Well gang, it's time for a mono-ski review. If you follow my season review Then you know I am skiing a new sitski this year. Last season I tested out a REVOLUTION Pro Comp, (RPC) from the Freedom Factory. From the first run, I wanted one. Let me back up a bit to fill you in on my experience. Before I purchased a mono-ski I took a bunch of lessons with local adaptive ski programs. I made it a point to try as many different mono skis as I could. At that time I chose the Grove Innovations mono-ski, mainly because of the easy loading system, it's handling, and it's looks. I skies the Grove from 3-8-96 to 4-14-99, four seasons. Over the summer of 99 while praying one night I was led by God to give my Grove mono-ski to a fellow who did not have a mono-ski. Just before the next season a Shadow came my way. I was happy that God provided a ski for me. Well this was a blessing in disguise. I was very use to the loading system of the Grove and this Shadow opened my mind to other loading systems.
At first I used the jack lever provided with the Shadow. I did not like it so I took it off. I was just lifting up with my riggers and had the lift attendant spot me. As I would lift the attendant would grab my foot rest and push me back into the chair. I self loaded with the Grove for four years. So independence was not an issue anymore. But I missed many of those loads. Since I started being spotted last season I rarely miss a load. The only time I do miss a load is when I do not take the time to explain to the attendant how to spot me. Don't get me wrong, independence is the way to go. And you should try to self load. But you don't have to prove anything. Well, maybe to your self, I know I had to. But now I have been there, and done that. I am able to self load the Shadow, but I would slide off more times then I cared to. On the Perfect Turns mono-ski instruction video I watched how Sarah and Chris was using a spotter in the load zone. I thought if it works for the best it will work for the rest. Loading is a very small part of the day. If you do 20 runs at 15 seconds a load. That's only five minuets of the whole day you spent in the load zone. Sure, it can be unnerving. We have all been munched, slammed, grabbed and smacked by a chair lift. But we move on for the thrill of the carve. A spotter will decrease those blunders. So what if you have the attendant stop the lift the first and second time, until you have it down. After that it is smooth loading. Remind the attendant to pass on the info to the next attendant. Concentrate on the skiing not the loading.
Speaking of skiing. As I said before I skied the Grove for some time. I did very well in this ski. Then, when I started to ski the Shadow I noticed a difference. And my friends noticed it as well. The dynamics of mono-skis vary. Some have a dual pivot, some have a single pivot. The way your weight loads the shock and is distributed over the ski will vary from one model to the next. With the Grove a dual pivot parallelogram my weight would load the ski more in the binding area at the bottom of my turn. This is fine the Grove is a great machine. With the Shadow a single pivot as I load the shock my weight would arc back more to the tail of the ski weighting the tail at the bottom of the turn, much like a ski racer does as the knees bend. My turns were noticeably better and my skill advanced. But deep down I wanted the RPC. Over the summer of 2000 by the grace of God the funds came in and I placed my order for the RPC.
The RPC from Freedom Factory is a REVOLUTION in mono-ski design. From the ergonomically correct bucket, to the 10" progressive rate suspension, this mono is more then enough bang for the buck. Getting in the mono was easy the foot rest is adjustable and low, a cinch to put your feet on. The seat belts are great. There is one strap that wraps around your legs just below the knee, and pulls you back into the seat as well as pushing your feet down into the foot rest. It also keeps your hips from rotating. I felt so secure, I probably could have skied with just this one belt. Then you have a thigh strap a hip belt, a chest belt, and a foot strap. The belts are easy to adjust and I was in and out of the mono quickly. If loading the chair lift is your concern, not to worry. The suspension on the RPC has a link in it, and it actually helps you lift. The RPC is equipped with the optional lift assist latch. This is a great feature. If lifting is a concern for you, get the lift assist latch. I engage the latch with the flick of a finger, push up with my riggers and "click" I'm locked and loaded. Loading the lift was a snap, just as easy as any other mono I have skied. The off load is a snap too, just lean forward and slide off. But as I said before, loading is a very small part of the day.
Once you are on the hill and gravity is on your side the real fun begins. The problem I had in other mono-ski was the ski coming off the ground when I did not want it to. Here in the east we ski on HARD PACK. Take ten feet of snow, pack it down to one foot and add water. That is hard pack. Add lots of water at cold temps and you have boiler plate. Well, if you are clipping along at good speed and you carve across a run and hit a clump of hard pack, your ski will leave the ground. This does not happen in the RPC. I have got into some situations that I surly would have crashed with another mono-ski. But with my RPC I come out of it with the waxed side down and a smile. The boot system is great also. I love slapping a ski down and clicking my mono into the binding, and pushing a pin in, all with my hands in my gloves and warm. I recommend the boot system. If you like a real snappy suspension you might want to get the optional fully adjustable damping and rebound shock. I found the standard shock to work very well, but make sure you give your correct weight when ordering the mono. I started out with too soft a spring rate and bottomed out the shock. I got the right spring and it is great. I am taking some of the biggest air I ever did and the landing is so sweet. I am skiing double black bump runs, taking air in the middle of steep carving turns and loving it. In other mono-skis I have skied, that always spelled disaster. But the RPC sucks up the landing and spits you out on a flat ski with a smile.
Okay, so I make RPC sound like a good mono. Are there any problems with it? Every mono will have something, most of it is just getting the personal fit for your self. The bucket gives you all the material you need to secure your self, maybe even too much so you might have to trim some off the sides or back. I think this is good though because it is better to take off then to add. I bent a shock bolt, but I did not have the right spring for my weight. With the new spring I have no problem. The lift latch did a weird thing and slipped behind the shock bolt, but it still works and I report all information back to Freedom Factory. I am not bias, I have skied most of the product out there. They are all good! But for me, the RPC has brought me to another level in my skiing. I am not a racer, or and extremist like John D. and Stacy K. I am like most of you. A person who loves to ski and wants to ski the whole hill, bumps, jumps, steeps, ice, groom, trees, bring it on. In the RPC I can do more then I have done before in other mono skis. Is it the best mono on the market? Define best? For me it rules! Most of you can ski circles around me in other mono skis, and you feel the same way about your mono as I fell about my RPC. Well I am glad to join you in finding a mono that meets all my needs. The RPC is an off set dual pivot and this does allow your mass to arc back waiting the tail much like a racer does as his knees bend at the bottom of the turn. So my turns are getting sweeter every time I hit the slopes. Some I have spoke to don't like the RPC. I should so, God made each of us unique, with special gifts, talents and preferences. I thank God there is a variety for us to choose from. Please feel free to send me a review of your mono ski. You might help some one choose the right equipment for them. One thing is true, you will not go wrong getting a Freedom Factory REVOLUTION Pro Comp with the optional lift assist. It is a revolution in the world of mono-skis and it is so much fun. Thank you Andy and Lynn at the Freedom Factory.