2019 Volkl Mantra M5
Specs: tip/waist/tail widths: 134/96/117
Testing location: Treble Cone, New Zealand
Snow Conditions: Early season firm snow conditions, but with plenty of snow coverage
About me the skier: 5'8", 185 pounds, Advanced skier
Length tested: 170
A very popular and iconic ski in the Volkl lineup, the M5 is the fifth generation Mantra. While some of the older generation Mantras have a reputation for being on the burlier and demanding side, this is certainly not how I would describe the M5. Immediately coming off from demoing the 2019 Blizzard Brahma, I was immediately much more at ease on this ski. I was quite surprised at how well this ski handled firm conditions at a 96 width ski. The other thing that immediately struck me was that despite the power I felt this ski had, the skis were not as heavy as I would have expected for this size of ski. And I really didn't perceive I was giving up much in performance on firm snow despite the greater width (96 vs 88) and less demanding nature relative to the Brahma that I had just been on.
My perception of older generation Mantras as more of a freeride, off piste ski, so I was very impressed with how this ski handled groomers in particular. I felt completely comfortable across the entire mountain. Sure, there are better specific bump/groomer skis for that type of specific terrain, but I was perfectly happy on this ski everywhere I took it, and never feeling like I was making big sacrifices or working around any sizeable limitations.
I sure wish there was some soft snow I could have tried these on, because I was so impressed with its firm snow performance for this class of ski. If this ski performs anywhere like its older brethren on softer snow, then I really think we have winner here.
Specs: tip/waist/tail widths: 134/96/117
Testing location: Treble Cone, New Zealand
Snow Conditions: Early season firm snow conditions, but with plenty of snow coverage
About me the skier: 5'8", 185 pounds, Advanced skier
Length tested: 170
A very popular and iconic ski in the Volkl lineup, the M5 is the fifth generation Mantra. While some of the older generation Mantras have a reputation for being on the burlier and demanding side, this is certainly not how I would describe the M5. Immediately coming off from demoing the 2019 Blizzard Brahma, I was immediately much more at ease on this ski. I was quite surprised at how well this ski handled firm conditions at a 96 width ski. The other thing that immediately struck me was that despite the power I felt this ski had, the skis were not as heavy as I would have expected for this size of ski. And I really didn't perceive I was giving up much in performance on firm snow despite the greater width (96 vs 88) and less demanding nature relative to the Brahma that I had just been on.
My perception of older generation Mantras as more of a freeride, off piste ski, so I was very impressed with how this ski handled groomers in particular. I felt completely comfortable across the entire mountain. Sure, there are better specific bump/groomer skis for that type of specific terrain, but I was perfectly happy on this ski everywhere I took it, and never feeling like I was making big sacrifices or working around any sizeable limitations.
I sure wish there was some soft snow I could have tried these on, because I was so impressed with its firm snow performance for this class of ski. If this ski performs anywhere like its older brethren on softer snow, then I really think we have winner here.
- Who's it for: Intermediate-Expert skier seeking all mountain and some freeride chops that also wants a ski that performs well on firm snow/groomers.
- Who's it not for: I enjoyed this ski in the conditions I was able to take it in. Perhaps the improved accessibility of this ski has come at some cost of freeride performance, but I was not able to make that determination in the conditions I was skiing that day.
- Insider tip: Don't let the burlier reputation of previous Mantra versions scare you; My perception is that the newer M5 version is probably accessible enough even for intermediates.
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