A normal Ski trip
One thing always remains the same when skiing, namely that everything is always different. Anything can happen during a week of skiing: While you may still be dependent on extremely scarce artificial snow on the first few days of skiing, a few days later cubic metres of fresh powder snow may have fallen again.
One ski for all slope conditions?
With all these changes, the desire to have the perfect ski for every situation often arises: A Racecarver, a Slalomcarver, an Allmountain-Ski, a Freerider.... But firstly, hardly anyone can afford it, and secondly, transport would be a logistical horror scenario. The idea of relying on a ski that works well in all situations and combines the positive qualities of all the others is obvious.
Of course, most ski manufacturers have already come up with this idea and try to develop such a ski, sometimes with greater success, sometimes with less success. Last winter, for example, the traditional Bavarian manufacturer Völkl made a new launch with the Deacon series and this winter added four very different models. We looked at the models in the Deacon series and tested what they were capable of.
Völkl Deacon 72 and Völkl Deacon 76
If you're looking for a sporty ski and don't want to take three different skis for different piste conditions with you on vacation, the all-mountain racers from Deacon are the perfect choice. Völkl has managed to develop an all-mountain carver where you don't have to compromise on anything. The skis are agile & variable as well as sporty and smooth.
If you are looking for a ski for short and medium turns, you will find the slightly narrower Völkl Deacon 72 (also available in black) a perfect companion for every ski day. It just has all the attributes you'd expect from such a ski. It combines effervescence, sportiness and versatility.
The Völkl Deacon 76 (also available in black), on the other hand, is made for longer turns. Nevertheless, it also gives a safe and smooth ride in other skiing styles and turns. Say a ski day full of fun is ensured
The components: Tailored Carbon Tips, 3D.Glass & Tip&Tail Rockers
Stability and edge grip are provided by the full-surface titanal base. It is complemented by the 3D.Glass technology, which is a particularly clever use of fiberglass inserts: in the front and back of the ski, the fiberglass structure is guided vertically upwards and outwards over the sidewall. This improves edge grip on ice on the one hand and increases dynamics when changing turns on the other. The single layer of glass under the binding, in turn, provides suppleness and radius variability.
In order to achieve the best possible turning performance on rutted slopes and powder, Völkl has installed a Tip&Tail rocker. Due to the flat tapering upturns at the shovel and ski tail, the Deacon becomes very turn-friendly and has an easy turn introduction. This is combined with the traditional preload under the binding, so you still have excellent smoothness and top edge grip.
Another factor of this variability is the newly installed technology called Tailored Fibre Placement (short: TFP). In this innovative manufacturing process, carbon fibers in the shovel area - the Tailored Carbon Tips - are stitched onto the base material for the new Deacon models in such a way that the torsional stiffness can be adjusted in a targeted manner. The driving characteristics of the ski can be controlled via the fiber arrangement and thickness, as well as via the arrangement of the inserts: Dynamics are directed via these fibers to the areas of the ski where they are needed. This allows the ski to be controlled precisely and directly via the shovel. Light and agile cornering are further advantages that ensure even more skiing fun.
These integrated technologies ensure that sporty and aggressive skiers who do not want to miss out on a certain playful element are perfectly equipped for their ski day with the two models Deacon 72 and Deacon 76.
Allmountain slope: Völkl Deacon 80 Lowride and Völkl Deacon 84 Lowride
3D Glass and the tip-tail rocker are also featured in the all-mountain models Völkl Deacon 80 Lowride and Völkl Deacon 84 Lowride. In addition, some very own technologies are used.
Most notably, the 3D Radius Sidecut combines a short center radius with a long tip radius and an equally long tail radius. The small radius in the middle makes for tight turns at moderate speeds, extremely easy turn initiation, and makes the ski very agile. The wide radius in the tip and tail are perfect for wide turns and high speed by providing easy steering and increased maneuverability, helping to avoid blending, and guaranteeing smooth running.
Power transmission and maneuverability are further improved by the new IPT Lowride binding system, in which essential functions of the binding have been technically transferred into the ski body. This reduces the weight of the skis and furthermore the standing height. This allows a faster, more effortless edge change and provides a degree of agility previously unusual for skis of this width.
The 3DRidge, a ridge that runs in front of and behind the binding and tapers off to the edges, combines low weight with high torsional stiffness, perfect edge grip over the entire length of the ski and optimum control.
Both models are optimized to make a sporty to highly athletic skier independent of the constant changes in piste conditions to which he is confronted over the course of a long ski season. For professional skiers, the Titanal Frame of the Völkl Deacon 84 therefore offers the highest level of precise power transfer and absorption. The Glass Frame of the Völkl Deacon 80, on the other hand, gives a wide range of skiers effortless access to dynamics, athleticism and agility.
Völkl Deacon V-Werks Lowride: five stars for sporty skiers
If that's still not enough, Völkl is bringing a new premium model to the slopes this winter called the Völkl Deacon V-Werks Lowride, which sets even new standards with its technologically advanced features. In principle, this ski is the luxury version of the already extremely luxurious Völkl Deacon 84: the center width and radius are exactly the same, but the Deacon V-Werks has replaced the fiberglass with carbon. Völkl uses the elaborate Tailored Carbon process on the Deacon V-Werks not only in the shovel, but also in the ski tail.
This has several advantages for the skier: First, at 1830 grams at 177 centimeters (without binding), the Völkl Deacon V-Werks is quite a bit lighter than the Deacon 84. And second, the differentiated tuning of twisting and bending characteristics ensures that this ski can be controlled precisely and directly with reliable power transmission on the one hand, and favors dynamic and aggressive skiing with its agile turn initiation on the other, and that it is easy to control and can handle difficult conditions without much effort. This versatility and variability makes the Deacon V-Werks the right choice for sporty riders who want to really treat themselves.
The Völkl Deacon 75 pure and simple
Of course, Völkl has also thought of skiers who are perhaps not quite so ambitious and prefer to put a greater emphasis on pleasure skiing. The Deacon 75 is a ski with which everyone from beginners to intermediate skiers can have fun.
Like the two top models, the Völkl Deacon 75 is designed for variable skiing in all piste conditions. A continuous sidewall in combination with the flex character derives from the Deacon 74 provide for driving dynamics & liveliness. This makes the ski suitable for moderate skiing as well as for ambitious skiers who still want to improve.
