BEST FOR: Advanced to expert skiers dedicated to carving.
LENGTHS: 160, 168, 176, 182
DIMENSIONS: 124/73/110
RADIUS: 14@176
SUGGESTED RETAIL: $600
OTHER MODELS: R8 HP, R6 Compact, R4 Sport
“Fun, fun, fun” are Debbie Morrison’s words, but they sum up the smiles charging into the test pit every time someone took this ski out. Men and women, racers and cruisers, all appreciated the React. Rossi calls it a “compact race ski,” while testers raved about its carving. It uses a construction similar to the Hero race skis: poplar wood core with a central carbon stringer and ABS sidewalls, but softened a bit to make it more approachable. There’s just a touch of early rise in the tip where the Hero has none, the tip and tail are softer and the sidecut is exaggerated. Jen Young found it predictable and adaptable: “Quick response in short turns, and strong and stable when you open it up.” While Nigel Harrison found the ski “responsive but forgiving. You can tip it up on groomers and play in the bumps.” Others raved about its grip and how it seemed to accelerate out of the turn. We’ll give the last word to Morrison: “Edge-to-edge perfection. An excellent ride.”
