Heroes (and heroines), as we all know, are pretty big over-performers: They chase criminals, perform daring stunts, and save the world on the side. Sure, heroes have to be pretty talented. But what would heroes be without the right equipment? Batman has his Batmobile, James Bond his Aston Martin, and even Tarzan can´t do without his vine and loincloth.
For the heroes of the slopes, something very similar applies: without the right equipment, even the best alpine athlete can quickly look pretty old. Especially the heroes of the World Cup circuit can´t win any prizes without the right skis.
Ski World Cup Challenge
To deliver a top performance, a ski racer needs stability, smooth running, accurate tracking, edge grip, and bite from his skis. It´s logical: The more precisely a racer can steer through the gate, the more precise and smooth he can carve his turns, the more dynamic he can exit the turn, the faster he will reach the finish line. Along the way, however, the skier still has to survive the slope. More precisely, the bumps on the slope, such as grooves, partially raised snow, or sudden changes in the slope angle. These cause the ski tip to lift slightly at full speed, while gravity pulls the tip down. This leads to an oscillating movement, also known as flapping. The result: Poor ski control, missed victories, and in the worst case, a fall.
This is how Rossignol makes skis precise and controllable
Of course, all ski manufacturers involved in racing are working on solutions. The french ski manufacturer Rossignol, for example, has developed its own unique technology for its race heroes by inventing Dynamic Line Control (DLC) technology. Vibration is absorbed and shock is dampened through a fully hydraulic shock absorber. The result is absolute control at the gate, flex control during the turn, and efficient edge grip.
The results speak for themselves: Eight individual medals at the Winter Olymipics in Beijing, in addition to five podium finishes in team events, are a real statement.
Rossignol Hero Elite series with World Cup technology
But not only the professionals, but also the recreational and amateur heroes need the best possible equipment to get the most fun and adrenaline out of every ski day. Of course, you can´t just take the World Cup technology one-to-one: the professionals´ skis are certainly too hard, too heavy, too difficult to control, and, let´s be honest, too expensive for the majority of recreational skiers.
To make the benefits of their World Cup technology accessible to the rest of us, Rossignol has designed the Hero Elite series. In doing so, Rossignol is turning conventional wisdom on its head, or rather, turning it ninety degrees. Usually, everything that is meant to stabilise the ski, be it carbon or titanal, is built flat into the ski, as if it were a slice of cheese in a sandwich. As the only ski manufacturer so far, Rossignol goes against this by equipping all Hero Elite models with a titanal power rail that is worked into the wood core vertically throughout the entire lenght of the ski, and is inserted with a shock absorber made of viscoelastic rubber. According to the French manufacturer, this Line Control Technology (LCT) not only reduces torsion and instability, but also absorbs and dampens vibrations.
Damping and stability are further optimised by the new V-titanal layer, whose V-shape ensures perfect ski balance, helping to maintain the correct line even in rough conditions.
SNOW-HOW! Practical tests of the Hero Elite series
Is this technical innovation just another purely marketing-driven but otherwise a completely useless gimmick? Or is it just an insignificant detail? To find out, we conducted a practical test of the Rossignol Hero Elite skis.
Hero Elite is for every skiing hero
One thing first: No matter what type of turn you want to make, Rossignol Hero Elite skis surprise with enormous precision, especially when you have picked up some speed, a nice smooth turn shape and smoothness that is second to none.
Slalom carver: Just right for sporty skiing heroes
If you are one of the short turn heroes, the Rossignol Hero Elite ST Ti is the right choice for you. This agile slalom carver is extremely aggressive and just perfect for you, if you want to link slalom turns at high speed with spotiness.
Also, be sure to check out our ski test videos:
► Rossignol Hero Elite ST Ti im SLALOM SKITEST 2022/23:
Even more exquisite is only the limited Rossignol Hero Elite ST Ti Limited, which can impress with its exclusive design and particularly high-performanced Look SPX 14 binding.
Multiradius for experienced skiers
For particularly versatile slope heroes, the Rossignol Hero Elite MT Ti Cam, is ideal, with its slightly wider waist providing increased stability and a smooth ride even at higher speeds. Thanks to the vesatile sidecuts, the MT TI Cam is very vagile in shorter lengths, and in longer lengths it tends towards a racecarver. What all lengths of the model have in common is excellent float on choppy terrain and easy handling in drift turns.
Conclusion: Hero Elite series has the potential to be ski hero equipment
Whatever your plans, with the skis from the Rossignol Hero Elite series under your feet, you already have the right equipment to become a hero of the slopes. If you also have the necessary skiing skills, nothing stands in the way of your next heroic deed.