2013-2014 DOWN Skis Countdown 2

Comparisons: Down Countdown 2 versus…

• 13/14 Rossignol Soul 7, 188cm

The Rossignol Soul 7 provides an interesting point of reference for the Countdown 2. The two skis are almost identical in weight, within ~2cm in length. But for those who like the sound of the Soul 7 but are looking for a bit “more” ski … well, the Countdown 2 might be that ski. The Countdown 2 has a less heavily-tapered tip than the Soul 7; a bigger sidecut radius than the Soul 7 (18 meters vs. 25 meters) less tip and tail splay than the Soul 7, and the Countdown 2 feels longer on snow / skis longer.

In short, for those who love the sound of a lighter ski (like the Soul 7, the Armada JJ, or the DPS Wailer 112RP) but don’t want the tight sidecut radii or heavily tapered tips of those skis, the Countdown 2 could make a whole lot of sense.

• 13/14 DPS Wailer 112RPC Pure3, 192cm

While DPS doesn’t promote the touring capabilities of their Resort Powder Charger, I still think the RPC Pure3 shines more in good backcountry conditions than tracked out resort conditions. Plus, the weight, length, width, and sidecut radius of the RPC are quite similar to the Countdown 2.

In untracked pow, both the RPC and the Countdown 2 excellent, though the deeper things get, I would give the nod to the RPC.

On good groomers, both skis have very good edgehold, but I found the RPC to be much more fun, energetic, and exciting to carve.

As I note in my review of the RPC, I found it to work pretty poorly in variable conditions and bumped-up, uneven terrain. That’s where I would give the nod to the Countdown 2. Obviously, these are both pretty light skis for their size, and light skis don’t tend to excel in chopped up, variable conditions, but I found the flex pattern-to-weight-ratio of the Countdown 2 to work better than that of the RPC in variable terrain and conditions. The Countdown 2 was less jarring / more forgiving, so I found that I was more comfortable making fast, big turns in deep chop and firm bumps than I was on the RPC.

14/15 Dynastar Cham 117, 190cm

The Countdown 2 has a more balanced flex pattern than the Dynastar Cham 117, and I felt that the Countdown 2’s less exaggerated 5-point tip was an advantage over the Cham 117 in chopped-up snow. While I still need to tinker a bit more with the mount point on the Cham 117, right now, the only situation where I would definitely take the Cham 117 over the Countdown 2 is in deep (thigh-to-waist-deep), consistent pow. The Cham 117’s big, soft shovels are simply optimized to float.

14/15 Volkl V-Werks Katana, 184cm

While the V-Werks Katana is freakishly thin, it is worth pointing out that the 184cm V-Werks Katana is actually only about 80 grams lighter per pair than the 190cm Countdown 2.

Of all the inbounds-riding / backcountry-touring hybrid skis I’ve named in this review, the V-Werks Katana would be my personal pick for resort riding, because I found it to be more damp than the Countdown 2, and every other ski in this category. But keep in mind that the 184cm Katana is shorter, narrower, and stiffer than the Countdown 2, with a straight-tape length of 182.2cm versus the CD2’s 189.0cm length.

The 184cm V-Werks Katana feels a bit stiffer all around than the Countdown 2, though most noticeably in the very tips of the ski.

Furthermore, while the forebody, tail, and underfoot sections of the Katana and Countdown 2 aren’t radically different in terms of their initial flex, the Katana stiffens up quite a bit quicker than the Countdown 2 as you bend the ski more. I love this characteristic of the flex pattern of the Katana, and it’s a feature, too, of the flex pattern of the 14/15 Moment Governor. This might just be my personal preference—and lighter skiers may not notice much of a difference—but a ski with a fairly stout (but not ridiculously stiff) initial flex pattern that then ramps up in stiffness as you bend the ski a few more inches makes for (a) a big sweet spot, and (b) a substantial ski that isn’t jarring, but that holds up at speed well. In good powder, what I’ve just described isn’t all that much of a factor. But in bumped up conditions or in deep chop, such a flex pattern would up the Countdown 2’s performance, I believe.

Sizing Recommendation

While this isn’t some heavy, burly ski, it doesn’t ski short due to its subtle tail splay and relatively subtle tip splay (compared to, say, the 188cm Rossignol Soul 7). So unlike the Soul 7, I wouldn’t push everyone to size up on this ski.

Final Thoughts on the Countdown 2 as a Resort Ski vs. Touring Ski

This is a very subjective section, and if you are a true weight weenie, you probably aren’t psyched that I keep referring to this just-under-2000 gram ski as “lightweight.”

I tend to like fairly heavy, stiff skis for resort riding, though none of us love walking up mountains with heavy skis on our feet. So while the Countdown 2 doesn’t make me want to give up heavier, stiffer skis like the Moment Belafonte, Volkl Katana or the 190cm Moment Bibby Pro for hard and fast lift-accessed riding in variable conditions, I could very happily make the Countdown 2 my dedicated touring ski.

And for those of you who are looking to throw an AT binding on a single ski for both resort and backcountry touring, well, hopefully this review has given you a good sense of whether the Countdown 2 would be a good fit.

Bottom Line

The Down Countdown 2 is a versatile ski that is at its best in untracked pow and firm snow. It struggled most where most skis struggle—soft, thick, deep chop—but for a lighter ski, the Countdown 2 can be pushed quite hard in variable conditions and firm crud (the lighter you are, the more likely you will find this to be true).

While the rocker profile of the Countdown 2 looks a bit unusual, the ski handles predictably. Personally, I could easily slap a tech binding on this ski and be very happy with it as my touring setup.

Post Script

For the 14/15 season, Down is planning to tweak the Countdown 2 a bit. Next season it will be called the Countdown 114, and while the layup will remain the same, the new model will have some traditional camber underfoot, and there will be an increase in the amount of tip and tail splay. Down is also planning to soften up the flex pattern just a touch. And while I never found myself wishing for a slightly softer flex, we’ve been told that those changes to the flex pattern will be subtle enough that the flex of the tip and tail should still feel proportional and well-balanced.

 

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