Those looking for a super damp feel should check out heavier skis (there are lots of good options in the “All-Mountain More Stable” section of our Buyer’s Guide). I like the ski best with a race tune (0.5 deg base, 3.0 deg side) and then dull the tips and tails back to the contact point. It also produces a good deal of energy coming out of a carved turn. The Origin 96’s tips never dove on my while skiing through ~12” of fresh or cut-up pow, and it remained pretty easy to pivot in the deeper snow, despite its narrower width. How could it with all that rocker? Liberty says the Origin 96’s tip rocker is the only thing that’s changed between the 17/18 and 18/19 versions. Blister members can check out our initial on-snow impressions in our Flash Review, and while we compile our full review let us know in the Comments section below anything you’d like us to address in the full review. Its my best tree ski by far. And we really liked that ski. He found it to be a surprisingly strong ski that, when combined with its radically deep rocker lines, … My K2 Rictors 167cm / 80mm have a running length of 145 and an effective edge maybe 150 (I enjoy these) On groomers and smoother snow, I like to carve with pressure and really arc the ski and turn. Its low weight and tip and tail rocker make it easy to make quick adjustments in bumps, and the forgiving flex in its tips and tails make it less punishing than many other ~96 mm skis. Photo courtesy of Liberty Rounding out the top 10 highest performing skis in this category, the new Evolv100 appealed to testers differently. I can slide my tails out in tight bumped up trees in complete control and regulate my speed. That’s not much, except that the increase in effective edge comes from the shallower tip rocker, and thus, there’s in practice more “effective tip” than just +0.7 cm. What we said about the Origin 96 in our 18/19 Winter Buyer’s Guide: “Honestly, we could pretty easily put this ski in either our “More Forgiving” or “More Stable” section, because the Origin 96 is a fairly light ski that can be skied quite hard for its weight, yet it remains quite forgiving. It was not quite as quick turning, but didn’t loose much. I’m looking at picking up a pair of these as I can get a great deal through work and my current work skis are delaming. For reference, below are a few of our measured weights (per ski, in grams) for a few notable skis. Award for the fun meter!”, © 2020 Pocket Outdoor Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2020 Men's Frontside Ski Review Our on-slope testers carefully tested the 2020 Liberty Evolv90. Blister Members can now check out our Flash Review of the Origin 96 for our initial impressions. What Liberty says about the new Origin 96: “The award-winning Origin 96 is back with a newly refined, early rise tip profile. I live in Vail and spend about 70% of the time in all types of conditions in the back bowls and 30% on the front side on moguls and groomers. We don’t always rush to write reviews that quickly, but I was having an absolute blast on the Origin 96, so I was eager to tell you all why. I bet Luke would like the 182 length even better. At the same time, I think the Origin 96 could work very well for advanced or expert skiers who prefer a lighter ski and ski with a “light on your feet” style, rather than a very planted, get-down-the-hill-as-fast-as-possible style. In areas where the chop had settled and hardened, I had to ski a lot slower and more carefully. "The Liberty #Origin112 is a fun soft-snow-focused ski that would make a great powder ski. Hope that clears things up. Most reviews online where reviewers have skied multiple / all lengths prefer the 182i Liberty is dedicated to building high performance skis designed with functional innovation and respect for the environment in mind. In soft, cut-up snow the Origin 96 continued to be predictable and punched above its width. After taking it out in the leftovers of a recent 15” storm cycle in Crested Butte, I think it’s still one of the better skis in its waist width when it comes to performance in powder. The Origins at 176cm have a running length of 128 and an effective edge of 150 And in the shorter lengths, I think beginner skiers could get along well with it, too. This let’s the ski carve and grip from the middle very well, even on ice, and allows it to pivot well in soft snow. I would also be using this ski for powder days up to at least 12″. What skis have you used in the past, which lengths were they, and did any of them feel particularly long or short? I found it to have more than enough edgehold to rip groomers. And if so, what length (176 or 182cm)? The new version might allow the tip to hook up a little more and pull the ski into a turn. Quick measurements Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Origin 96: Tips: 6Shovels: 6.5-7.5In Front of Toe Piece: 9-10Underfoot: 10Behind Heel Piece: 9.5-8.5Tails: 8-7. I know it is described as being quite stiff. It’s much easier to slash and slide around compared to skis with less tip and tail rocker, though it’s not the surfiest ski in its class. Liberty Skis The Evolv series is both smooth and energetic, fitting a wide range of snow conditions and skier abilities. Like most Liberty skis we’ve reviewed, the Helix 98 is fairly light for its size. It initiates turns easily and I could easily make big GS turns or bend it into tighter ones. My initial thought is the 182, but that recommendation would depend on the other skis you’ve used and your thoughts on them. The Liberty Origin 96 is a ski that’s light and quick, but that also encourages an aggressive and dynamic skiing style. Mat, my opinion is the 187 cm length will work very well for you. Interested to hear kind of a head to head comparison of the O96 and VMT92. Did this ski really need to get better at carving? The Origin 96 feels very light in the air, which is great for quick shifties or spins, though it doesn’t feel as balanced as skis with mount points closer to center. Do you think that the Origin 96 would serve as a good one-ski-quiver for Taos Ski Valley? I was trying to ask if at my size, am I too big for this ski. So the new Origin 96 is supposed to perform better on firm and variable snow, which seems like a logical expectation given the new ski’s decreased tip rocker and splay. Overall, the new Origin 96 still has deeper rocker lines than some of the more traditional options in this class (e.g., Blizzard Bonafide, Volkl Mantra M5, 4FRNT MSP 99). That might have changed a little with the new ski with less rocker. Main concern is if the 182’s would feel too long in trees, bumps or steep terrain where I’m pushing my limits Having the tip carve a little better (and sooner) in moguls should be a good thing, too. The 187 is more stable at speed, the 182 is quicker and probably the best length for overall performance. I’m off to Canada in a couple of weeks and I’m wondering if I’d be better off with the 182’s The Origin 96 definitely doesn’t have a super burly flex pattern, but Jonathan emphasized how strong the old Origin 96 felt thanks to its stiffer section underfoot, so we have reason to think that the same will hold true for the new version. All in all, it’s a very versatile and well-executed all-mountain ski. As a result, the Origin 96 feels equally comfortable skiing pretty hard and fast or while relaxing and sliding your turns around. 84kg / 177 cm Anyone know how these compare durability wise? When I talk about “overwhelming the tips” of a ski I’m referring to when you drive the front of a ski hard and the tips fold up / are not supportive enough and you end up feeling like you’re going to fall over the front of the ski. The ski carves from the stiff middle section, as opposed to the tip pulling you into a carve. They won’t fight back like some burly chargers, they strike a nice balance. With vertically oriented alloy struts in the core, the ski could hold its own on hard snow, but maintained a high level of versatility thanks to a girthy waist and perfectly placed shovel rocker. The only difference is I will be mounting with a Bishop BMF R binding and I’m 5’11” and 190 lbs. And while it’s no crud-buster, the Origin 96’s tip rocker kept it from slicing into the snow unpredictably.
2020 liberty skis review