2022 Volkl Deacon 84

Although the Deacon 84 is part of Volkl’s “frontside” collection, its width and overall performance really feels more like an all-mountain ski with strong frontside capabilities. It is, unsurprisingly, 84 mm underfoot and uses mostly camber, with some subtle tip and tail rocker. Volkl’s 3D.Radius means you get a tighter turn radius underfoot, with longer radii in the tips and tails to reduce catching and allow for different turn shapes. The engineering behind this ski is impressive and is reflected in its construction. 3D.Ridge is combined with Titanal Frame, providing a strong feel on edge, but with a lighter feel than skis with full shets of metal.

Matt McAlary tested the Deacon 84 in the 177 cm length. It’s safe to say the Deacon 84 wasn’t immediately on Matt’s personal ski radar, but he walked (skied) away quite impressed. “This one was a total sleeper pick for me... It was a completely different ski than what I had originally thought and I was thoroughly impressed. It was actually one of the most pleasant ski experiences I had all day. It handles the slushy conditions better than some of the wider skis. I felt like I could carve the ski instead of just feeling like the snow was giving out underneath me. Way lighter and quicker than I thought. It was a much easier ski to manipulate that I had anticipated. You could let it ride on a wide arc very easily but you could also flex it into a shorter turn or smear into a turn extremely easily as well. This is a ski that I don't think enough people are skiing on. Upper level; intermediate to advanced skiers would love this ski, but even experts would have a fun time on it. It just made skiing very easy, very intuitive and I can see it being a source of confidence for skiers who might be a bit more conservative.” That’s great feedback from Matt, and a nod to the idea that the Deacon is much more than just a carving ski. We had some softer snow conditions on our test day, and the Deacon 84 ate it right up. Matt’s high praise was reflected in his scores, 5 out of 5 for stability and overall impression, with quickness, playfulness, forgiveness, and edge grip all earning solid 4 out of 5 marks.

Brad Schauerman ran into more issues in the softer snow conditions, likely because he skied it later in the day. “It was a bit manky by the time I got to ski it. Great carver, though!” With an 84 mm waist width, there will be limitations in terms of how soft and how deep the snow surface is, and it seems as though Brad found that limit in the heavy afternoon slush. Brad, like Matt, skied the 177 cm length, and Jeff Neagle hopped on that same length as well. “Super fun! Energetic, responsive, hold an edge well. The blend of different Volkl construction techniques is really cool. 3D.Ridge keeps it light, Titanal Frame gives you the necessary vibration damping and stability for skiing hard and fast, but you don’t have to ski hard and fast, which is a nice departure from some heavier, stiffer skis in this category.” Jeff awarded the Deacon 84 some high scores, with stability, quickness/maneuverability, torsional stiffness/edge grip, and overall impression all earning 4.5 out of 5 scores.

Bob St.Pierre had a similar reaction to the Deacon 84. “There’s a lot to like about the Deacon 84. It takes the performance of the previous RTM collection to the next level. Loves to be on edge. This build loves to rail turns. On-piste skiers will love the stability and edge grip, but the width and lighter feel gives it some versatility too.” Bob had similar scores as Jeff for the Deacon 84, 4 out of 5 for stability, quickness/maneuverability, torsional stiffness/edge grip, and overall impression. In fact, the only score from any of our testers that dropped below a 3 was from Brad, a 2 for flotation, which isn’t surprising given his feedback and description of the snow conditions he was on. Overall, the Deacon 84 is a fantastic all-mountain ski that can be enjoyed by a wide range of skiers. It’s snappy, energetic, and grippy on firm snow, but its width and shape allows for some off-piste adventures too. Just don’t expect it to float like a powder ski.