Liberty has developed more of a freeride/freestyle reputation over the years, but when they came out with the Evolv series last year, that kind of all changed. With widths from 84 to 110 mm underfoot, the Evolv line takes that freeride mentality, but puts it in an all-mountain build and shape. The end result is a super-smooth ski with a quiet, stable, and adventurous personality.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber
CORE MATERIALS
2 Carbon Stringers
PREFERRED TERRAIN
All Mountain, Powder, Groomers
The Evolv100 has that perfect width for true all-mountain skiing-not too wide nor narrow, just right. Still torsionally stiff enough to rail carved turns on groomers but wide enough to float and play in the softer snow. You're really not giving up much in terms of front-side performance, and that is mostly thanks to the VMT core. Liberty is on to something with their vertical metal struts, and the Evolv100 has two of them sandwiched between two bamboo stringers. There's a third bamboo stringer that runs the central chord of the ski, but that one does not have a metal strut in it. With poplar wood making up the rest of the core, the skis have a light and sturdy build, and those metal struts don't weigh nearly as much as a horizontal laminate, so you are saving weight without sacrificing stiffness. With two strips of carbon fiber to boot, these skis have all the ingredients for a true all-mountain ski. The 100's profile consists of a 15% tip rocker with camber underfoot and a flat tail. This lends to strong edge grip and highly responsive tails. While not the most playful of the freeride/all-mountain skis, the 100 certainly makes up for it in front-side prowess. We weren't able to get our own testing staff on the Evolv100 this year, but we are fortunate to have Liberty athlete Carver Butterfield (fantastic ski name) weigh in on his experience with these skis.
Carver's on the 186 and finds it to be the right length for him. As noted in the intro, the flat tails don't really lend to that slash/smear style turn, hence Carver's score of 2 out of 5 for playfulness-these skis are certainly more business-like. On the other end, Carver scored 5's for stability, maneuverability, versatility, edge hold, and overall impression. Carver states that "this ski is an all-mountain ripper. Chalky and cruddy snow is where they really excel. I would rather take a ski with more rocker out on a powder day, but the Evolv100 doesn't do too bad either. It is not that playful; the Evolv100 likes to go fast and make solid turns. That being said, the lightness and responsiveness of this ski makes it very maneuverable and easy to manage it tight areas. This ski is not for park rats or jibbers. I would recommend this ski to someone who really loves to make a good turn. The 100 width makes these skis wide enough to slay off-piste runs but also skinny enough to rip corduroy. They almost feel like a slalom ski on the groomers. In all, these skis are great." While the radius of the 186 is about 20 meters, the strong tail and smooth flex make that ski turn on a dime, and it seems like Carver is picking up on the ski's ability to make those multiple-shaped turns regardless of conditions.
Skiers looking for that Cadillac style of ski should look no further than the Liberty Evolv100. Now in its second year, the skis should develop a bit more of a following, as that VMT technology packs a lot of punch and power in a pretty darn light ski. Very fun stuff!
