2023 Liberty Evolv 100

The 2023 Liberty Evolv 100 got a boost in performance in 2022 thanks to the addition of a third metal strut. The VMT 3.0 core is a great way to build a ski, and it all starts with the blend of bamboo and poplar wood. The three metal struts are sandwiched in the poplar, further bolstering the strength and stability of the ski. By placing the metal in a vertical application, the skis get significantly stiffer and better-suited for high-speed carving, and when you add the width and shape of the ski to the mix, you get a very strong and burly mix that makes the Evolv 100 feel unique and powerful, while at the same time remaining quiet, damp, and stable. With a pretty minimal taper shape and rocker profile, these skis belong more in the all-mountain category versus freeride, as the longer effective edge makes it a smooth carver rather than a playful floater. In this 100 mm underfoot width, there’s a lot of range out there, but these skis find themselves more in the wide groomer category, with the ability to bust through crud and chop, but they’re not really that floaty and smeary freeride ski that we see some of the 100’s becoming, and that’s just fine—it takes all kinds of skis to make everyone happy, and Liberty has really found a good mix here with the Evolv 100. All four of our testers were on the 179 cm length

Steve McKenzie is a powerful skier, noting that the Evolv 100 skied true to size. He gave top marks of 5 out of 5 for quickness and maneuverability, with 4’s for flotation, stability, playfulness, torsional stiffness, edge hold, versatility, and overall impression. His lower score of 3 for forgiveness shows the stiffer nature of the ski. He calls it a “Solid all around ski that can handle speeds, airs and bumps. Perfect addition for the “skis anything” quiver.” That’s a big range of skis, so it’s nice to see Steve put the Evolv 100 into that category. Ryan Daniel, another strong skier with a race background, is a great person to get on a wider carver like this. He notes that it skis true to size, and he scored it 5’s out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, playfulness, stability, and flotation. That’s a lot of 5’s on the board. He gave it 4’s for versatility, quickness, and maneuverability, so it still gets a very high baseline average from Ryan. “Wow this ski rips.” He begins. “I was surprised how much better this 179 felt compared to the Kastle MX 98 in the 178. Radius was perfect size. Rolled on edge perfectly and smoothly. I could give it everything I can but it does not demand it. Skis like a ski with 2 full sheets of metal without the effort.”

David Wolfgang notes that the sizing felt true for him, and scored it mainly 3’s across the board with 4’s for torsional stiffness and edge hold. “Not my favorite. Got thrown around in the crud and frozen granular. Probably better on hardpack.” Bob St.Pierre notes that “the 179 skis true to size, but I’d opt for the 186 personally.” Bob scored the ski all 4’s out of 5 with the exception of a 3 for flotation. He calls it “A wonderful ski with a charming personality. It has a great blend of attributes, from holding an edge on firm snow to blasting through crud and spring chop whenever you ask it to. It has typical Liberty silence due to the bamboo, and the three metal struts really give the ski some power when desired. It's as happy cruising gently as it is ripping up the hill.”

100 mm skis that focus on carving and front side performance aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but those that did like it found it to be a lot of fun and very engaging at what it does well. It’s nice to have that wider platform underfoot from a stability perspective, and when you get into softer or more broken snow, then it certainly comes in handy to have the extra surface area. Skiers in the advanced and expert range will love the carving performance and soft-snow versatility of the Liberty Evolv 100.