Intermediate skiers who want to ski equally well whatever condition the piste is in, are going to love Salomon’s Stance 80 W. The shape and width combine with the woodcore and Titanal laminate to create a superbly stable ride, no matter the snow. The long nose and tail ensure no grabby turns and the waist provides a balanced platform.
Terrain SuitabilityMainly pistes but not exclusively. It will be happiest on reds and blues, whatever the condition, and that’s the beauty of the Stance W 80. It doesn’t need perfect snow or grooming, it has the stability and shape to feel great when the snow isn’t, which is when many other narrower skis will start to become more difficult. You can also take this for a few runs down the sides in the easier off piste. Clean carves in the morning on the fresh groomed slopes through to smooth, effortless turns in the afternoon when it all cuts up and many piste models start to struggle. It’ll even take you on some adventures away from the marked trails.
Skier TypeIntermediate piste skiers who want a balanced ski for use in a range of conditions. To achieve this they’re prepared to sacrifice some quickness edge-to-edge to gain more stability, but it’s still no slouch on firm snow as it has a nice energy about it, zipping through turns. Technique won’t be perfect yet and the Stance 80 will help them improve in a range of conditions and speeds, never over precise but with enough performance to encourage and reward good technique. To make the most of it, the skier needs the confidence or desire to tackle more than just groomed snow.
Shape80mm in the waist is a good size for a ski that will spend plenty of time on piste and still needs to work well in a lot of other conditions, narrow enough so it’s still relatively quick edge-to-edge and with the width to be stable on rougher conditions. The nose and tail both have a long transition to where the sidecut starts, meaning the ski has quite a short radius so that it feels quick to turn on piste. This shape works well with the rocker so that the turn initiation is predictable and safe on soft or variable snow, and the turn completion is smooth and easy to switch between carving or sliding.
RockerAll Terrain Rocker uses rocker at the tip with an early rise tail and camber underfoot. This ensures smooth handling in softer snow with good turn initiation and release, plus grip and control on firm conditions.
CoreThe poplar woodcore offers stability, liveliness and forgiveness while ensuring good ski-to-snow contact.
ConstructionMix of sidewall and cap. The sidewall underfoot ensures good grip and precision the cap at the tip and tail increases durability and aids with some forgiveness at the start and end of the turn.
Sizing DescriptionNose level to forehead height is ideal, but longer length is important if there is a bigger rocker or you're spending more time off piste where the extra stability and float a larger size provides will be beneficial.
- Bindings: M 10 GW
- Demo: Yes
- DIN: 3-10