It also still felt good at around -5.5 cm from center. Its (also) too wide (, too!) That said, if you are accustomed to very directional pow skis with mount points of -10, 11, etc., you might feel differently, and should expect to need to adjust to the more forward mount, or just stick with more directional pow skis. But for those who are willing to put in the effort, the Black Ops 118 offers a phenomenal blend of playfulness and stability. There are also things that stand out about the Faction CT 5.0 (152 122 140) like weight (much lighter). How much better is this Black Ops Gamer? The Black Ops 118 feels like a freaking monster truck in chop. Spring slush was great. I am also trying to stay on the lower side of the price range as these would be my first owned skis renting is adding up and is too much $$! At that mount point, it definitely felt best when skied with a neutral, centered stance. The Black Ops 118s recommended mount point is around -2.4 cm from center. So the main point here is just that the Black Ops 118 is not some featherweight jib ski thatll probably only perform well in perfect snow. Both rely on soft-stiff-soft, and turned up tips and tails.
I can confirm what I posted above about how similar they are to the K2 Pettitor 120s, and more. But I digress. Did you get this ski out in deep, heavy, wet snow?
I agreed with Jeff above, they need a longer length for the big guys out there, Im 135lbs 59 and the 186 is great for me. Very stable and balanced in air too. I have a pair that I love however I broke them on my last trip to whitler. Ive demoed the Black Ops ski over two periods, back in November at Loveland and recently at Copper Mt., in maybe 2-4 of powder only, with wind drift and crud, but also groomers. I love your reviews thank you so much! Otherwise, the things have too little fore/aft balance, at my size & profile. I demoed both the 98 (sometimes called the Black Panther), and the 118. But then I took the skis heli-skiing, and that was my mistake. I have loved my S7s and wonder if there is an advantage to a new buy? Stomp it. One of the things that stood out to Sam and me was how the Black Ops 118 felt solid on edge, but also very loose. All in all, the Black Ops 118 is a blast in powder. Tip/waist/tail dimensions are proportionally close: 145-118-140 Bl.Ops, 147-120-141 for longer Pets. But these skis are sensitive to mount point: its a totally different ski at different points. When I bought the ski, I was interested in finding a great powder ski, in particular one that I could use for heli / cat skiing.
The fine print. As a result I spent a lot of time and effort that day driving from the back seat. You can manhandle any ski profile in blower, but Ive never skied a pow ski w more than 4mm camber that didnt drive contact points down into sticky snow causing hooky behavior when pivoting In deep, wet conditions. Now about the ski. But if you want to be able to make super quick turns and particularly if you want to do that all day youd probably be better off on a lighter and / or more tapered ski. Even i am having a slightly preference for the Armada Magic J for catski, the black Ops is so strong on edges in steep couloir with hard/icy snow. Solid when it counts and playful all the time, it has the width to float and smear through the deepest days and the stability to stick every landing. The first time, both were the personal skis of the Rossi rep his daily driver and powder skis respectively. (3) Related to #2: how well will more directional skiers get along with the Black Ops 118? Please type the letters and numbers below. Gad, but you are a favorite website, and yet youve missed out on such a great ski until now with the new Black Ops reprising the Pettitors, and one of your new favorites too. You just need to keep in mind that its a very heavy ski, and is not nearly as quick as many other skis in its class. Ski: 2021-2022 Rossignol BLACKOPS Gamer, 186 cm, Blisters Measured Tip-to-Tail Length: 184.2 cm, Blisters Measured Weight per Ski: 2438 & 2492 grams, Blisters Measured Dimensions: 145.7-117.6-140.4 mm, Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 72 mm / 60 mm, Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 5-6 mm, Core: PEFC-certified Poplar + ABS reinforcement underfoot + Fiberglass Laminate, Factory Recommended Mount Point: -2.4 cm from center; 89.7 cm from tail, Boots / Bindings: Nordica Strider 120 & Dalbello Lupo SP I.D. O works well, if the snow is not too deep. When I was reading about the good points (especially re crud busting, stability at speed and ability to carve) I thought that sounds just like the Moment Blister/Wildcat/Bibby Proan amazing big mountain, resort powder ski in my opinion. Yes, I agree this ski is a very good resort powder ski, but with some real caveats. (I want to try 1.5 and -2). If you dont believe these skis would be a good fit for my level or desire to learn more and get better, what would you recommend? Or does it somehow manage to feel like both? Would you recommend these skis for an intermediate skier trying to advance their level? 1710 & 1744 Atomic Bent Chetler 120, 184 cm (18/1920/21)1910 & 1941 Scott Scrapper 115, 189 cm (17/1819/20)2013 & 2099 Moment Wildcat / Blister Pro, 184 cm (18/1919/20)2034 & 2052 Blizzard Rustler 11, 188 cm (17/1820/21)2083 & 2097 Line Magnum Opus, 188 cm (15/1618/19)2102 & 2137 Line Sick Day 114, 190 cm (17/1819/20)2126 & 2173 Rossignol Super 7 RD, 190 cm (17/1819/20)2130 & 2130 Moment Wildcat / Blister Pro, 190 cm (18/1919/20)2133 & 2133 Salomon QST 118, 192 cm (17/1818/19)2161 & 2163 Faction Dictator 4.0, 186 cm (17/1818/19)2183 & 2190 Black Crows Anima, 188.4 cm (17/1819/20)2196 & 2199 Icelantic Nomad 115, 191 cm (17/1818/19)2220 & 2252 Faction Prodigy 4.0, 186 cm (17/1819/20)2212 & 2215 Armada ARV 116 JJ, 185 cm (17/1820/21)2222 & 2278 Prior CBC, 184 cm (17/1819/20)2228 & 2231 Blizzard Spur, 192 cm (17/1819/20)2230 & 2250 Black Diamond Boundary Pro 115, 185 cm (17/1819/20)2246 & 2265 Fischer Ranger 115 FR, 188 cm (17/1818/19)2267 & 2270 Whitedot Ragnarok 118, 190 cm (16/1718/19)2296 & 2309 Liberty Origin Pro, 192 cm (17/1819/20)2297 & 2317 K2 Catamaran, 184 cm (17/1819/20)2341 & 2357 Dynastar Menace Proto, 189 cm (18/1919/20)2343 & 2360 J Skis Friend, 189 cm (18/1919/20)2346 & 2351 Nordica Enforcer Free 115, 191 cm (17/1820/21)2370 & 2387 Volkl Confession, 193 cm (17/1819/20)2382 & 2395 ON3P Billy Goat, 184 cm (17/1819/20)2408 & 2421 ON3P Jeffrey 116, 186 cm (17/1819/20)2418 & 2433 ON3P Wrenegade 114, 189 cm (18/19)2429 & 2437 Kingswood SMB, 188 cm (16/1718/19)2438 & 2492 Rossignol BLACKOPS Gamer, 186 cm (16/1720/21)2490 & 2529 K2 Catamaran, 191 cm (17/1820/21), Some Questions / Things Were Curious about. The last ~15 cm of the tips and tails (basically just where the tip and tail spacers are) are quite soft. Which takes us to. It makes mobbing through chop almost as fun as skiing untracked snow, and not too many skis this wide pull that off. Love my bodacious particularly in resort chop. They also ski switch really well. Id love to say more about both skis, but Ive probably said too much already. If you ski a bit of everything and appreciate a ski that you can ski extremely fast on through chop and variable snow, then the Black Ops 118 is a better option. I have put it through the wringer. Hard-charging, playful skiers who find more traditional, directional skis to feel bland or boring, but who still want to be able to ski really fast through chop and variable snow. But with the fore-runner and equal, to me of the Black Ops 118, you did. Stomp and smear. Maybe too fast. Tails: 7-5.5. Great review including your impressions of the Pros & Cons of the Black Ops ski. But if you want a ski that is loose and balanced, but thats also capable of absolutely mobbing through chop, we think that the Black Ops 118 is one of the best options on the market. Given your background, I think just having them mounted -6 cm from the true center of the ski would make sense (that equate to about 3.5 cm back from the recommended mount point, but going off the true center of the ski is always the safest bet). Maybe it could now apply to the 118 Black Ops also.). I spent a lot of time that week driving from the back seat. In Front of Toe Piece: 9-9.5 I would reccomend going into a local shop, and just talking with them about whats going to work best for you.
That said, the Black Ops 118s mass and size does make skiing fast through firm crud pretty tiring, and my ankles and knees definitely felt the impact of that after a long day of skiing fast on the Black Ops 118 on firm snow. So recommended mount points from. In all depths of fresh snow, the Black Ops 118 was very easy to throw sideways. https://blisterreview.com/gear-reviews/rossignol-squad-7, Michael, the Rossignol BlackOps 118s ski very different from the Squad 7s: believe it or not, for mid-size and lighter folk, much more stable, and much better on edge, including on groomers. Are there any major differences? The most well-rounded powder ski on the market., (a quote from the Silverton Mountain website. Will try out that mount and post how I like that once the season gets rolling. Right on recommended is probably perfect for the freestyle kids. Curious as to impressions, as for me at me weight (205 lbs) Ive also found no spped limit on the Bibbys (crud or groomers) while finding them remarkably nimble at slow speeds in steep, tight spots for a 190cm, 118mm ski. Sam called it sharp loose on our recent GEAR:30 podcast, and I agree. Of all the skis Ive been on, I think the Black Ops 118 is the most stable in soft chop. How much stability does the black ops lose? If so, Id highly recommend setting aside some time to watch their recent film: For the 18/19 season, Rossignol announced a narrower addition to the Black Ops line the Black Ops 98. How similar is this ski to the 2012-2013 rossignol squad 7? (Unfortunately, the 189 Pettitors are, in my/our experience, a bit unstable and mostly mediocre at +5, the mount you reviewed back when the 189 Pettitor was first being made.). Funny, this ski has a very similar weight, shape, width, flex and rocker/camber profile to another ski, the Nordica Helldorado, that Blister somewhat panned in the from several years ago. How similar are these to the 2012-2013 rossi squad 7s? Now if only Rossi made 1 more ski in the blackops line to bridge the gap between the 118 and the 98.
Take a quick glance at the list below. I would say the squad 7s were a ton of fun but a ton of work. This ski must be in your quiver. And after all that, Ive come to the conclusion that the Black Ops 118 is my all-time favorite resort powder ski, and one of my favorite skis Ive ever had the pleasure of riding. I havent felt more confident skiing hard on any ski Ive ever been on. +3.5 if I want to drive the tips more; For a 118mm-wide, 2400+ gram ski, the Black Ops 118 is surprisingly versatile. And when youre coming back to earth, the Black Ops 118 provides a really big, supportive landing platform. Of the currently available, ~110-125mm-wide skis weve reviewed, the Black Ops 118 is the second heaviest. Plus, you always need somewhere to mount and maintain your skis throughout their lifetime. -1 works well in general, though loses a touch of playfulness. So youve got a very strong platform throughout the vast majority of the ski, and then soft extremities. Id say if you want a wide, non-directional ski, that can legitimately carve as well as slash with a bit of effort, and can charge hard through any type of decent snow, that will allow you to be a better skier you wont find something better than this. And skiers who prioritize quickness and a low swing weight over high-speed stability should check out lighter skis (see the Powder Skis More Playful section in our Winter Buyers Guide). A few seasons ago, Rossignol started putting out extremely vague and mysterious posts about a new freestyle pow ski. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I was able to ski these at a demo day last weekend, I wouldve bought them on the spot if they were for sale. See below.). The S7 has a much more tapered shape than the Black Ops 118, and as a result, I imagine the Black Ops 118 would not feel nearly as quick and easy to pivot in tight spots. It is a very versatile and fun tool for a ski in this class. It kills it in all conditions. However, the flex then ramps up a lot, and does so pretty quickly. For reference, here are a whole bunch of our measured weights (per ski, in grams) for a number of notable skis. The issue with having a ski this wide as your only ski is that they are a ski with a specific purpose, even if you can use them outside that role. Its big, rockered, and fairly soft tips absorbed impacts when Id punch through to the firm base, but the ski is strong enough in the middle that I could just blow up all of the soft patches. +2.0, for me, is as burly, fast and stable as the most burly SG-like skis around. Love em. I really dont know very much about the technical aspect of skiing or skis, but picked up skiing pretty quickly and enjoy cruising through blues and the occasional black. In terms of float, the Black Ops 118 was very good (for reference, Im 58, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg). Dont buy a ski for what you want to ski, buy a ski for what you do ski. Race-developed construction and a lively wood core blend for the power to get creative. (Me 150 lbs/510.
(All these mount points feel right for particular skier styles and purpose, and particular skier size. I wont give my own report as you guys are more adept at reporting and better skiers than me. The Black Ops 118s rocker profile is more typical for a freestyle pow ski fairly deep tip and tail rocker lines, high, nearly symmetrical tip and tail splay, and a very even, symmetrical look overall. Would you say 4.4 is still good for me or would you recommend something different due to my height? I ended up finishing the last half of the season using nothing but this ski. At my size and skier profile, and at the farther back mount points, I can ski all these skis either upright or more forward again, at the right mount points. The Black Ops 118 feels very balanced in the air, but you really need to initiate tricks hard and early to get it around, rather than being able to decide to throw something mid-air like you can on lighter skis. Things got better on steeps, where I could slarve the skis a bit more, but anything low angle was work. In those conditions, these skis felt super playful, damp, stable, held an edge when needed, and inspired a lot of confidence, especially as things got tracked out. would pretty much be exactly how Id rate the Helldorados. Even mounted at -6cm from true center it just feels too short for us north of 6 ft. So that night I remounted the ski to -2 of recommended to give them a little more float. I dont know, the flex pattern you listed above for the Black Ops, Tips: 5.5-6 Believe it or not, your entire description (past a few spec details) might as well be covering one of my other favorite skis, the 189 (for me pull length 190/191) K2 Pettitor 120, discontinued last year, when that ski is mounted at the right mount points, e.g., corresponding to the two points mentioned in your review for the Black Ops 118 (the rec. +0.5 is too far forward, for me not stable enough fore/aft; also, have to lean back, some tip dive. (Rec. Men's FREERIDE PROGRESSIVE Skis BLACKOPS GAMER. Blast it. I have a pair that are getting tired and these seem pretty similarheavy, crud busting, and like to be skied hard/with speed. I could have sworn the Dynastar Factory Proto is the heavier ski, having picked up both skis (Proto & Black Ops) at Snell Sports, Chamonix, where both of these skis were on display side by side. I got the 180ish length. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. guys its confusing on which ski your testing. Because before and after its in the air, the Black Ops 118 feels extremely solid, even at high speeds. Solid when needed. Shovels: 7-8 I like skis with a balanced feel, but I also like having the option to drive a ski hard particularly when the snow is variable, since driving the front of the ski often helps it track better at speed. That would be a great everyday ski right! Anyone yet test both skis back to back (A/B), same runs, same day?? Three different lengths of almost the same ski. I like my skis long and stiff. I saw this on the Powder7 blog: Same mold as last years Black Ops 118, but with a new flex.. The ski is the perfect tool for an expert skier looking to charge through deep snow in trees, off cliffs, and hit natural booters all over the mountain. And for me, the Black Ops 118 is easy on my bad knee, whereas the 189 Pettitor 120 I have to build up to. Solid when needed. Adjust fore/aft to get this versatility. Its far from the most nimble ski, and it does require a good deal of input to ski. Since December Ive also started trying out terrain parks and wonder if I could use these for parks as well. As always, note the length differences to keep things apples to apples. As an intermediate skier with one set of skis, I would suggest something in the 90-100mm range, as thats the true western all mountain range. Spins and shifties on the Black Ops 118 required significantly more effort than other freestyle-oriented skis Ive used. As I noted above, the ski felt best when skied from a centered stance when mounted on the recommended line. (I could give more detail on the comparison, but almost enough. (My mount point on the 184 Bibbys is at 0.) I found myself skiing faster, going bigger, and otherwise just skiing more aggressively on the Black Ops 118 in chop than I have on any other ski. demo-ed the 19/20 and trying to figure out mounting advice.. Its all the same ski (see our note at the bottom of the specs for the ski). Maritime snowpack has taught me to be leery of pow skis w/ this much camber. I mentioned earlier the Black Ops 118s sharp loose feel, and that combo proved to be a huge asset on days when the snow varied from soft to quite firm. The ON3P Kartel 116 is also over 2400 grams, and it is a very, very good ski that weve still found to be quite playful. This is not a general purposes tool for powder IMO. All of which is to say. By entering your email address, you agree to receive our marketing offers in accordance with our Privacy Policy. But its also a very hefty ski, and that affects how playful it feels. They are the perfect balance of aggressive and playful. And bigger skiers should note that this skis max available length is 186 cm; Sam, Jonathan, and I never had any issues with tip dive and we range from 58, 155 lbs to 510, 175 lbs, but larger skiers should keep this in mind. They also say the 98 is getting some tweaks. Yes, heavy a bit in tight trees but great charger ski. Skip to the beginning of the images gallery. Awesome to make big hard carves, can be driven in bumps (where I mounted them (I only weigh 145 as well)), and never had an issue with diving in pow. In order to prepare your equipment the best we can, please fill the following form. Thanks for the feedback Luke. Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-8 Now riding a Faction CT 5.0. And both do Sean Pettit turns.). The 179 (pull length 180) Pettitor 120, the Sean Pettit ski, is for smaller, lighter folk (Sean Pettit is 56 at most, a cannonball); or for a warm up, get in shape ski for groomers and softer, smooth conditions. Prior CBCs on the way thanks to your awesome reviews I dont feel like I am rolling the dice at all. Ski the black Ops in the last 2 weeks at Whitefish, Revelstoke, Kicking Horse and catski Mustang Powder.
+3.0 if I want a GS to SG charger. Reforest Action. The Black Ops 118 is exactly as described by Luke. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Just impulse bought a pair on a summer sale and Im really looking forward to trying them out. Would really love to try the Black Ops based on your review though, sounds great. I have a problem that I thrash ski gear too hard. I might also add that I am too old anymore to really launch off anything, but on these skis, on that day, I felt like I probably could have, and I would have been fine. Anxiously waiting. What a lame name.. maybe its better in French? They feel like a racer's powder ski. Actually, explored at the correct mount points, and for myself and friends, these two fatter skis, Rossi and K2, could have been different year versions or further development of the same ski, and the similarities in design, feel, usage and performance in detail are so great that just the different lengths and widths could account for most differences (both playful, fine-floating, heavy, easy, forgiving powder/crud tanks; either charger or laid back, that carve and tear up groomers also, turn rounded quick, but are a bit heavy for big bumps or tight trees at least for me/us. For the 179 Pettitors, my mount point is at -2 or -2 1/2. But, interesting, Skied the Black Ops for a season when they first came out. Sorry, but I finally got a pair of the Black Ops, an almost NOS version pre-Gamer, and have skied them a lot. But with the bindings at -4.4 cm from center, I could drive the Black Ops 118 quite hard, and I never found its speed limit in chop.
So thanks for your review of the 118 Black Ops 186 (186; pull length 184.2). One can usually ski this ski with both forward and more upright styles, depending on the mount point and skier size. Then I have to get more upright. Subscribe to our newsletter to get 15% off on your next apparel purchase hardgoods & bikes excluded. I think you need to be physically strong to ski it, but you dont need to have perfect technique. This is an interesting flex pattern. I skied this board for four winters, averaging 60 days a season on it. Become a Blister member now to check out this and all of our Flash Reviews, plus get exclusive deals and discounts on skis, and personalized gear recommendations from us.
Id be lying if I said that I was not also intrigued by the mystery of this ski, so when I saw them on sale at the end of last year (in the original black guise I, which was pretty cool too I thought), I bought them. I am 6,2 tall and 185 pounds and like to ski hard with a neutral stance. / Marker Jester, [Note: Our review was conducted on the 19/20 Black Ops 118, which returns unchanged for 20/21 and 21/22, apart from graphics and a name change to the BLACKOPS Gamer.].
Luke, do you have any objective or experiential info regarding this? They then renamed the original Black Ops the Black Ops 118, added a 176 cm option for the 118 (in part to give the extremely talented Tatum Monod a ski to shred on), and weve now been getting time on the 186 cm model. At 186, they were also more nimble in the mogul than I thought they would be. I got the 118 last year and agree with your entire review.
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