2023 Volkl Deacon 79

It seems like we’ve been writing about the Volkl Deacon 79 for quite some time now, and that’s quite a testament to just how good and consistent this ski actually is. It still uses, for Volkl’s standards, kind of old technology, but it works, and people seem to really still like it, so there’s no real reason to change right now. We’re still getting their dual wood core with a steel laminate and 3D Ridge construction. This wood core is bolstered by polyurethane material and does a great job of keeping things simple, while offering a tremendous amount of stability, energy, and edge grip. From the first time we got on these skis a number of years ago, they were so unassuming, but so much fun! It’s that type of experience that really resonates with us as ski testers, and what makes us hold this ski in such high regard. On the surface, it’s not really supposed to hold up to aggressive skiing and expert-level pilots, but it does just that. Conversely, it’s still approachable enough for progressing intermediates who are looking for confidence in a ski to be able to access the performance and really get the feeling of being on a dedicated front side ski without being overpowered.

Mark Macdonald was on the 177 and felt that was a good length for him. An unsurprising score of 1 out of 5 for flotation was boosted by 4’s for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, playfulness, quickness, and maneuverability. Mark is an accomplished and fluid carving skier, so it’s nice to see these scores stand behind the Deacon 79. He notes that it’s an “excellent intermediate ski with forgiveness.” Also on the 177, Bob St.Pierre noted that while it felt short for him, since it’s the longest length, he’ll just have to deal with it. He scored the ski 5’s out of 5 for edge grip, quickness, maneuverability, and overall impression. “I had to give this a 5 for overall impression, because that’s what I was: impressed. This thing has such amazing energy and pop—it's unlike anything else out there. I like that the stand height on the binding is pretty high, which allows you to really get it on edge. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun turning in my life as on these skis.” That’s some pretty high praise coming from a tester who skis more than 100 pairs per year.

Greg Petrics is a very high-level skier with a collegiate racing background, so it’s safe to say he knows how to turn a ski, and if you’ve ever seen him going edge to edge on Liftline in the mornings here at Stowe, you’d know he can ski as well. Greg was on the 170, and unsurprisingly felt that it was too short for him and wouldn’t choose that length for himself. Nevertheless, he scored the ski top marks of 5 out of 5 for forgiveness and playfulness, with 4’s for versatility, quickness, and maneuverability. Greg notes that “the Volkl Deacon 79 seems to want to try to do a little bit of everything, and at that it succeeds. Its overall shape when I first saw it reminded me a bit of a slalom ski, and sure enough it can manage a slalom turn on some softer piste. Its width (not surprisingly -- 79 mm underfoot) also bordered on a mid-fat "all around" ski. So, I ducked into Nosedive woods, and sure enough, it had no problem slarving around some firm bumps with a bit of fresh snow dusted on top. So, its strength is being able to do a little bit of everything. Its weakness is that it really isn't for anything in particular. But that's fine so long as you know what you're getting into. The versatility was surprisingly high. But if you break its speed limit, it quits, and I can only imagine that if you got into snow over 5" it would also probably not have a great day. The ski is perfect for someone who wants one ski and is willing to accept that they won't have the perfect ski on some days, but is ok with that and is just looking for a good time all over. All manner of intermediate skiers would enjoy this ski.”

This ski lines up really well with what most intermediate and advanced skiers are out there doing. From early-morning groomers to bumps and even some trees, the Volkl Deacon 79 is more well-rounded than one may expect, and certainly holds an edge better than most may think.