100% agree on the comment around minute 13 on 84-86mm wide skis are just the best to carve groomers. I ski less and less my slalom race ski after injured myself 2 times carving hard and hitting a soft patch where the narrow ski just sunk and jammed me bad. Now my 84 is my go to ski. Enjoyed this discussion. Skis are getting so good these days and that is awesome for skiers.
I though that was an interesting comment! I started skiing again after a long time off and tried a few skis last seasons. I commonly read narrow skis are the best for carving, but I did not enjoy slalom skis that much compared to my experience skis.
i got the 86Ti at a ski swap sale in november, thought they would be my early season + la Nina winter skis ;)..... still i ended up skiing a lot on them they love carving through that wind swept snow (ungroomed firm and grippy ) we get here in california. they can go from a larger-medium carve to a short turn like no other ski and switching turnshapes is my favorite thing to do on the 86 Ti. IMHO large high speed carves are their weakness although the ski is very stable they feel a little twitchy (they want to turn ). so yeah definitely compares to the Kendo, Brahma etc
This year . Compared to the 82ti from last year. & Mid west, Ohio / Indiana skiing. Could he crud, could be ice, could be slush pit, could be bare grass. ! I was HOPING to get the 82ti last year on discount , but missed my opportunity. Ya'l directed me to the 82ti & I loved the demo.
I bought a pair of used demo 2022 model and absolute love them as a front side ski. They hold an edge on the hard pack and ICE very well! They turn so easy and are smote and stable at speed. Jeff and Bob I really like your reviews. Do you do boot reviews? JD
We do a few long-form boot reviews each year--they're not as readily available as skis, nor are they as universal--boots are far more personal in terms of fit, flex, and performance. Here's some we did this year: studio.ua-cam.com/users/videopvtsyR5_KKE/edit studio.ua-cam.com/users/videolWTIChHQqV4/edit studio.ua-cam.com/users/video6C0ZJztVUOU/edit
Just learned to ski last season and fell in love! Got 82 Basalts on sale and can’t wait to crush these Michigan groomers. What’s it like going from rentals to your first ski?
Hi. Your show is awesome. I'm an intermediate skier weighing in at 210 at 6'0. I ski on Canada's East Coast on groomed terrain, which is often quite choppy, and I like to carve. I'm thinking of buying the Nordica Enforcer 94 from Ski Essentials, but I'm wondering if these Rossignals might be better.
More time on groomers, the more you should lean to the Experience. Nothing wrong with how Enforcer handles our hard pack here in Vermont, but the Experience is quite a bit better suited to truly hard snow and ice.
Funny how you mentioned the graphic - I think this newer version is lightning-strikingly more vibrant and attractive than the previous :) Looks like Rossignol mimicked the Maverick 88s whose design I also like. I was actually deciding between this ski and the Volkl Kendo 88 and spoke to you all over the phone about it. Purchased the Kendos from you as I wanted the speed, stability, hardpack performance for East, and overall all-mountain capability. Had demoed the Maverick 88TIs and loved them except their lightness sacrificed stability. Anyway, looking forward to using the Kendos. Plan is to head to Stowe earlier in the season - any predictions for when snow conditions will get good this year? Thanks again
Ha! We were literally just talking about how awful the skiing was here in early January last year. While you can luck out with a good late November/December from time to time, it usually doesn't really get good until mid January to be on the safer side.
I'd likely stick with the system on the 82 for leverage purposes. I'm likely not using an 82 for all-mountain/versatile skiing--I'm keeping it mainly on-trail.
Looking for a great groomer ski that can still rip the bumps. I'm an expert skier 6' 185lbs and wondering if this is a better option over the declivity 82ti, Divus, m-pro 85, kanjo. experience 82ti or maybe the stance 84. I like to go fast but also carve the mid turn radius. On most not fresh snow days (most days) I spend about half my time in the bumps and the other half on the groomers. Leaning towards the declivity 82 but wanted your feedback. Looking for lengths around the 180-182. I have been skiing on the line prophet 90 as my only ski and looking to get a QST 98 and one of these skis.
You're in the right zone for sure. The Divus is a bit more forgiving and maneuverable than the Declivity, putting it more on the friendly side of the spectrum. The Experience 86 Ti is a lot of ski--heavy with a bunch of camber--this makes it great on-trail but kind of a handful in the bumps and softer snow. I don't think you'll get the high speed performance you want from the Stance or Kanjo, but I'd definitely put the M-Pro 85 right up there with the best/most versatile skis for your needs and wants in this realm. The Dynastar is underlooked for sure and worth a longer visit. ua-cam.com/video/ObYha8SGWaA/v-deo.html
last year I skied with a pair of Rossignol Zenith 82TI Basalt from 2012 who were still in their plastic blister, never used. They replaced an even older 2002 salomon crossmax 10 pilot with a 69mm waist. Passing from a 69mm to 82mm was day and night in term of stability and ease of gliss on degraded heavy soupy snow. does a waist of 86mm like this one would be a good step or should i stay on my 82TI ?
If you liked the 82 waist, I would venture a guess that you'd like the 86 even more. You don't lose much edge to edge quickness, and you gain a little extra soft snow and choppy conditions performance.
The Experience is more stable and stout as well as having more off-piste agility. The Dynastar is great at making shorter to medium radius turns while the Rossignol is more well-rounded and high-performance.
Hey guys, love your reviews. I skied last season on the Rossigniol Exp.88Ti which I really loved (180s - I'm 195lb / 6ft2) I believe those aren't made any more - how do these stack up to the old 88s? Comparable? I'm not tied to Rossigniol however - any recommendations for similar all mountain skis (biased to frontside/groomers/carving) that I should also consider?
The new one is considerably more high-horsepower than the older 88. It's a far superior ski when it comes to stability, carving power, and overall quality/precision. That said, it's a bit less versatile. If you're looking to stay in the versatile 88 group, I'd take a look at Elan Ripstick 88 or K2 Mindbender 89Ti.
@@SkiEssentials - hey guys - quick follow up - thinking of pulling the trigger on these and just wondered if you could give me your thought on bindings given your comments about the Look pivots at the end of the review. What would be a good mating for these do you think?
@@piershammond If the Pivot is off the table due to brake width incompatibility, then I like to look to the Salomon STH 13 or the Marker Griffon--both of these are great bindings and come with a 90 mm brake that tucks in really nicely with this ski's waist width.
Hello. For a strong Intermediate low advanced which you prefer. Kendo 88, Maverick 86ti or Experience 86ti. Prefer groomers only but prefer mid to high 80's for slush afternoons in Australian snow conditions. Thank you
I prefer the Experience for groomers. There's the appropriate mix of rocker in the tips and tails to go along with a sturdy build and two sheets of metal.
I'm thinking about buying the Experience 86 TI or the Fischer RC One 86 GT. Both Models from 2022/2023 for 499 €. I'm 194, advanced skiier but quite light for my heigt (85kg). I ski most on piste, but here in Europe you can never be sure wether you have firm snow or wet warm one. Therefore allmountain is my choice. I ski quite fast with a little longer carving turns, but like to switch easily into shorter non carving turns. What would you recommend?
I personally prefer the versatility of the Experience. The Fischer is great, but I've found it to be difficult to change turn shape and style as it's very much planted on the snow in its mid-radius carve.
The Rossignol is a significantly more poised on-piste ski than the Enforcer. You do give up some versatility, since the Rossignol is more cambered, but rock-solid performance overall. If you want to take the Experience off-piste, just be prepared to put in a bit of extra work--it's not impossible!
The Brahma feels more heavy duty than the Rossignol with considerably more confidence at speed and in varying conditions. The Experience needs to be driven a bit differently than the Brahma in that the skier needs to steer it more directly. Brahma, you just stand on it with all of your power and it basically deposits you at the bottom of the hill.
If you're going for more of an on-trail and carving performance, I'd say the Konnect system binding is a good option. To boost the versatility of the ski in an all-mountain format, the Marker Griffon or Salomon STH in the 90 mm brake are both fantastic choices, and some good color options here as well.
Trying to decide between this or the enforcer 88. I’ve got a Dynastar m-free 108 as well. Let me know what you guys think and which one you’d pick to pair with my dynastars.
The Rossignol is slightly less versatile while the Enforcer isn't quite as good of a carver. I think the Rossignol will offer more of a difference from your M-Free in terms of being more of a front side ski while the Enforcer still has some of the off-piste and freeride notes to it. If you're looking for more of the same, just carvier, go Enforcer.
My favorite ski ever in 55 years of skiing, the most confidence I have ever felt on a ski in firm conditions!
100% agree on the comment around minute 13 on 84-86mm wide skis are just the best to carve groomers. I ski less and less my slalom race ski after injured myself 2 times carving hard and hitting a soft patch where the narrow ski just sunk and jammed me bad. Now my 84 is my go to ski. Enjoyed this discussion. Skis are getting so good these days and that is awesome for skiers.
I though that was an interesting comment! I started skiing again after a long time off and tried a few skis last seasons. I commonly read narrow skis are the best for carving, but I did not enjoy slalom skis that much compared to my experience skis.
@@mathieug6136 i ski volkl Deacon 84 and they are my favorite ski. I am sure those Rossignol are also great.
As long as you're not racing, I think having some extra width is a good thing, especially how skis are shaped and built these days.
5’9”and change and have the 185cm version of these. Absolutely love them - they’re incredibly forgiving and drive hard.
Remind me of the old bandit model
Pivot 85!!! I've been waiting for these for years!
I know, right? There's so many skis out there that I'd put them on!
If I were the product manager the new brake width would have been 85 rather than 105. The former makes so much sense. The latter? Not so much at all.
i got the 86Ti at a ski swap sale in november, thought they would be my early season + la Nina winter skis ;)..... still i ended up skiing a lot on them they love carving through that wind swept snow (ungroomed firm and grippy ) we get here in california. they can go from a larger-medium carve to a short turn like no other ski and switching turnshapes is my favorite thing to do on the 86 Ti. IMHO large high speed carves are their weakness although the ski is very stable they feel a little twitchy (they want to turn ). so yeah definitely compares to the Kendo, Brahma etc
This year . Compared to the 82ti from last year. & Mid west, Ohio / Indiana skiing. Could he crud, could be ice, could be slush pit, could be bare grass. ! I was HOPING to get the 82ti last year on discount , but missed my opportunity. Ya'l directed me to the 82ti & I loved the demo.
I bought a pair of used demo 2022 model and absolute love them as a front side ski. They hold an edge on the hard pack and ICE very well! They turn so easy and are smote and stable at speed.
Jeff and Bob I really like your reviews. Do you do boot reviews? JD
We do a few long-form boot reviews each year--they're not as readily available as skis, nor are they as universal--boots are far more personal in terms of fit, flex, and performance. Here's some we did this year:
studio.ua-cam.com/users/videopvtsyR5_KKE/edit
studio.ua-cam.com/users/videolWTIChHQqV4/edit
studio.ua-cam.com/users/video6C0ZJztVUOU/edit
Your reviews are great
Thanks! They're fun to do!
Just learned to ski last season and fell in love! Got 82 Basalts on sale and can’t wait to crush these Michigan groomers. What’s it like going from rentals to your first ski?
You'll discover that you have edges! When you tip the ski, it'll turn with confidence and poise. You're going to have a blast.
Hi. Your show is awesome. I'm an intermediate skier weighing in at 210 at 6'0. I ski on Canada's East Coast on groomed terrain, which is often quite choppy, and I like to carve. I'm thinking of buying the Nordica Enforcer 94 from Ski Essentials, but I'm wondering if these Rossignals might be better.
More time on groomers, the more you should lean to the Experience. Nothing wrong with how Enforcer handles our hard pack here in Vermont, but the Experience is quite a bit better suited to truly hard snow and ice.
@@SkiEssentials That's great to know. Thank you very much for the reply.
The current Experience is cool. But the old Experience 84 and 88 HD (Season 2015/2016?) was one of the best All Mountain/ Piste Ski ever.
Funny how you mentioned the graphic - I think this newer version is lightning-strikingly more vibrant and attractive than the previous :) Looks like Rossignol mimicked the Maverick 88s whose design I also like. I was actually deciding between this ski and the Volkl Kendo 88 and spoke to you all over the phone about it. Purchased the Kendos from you as I wanted the speed, stability, hardpack performance for East, and overall all-mountain capability. Had demoed the Maverick 88TIs and loved them except their lightness sacrificed stability. Anyway, looking forward to using the Kendos. Plan is to head to Stowe earlier in the season - any predictions for when snow conditions will get good this year? Thanks again
Ha! We were literally just talking about how awful the skiing was here in early January last year. While you can luck out with a good late November/December from time to time, it usually doesn't really get good until mid January to be on the safer side.
Would you also mount a open binding on the Experience 82 ti? Don’t you have more carve angle due to being higher on the ski with a system binding?
I'd likely stick with the system on the 82 for leverage purposes. I'm likely not using an 82 for all-mountain/versatile skiing--I'm keeping it mainly on-trail.
Looking for a great groomer ski that can still rip the bumps. I'm an expert skier 6' 185lbs and wondering if this is a better option over the declivity 82ti, Divus, m-pro 85, kanjo. experience 82ti or maybe the stance 84. I like to go fast but also carve the mid turn radius. On most not fresh snow days (most days) I spend about half my time in the bumps and the other half on the groomers. Leaning towards the declivity 82 but wanted your feedback. Looking for lengths around the 180-182. I have been skiing on the line prophet 90 as my only ski and looking to get a QST 98 and one of these skis.
You're in the right zone for sure. The Divus is a bit more forgiving and maneuverable than the Declivity, putting it more on the friendly side of the spectrum. The Experience 86 Ti is a lot of ski--heavy with a bunch of camber--this makes it great on-trail but kind of a handful in the bumps and softer snow. I don't think you'll get the high speed performance you want from the Stance or Kanjo, but I'd definitely put the M-Pro 85 right up there with the best/most versatile skis for your needs and wants in this realm. The Dynastar is underlooked for sure and worth a longer visit.
ua-cam.com/video/ObYha8SGWaA/v-deo.html
@@SkiEssentials How would the M-Cross 82 compare to the Divus, M-Pro 85 or Declivity 82TI on the groomers?
last year I skied with a pair of Rossignol Zenith 82TI Basalt from 2012 who were still in their plastic blister, never used. They replaced an even older 2002 salomon crossmax 10 pilot with a 69mm waist. Passing from a 69mm to 82mm was day and night in term of stability and ease of gliss on degraded heavy soupy snow.
does a waist of 86mm like this one would be a good step or should i stay on my 82TI ?
If you liked the 82 waist, I would venture a guess that you'd like the 86 even more. You don't lose much edge to edge quickness, and you gain a little extra soft snow and choppy conditions performance.
Thanks for the review! How would you compare this one with Dynastar 4x4 963? which one is more stable on carving and more agile off-piste? thanks
The Experience is more stable and stout as well as having more off-piste agility. The Dynastar is great at making shorter to medium radius turns while the Rossignol is more well-rounded and high-performance.
@@SkiEssentials thanks for your reply:)
Hey guys, love your reviews. I skied last season on the Rossigniol Exp.88Ti which I really loved (180s - I'm 195lb / 6ft2) I believe those aren't made any more - how do these stack up to the old 88s? Comparable? I'm not tied to Rossigniol however - any recommendations for similar all mountain skis (biased to frontside/groomers/carving) that I should also consider?
The new one is considerably more high-horsepower than the older 88. It's a far superior ski when it comes to stability, carving power, and overall quality/precision. That said, it's a bit less versatile. If you're looking to stay in the versatile 88 group, I'd take a look at Elan Ripstick 88 or K2 Mindbender 89Ti.
@@SkiEssentials cheers guys - really appreciate the time.
@@SkiEssentials - hey guys - quick follow up - thinking of pulling the trigger on these and just wondered if you could give me your thought on bindings given your comments about the Look pivots at the end of the review. What would be a good mating for these do you think?
@@piershammond If the Pivot is off the table due to brake width incompatibility, then I like to look to the Salomon STH 13 or the Marker Griffon--both of these are great bindings and come with a 90 mm brake that tucks in really nicely with this ski's waist width.
@@SkiEssentials Ah ok - in Europe we can get a Pivot with a 95mm brake width so we might be good to go with those.
Hello. For a strong Intermediate low advanced which you prefer. Kendo 88, Maverick 86ti or Experience 86ti. Prefer groomers only but prefer mid to high 80's for slush afternoons in Australian snow conditions. Thank you
I prefer the Experience for groomers. There's the appropriate mix of rocker in the tips and tails to go along with a sturdy build and two sheets of metal.
I'm thinking about buying the Experience 86 TI or the Fischer RC One 86 GT. Both Models from 2022/2023 for 499 €. I'm 194, advanced skiier but quite light for my heigt (85kg). I ski most on piste, but here in Europe you can never be sure wether you have firm snow or wet warm one. Therefore allmountain is my choice. I ski quite fast with a little longer carving turns, but like to switch easily into shorter non carving turns.
What would you recommend?
I personally prefer the versatility of the Experience. The Fischer is great, but I've found it to be difficult to change turn shape and style as it's very much planted on the snow in its mid-radius carve.
Trying to choose between this or the enforcer 88. 80/20 on piste off. Let me know what you think!
The Rossignol is a significantly more poised on-piste ski than the Enforcer. You do give up some versatility, since the Rossignol is more cambered, but rock-solid performance overall. If you want to take the Experience off-piste, just be prepared to put in a bit of extra work--it's not impossible!
Great review. How would the 86ti compare to the Brahma 88? Cheers Nick
The Brahma feels more heavy duty than the Rossignol with considerably more confidence at speed and in varying conditions. The Experience needs to be driven a bit differently than the Brahma in that the skier needs to steer it more directly. Brahma, you just stand on it with all of your power and it basically deposits you at the bottom of the hill.
@@SkiEssentials Rossi vs the K2 89ti? Thanks.
Can you recommend a binding for these beauty’s?
If you're going for more of an on-trail and carving performance, I'd say the Konnect system binding is a good option. To boost the versatility of the ski in an all-mountain format, the Marker Griffon or Salomon STH in the 90 mm brake are both fantastic choices, and some good color options here as well.
i would say it is closer to a Montero than a Stormrider..
Agree 100%, apologies if we didn't communicate that accurately. We both feel like it's much closer to a Montero AR than a Stormrider 88.
@@SkiEssentials i am sure it would be a fun ski on rock hard groomers
Trying to decide between this or the enforcer 88. I’ve got a Dynastar m-free 108 as well. Let me know what you guys think and which one you’d pick to pair with my dynastars.
The Rossignol is slightly less versatile while the Enforcer isn't quite as good of a carver. I think the Rossignol will offer more of a difference from your M-Free in terms of being more of a front side ski while the Enforcer still has some of the off-piste and freeride notes to it. If you're looking for more of the same, just carvier, go Enforcer.