Salomon as always had a soft spot for soft skis with a short turn radius. Some of its more popular series, like X-Scream and X-Wing, were sought out by skiers who liked their ability to maneuver in tight corners, like those found in the never-groomed moguls on High Rustler at Alta. Which brings us to the XDR 84 Ti, which depends on a weave of carbon and flax fibers (C/FX), square sidewalls and a patch of Titanal underfoot to provide enough substance to handle firm, Frontside conditions, with an emphasis on ease over aggression. Pat Parraguirre from Bobo’s, who might know more people in Reno on a first-name basis than any public official, is a lightweight expert who prefers skis that have a high response to low-pressure input. “Very predictable and smooth feeling on snow. It’s like putting on an old pair of leather gloves: damp and smooth,” says the de facto Mayor of Reno.
Like any ski with metal in its make-up, the evolv100 isn’t light as a feather, but it’s so well balanced and responsive to steering input that even the most irregular snow requires less effort to navigate. Its ability to maintain its composure when under assault by adverse conditions allows the pilot to relax, a real energy saver on a pow day. By my thoroughly unscientific estimate, the average advanced skier can add up to three more runs per ski day just by switching to the evolv100.
When Jim Schaffner likes a ski, you know it can hold up to a hard, sustained edge set delivered by a superb technician. After running it through a gamut of mid-winter snow varieties at Snow Basin (UT), Schaffner came away impressed. “This was a great all-rounder. It performed well in the mixed snow conditions.”
For its even temperament and energy-saving equanimity in rough terrain, we award the Liberty evolv100 a Silver Skier Selection.
The V76 imparts a thrilling cocktail of sensations that don’t normally mix. It’s inherently both lively and damp, urgently on and off a steeply angled edge or content to ride a relaxed, languid arc. Best of all, it’s instantly accessible; you don’t need to adapt to it because it’s already one move ahead, adapting to you. For this reason it’s a brilliant re-entry vehicle for skiers who have been out of the sport for over a decade and want to try something that is both new and yet familiar.
The unique construction that allows the V76 to simultaneously maintain world-class snow contact and sensuous snow feel is Vertical Metal Technology (VMT). VMT consists of vertical aluminum struts that run tip to tail. When it was introduced last season, the V76 had two such struts; for 20/20, Liberty has added a third to boost its effectiveness on hard snow. As you might imagine, a longitudinal vertical strut will resist any force that tries to bend it, which is how the V76 is able to achieve such unshakeable edge grip.
Last season represented a sort of coming out party for Liberty, a small brand that had carved out a niche as a bamboo-and-carbon specialist with a knack for making lightweight wide-bodies. Then they figured out how to industrialize the integration of an aluminum strut into their wheelhouse construction, trimmed down their usual silhouette to something more svelte and boom, they elevated to a whole new level of performance.
After having skied two generations of Vertical Metal Technology models from Liberty, two global qualities standout. One, every sinew of the ski seems dedicated to maintaining snow contact. If the modestly rockered tip deflects upward for a microsecond, the struts manage the moment so the edge underfoot is never perturbed.
Two, all the VMT models require zero adaptation on the part of the pilot. Don’t worry about loading the tip or exaggerating edge angles. Just ski from a centered stance with whatever means of angulation floats your boat. The V92 will hold an edge no matter how you stand on it. Because the V92 is so open-minded, it’s an ideal match for someone who hasn’t bought a new ski in ages, wants the benefits of new technology but doesn’t want to re-learn the sport.
The All-Mountain East genre is split into two camps: models that represent the top end of on-trail, Frontside families (think Head V-Shape 10, Salomon XDR 88 Ti, Liberty V92) and the narrowest versions of Big Mountain fatties (e.g., Enforcer 88, Rustler 9, Kore 93). The Elan Ripstick 88 falls into the camp populated by off-trail offspring, tilting its terrain predilections towards soft snow and its pilot preference to skiers still polishing their skills.
The 19/20 Ripstick 88 replaces an 86mm-waisted version that didn’t share the same guts as the rest of the Ripstick clan. This oversight has been corrected, so the 88 now incorporates every family feature, including Elan’s signature asymmetric design, Amphibio, that puts a longer edge on the inside and longer rocker on the outside. While Amphibio helps the Ripstick 88 cope with hardpack, every other important design element, from its lightweight carbon/glass structure to its tapered tips and tails, is biased towards off-trail conditions.
