Best Ski for Alpine Power.

These skis are beasts. I started off the 15/16 Winter on the 182s with Adrenalin Bindings and really enjoyed them since they worked with both my alpine and touring boots. The definitely skied differently than my Watea 106s which were a more traditional camber / construction (read heavier and less rocker). They skied completely different - the Watea being more of an alpine carver while the Ranger skiing loose and floating over crud. They ski about 5cm shorter than their length on the groomers due to the Freeski Rocker. However, in the backcountry and resort 'crud' they performed really well. 

That said, you don't buy the Ranger for the groomers. It's got a beefier build than the Hannibals which means they are going to have more drive through variable conditions. I skied the 188s in Alaska and it was definitely the right ski for that sort of terrain. I felt comfortable navigating the open couloirs and they had particularly good float and control. If you're going to be in more technical terrain then I'd err on the shorter side.

There isn't much more to be said. It took a few laps to make the switch from the Wateas but once I figured out the ski it was a welcomed change especially from the Touring aspect. If you want lighter then go with the Hannibals which will still give you plenty of width under foot but are considerably lighter. If you want better performance than you're going to want to step up to the Ranger series. I'll be skiing these on a trip in January with the Transalp TS Pros, sacrificing some weight for performance - Light and fast has it's time and place but in the big mountains you're better off burning a few more calories!