Test: Rossignol Blackops Alpineer 86

Reliable and manageable, Blackops Alpineer does its “dirty” work wonderfully.

After the great success of its freerinding 7 series, Rossignol decided to devote itself to the touring world 3 seasons ago with the Blackops Seek which then became Blackops Alpineer, completely redesigned but which maintains the characteristics that made Rossignol skis very popular in the world of freeriding. Rossignol Blackops Alpineer weighs like its predecessor (1250g), but there are several features that make it a very different ski. It is composed of a lightweight Paulownia core with the addition of ABS Air Tip Technology that allows good maneuverability without compromising performance. The ultralight construction with vibration damping technology allows for an agile and progressive descent. It has been a pleasure to use it uphill, but downhill do they work as well as their predecessors? In the test they proved to be very easy to handle, and in slow and gentle turns they were pleasant and definitely easy to tame. While they make long-radius turns very easy, on high-speed changes of directions they leave something to be desired. Rossignol’s Blackops Alpineer is a soft and manageable ski, even on difficult snow. On powder they work well, even if they have a limited width under the foot and on steep slopes they are very stable and have excellent edge grip. Being very lightweight, they can be lifted and rotated with agility: when you land after a jump there is no need to rebalance. They are present, without being paralyzing. Solid and lively without ever putting you in difficulty, they are excellent touring skis, appreciated both by those who need to rely on an easily manageable model, and by those who want to face more complex terrains.