Rossignol 2010/11 S7 Koopman Ski - 2010 BCS

Since I got a pair of the 195s, my life has turned around. On our local hill, there is a set of steep trees that I had always skied like a little girl. The first time I went back there in the S7s, I crushed it! And I looked like Plake doing it too (but without the mohawk, because that's not my style). When I got back to the lodge, a pair of brunette twins broke up with their football captain boyfriends and sat down next to me. They said I looked "hot" when I was skiing. After we drank a few pitchers (I was surprised that I could hold my liquor for once,...I think some of the stiffness of the 195s' extra sheet of metal laminate had rubbed off on me) I strapped the skis to my feet, swung a twin under each of my (now) massive arms, and took them home. We didn't get much sleep that night. That was really unusual for me, because my pole typically gets all bendy after the first run (if you know what I mean). The following weekend, I took the skis out again but the weather was pretty bad. I rode the Super 7s to the top of the mountain in whiteout conditions. I took off the one with the big orange "R", and waved it around like Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments. At the time, I was just messing around. To my surprise, the clouds and wind stopped, and then the sun came out. It was now a perfect bluebird powder day (thanks Rossignol!). Later that morning, I met up with Henrik Windstedt and Cody Townsend on a MSP shoot. They saw me skiing and invited me to go with heliskiing with them! The skiing part was pretty cool, but I sat around waiting for them to catch up a lot. At the end of the day, I wanted to buy them and the crew a beer to thank them for hooking us up with the helicopter, but they all just wanted to go back to their rooms to go to sleep. The next week I checked my stocks, and my IRA had doubled (as well as the girth of my member). So therefore, in conclusion: 1) these skis are stiff, 2) you will get lots of control on (and off) the slopes, and 3) you can master of other men, women, and nature itself with these skis. So to be the man you really want to be, get a pair too. (Note: as of December 2010 the 195s were sold out...oh no, too bad for you little man).

I am a lifelong skier (age 54) skiing the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. At 6'3" and 245 lbs. I purchased the 195 cm S7 on the advice of a trusted local ski shop without even demoing the ski and, frankly, before skiing these bad boys I was a little intimidated by the 115 underfoot and 145 shovel. As soon as I clicked in and made my first run on these skis I realized I had made the best ski purchase of my life. These boards absolutley changed my world when it comes to skiing the deep thick pow here in the PNW. What a game changer. I read other reviews that there are equally good or better pow skis out there and that is great but I would never hesitate to recommend these skis to anyone who wants to dramatically improve their deep snow game. I am almost tempted to pick up an extra set of these so I have a fresh pair down the road after I ski these boards out. These skis are the best thing that has ever happened to my ski life!

I was a bit nervous when I bought these skis. I worried that the 195's were too much ski for me (6-1, 195). That all went away when I put these puppies on. Skiing in Jackson, I skied trees, bowls, groomers, bumps and chutes. They are the best thing that I can remember purchasing in a long time. They do everything they claim to do in my opinion. As other reviewers stated, they ski a lot shorter than 195.
They're not great on re-frozen southern aspects or the race course. But, as powder skis, I wouldn't expect them to be.

I love these skis! I was a little skeptical even after reading all the reviews about them being an “all around” ski but they are. Of course they rock in the powder, can carve up the groomers and are nimble enough for quick turns in the trees or a steep narrow chute. They even do a good job in the moguls.

I’m 6’ and 175 pounds and went with the 188’s. The turn radius makes them quicker turning than my BD Verdicts. I really notice the rocker in the tip and like the more turned up tail when I’m in a really tight spot in the trees.

I mounted a pair of Marker Dukes to them and have done a couple short lift accessed tours in the back country. I think they are a couple pounds heavier than my Verdicts with the Fritschi Freeride’s but I don’t really notice it when skinning. I might have gone with the Barons because they are a little lighter and these well used knees don’t really need a DIN setting of 16… and to save $75.

One reviewer said something about always ending up in the back seat with these skis. The only thing that I noticed is that when I get tired and sloppy and do end up in the back seat in a turn that it feels like it is a little easier to pop back up because of having a bit more tail than my Verdicts.

I had them mounted +1.5cm forward of center because when I did a search on mounting suggestions the general consensus was +1.5 to +3cm forward of the boot center mark.

All in all a great ski and highly suggest them for some on looking for a fat rocker ski that you really can use on the whole mountain when there isn’t a big dump of fresh powder.

Just ran these through 4 days of Sierra powder, cement and groomed and these skis rock. Great float, balance, very quick turning, and actually a lot of fun on the groomers. The one knock is that a center binding mount makes you feel like you're going to fly over the front of your skis when doing high speed powder turns. They definitely ski short, so go the size longer if you're in between sizes (and maybe even if you're not in between sizes).

The S7 is the Indiana Jones 4 of skis: very overrated and disappointing. The rocker and soft flex create a very forgiving ski, but not much else. I didn't feel stable on this ski at all, and had a very hard time skiing anything not powder. The S7 is awful in crud, with lots and lots of tail flap. Also the rocker makes it extremely easy to become skiing in the backseat in if you're not careful, and I almost had the crash of my lifetime because of it. Maybe I should've tried the Super 7, but the 188 was one of the worst skis I demoed. Rocker is awesome, but this ski isn't.
I'm 5'8'', 135 lbs and demoed the 188.

For a comparison between this and some other skis I have demoed, check out:
http://williamrichmondski.blogspot.com/

I am 5'11" and 185. Skied the 188 in deep snow at Mammoth. I normally ski a 190 Katana from 08.These were fun and playful, especially in the deep snow in the trees. I really liked them there.I felt like the default 0 mounting position was too far forward. I moved it back about 1 cm and liked it better.They turn pretty good on groomers. Nothing amazing but good enough.I felt like they were not as good at high speeds as my Katanas. I was scared of going over the bars a few times and felt like I needed to be really ready at all times.Basically they were less work and more fun at slow speeds than the Katanas, but less stable at high speeds. Ideally, I would like to find something with a significant improvement in deep snow performance and playfulness, without adding the instability/scaryness factor that these had.Looking to try the Chetler and JJ. This may be a pass.

Just got back from 3 days at Mt. Bachelor (Bend, OR) and skied these on two days. The rocker made turn initiation absolutely effortless in deep snow. They naturally want to turn when tipped and with the added width up front you can stand centered on them allowing you to steer from the lower body. No banking, no sitting back, just riding. Skied in open terrain and in tight trees. I could see how if someone was riding mach schnell down 50 degree pitches without turning the longer and stiffer Super S7 could be useful, but for me, I savor my pow turns and trees so the 188cm was perfect for me (6' 205lbs). On hardpack they carve like an all-mountain carver which is great (note that quickness to edge of a ski is always better narrower if you've never skied a ski over, say, 80mm at the waist) - ski the pow and actually ski like normal back to the lift! If someone is looking to buy a single pair of skis and they have to be fatties, these are the jack of all trades and a master of all off piste, especially in tight places (as sized by Rossi). Soft landings, turnability, stability, and just plain fun. Best I've ever put on my feet. I completely changed the way I looked at chop - rather than looking for terrain features of where I had to turn, I'd mash over the top of everything. I do agree with Brando/Jooky - your true quiver of 1 is the S5 or S3 (for the same dimensions but rockered) but they won't provide the same level of unabashed freedom off-piste. There's a reason why this is Ski Magazine's #1.

Rossi got it right with this ski, it slays all conditions with the standard sidecut underfoot, reverse sidecut tip and tail and Reverse camber tip and tail. The one place I found this ski a little more work than I wanted was in bumps and tight trees. Make no mistake, this ski is meant to rip hard and fast. For tight, technical skiing, I'd suggest something a little narrower underfoot. I actually bought the S3 as its got the same profile, but the dimensions of the S5 with the rockered setup. If you want a pow-ski, but already have an every-day ski, I'd say go for something more floaty and fat. If you're looking for an every-day ski on the west coast, this one will work as long as you're ready for a slower edge-change in the bumps. Phenomenal ski.

Here are my specs: male 5'10'' 170lbs. expert skier, Wasatch Mts. Utah, skiing the 188 centemeter S7 with binding set 1 1/2 cemtemeters ahead of standard mount. The 188 fits me perfect. My every day ski is the Line prophet 100 179 centemeter in length. Binding set at factory recomended mounting point. Ok....so I thought to myself "what's all the hype with the rockered ski stuff. Can it really make that much differece?" The truth...yeh it's so fun...it almost feels illegal. The S7's are really a wonderful ski...quick, nimble, lite, great float, makes you want to charge the mountain even more. Greatly simplfies the crud and groomers and bumps are no problem. Best used in 3-4 inches or more of powder. Why they work...the rockered tips and tails allow the ski to release itself from under the snow much more easily minimizing the natural effect of deep snow to trap the ski below the surface. The over all effect is a much more playful ski experience even for advaced and expert skiers and even more difficut snow conditions like heavy deep snow, become a much easier ski. Effective ski snow contact on groomers for a 188 is like skiing a traditional 165 so don't be afraid to go longer than what your use to. You need the extra length with this type of ski. Bottom line...the S7 is a truely fun ski from top to bottom and the traditional camber underfoot makes getting back on the groomers to the lift so much the better. Enjoy!

This is just the best resort pow ski I've ever skied and I am so glad my dealer talked me into trying them. I get tired of reading marketing department hype that sounds like we've all got helicopters. If you are a resort pow skier and have to actually turn your pow ski, and deal with pow covered bumps or are out on storm days with limited vis and slow speeds, these things work just as well in low gear as they do full throttle. They are kind of like the yellow labrador of pow skis; eager to please and not high strung. These things have elevated my pow game like no other ski. Welcome back Rossi!

the 10/11 incantation of the s7 is great even with the alien snork topsheet. its great for the mank but it truly excels in the pow pow. you can rip em sideways to slarve over everything. booyah

Remember how lousy the snow was up in British Columbia during the winter Olympics in early 2010? I went heli-skiing up there a couple of weeks after the games ended and the ski guides had never seen conditions that bad. Warm weather and thin snowpack meant the best snow was in the dense forests, protected by the tight trees. They had us on these Rossignol S7’s and I could not believe how quick they turned through the tight stuff. When we were able to find the few stashes of deep stuff, they absolutely rocked – they’re quite wide so you really float on top, and shaped to turn quickly. In the high, exposed alpine much of the powder had sun & wind-packed down and it was very hard and fast (not what you want when you pay to go heli). The Rossi S7’s ate it up and behaved like quick-turning slalom ski’s. The standard camber underfoot and reverse (or early-rise) camber at the tips & tails looks strange but I’m telling you, it works.

And they’re ugly as sin, so put them away quickly at the end of the day.

Overall, probably the best ski I’ve ever been on. I’m 53 years old, 205 lbs, 6’1” and have been skiing for 40+ years. Two very big thumbs up on this one.

Awesome ski....does it all and seems almost effortless in a wide variety of conditions. I just recently bought a pair and can't say enough good things about the S7's. Simply a remarkable ski.

This ski rocked! I demoed it one day last week at Snowbird and it was great. In the 10-12 inches of fresh pow they were nimble, stayed afloat over the deep snow, and the tips didn't dive under thanks to the rocker in the tip and tail. It performed really well in the pow. Aside from its great performance in powder/soft snow thanks to its width and rocker, however, the other awesome thing about this ski was its versatility. This ski carved big turns on groomers and even skied some medium sized bumps well. I'm not sure how well they would do in the icy big moguls though. Overall I really enjoyed the ski and highly recommend it as an all mountain powder ski.

Our guests enjoyed the S7 last year so much that we bought another dozen pairs this year for our rental fleet. When we did a powder test, comparing to other skis, we found them to be consistently high performers on all aspects. (The Salomon Rocker also scored well, and Armada didn't participate in the test day). I bought myself the women's version (as I am a woman), the S110W.
If you want to try them, you can come cat skiing at Big Red Cats (about 2 hours north of Spokane), and then buy them from backcountry.com

ordered these a week ago to Canada. Arrived quick, and in perfect condition still in their plastic.
Fantastic layering of graphics, and all around great looking ski. Haven't rode them yet but have no doubts.

I was fortunate to get a pair of the 195 Super-7s a month ago in Vail. Since them I have had a chance to shred them in 3-feet back country pow and a couple of resort days. These skis are AWESOME!!! The float like a hot buttered knife down everything. Super smooth and stable ride in every condition I have found so far. They added an additional beam in the middle of the S7 to stiffen the ski underfoot compared to the 188s, and I have hauled a$$ on groomers with ZERO chatter or loss of stability. These skis are not designed for groomers but they certainly can get you to the bottom in serious style. For reference, I am 6'1'' and 170 lbs and mounted marker barons at the recommended 0 position. In retrospect, I would go +2 or +3 on the mounting if you prefer a more centered stance. In addition, the pics do not do the graphics justice, they are sick and far more detailed than I initially thought.

My wife and I each just skied our new S7 for the first time yesterday and Wow! These are the most amazing skis. No ski that I have ever been on has made such a dramatic change in my skiing ability. We skied everything but powder and they rule. I demo a pair last month in powder and was amazed at that time. I was a little apprehensive about spending so much on a ski but I am now looking for another pair to mount my telebinding on. I will definitely be getting rid of all my old skis to make room for more of these. I hope it never comes down having to make a choice between these skis or my wife.

This ski is the best ski I have ever riden! The only thing they don't rip on is moguls and that's understandable. In powder they are amazing and I mean amaaaazing. They even carve well on grooms. I'm 5'9 185lbs and ski the 188's. I could have bumped up to the 195's but in tight trees the 188's were a little faster. Get them- you will not regret it!

If you're looking for one ski.... this is it. Powder, tight lines and trees, crud and even bullet proof ice thanks to the traditional camber. Sure the purists will go for the monster size true rocker ski, but unless all you ski is big mountain powder, this is the one ski. I'm 5'7" and 140 lbs and skied the 176 all last season. Marker Barons were perfect and these even skinned well when needed. Stable at speed, even on hard pack. Plus, throws off a cool rooster tail. New graphics?? Not sure yet. Just my opinion.

Demoed these skis at the rossignol yurt at Deer Valley 3/5/10 on 14" of fresh powder. Awesome...Anchor trees in Empire, the chutes in Daly Bowl, Ontario Bowl and the groomers back to the yurt were sheer pleasure. Reminded me of Ali's old saying...float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Just bought a pair here in colorado and can't wait for the snow to fly.

I was lucky enough to demo these skis at the Rossignol demo hut at Deer Valley, Utah. We got about 70" of new snow in 7 days. I ski'd 40 days last year and my time on the S7's was the most fun I had all year. These skis are surreal in the powder! Great fun!

I bought these skis in a 166cm as I'm only 150 cm and 105lb. My first impression was how heavy they were to carry! On piste they felt good and lively with a really short turn but were way way too slow. I previously skied on some atomic snoops which leave these for dead in terms of speed. In powder they turned on a dime but lacked life - sort of like an SUV on snow. I am planning on selling these after only a few days on the snow.

This ski used to be the epitome of all awesomeness when it first came out. There were much less options in tapered/rockered skis that would still allow you the flexibility to ski in most conditions. Now this ski has relegated itself into more of a powder specific ski based on all of the other better options out there.

Why don't I like this ski as much as the competition?

#1. The ski starts off with a mid-stiff (maybe 7/10 flex), but once you put over 40 or 50 days on it, it softens up substantially, putting it somewhere in the 5/10 flex range. This means that when you first get the ski it will seem to charge fine even in crud, but after a while it will just feel damp and dead.

#2. There is no reason to have as much taper in the tail as this ski has. If Rossignol were to boost the tail dimensions up to 133-135mm and while boosting the waist dimensions up to 122mm, then we would have a pretty ultimate ski setup. It would turn easier on groomers and it would give you a little bit more punch/stability in the tail to rely on. This would also make the swing weight on the ski much more even so that spins off of cliffs and backcountry booters wouldn't feel so strange. It would also allow for easier switch pow landings.

#3 The tip and tail should both feature taper, but that taper should begin slightly earlier, and should give the ski more of a regular sidecut underfoot. This will allow the ski to actually turn better both on groomers as well as on hardpack. It will also allow the ski to surf pow better than it currently does.

This ski used to be great, I still enjoy it, but I can't give it 5 stars anymore as there are so many other skis I would rather be on.