Dimensions: 132-84-116
Radius: 16m@177cm
Sizes: 170, 177, 184
Size tested: 177
Design: All New
After spending a good amount of this season on Salomon's ripper S/Max Rush, I expected great things from the S/Force Bold; what I found out was not what I expected. The all-new S/Force Bold has the power of the S/Max, but what really surprised me was how easy it is to ski and how big of a sweet spot it has. You would think that a ski that has Salomon’s Edge Amplifier sidewall and a sidewall as thick as most 1980s race skis -- along with a binding that also comes from Salomon's (and Atomic's) race skis -- would require ton of input, but that is just not the case. The S/Force is as gentle as a tiger carrying her cub by the scruff of the neck, but make no mistake, that tiger can will show her claws when tested, and the S/Force has that strength when it pushed.
Even though the S/Force shares much of its DNA with the narrower S/Max, Salomon made the S/Force much more compliant at its extremities. The S/Force does come easy into a turn and even with its flared square tail, it can easily be worked out of a carve without any resistance. Where there is a similarity to the S/Max is at speed; other than sacrificing a bit of edge-to-edge quickness, the S/Force is just as confidence-inspiring and stable at speed.
- Who is it for? The strong; even though the S/Force has a mild side, it is a burly ski and needs some mass to bend it.
- Who is not for? Weight weenies. The S/Force Bold is not a light ski.
- Insider tip: The X12 LT race-derived binding does now accept Gripwalk.