“My experience with Odyssey skis began in the early 90’s. I got my 1st pair of MAX F/X’s and took them to Mt. Baker, my home hill. Most people looked at them and laughed. That is until they saw me coming downhill in deep heavy wet snow and doing so almost effortlessly. I was an immediate convert to the short wide ski despite the smirks in the lift lines about me being out on waterskis! When the EMAX came out I added them to my collection. Although not as wide, their parabolic shape made them my choice for chunky semi groomed days. By then my skis weren’t so different then everybody else. Shorter, wider skis were becoming more common and my advantage of handling the deep stuff was dwindling. I’m a 200+lb, late fifties male who has skied since high school with a passion for the deep stuff. My cat skiing buddies all have wide skis now, although early on they were enamored with my Odysseys and how easy I could control them. The Ogre has become my favorite ski by far. I still turn heads at Mt. Baker, not so much for the size of my skis but the grace and effortlessness I drop the steeps in the deep. They have been on several cat trips but get most of their use after those daily one foot dumps at Mt. Baker. I’ve converted several people that had no idea how much easier it was to ski the deep stuff on Ogres. With the help of my two different Ogre models I plan to be skiing into my 70’s! “
Howard Bade ~ Blaine, WA
“It was a fine powder day at a Washington ski resort when I met Paul Nelson the inventor of the shaped ski. After a ride up on the chair with Paul listening to his story about Odyssey skis and their progression in the market place, I had to demo a pair. The Ogres turn and float like no other ski on the market today . Although I wouldn’t recommend it for the groomers, the Ogre is a quiver ski any serious tree skiing “powder head” must have ! When everyone else is tired and burned out I’m still out there making turns. The Ogre takes all the work out of the play. I bought the Ogre I and Ogre II.”
Marco Johnson ~ Camano Island, WA
Here is a February 2011 video of a Double Diamond Run at Stevens Pass, Washington, taken by Larry Surdyk, from Snohomish, floating a pair of OGRE III.
Thanks Larry.
All it took for me was a wicked powder day and an afternoon demo of the infamous Ogres at Mt. Baker last year to be sold on these great skis. I was charging steep powder like never before on these sticks. The float is superior due to their massive surface area as one would expect but what really blew my mind is how nicely a ski this huge can turn. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a groomer ski, it’s a powder eating beast that will take you into terrain you’ve only wondered about before. Not only do these skis float and turn, but they have a nice stiffness to them that lets you hit good speeds without chatter.They feel solid as hell all around. At the end of my first date with the Ogres I asked around in the local shop who makes these skis and to my great surprise I found out that it is Paul Nelson, a Mt. Baker veteran, that hand crafts these monsters somewhere in Washington State. How perfect!
“Oggie Finci ~ Vancouver, BC –
Dear Paul- I’ve now been able to test my Ogre skis in many different conditions. I must admit that I’m amazed by the fact that their exceptional width does not pose any problem while skiing downhill, one does not notice their width (though they are a bit wide for going uphill with touring bindings !). Their flex is great, with the front part very easy to bend, allowing for short turns when one puts weight on the front. And they are incredibly stable at high speed, I’ve never been so fast in powder snow, just as fast as some top class snowboarders! They are also nice on a soft piste but as with any other fat ski they are hard to hold on ice.
You really made absolutely awesome skis for powder snow. It seems impossible to do better.
Robin Marchant
I am going from a 188cm K2 Axis X to a 177cm Odyssey flex 2.
I have always loved the playfulness of my K2’s but thought they were downright squeamish at speeds over 15mph. The O’s are not only rock solid at ANY speed, but have taken the word playful to a new level. I pushed these puppies through 8″ of Sierra mashed potatoes, hard packed bumps, and 4″ of corn and they just made me giggle. EFFORTLESS turning, super quick edge to edge, stability at speed, smooth carver, floater in the crud. Light and agile. FUN,FUN,FUN!!! I skied HARD all day and wasn’t tired when it was over, maybe it was the giggle factor. I’m in love.
Vince Goecoechea
WOW….. The Odyssey e-MAX03’s are incredible skis.We love them! Took them up to Mammoth Mountain, California on Jan 18th, 2004 for 7 days of heaven. Had them mounted with some Marker 1200 Glide bindings, at the Main lodge ski shop— highly recommended!
I now understand the terms of endearment these skis have garnered:
I love my O’s!!
The conditions were 10 feet of hard packed powder, well groomed. We skied 5 straight days. Starting on day one, the skis were an instant success. My wife’s ability went from intermediate to strong intermediate instantly, and after a few lessons, she is now approaching expert. I have never seen her ski so fast, with so much control and confidence. She left her year old Volants (which she loves (loved?)) in the locker for the entire week!
As for me, I’ve been skiing for 25 years and I just fell in love with the eMAX’s! I’m a solid expert skier. I skied them 4 days straight, and then had to pull out my year old Volkl P40’s for comparison. The Volkls held there own, almost!
I took them up to the top and skied down Cornice Bowl, I had some great runs, but, I had skied Cornice the day before in my new O’s and found them to be more stable and easier to turn. By the third run, I was missing my O’s! The eMax’s were incredibly nice at high speed, straight and on edge, with no chatter!
Thanks for making the Best Skis in the world!
Mark & Myrla Baumann MARK BAUMANN ~
La Mirada, California
My husband, Bobby, and I went skiing on our Odyssey skis at the local hill this weekend. He was kind of skeptical about the short length, and after the first run he was saying how squirrelly they were. I had brought his 200cm Volants that weigh a ton, but he didn’t go and get them. After the second run, I started noticing a little smile on his face. On the third run I learned to do hop-turns in the powder with my O’s. I think Bobby started realizing that what he thought was “squirrelly” was indeed responsiveness! For the rest of the day we played like children in the deep powder and hardly got tired. He never went back to the car for his old skis, and I never went back for my snowboard. At least six people asked us about our skis when they saw us tearing up the mountain. One was a 19 year-old boy who is an excellent skier with $800 narrow waisted long shaped skis with outrageous lifters under the bindings. He thought there were the coolest things he’d ever seen.I gave him your web address. Just wanted to let you know that we love our skis so much. Thanks.
Michelle and Bobby Ray ~ Alturus, CA
Yesterday was the first day on the skis, It was so wonderful it is hard to explain. Old men like me are very emotional and when I got home from skiing and told my wife about the skiing I got all choked up.I rode on the lift with two people I didn’t know and they both asked what kind of skis they were. One was a telemark skier and he asked me to take one off so he could feel the flex. He was very excited about them. I gave him a card and the other person was interested and wanted to look at your website so I gave her a card too. If you remember I ski at Bear Valley Resort so if that is the ski area where they hear about them then I guess it was my influence. I am not looking for anything in case you are wondering. I like telling people about Honest companies that turn out a good product. I help them and you too. My ski partner has some new Volkl G41’s and they are almost identical to the e-max. He wants to try mine to see if there is a difference in riding them because of the spring.Thanks for selling them to me.
Bud Warren ~ Arnold,CA
A year ago I ordered a set of Odyssey E-Max skis, and even though I live in Alabama I still ski about 25 days a year. I have skied on my Odyssey skis at Big Sky Montana, Bridger Bowl Montana, Monarch Colorado, Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone, and Ski Cooper Colorado.. I have skied in all kinds of conditions, groomed, deep powder, crud, and ice. My skis always perform beautifully. The only time I don’t ski on them is when I go overseas because of the hassle of carrying them between planes and busses. I have yet to find ANY rental skis even close to the Odyssey’s.I always ski very carefully overseas because I don’t trust anything but my Odysseys. A friend of mine recently ordered a pair based on my recommendation and my referring him to your website. I know he will be as happy with his and I am with mine. Thank you Odyssey.
Jim Hall ~ Madison, Alabama
“Sweet skis, Your skis turn surprisingly easy. Even on the hardpack, the skis grip and arc like a ski of much smaller widths. The soft tip would be great for a light weight skier in the powder or crud snow. What are the dimensions of the ski I tested? I’ll put up a review and a link to your site in the next few days. All the pros at the mountain were excited about the idea of a new ski on the market. If you want, I’ll get you the names of people who can rep for you.”
John Mukavitz ~ Mukavitz/Fontecchi, 2002 West Coast Men’s Powder 8 Champs!
“I had the opportunity to ski on the e~Max this past weekend at Mt. Snow. The skis were perfect. They were very stable at high speeds and carving was simply a blast. Truly all terrain skis! Thank you for your help with all the questions I had and thanks for making great skis.”
James Liu ~ Stanton Island, New York
“You are so right about the shaped ski bringing old skiers back and making it so much easier for beginners to learn. Personally I think you deserve a national holiday in your name for what you have done. My 14 year old son was skiing better after 4 lessons than I was the first no second year I skied. In 1970 I severely tore the ligaments in my left knee, it had to be tied together with a relatively new operation called a slocom (1968), I continued to ski back then because I loved the sport. Eventually I wore down and basically stopped skiing in 1986. Late in the 2000 season I bought a pair that would work for the conclusion of that year and be good for the next and a pair of shaped skis, the knee is still loose and can get rattled if I am not too careful or get too tired but I am skiing again every chance I get and I want to thank you for what you have done.”
John McLeod
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’m the happiest person ever! I got what I wanted for Christmas…even if I did have to give it to myself! (that way I always get what I want!) It all started in 1994 when I was wrongfully injured in a car accident. At that time I was a volunteer at Crystal Mtn. I demo’d a pair of Odysseys and fell in love! I bought the demos at the end of the season and I know each and everyone that did. We all love them…I have huge respect from those who had previously left me behind. Not many females have the desire or the strength to hike for 45 minutes straight up the hill to the steepest shoot in Washington just to risk life and limb to ski down. Although I am quite proud of my achievements, I owe the glory to my “O’s”.. My skis were close to death when I found your website and now I have life again. My new “O’s”. I have tried other skis trying to replace my “O’s” . No way!!! Happy Holidays and Thank you again.!!”
Louii Ljubich ~ Seattle, Wash.