2022 Liberty Evolv 100

The Liberty Evolv 100 gets a boost in performance for 2022 thanks to the addition of a third metal strut. The VMT 3.0 core is a great way to build a ski, and it all starts with the blend of bamboo and poplar wood. The three metal struts are sandwiched in the poplar, further bolstering the strength and stability of the ski. By placing the metal in a vertical application, the skis get significantly stiffer and better-suited for high-speed carving, and when you add the width and shape of the ski to the mix, you get a very strong and burly mix that makes the Evolv 100 feel unique and powerful, while at the same time remaining quiet, damp, and stable. With pretty minimal taper shape and rocker profile, these skis belong more in the all-mountain category versus freeride, as the longer effective edge makes it a smooth carver rather than a playful floater. In this 100 mm underfoot width, there’s a lot of range out there, but these skis find themselves more in the wide groomer category, with the ability to bust through crud and chop, but they’re not really that floaty and smeary freeride ski that we see some of the 100’s becoming, and that’s just fine—it takes all kinds of skis to make everyone happy, and Liberty has really found a good mix here with the Evolv 100.

Dana Allen was on the 186, and notes that this was the right length for him at 5’10”. His top scores were 4’s out of 5 for forgiveness, torsional stiffness, and edge hold, with 3’s leading the rest of the way. We do see a low mark of 2 out of 5 for playfulness, and that has a lot to do with the stiffer tail and the wider shape. It’s meant for more aggressive on-trail skiing, so it’s not that shocking that Dana would find it on the less-playful side of the equation for sure. Even so, the fact that the ski is able to produce some amazing turns at high speeds is on the positive side of the spectrum. “These skis have that classic Liberty damped feel. No chatter but also no pop. Very stable at speed - to the point of feeling unreactive. If you want to play on these skis, they require a neutral stance as the tails don’t have much spring. They are also fairly heavy (which could also be due to the rental track bindings). So don’t expect a ski that wants to get in the air and turn on a dime. Will definitely hold an edge at speed and rolls over on them decently quickly. Not sure how quick they’d be in tighter conditions or bumps but overall, not a bad ski.” Our guess is that they’d be a handful in tight spots, and are better-suited for wider spaces and higher speeds.

Brad Schauerman was on the 179 and found it to be just right. He gave the score top scores of 4 out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, playfulness, quickness, maneuverability, and stability. Pretty much all categories, actually. 3’s for versatility and flotation round out Brad’s card. He calls the Evolv 100 “Super nice and easy to use carver definitely an on-piste ski but very fun. Not super stiff but holds an edge well...easy to get from edge to edge quickly. Makes a nice arcing turn shape with a very comfortable turn radius.” That burly build with the flatter tail and minimal rocker do make these skis behave properly on flatter or smoother terrain, while in an off-piste situation, speed is your friend, as they don’t really like to make quicker turns in variable conditions.

Liberty has had some amazing skis recently, and with the addition and implementation of the VMT 3.0 core in the Evolv series skis, we’re seeing a new level of power and performance. It makes sense that these skis were developed in Colorado, and us eastern skiers are missing out a bit on the wide-open spaces that are found in more western alpine environments. If you have room to run, the Evolv 100 is a fantastic choice.