2023 Rossignol Experience 80 Carbon W

For ultimate frontside exploration and performance, the 2023 Rossignol Experience 80 Carbon W is an affordable and approachable ski for ladies of all ability levels. Boasting a reliably stable and confidence boosting build, the technology and design of the Experience 80 takes dynamic carving to the next level. Built with a lightweight paulownia wood core and supported by Carbon inserts, the overall construction provides skiers with vibration dampening qualities and torsional rigidity while giving the flex a lively, maneuverable feel. Rossignol takes it one step further by adding their Drive Tip Solution, which is an impressive technology that incorporates a blend of fibers and visco in the ski tip to create a smooth and impact absorbing feel upon any crud or chopped up snow conditions. Looking at the shape, the Experience 80 has a directional shape for a more race-focused approach but also features a gradual tip rocker which allows for versatility yet with a longer effective edge. A true frontside dominator, this ski appeals to a variety of ability levels and will boost morale and technique.

Louise Lintilhac skied the 166 cm length, which is the longest available length in the Experience W 80 Carbon. Impressively, Louise’s highest score was for torsional stiffness/edge grip, suggesting even though it’s designed to be approachable and easy to ski for an intermediate level skier, you still get plenty of bite for firm snow. Stability, forgiveness, quickness/maneuverability, and overall impression all earned respectable 4 out of 5 scores. “A ski that wants to arc small to medium radius turns at medium speeds. The Experience W 80 Carbon is a great front side carver for smooth groomer laps. A slightly wider tip allows for some flotation in a mild amount of chop. Good for the intermediate skier who wants to tally lift laps all day long. And its light weight keeps knees and hips happy to boot.”

Alli Ruschp skied the 159 cm length in the Experience W 80 Carbon, which she thought was just a little short for her size. We expect Alli would’ve preferred skiing the 166, but 159 wasn’t too far off. The shorter length did change her scores compared to Louise, which is valuable information if you feel like you need to decide between two potential lengths for yourself. 5 out of 5 scores for quickness/maneuverability, playfulness, and forgiveness, with torsional stiffness/edge grip and overall impression right behind at 4 out of 5. With the shorter length, stability dropped to a 3 out of 5, but in our opinion, for a ski geared towards intermediate skiers, that’s not a problem at all. “Mid-range front side ski for intermediate lady that likes to carve, but occasionally hops in bumps or crud. 80 mm waist can handle all the resort conditions. Soft flexing and forgiving, it’s very approachable for not too strong lady. Great edge to edge control but got deflected a little at the short length when I ran into soft pushed snow. Stronger ladies will overpower this ski.”

Based on the feedback from our testers, we think the Experience W 80 Carbon is a fantastic choice for experienced beginner skiers through less aggressive advanced skiers who spend most of their time on trail and generally stick to moderate speeds. It performs really well when cruising groomers. It can be pushed a little bit into more aggressive carves, but has its limitations on steeper terrain and high speeds. Rossignol has plenty of other skis that will satisfy those more aggressive skiers. It’s nice to have a ski in the line that’s forgiving and approachable while still benefitting from the awesome shape and new technology in this redesigned Experience collection.