2021 Rossignol Hero Elite Plus Ti

These wider-bodied GS skis are really a ton of fun. We've seen a good amount of the upper 70's to 80 underfoot skis with a race construction really take off over the past few years, and they've gotten more compliant without losing that upper-end performance, so it's a win-win for all of us skiers out here. Whether you're looking to use these for a recreational race league or your narrow ski in your quiver, the Hero Elite Plus is about as smooth and stable as it gets. They get the race-room treatment, full with dual LCT struts, increasing the fore/aft stiffness and allowing the ski to absolutely light it up on-trail. In the gates or out, the carving prowess of these skis is second to only their world cup versions. But that extra width underfoot does a few things for the skier. First, it makes it so the ski is more versatile in more than just icy conditions. Certainly nobody will mistake these for powder skis, but it wasn't too long ago that a 78 mm ski underfoot would be considered a mid-fat. As a result, you do get that performance in softer and more broken snow, as these things will absolutely murder the crud and spring corn in addition to that hard pack. Second, it gives you a wider platform to stand on. The race widths, around 65 mm underfoot are just so darn precise that unless you're an elite athlete who needs the most torsional stiffness on the planet, you should probably choose a wider ski. At 78, you don't get that wobble that you'd feel on the narrower ski, and while that does result in a little loss of stiffness and response, it's not going to end your day by any means. Structurally unchanged for 2021, we're still relying on our testers from last year to give us the goods when it comes to the Hero Elite Plus Ti. They had no problem with that request.

With a racing history (and present in our local ski bum race circuit), Ryan Daniel is one of the cleanest carvers we have on "staff." Wonderful use of his edges, Ryan is able to create a ton of angles in his skiing. As such, something like the Rossignol Hero Elite Plus fits right in his wheelhouse. He skied the 174 and loves the stability and forgiveness. With a bit of extra width comes more flex due to the sidecut, and Ryan picks right up on that. When you tip it on edge, the extra width makes the ski come around easier and cleaner than with a narrower and more torsionally stiff ski. Ryan notes that for a 174, "it's a lot of ski for a shorter ski" and that he "could give it everything I had to keep it on edge." This shows the race-like quality of the ski, and despite it being more recreational versus World Cup in nature, it still holds up to some hard charging and aggressive skiing.

Also on the 174, Marcus Shakun could have used the 181, but that didn't deter him from ripping a bunch of turns on the firmer early-morning snow that we had on test day. Just as a more specialized ski should elicit, Marcus' scores were all over the place. With 5's for quickness and maneuverability as well as torsional stiffness, edge hold, and playfulness, Marcus was able to eke out a ton of performance from the shorter length skis. His low scores were pretty obvious, with a 1 for flotation and 3's for versatility and forgiveness. Marcus notes that they are "super-quick edge to edge carving skis that aren't too forgiving off-trail-the tails are too stiff for that kind of skiing. Really fun and lively on-trail and stable at all speeds."

If you're looking for a wide-bodied carving ski that has a lot to offer, the Rossignol Hero Elite Plus Ti is the way to go. LCT, a modern sidecut and shape, and Rossignol's race-room technology all combine to make a ski that shreds turns all day long.