It’s a natural impulse to compare any ski to the model that immediately preceded it in the same family, so the arrival of Rossignol new Famous 10 invites one to contrast it with the Unique 10 that came before.

The two skis are surprisingly quite different. The Famous 10 has considerably deepened its sidecut to accentuate carving action and short-turn facility. The new ski’s construction trades the Unique 10’s Air Core for an all-Paulownia core supporting the same Sandwich Duracap design used in the men’s Pursuit series. The Famous 10’s tip is totally new, with a bit of Rossi’s, see-though Air Tip combined with Prop Tip, a means of modifying the torsional resistance of the forebody so it adapts better to changing terrain.

All the changes make the Famous 10 quicker and better connected than the Unique 10 without altering its performance-oriented personality or preference for groomed slopes. The Famous 10 is still made for the ripping gal who has her skills locked down and likes the liveliness of an all-glass ski compared to the anchored-down feel of metal.