The Sender Free 100 is an entirely new ski to Rossignol’s lineup and is their first venture in a while into the world of playful 100 mm-waisted skis.
For the past four seasons, Rossignol has been focused on perfecting the Sender line. The journey came to a head last year with the release of the Sender Soul 102 and Rallybird Soul 102, which were received extremely well by consumers and earned Editor’s Picks in our 2025 Buyer’s Guide. This multi-season development of the Sender Soul and Rallybird Soul shifted their target market focus slightly away from freestyle-oriented skiers and more towards the directional, all-mountain skier.
Rossignol hasn’t abandoned the freestyle category of skier entirely. On the wider end of their alpine collection, the Sender Free 110 and Sender Free 118 feature more progressive freeride shapes and have gained impressive popularity. You’ve probably seen the Sender 110’s distinct blue, red and black topsheet in diabolical Instagram clips or on Marcus Goguen’s feet when he won the 2025 Kicking Horse Freeride World Tour event. This freeride DNA is also evident in the Black Ops 98, which has been sporting sweet retro graphics since last season, drawing inspiration from Rossignol’s legendary slalom ski, the 7SK.
With the Black Ops 98 firmly established in Rossignol’s alpine category, you might wonder why they would introduce another freestyle ski near the 100 mm width. The answer lies in their distinct characteristics—the Black Ops 98 features an extremely long effective edge, directional shaping and a stiff core. While it absolutely rips for aggressive freeriders who like driving through the shovels of a snappy, energetic ski the Sender Free 100 is specifically catered towards that more buttery and playful skier.
Specs @ 184
- TIP – 131
- Waist – 100
- Tail – 123
- Radius – 20
- Weight Per Pair – 4.4 LBS
Construction
- “POPLAR WOOD CORE“
- “RECTANGULAR FULL SIDEWALL“
- “AIR TIP“
- VAS TECHNOLOGY“
First Impression
I tested this new ski at Copper Mountain in Colorado this January. The mountain had received snow the prior week, but by the time I arrived, conditions were firm though the snow quality remained excellent—perfect for ripping fast groomers and tackling firm but decent moguls. For reference, I’m 6’7″ and weigh 240 pounds—I rode the Sender Free 100 in the 190cm length.
The first thing I noticed was the ski’s weight—or rather, its perceived lightness. While not incredibly light compared to other wood core 100 mm-waisted skis, this sensation stems from Rossignol’s Air Tip technology and reduced material in the tips and tails. This design creates the illusion of a lighter ski by concentrating most of its weight underfoot, resulting in lower swing weight at the tips and tails.
After a few runs, my resounding impression was that this ski was very unique. It needed some speed to naturally roll into a turn, likely due to its 25-meter turn radius in the 190 cm length. Once there, the ski felt confident throughout the turn—though I did find its speed limit. On steeper pitches, it became chattery and uncomfortable when locked into turns. That said, it held a turn remarkably well for its class.
Perhaps its most distinctive feature though is how easily it throws sideways from a turn. It feels incredibly snappy and responsive—twitchy in the best possible way—not just in terms of energy but in how readily you can redirect it. This characteristic forces you to ski with a surfy and undemanding skiing style. I found myself easily flowing through long sweeping turns before quickly snapping out of the turn to hunt side hits or boost off rollers. The ski favors a more neutral stance, which is very unlike the Sender Soul 102 which demands to be driven through the tips. Overall I think this ski feels like a buttery park ski that has an appetite for all-mountain skiing. I’m looking forward to spending more time on this ski during our upcoming ski tests before sharing my complete assessment.
