[The test results for the RTM 84 are from 2016; its only changes for 2017 are cosmetic.]

Völkl’s RTM 84 UVO is a gentleman’s carving tool, a secure ride that can summon acceleration when a dollop of pressure is applied to its camber zone underfoot. Its rockered tip and tail are already partway bent into an arc, so the pilot doesn’t have to exert a lot of oomph to extract a smooth, continuous carve.

While the RTM 84 UVO enjoys rocketing down the hill as much as any other elite Frontside ski, it’s better at slalom turns than our short-radius score suggests. It also deserves more praise for its Finesse qualities for it isn’t hard of steering and its light enough to toss around a turn if need be. (Without its Marker bindings, the RTM 84 UVO weighs in at 1958g.)

The principal upgrade the RTM 84 UVO provides over its RTM 81 stable mate is the Ultimate Vibration Object (UVO) attached to its topskin just behind the tip. The UVO uses a vibration absorbing technology that’s been around at least since Rossi used its V.A.S. tech on the legendary 4SK: attach metal to a viscoelastic substrate and you’ve created a way to turn a shock wave into another energy form.

The UVO takes this technology one step further by making it multi-axis: it doesn’t just intercept longitudinal shocks; it also operates when hit with a lateral blow, as when tilted to a high edge on hard snow. It helps keep the rockered forebody from rocking around and keep its focus on the business of high-speed carving.