The V82 is part of Liberty’s brand new carving-oriented all mountain collection and helps mark a new product and construction concept from Liberty. Liberty has never had a ski this focused on frontside carving performance ever before, as most of their skis have traditionally been relatively playful all mountain and freeride twin tips. This new ski uses a Hammer Rocker profile, which uses just 10% rocker in the tip and no tail rocker whatsoever. The construction of the ski is important to note as well. Two vertical metal strips sit symmetrically around the center of the ski and run full length from tip to tail. The wood surrounding that metal is bamboo and poplar, and 2 full carbon layers are also integrated into the construction of the ski. This vertical metal is designed to provide the performance benefits of metal, without the weight that comes along with traditional metal laminates. Our testers were chomping at the bit to get on these new Liberty V models.
Jamie Bisbee asked, “when should a ski need a top end?” and answered, “never!” Jamie have the V82 5 out of 5 for stability and torsional stiffness/edge grip. He also commented that “this ski is intended for my opening statement. (It’s) one bad-ass go fast real deal shred sled of destruction.” Wow! Shred sled of destruction sounds pretty darn good to us. Jamie was testing the 179 cm length and actually did mention that it felt a bit long, but that likely only added to his feedback about it being a fast, stable, powerful ski. Don’t feel like it’s a ski you need to size up on. Skis that are mostly camber with a relatively stiff flex will provide good stability, power, and edge grip even in the shorter lengths.
Charlie Roy tested the 186 cm V82 and “loved this ski!” Charlie thought it was a “perfect groomer ski for intermediate to expert skiers.” Of course, ski performance is subjective, so what’s perfect for Charlie might not be perfect for everyone, but with his strong skiing background and PSIA instructing credentials we think he’s probably right; a lot of skiers will find it to be an amazing groomer ski. “These skis love to turn for their length and hook up well on the firm snow. They also handled well in the bumps and crud.” With their 82 mm waist width and slight tip rocker the V82 can definitely handle some soft snow conditions, although don’t expect it to maneuver like a ski with tail rocker, that flat tail likes to hold an edge and requires good technique to release it and pivot the ski.
After some runs on the 186 cm length Jake Inger thought the V82 “felt like a GS ski, but more forgiving and a lot lighter.” We think that’s pretty much exactly what Liberty is going for with this new collection: high end carving performance in a more accessible, lighter weight package. “VMT made the ski light, yet still stiff, and it held an edge at high speed.” In fact, Jake thought the V82 was “amazing at speeds,” which was reflected in his high scores. Jake gave the VMT a lot of 5s out of 5, which suggests it works really well for his skiing style. He also thought it was “poppy out of a turn” with “amazing transitions between turns.”
Bob St.Pierre had a “great overall impression” of the V82. He gave it 4 out of 5 for every single category, which translates to a versatile, high performing all mountain ski. “Nice smooth feel with some positive feedback. Felt wider than 82, making it an awesome all-mountain product.” Bob can really drive a ski with some power and is known to seek out a variety of terrain and conditions within a single ski day. Sounds like he’d be perfectly happy with a V82 as a daily driver.
For their first foray into carving-oriented all mountain skis we think Liberty has designed and manufactured some highly impressive skis. The V82 is the middle ski in the collection, and that 82 mm width delivers quick edge to edge feel on firm snow, a powerful, stable ride, yet has the ability to tackle more snow conditions than just perfect groomers, something that not all carving skis are able to do.
