2023 Liberty Origin 106 BC

We’ve seen a lot of backcountry and alpine touring skis come through our doors recently, and some of the best ones are using an established downhill model for shape, profile, and recognition, and then making it lighter and more touring-oriented. The 2023 Liberty Origin 106 Backcountry is a great example of that type of ski. They take the existing Origin 106, give it a lighter build, alter the tail shape and profile just a bit, and send skiers on their way to find the steep and deep in the vast winter backcountry. Light, fun, and incredibly easy to ski, the Origin 106 BC separates itself by utilizing Liberty’s long-standing reputation for making fun and playful skis. They add a bit of business to it through the use of carbon, but for the most part, this ski is undeniably Liberty at its freeride finest.

Built with an Aspen and maple core, the skis are light to begin with, giving skiers a solid platform on which to stand, even in the most technical of conditions and terrain. They also use a dual-carbon laminate in order to give the ski stiffness and responsiveness without adding much weight. As per usual for Liberty, we see poured polyurethane sidewalls, and these give the ski a consistent character, not only for the Origin BC series, but for Liberty as a whole. The shovel shape and tip rocker profile stays mainly the same as in the regular 106, but we see a bit of a difference in the tail. There’s a reduction of rocker as well as a less-rounded taper shape at the end. This allows for a skin attachment as well as keeping the ski flatter to the snow for more efficient climbing. In the 182, the skis generate a 20-meter turn radius and come in at 1670 grams per ski. While this isn’t the lightest touring ski that we see, it’s still a few hundred grams lighter than the downhill-specific version, making it a great choice for skiers who like the Liberty brand and character, but are looking to earn their turns rather than riding the lifts at the resort.

On that 182, Brad Moskowitz found it to ski true to slightly short, so this is in line with what we’d expect from a lighter ski. He scored it 5’s out of 5 for overall impression and flotation, with 4’s for versatility, torsional stiffness, edge hold, playfulness, quickness, and maneuverability. One step down, Brad gave it 3’s for forgiveness and stability. “I was completely impressed with the Liberty Origin 106, and the backcountry version is equally as fun and even lighter for the backcountry touring enthusiast. Like its stouter brother, this ski has a lightweight feel and fun shape that pleasantly plays in softer snow conditions. It is quick edge to edge, easy to turn and has just enough energy and strength for occasional trips to ride the lift.” It’s always nice to hear that a tester is surprised or impressed with a ski, especially one like the Backcountry 106, as that means to us that this ski punches above its level in a number of different avenues.

The 2023 Liberty Origin 106 Backcountry has a whole lot going for it. The trend in skiing these days certainly gravitates and pulls towards the adventurous side of the spectrum, and skis like this fit that application quite well. If you’re a fresh snow seeker and want to skin up to get it, the Origin 106 BC is a fantastic choice.