Experience 86 Basalt

The EXP 86 Basalt has been created to serve a new breed of in-bounds skier, which Rossi refers to as “All-Resort.”  Skiing is an important part of the overall resort experience, but it’s not the whole ball of wax for this resort visitor.  While this person is an avid participant, he’s not going to go wandering out of bounds and most of his powder runs will be on the side of the trail.  It’s probably safe to say he’s not going out in the worst conditions (by his definition), nor is he going to push very hard on the performance envelope.

In commercial terms, the EXP 86 Basalt is a “step-up” model, most likely a first-time purchase for a skier who has survived until now on rentals and second-hand fare. Its double-rockered baseline promotes a go-along-to-get-along attitude that encourages skills development without insisting on it. If the skier applies a little tip pressure, its supple forebody transfers energy with gentle insistence, coaching the skier up on an edge that feels confidence-building underfoot.

An aggressive skier who can’t wait to tear up the untamed backside of the mountain is better off looking at the diverse Black Ops family.  The EXP 86 Basalt is the ticket for someone who just wants to enjoy the sport without feeling unduly challenged at every turn.

The true measure of a ski like the EXP 86 Basalt isn’t simply how easy it makes the sport for the target skier; it’s how well it performs once he’s attained a higher level of proficiency.  It’s notable that the EXP 86 Basalt earned identical marks for Power and Finesse properties, just what one would hope to see in a ski intended to help skiers improve in a stress-free environment.

Sender 94 Ti

Like most of the models that populate the All-Mountain East genre, the Sender 94 Ti from Rossignol is a variation on a theme established either by a wider ski or a much wider ski.  Basically, AME models are predominantly shrunken Big Mountain models, so it shouldn’t surprise that that the Sender Ti 94 prefers its snow soft and wouldn’t mind if it were deep.  It’s geared to be accessible to the occasional skier who wants an all-terrain ski with a mellow temperament. “It’s an ideal weekend warrior ski,” notes freestyle coach Alex O’Halloran, “not a full-charger’s ski.”

The Sender 94 Ti’s amply tapered and rockered tip is meant to buffer the blows of uneven crud fields, so it’s never going to find the top of a carved turn like a Technical ski.  But when it does hook up, somewhere around the logo on the forebody, the Sender 94 Ti is simplicity itself to steer.  As long as there’s enough loose snow to engage the base of the ski, the Sender Ti 94 tracks confidently through thick and thin.

The Sender 94 Ti is part of a complete reorganization of Rossi’s off-trail offering into three distinct families: Sender, Blackops and Escaper. Escapers are for backcountry escapades, Blackops are lavishly decorated, New School twintips in narrow, medium and jumbo widths and Sender (Rallybird for women) serves directional skiers who hunt lift-served powder pockets. The star of the series is the Sender 106 Ti+, a perfect match for the strong, skilled skier who knows how to send it.  The Sender 94 Ti isn’t for that guy, but it is the right ski for the skier who wants to be that guy, but needs a little more help to get there.

Forza 70o V-Ti

Unlike some of the power-obsessed avatars of the Carving clan that dominate the Technical and Frontside Power rankings, the Forza 70o V-Ti has a refreshingly open mind about turn radius. True, it’s 14m sidecut is made to cut a tidy corner when laid on edge, but a deeper dive into its sidecut dimensions reveals how its shape enhances the skier’s perception of its versatility.

Shape is the defining design feature of every ski in the carving class; of course, how the ski is constructed matters, too, but all the best carvers share a rich construction. Take a closer look at the sidecut dimensions cited at the top of this review.  Note that there’s a 58mm differential between the widest point in the tip and the narrowest point at the waist. That’s a huge number, more than you’ll find on a World Cup Slalom race ski, and the main reason the Forza 70 impressed every tester with its ability to latch onto an edge at the tippy-top of the turn.

By maximizing its pull into the turn and the facility at which it releases the edge, the Forza gives its pilot a lot of choices in turn shape. Because it begins on a tight trajectory, it’s easy to keep it on that path, but just as easy to let it fire back into the fall line. Veteran ski and boot tester Jim Schaffner was dazzled by the Forza’s range: “Precise, accurate, lively: what a fantastic tool! Balanced well fore/aft, so it has a large sweet spot.  This ski would have a spot in my quiver,” he concludes.

I found the Forza to be as easy to steer as it is accurate on edge, nailing that elusive, balanced blend of Finesse and Power properties. Of course, it won’t float or drift as well as a ski with more surface area and less sidecut, but these limitations are inherent in all the best carvers in its category. For the easy manner in which it rolls on and off a steeply angled edge, we confer upon the Forza 70o V-Ti a Silver Skier Selection.

Experience 82 Ti

Rossignol has re-dedicated its core, Experience series to fit the lifestyle of the modern resort visitor for whom skiing is just a part of his Instagram vacation. The top model in the EXP series is no longer aimed at an all-mountain expert, but someone who wants to savor a bouquet of experiences of which skiing is only one scent.

The Experience 82 Ti will make the new, all-resort skier feel like a world-beater. It eases into the turn along a gently rockered forebody, finding the edge underfoot and holding securely on any groomed condition shy of glassy boilerplate. It releases the turn like it was a wounded dove, letting go without fanfare.  Its baseline is easy to foot steer, so even the technique-free can navigate intermediate slopes in control.

An expert would notice that the platform underfoot has some give at both ends, but for an intermediate this looseness is more blessing than curse. There’s no question a so-so skier can develop advanced skills while in its care, for it can make linked, fall-line-following, short turns all day long.

In a category loaded to the gills with high-octane chargers, the kinder, gentler EXP 82 Ti stands out for its forgiveness and ease, earning it our third-highest aggregate Finesse score and a Silver Skier Selection.

Experience 82 Basalt

Because the Frontside category comprises the most complete price/ability range in the ski market, its membership includes models meant for both end of the skills spectrum. In other words, some models are made to assist the uninitiated along the path to conscious competence, while others serve those who’ve already achieved total carving awareness.

The Rossignol Experience 82 Basalt is the rare bird that can serve both initiates taking the next step along their journey and those who’ve already arrived at their destination. Skiers who have endured the indignities of rentals and/or tattered hand-me-downs will find salvation in the EXP 82 Basalt. In the lower speed range inhabited by the less talented, it’s mindlessly simple to steer. It’s a classic confidence-builder for someone climbing the ability ladder.

With a sidecut made for carving but a baseline inclined to drift, the EXP 82 Basalt tries to accentuate the positive and disarm the negatives. As a learning vehicle, it’s more into gentle encouragement than demanding strict adherence to carving principles.  As a long-term companion, it will be reliable as long as you keep your ambitions in check. For someone who is skiing more for social reasons – say, to hang with the grand-kids – the EXP 82 Basalt is just what the ski doctor ordered. Note that the $799.95 MSRP includes a binding.