Comparison Review 88-90mm Narrow All Mountain Skis

[DocGKR]

88-90mm Narrow “All-Mountain” Skis

I find 88-90mm width skis very versatile, as they can work nicely as a OSQ, as well as being a good middle ski in a 3SQ, complementing a narrow sport carver and a wide powder ski.

I got to spend several days testing a few 88-90mm “All-Mountain” skis I had available in side-by-side direct comparisons. The evaluation format consisted of skiing each of the skis sequentially on the same runs. The skis included the Atomic Maverick 88Ti (184cm/88.5mm/19.5m), Augment All Mountain 88 Carving (179cm/88mm/21m), Dynastar M-Pro 90 (178cm/90mm/18m), Head Monster 88 (177cm/88mm/17.4m), Liberty Evolv 90 (179cm/90mm/18.5m), Nordica Enforcer 88 (186/88mm/17.5m), Salomon Stance 90 (182cm/90mm/19m). Note that all the skis had been tuned 1/3 by the same capable shop. All testing was at Olympic Valley in a variety of conditions, including hard and soft groomers, a foot of fresh snow, corn, slushy spring snow, as well as some big moguls. Runs included Resort (aka Squaw Creek), Red Dog, KT22.

I was interested to see which was the best on-piste carver (grip, rebound, speed limit), which offered widest latitude and ability to ski anywhere on the Mountain including off-piste, which was best in bumps, and finally which had the largest sweet spot and best disposition for skiing a variety of speeds and turn shapes without complaining.

Below is what I subjectively noted—obviously biased by my age, condition, skiing style, location, etc…

On-Piste Carving: Augment AM88C, then Head Monster 88
Off-Piste: Nordica Enforcer 88, then Dynastar M-Pro 90
Moguls: Head Monster 88, then Liberty Evolv 90
Friendly & Versatile (ex. for a day skiing with family and mixed ability friends): Liberty Evolv 90, then Salomon Stance 90

Atomic Maverick 88Ti: For such a lightweight ski, these offer surprisingly stable carved recreational “GS style” medium radius turns, with good rebound energy, and fairly high speed limit. They are reasonable off-piste, can handle several inches of fresh snow, and then bust through crud later in the day. They are not as fun in moguls for me and feel harder to vary the turn shape compared to some of the other skis in this width.

Augment All Mountain 88 Carving: Nothing else in this width range carves groomers like the AM88C—it is about as "race like" as any 80-90mm All Mountain ski I have ever been on. Whipping down the hill arcing turns, the AM88 is utterly unflappable--the faster it is pushed and the more edge angle applied, the better it feels; no tip flap, no tail slip, no speed limit at sane levels of skiing irrespective of snow surface.

Dynastar M-Pro 90: This is a very fun ski with a huge sweet spot. It works great in trees and bumps, while offering good float in fresh snow. Want to ski neutral, forward, back-seat? This ski does not really care and won’t throw you for a ride. It will make a variety of turn shapes, but does not have the solid on-piste carving ability or energetic rebound energy of some other skis in this width. It does have a speed limit and lets you know when pushing too hard.

Head Monster 88: Powerful, but so versatile and fun! Phenomenal ripping carved turns on groomers, easy to bend into any turn shape, no issues in a few inches of fresh snow, great edge grip on crusty morning snow, easy blasting through corn and slush, and incredibly fun on afternoon bumps down the west face of KT22. I love this ski and find it more capable in a wider breadth of conditions than many other skis in the 80-90mm width range; in addition, most other skis in this width don’t feel as quick, stable, and energetic.

Liberty Evolv 90: Although perhaps not as serious as some others in this width, the Evolv 90 is a fun ski with a large sweet spot and responds well at a variety of speeds. It is quiet and smooth, a hoot in bumps, fun on groomers, can go off-piste, and is happy in a few inches of fresh snow. What is not to like?

Nordica Enforcer 88: Perhaps the best ski for off-piste use in this category. Fun in fresh snow and moguls. Large sweet spot. OK carving on most groomers, but not great on truly hard or icy surfaces. It does have a speed limit, but it is higher than most recreational skiers will generally push.

Salomon Stance 90: This feels like the love child of the Head Monster 88 and Liberty Evolv 90--offering superb on-piste carving with good rebound energy, fun bump skiing, good performance in fresh snow, and nice off-piste capability. It was the biggest favorable surprise of the group and could easily serve as my daily driver recreational ski.

 

[Pdub]

Great reviews!

Maybe you could tell us a little more about "obviously biased by my age, condition, skiing style, location, etc…"

Especially interested in your size and skiing background, eg prior race experience?
Thanks and PM me if that's not for public consumption.

I have 3 year old Enforcer 88s (172 cm) and find them to be just as you described, but at 135 pounds, for me they carve pretty nicely on high speed groomers without a speed limit. I'm mid 50s, ski 40 days a year, former (non-elite) racer. Also have Head Rallys for Eastern skiing.

You've gotten me interested in Monster 88s as an eventual replacement for Enforcer 88s.

 

[Rod MacDonald]

"Narrow" !

 

[DocGKR]

60yo, 6', 210lbs, raced a bit back in school; then took a 35 year break during residency, fellowship, military service, raising kids, with just recreational skiing primarily on wide 90+mm boards during those decades. ScotsSkier motivated me get back into Masters racing over the last couple of years and these days I am having a blast on modern sub-70mm race and sport carving skis while training with the Palisades Tahoe Masters Program.

 

[Ron]

the augments are really good. .

 

[DocGKR]

Yup, the Augments are in a class of their own. Sadly the Monster 88 is not made any more. I found my Monster 88 177's much more fun and adaptable than the 184's which were more unidimensional--a big burly ski for crushing cut-up snow and crust in screaming GS style turns, while the 177 Monster 88's are a lot more versatile and lively than the 184's.....and I am a person who spends a lot of time on 185+ skis.

 

[Marker]

A few years back, I demoed the Monster 88 in the 177 when the 184 was not available. I was surprised at how stable it was compared to the 185+ skis I was demoing even at 6'6", 225 lb. And so capable in the different conditions you also tried. But I wanted something more like the M-Pro 90, and was lucky they had the Dynastar Legend series to demo. I ended up with the X88 in 186, so I'm glad to hear the M-Pro 90 could be worthy and perhaps a step-up in performance. I have a Hero Elite LT in 183 if I really want to carve things up, so not worried about the sub-optimum carving performance, but would you say the M-Pro is better than the Enforcer?

 

[Viking9]

Do you guys look at your mid eighties ski with a soft snow bias or herd snow bias ??
I look for a soft snow bias in ethics segment.
For one I look at the mid eighties as a casual ski, one you don’t think about , just take in the scenery that soft snow provides.
If I start thinking hard snow performance, I should really be on my seventies frontside ripper.

 

[Tom K.]

I'd throw the new Rossi Exp 86 ti into the mix in this category, even though it is 2 mm shy of the title criteria.

Best combination ski for groomer carving/crud/bumps that I've been on. And it oozes "fun" which I realize is hard to quantify.

But I don't ski the numbers of skis many on this forum do.

 

[Ottoclave]

I find the Enforcer 88s to do quite well on hard snow, but also are capable in soft snow/bumps/trees. I have a hard snow bias since I put in around 50 days per season at Sugarloaf, ME. At 6'2" and 220 lbs. the 186 can go as fast as I want to go.

There may be better hard snow skis, but if the E88 works in December at Sugarloaf, I think it speaks to the skis ability to hold an edge just about anywhere.

 

[tromano]

Yup, the Augments are in a class of their own. Sadly the Monster 88 is not made any more. I found my Monster 88 177's much more fun and adaptable than the 184's which were more unidimensional--a big burly ski for crushing cut-up snow and crust in screaming GS style turns, while the 177 Monster 88's are a lot more versatile and lively than the 184's.....and I am a person who spends a lot of time on 185+ skis.

I was initially curious why your assessment of the M88 was so different from mine. Now I know. 177 I usually just grab the 18x length but I am starting to notice that for some skis the 17x has alot more to offer.

Do you guys look at your mid eighties ski with a soft snow bias or herd snow bias ??
I look for a soft snow bias in ethics segment.
For one I look at the mid eighties as a casual ski, one you don’t think about , just take in the scenery that soft snow provides.
If I start thinking hard snow performance, I should really be on my seventies frontside ripper.

To me an 8x ski should be able to handle both hard snow and soft snow when I find it. I have wider skis when things are more generally soft. Narrower skis generally do better when it's a groomer only day. But depending on the season the narrower skis may only come out rarely during the season.

 

[jcjpdx]

I cannot read a thread like this without reflecting on a conversation I had at Hillcrest Sports, in Gresham, Oregon about 20 years ago. I skied in HS, gave it up for a variety of reasons, and then took it up again at age 47. Obviously gear had changed a lot, and skis were now shorter, shaped, and starting to get wider. I was looking at a pair of Fisher Watea 78's, which were in a relatively new category, called "Mid-Fats." Many skis were less than 70 mm under foot and 88 mm was wide. The store sales clerk, who was a young punk, told me he would never ski anything less than 78 mm underfoot. I thought he was being radical. Now 78 is on the narrow side, he's over 40 years old, and I'm still skiing and approaching the senior discount.

 

[Tony S]

Obviously gear had changed a lot, and skis were now shorter, shaped, and starting to get wider. I was looking at a pair of Fisher Watea 78's,

I don't think that was even twenty years ago. I remember trying the Watea 84 and thinking, "Whoa. This is weird." At the time I was on Dynastar Legend 4800s, which were 75mm and, yes, mid-fat.

 

[cantunamunch]

I don't think that was even twenty years ago. I remember trying the Watea 84 and thinking, "Whoa. This is weird." At the time I was on Dynastar Legend 4800s, which were 75mm and, yes, mid-fat.

LOL, I was still on those at Snowbasin in January 2010 during the Epic Gathering - and everyone was astounded that they actually worked in the fresh.

 

[Ken_R]

Yup, the Augments are in a class of their own. Sadly the Monster 88 is not made any more. I found my Monster 88 177's much more fun and adaptable than the 184's which were more unidimensional--a big burly ski for crushing cut-up snow and crust in screaming GS style turns, while the 177 Monster 88's are a lot more versatile and lively than the 184's.....and I am a person who spends a lot of time on 185+ skis.

I agree, I own the 184's. The 177's are different. I could own both. Length is critical when reviewing skis, one must specify.

 

[DocGKR]

Rossignol Experience 86 Ti: The new Rossi Experience 86 Ti is the best version of the Experience I have ever skied. In many ways this new version feels similar to the Salomon Stance 90, offering similar good carving on groomers, nice rebound energy (although perhaps a touch less than the Stance), acceptable mogul performance, and the ability to handle both Spring morning crust and afternoon slush. It also does reasonably well in several inches of fresh snow, as well as busting through the later day crud and mank. This could well be a veritable “One Ski Quiver” option for many folks.

Kastle MX88: I had high hopes that this ski in 180 would offer similar high energy carving capability as the 179 Augment AM88C and my beloved 177 Head Monster 88's. Sadly, that was not to be, as the MX88 did not offer the same tenacious grip, turn quickness, rebound energy, or high speed stability as the AM88C or Monster 88, nor was it as fun and versatile as the 182 Stance 90 or 185 Rossi Experience 86Ti.

 

[Wendy]

88-90mm Narrow “All-Mountain” Skis

I find 88-90mm width skis very versatile, as they can work nicely as a OSQ, as well as being a good middle ski in a 3SQ, complementing a narrow sport carver and a wide powder ski.

I got to spend several days testing a few 88-90mm “All-Mountain” skis I had available in side-by-side direct comparisons. The evaluation format consisted of skiing each of the skis sequentially on the same runs. The skis included the Atomic Maverick 88Ti (184cm/88.5mm/19.5m), Augment All Mountain 88 Carving (179cm/88mm/21m), Dynastar M-Pro 90 (178cm/90mm/18m), Head Monster 88 (177cm/88mm/17.4m), Liberty Evolv 90 (179cm/90mm/18.5m), Nordica Enforcer 88 (186/88mm/17.5m), Salomon Stance 90 (182cm/90mm/19m). Note that all the skis had been tuned 1/3 by the same capable shop. All testing was at Olympic Valley in a variety of conditions, including hard and soft groomers, a foot of fresh snow, corn, slushy spring snow, as well as some big moguls. Runs included Resort (aka Squaw Creek), Red Dog, KT22.

I was interested to see which was the best on-piste carver (grip, rebound, speed limit), which offered widest latitude and ability to ski anywhere on the Mountain including off-piste, which was best in bumps, and finally which had the largest sweet spot and best disposition for skiing a variety of speeds and turn shapes without complaining.

Below is what I subjectively noted—obviously biased by my age, condition, skiing style, location, etc…

On-Piste Carving: Augment AM88C, then Head Monster 88
Off-Piste: Nordica Enforcer 88, then Dynastar M-Pro 90
Moguls: Head Monster 88, then Liberty Evolv 90
Friendly & Versatile (ex. for a day skiing with family and mixed ability friends): Liberty Evolv 90, then Salomon Stance 90

Atomic Maverick 88Ti: For such a lightweight ski, these offer surprisingly stable carved recreational “GS style” medium radius turns, with good rebound energy, and fairly high speed limit. They are reasonable off-piste, can handle several inches of fresh snow, and then bust through crud later in the day. They are not as fun in moguls for me and feel harder to vary the turn shape compared to some of the other skis in this width.

Augment All Mountain 88 Carving: Nothing else in this width range carves groomers like the AM88C—it is about as "race like" as any 80-90mm All Mountain ski I have ever been on. Whipping down the hill arcing turns, the AM88 is utterly unflappable--the faster it is pushed and the more edge angle applied, the better it feels; no tip flap, no tail slip, no speed limit at sane levels of skiing irrespective of snow surface.

Dynastar M-Pro 90: This is a very fun ski with a huge sweet spot. It works great in trees and bumps, while offering good float in fresh snow. Want to ski neutral, forward, back-seat? This ski does not really care and won’t throw you for a ride. It will make a variety of turn shapes, but does not have the solid on-piste carving ability or energetic rebound energy of some other skis in this width. It does have a speed limit and lets you know when pushing too hard.

Head Monster 88: Powerful, but so versatile and fun! Phenomenal ripping carved turns on groomers, easy to bend into any turn shape, no issues in a few inches of fresh snow, great edge grip on crusty morning snow, easy blasting through corn and slush, and incredibly fun on afternoon bumps down the west face of KT22. I love this ski and find it more capable in a wider breadth of conditions than many other skis in the 80-90mm width range; in addition, most other skis in this width don’t feel as quick, stable, and energetic.

Liberty Evolv 90: Although perhaps not as serious as some others in this width, the Evolv 90 is a fun ski with a large sweet spot and responds well at a variety of speeds. It is quiet and smooth, a hoot in bumps, fun on groomers, can go off-piste, and is happy in a few inches of fresh snow. What is not to like?

Nordica Enforcer 88: Perhaps the best ski for off-piste use in this category. Fun in fresh snow and moguls. Large sweet spot. OK carving on most groomers, but not great on truly hard or icy surfaces. It does have a speed limit, but it is higher than most recreational skiers will generally push.

Salomon Stance 90: This feels like the love child of the Head Monster 88 and Liberty Evolv 90--offering superb on-piste carving with good rebound energy, fun bump skiing, good performance in fresh snow, and nice off-piste capability. It was the biggest favorable surprise of the group and could easily serve as my daily driver recreational ski.

Great reviews/summaries, and very helpful to East-Coasters as this is usually the ski for a one-ski quiver, or the wider of two skis used out here. Thanks.

 

[silverback]

Kastle MX88: I had high hopes that this ski in 180 would offer similar high energy carving capability as the 179 Augment AM88C and my beloved 177 Head Monster 88's. Sadly, that was not to be, as the MX88 did not offer the same tenacious grip, turn quickness, rebound energy, or high speed stability as the AM88C or Monster 88, nor was it as fun and versatile as the 182 Stance 90 or 185 Rossi Experience 86Ti.

This is interesting to me. I bought a new pair of 180cm mx88s last summer and got cold feet before mounting and sold them on. Maybe I dodged a bullet.

I owned a pair of 2016 177 monster 83s and put just under 50 days on them. Then I bought a pair of 2014 173cm mx83s and found that they performed VERY similarly. The Kastles has a touch more top end and are happy with a wider range of turn shapes so they stayed and I gave the m83s to a friend who really lacks the skills to ski them.

The 177 Monster 83s were great skis. I never got a chance to ski the rest of the Monster lineup (88,98,108).

Looks like I should keep my eye out for some Augments to try. They spring up my alley.

 

[Tony S]

Then I bought a pair of 2014 173cm mx83s and found that they performed VERY similarly. The Kastles has a touch more top end and are happy with a wider range of turn shapes

I think 2015 was the last year before they changed things a bit. (2015 was the same as 2014 , but different graphics.) I had demo'd those at the 2015 gathering in JH and liked them. A couple years later I ended up buying a pair of the 2016 model on deep sale and never quite bonded. They did not have the grip or the solid initiation.

 

[Tom K.]

Rossignol Experience 86 Ti: The new Rossi Experience 86 Ti is the best version of the Experience I have ever skied. In many ways this new version feels similar to the Salomon Stance 90, offering similar good carving on groomers, nice rebound energy (although perhaps a touch less than the Stance), acceptable mogul performance, and the ability to handle both Spring morning crust and afternoon slush. It also does reasonably well in several inches of fresh snow, as well as busting through the later day crud and mank. This could well be a veritable “One Ski Quiver” option for many folks.

I'll echo this. The Exp 86ti and the Enforcer 100 are two of the most well-rounded skis I know of in their respective width categories (though I don't sample nearly as many as some on this forum).

Again, for its width category, I find the Exp 86ti to be far more lively, fun and engaging than my trusty old Enforcer 88s.