Review: 2012 Rossignol Experience 88

hmmm,

and 88mm waisted ski that isn't good off-piste??  what would people use this ski for? Without any metal layers how well will it handle really firm (on or off piste) conditions?  

This is a ski I'm really interested in, but you review is making me shy away-I mean-if it's just a wide carver-does it stack up with narrower stiffer boards like the Fischer Motive 84 or the Fire Arrow?  Does it give too much back to compete with the 50/50 skis like the Sultan 94 or Sultan 85 and Elan Apex? Where do you want to use this ski if not in soft off-piste snow?  (I was hoping it would be a solid soft snow east coast tree ski for folks who like to carve off-piste).

I am also interested in the shorter Experience 98-that might be more of what I'm looking for.

Not my "Experience" at all.  The E88 that I skiied in Utah a few weeks ago was great in 6-8" of crud snow.  I could go from groomed to crud without changing a thing, just seamless.  I also skiied it at high speed, GS type turns, it was rock solid, no problems.  Even with it's reported tight radius (16m) I didn't feel like it was too "turny" or "hooky" at all - my thought is, that the rockered tip minimizes any issues with that.   I liked the Experience 88.  better than other new, 88mm-90mm waist skis that are being hyped in this forum much more.

My take is, that it is early enough in the "rocker" game, that some of these new "rockered" designs work for a particular skier, but not everyone.  It is a matter of taste and skier style.   Again, DEMO, DEMO, DEMO. 

If Phil is to believed, which I think is the case, it would appear that Rossi decided to take a winning ski (the S86/S86w) and ruin it just for the sake of change. The S86 is said to be the next best thing since sliced bread according to various ski mags and Sierra Jim. So Rossi decides to "improve it" and now we have the E88.

Mrs5150 loves her S86w skis. I am so glad she bought her new skis last December.

Hi...

I"m Bob..and very interested in the Experience 88...did you happen to ski this ski in the moguls...? that's all I really ski...if so, can you please tell me how they performed..

Thanks so much

Bob

email: breckrms@hotmail.com

hi.

Your review of the Experience 88 was great...I'm very much interested in this ski next season...I ski primarily off piste and mostly bumps...but still want an all mountain ski for crud and powder..

Did you ski this ski in the bumps? if so, how did they perform? please advise

Thanks

Bop

email: breckrms@hotmail.com

Hey Phil. I'm wondering if you've gotten the chance to demo the Volkl RTM 84's also. If so how do they compare to the E88's?

Thanks.

Phil this template has been up long enough that I'd think you'd finally realize that the word is Summary, not Summery.

Thanks Phil. Correct me if I'm wrong though but the RTM's increase in perform off-piste is likely due to the ski is fully rockered, using Volkl's ELP technology? Between the two ski's which do you think would be better suited to a 50/50, 60 on/40 off, type skier?

Thanks :)

The question I was asking related more to the ski's, I just wanted to know which category each of the ski's would fall in, since you've been on both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

Well, it depends more on the skier and what attributes that skier is looking for. Either ski could be better. 

Okay well in that case. I'm looking for a ski that's a good all-mountain ski. Good the moguls and tree's and some soft snow, but also quick and agile on the groomers and able to hold an edge. I'm an aggressive, advanced skier looking for a quick all mountain ski that is also versatile.

I'm pretty small and light but I'm very aggressive for my size, 5'4", 110#. Ski in the West Fernie, Sunshine, Lake Louise, Castle. Tree's are similar to Steamboat, and tighter.

Okay. Thank you sir.

Has anyone tried the Experience 83?  

Skied the 83 it at Whistler as my mate bought a pair there. Also skied the Rossi Avenger TI and Atomic Blackeye TI and this ski fitted right in the middle of those two.

Felt like it had more front side edging performance than the Atomic but was less happy to be pivoted rather than steered with edges, The Atomic you could be lazy on and it would still work. Still, it was less demanding than the Avengers as far as needing to keep forward and always have the edges engaged. The tips are definately softer then the Avenger's so is a more forgiving ski overall. I didn't ski bad crud but they tracked okay in knee deep stuff, 130mm fronts so float was okay.

Turn shape is good for a ski this wide, probably one of the more revolutionery sidecuts out at the moment as far as radius vs width is concerned. Is Rossi trying to make up some ground for the wider waists slowing edge to edge transitions down maybe which is a good concept I reckon for a ski that has a decent % weighted towards groomed runs.

One really interesting thing we noticed though, I ski a Head Titan in 163 and the Rossi 83s were 168's. The ski distance from ski tip to the toe of your boot in the binding on both skis was exactly the same so the extra 5 cms length is all in the tail of the Rossignol. Combined with the 120 tails I noticed I was skiing with a wider stance to compensate when not edging.

I used these skis a few of weeks ago at Perisher in Australia. If anyone here has skied Austalia before you will know that are conditions can go from nice groomers to boiler plate ice and  powder to crud in a few hours. I am told its similar to the East Coast of the US. The day I went out started with perfectly groomed hard packed snow to soft to elephant snot all in 5 hours. Perfect conditions for trying these skis. I loved them. They ate up everything I threw at them. Tree runs, groomers, black runs, off piste cleared areas, drops offs or just cruising. The turning radius is great and they still go plenty quick enough for me. I don't plan to trial for the Olympics or World Cup anytime soon. I have already ordered a pair and will be collecting them from a mate when I get to Vail next year. I know personally 5 International ski instructors who work the US and Canada who have also trialled these skis and have ordered them immediately. I am yet to find a decent skier who hasn't loved them. I know skis are an individual thing but Rossignol have got it right this time - in my opinion anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bushpig 

I used these skis a few of weeks ago at Perisher in Australia. If anyone here has skied Austalia before you will know that are conditions can go from nice groomers to boiler plate ice and  powder to crud in a few hours. I am told its similar to the East Coast of the US. The day I went out started with perfectly groomed hard packed snow to soft to elephant snot all in 5 hours. Perfect conditions for trying these skis. I loved them. They ate up everything I threw at them. Tree runs, groomers, black runs, off piste cleared areas, drops offs or just cruising. The turning radius is great and they still go plenty quick enough for me. I don't plan to trial for the Olympics or World Cup anytime soon. I have already ordered a pair and will be collecting them from a mate when I get to Vail next year. I know personally 5 International ski instructors who work the US and Canada who have also trialled these skis and have ordered them immediately. I am yet to find a decent skier who hasn't loved them. I know skis are an individual thing but Rossignol have got it right this time - in my opinion anyway.

Would you mind sharing your height and weight?  I'm 6'2" and 195 pounds, and wonder if the E88 isn't too soft of a ski for my size.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philpug 

 

Title:  So uhhh, Are you Experienced?

 

 

Length/size Tested: 178

 

Environment of Conditions:

*Location of review: Sugar Bowl

*Runs Taken: 6

*Snow Conditions: Manky/mixed conditions 

*Demo or Purchase: Demo

 

Summary (inc. Strengths & Weaknesses):

 

Strengths: Rossignol is back, sure they never really went away but starting about 2 yours ago, Rossi got serious about making skis that ski very well in all categories just look at the magazine tests last year. With Tim Petrick, one of the smartest minds in the industry at the helm, I am expecting nothing from great things in their future. 

With the early rise and exaggerated sidecut 16M (135mm tip ) in a 178cm length, The Experience 88 is one of the shortest turning 88mm skis for next year. At slow to medium speeds, this ski wants to just turn, turn, turn. While this might not be an attribute everyone will want in a ski of this width, but with limited options in narrower skis, this is the carver in the 88 class

 

 

Weaknesses: Sometimes a skis strengths are it's weaknesses, if you are a speed hound, this is NOT the ski for you (but definitely the Experience 98 , more on that ski in it's own review). The one area I found a limitation was off piste, while the ski does have early rise in the tip (and tail), I found the snub nose would plow snow and not rise on top. In the heavy snow I was in..I found I almost went over the handlebars because the skis would just stall. Will the person buying the Experience be taking the ski in these conditions, probably not, but it was a limitation. 

 

Other skis considered in class: Kastle BMX88, Blizzard Bushwacker, Blizzard Mag 8.7, Fischer Watea 88

 

 

 

 

Tester Info:

Age: 47

Height/Weight: 5/10" 188

Average days on snow: 0-10, 11-25, 30+  (pick one)

Years Skiing: 0-5, 6-15, 15+  (pick one)

hi, i've heard that the Rossi 98 is a little bit "slow" on quick turns and are to carve in hard pack... What's your opinion?

Thanks

Any more reviews of the 83's vs. the 88's? 

E88 - Demoed a pair then bought, skied the last half of the antipodean season on them.

I race Masters and have a full quiver of race skiis but look for a great all round ski that is not quite as hard work for recreational skiing.

Our conditions vary often in the same day from frozen crud to spring corn,then slush. Terrain is cruisers and steeps, some bumps. 

Size 176, tuned the ski to 1and 3, sharp and polished tip to tail.

The ski is moderately stiff, more so in the tip than tail. 

Cruising, carves easily and predictably.It is not difficult to change the turn radius by changing edge angle and pressure. Grip is great so you can carve superb arcs at high inclnation angles. When on edge with the early rise engaged high speeds are no problem.

Straight lining, the short snow contact length means the ski feels squirly at speed. 

Bumps and crud were easily skied.

Steep hard groomers (wiinch cat groomed, refrozen), to ski at sociable speeds slalom turns are needed and here I had a problem. I call it the judder bars. At the finish of the turn the skis will not hold the pressure and skips downhill in a series of judders. This is not the tip or tail releasing but tthe whole edge. The problem could be my agressive tune or that the ski is a bit soft, or my technique. 

Any way I did not buy it to be a race ski  and it does every thing else I wanted. Not convinced about the early rise, and think it would be even better with normal camber.        

I've pretty much decided on the Experience 88 after demoing the 177 last season.  I'm an eastern instructor, 6', 210 lbs.  Normally I'd go for the 186 but the 177 has a pronounced tighter turn radius which is helpful in moderate speed instruction.  Am I sacrificing too much all mountain performance and stability dropping down to the shorter length?

He Phil

I've have just bought the Rossignol Experience 88 for tight trees on the backide and some frontside skiing. I also like mougles sometimes. I'm an aggressive heavy skier (185cm tall, 80 kg ). I also have the Rossignol SUper S 7. But I wanted something, when there is not enough snow to use the super Seven. ope my decision was the riht choice!