2022 Liberty Evolv 84

The 2022 Liberty Evolv 84 gets a few upgrades for this year, and we’re all about it. We got to hop on this new build in February at first, and then again at our test in March, and we even got some feedback from ski family members in Colorado this spring, so we’ve really gotten a lot of time on the new Evolv skis, and in this case, the narrowest, the 84. Gone is the V-Series, and in its place, the Evolvs drop the narrower widths, and add the third metal strut to the core, resulting in a hybrid of the previous Evolvs and the outgoing V-Series. There was a bit of overlap between those lines of skis, so it makes sense for Liberty to consolidate. The core of the Evolv 84 now consists of a blend of poplar and bamboo wood with three vertical metal struts. Carbon stringers, fiberglass layers, and a rubber foil laminate round out the materials, and they call combine to make a smooth, powerful, and energetic ski that loves to be pushed in a carved turn. At 84 mm underfoot, these skis are the most on-trail oriented, although they do have the subtleness to handle some off-piste skiing as well, allowing skiers the flexibility to use these as a daily driver. Certainly not the powder ski that you’d want on the deepest of days, it’s happier on groomers, but can be useful in bumps and trees and other fun stuff.

Bob St.Pierre was on the 179, and states that “while it’s too short for me, I still got a good feel for what this ski can do. I’d definitely be on the 186 for my own pair.” Bob gave the ski 5’s out of 5 for stability, torsional stiffness, edge grip, forgiveness, and overall impression. 4’s were not far behind for versatility, playfulness, quickness, and maneuverability. Other than a 2 for flotation, we’re seeing all 4’s and 5’s, and we’re stoked to hear it. Bob notes that “the Evolv 84’s improvements take this ski to the next level. Very smart by Liberty taking the best from both Evolv and V-Series lines and combining them. I always felt that the V ski was a bit piggish while the Evolv’s could use a bit of a boost, and here we are! Really amazing edge grip and energy out of these skis, and like all of my Liberty ski experiences, I love the feeling and uniqueness of the bamboo wood core combined with the VMT 3.0 build. As per all of my Evolv skiing history, these are some of the quietest skis I’ve ever been on—you really can’t hear a thing when you’re on them, and that is a pretty rare experience.” Whether you’re using these as a groomer-specific ski or an all-mountain ripper, the Evolv 84 has a lot to offer.

Also on the 179, David Carter observes that “this ski feels a bit long for me in this length.” Due to the minimal rocker and taper, we are seeing a longer effective edge in these skis, and that could be what David is feeling. He had scores of 3 right down the middle of the card, stating that he “just couldn’t find the sweet spot of this ski. I felt like the tails were on the stiff side.” Jake Whitlock echoes David’s sentiments that the ski was on the stiffer side. Jake skied the 172 and felt it was short. Top scores of 4 out of 5 were given for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge grip, with the rest of his scores as 3. “This ski was relatively light but still stiff. The bamboo core mixed with the vertical metal stringers created a more forgiving/maneuverable ski that was still stable at higher speeds. The ski managed to hold an edge well in variable terrain/conditions. I would recommend this ski to intermediate to advanced level skiers.�� That third metal strut is definitely catching the attention of these two testers.

Thanks to Liberty’s freeride influence, they make a very interesting all-mountain ski with these Evolv 84’s. They have a unique feel to them that doesn’t quite line up with what other companies are doing with their mid-80's front side/all-mountain skis, and I don’t think Liberty would want it any other way. You have to stand out and make something that’s different if you want to catch attention. The Evolv 84 with the VMT 3.0 build is a great new ski from Liberty, and we’re loving it in a variety of conditions and terrain, but especially on the smooth groomers.