p>${answer.body}</p></div>
				<p class="helpfulness">
					Nailed It?
					<span class="helpful">${answer.helpful_count} Yes</span>
				</p>
                <p class="answer_options">
                    {if answer.user.id == viewing_user_id}
                        <span class="editq_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.improve_answer_onclick(this, '${question_id}')"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Tweak This</a></span>
                        <span class="delete_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.inactivate_answer_submit_onclick(this, '${question_id}', '${answer.answer_id}');"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Delete This</a></span>
                    {/if}
                </p>
				{if product_active}
					{if product_status == 'toos'}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Temporarily Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{elseif product_status == 'poos'}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Permanently Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{else}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{/if}
					<a href="${pdp_qanda_url}" rel="nofollow">Read all Q&A about this product ></a></p>
				{else}
					<p class="sold_out">Sold Out</p>
			    {/if}
			<div class="clearb"></div>
		</div> 	
		{if messaging.answer}<div class="qanda_answer confirmation">${messaging.answer}</div>{/if}
	</div>
    {/if}

{if display == 'inactive'}
		<div class="review">
			<div class="review_by"></div>
			{if message}<div class="review_review confirmation">${message}</div>{/if}
			</div>
		</div>
	{else}
		<form name="rev${review_id}" id="rev${review_id}" method="post" action="">
			<input type="hidden" value="${review_id}" name="review_id" />
			<input type="hidden" value="${link_id}" name="link_id" />
			<input type="hidden" value="" name="helpful_review" />
			<h3>
				{if product_active}
					<a href="${review_link}">${review_title}</a>
				{else}
					${review_title}
				{/if}
			</h3>
			<img class="item_image" src="/images/${item_image_href}" alt="${product_title}" />
				<h4>
					{if product_active}
						<a href="${pdp_url}">${product_title}</a>
					{else}
						${product_title}
					{/if}
				</h4>
				<p>
					${rank_image}
					<spam class="review_date">${date}</spam>
				</p>
				<div class="review_text"><p>${body}</p></div>
                <form class="helpfulness_form" action="">
				<input type="hidden" name="content_id" value="${review_id}" />	
				<p class="helpfulness">
					Nailed It?
					<span class="helpful">${helpful_count} Yes</span>
				</p>
				<p class="review_options">
					{if user.id == viewing_user_id}
       	              	<span class="improve_link" onclick="window.location='${edit_review_link}';">
       	       		       	<a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Tweak This</a>
	       	       	       </span>
     						<span class="edit_img_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.inactivate_review_submit_onclick(this, ${review_id})">
					   		<a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Delete Review</a>
						</span>
					{/if}
				</p>
                </form>
				{if product_active}
					{if product_status == 'toos'}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Temporarily Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{elseif product_status == 'poos'}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Permanently Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{else}
						<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">View Product Details ></a><br/>
					{/if}
					<a href="${pdp_review_url}" rel="nofollow">Read all Reviews about this product</a></p>
				{else}
					<p class="sold_out">Sold Out</p>
				{/if}
				<div class="clearb"></div>
		</form>
	{/if}

<div class="cpi" id="cpi_${id}">
		${url_small_html}
		<div class="cpi_right">
			<h3>
				<a href="${ucp_link}">${title}</a>
			</h3>
			<h4>
				{if product_active}
					<a href="${pdp_url}">${product_title}</a>
				{else}
					${product_title}
				{/if}
			</h4>
			<p>${display_date}</p>
			<p>${description}</p>
			<p class="helpfulness">
				Nailed It?
				<span class="helpful">${helpful_count} Yes</span>
			</p>
			{if owned_by_current_user}
				<p class="image_options">
					<span class="edit_img_link" onclick="window.location='${edit_link}';"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Tweak This</a></span>
					<span class="delete_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.inactivate_cpi_submit_onclick(this, '${id}');"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Delete Photo</a></span>
				</p>
			{/if}

{if product_active}
				{if product_status == 'toos'}
					<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Temporarily Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
				{elseif product_status == 'poos'}
					<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">Permanently Out of Stock -- View Product Details ></a><br/>
				{else}
					<p><a href="${pdp_url}" rel="nofollow">View Product Details ></a><br/>
				{/if}
				<a href="${pdp_cpi_url}" rel="nofollow">See all photos for this product ></a></p>
			{else}
				<p class="sold_out">Sold Out</p>
			{/if}
		</div>
		<div class="clearb"></div>
	</div>

<div class="video" id="video_${id}">
		<div class="video_item">
			<h3>
				<a href="${ucp_link}">${title}</a>
			</h3>
			<h4>
				{if product_active}
					<a href="${pdp_url}">${product_title}</a>
				{else}
					${product_title}
				{/if}
			</h4>
			<p>${display_date}</p>
			<p>${description}</p>
			
			{if video_type == 'youtube'}
			<object width="425" height="355" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/${video_id}&hl=en&rel=0">
				<param value="never" name="allowScriptAccess"/>
				<param value="internal" name="allowNetworking"/>
				<param value="http://www.youtube.com/v/${video_id}&hl=en&rel=0" name="movie"/>
				<param value="transparent" name="wmode"/>
			</object>
			{/if}
			{if video_type == 'vimeo'}
				<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/${video_id}" width="425" height="355" frameborder="0"></iframe>
			{/if}
			
			<p class="helpfulness">
				Nailed It?
				<span class="helpful">${helpful_count} Yes</span>
			</p>
			{if owned_by_current_user}
				<p class="video_options">
					<span class="edit_vid_link" onclick="window.location='${edit_link}';"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Tweak This</a></span>
					<span class="delete_link" onclick="BCNTRY.wall.user_contributions.inactivate_video_submit_onclick(this, '${id}');"><a href="#" onclick="return false;" rel="nofollow">Delete Video</a></span>
				</p>
			{/if}

Men's Clothing

Women's Clothing

Kids'

Shoes

Hiking & Camping Gear

Climb

Bike

Travel

Snowshoe

Paddle

Ski

Snowboard

Trail Run

Surf/Skate

Sunglasses

Backpacks

Luggage

Watches

Car Racks

Goggles

Avalanche Safety

Camp/Hike

Road Bike

Mountain Bike

Surf

Skate

Snowboard

Ski

View All Brands

Men's

Women's

Gear

Men's

Women's

Gear

Cart:

Volkl Mantra - the good

Volkl Mantra Alpine Ski

Sign up to get Department of Goods news, sales & deals: