On snow, with the LTD Pro Plate and Comp 12 binding, the ski feels very secure and 100% confident in a carved turn. High-end skiers without race backgrounds may feel more comfortable on skis of this width versus narrower ones due to the balance point. If you go down to a 68 or 70 mm underfoot ski, it can feel almost too precise. At 82, you’re still getting a narrow enough ski to hold tight to firm snow and ice, but there’s more width for balance, stability, and some level of versatility. The versatility more comes from broken and chopped groomers rather than any off-piste type of activity, although the random mogul and packed tree runs are in this ski’s vicinity as long as you have the skills and strength to wrangle it around. Overall, the LTD version feels a lot like a race ski that’s been hitting the gym hard. When you move to the non-LTD version, the energy and pep get moved up a notch. Maybe two. It’s like the ski has been shocked by electricity and has the resulting zip. The Pro Plate of the LTD solidifies the central portion of the ski while the more flexible plate in the non-LTD allows the ski to flex more naturally. When that happens, the ski’s rebound and snappy feel rear up and take you for a ride. For some skiers, those perhaps looking for more of an all-mountain feel, will like the added flex of the ski, while those looking for more or a race like feel will probably gravitate to the LTD. Either way, it was impressive to notice the difference that the plate and the binding make on this ski, especially skiing them back-to-back as we did with skis of the same 175 cm length.

There’s a big application for skis like this, especially for those looking for a wide front side ski that still has race pedigree. Offered in two “flexes” and levels of energy, we’re stoked on these new 82’s. While some carving purists will opine that skis of this width do not qualify as on-piste specific skis,