Test: Rossignol Blackops Alpineer 86

After the great success of its 7 series in freeriding, Rossignol decided to devote itself to the touring segment three seasons ago with the Blackops Seek which today becomes Blackops Alpineer, completely redesigned but which maintains the characteristics that have made Rossignol skis very popular off the slopes. Rossignol Blackops Alpineer weighs like its predecessor (1250g), but let’s see what has changed in these touring skis. Lightweight paulownia core and ABS Air Tip technology for good manoeuvrability without compromising performance: ultra-light construction is combined with vibration damping technology for an agile and progressive descent. The Rossignol Blackops Alpineer 86 uphill are a pleasure but downhill do they work as well as their predecessors? It is a very easy ski to handle, and in slow and gentle turns it is pleasant and very easy to tame. While it makes long-radius turns very easy, it leaves something to be desired when changing directions at high speed. The Rossignol Blackops Alpineer is a soft and manageable ski, even on difficult snow. In fresh snow, even if they are not very wide, they work well, and on steep slopes they are very stable and have excellent edge grip. Being very light, they can be lifted and rotated with agility: when you land again after a jumped turn 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 ski, and by those who want to face complex terrains.