The Liberty Origin 96 is back for 2019, but has some tweaks to its shape. It now has lower rise tip rocker, which extends the effective edge of the ski, designed to increase both stability and edge grip. The focus of the Origin 96, however, is still on maneuverable, versatile all mountain performance that you can take literally anywhere on the mountain. Its construction consists of a bamboo and poplar wood core, which is supported by carbon fiber to increase torsional stiffness, energy, and responsiveness. Over the past few seasons Liberty has been increasing the power and stability in a lot of their skis, and that certainly seems to be the case with this new Origin 96.
Noah Labow tested the 182 cm length and actually gave the Origin 96 5 out of 5 for stability and torsional stiffness, not something we traditionally expect to see in Liberty’s all mountain skis. We also saw high scores for versatility, playfulness, and forgiveness. Noah “loved these skis.” He found them to be “very versatile. I felt that I could do any turn shape.” The rocker profile and early tapered shape of the Origin 96 definitely lends itself to smearing, pivoting, and skidding turns, while the lengthened edge contact and Speedcore Carbon construction provides the necessary torsional stiffness to hold an edge while carving. Noah ended his feedback by saying it’s a “great everyday ski! Easy turning and stable.”
Michael Carroll-Sherwin tested the longest length, the 187, and also scored the Origin 96 5 out of 5 for both stability and torsional stiffness. That supports Noah’s reaction to the ski and is quite impressive overall. For a ski that’s relatively lightweight, uses a fair amount of tip and tail rocker, and is known to be maneuverable and versatile in softer snow, it’s impressive and somewhat surprising that it can still feel so stable. Michael also noted it feels “surprisingly responsive” with “plenty of feedback. For a 96 (mm), the edge to edge was quick and nimble.
Bob St.Pierre gave the Origin 96 the highest scores for playfulness and forgiveness after some test runs on the 187 cm length. Bob is a little bigger than Noah and Michael, and it’s interesting to see how his feedback differed from theirs. “Much more at home in short to medium turns. Once you hit speed the feedback from the ski diminishes. Very fun and agile at lower speeds.” If you consider yourself a similar skier to Bob you’ll likely encounter similar performance: quickness, maneuverability, agility, but keep in mind it’s definitely no slouch in terms of stability and power. Heavier skiers likely won’t get the same feel as Noah or Michael, but the performance is there.
Marcus Shakun gave the Origin 96 very consistent scores across the board: lots of 4s out of 5, which typically suggests a very versatile ski. His first comment was that it’s an “all mountain aggressive ski.” Marcus is a pretty big guy too, but he found it has “great stability through mixed snow.” He did, however, agree with Bob in the sense that “performance is found in medium turns, just didn’t get much feedback in long turns.” Marcus thought it would be “great for an advanced skier who likes to make medium to long turns and ski mixed terrain.”
Liberty has given the Origin 96 an impressive mix of performance. Its shape gives it a fun, playful, maneuverable feel, while the Speedcore Carbon construction provides a nice amount of stability. It’s not going to be the most powerful ski as it doesn’t use metal, but hits an impressively light weight, while still offering the torsional stiffness and damping properties necessary for aggressive, hard-charging skiing.
