On the fun side of playful in the mid-90's width, the Liberty Origin 96 blends and blurs the line between freestyle and freeride, but make no mistake, these things are all about having a good time on the hill, no matter what you want to call it. With a graphics refresh for 2023, the Origin 96 carries forward the same construction, which is great news for skiers who loved the updated core. By adding a single metal strut to the mix, the engineers at Liberty were able to stiffen and dampen the ski without taking away its playful personality. Still very much a twin-tip that loves to be used in smeary and slashy turns, the Origin 96 also has newfound stability due to the metal strut. Built with bamboo and poplar in the wood core, the skis also get two carbon fiber strips and a full-wrap in fiberglass. The mix of these materials makes the ski super fun and energetic, while the shape and profile keeps the flex appropriate and maneuverable. At 96 mm underfoot, this is a very versatile shape, and with the rounded shovels and tails, the ski likes to make those types of round turns. 20% rocker in the tip and 10% in the tail makes this ski a wonderful choice for advanced and expert freeride skiers who dabble in it all.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
Carbon Fiber
PREFERRED TERRAIN
All Mountain, Big Mountain, Groomers
On the 182, Ryan Daniels notes the sizing was perfect for him, scoring the ski top marks of 5 out of 5 for versatility, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, playfulness, and flotation. Overall impression, quickness, maneuverability, and stability all got 4’s. With those types of high scores, it’s easy to see that Ryan’s a fan of this ski. “This ski has come a long way over the years. Skis great. Easy to ski. Playful.” Succinct and to the point, Ryan calls out the best parts here for sure. Dave Hatoff was also on the 182, noting it was just right for him. He scored the ski mainly 4’s out of 5, with a lone 3 for flotation. Still, we’re seeing consistent scores from our testers, and that’s what we’re expecting and looking for with a true all-mountain ski. Dave calls it a ”Nice daily driver for east or west. Quick edge to edge, stable at speed. Very maneuverable.”
Jamie O’Brien thought that the 182 skied shorter than the size indicates, but he still had lots of high scores to go around. “The Origin 96 is a ski for the playful freerider seeking fresh turns in the trees. This ski is very forgiving and loves to switch things up. It’s much more of a multitool than a one trick pony.” Resultingly, Jamie gave the ski a 5 out of forgiveness, with 4’s running the rest of the table save for a lone 3 for stability. Jeff Neagle calls his 182 a “Great all mountain ski. Similar to the Rustler 9 in the sense it does just about everything. Carves, wiggles, jumps off stuff. Good blend of energy and stability now that it has the VMT build. Could work in the park too for someone who just wants to mess around and isn’t planning on center mounting.”
If freeride, fun, versatility, and forgiveness are what you’re looking for in a ski, you’ll love the all-around good-natured 2023 Liberty Origin 96. It has a mid-range shape and a very comforting build to take you all over the whole mountain, from the park and pipe to the deep snow in the woods.
