Volkl RTM 84 Skis + iPT Wide Ride 12.0 Bindings 2012

Comments about Volkl RTM 84 Skis + iPT Wide Ride 12.0 Bindings 2012:

5'9", 200 lbs, ski patroller, skiing for 40 years.

Had these distributor demos for one day only, on the end of season staff day last April. Conditions were freshies up top, firm corduroy, transitioning to crud, elephant snot, ice, and slush at the bottom.

These things are rocketships. My last high speed carvers were Volkl AX3's, and these skis can easily turn and burn much better than them, along with not wanting to eat your lunch if you you got a bit sloppy. Very lively with lots of pop and drive in turn transition, very little skier effort needed. And unlike the AX3's, they crank just as well at lower speeds, without needing a full head of steam to really show their stuff.

In the freshies, they felt like they were skiing just as well as my Mantra's. I wished I had brought the Mantra's up to do some run-to-run comparisons of the two. There are certainly better choices out there for the steep and deep, but for frontside pow, this is a ski with many grins per centimeter.

They felt like they had powersteering through the crud and elephant snot at the bottom, very predictable, didn't feel like you were getting tossed around. Great edge hold on ice as well, very secure and not feeling like they might lose their edge at any time. The only thing I didn't ski them in was bumps.

What made their performance particularly impressive was that the only ski length they had available to demo was 171 cm, which I presumed I would find to be far too short for my weight in the pow and at speed on the hardpack. Suprise, surprise... they still did frontside pow great and if they have a speed limit, it was faster than I could find without pointing them straight downhill. For those who have found Volkl skis to be a bit of a handful in the past, this is not a nervous ski.

So my patrol skis this year are a pair of these in 171cm. Didn't even bother to demo anything else on the hill.

One big negative: you have to use Marker bindings with these skis. I have skied, raced, and patrolled for 40 years on Look bindings and never suffered a leg injury. I can't remember anyone I've treated for a leg or knee injury who was skiing on Look bindings, although obviously it does happen. Luck or good technology, I feel secure I can crash on Look's and not worry about a leg or knee injury. I'm almost superstitious about it, and having to go with Markers was almost enough for me to decide to pass on these skis and look elsewhere. That is my one misgiving about this ski.

Anyways, I think most people who choose this ski are going to be very satisfied with their choice.