The Völkl 100EIGHT grew up in a crowded neighborhood. Not only did it have to compete for attention with the well-established V-Werks Katana (112mm), there was also the One (116mm), Two (124mm), Confession (117mm) and Bash (116), all vying for the affections of the powder skier. Now it has the Mantra 102 muscling into its territory. Where does the 100EIGHT fit into this murderers’ row of off-piste behemoths?

Even though the 100EIGHT borrowed it 3D.Ridge shape from the V-Werks Katana, it isn’t made by compressing multiple sheets of carbon into a razor-edged carver like the Katana. The 100EIGHT depends instead on fiberglass laced with carbon stringers for its primary support system, then adds 3D.Glass for extra power and rebound energy. The One and the Two were nearly shapeless planks compared to the sidecut on the 100EIGHT and never really caught fire outside of heli operations. The Confession has metal in its make-up so it’s not as lively as the 100EIGHT. And the Mantra 102 still thinks it’s a carving ski with a weight problem and would rather steamroll a crud field than float over it.

The last time we skied the 100EIGHT and the V-Werks Katana – its closest relative in the Völkl line – side-by-side, the differences in their personalities were striking. The Katana felt lighter in the hand and eager to carve a continuous arc that never lost connection, even on hard snow. The 100EIGHT felt more powerful at a lower edge angle, more comfortable in loose snow and, if given a stab of pressure, will come right off the snow between turns.

It might sound odd, if not outright untrue, to ascribe liveliness to a ski with zero camber in its baseline, but fiberglass will always spring back to its molded position regardless of whether it’s arched or not. It’s the extra zip created by compressing the glass box around its core that gives the 100EIGHT its distinctive blend of stability in the turn and energy coming out of it.