At the top end of the top end, the Stockli Laser WRT Pro stands in rarified air. With nearly the same build as the WRT ST, the Pro level gets upgrades in the sidewalls and topsheet, using their Titec Pro metal laminate on top. This gives the skier the utmost in precision, quality, and power of all the non-race skis from Stockli. But, as close as we come to a race-room ski within this company, the WRT Pro is right there. Built with a wood core consisting of vertically-laminated stringers, two layers of carbon, and two sheets of metal, the WRT Pro is a pretty burly ski. The amazing part about it, though, is how light it feels. Even with the racing sidewalls, race base, and solid metal edge, these things are agile in the turn and incredibly quick from edge to edge. That’s something that is pretty evident when you’re on a ski that’s 66 mm underfoot, which is totally narrow for skiers who are looking to make some of the cleanest and roundest short turns. In the 172, these skis make an arc of 14.8 meters, so while it’s on the short side, it’s still a bit friendlier than a true slalom race cut. The edge grip, precision, and energy of these skis are simply off the charts.
ROCKER PROFILE
Camber
CORE MATERIALS
Carbon Power Turn
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Groomers
On that 172, Benny Wax noted that it was a “perfect benny length.” As a result of that perfection, Benny scored the WRT Pro 5’s out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, stability, quickness, and maneuverability. A low score of 2 out of 5 for forgiveness isn’t that surprising given the stiffness and demand of the WRT Pro. Versatility and playfulness each got 3’s, showing the more one-dimensional nature of the ski. Benny notes that it’s a “perfect ski for its class! Stable, quick, and real sporty! Just a fun high-performance de-tuned slalom-like ski that comfortably makes wider-radius turns.” He then proceeds to put 4 smiley-face emojis after the quote, which I can only assume is some new form of scoring system that only Benny knows about. Either way, it’s clear that he had a wonderful experience on this top-shelf product. Mike Anglin is in agreement. He was on the 172 as well, noting it felt just right and true to size. He scored 5’s out of 5 for stability, quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, torsional stiffness, edge hold, versatility, and overall impression. Mike states that “this is one of the skis that stood out for me. A little beefed-up version of the WRT ST.”
Also on the 172, Jeff Neagle calls it “true to size. I often feel weird on skis this short, but I think it’s appropriate.” If you’re looking to get into the shorter arcs and more slalom-like turns, then the shorter the better. Jeff gave low scores of 1 out of 5 for versatility and flotation, with 2’s for playfulness and forgiveness. On the other end of the spectrum, he gave 5’s for stability, torsional stiffness, and edge grip, with a 4 going for overall impression. “Last year, the WRT ST really turned some heads. Expert skiers who wanted a World Cup like feel, but in a more resort-oriented shape and radius were psyched. I was one of those skiers for sure. I vividly remember my first time on it and it was extremely rewarding. The Pro takes it to another level, but kind of leaves me wondering, how many skiers need this? I already felt like the WRT ST was too much for some skiers, and this is a step up from that. Is it cool to have? Absolutely. Is it pretty demanding and not for everyone? Yeah, I think that's fair to say too. I still think of these (ST and Pro) as more resort carving skis than anything else. The radius is kind of too short to use in a local race league, unless they set really tight courses, and too big to be a true slalom ski, but if you just want to lay over turns on your favorite steep pitch, they're fantastic.”
We see a lot of traction and interest in these skis year after year here at SkiEssentials.com, and for good reason. The performance, quality, and precision are all either off the charts, or right at the top. The WRT Pro is a great example of taking that high-end recreational ski and adding a bit more power and race-style to it, and we’re pretty stoked on that decision.
