Zermatt Staff Ski Test 2010
Dan’s Diary!
(scroll down for the individual tester reports)
This May 15 lucky Ellis Brigham members of staff went to the Swiss ski resort of Zermatt to test 88 sets of skis. The testers, a mixed group of male and females of varying skiing abilities, were all ready and eager to demo the winter 2010-2011 skis.
Leaving in the evening we drove through the night (managing to miss the ferry), arriving in Zermatt the following afternoon and made our way to the Alpenblick hotel. Tired, we had an early night and a well-deserved sleep!
Day 1 - getting the skis up the mountain
We woke up early with the objective to get all the test gear on to the first lift. With a helping hand from the lift attendants all the skis squeezed into 1 cable car. After setting-up the test site everyone was ready to start skiing. Weather conditions were absolutely perfect: blue skies, empty slopes and beautifully groomed pistes. What more could we ask for?
'Weapons' chosen we headed to the lift station, piste skis proved the most popular due to the ideal conditions. Volkl AC20, Fischer Progressors, Head Magnum and Atomic BlackeyeTi were just some of the tester choices. As the day wore on, the testers swapped skis to match the changing conditions, going from piste skis in the morning to twin tips and fatter skis in the afternoon.
We skied until 2pm when the lifts closed and put the test equipment away. 1 day down – 3 to go. Fingers and toes all crossed, I was hoping the conditions would stay this good for the rest of the week.
Day 2 - let the action… carry on
Another amazing day. Blue skies, untracked off-piste, perfectly groomed runs and no lift queues – ski testing at its very best.
The snow was softening up beautifully now. The un-pisted snow was as smooth as butter and the pistes were grippy and fast. Movement’s Jam quickly became a test favourite for the men while for the girls the new Movement Gloss… shone.
The more adventurous of the test team (each wearing a Forcefield back protector – just in case) built a kicker to hand rail at the Ice restaurant. It was time to have a bit of fun with the twin tips. Tom and I shaped the jump to session, testing the twin tips ability on landing backwards and stability. Coming up favourite were the K2 Kung Fujas and Salomon’s ProPipe.
We used the Go Pro helmet camera to film, with some impressive results (and stability) from Tom’s backflips and Lincoln loops. Check the footage out.
After a long day skiing what more could you want than having a 4 course meal and an ice-cold beer back at hotel Alpenblick? Following the fantastic dinner it was time to go back to work, discussing where the skis would sit in our product range and which skis we had enjoyed most on the test so far.
Day 3 - brings a change in the weather
Day 3 started off a little colder with the blue skies covered by horrible grey clouds, making the slopes super fast and the off-piste firm. Brrr…the testers felt the cold especially after the last 2 days of perfect conditions but this wasn’t going to dent anyone’s enthusiasm or commitment. The Volkl AC range was performing well, as was the Salomon X-Wing range. Both became tester favorites in the morning.
As the day continued, the clouds didn’t lift and the snow never softened up. This meant no repeat of yesterday’s backflips and Lincoln loops. Instead the testers took advantage of the firmer off-piste. The guys especially enjoyed the Volkl Mantra, Salomon Sentinel and Line Prophet 100 and the girls the Volkl Kenja and Line Celebrity.
Everyone was really hoping that the weather conditions would pick up for the last day of skiing so we could get into some softer snow again but also so we could work some more on our tans.
It turned out to be another great day testing, despite being colder. The evening training session was on SBS (the Sports Balance System). These are angled wedges that fit inside your ski boots to help your knee track straight, improving alignment and assisting in better edge control and weight distribution. Jenna and Jakub were measured and fitted up, Jenna went with a 2.5 degree wedge in her left boot and a 4.5 one in her right, Jakub a 4.5 degree on the left and 5.5 on right. Before fitting the wedges, both of them would catch their inside ski edges easily, and poor alignment would hamper their skiing. Both fitted up, we were keen to see if they’d notice the difference when skiing the next morning.
Day 4 - last day
The sun was blazing again, making the snow much softer and the off-piste nice and fresh!
The testers replaced the piste skis for fat ones today, with everyone putting fresh turns in untracked snow. The Line Francis Bacon and Atomic Bent Chetler were just 2 of the tester’s favorites today.
Apart from some soul-warming fresh turns, we did a bit of speed testing, with Justyna hitting an impressive 90mph according to our Garmin Forerunner.
Jenna and Jakub definitely noticed that they were skiing better and feeling stronger, totally convinced of the positive effects of SBS. The difference in their skiing was clear to everyone on the test. Very impressive!
And it wasn’t just skis and shims we tested out there; helmets from Giro and Salomon, goggles from Giro and Dragon, protection from Forcefield, plus the new Airshell boot from Tecnica, new Livefit boot from Atomic and a range of Dalbello and Dynafit boots, were all put through their paces.
Well, by 4pm that was it. All packed up and in the vans for the 10 hour drive to Calais. It only took 2 cable cars, 2 sets of lifts, 1 electric taxi and 1 trailer, plus the mountain railway from Zermatt to Taesch!
We were really lucky with the weather and snow, creating ideal test conditions. A big thank you must go to the wonderful Alpenblick Hotel, all the Zermatt lift staff and pisteurs who were always friendly and helpful, and the fantastic Zermatt tourist board for assisting with the arrangements and providing us with such a great test!
(in no particular order)
Name: Sandy Ewen
Age: 26
Weight: 10st
Height: about 180cm
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 21 years skiing
Describe your skiing: like going fast doing GS turns on piste and starting to really enjoy the powder.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Head Supershape Titan Turns really well and super stable with fantastic edge hold, great at a range of speeds.
Head Supershape Magnum Wow, so much grip and great flex that works at a surprising range of speeds, but this ski wants to go fast and turns really nice.
Fischer Watea 84 The smoothest ski ever, a great all-mountain performer.
Fischer Progressor 7 Super easy to use and you will look like a pro on them, just roll on and off the edge when skis are pointing downhill and enjoy!
K2 Silencer I am a fan of the Silencer and there is a great different between new and old. The new ski is beefier but still easy to use and more stable at speed with a great low price, it’s a bargain!
What is your personal favourite (s): It’s really hard to put one but the Fischer Progressor 7 is just brilliant, it’s almost too easy to ski.
Put down your thoughts on the range: A great range of skis this year, I think Fischer has done great with all of its range of skis, awesome all of them.
Any other comments: I really liked the Atomic Smoke Ti, Movement Jam, Salomon ProPipe, Fischer Progressor 8, k2 Kung Fujas Movement Black Rose and the K2 MissConduct but I had to pick just 5 skis. The range is great, no bad skis found in the skis I tested!
Name: Tom Wilson
Age: 28
Weight: 13st
Height: 6’3”
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 9 years (incl. 2 seasons and 5 years as full-time ski instructor)
Describe your skiing: Full speed anywhere, forward or switch!
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
All-Mountain – Atomic Nomad Blackeye Ti Transitions from hard groomer to bumpy death crud to soft crud felt even and effortless on the Atomic, with a beefy edge hold all the way across piste and then a more relaxing, forgiving feel when the speed dropped and more pivoting/skidding was required to navigate the choppy stuff.
Freeride – Atomic Access I could’ve skied these all day – wide, twinned, slightly rockered and YELLOW!!! The Access was super easy to use whatever the conditions underfoot, just torsionally grippy enough to get some speed up on the groomed runs, lively and poppy out of turns and soft in that rockered tip to make turns at any speed and in any depth of snow easy… almost complimentary. Also very light and easy to air off natural features as well as comfortable cruising switch.
Freestyle – K2 Revival OR Atomic Panic Revival or Panic… Revival or Panic… Revival or Panic…??? Both are such good skis for what they do and so different in characteristic. The Revival was wider and softer, almost symmetrical, flat camber/rocker combo and loads of fun for popping and jibbing off features at the side of the piste, very easy and controllable through the softer crud and would nose press on a dime. Coupled with the Schizophrantic binding and customers have a great option for a park/powder ski with adjustable positioning and hours of fun in any conditions. For it’s price, the Atomic Panic is an unbeatable bargain – slightly stiffer in it’s flex, bit more shape and much stronger edge grip and energy out of the turns this would be a great ski for those looking to stay more on-piste and start getting into the parks. Super stable at higher speeds, confidence-inspiring switch ski-ability and extremely poppy and lively even off a flat-ground allowing early-stage jibbers to perfect those 180-to-switch red runs. I CAN’T DECIDE!!!!!
Big Mountain/Powder – Atomic Bent Chetler So much fun! Big, wide, rocker, crazy graphics – all you need from a backcountry ski. These obviously weren’t the most agile or controlled piste cruisers but super easy to pivot and skid about through the turns with loads of pop off any little bump/roller and allowed you to tip/tail butter like a pro. Into the uneven crud at the side of the run and through the trees was where these came alive – just enough rocker to let you skid the turn initiation without catching until just past the fall-line point where the whole ski came into contact and so lively, easily holding big airs off small hits.
What is your personal favourite (s): Atomic Access.
Put down your thoughts on the range: So so many good skis available that the buying public are truly going to be spoiled for choice, a great spread of ability and terrain specific skis that will allow any skier to find the right piece of equipment for their requirements.
Any other comments: Roll on season 10/11!!!
Name: Rhys Jones
Age: 27
Weight: 75kg
Height: 5ft 10
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 11 years, lots of weeks
Describe your skiing: Better than Steve (in his dreams!) but still rubbish
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Scott Mission This has always been a favourite of mine and the new changes have made this great ski even better. No other ski performs as well as this in all conditions, definitely the most versatile all rounder I’ve ever used.
Atomic Smoke Ti The Smoke Ti is a very confidence inspiring ski that definitely makes you want to push yourself. It feels super smooth and stable on piste, and coped really well with the choppier sections of the slope. A big improvement on last year’s model and would really suit the “one week a year” skier
Line Blend Although this might be my least favourite graphic, the skis performance is really surprising across the mountain. The addition of the rocker has made the ski feel a little bit more user friendly than previous models without toning down the overall performance. This would be a perfect choice for a seasonnaire who wants one ski to do it all.
K2 Silencer This is the best value for money ski I’ve ever used. Feels really smooth and lively on piste and handled everything that was thrown at it. Has a widish construction so it can still handle the powder as well and the flex of the ski made it feel very playful. This stacks up against skis £200 more expensive and it looks awesome as well.
Salomon X Wing StormNothing new in this ski this season but, for me, it’s still one of the best skis in the range. Extremely manoeuvrable on piste and it definitely feels wider than its waist width when you’re in the deeper stuff.
What is your personal favourite (s): Has to be the Scott Mission, definitely the best ski out there, a true one ski quiver
Put down your thoughts on the range: The all-mountain and freeride skis continue to get better and better every season and there’s so many good skis in those categories. It also seems like the piste skis have taken a bit of a step forward this season. There is more choice in this area and some really good skis, especially at the lower end of the price range. The value for money across the board is very obvious with some really good skis below £400, and the ones at the top are as good as anyone could ever need.
Any other comments: As always, it’s great to test all the new skis and the range is looking really strong for next season and I think that the range of graphics is particularly good this season. It’s also great to be able to try some of other products, like the helmets and goggles. Really impressed with the new Giro goggles, they seem to be great quality and value and the new Dragon range looks amazing.
Name: Ryan Watson
Age: 25
Weight: 69 Kilos
Height: 6’
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 3 weeks or so
Describe your skiing: Not anything fancy. Enjoy going fast and having fun but don’t have much style with it!
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
K2 Silencer Really fun, does what you tell it and brilliant value for money.
Movement Gloss Super smooth, very stable and handles well at a variety of speed.
Volkl Sensor 2 So easy to ski! Great price, gives you a lot of confidence.
Scott Mission Seems to handle all snow types excellently, surprisingly agile and very fast!
Fischer Watea 84 Powerful straight off the mark, stable and very fun on piste and fresh snow.
What is your personal favourite (s): K2 Silencer and Volkl Sensor 2.
Put down your thoughts on the range:Well impressed, Girls range has especially improved.
Any other comments: Very impressed with pretty much every ski I tried. Most look better this season too!
Name: Steve Wells
Age: 36
Height: 6ft
Weight: 90 Kg
Years skiing: 23 Years
Describe your skiing: Like to ski most things, relaxed (lazy) all-mountain skier and still trying to progress!
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Line Sir Francis Bacon I had the best run of the test at Zermatt on these! Slow or fast, these skis are totally effortless off piste thanks to the fat dimensions, the new Early Rise tip and tail, and the Early Taper tip and tail. They also behave impeccably on piste, turning easily as well as encouraging you to ollie and pop off every lip and bump you can find.
Movement Jam I’m a huge fan of the Jam. It’s an all-mountain ski with a huge nose and a relatively wide waist, combined with a medium radius sidecut. The result is a grippy and playful ski that will handle all conditions and speeds: turny and energetic on piste, perfectly behaved in difficult conditions, and smooth, cruisy and incredible fun in soft snow. I love it!
Fischer Watea 84 A very underrated ski for a couple of seasons but now getting the credit it deserves, this is the ultimate all-rounder for good intermediates and advanced skiers. It’s powerful if pushed, grippy and surprisingly lively on firm snow; stable, smooth and encouraging in soft conditions. Slow or fast it won’t let you down. The perfect ski to take on holiday as you never know what the conditions will be. (And don’t ignore the Watea 78 either, just as much fun to ski!).
Fischer Progressor 8+ This ski perfectly mixes power, performance and forgiveness, encouraging you to push that bit more without being demanding to use. Short, medium and long radius turns are all simple and effortless, and it’ll even happily venture into ungroomed terrain.
Volkl Sensor2 A gem of a ski for £330, simple to use and so encouraging. Slow and medium speed carved turns couldn’t be any easier, with the narrow waist making it feel light and quick edge-to-edge. The grip feels perfect – enough to boost confidence but it’s still forgiving of less than perfect technique. This isn’t just some low-level learning ski, it’s the fast-track to feeling like you can really ski well!
What is your personal favourite (s): It’s a tie between the Sir Francis Bacon and the Jam. The Jam is the more practical option, but the Sir Francis Bacon is epic in soft snow.
Put down your thoughts on the range: It’s a wide and varied selection featuring the outstanding options in each category and performance level, every ski is a winner! The women’s range has been expanded with extra options at higher performance levels and the men’s range is jam packed with the best skis available.
Any other comments: Ski testing is fun and a much looked-forward-to part of our jobs, but we do take it seriously and hopefully the results will show that. We’ve done a lot of skiing to get to this selection of models, there’s no deadwood or range-fillers, every single ski deserves its place and will make someone very happy. We hope you agree!
Name: Jakub Bugno
Age: 30
Weight: 75kg
Height: 178cm
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 18 years (I missed 2 or 3 seasons)
Describe your skiing: Depends on the mood and skis, I prefer fast and aggressive skiing mostly on piste.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Volkl Gotama Accurate, multipurpose, very nice on and off piste.
Head Supershape Magnum Very fast and super stable, best ski if you want to storm piste.
K2 Lotta LuvAmazing! So smooth and surprisingly stable (size 156) that I could ski on it all day long and never got bored.
Scott Punisher Lively, fun, forgiving, fast and easy – what else would you want from ski?
Fisher Progressor 8 Stable, fast and accurate, dual radius works really well for me!
What is your personal favourite (s): Still in love with the Kung Fujas, K2 have taken a great ski and made it even better. Fast, agile and unbelievably stable – my ski of choice to do anything anywhere.
Put down your thoughts on the range: Again we have a great selection of skis for next season, there’s something for everyone from easy intermediates to speed junkies!
Name: Justyna
Age: 29
Weight: 63.3kg
Height: 169cm
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 22-23, depending on the age
Describe your skiing: I think I can ski quite aggressively when I want to – due to my racing training. I am a ski instructor so my technique is ok. Though, I am always going at full speed or carving hard. I love chilling on my big mountain skis too!!!
List the 3 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Movement Black Rose Being on an EB Test Team means I don’t really have to buy any skis. Saying that, every couple of seasons there is a model that I just HAVE to have! Black Rose is definitely on my shopping list! It skis as beautifully as it looks – it is smooth and graceful and it has a character. I’m starting to save now!
Volkl Kiku My favourite graphics again! Together with Black Rose these 2 are my top performance skis! The blossoming flowers on the top sheet might be misleading – it is a pretty aggressive ladies ski. It is up for any challenge off piste and will positively surprise you on the groomers.
Salomon Vital Touch It must be the most impressive ski this season in the women’s range! Absolutely amazing. So much energy and pop in one ski! J It is smooth and grippy and (unaware it is NOT a top end Salomon ski) I skied it pretty fast and pushed it hard! And I had loads of fun. Ski to progress on and enjoy forever. Love it, want it!
Scott Maya I cannot have enough of this ski. We’re friends for 3 seasons now! It is a ski I always enjoy, it will brighten the gloomiest day on your holiday. Everything feels effortless on them. Amazing, if you want to go a bit off piste too. They make me look goodJ (and maybe it is less important, but this year they look super-cute!)
Fischer Koa Range I cannot just choose one ski out of the Fischer female range – they rock this season! I loved them all, it wouldn’t be fair to just pick 1 model!
What is your personal favourite (s): It must be Volkl Kiku (sorry Black Rose). I absolutely loved them last year, and they look hot this season as well!
The total surprise for me was Vital Touch by Salomon. It blows your mind – please see the write ups above! I cannot forget about HEAD MAGNUM eitherJ They have to be here with my favourites as I have trashed my brother’s speed record on them (90mph, sorry Marcin !)
Put down your thoughts on the range: After testing the 2010/2011 equipment 3 times this winter I cannot wait to see them in the shops!!! The range is most exciting ever (and the women’s skis look awesome)
Name: Phil Hooles
Age: 29 years
Weight: 75 kg
Height: 5 foot, 8 inches
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 23/24 years with a few glacier seasons in there…
Describe your skiing: I’m becoming the classic ex-racer, not as much snow time as I’d like these days… I love backcountry powder and I’m starting to get claustrophobic in Snowdomes…
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Black Diamond Stigma Such a light ski, it’ll be brilliant to drag up a hill on your feet with some Fritschi’s or similar but they didn’t lose their hold or responsiveness even when pushed pretty hard on firmer piste and were wicked in the powder.
Head Supershape Magnum Push them hard and don’t go near anything soft and they will hold and then kick you out of turns when you want. They were pretty fun for the little downhill race we had and didn’t jump around running straight at any speed we managed…
Salomon Select Touch Sick ski for the ladies, they did anything and that’s with an aggressive bloke on a short set of skis (158cm). They respond and they feel good, they have some attitude but they won’t overpower what you want them to do they’ll just do it.
Movement Jam These have yet to disappoint me… Not the most advanced ski but I still think that they do everything you could want and are nimble on and off piste. True all mountain carver. Basically there is something I like about them every year, I can’t quite put my finger on it but Movement haven’t messed it up so I still love ‘em!!!
K2 Silencer These were a real step up from last year and considering the price isn’t moving around much, between value for money and what they can actually do they are spot on this year and a real steal.
What is your personal favourite (s): For something all round I am impressed every year with the Jam. It’s a fantastic ski that I always find fun. It feels good under any conditions. It just feels sweet underfoot.
Put down your thoughts on the range: All the bases have been covered giving us a good selection of men’s and women’s skis for the aspiring to the actually expert. Once again there are opportunities for the skis we have bought to bridge gaps of progress and allow customers to purchase something that may not suit them immediately but on which they will progress and not outperform within one or two weeks away.
Name: Dan Botham
Age: 25
Weight: 13 stone
Height: 5’11
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 15 years skiing about 50 + weeks on snow
Describe your skiing: Laid back, freestyle/freeride skier
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Kung Fujas Really stable skis, easy to ski on and off piste, handle well at speed and are great with the Marker Schizo Binding.
Salomon Pro Pipe Amazing, I cant put it into any better words than that. If you want a park ski with the power of a piste ski then look no further then the Pro Pipe, really stable at speed great fun in the park and amazing control in the pipe, this ski will never let you down.
Volkl AC20 This ski surprised me with how easy it was to control, great edge-to-edge, handles really well on ice and packs a punch at speed, really enjoyed skiing this ski I would defiantly buy it.
Atomic Blackeye Ti A great all-mountain piste ski. Handles well on varied terrain and loves to be pushed, that’s why I think I liked it. I found that it could ski anywhere with ease, would be suited on piste but was still a lot of fun through the crud.
Scott Punisher Really fun ski, I used this to ski on a street rail and it was really stable. Skiing on piste was easy, short to long turns were fairly stable considering it is a freestyle/freeride ski, a lot of fun to jib around on.
What is your personal favourite (s): It’s hard to choose just one favourite this year but if I had to choose it would have to be either the Salomon Pro Pipe or the K2 Kung Fujas, Both these skies are great fun, easy to ride around the mountain, effortless to ski in the park and through rugged terrain.
Put down your thoughts on the range:Really strong range this winter, some great skis for all categories of skiers, I’m really excited about the Volkl AC range, they’re powerful skis.
Any other comments: Big thank you to Ellis Brigham for putting on another great ski test and for all the support of all the testers, see you all next year!
Name: Dave Casey
Age: 31
Weight: 9.5 Stone
Height: 5’ 7”
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 28 years
Describe your skiing: Aggressive piste, aggressive freeride and aspiring freestyle.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Fischer Progressor 8+ No surprise to see this one in our range again. I’ve had it as my favourite piste ski in past years and this year it’s made it again. At speed it held its own very well against the other performance piste skis (the Fischer Viron and Head Magnum) but as ever it was the Progressor’s turn shape versatility that just swung it for me. This is down to the Progressor’s dual radius sidecut where the natural turn radius of the tip is slightly different to that of the rest of the ski.
Movement Jam This one was a real surprise for me this year. We’ve stocked it for the last couple of years but up until now it’s always been just that little bit too stable for my taste. The latest ski is only a slight change on the old design but it appears to have made all the difference (for myself at least) becoming my favourite all-mountain ski. At 85mm width underfoot and an especially wide tip it floats very well for an all-mountain ski off-piste and yet back on piste it still managed to feel as agile as many of the ‘smaller’ all-mountain skis.
Fischer Watea 78 I liked this all-mountain ski for much the same reasons as the Movement Jam, only this ski is accessible to a wider range of abilities being slightly narrower. For its slightly lower target ability range this ski has very much the same advantages as the Jam. Compared to skis of a similar ability this is one of the widest (for the person beginning to search out softer conditions) but like the Jam it successfully retains a lot of the agility of the narrower skis for on piste use.
Volkl Kendo This turned out to be my favourite of the less dedicated (narrower) freeride skis. A new one for this year, the Kendo takes up the welcome role of ‘little brother’ to the venerable Volkl Mantra. The Mantra has always been a good choice for aggressive freeride with its uncompromising precision but consequently a little tiring for every-day use. This is where the Kendo comes in, slightly narrower and not as stiff as the Mantra it now makes a definite candidate for every-day use whilst maintaining that key Mantra spirit.
Volkl Gotama Once again it was close between this and the K2 CoomBack for favourite in the freeride category (even though they are both fairly different skis). I’ve given it to the CoomBack in previous years and whilst it’s still every bit the ski it used to be I just fancied a change this time! Having a very large footprint for off-piste flotation the Gotama has always stood out because of how easy it remains to use. The subtle full-length rocker makes the ski rather effortless to turn on piste (and off) whilst the full-length sidewall gives back good grip preventing this large ski from potentially feeling dull on piste.
What is your personal favourite (s): Whilst I liked all of the above skis, I think it would have to be the Movement Jam simply because of how much a few tweaks to last year’s model managed to surprise me. With the wide tip aiding turn initiation and partial sidewall it really did feel like a narrower/agile piste ski but was equally at home in the powder.
Put down your thoughts on the range: With prices now seeming to want to rise with each new year it’s refreshing to still see that really good skis don’t necessarily have to come with large price tags!
Any other comments: Snow conditions proved to be excellent again with plenty of fresh snow before we arrived followed by clear skies for testing (and a little bit of tanning of course!). Thanks again to everyone involved in organising the trip including the local Swiss Tourist board for putting us up in incredibly picturesque Zermatt and the equally hospitable Hotel Alpenblick!
Name: Jenna
Age: 25
Weight: 9.5 stone
Height: 5’2 1/2
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 21 (2 Seasons)
Describe your skiing: Relaxed, will ski anything and like to push myself sometimes but most of the time I just like to mess about.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Volkl Kenja I absolutely loved this ski because it’s so light and easy to use but also feels grippy and powerful. I was really impressed with how stable and responsive it was at speed. Perfect all mountain ski.
Volkl Kiku I love this ski again this year, I am always so impressed with how smooth and stable it is. It’s fabulous both on and off piste but especially in the powder as it’s not hard work at all. It’s got to be one of the best girl’s freeride skis out there.
K2 MissConduct So much fun! I was so impressed with how effortless this ski was. It felt very stable, responsive and versatile – a real feel good ski, perfect to mess about on.
Salomon Select Touch Fantastic ski for an intermediate skier who mainly skis piest but wants to improve performance and technique. I was really impressed with how effortless turning was, the ski also felt stable yet forgiving.
Fischer Koa 84 Perfect all round ski, coped well on groomed slopes but also in the softer stuff. Great if you want to push yourself and want one ski to do everything.
What is your personal favourite (s): Definitely a tie between Kenja, Kiku and the Miss Conduct they were all fun and lively. I love them all!
Put down your thoughts on the range: Fantastic! There’s something for every skier.
Name: Marcin
Age: constant 16 (29)
Weight: 80 kg
Height: 177 cm
Years skiing / weeks on snow: 23 (years)
Describe your skiing: lazy freeride (is it possible?)
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Line Sir Francis Bacon (again!) Everything is better this year – perfect graphics, funny base and this big fat rocker! Effortless wide turns far away from the ski slope. And surprise! The same happy skiing on the piste J!!! Fun from the top to the bottom of the mountain.
K2 ObSETHed Ultimate powder eater – solid, stable and BIG – everything I would like to have in the ski, when gliding in waist deep powder. No speed limit here – just go as fast and as wide like you were always dreaming to! Best graphic on this model ever. Did I mention big rockers?
Atomic Bent Chetler It doesn’t really matter how much powder you have – this ski will always stay on the top! Unsinkable! It will glide so high and quiet on the very top of the snow that you won’t feel the speed (I’m not sure if everyone will be happy with this – I love it!!!).
Salomon Sentinel Little brother of the Salomon Shogun. What a Ski! Good surface, perfect flex – made me feel absolutely free in the snow. I didn’t have much interest in the All Mountain category but the ski to go everywhere is finally made!
Black Diamond Stigma Light but agile, not too wide but super floaty, very responsive but not to0 demanding – perfect for ski alpine user. Behaved really well in the mixture of snow conditions we had. Magic!
What is your personal favourite (s): Sir Francis Bacon (no doubts!)
Put down your thoughts on the range: Everything for everyone. Really impressive range for freeriders, lot of amazing All Mountain skis, nice toys for freestylers. Awesome & beautiful ladies range
Name: Rob Evans
Age: 33
Weight: 14.5st (the spreads starting)
Height: 6ft 4
Years skiing: 27
Describe your skiing: With each passing season there is less piste involved. Adaptable is still the best description as I will get down any run in any condition but the deeper the better.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Fischer Progressor 8+ Super grippy with quick initiation makes these feel very nimble and light. Short, med, and longer radius turns felt surefooted and evenly balanced. The ability to skid the tails if needed helps to inspire confidence by knowing that speed can be dumped quickly.
Atomic Nomad Blackeye Ti This truly is a great all mountain ski which the majority of skiers will love. Very smooth throughout the turn and with the addition of a slight rocker on the tip really helps turn initiation and cruising through varied snow. More of a piste orientated all mountain ski means that it has an integrated binding system that helps the ski flex and carve with ease.
Volkl Kendo The mantra has always been a great freeride ski that feels stiff, solid and powerful due to its dimensions and construction. The kendo has the same construction but is narrower (87mm at the waist) and because of this it feels lively and snappy on piste but stills floats well. To sum it up the Kendo is solid, lively, quick underfoot and has the width to handle any snow.
K2 Revival Loads of pop out of the tail and a fairly grippy nose means you will have great fun jibbing around the slopes, whether that’s regular or switch it seems happy and predictable. Not the softest freestyle ski available but I actually like that as it becomes more versatile.
Atomic Bent Chetler It’s always difficult to test big mountain skis when the off piste is pretty tracked out and lack of new snow prevents any sort of depth, but these were brilliant fun. Having something on your feet that wide and bulbous should not work anywhere but in the deepest of pow pow. I wouldn’t go so far to say they carve well or even hold an edge that great, but they do turn on piste with relative ease and considering the rocker they are pretty solid. The chewed up, wind crust that we sampled was eaten alive by these. It felt like I was skiing in a fresh dump and this is my reasoning for liking them so much.
What is your personal favourite (s): My personal favourite is the Volkl Kendo, for me it just does everything, carves and holds an edge well on piste, quick and lively through bumps and variable terrain, and has the width to float in fresh snow. They also look great and could be used with a freeride/touring binding for lift access skins.
Put down your thoughts on the range: Yet again the range looks awesome and there truly is a ski for everyone. If anyone is confused please feel free to pop down for a chat to discuss your requirements.
Any other comments: Big thanks to all involved in making the tests happen. It’s a good job I carried the spare van key other wise we might still be pushing our way back from the port thanks to Steveo. Hehe.
Name: David Hervey
Age: 26
Weight: 12 st
Height: 5' 9"
Years skiing: 20 years / 60 weeks approx.
Describe your skiing:I consider myself to be a relatively experienced skier but only verging on an advanced level with still a lot to learn and practice. I prefer to ski off piste and moguls rather than groomed pistes and the park. I tend to focus more on having a good and varied technique, rather than being a super fast skier. Racing has never been my thing, but enjoying the line of the mountain always has been. I predominantly still ski what I would call ‘old skool’ with my knees locked in for a lot of tight parallel turns which is probably all due to my experience and love of moguls. However, I do broaden my stance and get much lower for fast carving on the groomed piste and always attempt to get maximum lean. Off piste I tend to lean back too much and need to gain more confidence on the steeper terrain which I can handle, but not without many small errors.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Salomon Pro Pipe I am not a freestyle skier so I don’t normal get a kick (pardon the pun!) from park skis, but this was such a poppy and lively fun ski that I began wanting to attempt some jumps and ski backwards!
Salomon Sentinal Like the Mantra, but lighter. What a great combination.
Fischer Progressor 7+ This was the first ski I took out on the test and not having skied for 3 years I thought I was going to be rusty, but the first 30 seconds on this ski put my mind at ease. It was so incredibly user-friendly that it was like I’d never been away from skiing. It also had loads of personality and liveliness that I just didn’t feel in its K2, Salomon and Volkl counterparts.
Fischer Watea 84 I can see why this is fall line’s ski of the year. It was easy to use on all terrain, light, lively, responsive and stiff enough to play hard with it, but forgiving enough to enjoy cruising with too.
Atomic Access From the size and soft flex of this ski I thought it would be under-responsive and a handful, but in fact it was easy to use everywhere and particularly good in handling the crud and rubbish.
Atomic Bent Chetler For a massive plank this was so lively and responsive. It made skiing in crud enjoyable and makes you look good off piste!
What is your personal favourite (s):
Volkl Gotama I can ski this ski old skool off piste and float without having to jump turn, to me that’s just amazing!
Volkl Mantra Blissfully responsive on every terrain, has to be my favourite all rounder.
Volkl Kendo Just so much fun and so lively. I like stiff skis and this was perfect.
Volkl AC30 A beast of a ski that is just so much fun for charging all over the slopes.
Head Magnum The most perfectly constructed piste ski I have ever skied. It does it all for you and yet you can go right to the limit with it.
Fischer Viron 8.8 C-line The fact that the adjustment on this ski works so well makes it such a versatile piste ski.
Line Sir Francis Bacons The most stable off piste ski I have ever skied and so aggressive, but also user friendly, really strange, in a good way.
Line Prophet 100 Perfect freeride tourer.
Put down your thoughts on the range: I think the range covers most demographics really well.
Name: Gordon Rae
Age: 24
Weight: 69 Kg
Height: 5"11
Years skiing: 5 years skiing
Describe your skiing: Medium to fast paced skier, technical rather than powerful, comfortable all over the mountain but prefer to carve up pistes. Low end advanced skier.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Atomic Access This ski felt so forgiving as soon as I set off. Normally this means that the skis won’t then do technical turns (carving/short turns) but the Access felt forgiving whilst maintaining a performance feel. A nice, light, bouncy number that would suit pretty much every customer who walks through our doors, it’s a ski to do-it-all for a skier with the aspiration of spending more time off piste.
Progressor 7 The new topsheet colours made the ski look like a performance piece of kit. On piste carving, slid turns in all sizes of turn, this was by far one of the most enjoyable I skied in its category. For intermediates looking for a great versatile piste ski or a ski that will grow them into advanced skiers, this is offering everything you could possibly need. I also love the Progressor 8 – the ski that’ll be where you want it, doing what you want it to, when you want it! (sooo predictable) lol.
Mantra Timeless ski, I liked the traditional camber with beasty power when letting go on steep pitches. Suprisingly forgiving in soft snow even when I slowed down I still felt stable and able to turn! Cool graphics, light ski considering the width and topsheet. I want one of these!
Kung Fujas This, after much thought, is the best one-ski-quiver I have skied on to date. It did everything, everywhere and very well. An impressive ski, I prefer the new graphics.
Bent Chetler If I was to try anything crazy and out of my comfort zone then I’d want to be on these. Pure powder madness!!! Seriously rubbish on piste but something special off!
What is your personal favourite (s): I’d take the following quiver. Playing on would be the Progressor 8, bit of both would be on the Mantra and in the soft I’d be on the Chetler’s or on the Access if I wanted an easy ride.
Put down your thoughts on the range: I think it’s a pretty sweet selection of skis, I’d say the best selection of skis we’ve sold yet! Women have got some brilliant skis with plenty of the best men’s styled into their range. Yep, really good choices!
Any other comments: It’ll be interesting to see the widespread views on the K2 rocker technology. Kung Fujas are going to shoot of the shelf this year.
Name: Jack Whiteford
Age: 55
Weight: 94 Kg
Height: 190 cm
Years skiing: 33 years/in the last 12 years have had about 30+ weeks on snow
Describe your skiing: Like to cruise the whole mountain, with big GS turns, preferably on well groomed piste, and definitely no moguls.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Volkl AC 30 It was an advanced ski that really worked well for me when I pushed it that little bit harder, well balanced and smooth in the big cruising turns. It held an edge well and its width underfoot did not detract from its piste performance.
Volkl Sensor2 Very easy to ski, when put it on its edge it carved well and required little or no effort. Although an entry level ski it performed well at speed and would also suit cruising intermediates.
Movement Jam The versatility of this ski made it great in all terrain, this coupled with the balance and smoothness of the turns just made it a go anywhere ski for both intermediate and advanced skier.
Fischer Watea 84 Like the Jam, the versatility of this ski could make it do no wrong, good edge hold, well balanced with smooth turns on and off piste.
Atomic Cloud 9 It was a good lively ski on the groomed piste, easy to use and good on the short turns.
What is your personal favourite (s): Volkl AC30, Movement Jam
Put down your thoughts on the range: There is something for everyone. Good price range, especially at entry level. Wide choice of All Mountain/Free Ride skiers for men and women. Some really exciting skis for women in the range from Volkl and Movement.
Name: Michael Stephenson
Age: 27
Weight: 85 Kg
Height: 6"1
Years skiing: 20 weeks
Describe your skiing:My main stomping ground presently is the Cairngorms, so will ski pretty much anything that manages to get this far North.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
Volkl Mantra I have to say the Mantra, as a slightly heavier skier I need a ski with a bit more pop and drive. The Mantra delivers and then some, it deals with a large range of conditions with its width, making forays into fresh snow and powder seems natural. The stiffness gives bucket loads of edge grip, perfect for groomed piste and ice mixed conditions. A ski that gives the more experienced and aggressive skier a bit of everything.
Salomon Sentinel The Sentinel came a close second to the Mantra; it was a little bit of a surprise, delivering that missing x-factor. The added pop turned it into a ski that made me smile, allowing me to drive it hard on the groomed but also delving into powder it easily allowed me to keep powering through.
Head Supershape Magnum The Magnum Supershape, what can I say, for those who love blasting on the piste the ski was amazing. It was quick edge-to-edge making tight turns simple and easy, allowing you to power through longer turns providing great rebound for maximum acceleration out of the turn. It is really stable at high speed but was surprisingly pliable at lower speeds making this a great ski for spending time with the family in the morning before having a blast round the mountain in the afternoon. Will also be great for instructors for the same reason.
K2 Silencer The Silencer, at the bargain price of £300 including bindings is an upgrade from last year which sees it inherit the Extreme’s core and shape, which was £150 more. This gives a ski that will allow you to play a little bit all over the hill; a powerful and stable twin tip will let you go most places.
K2 Lotta Luv The Lotta Luv was a ski that got rave reviews last year as the ski to ‘handle a little of everything’. It didn’t disappoint, stable and smooth with great edge grip on piste, flattering and easy to control off piste. A brilliant all-round performer, perfect for the more experienced skier who wants to start exploring the whole mountain.
What is your personal favourite (s): A tough one for all-mountain, the Mantra with its little brother the Kendo coming a close second. On the groomed piste the Head Supershape Magnum were awesome.
Put down your thoughts on the range: I could have easily added another 10 skis to the above list from the Volkl Sensor2 to the Fischer Viron 8.8 C-Line, they all rocked, a range that has something for most skiers. The return of the women’s Salomon skis provide an extra dimension to a great women’s range, whilst the ObSETHed and Gotama provide a little something for the big boys and girls looking for off-piste excitement. Can’t wait next season to begin!!!
Any other comments: A great way to finish a stunning season, the fresh snow and amazing grooming made for great testing conditions letting us try a bit of everything and making most of us look like great skiers, don’t know where the video came from they must have hired actors. Thanks to all those who made it happen roll on next year.
Name: Tom Last
Age: 24
Weight: 70 Kg
Height: 180cm
Years skiing: 14 years
Describe your skiing: Racing/mogul skiing background. Generally I’m quite an aggressive skier and I very much enjoy free skiing and having fun in the park, powder or piste depending on how I’m feeling that day.
List the 5 skis that impressed you most, and explain why:
K2 Kung Fujas Stable, poppy, lively, easy-to-use and so much fun.
Head Supershape i-Titan Smooth, precise, balanced and quick with an awesome edge hold.
Fischer Progressor 8 Full of life, really quick edge-to-edge and lots of fun.
Volkl Gotama This ski will ski through anything, awesome Freeride ski. Makes even the most difficult snow easy.
Movement Jam Smooth, precise, predictable and very easy to use.
What is your personal favourite (s): K2 Kung Fujas
Put down your thoughts on the range: I think there is a really nice broad range of skis this year. I enjoyed pretty much every ski I tested and I think the range covers all types of skiing and skier very well.
Any other comments: I think bringing back the Fischer Progressor 7 and introducing the Fisher Viron C-Line and Head Supershape i-Titan has really helped increase the strength of our on piste range of skis.
