2020 Rossignol Experience 84 AI

The 2020 Rossignol Experience 84 Ai returns unchanged for this year, and for many skiers, that is a really good thing. There’s always room for improvement, to be sure, but for a ski with this much success, why not let it play out? For such a light ski, Rossignol does a great job by getting some stability and stiffness to its core. They are able to do this by utilizing their Line Control Technology (LCT) using ABS plastic material. This ABS runs the vertical length of the ski and makes the skis stiffer from tip to tail and reduces vibrations. When a light weight ski is able to carve and hang with similarly shaped skis that have metal laminates, you know you’ve gotten some designs right. At 84 mm underfoot, this is a great width for on-piste performance while leaving a little bit of wiggle room for off-trail adventures and snowy days. There’s minimal rocker, but it does help with making the ski easier to get on edge. With an HD Core consisting of Carbon Alloy Matrix and basalt, the skis have a damp feeling, but it’s not metallic. For intermediate level cruisers and above, the Rossignol Experience 84 Ai is a surprisingly capable stick.

The 176 was a bit short for Bob St.Pierre, but the 184 probably would be too, so he made the most out of the opportunities he had. Pretty high scores from Bob across the board, with 5’s out of 5 for quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness as highlights. His score of 4 out of 5 is pretty impressive given the fact that the ski was over 10 cm too short for him. He calls the E 84 Ai “a fun front side ski with more energy than expected.” This energy is mainly derived from the LCT, and it’s impressive to see how many testers pick up on this design not only in this particular ski, but in the Rossignol line altogether. He continues by stating that they’re “easy to roll from edge to edge and it had a great turn radius and a very consistent flex.” It’s probably safe to say that a lot of skiers like it when skis have consistent flexes, and it sounds like the Rossignol has built a good one.

Also on the 176, Dave Carter found it to be the appropriate length for him. His top score of 4 out of 5 for forgiveness is telling of a softer ski, but that didn’t stop David from having an awesome time on it. The rest of his scores were consistent 3’s out of 5, so that means he found the Experience 84 Ai to be versatile and well-rounded. “Lightweight ski for less-aggressive skiers who want a versatile ski.” Light and versatile are two great adjectives to describe this ski. David goes on to comment that the Experience 84 Ai is an “easy turning ski, but not for extremely high-speeds.” Sure, for a ski without metal and a lighter-weight personality, we wouldn’t expect it to behave like a GS ski, but for what it is, it sounds like David nailed the description.

Mike Thomas was pretty stoked on the lightweight performance of the Experience 84 Ai in the 176. It’s a bit short of a length for him, but that didn’t stop him from having a good time. He noted that “they felt light on my feet at slower speeds, but when I went a bit faster, they seemed to get more stable.” This is great information from Mike here, showing that the skis have the ability to be solid and stable for stronger skiers like Mike.

While marketed and intended for intermediate level skiers, the Rossignol Experience 84 Ai is capable of punching above its level. They’re light, forgiving, and a whole lot of fun. Skiers who haven’t been on the Experience 84 Ai will love the versatility and easy-going nature of the skis.

Testers

Dave Carter

Age: 61Height: 5'9"Weight: 155 lbs.

Ski Style: They don't call me "carving" Dave Carter for nothin'

View Tester Profile

Bob St.Pierre

Age: 41Height: 6'2"Weight: 215 lbs.

Ski Style: Adaptable, versatile, ex-competitive mogul skier and coach

View Tester Profile

Mike Thomas

Age: 50Height: 6'3"Weight: 215 lbs.

Ski Style: Upright, fluid, nimble, and powerful

View Tester Profile

18 Comments on the “2020 Rossignol Experience 84 AI”

  1. Hello, what ski would recomend for me?
    I am an advanced skier, have a little problem with my knee, so I would prefer not so demanding ski for my legs, to ski all day long, for 90% time on piste, but for morning piste in good condition, and afternoon piste for not so good condition. Speed moderate.
    ROSSIGNOL EXPERIENCE 84 AI 2020
    2020 ATOMIC VANTAGE 82 TI
    2020 SALOMON XDR 84 TI
    Or some other.

    1. Hi Vladimir!
      All good choices, but there’s something nice and pleasant about that Rossignol that the other skis don’t have. Most of it comes down to the shorter turn radius, which a lot of skiers like because you don’t have to put in a ton of effort to get the thing on edge. I’d go that route!
      SE

  2. Greetings SE. I love your website and really value your reviews. They’re very helpful. Like many of your customers, I’m interested in your opinion. I’m 43, 6’3” & 195 lbs. I grew up skiing but am just getting back into the sport with my own boys. I’m an intermediate skier who enjoys primarily blue trails, although I can get down most anything. I’m looking for a ski for mostly east coast groomers, but something I can have fun with as my boys improve. I’m considering the Rossignol Experience 84, the Salomon XDR 84 TI, and the Nordica Navigator 85s. What are your thoughts given my size and skill level? Am I overlooking better options? How about sizes? Many, many thanks for your advice!

    1. Thanks, Jeremy!
      I think you’re in the right arena with the 84’s and among your choices, there aren’t any bad ones. While I’m generally a fan of the Salomon for pure all-around performance, the other two have strong traits as well. The Rossi has the shortest turn radius, and is therefore the easiest to turn. If you’re looking to improve, I’d say you’ll outgrow the Rossi first. Between the Salomon and the Nordica, the Navigator has the stronger tail and on-piste carving performance while the XDR, again, is more versatile and natural feeling. Your size puts you in the longer-length category, with the 184 Salomon being a good choice and the 186 Nordica. You could go with the shorter size on either, but I think you’ll appreciate the stability of the longer length. I’m 6’2 220 and I don’t quite feel comfortable on the shorter lengths in those skis. Hope that helps and have fun!
      SE

  4. I am considering these skis and wondering which length would work best for me. I am an intermediate skier, 5’11” and around 170-175 pounds. I ski mainly on the groomers as my kids are just learning to ski but dip off into the trees and fluffy stuff a bit when I have time. We live on the east side of the Canadian Rockies. Would the 168 or the 176 be best for me?

    1. Hi Pat!
      I’d say 176. At your height, I feel you’d be too far over the fronts of the 168. You’ll appreciate the stability of the 176, and I do not think that’s too long for you. Have fun!
      SE

  5. I just got these skis in 160 cm but am debating going to a shorter length. I am a 5’7” 130lb intermediate-advanced skier. Im from New England so ski a lot of icy conditions but also love to ski powder out west. I am looking for a good all mountain stick that can ski a groomed trail and a double black glade all in the same day. Do you think I should go for a shorter length? The skis hit between my nose and eyes.

    1. Hi Tava!
      I think you’d benefit from the shorter size. You might miss some stability at speed, but overall, I think you could be on the next size down. Have fun!
      SE

  6. Hi, my wife is 1m 55cm (5ft) and a pretty advanced all mountain skier. She likes to run some moguls, but doesn’t go off-piste. She likes to keep up with our 6 yr old (gave up), but doesn’t always look for most speed…

    I am contemplating between the Rossignol Experience 84 AI at 144cm, or the Head Total Joy at 148.
    Do you think the 144s are too short, or just perfect?
    Thanks in advance

    1. Hi Frank!
      I think it’s on the short side, but not too short. Great for shorter turns!
      SE

  7. 68 years old, 5’9″ tall, 160 pounds.

    I’m skiing these in a 160cm with telemark gear, Meidjo bindings, Tx Pro boots, mounted boot center over the recommended mounting point. They’re tuned to 1 degree bottom and 3 degree side bevels (I think factory is 1,1). They are part of a quiver of skis and I had bought them as a bit of an experiment for carving days in the Wasatch, Utah and for those days – rare in the past, but common this year – when the moguls are “set up”.

    I didn’t expect them to be very good in bumps due to their generous side cut, by they are excellent! Varying turn radius, sliding when needed are both super easy and they have enough tail rocker so that the tails don’t hang up.

    Doing dedicated, carved turns in a telemark stance is absurdly difficult, compared to the ease of doing it on alpine gear, and these were key to my achieving that skill. I can now carve on my entire quiver due to the confidence these inspired. Skiing switch is a breeze with the small but significant amount of tail rocker. I flew fighters in the Navy, and these things can pull G’s – I have to wear neoprene pads on my knees because dragging an inside knee is not uncommon on these.

    The only limitation to this ski in the length I got, for my purposes, is that if it’s not real hard pack, they will “wash out” from the carve just because there’s not enough edge length engaged on the snow. On hard pack, it’s not an issue, though, and those are the only days I break these out anyway.

    In up to about 5 inches of snow over hard pack these are fine, just be gentle with inputs, as they will turn aggressively!

    These are the short end of my quiver with 165 Atomic Vantage 85’s, 172 Rustler 10’s, and 182 M-Free 108’s. They are a great addition; I really can’t say enough positive about them!

  8. Hello,
    I am from Utah. I am a solid intermedia skier and enjoys carving on the groomer. I just tried this Experience 84 demo at Deer Valley. I love how stable it is at speed, and enjoy the short radius carving turns. But I do feel the weight of 160cm skis. (I feel I can ride it well when skiing, but it feels a bit heavy when on the lift) I am 5’10 and weighs only 130 lbs. Besides the Experience 84 AI, what other option do you think is out there? I am hoping there is lighter ski for me, that also offers good stability and the fun of carving.
    Thank you!

    1. HI Chris!
      Keep in mind the extra weight of the demo binding. There are lighter skis of this ilk, though, so check out the Volkl Kanjo and Salomon QST 85 for comparisons. Have fun!
      SE

      1. Thank you! SE is always the best place for ski reviews. BTW, I watched some of your videos on Youtube. Great reviews!

  9. Hi,
    I’m an early intermediate skier. 6.2 tall and 190 lbs.

    I’m looking to improve my skills this year. Between rossignol 84 AI and 88 ti, which one and which length do you recommend?

    I mostly ski the groomed piste and some ungroomed terrain.

    I’m not particular about brand so feel free to have other suggestions.

    Thanks alot!
    Allan

    1. HI Allan!
      I think your size and ability put you in the nicer 88Ti. You may outski the 84 in short order. Also check out the 2022 Rossi Experience 86 Basalt for a good mix of the two. Line Sick Day 88, Elan Ripstick 88, and Volkl Kanjo are all suitable options as well. I’d go with the 180-ish sizes in those skis. Have fun!
      SE

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