ROSSIGNOL 19/20 UPDATE

Rossignol has exciting new piste skis for men and women for winter 19/20, to help you ‘find your flow’. Black Ops skis gives us a glimpse at the future of Rossignol’s freeride range. The Alltrack Pro freeride touring boots have also received development love and are great for those after a medium width freeride boot with a touring mode.

SKIS

React / Nova piste skis

Rossignol has new React (men) and Nova (women) skis in their piste skiing categories. These ranges replace the men’s Pursuit and women’s Famous piste skis.

Flex Tip Technology

The main new development from Rossignol in the React / Nova skis is Flex Tip technology. There are flex grooves towards the edge of the ski in the tip and tail, created from cuts in the core of the ski. The flex grooves make it easier to initiate and release the turn.

Line Control Technology

The top of the range React / Nova skis feature Line Control Technology (LCT), filtered down from their race skis.

LCT is a vertical band of one or more layers*, running down the centre of the ski. The layers used can depend on the ski model. LCT’s designed to enhance stability, power and energy; providing a more thrilling skiing experience.

The React R8 Ti, Nova 14 Ti and Nova 10 Ti all feature this central LCT strip. Other skis in these two ranges carry the LCT emblem but don’t have the ‘central sidewall’ (Rossignol’s term for LCT). They feature something Rossignol call LCT construction, but it’s not this central laminate. Ski brands have marketing terms for their cores, and LCT construction is a way of ensuring consistency in naming for Rossignol.

There are five models in the men’s range and six for women. Men can select from the React R8 Ti, React R8 HP, React R6 Compact, React R4 Sport and React R2. The top 3 skis are 74mm underfoot, 1mm narrower than the R4 and R2. Women have the choice of Nova 14 Ti at the top of the range, through Nova 10 Ti, Nova 8 Ca, Nova 6, Nova 4 Ca or the Nova 2. Like the men’s skis, the Nova 4 and 2 are 75mm underfoot, and all of the others are 74mm.

These widths sit nicely in the ‘buzz’ theme for this season of wider bodied piste skis.

All of these skis have wood cores and tip rocker. Grip Walk ready bindings will come as standard on all apart from the React / Nova 4 and 2 models.

TESTED: Rossignol React R8 HP men’s piste ski

I was fortunate enough to ski both the React R8 HP and R6 Compact. The Rossignol React R8 HP may not be their range-topping version but it’s still an absolute belter. At £515 including the NX Konnect 12 GW binding it’s great value.

I tested the 177cm R8 HP, which has a radius of 15m and is the longest length available. It’ll also be available in 156cm (12m radius), 163cm (13m) and 170cm (14m). Sidecut is 126 / 74 / 110mm. At 74mm underfoot it sits nicely alongside the other ‘wide body’ piste skis coming out for winter 19/20.

The React R8 HP features Rossignol’s carbon alloy matrix (CAM), which is a blend of carbon and basalt fibres. The carbon gives enhanced performance and grip, while the basalt provides vibration dampening. The wood core is Poplar, as in all of the React and Nova skis.

It’s so easy to initiate the turn on the R8 HP skis, as a result of the new Flex Tip tech and short tip rocker. Strong sidewall construction results in masses of grip through the arc of the turn. Then you get a load of rebound to help you transition to the next turn.

For advanced skiers who want to develop, this ski is one you really have to put on the short list. It’ll help you to feel what’s happening as you start the turn and as you move through the arc; important as you look to step up a performance level. This ski has guts too, meaning you’ll not out-ski it as you carve your way into the hallowed category of an expert skier.

Rossignol React R8 Ti men’s piste ski

If you do want all the bells and whistles then it will cost you £615 for the React R8 Ti. The R8 Ti has a narrower tip and tail, with a sidecut of 123 / 74 / 109mm. It has a Titanal reinforced wood core with a vertical central carbon LCT layer. Due to the shape and construction of the R8 Ti, it’ll better suit riders who want to ski at higher speeds and prefer a more rounded turn shape. The radius difference to the HP is only very minor though. The React R8 Ti will be available in 160cm (with a radius of 13m), 168cm (14m), 176cm (15m) and 182cm (16m).

TESTED: Rossignol React R6 Compact men’s piste ski

This was a bit of a ‘wowser’ ski, at the 2019 SIGB ski and snowboard test in Pila, Italy. £425 will get you a carbon and Poplar wood core ski with Xpress 11 GW binding. This is phenomenal value for something that skis this well.

I skied the R6 Compact in the 170cm length. Sidecut, turn radius and lengths are the same as the R8 HP, although there will be a shorter 149cm (11m) length for the R6.

You could happily step onto the Rossignol React R6 Compact as an intermediate skier without any worries. It is so easy to ski and really forgiving. Then, as your confidence and ability increases, you can turn up the dial and you never question the grip. The high speed performance is on a par with skis costing hundreds of pounds more. Performance, grip, drive and energy are excellent in the React R6; it was one of the most fun piste skis I tested, and I tested quite a few.

Nova women’s piste skis

The Nova women’s piste skis have a lot of the tech of the men’s skis, although the cores are thinner to better suit female physiology. Rossignol’s also worked on perfecting the flex characteristics of these skis. The result’s a flex that’s tailored to the level of skier that each model is aimed at, called Adaptive Flex.

The top performing Boost flex, for responsive energy return, means the ski will only bow down (sag) 20mm from neutral when a 40kg mass is put on the centre of the ski.

Boost flex is in the Nova 14 Ti and Nova 10 Ti .

These are stiffer skis designed for performance skiers, offering stability when skiing hard and fast. In short turns this performance flex can result in lots of energy for turn transition.

The mid-level Active flex, designed for all day control, will only sag 30mm. Active flex is for the Nova 8 Ca and Nova 6. This is a more forgiving flex, needing less energy to bend the ski, and will help lighter skiers or those developing their skiing.

The lower level Assist flex, providing easy handling, means the ski will sag 33mm. The Nova 4 Ca and Nova 2 feature Assist flex, to help lower lever skiers progress. It’s also good for skiers who want an easier ski and are not as focused on higher speed stability.

TESTED: Rossignol Nova 10 Ti women’s piste ski

The test model was 167cm long, with a radius of 14m. It will also be available in 160cm (13m) and 153cm (11m). Sidecut is 123 / 74 / 109. The skis recommended retail is £565.

The Rossignol Nova 10 Ti is a performance orientated women’s piste ski and is superb for advanced and expert skiers. It sits just one down from the range topping Nova 14 Ti, but the 10 Ti certainly performs.

The slight rise up-front combined with Flex Tip tech makes it predictable initiating the turn with great feeling for what’s happening.

The flex of the ski is really well judged and this, combined with the sidecut, makes it adaptable through different turn shapes. I found this ski responsive and full of energy for short and medium turns. For a ski with a radius of 14m they were a real surprise in longer turns too; the grip never left me nervous that the ski would wash out, and they are incredibly stable.

If you are a heavy or really powerful, technical skier then you can step to the 14, but for the majority of advance and expert female skiers I think the Nova 10 Ti is an excellent option that will leave you with a massive grin. If you are a higher level intermediate then also think about this ski, especially if you want something to develop on.

S-7 series freeride skis

The only changes for the S-7 series are graphic updates and the Seek 7 HD get’s dropped.

TESTED: Rossignol Seek 7 Tour

Lengths: 154, 162, 168, 176, 182cm
Sidecut: 122-86-108mm in all lengths
Radius: 20.0m in 176cm
Weight per ski: 1,250g in 176cm
Price: £445

The Seek 7 Tour is a cracking ski and I know a few people that like this as more of an everyday all-mountain choice, although this wouldn’t work for more powerful or heavier riders.

It is designed for ski touring, and at 86mm underfoot it offers a good compromise between floatation, stability, ease of use and low weight.

New graphic and skin notch

For this season, even though the construction’s not changed, the graphic has and they’ve added a speed skin notch in the tip of the ski. I think the new graphic is much better than the orange colour of last season.

Some will welcome the notch too, and it does make tour to ski transitions easier.

Construction

It has a blend of lightweight paulownia wood and a really light Divinycell synthetic composite for the core. The tip is further lightened with Rossignol’s Air Tip construction, with a honeycomb design in the shovel. Cap construction front and back, with sidewall underfoot.

There’s a decent amount of rocker in the front, and enough rise through the tail to easily release in challenging conditions.

How does it ski?

This ski is lovely and light. I know there are lighter skis out there but, for the price, the Seek 7 is a cracker. This low weight means it’s a breeze going uphill.

The on-piste ability of such a light ski is way better than you may think. I’ve tested this model for a few winters now and it keeps surprising me in that respect. When you’re using a lightweight touring boot, like the Atomic Backland Carbon, the Seek 7 can carve lines down a groomed run with ease.

In soft snow you can readily throw this ski around with your feet, which is common of such light skis. It is a lot of fun in most conditions.

When it’s refrozen boiler plate off-piste then there aren’t that many touring skis that are ideal.

It is such an easy ski to control through the shovel, thanks to that forgiving flex in the front. It’s stiffer through the tail, which is as it should be for a touring ski. Most of the time you’ll have a backpack on, with some weight in it, so you need that support through the back of the ski.

Conclusion

The Rossignol Seek 7 Tour is an ideal ski for someone getting into touring or those who’ve got a few tours under their belt.

It’s not the lightest, but skis better than many of the lighter weight alternatives, and I think the extra few grams are worth it for the skiing pleasure. The fact you can use this ski for getting around the groomed runs and for a bit of freeride fun, all for under £450, then it’s easy to love the Seek 7.

If you’re a really heavy or powerful skier then there are others that you should look at. If you only want to ski in a stiff 130 flex boot this is not the type of ski you should be looking at really.

They may be replacing the S-7 series. Really?

The S-7 series of freeride skis, such as the Soul 7, has won a gondola full of awards. The Soul 7 came out in winter 13/14, so is nearing the end of it’s production life-cycle, which is typically around 5-6 seasons. Before that was the S7 ski (115mm), which I was a big fan of so I was nervous when they replaced it. However, the Soul 7 was lighter, narrower (106mm) and better on firm snow but so easy to ski off piste; it was a great successor to the S7. Could there be something else in the pipeline? Read on.

Rossignol Black Ops

Rossignol Black Ops skis aren’t strictly new for winter 19/20. Black Ops is the name for Rossignol’s athlete-driven development programme for freeride skis. However, Rossignol is letting some of these products find their way into shops and, according to my friends at Rossignol, this could be the future construction of their freeride skis. It was therefore important to try some out.?

TESTED: Rossignol Black Ops 98 freeride ski

The Black Ops ski I tested was the Black Ops 98 (£595 without a binding), so it’s narrower again than the Soul 7. In recent season’s many of the freeride skis winning awards have come down to 100mm underfoot, and narrower.

The Black Ops 98 is a great freeride ski. It has a buttery flex through the tip and tail, giving the ski a lovely freeride feel. The (undisclosed) construction is stronger underfoot, which helps on firmer snow. The Black Ops 98 carves really well in moderate to long arcs on piste.

No more tip chatter

Rossignol has changed the construction in the tip of the Soul 7 ski in recent season to help counteract the tip chatter at speed, but you do still get chatter in the Soul 7, and other S-7 series skis. I didn’t get any tip chatter in the Black Ops ski, even at high speed on firm snow.

This is an excellent ski for stronger skiers who want a freeride ski to blast about, although this is not just one dimensional. The softer flex in the tip and tail makes this a really fun, playful ski too.

They also had a Black Ops 98 Women ski (£595) and Black Ops 118 (£595) out in Pila, but I didn’t get the time to jump onto those.

If the construction of the Black Ops 98 is a glimpse of what’s to come then the future could be pretty fun on Rossignol skis.

Experience all-mountain skis

The successful Experience range of all-mountain skis for men and women remains mostly untouched for winter 19/20. Any changes apply to men’s and women’s models.

The 80 – 94mm waist models will come with Grip Walk compatible bindings when bought as a system set up. The Experience 76 Ci and Experience 74 will have regular downhill bindings for ISO 5355 alpine boots. These two models, and the Experience 80 Ci, will also get a graphic update.

Hero skis

There are no changes for the Hero range of race skis for winter 19/20.

BINDINGS

Look Grip Walk bindings

For winter 19/20, Look (Rossignol) has improved their Grip Walk compatible bindings. You no longer need to turn the head of a bolt to adjust from alpine (ISO 5355) to Grip Walk soles – you can just step in as they’ve changed the shape of the AFD (anti friction device; the sliding plate under the toe of the boot that allows the boot to smoothly release sideways). You need to make sure the binding’s set for the sole length of that boot and to check the forward pressure indicator, as with all bindings.

All of Rossignol’s non-race adult ski boots for winter 19/20 can be mounted with Rossignol’s Grip Walk soles.

BOOTS

Rossignol Alltrack freeride ski boots

The Rossignol Alltrack Pro and standard Alltrack men’s and women’s boot ranges get updated for winter 19/20.

Construction

Both the 102mm Alltrack and 100mm Alltrack Pro boots will use Dual Core technology, which was in the 18/19 season Rossignol Alltrack LT’s (Elite and Pro) and had, in-turn, filtered down from the Hero race boots.

Dual Core is where two different materials are injected into the mould to make the boot. A harder material is injected first around the base and sides of the clog. A softer material is then injected for the other 80% of the clog. This means the boots are stiff where they need to be, yet supple in other areas to make them easier to put on and to help Rossignol tailor the flex.

The new Alltrack and Alltrack Pro’s also use Rossignol’s Generative Design Grid (3D honeycomb grid stucture of the shell) for lightness and power, rather than the Sensor Grid they had before. With this grid design, dual core, and improvements to the liner the boots are a lot lighter. The Alltrack Pro 120 for winter 19/20 is 1,860g compared to 2,200g per boot for the 18/19 model. The standard Alltrack 120 was 2,230g and is now 1,830g.

Other improvements filter down from the Alltrack LT boots. The pivot of the cuff has been moved down by 6mm and they’ve changed the design inside the clog at the back to aid cuff rotation when touring. The boots will use the Hike Mode 2 ski / walk switch and the liner is nicely hinged at the rear. These upgrades mean that the cuff rotation in tour mode increases by 15° to 50°, matching the Alltrack LT boots.

Boot width

The Alltrack boot range comes in 3 lasts (width across forefoot):

• Alltrack Elite LT is 98mm and comes in 130 flex only for men
• Alltack Pro is 100mm last. Available in LT (110 and 120 flex) or standard Pro construction (100, 120 and 130 flex), with LT being lighter and more expensive. For example, the Alltrack Pro 120 LT weighs 1,630g and will retail for £525, compared to 1,860g and £365 for the 19/20 season Alltrack Pro 120
• Alltrack is 102mm and cheaper again but similar in weight to the Alltrack Pro. Alltrack willl be available in 90, 110 and 120 flex.

TESTED: Rossignol Alltrack Pro 130 GW

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This is a totally new boot from Rossignol for winter 19/20. It has all of the benefits of the new Alltrack Pro construction but will also come with Grip Walk soles and Dynafit certified pin inserts as standard. It’s a 100mm last boot and weighs 1,830g in 26.5MP.

I’ve skied in the old Alltrack Pro 130 since 2015 and although I really like the boot it is quite heavy and the walk mode does not add much to the boot. These issues have been addressed with the new construction.

Reduced weight

It is a great thing that boots are getting lighter as it means skiing is less tiring and you can be a lot more nimble on your feet. This lighter weight construction, combined with increased mobility in the cuff in hike mode, makes hiking and skinning far easier.

To put the weight saving into perspective, the old Alltrack Pro 130 weighed 2,320g per boot, which is 490g heavier than the new Alltrack Pro 130 GW. This is equivalent to a weight saving of well over 5kg from your backpack^[1]. This is great considering it has a rubber Grip Walk sole, which can actually be heavier. The Grip Walk sole does help walking around the resort and when hiking for fresh lines.

Rossignol has even put a little loop at the back of the boot for hanging the shells up in mountain huts when touring.

Fit

These are a true medium fitting boot. Some 100mm last boots can feel too wide for me, but the width across the forefoot in the Alltrack Pro 130 GW is not too wide, which I like. There’s still plenty of room over the instep, if you suffer from pressure on the top of your foot. A roomy toe box helps to keep your tootsies warm, and is great if you do skin as your feet can swell.

Women’s Alltrack ski boot ranges

The women’s range is slightly different to the men’s, as there won’t be Alltrack Pro LT boots for women.

For winter 19/20, there’ll be Alltrack Elite 100 LT Women, Alltrack Elite 120 Women and Alltrack Elite 90 Women; all 98mm last. The 100 and 120 flex women’s Alltrack Elite boots have pin inserts, but the 90 flex doesn’t.

The women’s Alltrack Pro boots (100mm) will be available in 80, 100 and 110 flexes. Alltrack Women’s boots (102mm) will only come in flexes of 70 and 80.

With regards popularity, the Alltrack Pro 100 in black (also available in red) is Rossignol’s biggest seller for men, and the Alltrack Pro 80 Women is their biggest selling women’s boots.

*LCT can be one or more layers of:

• Metal, typically Titanal or Zicral
• Carbon
• SEBS; styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, which is a type of thermoplastic elastomer also used in some other areas of skiing, such as Lange ski boots
• ABS; acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, also used in the sidewall of many skis. The kids favourite Lego is made of ABS