Rossignol deserves boatloads of kudos for continuing to polish what was already a star product. Two years ago the Soul 7 was the runaway ski of the year. Instead of resting on its copious laurels, Rossi upped the ante by adding a matrix of carbon, basalt and glass dubbed the Carbon Alloy Matrix, which appreciably bolstered its torsional stiffness and edge hold. For 2018, Rossi has cut new molds for the Soul 7 HD in order to incorporate several new features that work together to improve snow contact.
The most obvious new element is Air Tip 2.0, a totally new shovel design that is completely integrated with the main body of the ski, as opposed to being assembled from separate parts. The new tip is lighter, thinner and connects with the snow sooner, so it follows terrain better than its ancestors.
Although the new Soul 7 HD looks dramatically different from earlier editions, its basic shape and character haven’t changed. While the sexy-looking tip gets all the attention in the store, the Soul 7 HD’s most distinctive feature on the snow is its springy camber pocket that unloads with an elevating pop off the bottom of every arc. This gives the ski its energetic personality that persists in all forms of powder, from Sierra sludge to Wasatch Champagne.
“Same as ever, only better,” pens Eric Korman of Gravity Sports. “Still a Finesse ski,” notes another tester, “it’s just a slightly more powerful and connected Finesse ski.” Says another, “This year’s Soul 7 is more powerful, more precise and way more fun than it has ever been before!”
Bob Gleason of Ski Doctors confirms that the Soul 7 HD “sets the bar for versatility. Easy to ski in all conditions. Versus the previous Soul 7, the HD has a more powerful drive chain. Now blending with a longer Air Tip, the Soul 7 HD is a ‘do-anything ski for any skier’ tool.”
Skiers who want a stouter ski that won’t yield under piddling pressure should graduate to the 188cm size, a serious ski that needs a strong skier to rein it in or it will run for the barn. Smaller skiers, including women, should note that the Soul 7 HD now comes in a 156cm.