The conundrum: you want a ski that will skate like a pair of CCM Tacks on man-made ice, yet not feel stiff and jarring in the moguls. A ski that moves slick and smooth through the bumps and tight trees, yet has that rock-bomber solid GS feel on fresh corduroy.
Well, Free Carve skis are for you. That's free as in "free to roam all over the mountain," and carve as in "rail them over and let the centrifugal force be with you." Some folks call Free Carve skis the "Eastern" category (as opposed to the Free Ride "Western" category), but that's a bit misleading--the best skis in this category can handle anything.
Test lengths in the Free Carve category have come down in size over the past two seasons. There were lots of skis in the 180 and even 170 range for both men and women to evaluate. New this year, both male and female testers had their choice of lengths to better solve the plethora of "felt too short (or long) for me" comments found in past years. Just another way that Ski Canada keeps this North America's top ski test!
The run
Cruiser is well named. It starts off as a mellow, easy-cruise pitch for about half its length and then tilts (wham!) into a nice, steep consistent run. The top part is great for getting the feel of the skis in short- and medium-radius turns, and you can really step on the gas for the last part of the run. Sun Peaks' Sunburst Express quad chair services an assortment of wide-open cruising runs that feature challenging (though seldom intimidating) steepness.
The conditions
There was soft-packed machine-groomed snow
with three cm of fresh snow. Due to the number
of skis tested, the fresh snow and groomed base became quite choppy and cut-up near the end. An intermediate run? Not by the time our testers had finished their workout with all the skis tested here. Everyone's quads were burning by the time the day was done.
Test criteria
Acceleration: once the turn is initiated, how
quickly it is completed.
Carving: similar to edge hold, how well the ski holds on an arced turn without chattering or letting go.
Course: how the ski performed in the gates.
(Race skis only: quickness in slalom; carving and edge hold for GS.)
Initiation: how easily the ski enters a turn when
tip pressure is applied.
Long radius: how the ski holds its arc or line at speed in long, sweeping carved turns.
Quickness: how well the ski reacts to
directional changes.
Short radius: when pressure and steering are applied, how well and how quickly the ski completes a turn.
Stability: as speed builds in a turn, how the ski feels (as in shaky or loose vs. quiet or firm) underfoot as well as in the tip.
Versatility: how well the ski does in both
short- and long-radius turns at different speeds and different snow conditions.
