Rossignol Black Ops?

[RadSkier_]

I have a bunch of days on my SF110s at this point. I will post a more in depth review at later on, but suffice it to say - they are really, really good skis. I really like their looseness mounted at rec, while they become much more of a drivable semi-charger mounted at -2 (182 Dynastar M-Pro 108s were easier to ski in wind battered variable that the -2 pair imho).

SF110s might just be the best 110 type daily driver ski I have yet to ski for how I like to ski - I find them fun on groomers, they are poppy, have a great balance in the air, float well at either mount point, they have support when you need them to yet are easy to ski most of the time and the graphic actually looks kinda nice in person - if a bit boring. I might be leaning towards the rec mount being the more versatile (so much so that I have started to wonder how a BO118 mounted at rec would ski), though the -2 mount is pretty nice as well. The only negative thus far is that the top sheets chip pretty spectacularly if you hit them the "right" way, but there is always glue eh. I will happily recommend them to just about any skier that gets on well with progressively mounted skis - Rossi will sell a shit ton of these over the next few years (or deserve to any way - they are awesome skis).

I am really curious how they would compare to custom ON3P Jeffs with titanal.

can you elaborate on the mount point diff from -3.5CM to -5.5CM? I’m just curious on what specifically changes as most of the comments and reviews just say they like one better than the other because it is “intuitive” or something vague to that effect. Do they feel quicker edge to edge moved up at 3.5CM? Easier/harder in steep moguls trees, still float as well?

i really like my skis at -5.5CM but I’m also wondering if I’m missing out on the “magic” of the ski lol. Even the blister guys were all over the place!

thanks!

[noslow]

can you elaborate on the mount point diff from -3.5CM to -5.5CM? I’m just curious on what specifically changes as most of the comments and reviews just say they like one better than the other because it is “intuitive” or something vague to that effect. Do they feel quicker edge to edge moved up at 3.5CM? Easier/harder in steep moguls trees, still float as well?

i really like my skis at -5.5CM but I’m also wondering if I’m missing out on the “magic” of the ski lol. Even the blister guys were all over the place!

thanks!

I’ll chime in my 2 cents as I have tried the very similar 21 CT 3.0 at various mount points along with the Blackops 118.

Every ski will be easier to pivot, initiate turns quicker and make them “ski shorter” when a mount is moved forward. The issue is that you sacrifice float, stability(ski gets more nervous as it reacts quicker), carving power(tails can wash out easier if too forward a stance) by moving forward.
Both the SF 110 and BO 118 are less sensitive to binding mount position so the effects are less noticeable on them.

On the rec line on the Sender Free 110 or Blackops 118, it’s designed more for those with a more centered stance or those who are upsizing lengths for their size(ie the 160lb skiers from Blister on the 191cm Sender Free 110).
Someone of larger size would find the rec line on a 184cm Sender Free 110 or Blackops 118 too close to center most likely and would move the mount back from there to make the shorter length “ski longer”.
So in that Blister review, someone may like the rec line on the 191cm but not on the shorter 184cm version and like they mentioned, would probably move the mount back on the 184cm.
I’m -6.25cm back on the 184cm at 175lbs and love it there as I wanted good float, stability and I drive skis but I’d definitely go closer to rec line on the 191cm to keep the longer length more playful.

So if you like your current mount where it is, you’re good I say!

[RadSkier_]

I guess if I found them plenty loose and quick at -5CM, I would be more mad about losing float and stability if I remounted them back to the rec line of -3.5CM. I skiied them no prob in steep big ugly ice moguls so I guess I really don’t need more maneuverability.

I’m 6ft 185lbs and tend to be a bit heavy on my toes when skiing. If Luke at blister found the 184CM to be short up front at rec, then I guess I would probably feel the same on the 191 at rec.

[Cagey]

On the Sender Free 110, I'm running 2cm behind the directional line on a pair of 184s. Skiing most of the time at Palisades Tahoe. This was the recommendation of a local shop. It's both fun and charge-y. It likes to pop off of things. I cannot remember liking a ski this much. I'm 5'10" and 165lbs. The only caveat is that I don't spend much time switch so can't attest to how this mount would affect that.

[Bandit Man]

Finally got around to mounting these. Went on the rear line (-3). Looking forward to getting them properly immersed over the next couple of days.

[noslow]

Finally got around to mounting these. Went on the rear line (-3). Looking forward to getting them properly immersed over the next couple of days.

Great looking binding/ski combo! Think you’ll like them mounted at -3cm. Wasn’t your previous pair closer to center or am I thinking of someone else?

[Bandit Man]

Great looking binding/ski combo! Think you’ll like them mounted at -3cm. Wasn’t your previous pair closer to center or am I thinking of someone else?

Yep. Mounted on recommended and didn’t jive with them. The Corbetts price was so tempting, I figured I’d give them another go mounted for a less progressive approach.

[noslow]

Yep. Mounted on recommended and didn’t jive with them. The Corbetts price was so tempting, I figured I’d give them another go mounted for a less progressive approach.

Thought so. Remember thinking “of course he wouldn’t like them there” when progressive 160lb skiers from Blister even like them a min of -2cm.

I thought I was at -2.5cm on my first pair but was really -2.25cm and moved the 2nd set back to an actual -2.5cm. Bet I’ll like them even more for my 175lbs there.

[mn_teleswede]

Looks as if Level 9 is having a 20% off sale on all Rossi gear:

20% OFF ALL ROSSIGNOL WITH CODE RIDEROSSI AT CHECKOUT

Sender Free's, Black Ops, etc

[grinch]

Just ordered 2 pair of skins directly from rossi online. 1 set for my black ops alpineer 96 precut with the handy little tip catch and a pair made for precut black ops senders that ill use on my steeple 102's. The alpineers are just nylon but fairly light and tge ones for my steeples are nylon/mohair mix. Pomocos rebranded as rossi's for 99 cad. 114 with tax and free shipping and showed up the next day!! Regular price was 249cad. They just happened yo have my size for both. Psyched!!

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[Adrider83]

OK - just to add some more info for folks. Demo'd these at the rec line, bought a pair mounted at the directional line...botth are nice. Rec is super nimble and pivoty, directional is still nimble. My prior ski was a black ops sender ti. I do think both lines felt good though - and skied them both in a variety of snow during past few days.

And, for those folks that reallly dig directional traditional skis....I do too. My firm snow ski is a cambered m6 mantra, and have basically always dug that style of ski....really like this sender free 110 though. Just a super fun, natural ski.

[scumpup]

I have my Blackops 118's mounted at -4 or -3.5 due to a previous mounter. Do I try them this week at Steamboat or should I get them remounted for -2.

[noslow]

I have my Blackops 118's mounted at -4 or -3.5 due to a previous mounter. Do I try them this week at Steamboat or should I get them remounted for -2.

What’s your size and stance? I’d only go -2cm if you’re 160lbs or less and wanted the ski to “ski shorter”. Around the 200lb range and above with a directional style and I’d want to be right where they are currently mounted.
I’d probably try them out as is for the increased float and stability and only move forward if you found them not as playful as you wanted.

[Crystal Skier]

I have my Blackops 118's mounted at -4 or -3.5 due to a previous mounter. Do I try them this week at Steamboat or should I get them remounted for -2.

Hmm…that 3rd mount if ya don’t mind doing that I would bump up to -2. Have owned a few pair going back to the original all black with no directional mount line indicator. Wherever that original edition mounting line was ideal. Would be good to know.
My last pair of the Swamps I had at the progressive line and I’m an old dude…they really felt fine there but noslow has been a great source of info on this. If I had another pair of Swamps I would swag it at 2 back or 5.5 from center.


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[scumpup]

Doctor said I was 142lb last week. I'm 5'10 23 years old


I ski my Line blade Optic 96's at like -4.5 from center or something.

Love the Mfree 108 at -6 from center. (+2 ish)

[scumpup]

Wherever that original edition mounting line was ideal. Would be good to know.
My last pair of the Swamps I had at the progressive line and I’m an old dude…they really felt fine there but noslow has been a great source of info on this.

Blister says -2.75cm from center, 89.4cm from tail on their OG review. https://blisterreview.com/gear-revie...ignol-blackops

I think that's too far forwards though.


If there was a math formula I could use or principals I could use I could take my measurements and all that jazz and nerd it up for a perfect mount point but I don't know where I'd find that.

[noslow]

For 142lbs, you probably would like them more forward than -3.5/-4cm back from the -2.5cm rec then. -2cm/-4.5cm total back would be a safe bet with your size and you liking your other skis mounted in similar spots. .
Would feel like a lot of ski mounted where they are for a 142lb skier I think.

[noslow]

Be sure to measure back from the rec line bump in the ski back 2cm as the other white topsheet lines can sometimes vary a bit.

[kid-kapow]

I have my Blackops 118's mounted at -4 or -3.5 due to a previous mounter. Do I try them this week at Steamboat or should I get them remounted for -2.

why not just try them first? They will ski great at -3.5-4, and if you end up not getting on with them there you could always move them up to rec at a later date. Steambot = fairly dry snow right, so the snow - variable or not - should not pose too big of a factor for these.

I mean, you already have the holes in the skis so you might as well try to learn as much as you can from that mount point as well. They will not ruin your day a cm or a cm and a half back from rec.

For reference, I run my pair at 2 back from rec and really like them there. I've skied them in everything from groomers through variable to deep untracked, and they feel on point across all. Heavy, yeah - but still very good skis imho, it just takes a few runs to get used to the weight (not noticable really at speed in deep snow).

[scumpup]

why not just try them first? They will ski great at -3.5-4, and if you end up not getting on with them there you could always move them up to rec at a later date. Steambot = fairly dry snow right, so the snow - variable or not - should not pose too big of a factor for these.

I mean, you already have the holes in the skis so you might as well try to learn as much as you can from that mount point as well. They will not ruin your day a cm or a cm and a half back from rec.

For reference, I run my pair at 2 back from rec and really like them there. I've skied them in everything from groomers through variable to deep untracked, and they feel on point across all. Heavy, yeah - but still very good skis imho, it just takes a few runs to get used to the weight (not noticable really at speed in deep snow).

Definitely going to try them first! I can always take them to one of those shops who offer mounting overnight if it's miserable. I just haven't seen anyone ski them at -6cm from center online so I wanted to be prepared. The sidecut of the skis though seem to WANT you to mount them at -5/-6cm from center. It's weird. If I was purely directional I wouldn't care but I do ski switch quite a bit.

I was just a little nervous because no one online has ever mounted them -3.5/-4 from recommended.

Also they're the only skis I'm bringing on the trip as my bag is holding other people skis on the trip. Shouldn't be an issue since steamboat just got plenty of snow.

[kid-kapow]

oh - my bad - I had a bit of a brain fart and read your post as being -3.5/-4 from center, not rec.

Yeah, going back 3.5 from rec to -6 might be a bit excessive - but, they'll prob ski fine there as well. The main effect might be that the weight of the tips might be a tad more noticable.

[kid-kapow]

yeah, they def changed the layup for the new SF118 - you can see the mirroring of the SF110's layup in the rubber being moved down from the tips (so air tips in the place of the rubber tips) and the titanal (or grey abs) underfoot.

Very curious if/how those changes affects how they ski or feel.

[Bandit Man]

Finally got out on my new BO118’s mounted on the rear line (-2/2.5) in proper conditions (8-12” of pow). My previous pair was mounted on the line and I didn’t really jive with them. The mount point change made a HUGE difference to me. No issues with float at all, yet still so agile and playful. I generously detuned the rockered sections and the tails felt so loose in deep snow…quite close to Billy Goat loose. Still felt great on soft groomers with the rearward mount. I really wish I would have tried a remount on my previous pair sooner. Love these things!

[kid-kapow]

Finally got out on my new BO118’s mounted on the rear line (-2/2.5) in proper conditions (8-12” of pow). My previous pair was mounted on the line and I didn’t really jive with them. The mount point change made a HUGE difference to me. No issues with float at all, yet still so agile and playful. I generously retuned the rocketed sections and the tails felt so loose in deep snow…quite close to Billy Goat loose. Still felt great on soft groomers with the rearward mount. I really wish I would have tried a remount on my previous pair sooner. Love these things!

Ain't that the truth. I skied mine yesterday b2b with BGs. I ended up preferring the BO118s in spite of the fresh snow getting denser / warming up through the day, so pretty ideal BG conditions. I kept thinking - man these things are awesome.

[Bandit Man]

Ain't that the truth. I skied mine yesterday b2b with BGs. I ended up preferring the BO118s in spite of the fresh snow getting denser / warming up through the day, so pretty ideal BG conditions. I kept thinking - man these things are awesome.

Funny you mentioned that. I had my BG’s in the truck. Once we found all the deep stuff up high, my kid swapped his M102’s for his 184 Asym BG’s. I stuck with the BO118’s.

They share a lot of qualities of the BG (damp, loose in the tail, playful, but deals with heavy snow) but are just more versatile. What was weird is that I noticed how heavy the ski was last year mounted on the line. Yesterday, they didn’t feel heavy or hard to swing around. If anything, I felt I had to resist the urge to make too many turns and tame a bit of the playful nature while charging. Glad I finally figured out this ski. Also, the 186-cm length was fine for me at 5’ 8” and 200-lbs. Feel sorry for taller/bigger guys since this ski is so dialed.