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2020 Völkl Mantra 102

SkiTalk Test Team

Testing skis so you don't have to.
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Mar 5, 2017
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Philpug: Every year I flex a ski and immediately know, This is going to be a killer ski. The new Mantra 102 is one such ski. Where most brands zigged and produced a soft-snow playful 102, Völkl zagged and made a charger. This is the ski that 96-98 Mantra and Katana lovers have been waiting for.

I took these out at Mammoth during complete whiteout conditions; usually a ski with this type of power will say, "Hang on!" but the new Mantra 102 said (complete with heavy accent), “Come vith me if you vant to live.” And the 102 took me into the white abyss and made sure everything was ok.

Insider tip: It is great to see camber back in Völkl’s designs.​

FairToMiddlin: @Philpug knows I am a fan of the now long-extinct Salomon Q-Lab, which is a fairly strong 104mm ski. With this in mind, he told me that the Mantra 102 was a must for my testing list. It was like telling a 49ers fan to consider choosing someone other than Joe Montana as your favorite quarterback. It’s a tough sell.

But holy crap, the 102 is sublime. Clicking in, it feels like a heavy-ish charger of a ski, leaving one to wonder if this is a "float like a butterfly" Ali of a heavyweight, or a George Foreman-y bull in a china shop. The 102 is all sweet, young Ali. I handed them off to @Drahtguy Kevin; after a go at them for a bit, he asked what length they were, and I could tell he was expecting to hear that I had grabbed the 177. Nope, 184 (Völkl hadn’t even brought a 177 to the test). Far from being a handful, the fatty Mantra is very easy to maneuver, on and off piste; it disguises its bulk incredibly well.

So, what’s the catch? If it’s that nimble, does it have a glass jaw and can’t take a punch? Quite the opposite: apart from the Augment FIS SL and the Atomic X9 twins, I took every ski you see here over to Sierra lift to sample the crud, bumps, lovely chalk, and wind-affected coral lurking within what is available in the wonderful microcosm of Union Peak, Kaboom, and Revenge. Many of the skis did well, but none ironed out the chaos as effectively as the Mantra 102.

But wait, there’s more: I place a high value on 90-somethings and One Oh Somethings that are at least entertaining on the groomed runout from the fun zone back to the lift. Or to put it another way, if I end up at the hill with just one ski, I want to have a fun day, even if the mountain snow totals overreported and underdelivered. The Mantra performed better than its contemporaries in this regard. Spend some more calories on getting on edge and drive into the turn, and you are rewarded with a willing shape, and a flex strong enough to propel you across the fall line. It’s a special ski.

Drahtguy Kevin
: Son of a .… This is the Völkl I’ve been longing for. "Strong," "fast," and "intuitive" were the first three words on my voice recording. A superb tip that guides the ski into the turn powerfully and a tail that finishes with pop are traits of the 102. Give this ski more gas, and it rewards with increased performance. Lay off the ski and cruise with a stable ride that offers no surprises for lapses in attention. Off piste and on, the Mantra 102 flat out performs. I had to double check the length because it was so compliant and willing to work with me that I was sure it was shorter than the 184 indicated. A true delight for me at Copper.

Insider tip: Völkl has bottled lightning with this one.​
 
Awards
Who is it for?
Not only those who bleed Völkl. Versatile skiers who want performance all over the mountain.
Who is it not for?
Billy Crystal, this ski’s $hit is bigger than you. The unimaginative will miss out on this ski’s versatility.
Skier ability
  1. Expert
Ski category
  1. All Mountain
Ski attributes
  1. Off Piste
  2. Trees
Segment
  1. Men

Specifications

right ad
Available sizes
170, 177, 184, 191
Dimensions
140-102-123
Radius
20.1m@177cm
Rocker profile
  1. Camber with tip rocker
Construction design
  1. All new
Binding options
  1. Flat

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