2023 Stöckli Laser WRT Pro

[Lorenzzo]

Blasphemy! Groomers are damn fun on the right equipment. I'm still trying to find that golden pair of groomer skis that help me hone my technique. Laser SC is not in the budget. (Yes, bought powder skis instead.)

You don't have to ski the powder. (Can't believe I just said that). Take those puppies out on the soft groomers and let them rip. I love groomers on soft snow.....silent carving!

I don't experience religious guilt. I don't feel guilt over what I eat or how I live. I make mistakes but I don't feel guilt. With powder days I feel guilt and make mistakes. Lesson unlearned. I want to be better.

 

[Mp29]

So…today was my first day on my WRTPs. Conditions ranged from cord to firm, freshly groomed to partly skied out and pretty skied out. Vis was kind of low.

Before today, my bench for smooth high performance was the Laser AX. Well, not anymore. The 176s outfitted with the D20 and WRT 12 was Santana Smooth. They were High West Campfire smooth. We’re talking Cary Grant and David Niven Smooth. For the level of performance they offer they’re smooth, easy to ski and versatile. I assumed I’d want to put them away when piles started to form. Yeah right. That’s when I saw a whole new side to them. They’ll blow throw anything, I stopped picking lines and instead started to adjust for what I was going over. This really is an all mountain ski, I even enjoyed three day old still soft leftovers, the way I used to on my 2014 Titans. It’s truly an all-day ski. But…stay centered. They’ll remind you of the terminal back seat point. You don’t need no stinkin’ tail relief.

Another wrong assumption I’d made was that in 172 they’d be like a slalom ski. Yes and no. They’ll behave that way if you slow down. But you may not want to because the shit-eating grins begin at speed. It’s almost like a GS ski that has the responsiveness of an SL. But it’s not. It has its own personality. For me what this ski offers that sets it apart is its smoothness, accessibility and quickness while not constrained in the way most quick, shorter radius skis are. Those aspects expanded my envelope. Steeps were such a breeze the way they held an edge (factory tune). The more you put into these the more you’ll get out but if you can be reasonably centered they’re easy to ski. In a strange way they replace the AX.

I could keep going but I’ll stop. I might just add don’t be afraid of the WRT bindings with the D 20 plates.

Interesting your take on these vs AX. I feel the same way but these demand more out of the skier than AX. That being said if you can stay centered on the WRTP they do everything and more that AX offers. Remains to be seen if I have enough skill to keep on them enough or if I will go crawling back to my AXs begging for forgiveness.……pun intended.

 

[DocGKR]

"I'm still trying to find that golden pair of groomer skis that help me hone my technique."

Try getting something sub-70mm in width or close: Head e.Race or Rebel e.Speed, Stockli WRT-ST or Laser GS, Nordica GSR RB, Atomic G9, one of the Rossi Hero's, or even one of the narrower Head Supershapes.

 

[Carvingj]

I have a pair of 172 available.. dm if anyone is interested..

 

[anders_nor]

WRT pro is a raceski, that can be skied for freeskiing. It's definetly not a ski for the masses. actually an expert/advanced ski, one of very few, more demanding than say a M102.

For a raceski, its very friendly, for a leisure ski, its probably the most demanding thing I've skied.

surprised how much "more" it is vs a laser SX even with the stock tune on WRT PRO, and new tune on 184 laser SX

I know @Tony Storaro thinks they are awesome straightline ski, and yes you can open up the turn radius, keyword can, but they dont like it, they want high edge angles, lots of pressure and short turns.

I skied the 180.

anyone know what the stock tune is? I was worried it was too mild, we had very hard snow to some ice as conditions. thing HOOOKS, and the workoutis real. it was -5 to -10 and I was running with sweat.

 

[Tony Storaro]

WRT pro is a raceski, that can be skied for freeskiing. It's definetly not a ski for the masses. actually an expert/advanced ski, one of very few, more demanding than say a M102.

For a raceski, its very friendly, for a leisure ski, its probably the most demanding thing I've skied.

surprised how much "more" it is vs a laser SX even with the stock tune on WRT PRO, and new tune on 184 laser SX

I know @Tony Storaro thinks they are awesome straightline ski, and yes you can open up the turn radius, keyword can, but they dont like it, they want high edge angles, lots of pressure and short turns.

I skied the 180.

anyone know what the stock tune is? I was worried it was too mild, we had very hard snow to some ice as conditions. thing HOOOKS, and the workoutis real. it was -5 to -10 and I was running with sweat.
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Ho ho hooo, can’t wait for some snow. Sounds goooood!

About the tune-mine came at 0.75 base and i will leave them at that.

 

[anders_nor]

Ho ho hooo, can’t wait for some snow. Sounds goooood!

even the local oslo city ones has been open 2-3 weeks now :p your lagging!

 

[Tony Storaro]

even the local oslo city ones has been open 2-3 weeks now :p your lagging!

Presently our local slopes are only good for taking sheep and cattle to graze. I kid you not.

 

[Tony Storaro]

BTW @anders_nor you are comparing the WRT Pro with SX non FIS version, of course the WRT will be much more. There is no X models sweetness in the WRTs, no cuts in the metal that makes them more approachable. Even the regular WRTs have way more oomph than any of the X series and are more difficult to ski, I can only imagine what the Pros might be.

RELEASE THE CRAKEN in other words…

To make them go fast in straight line you need to ski like an elf-very light on your feet, I love making my regular 180 fly down as I go WEEEEEEEEEEEE but care needs to be taken.

 

[JCF]

anyone know what the stock tune is? I was worried it was too mild, we had very hard snow to some ice as conditions. thing HOOOKS, and the workoutis real. it was -5 to -10 and I was running with sweat.

 

[JCF]

I was going to wait to pass along my impressions of this ski ( 162's ) until I was able to get them, or more accurately, me, up to speed.
Here too our tracks have gone away for the most part but I did manage one day before Spring returned.

I question now if it was a good idea to take them out for the first runs of the year as they exposed both my early season lack of form technical and physical.
I thought I mountain biking, exercises and stretching would have had me ready - these skis said not good enough.
I was skiing well the end of last season - these skis reminded me with each small mistake - it's a new year.

The conditions were somewhat skied off fresh ( 2ft fell 3 days before I got there). Really nice, almost styrophoam with piled-up areas and an occasional icy spot.

I started out doing drills - they weren't amused.
When I started to ski on them they reminded me I needed to do more drills.

They just blew through piled up loose snow.
They could make longer turns but definitely worked better, felt more comfortable, smoother, on shorter radius turns.
Better be ready when you them on edge - they react QUICKLY
On the hard snow and ice patches is where they came alive. Stable, smooth, lovely.

But then I was too tired and my last years new boots were re-introducing themselves to my feet - I think the stiffness of the skis contributed there

Anyhow - yeah - serious skis.

Challenge accepted.

Can't wait for Winter - Round 2

 

[anders_nor]

BTW @anders_nor you are comparing the WRT Pro with SX non FIS version, of course the WRT will be much more. There is no X models sweetness in the WRTs, no cuts in the metal that makes them more approachable. Even the regular WRTs have way more oomph than any of the X series and are more difficult to ski, I can only imagine what the Pros might be.

RELEASE THE CRAKEN in other words…

To make them go fast in straight line you need to ski like an elf-very light on your feet, I love making my regular 180 fly down as I go WEEEEEEEEEEEE but care needs to be taken.

sx fis has a wayyyy longer radius, so its not naturally to compare to, and my SX are setup with a pretty decent binding setup as well, when you ski them back to back you can definetly feel they are cousins.

straight line on a volkl 3d radius 15M ski you can chillllll, WRT pro you cannot, hence the mention.

I had to swap out the WRT pro's after a while of riding, I was becoming tired, and I thought I had pushed it far enough

This is a fun ski, you dont have to go mach schnell on, you can hang with slower friends etc and really enjoy it, but gotto ski last as you traverse side to side ... faaaast

I'm not best buddies with the ski, but I'm very happy, I feel it's great race ski training as it keeps you on your toes. this I can freeski and zoom around on, FIS SL 165 I find to be to much of a sketch to freeski on, and prefer them for gate training/actually training for SL

I've yanked my pro liners out of my 130 CS and I'm back to the platiunum 2021? liners. so for me it's like beeing back to an old perfectly fitted friend with around 40 days on the liners or so. -5 to -10 and 130CS + that liner = perfect combo, never felt like boot or ski was anything other than a perfect symphony for each other. its got a clubsport vibe to the ski.


as for form as @JCF mentions... my off season has been horrible, all work, new house, this and that, so no indoor all summer, and no outdoor summerski, so haven't skied much this summer, was going to post some videos of me shredding the WRT pro, but my upper body and arm game says noop my mental form was better than what videos said eh :p

 

[Tony Storaro]

sx fis has a wayyyy longer radius, so its not naturally to compare to, and my SX are setup with a pretty decent binding setup as well, when you ski them back to back you can definetly feel they are cousins.

straight line on a volkl 3d radius 15M ski you can chillllll, WRT pro you cannot, hence the mention.

I had to swap out the WRT pro's after a while of riding, I was becoming tired, and I thought I had pushed it far enough

This is a fun ski, you dont have to go mach schnell on, you can hang with slower friends etc and really enjoy it, but gotto ski last as you traverse side to side ... faaaast

I'm not best buddies with the ski, but I'm very happy, I feel it's great race ski training as it keeps you on your toes. this I can freeski and zoom around on, FIS SL 165 I find to be to much of a sketch to freeski on, and prefer them for gate training/actually training for SL

I've yanked my pro liners out of my 130 CS and I'm back to the platiunum 2021? liners. so for me it's like beeing back to an old perfectly fitted friend with around 40 days on the liners or so. -5 to -10 and 130CS + that liner = perfect combo, never felt like boot or ski was anything other than a perfect symphony for each other. its got a clubsport vibe to the ski.


as for form as @JCF mentions... my off season has been horrible, all work, new house, this and that, so no indoor all summer, and no outdoor summerski, so haven't skied much this summer, was going to post some videos of me shredding the WRT pro, but my upper body and arm game says noop my mental form was better than what videos said eh :p

The 15m in Volkl’s 3d radius ski is different. It is only 15m if you really want it to be. Otherwise if you don’t push and just cruise the Deacons naturally move in way longer turns.
Very different from the WRTs. The 172 also have 15m radius, they can be skied longer but you need to actively participate in the drill.

No need to post vids if you don’t feel like it, we trust you all the same.

 

[Lorenzzo]

So I have the SX FIS 185 and know the ski well. At this point I have 4 days on the WRT Pro in 172. They are completely different skis. I also suspect the 162 the 180 and are pretty different than the 172 and hope at some point to get on the other lengths to compare. The SX FIS requires patient initiation to hook up, as one might expect. In the turn it’s about as stable as a ski like that can get. If you try to overpower the tips, it’s slow to break the tails but will. The Pro on the other hand, at least with the factory tune, has pretty reactive tips that will overreact if you get too far forward. It’s happier skied from the center until the end of the turn when you can recruit the tails for a quick release. I find it kind of easy to ski, if you’re fore aft balanced the way it likes. Skied that way, I find it‘s happy with short or medium radii. It doesn’t have the bobsled feel of the SX but I like that as it‘s more all mountain and snappy.

That said, I weigh 175 these days. @anders_nor, I think you’re in a greater weight class and I think that would really matter with this ski. It does on the FIS SX, I was 30 pounds heavier in the past and it’s more work to ski it these days. Whereas on the Pro I feel as though if I don’t try to overpower the ski it’s happiest and doesn’t demand a lot of effort. With GS turns it feels like a tolerant SL. As an SL it feels like an SL. Fore aft is really key here. When I’m balanced I feel like the ski can do almost anything with grace.

Is it worth the high cost? Well, not really, there are so many fine skis for less. But it’s distinctive with a very broad performance envelope so it ultimately depends on how you value that.

 

[anders_nor]

nimble 250lbs... + gear! so probably 260-265 ski ready? with fairly heavy boots etc.

and yes! tolerant SL!

honestly I dont feel like I'd want a 172, having skied and owning the 180. since I allready have FIS SL

lets not discuss cost, no ski is worth this much.

 

[Tony Storaro]

So I’m retracting this haha. I was debating going to a different length but think these are correct after some thought. These skis are absolute rocket ships but I will say they require some skill. I’m coming from and AX which is like a self driving Range Rover compared to these being a Lamborghini. When you put in the effort though man do they respond.

Some people thought you were selling them because you didn’t like them…some people…

 

[Tony Storaro]

So…today was my first day on my WRTPs. Conditions ranged from cord to firm, freshly groomed to partly skied out and pretty skied out. Vis was kind of low.

Before today, my bench for smooth high performance was the Laser AX. Well, not anymore. The 176s outfitted with the D20 and WRT 12 was Santana Smooth. They were High West Campfire smooth. We’re talking Cary Grant and David Niven Smooth. For the level of performance they offer they’re smooth, easy to ski and versatile. I assumed I’d want to put them away when piles started to form. Yeah right. That’s when I saw a whole new side to them. They’ll blow throw anything, I stopped picking lines and instead started to adjust for what I was going over. This really is an all mountain ski, I even enjoyed three day old still soft leftovers, the way I used to on my 2014 Titans. It’s truly an all-day ski. But…stay centered. They’ll remind you of the terminal back seat point. You don’t need no stinkin’ tail relief.

Another wrong assumption I’d made was that in 172 they’d be like a slalom ski. Yes and no. They’ll behave that way if you slow down. But you may not want to because the shit-eating grins begin at speed. It’s almost like a GS ski that has the responsiveness of an SL. But it’s not. It has its own personality. For me what this ski offers that sets it apart is its smoothness, accessibility and quickness while not constrained in the way most quick, shorter radius skis are. Those aspects expanded my envelope. Steeps were such a breeze the way they held an edge (factory tune). The more you put into these the more you’ll get out but if you can be reasonably centered they’re easy to ski. In a strange way they replace the AX.

I could keep going but I’ll stop. I might just add don’t be afraid of the WRT bindings with the D 20 plates.

You know what…I am sold. What I will do next is add the 172 WRTP to the 180 I already own. Yes. And kick out all the other piste ski I presently own. Except for the FIS SL.

 

[James]

Some people thought you were selling them because you didn’t like them…some people…

I think he should send them out over here for extensive testing. They’re not safe. We’ll check them out.

 

[Tony Storaro]

I think he should send them out over here for extensive testing. They’re not safe. We’ll check them out.

Totally!

I find it amusing that what @Lorenzzo describes matches 100% my own experience with the 172 WRT-the regular ones down to the point of them being fantastic in piled, skied out stuff. It looks to me the WRTP are same ski only amplified (well duh) so it is decided, 172 will be added to the quiver at some point.

 

[Mp29]

I'm loving the 172s. I did have a base grind done and set bevel at .5 and side at 3 and feel that really brought them to life. They are very demanding and not for faint of heart but they truly make you a better skier when you put in the effort. They are a groomer beast and seem comfortable in variable snow to my surprise as well, pretty much just plow through it with out a care. As some posters have mentioned make sure you've been getting your cardio and squats in though because these will tire you out in no time. One thing to note is mine are mounted with SRT Speed and D20 plate. I think the lighter duty binding makes these more approachable for mortals. Unless your Hermann Maier I can't imagine an everyday amateur on these with WRT16s but I may be off base on that.