To understand a ski’s purpose, one needs to know what void it’s filling in its brand’s big picture, as well as where it fits in the category in which it’s competing. Perhaps the best way to define the role of the Stance 102 in Salomon’s 21/22 collection is to identify what it is not, namely a QST.
The Stance series wasn’t intended to go head-to-head with QST in the race for the lightest in-resort ski. The competition it was made to stare down are the wood-and-Titanal powerhouses issuing from the likes of Blizzard, Nordica and Völkl. The niche the Stance 102 aims to occupy is that of a wood (poplar) and metal (Titanal) laminate that’s just a bit less than the market leaders in the genre: a bit less heavy, a bit less torsionally rigid in the forebody and a bit less work to bow.
Mission accomplished. Because Salomon has tampered with its torsional stiffness, the Stance 102 doesn’t feel as wide as it measures, so it never feels ponderous. Although its rockered forebody inhibits early turn entry, it’s secure through the belly of the long turns it prefers. The Stance 102 feels quick off the edge in part because it doesn’t cling to a cross-hill arc, its unusually narrow tail dictating a more direct route downhill.
The previous occupant of this critical slot in Rossignol’s lineup, the Soul 7, was probably the biggest seller ever in the short history of the Big Mountain genre. A mostly glass ski that was light, springy and sinfully simple to ski in the soft conditions it was meant for, the Soul 7 HD left behind big tracks to fill.
The Blackops Sender Ti would make perfect figure-8’s with a Soul 7 as they share a similar sidecut and surface area, but in almost every other respect the two skis are unalike. But the Sender Ti isn’t just different from the Soul 7; it’s better. By any criteria except perhaps liveliness and drift, the Sender Ti is superior to its multi-laureled predecessor.
The biggest differences between the two generations of Rossi’s are in baseline and construction, with the Sender Ti possessing a more continuous snow connection and a damper ride able to suck up the vibrations that come with higher speeds. The Sender Ti doesn’t just toss Titanal at the problem; it adds supplementary damping systems on both the horizontal and vertical planes. An elastomer layer Rossi calls Damp Tech smoothes out the ride in the forebody while twin ABS struts running the length of the ski resist every effort to knock it off line. A weave of carbon alloy incases its poplar core, just for good measure.
The HolyShred brings two distinctive elements to the party that its 7 Series predecessor, the Sky 7, lacked: Titanal in its lay-up and a full-on twin-tip baseline. Almost every ski in the All-Mountain West genre has a measure of tail rocker, but no other major brand produces an unabashed, directional twin-tip intended for all-mountain skiing. The addition of Titanal gives the HolyShred the stability on edge that most Pipe & Park twintips lack.
Here’s another twist to the HolyShred story: its unusually high camber line gives it spring-loaded rebound that propels the skier off the bottom of bottomless snow. While its dual-shovel baseline suggests it might smear easier than mayonnaise, when in powder, its 45-degree braid of synthetic fiber loads up as it finds the belly of the turn; as it recoils, the rising HolyShred helps the skier unweight as he (or she) crosses the fall line, as Old School a move as camber itself.
When compelled to ski groomers, its Titanal Beam construction kicks into gear, with its neo-classic sidecut keeping it close to the fall line. Once in motion, the pilot has no inkling he’s riding a twin-tip; the tail feels solid and supportive, part of an overall balanced flex pattern. Its liveliness contributes to a sense of ease and playfulness, in contrast to the hard-charging beasts on the Power side of our ledger.
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.
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.
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 second-highest aggregate Finesse score and a Silver Skier Selection.
