Salomon introduced men’s S/Force skis last season, and now they’ve got a women’s S/Force range too; Salomon S/Force Fever and S/Force W. SkiKitInfo.com has the full range run-through, to help you choose.
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WOMEN’S S/FORCE SKIS
These are essentially Salomon’s take on the wider piste ski theme that’s happening at the moment. This is not such a new thing, with 75mm (and wider) piste skis existing for many years, but there is a focus on this from some key brands currently, one of which is Salomon.
There are three models in the S/Force range for women. The range topping S/Force Fever is 80mm underfoot, while the S/Force W 7 and S/Force W 5 are both 76mm in the waist.
Salomon S/Force Fever
Lengths: 142, 149, 156, 163, 170cm
Sidecut: 126-80-109mm in 156cm
Radius: 13.0m in 156cm
Weight per ski: 1,925g in 156cm
Price: £530 / €550 / $725*
The S/Force Fever is the ladies version of the S/Force 9. It comes with the new M11 GW binding, covering DIN 3.5 – 11 and it works with both standard flat soled ISO 5355 downhill boots and curved sole Grip Walk boots.
Construction
It has a poplar woodcore, with a layer of Titanal metal above the core. The Crossover tip further aids dampening through the front of the ski. All women’s S/Force skis have a tip rocker, running for 15% of the length of the ski. This aids turn initiation and floatation on softer snow.
Enhanced grip
Edge grip is boosted by use of the Edge Amplifier GS under the binding, increasing power through the edge of the ski. Salomon claims it increases grip by 30%, and in our testing we really can feel the benefit of this technology.
New Edge Amplifier
The Edge Amplifier has been tweaked for Salomon skis this season and comes in two versions; Edge Amplifier GS and Edge Amplifier SL.
The GS looks just like last season’s Edge Amplifier and runs for the full length under the binding area, as shown in this video.
The Edge Amplifier SL is designed to allow more flex in the centre of the ski. To achieve this, Salomon’s reduced a section of Edge Amplifier structure in the centre of the ski, shown in this image of the Salomon S/Max W Blast for 2021.
Salomon S/Force W 7
Lengths: 140, 150, 160, 167cm
Sidecut: 123-76-107mm in 150cm
Radius: 11.0m in 150cm
Weight per ski: 1,720g in 150cm
Price: £400 / €450 / $499.99*
Sitting in the middle of the range is the S/Force W 7, which is the same as the men’s S/Force 7 although with a different binding track and the M10 GW binding, rather than the M11 GW of the men’s. The men’s isn’t available in the 140cm length, but you can get it in a longer 175cm version, unlike the women’s.
A poplar woodcore offers a good blend of low weight, performance and easy handling. You don’t get Edge Amplifier on the 7, but there’s a good level of grip and performance, plenty for aspiring intermediates.
Salomon S/Force W 5
Lengths: 140, 150, 160, 167cm
Sidecut: 123-76-107mm in 150cm
Radius: 11.0m in 150cm
Weight per ski: 1,720gg in 150cm
Price: £320 / €350 / $399.99*
The S/Force W 5 has the same sizes and specs as the 7, but has a composite core instead of wood. It even has the same quoted weight.
Being a synthetic core, rather than wood, it is even easier to handle and easier on the pocket.
Overall
The new S/Force W skis are a timely addition to Salomon’s range, following the departure of the Aira 80 and 76 from their line. They offer decent piste performance with a broader spectrum of use than an out-and-out piste performance ski.
If cutting clean ruts on beautifully groomed slopes is your definition of fun, then check out the S/Max women’s line of piste skis.
Want something even better suited to soft snow? Take a look at the new Stance all-mountain skis from Salomon.
Gimme More
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Want to find out more about the Stance range, or anything else from Salomon, you can visit their site at Salomon.com
Quoted Prices
*Prices quoted here can be a mixture of recommended retail price from the brand and prices that you can currently get the skis for from retailers in that territory. The prices may therefore be less or more than you can find in-store / online and are only intended to give you a guide as to what you may expect to pay for the skis.
N/A means a price, or the product, was not available to us in that territory at the time of writing this article.
Always ensure you do adequate research when buying ski equipment to ensure you’re getting the best service and advice from the retailer, combined with a price that works for your budget. Don’t always assume that cheaper means better value.
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