At the high end of the Rallybird spectrum, the 104 Ti gets a slightly different build and shape to go along with longer lengths. As with Rallybirds 102 and 92, the 104 Ti still gets the paulownia wood core, but adds carbon alloy matrix and titanal beam. We still see the dual LCT visco material for damping vibrations in conjunction with Damp Tech in the tips, but the metal laminate adds a new level of grip and stability to the underfoot zone of the ski. With slightly different shapes than the 102, while adding some width, this metal underfoot makes it carve stronger for more aggressive skiers. An upgrade to the Diago fiber stringers found in the 102 and 92 is the Carbon Alloy Matrix which increases the torsional stiffness of the ski while keeping the weight down to a minimum. In the 171 cm length, these 104 Ti’s produce a 16-meter turn radius and tip the scales at 1800 grams per ski, putting it on the heavier side of light, but still not too burly for skiers who aren’t full-on charging all of the time.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
Carbon Alloy Matrix
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Big Mountain, All Mountain, Powder
On the 163, Alix Klein noted that it felt “short-ish,” but still had some high scores to give, including 4’s out of 5 for stability, flotation, torsional stiffness, edge grip, and forgiveness. The rest of her scores were all 3’s, showing a well-rounded ski for something on the wider side of all-mountain. Alix notes that “This is an all-mountain work horse. Stable and ready to shred crud. Likes to make medium radius turns and charge hard, but is pretty forgiving and snappy considering how well it went through crud.” The metal underfoot does a nice job at lending stability and power to the ski without making it unruly. The blend of technology, material, and shape within this ski is worthy of accolades for sure. Louise Lintilhac skied the 171 and states it’s true to size, scoring all 3’s and 4’s just like Alix. “I found that this ski was sluggish with turn initiation to the point where I had to revert to flat-ski skiing for a bit. The tips clacked together a lot because I couldn’t set the edge properly. It almost seems as though the tips were initiating before the tail was finished releasing on my downhill ski.” Interesting feedback there from Louise.
Emily Crofton noted that the 171 was true to size, and she gave it top scores of 5’s out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, quickness, and maneuverability. 4’s were given for versatility, playfulness, and stability, with a lower 3 for flotation. Emily states that “The 104 Ti Rallybirds are another favorite ski of mine. With two sheets of metal and generous sidecut, the edge control is phenomenal. What really stands out for me is the dampness/smoothness of these skis- you can really drive the Rallybirds with minimal effort. Smooth edge to edge and energy transfer makes them versatile and high performance. Taking them up to high speed is intuitive and reliable, leaving you feeling incredibly confident. A moderate size underfoot makes them great for powder but also very easy to maneuver on hard pack and soft snow. Lively and energetic, you can easily pop off anything and get right back into your turn. From short to long arcs, this ski really wants to rip and I’m here for it!”
The blend of liveliness and energy with stability and smoothness goes a long way in this competitive category. There are a lot of skis out there that can handle one or the other, but not a lot that can do both/all. The 2023 Rossignol Rallybird 104 Ti makes a lot of sense for advanced and expert skiers who like to dabble in the powder but don’t want to lose on-piste performance.
