Finally got out on my 2024 Revolt 114's in some softer conditions, so I thought I would capture my initial impressions. The TL/DR is that they line up pretty well with the Blister Gear review. Also, I decided to start a dedicated thread since I hate scrolling through pages of banter to find relevant info about a specific ski. Yeah, I know this is TGR, but what's so bad about raising the bar a bit? ;) I also skied my 186 Black Ops 118's the later half of the day, so I'll compare those as appropriate.
Initial Impressions Review
Ski: 2024 Volkl Revolt 114 - 184-cm length
Binding and Mount: Look Pivot 14 mounted at recommended
Boot: Tecnica Cochise 130 Dyn
Skier Info: 5' 8", 200-lbs.;Not as skilled as many here, better than most gapers at the local hill on any given day.
Location and Conditions: Stevens Pass, WA; 6+ inches of fresh medium density snow on top of a hard, spring base. Some wind loaded pockets were deeper. Lots of opportunity to evaluate performance in "soft variable" conditions.
Groomers - With the sensor-wood core and 19-m sidecut underfoot, I hoped that these would be decent on groomers. Turns out, they are among the most comfortable and capable 110-mm+ waist skis I've tried. Skis like the OG Rustler 11 and Enforcer 110 would be slightly better. Bombing the freshly groomed Skyline was actually enjoyable. Stable at speed and confidence inspiring when edges are engaged. The only caveat is that you need to stay in the middle of the ski. That tapered tail is stiff, but doesn't do a ton to help turn if you get lazy.
I skied my 186 Black Ops 118's later in the day. I'd say that the BO118's is "quieter" on the groomers, but that the Revolt 114 is a more natural carver. Both are good/above average for wider skis, but the edge goes to the Revolt.
Powder - It wasn't super deep, but as one would expect, these are happiest in soft snow. As others have shared, they have a very directional feel, but also pivot and smear so easily. Happy to slash at will. When I had room, they were stable at speed and floated easily. Nice balance of charging and playful-ish. Based on some other video and online reviews, I expected them to feel like a lot ski, which really wasn't the case. Quite intuitive and tend to seek the fall-line. I was comfortable on them in both tight quarters and open spaces. I'd love to try them in deeper conditions, but am encouraged with soft snow performance so far.
Between the BO118 and Revolt 114, both felt great. The Revolt skied looser/was eaiser to pivot in pow where they BO118 floated a bit better.
Soft Chop/Soft Variable - The Revolts handled these conditions well. They are a pretty heavy and stiff ski, so it's not surprising. I could let them run and they would push through and not get deflected. The pivoty tail allowed me to change direction quickly to avoid more set up/denser patches.
Again, bot skis did well in the soft chop/variable, but the BO118 wins out. The added mass and mute out everything nature of the BO118 is unmatched. The Revolt is capable and fun in these conditions, but not quite as damp and thy require a bit more input from the skier.
Firm Variable - I'd say that the Revolt 114 is above average in firm variable conditions, especially for a ski without metal. I found that if I throttled back a bit, I was able to handle these conditions just fine, but I'm not sure if that is a limitation of the ski or me. They didn't suck here, but some may think that they transfer a bit more feedback than desired. It was in firm variable where I was exposed to the less than forgiving aspects of the tail. Get in the backseat and get spanked. Happened once on a steep pitch and that was enough for me to focus on staying forward. That tail will be a welcome aspect for some who want that kind of firmer rearward support when maching through crap snow of dropping big airs. YMMV
As far as the comparison goes with the BO118, same comments as the section above, the BO118 is the winner.
Bumps - The Revolt was quite manageable in bumps. Again, the stiffer tail can be an issue if you get pushed in the backseat, but the 184 was easy to snake through firm, steep, bumps.
While the BO118 is more damp and mutes out vibrations, the Revolt felt easier to manage in the bumps. I suspect that the lower overall weight and swing-weight of the Revolt was a factor here.
Final Thoughts
The Revolt was a much more versatile ski than I would have expected. It's Volkl heritage shines through in it's stiffer flex and damp feel. The directional but loose feel should make more "traditional" skiers happy. I look forward to taking them to someplace like Whistler-Blackcomb where you get steeps and varied conditions up top, but lots of groomers to get back to the lifts.
I'm a really big fan of the BO118 and really enjoyed their strengths as more chop and varied conditions showed up later in the day. However, I had more "fun" on the Revolt, as the lower swing-weight, directional nature and pivoty/loose feel urges you to ski in creative and fun ways. I only wish I would have picked up a pair earlier in the season as there are a lot of days this year they would have been the perfect call.
