Instinct Original Sender – Test 2022

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SKI CANADA TEST 2022

INSTINCT ORIGINAL SENDER (O//S) * FREERIDE/POWDER

INSTINCT ORIGINAL SENDER (O//S)  *  FREERIDE/POWDER

BEST FOR: Charging in big terrain.

Instinct skis stand out. They’re one of the few with a contoured cap construction, versus the more common square sandwich. They always sport an eye-catching graphic—everything from Stealth-black to mountain scenes and the O//S’s ghostly image. When you pick them up they have a remarkably lightweight and high quality feel; Al Eagleton builds each pair in his Rossland, B.C., workshop. Several testers of the O//S noted the obvious craftsmanship right before they praised the performance. “Super stable at speed,” wrote Chris Baikie. “Long-radius turns are its happy place.” Indeed, Eagleton designed the straighter sidecut and stiff build (including sheets of Kevlar, basalt, spectra and carbon) for Maching in wide-open terrain and mostly in soft snow. Many testers found the O//S hard to handle in Mount Washington’s treed slopes, but for those with the skill and attitude to let it go found a ski that has no top end. “You’ve got to have the courage to let it rip,” said Ryan Stuart. “When I did, I found it was surprisingly manoeuvrable and utterly dependable.” A ski for showing off at big resorts and in the alpine backcountry.

LENGTH:              186

DIMENSIONS:       136/108/128 @ 186

RADIUS:              19 @ 186

WEIGHT:             1,860g @ 186

SUGGESTED RETAIL: $1249

from Fall 2021 issue

all Ski Canada ski tests

Ryan Stuart
Ryan Stuart has a ski for every possible condition and a jacket to match. Well maybe not quite, but the magazine’s Technical Editor has more than enough of both and can’t wait to test out whatever is coming next. When he’s not testing skis or writing the buyer’s guides, you can’t find him exploring his bumpy backyard on Vancouver Island. @ryan_adventures
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