The dream for many skiers is to have one ski to do it all, and do it all well. The "one ski quiver" is probably the biggest battleground in the ski industry right now. Rossignol enters the fray with the all-new Sender Soul 102, taking cues from both their hard-charging freeride Sender Free line and the now-retired cult-classic Soul line to create a modern all-mountain freeride ski that will make a lot of skiers very happy.
Groomers & Resort Skiing:
Any all-mountain ski worth its weight should be able to handle a large variety of snow textures, terrain, and skiing styles, and the Rossignol Sender Soul 102 certainly fits that bill. What surprised us most was how a large variety of skiers, ex-racers, dad-turn perfectionists, park rats, and freeride chargers all seemed to get along swimmingly with this ski, all raving about how easy to control, yet fun and powerful the ski is. That was especially true of the smooth, easy to access groomer performance. Testers loved the powerful edge grip and felt that the ski was very responsive–that’s the short turning radius and titanal beam talking.
“This ski is probably the easiest ski I’ve gotten on this year. The Sender Soul 102 feels more similar to the Soul 7 making it more approachable and super easy to get that thing on edge.” - Lucas Boudreau
"The ski was really good for carving and did well in mixed snow. I felt in control going down bumpy narrow runs and they were really nice to carve on too." - Coralie Ogez
Off-piste, at moderate speeds, they felt the stiff-but-not-too-stiff flex helped take the edge off moguls and chunky snow, but loved that the slightly softer tips and tails allowed for more playful and creative skiing. The Sender Soul 102 is not your average 2x4-stiff crud buster, instead it offers a more bouncy, poppy, and lively ride.
While testers agreed that the Sender Soul 102 gets high marks on versatility, many pointed out that the same poppy and playful nature of the ski that makes it so fun and agile leaves with a definite speed limit. At really high speeds, busting through crud, or even on nasty re-frozen moguls, testers felt the ski could get a little overwhelmed and felt chattery. It definitely lacks the high end performance of the Sender Free 110 and even the Super Black Ops 98.
Park & Jibbing:
When Rossignol aimed for a one-ski-quiver with these, they certainly didn't include freestyle in the remit. Nonetheless, the accessible flex and relatively low weight make these an option for some mellow stunt work. They are soft enough in the tails to press and have some decent energy popping off bumps and rollers. Of course, if freestyle is a focus then look elsewhere but if all you want to do is press and shifty a bit, these will do just fine.
Who's it for?
It's certainly easier to design a one ski quiver style ski if you take high-end freestyle out of the equation, which the Sender Soul does. These skis definitely could be a one ski quiver for many, but probably lack the power to keep up with aggressive or heavier skiers. In general, our lighter testers had more fun on these. The Sender Soul 102 is happiest on those days when you’re just out soul skiing–arcing smooth turns on the groomer, bouncing off sidehits, and hunting soft snow in the trees. It’s not for all-out charging, winning freeride comps, or stomping the biggest, baddest airs you can find.
Groomers & Resort Skiing:
Any all-mountain ski worth its weight should be able to handle a large variety of snow textures, terrain, and skiing styles, and the Rossignol Sender Soul 102 certainly fits that bill. What surprised us most was how a large variety of skiers, ex-racers, dad-turn perfectionists, park rats, and freeride chargers all seemed to get along swimmingly with this ski, all raving about how easy to control, yet fun and powerful the ski is. That was especially true of the smooth, easy to access groomer performance. Testers loved the powerful edge grip and felt that the ski was very responsive–that’s the short turning radius and titanal beam talking.
“This ski is probably the easiest ski I’ve gotten on this year. The Sender Soul 102 feels more similar to the Soul 7 making it more approachable and super easy to get that thing on edge.” - Lucas Boudreau
"The ski was really good for carving and did well in mixed snow. I felt in control going down bumpy narrow runs and they were really nice to carve on too." - Coralie Ogez
Skier: Lucas Boudreau. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren
Powder & Mixed Conditions:Off-piste, at moderate speeds, they felt the stiff-but-not-too-stiff flex helped take the edge off moguls and chunky snow, but loved that the slightly softer tips and tails allowed for more playful and creative skiing. The Sender Soul 102 is not your average 2x4-stiff crud buster, instead it offers a more bouncy, poppy, and lively ride.
While testers agreed that the Sender Soul 102 gets high marks on versatility, many pointed out that the same poppy and playful nature of the ski that makes it so fun and agile leaves with a definite speed limit. At really high speeds, busting through crud, or even on nasty re-frozen moguls, testers felt the ski could get a little overwhelmed and felt chattery. It definitely lacks the high end performance of the Sender Free 110 and even the Super Black Ops 98.
Skier: Lukas Duckworth. P: Carter Edwards
Park & Jibbing:
When Rossignol aimed for a one-ski-quiver with these, they certainly didn't include freestyle in the remit. Nonetheless, the accessible flex and relatively low weight make these an option for some mellow stunt work. They are soft enough in the tails to press and have some decent energy popping off bumps and rollers. Of course, if freestyle is a focus then look elsewhere but if all you want to do is press and shifty a bit, these will do just fine.
Skier: Lukas Duckworth. P: Carter Edwards
Who's it for?
It's certainly easier to design a one ski quiver style ski if you take high-end freestyle out of the equation, which the Sender Soul does. These skis definitely could be a one ski quiver for many, but probably lack the power to keep up with aggressive or heavier skiers. In general, our lighter testers had more fun on these. The Sender Soul 102 is happiest on those days when you’re just out soul skiing–arcing smooth turns on the groomer, bouncing off sidehits, and hunting soft snow in the trees. It’s not for all-out charging, winning freeride comps, or stomping the biggest, baddest airs you can find.
