2021 Rossignol Black Ops Rallybird

On the scale of wide skis these days, the Rallybird from Rossignol is on the narrow side at 102 mm underfoot. The nice thing about these skis is that when it's a powder day, they feel wider, and when you're on groomers or in the trees, they feel narrower. They're very chameleon-esque in terms of what they can do and how they change as the terrain and conditions allow.

I got to ski with Allison Ruschp, who owns a pair of these, on numerous occasions this past winter, and it was really fun to see how she reacted to the skis she owned as opposed to those which we demo. For her, the wood core, short radius (13-meters at 162), and moderate taper shape made for a fantastic all-mountain Stowe ski. She could turn them easily, but also push harder. She floated right through the woods on a couple-inch day and stayed right on top on a deeper run we shared. It was easy to see that these were high-functioning skis that thrive in soft snow, but also have a lot of redeeming qualities in more typical eastern conditions. It's this type of versatility that is really going to allow a large number of lady skiers to take a strong and long look at the Rallybird as their next ski, whether they're using it for a soft-snow specialist here on the east, or a western daily driver. If not for the firmer underlayer we often encounter here in VT, that Rallybird would be a perfect choice for a solo ski for sure. It was great getting to see and ski with someone first-hand, as it gives you another perspective versus skiing the thing yourself, which I seem to do a lot of.

Alli owns the 170 and put about 6 days on them in our Covid-shortened season. She was "worried about length at first, but apparently for no reason. They are stable and fun! Powerful feel without getting nervous. Confident in its ability to ski any conditions. Stiffer tail makes carving arcs so fun and easy. Relatively light and forgiving for expert ladies." Her scores were mostly in the 4-5 range, showing the well-balanced and high-performing nature of the Rallybird. She continues: "This is the year to find a wider ski for women! I have never found a wider ski that can handle like this. It's powerful enough to carve large turns (especially in the longer length) yet light and fun to go through everything else. The rubber in the ski construction dampens the vibrations and makes the ride ultra-smooth. I was concerned with the length when I got them, without much tail rocker. I was afraid I would have a hard time maneuvering them in the trees but the construction of the ski allows for peppiness in each turn if you need it. Overall, I was very impressed. One, I love the graphic, and two, it skis just about everything I would want to. Without metal, I am not sure I would love skiing them on the hardest days in the East, but every other day the Rallybird would handle all conditions necessary." Yup, sounds like that wider one-ski quiver target is just what Rossignol was going for here-a fun freeride ski with tons of versatility.

Rossignol's new Blackops line is set to compete with some of the more established companies and models out there. With a lighter and more fun setup than some of the beefier and stiffer skis in the width range, the Rallybird has fun and versatility to spare (although you'll probably want to keep it all to yourself).