Liberty stepped it up this year. The company continually asks us what it can do to improve its skis and it must be sincere in listening because the entire line-up is changed. Liberty has absolutely slayed it for 2008. Using a combination of bamboo and wood construction techniques, UHMW sidewalls and P-Tex 4000 sintered bases for durability and speed, the company has come up with some truly great offerings.
Helix
Length: 176, 186
Dimensions: 135-105-122
MSRP: $690 Stoke: 8.5
“Poppy and fun.” An “all around great ski.” “Holy crap! This ski is great!” Get the message? Liberty’s Helix is – hands down — the best ski that this small Colorado company has ever made. It’s so good, in fact, that it’s one of our Editor’s Choices for 2008. With bamboo sidewalls and a durable wood core, the Helix is “a fantastic one-ski quiver for aggressive experts.”
Hazmat
Length: 164, 171, 181, 186
Dimensions: 126-94-119 (115-85-110 @ 164)
MSRP: $600 Stoke: 8
The Hazmat clocks in at a close second to the Helix as our favorite ski from Liberty. It’s a “fast and responsive” ski that “carves well” and “rips through pow.” Liberty has another winner on their hands with the bamboo core, twin-tip construction of the Hazmat. With a slightly narrower footprint than the Helix, we’d suggest this ski for those who live in the East or who ski a bit of park from time to time.
Jinx
Length: 157, 164, 171
Dimensions: 125-93-115 @ 171
MSRP: $580 Stoke: 6.5
Jumps: 8 Pipe: 7
Playfulness: 7 All-Mtn: 6
The three different lengths of the Jinx get wider as they get longer; the shorter being geared toward the park and the longer meant for all-mountain. Our park testers found the 157 Jinx ripped the park and locked solidly onto rails. Our big-mountain testers thought the 171 cm Jinx held its own in crud and powder and ripped steeps and groomers with no problem.
Phil Larose Pro
Length: 157, 164, 171, 178
Dimensions: 116-87-105 @ 178
MSRP: $580 Stoke: 6.5
Jumps: 8 Pipe: 7
Playfulness: 7 All-Mtn: 6
Back by popular demand, the Larose Pro comes in four different sizes this year, all complete with a new bamboo sidewall that creates tons of pop and energy. Our testers found this ski to be “light and poppy” in some instances but “hard to turn and control” in others. “It was pretty inconsistent” in the park and especially the pipe.
Next Review > >
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