Liberty’s new V-Series is more focused on precision carving performance than anything they’ve ever designed before. The V92 is the widest in the collection, designed for performance on both firm and soft snow conditions. VMT refers to Vertical Metal Technology. Instead of horizontal metal laminates that can be very heavy, Liberty has integrated two vertical metal strips located symmetrically on either side of the center of the ski. Bamboo and poplar make up the wood core, which surrounds these metal strips, and the whole thing is sandwiched between two full layers of carbon fiber. That metal is designed to provide excellent stability and vibration damping, without the weight that comes along with two full sheets of metal. There’s no tail rocker, and minimal tip rocker, so the V92 will have a strong connection to the snow. That carbon will add in some torsional stiffness, edge grip, and responsiveness. All these design characteristics work together to provide performance suitable for what Liberty refers to as “demanding frontside skiers.”
Elissa DeGolyer tested the 179 cm length and gave the V92 5 out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, and overall impression. In the past Liberty hasn’t produced many skis that focus on stability and edge grip on firm snow, but most all of our testers were impressed by these characteristics. Elissa said it “reminded me of my ski race days. Felt like a more playful and fun GS ski.” That’s a great way to think about it. The 92 mm waist width, slight tip rocker, and the lighter weight compared to a race ski definitely gives it a more playful feel. Elissa was thoroughly impressed, ending her feedback by saying “there is something big in the Vertical Metal Technology.”
Steve Sulin also skied the 179 cm length and his scores essentially mirrored Elissa’s. Once again stability, torsional stiffness, and overall impression all received 5 out of 5. Steve admitted that it’s “not a ski I thought they could build, but they nailed it.” Steve described it as “powerful,” with a “stiff tail,” and that it can “rip turns like a race ski.”
Danielle Nichols was another tester who was thoroughly impressed by the V92. “Like a steam train. Super solid, but still fun and playful. Perfectly damp, but with power and lightness.” Danielle skied the 179 cm length and continued the trend of high scores for stability, torsional stiffness, and overall impression. Those criteria all got 5 out of 5; while none of Danielle’s other scores were below 4.
Michael Rooney scored the V92 higher than any other tester, essentially just drawing a line through the 5 column. It’s always impressive when we see scores like that and it really tells us that there was a special match between the tester and the ski they were on. Michael described it as a “good all-around ski,” that’s “very responsive” and “good on all sorts of terrain.” He skied the longest length, 186 cm.
Mike Thomas, as usual, provided some awesome feedback for the V92. Once again we saw 5 out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, and overall impression. There was also a little “holy s&%t!” next to the overall impression score. We think Mike may have found his next ski. “Had a light, but damp feel. Easy enough going, until you roll it on edge and drive it. Wow. Powerful edge engagement that feels like the ski’s edge is being pushed down into the snow. Felt more powerful than a Liberty. Can compete with the Euros, easily.” That’s very high praise from Mike. He actually mentioned that you shouldn’t be “hung-up on having a ‘known brand’” because the V92 absolutely rips and can compete with the best of the best.
This new line from Liberty really impressed our testers, both in the 82 and 92 mm waist widths that were available for test runs. The 92 is going to be a little better for those that want the ability to explore and performance in soft snow conditions. It’s not a super maneuverable all mountain ski in terms of pivoting and smearing, but has very impressive frontside performance and can definitely handle some off-piste skiing on the side.
