2021 Liberty V82

The middle child of the V-series skis, the Liberty V82 returns unchanged for 2021. Still the same ski with all the quickness, burliness, and stiffness of last year. From its inception, the V-series of skis has gotten another vertical metal strut to add to the bamboo and poplar wood core, and all this does is really stiffen and dampen the ski without adding the weight of a full metal laminate. Also, since it's sandwiched between the bamboo, it creates a lot more longitudinal stiffness, preventing counter-flexing and keeping your skis glued to the snow. The shaping of the ski is very piste and carving-oriented, as there's pretty much zero taper and just a touch of tip rocker. Other than that, these cambered skis are tip to tail carving fun all day long. Adding to the core and metal struts, the full carbon layup seals the deal when it comes to light weight stiffness. It's all about blending those things when it comes to carving skis, and the 82 has a fantastic combination. They don't feel heavy on your feet, but they are just insanely quiet and damp, much more reminiscent of a heavier ski versus a lighter carver. Over the years, our testers have been impressed and surprised that a "freeride" company like Liberty can turn out such incredible front side skis. The V82 is a shining example of their competence in that department.

Jeff Neagle skied the 179 and found it skied true to size. Stability and edge hold were his high-scoring categories, with each of them earning 5's out of 5. Flotation, playfulness, and forgiveness were all on the other end of the spectrum, as that's to be expected when dealing with a low-80's carver. Jeff states that he "likes that there are more and more skis like this. Low 80 mm underfoot flat skis designed for carving. In that category, I think the V82 is one of the most versatile and also has a unique feel. They are exceptionally quiet, basically don't feel any vibrations whatsoever. There's plenty of edge grip too and all the stability you need if you're an aggressive skier looking to go fast. What makes these skis interesting is the relatively low camber height. At first it seems a ski like this should have more camber, but it makes sense in the V82. You don't feel quite as locked into a turn as you do on a similarly stiff ski with more camber. A little easier to release the tail edge, which makes them slightly more forgiving and user-friendly. That said, it's still a pretty stiff, aggressive ski. While an intermediate could undoubtedly ski it, I'm not sure it would be best for a skier like that. Better for someone looking to go fast on groomers and who's comfortable giving a ski a lot of skier input. The low camber height means you need to ski it, the ski isn't just going to ski itself, which some skiers will like, while others will find too challenging." So not for everyone or every condition, and that's fine. Where it's supposed to excel, it shines.

Josh Wolfgang skied the 186 and scored all 4's out of 5 except for flotation and playfulness. These high scores are pretty consistent with each other, showing that Josh found them to be more versatile than their shape may otherwise indicate. He calls the V82 "a total thoroughbred. This ski cruises through any and all terrain like it owns it. The previous versions were great, and this year's update is even better with that third strut." In terms of weight, Josh notes that they're "not the lightest to carry about, but feel nimble underfoot." And that's a good thing when you're looking for that blend of light weight and performance-the skis should certainly feel light on your feet.

Carving is fun-feeling those forces and the cleanliness of the arc are unmistakably awesome. When you have the right skis, with tip to tail contact and strong, stable energy at the back end of the turn, it only gets better. The V82 is a great example of the ski that gets you there.