![]() Despite Covid kyboshing the European Ski Test last winter, our team was blessed with powder at the replacement event in Scotland, where this was one of the top performers. The recently updated Völkl Yumi now features a 3D sidecut, along with an 84mm waist width, designed to help it float a little easier in powder, without sacrificing any of its carving potential. Verdict: Great for what they’re designed for, touring with an emphasis on descents.Best for: Descent focussed ski tourers and freeriders.If you’re skiing firm snow you may be surprised by their ability where the dampness, stiff flex and weight really comes into play. These skis are agile enough to ski gulleys with confidence and despite decent downhill ability, they climb okay, although on longer tours you will start to feel the burn due to the relatively high weight. They aren’t particularly lively or playful but hold an edge on long radius turns and are relatively smooth through chopped up crud. ![]() Stable at high speeds they suffer at lower speeds, typical of a touring ski. The Agent 3.0 is a descent focussed touring ski meaning all the fun hasn’t been rinsed out chasing lightness. Verdict: A near-perfect freeride ski which is accessible to mere mortals.Best for: Freeriders of all ability levels.The air tip makes it super manoeuvrable and lively, while ‘Line Control Technology’ adds torsional stiffness making it playful and responsive to varying pressure on the edges.Īll this adds up to an incredibly confidence inspiring ski that wants you to lay out big open turns, and ski as fast as your abilities allow. The Sender is poppy and forgiving, smooth in cruddy snow and ultimately a lot of fun. These construction elements make the Sender more accessible, and although both skis would be worthy of Freeride Ski of the Year, this one edges it. The Sender Ti is Rossignols flagship freeride ski, but the non-Ti Sender comes in £65 cheaper, without titanal beam and is significantly lighter. Verdict: High performance both on and off piste making for a genuine all-mountain ski.Best for: A one-ski quiver for chargers and carvers alike.It just rails all types of turns, making for a cracking good time. It’s wide enough for powder but narrow enough to be responsive thanks partly to the flex and the progressive sidecut. It can charge through chop but remains soft enough to be fun and lively. The Stance 96 hits the absolute all-mountain sweet spot in terms of dimensions, stiffness and turn versatility. The performance on the mountain goes the rest of the way, and more than justifies the cost. Verdict: A good value, sporty, all- mountain ski for charging on piste and, occasionally, off it.Ī full poplar wood core incorporating carbon flax and a double Ti construction seems to tick all the boxes of a solid all-mountain ski, and goes some way to justifying a relatively high price point.Best for: Intermediate to advanced skiers sticking mostly to the piste.The sintered P-Tex base also improves the longevity of the ski, making it a sustainable investment. A steel layer in the ski provides durability and performance at speed, and a stiff tail helps the Flair to really perform on piste, placing it in premium territory. The 3D ridge construction comprises of steel and a centre sidewall gives the Flair its sporty riding style, stiff and powerful with great edge hold for ripping the groomers. It is a dynamic ski for intermediate to advanced ladies wanting to shred the whole resort. However, we found that its talents really lie on the piste. This year’s Volkl Flair 79 is slightly wider than last season’s, bringing it more into all-mountain terrain.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |