2022 Liberty Evolv 110

The Liberty Evolv 110 is a burly big mountain ski that rips turns like a GS board. For 2022, the Evolv 110 gets a boost in performance from the VMT 3.0 core consisting of bamboo and poplar wood and three vertical metal struts. This is a bump up from the 2 struts in years past, and that third one really makes a big difference, especially when considering this ski is so wide and needs some material in order to get it to play ball on bigger mountains and in higher speeds. For a ski this wide, it has probably the most directional shape in the industry. The tails are flat, there’s minimal taper and rocker, and the long effective edge makes it stand up to some of the faster speeds that you’re likely to encounter. Advanced and expert skiers who are looking for the ultimate in stability and power will really gravitate to this ski. When you’re stomping big airs or dropping cliffs, it’s helpful to have a strong tail that won’t let you down, and this is one of the best things about this ski. It is more of a one-dimensional ski, but that dimension is fairly unique, and that’s one of the coolest thing about the Liberty Evolv 110.

Dana Allen skied the 186, noting that it skied true to size and was a good length for him at 5’10”. He gave top scores of 4 out of 5 for torsional stiffness, edge hold, stability, and flotation. Lower scores of 2 out of 5 were found in versatility, forgiveness, playfulness, quickness, and maneuverability. This spread of scores is to be expected for a ski like this, as it doesn’t really like to cross over into various things—it's much more comfortable being what it is, and that’s a burly and rugged ski that can really move when it’s at speed. Dana notes that “These are a big, highly dampened, floaty, straight ski. They don’t feel like they have a ton of side cut, and so they don’t turn quickly edge to edge. When you do get them on edge they will definitely sink and turn super deep. While they were fine on a soft groomer and in soft chop, that is definitely not what they are intended for. Not playful. This is definitely a Powder Ski. They are also quite heavy. I would not choose these to tour on. However, for a deep and soft day at the resort, they could be really good for someone. They’ll handle groomers OK as well.” Dana does a nice job picking up on the skis intended use, and we’d love to see what they can do out west or in wider spaces, as our tighter terrain here doesn’t always provide the proper room to run.

Also on the 186, Matt McGinnis notes it’s true to size, and he had a top score of 5 out of 5 for stability, with 4’s leading the charge the rest of the way. A low score of 3 for forgiveness isn’t out of the realm of possibility, as these skis do demand a fair amount of input to get them to go. Matt notes that “Some of the skis I’ve tested so far have surprised me as they haven’t followed my expectations based on their specs. The Evolv 110 though, was exactly what I expected, and that’s not a bad thing. Built like a powder ski that demands speed and wide turns, the Evolv 110 is a ski that demands speed and wide turns. Earlier today I tested a number of skis that seemed to fit this profile, but ultimately excelled in other areas. The Evolv 110 is capable elsewhere, but absolutely excels at making long, fast turns. What the other skis offer is incredible, but it’s equally refreshing to ski a ski like the Evolv 110 that *does* specialize in that type of skiing.” A lot of skis get lost trying to do everything well, and Matt’s astute to see that the Liberty prefers to master a few things well.

Like a herd of Bison stampeding across the great plains of the west, the Liberty Evolv 110 needs room to run. While we have some days and some trails around here in VT that can handle this ski, it really prefers to have a big bowl and endless acreage to play on. Thankfully, there are a lot of great places to ski in the world, and this Evolv 110 is going to like a whole lot of them, and you will too.