2023 ROSSIGNOL SENDER & RALLYBIRD SKIS - LINE OVERVIEWS

For 2023, Rossignol has both expanded and condensed its ski lines. How does this paradox happen, you may ask? First and foremost, they’ve moved some things around in the catalog, and we think this just makes sense. Escaper has gone the way of the touring crowd, while Blackops returns to its original zone, offering the twin tips to the freeriders looking to express themselves on the mountain. Sender is now the main all-mountain/freeride category for the men, with Rallybird taking the reins for the ladies freeride division. These two latter sectors are where we’re focused right now, with Sender offering a 106 Ti Plus, 104 Ti, and a 94 Ti. The Rallybird comes in slightly narrower, featuring a 104 Ti, 102, and a 92. These six ski models have a huge range and application for a lot of skiers, and at the same time makes it easier for skiers to find their perfect ski. As a result, even though Rossignol has expanded their lines, they’ve become more efficient in spacing them out, allowing for a better focus for each category.

We think the best part of this development is the incorporation of the Escaper 94 into the Sender line, as that ski kind of got lost in the “freetouring” category last year. Now it’s one of the centerpieces and main players in this overarching Sender line. Rallybird narrows focus as well, featuring two models without metal and the 104 Ti containing the kitchen sink of ski materials. One of the big changes for this year is a ridged Titanal Beam that holds its shape and stiffness better than a flat metal laminate. When materials like metal and carbon are utilized in a three-dimensional application like this, it makes a huge difference in the feel and performance. Skiers looking to rip around the whole mountain in all conditions will love the range of the Sender and Rallybird skis, allowing them to fine-tune their selection based on flex, turn radius, and overall stability.

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Common courtesy dictates ladies first, so let’s dive into the Rallybird skis to start, beginning with the 92. Built with a lightweight paulownia wood core, the Rallybird also features Rossignol’s Damp Tech, which is a woven rubber laminate that sits in the forebody of the ski. This material is incredibly effective at filtering out unwanted vibrations and keeping the skier on the intended line. Air Tip keeps following Rossignol’s skis around, ending up in all six of these models. This does a great job at lowering the swing weight, increasing the flotation, and making the ski just generally easier to turn. In the 170 cm length, this ski boasts a 16-meter turn radius, descending as the size goes down. This makes the Rallybird pretty turny and fun on a variety of conditions, ultimately allowing it to carve clean and round turns on the groomers as well as through crud and chop. The rocker profile and taper shape is what you’d expect from a good 50/50 ski—neither too dramatic nor too mellow for a multitude of ski activities. Pretty light, these skis measure 1700 grams per ski, but when the stability and smoothness of the construction is considered, it’s impressive what type of performance skiers can glean. At 94 mm underfoot in the 170, these skis fall into that sweet spot of being considered a one-ski quiver for intermediates all the way through expert skiers.

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Moving up to the Rallybird 102, we gain width, obviously, but we also gain rocker and taper, making this ski a smoother floater without giving up too much on the trails. Still very directional with a responsive tail, this 102’s got a slightly shorter turn radius of 13-meters in the 162, mainly due to the increased taper shape, bringing the slightly wider spots closer to the mid-point of the ski. This boosts flotation and playfulness, making the 102 a great choice for skiers who spend a lot of their time in softer snow conditions and variable terrain. This 102, in addition to the changes in shape, also gets Line Control Technology, featuring two strips of Visco material that strengthen the ski and smooth out any chatter. Damp Tech and Air Tip follow forward into this ski, with the LCT doing the bulk of the lifting in terms of performance. There’s not a whole lot of weight difference here, either, with the 162 coming in right at 1700 grams per ski, similar to the 170 in the 92.

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The 104 Ti is where the Rallybird line starts to differ from the other two, making this model an ideal choice for advanced and expert skiers looking to charge through powder, crud, and chop while leaving clean carves in their wake. From a construction standpoint, the 104 Ti gets a Titanal Beam that sits underfoot and powers the edge grip of the ski. The nice thing is that it does so without jeopardizing the overall weight of the ski, both static and in motion. This ski comes in at around 1800 grams per ski in the 171, so it is a bit of a bump. Amazingly, they’re able to add their Carbon Alloy Matrix to the ski without overloading the core, and this laminate sits right under the Paulownia wood, giving the ski extra snap and energy when loading it up in a carved turn. For such a wide ski, it really hooks up well and carries the skier cleanly through the arc. This cross-hatching of carbon in the ski makes it stiffer and more responsive without dragging it down. For ripping skiers who like to charge, the Rallybird 104 Ti makes a strong case for an upper-level product.

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To the men’s side, the Sender 94 Ti gets a notable upgrade in the form of a Titanal Beam. The ski has a lot of the same personality traits as the underrated Escaper, while adding the necessary ingredient to boost performance, edge grip, and energy. The beam does a great job at smoothing out the bumps underfoot and adding grip to the firmer snow. Damp Tech, Air Tip, and a paulownia wood core round out the build, making this ski versatile and fun-loving. At 94 mm underfoot in the 176, the ski definitely falls into the width range of a one-ski quiver, and the responsiveness blends well with the flotation, making it a great choice for intermediate to advanced-level skiers who are looking for a light and fun ski for any and all conditions and terrain. 19-meters and 1800 grams in that 176 cm length is a nice middle-ground to be in for radius and weight for a ski like this.

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Bumping up 10 mm underfoot into the 104 Ti, we gain another 100 grams of weight in the 178, and slightly shorten the arc to 18-meters. This, like the difference between the Rallybird 92 and 102, is largely due to the increased taper shape. You can really feel it in the 104—this ski likes to come around. Construction-wise, the 104 Ti gets the ridged Titanal Beam and two strips of Line Control Technology to smooth out the ski. Paulownia wood keeps the general feeling of the ski adventurous and energetic, making this an excellent choice for skiers who are looking for something playful but still substantial. The additional materials boost the performance of the ski, making it feel like it belongs in the expert category, yet it’s approachable for advanced skiers who are looking for a wider ski in their quiver.

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The 106 Ti Plus is definitely a different animal, relying on a Ti Plus Beam (longer and wider than the other beams in the line) that takes care of the bulk, of the power. In addition, we move up to a Poplar wood core and an upper laminate of Carbon Alloy Matrix. Having this laminate on top of the ski makes it stiffer and more responsive, as that material is closer to your boot and binding, moving it up in the chain of power transfer. Damp Tech, Dual LCT, and Air Tip round out the build, keeping this 106 Ti Plus still squarely in the Sender category, albeit with a stronger and more stable feel for sure. No speed limit with this 106, and the 21-meter turn radius and 2200 gram per ski weight in the 187 attests to that. This is a big ski with big dreams, and a lot of experts will love the blend of stability and power that make it feel really natural at speed and in snow.

These new Rallybird and Sender skis represent the next movement from Rossignol in the freeride division, and they’ve really covered all their bases. They improved on aspects and qualities that needed beefing up and left alone many of the attributes that skiers already enjoyed. This type of synergy really rounds out the model line and solidifies Sender and Rallybird as brands within the brand. The technology and construction involved here sets these six skis apart from similar families of skis, with the emphasis on fun, playfulness, and low swing weight (except for the 106 Ti Plus, which is really burly).

Written by Bob St.Pierre on 03/03/22