2024 Rossignol Forza 60 V-Ti Ski Review

There’s been a pretty big shift in how we view the front side of the mountain over the past few seasons, and we’re all about it here at SkiEssentials.com. Rossignol has been making fantastic race and carving skis for a long time now, and have been looking to break into the North American market with a fun, powerful, and accessible front side ski that will allow skiers to experience the simple and pure joy of carving clean and round turns. For most of us, most of our ski time is spent on groomers, and that’s especially true for skiers like us here in the Northeastern United States. It seems a bit wonky that we’ve been pushed towards upper 80’s and mid-90's underfoot skis as carving options when there are far better options out there, and they’ve basically been right under our noses this whole time. By adopting the more European on-piste model and bringing it to the US and Canada, Rossignol and their new Forza line aims to bring not only the utility, but also the enjoyment of this style of skiing to the mountains of our regions. It seems like a smart move, and with the Rossignol Forza 60 V-Ti for 2024, they’re definitely pushing a ski on us that handles all of these applications. We spent most of our Forza time this winter on the top-end 70 version, but each time we got on the 60, it was apparent that Rossignol definitely has something special for front side skiers and carving enthusiasts.

At a Glance:

2024 Rossignol Forza 60 V-Ti

The coolest part about the 60 is that it shares a similar high-end build as the 70, and this is as good as any place to start. When we get into shape and profile, we’ll start to see some differences and how they contribute to performance, but for now, it’s safe to say that even though the 60 may be viewed as “lesser” of a ski, in reality it’spretty darn close in build as the 70. Starting with a poplar wood core that blends grip, energy, and light weight quite effectively, Rossignol really starts to throw the tech at this ski after that. In the central spine of the wood core sits Rossignol’s LCT, or Line Control Technology, that helps keep the ski on its intended line. This Visco material not only smooths out bumps and chop when it comes to on-snow performance, it also prevents counter-flexing which can knock you out of your turn. If you’re wondering why/how these skis can feel so smooth, the LCT is a big part of the answer. On top of the wood core, mainly underfoot, sits a titanal beam which does a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to edge grip and stability. By reducing vibrations and maintaining dampness, this metal beam goes a long way in creating the ski’s identity. This is the main way in which the 60 differs from the 70 in that the 70 has a full titanal laminate. In addition to that layer, Rossignol also implements another strategic titanal application in the form of their V-Titanal Technology. What they’re doing here is using metal in more of a 3-dimensional form, basically in that V shape. Any time materials such as this are used in this format, it boosts the stiffness and power. Sometimes we see it in carbon or fiberglass, but in this case, Rossignol angles the metal in order to evenly distribute the forces as well as maintaining the rigidity. Speaking of carbon and fiberglass, the Forza 60 benefits from a Carbon Alloy Matrix that weaves strands of fiberglass, carbon, and basalt together to boost both longitudinal and torsional stiffness delivering excellent energy on the back side of the carve.On the shovel end of this V-Titanal layer, we find Rossignol’s Reinforced Torsion Tip, or RTT. Since the tip is so wide (more on that in shape), it’s helpful to have some structural reinforcement to prevent it from becoming too floppy or too rigid. Rossignol’s answer to this is the implementation of a “tie” shape in the very tips of the ski to properly distribute the torsional stiffness to prevent unwanted flex and encourage proper initiation. While some skis stick to a pretty basic build to attain simplicity, Rossignol goes the other way, putting tons of tech into their construction to create a smooth, powerful, and energetic result. While served with a Konnect binding, the ski itself tips the scale at 1900 grams per ski in the 171 cm length. There’s a lot going on here, so it’s not a surprise that this ski is as sturdy and as strong as it feels.

On the shaping side of the spectrum, we’re seeing that oversize shovel become more and more popular with not only front side skis like this 60, but also in more all-mountain formats. Shorter turning and quicker carves are certainly in fashion these days, and the precision-based Forza 60 is right at the top of the game. We’ve seen shorter radii skis like Black Crows Mirus Cor and Dynastar M-Cross 88 as some of the highlights this year, and for more of an on-piste option, the 13-meter radius of the Forza 60 fits right in. The shape of this 60 is more rounded than the squared-off 70, so what you lose in top-end precision, you gain in overall friendliness. It’s a more manageable entry and exit for sure, but make no mistake, the underfoot region is still just as powerful and clean as that of the more dynamic 70. With a 130-mm tip and a 112-mm tail, we do see a fair amount of tip to tail taper, putting the direction and magnitude of the turn shape squarely on the feet of the skier. The shape, once again, is a bit less dramatic than the 70, which features the same 112 mm tail but a wider 136 mm tip and a 78 mm waist. Compared to the 75 mm midriff of the 171 Forza 60, the 70 feels almost all-mountain. This ski, the 60, is narrower overall, and that makes for a more reasonable ski experience. Aggressive skiers who are seeking out that race-like feel and performance will likely gravitate to the sharper and stouter 70, but we think that the bulk of skiers looking for that mid-70's ski will be happier overall on the 60. There’s not a whole lot to discuss when it comes to the profile of the ski, as it’s mainly cambered. There’s a slight amount of tip rocker and a touch of tail splay, but other than that, this is profiled like the front-sided ski that it is. Skiers who spend most of their time on-piste and in a carved turn generally enjoy that full camber feel and the energy that comes along with it. By building the snap and pop into the ski, skiers don’t have to work nearly as hard to get amazing rebound and edge grip, and that’s one of the most appealing aspects of a proper front side ski like the Rossignol Forza 60.

There’s not a whole lot to dissect when it comes to all-around or versatile performance, so this section mainly deals with carving and on-piste attributes of the ski. We will say, though, that between the 70 and the 60, even though it’s a bit narrower, the 60 is easier to maneuver in tighter spaces, moguls and packed-out trees. The 70 motors through and over softer snow a bit better, but that’s probably the only real advantage that the 70 has in an off-piste format. Sticking to the groomers is a better idea for either/both of these skis. For the 60, tipping it on edge is a welcome experience. It doesn’t yank you into the turn, rather it pulls you with confidence. The engagement in the tip is vivacious and energetic, yet it transmits that sensation to the underfoot zone very quickly and efficiently. At 6’2 225, I’m oversized for the 171 cm test length that we had, so I was able to feel these transitions pretty easily. You can certainly size down on this ski if you want to harness the agility and energy of the short-turning ski, but I’d likely be happier overall on the 179. Either way, the Forza 60 is able to take your input, transmit it through the forebody, midriff, and tail of the ski in one swift motion, ricocheting you into the next turn almost preternaturally. You’re literally in the next turn before you even felt like you started the first. This is that slalom-like feel mixing with the front-side nature of the ski in a very clear and concise practice. Since it was slightly short, most of my time was spent making shorter turns. They thoroughly enjoyed being pushed past the radius into more of a skidded form, and were happy making subsequent turns in this application. When I opened it up and let them run, they weren’t quite as capable in a long-carve manner. This was expected due to the radius and the length of the ski, but it didn’t diminish the overall character of the ski. If you’re looking for longer arcs at speed, longer skis with longer radii are the way to go. If you spend most of your time in the mid-range of radius but want the high-end feel to go along with it, then this Forza 60 is a top performer in that realm. Similar to what we saw and experienced with Black Crows Mirus Cor, the ski can go fast, but don’t expect it to carve across the fall line and complete turns as competently as other skis that align better with this style.

Our main hope with this ski is that it doesn’t get overshadowed by either the Forza 70 in its own line, or other mid-70's front side skis that may have more of a race-like behavior. We feel that most skiers who are looking for that race room style of ski will be considerably happier overall on the Forza 60. Some other new skis in this range, like the Nordica Spitfire 74 falls into that race category, and while it’s one of the more composed and powerful skis in this range, it’s also pretty demanding. The same can be said about the Atomic Redster Q9 and Blizzard Thunderbird R15. It’s unfair to say this ski is one step below those, as the performance is more proper for more skiers. Those upper-end skis are better suited for former racers and aggressive experts who want that GS style feel and super-solid personality. If you’re in the market for more energy, pop, and responsiveness, the 2024 Rossignol Forza 60 is a far better option. We’re stoked to see the emphasis push forward with these on-piste carving skis, as it aligns with what most skiers do most of the time. The usefulness of a ski like this is only surpassed by the quality of engineering and design that went into it. It’s this blend that’ll make the 2024 Rossignol Forza 60 V-Ti an amazing ski for advanced and expert skiers who understand the purpose and quality of a solid front side ski.