The Rossignol Sky 7 HD is back for 2019 unchanged after the major overhaul it received for 2018. We’re excited to see it back as the Sky 7 HD offers a nice blend of performance characteristics, and offers top end all mountain performance for a wide range of ability levels. It’s relatively lightweight with its paulownia wood core and Rossignol’s Carbon Alloy Matrix, uses quite a bit of tip and tail rocker, and quite a bit of early taper as well. Rossignol was one of the first companies to play around with 5-point sidecut, and while they don’t list 5 dimensions for this ski it’s obviously a result of years of research and development surrounding that shape. At 98 mm underfoot with its unique combination of shape and construction, the Sky 7 HD has always been a fun, maneuverable, relatively forgiving all mountain ski. Let’s see if that still holds true.
Jeff Neagle tested the 180 cm Sky 7 HD. He scored it 5 out of 5 for quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness. Those scores are basically what we expect out of the Sky 7 HD. Jeff’s lowest score was 3 out of 5 for stability, which makes a lot of sense too. With a shorter effective edge and construction that’s designed to be lightweight, the Sky 7 HD isn’t the most stable or powerful ski out there, but it definitely has its performance benefits. “The Sky 7 HD has a distinct personality. Among the 100 mm category, it’s one of the lightest, most maneuverable, and most forgiving. Perfect for skiers who prefer being off groomed trails, but don’t ski exceptionally aggressively.”
Mike Aidala had some really nice feedback on the Sky 7 HD. He thought it would be “the perfect ski for solid skiers looking for their first wide waisted all mountain ski to begin exploring fresh snow off trail.” That makes a lot of sense. The Sky 7 HD is a relatively approachable ski for intermediate level skiers, and would be a great stepping stone into the world of freeride all mountain skis. “Lightweight, lively, and playful option that has a large sweet spot and endless forgiveness,” was how Mike ended his feedback on the Sky 7 HD, which really is a great way to describe its feel and performance.
Bob St.Pierre described it as “unbelievably maneuverable – all you have to do is think about where you want the skis to go and they’re already there.” While that might be a slight exaggeration, we know what Bob is saying. The Sky 7 HD is very intuitive and predictable and very easy to foot steer and maneuver, even at slower speeds. Bob did touch on the ski’s stability and overall feel at speed too, “when you’re centered and carving, the skis feel stable, but too forward or back and you’re in recovery mode.” It’s not a stiff enough flex to really be able to drive the tip, and similarly the tail isn’t stiff enough to let you fall into the backseat quickly. If you stay balanced, however, the Sky 7 HD has an awesome feel.
Yes, there are skiers out there who will overpower the Sky 7 HD, but that’s really not what it’s all about. It’s such a fun, maneuverable ski that really provides a refreshing option to those choosing their next all mountain freeride ski. If you don’t ski exceptionally fast and value maneuverability, the Sky 7 HD is about as good as it gets. Carbon Alloy Matrix really improved the ski, as well as the changes made for 2018. It’s responsive, easy to flick around, and just a whole lot of fun to ski.
