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WATERSKI MagazineThe World Cup slalom champion not only rips it up on the water, but he also has great knowledge of ski lay-up and design. And that's why Andy Mapple constructed a brand new ski mold for 2000. The O'Brien Mapple consists of a 100-percent graphite. Changes to the ski formerly known as the Mapple Siege include one inch being added to the concave at the front of the ski with a gradual transition into full concave in the rear of the ski. This allowed testers to roll the Mapple up on edge easily but not as severe as the 1999 model. The bevels were slightly more defined to make the Mapple more user friendly, which is a great stride that O'Brien made from last year's test. Testers were able to get a lot of ski in the water throughout the pre-turn and turn, resulting in good stability. The acceleration of the Mapple is moderate, requiring a little more effort to get side to side in the course. O'Brien's new Force bindings were well liked and provided excellent stability.
Lengths available (in.): 64, 66, 68
Price range: $439-$729
Symmetry of turns: A-
Turning ability: A
Acceleration: B+
Pre-turn: A-
User friendly: A-
Overall stability: A
