2023 Volkl Racetiger RC

The 2023 Volkl Racetiger RC gets a graphics recharge for this year, but remains the same front-side specialist that contains a good mix of technology and simplicity. Most skiers don't need a whole lot when it comes to a carving ski, but Volkl really does a great job of blending the shape, construction, and profile. Built with Volkl's Full Sensor Wood core, the Racetiger RC is smooth and stable from the start. By adding a Steel Band to the mix, they keep it quiet, damp, and strong. It's all about keeping the ski's contact with the snow, and these Racetiger RC's do it with the best of them. We also see Volkl's 3D Glass laminate add stiffness to the build. By angling the fiberglass laminate flat, and then over the edges, the 3-dimensional aspect of the glass makes for a very energetic feel. With a 71 mm waist width and a 16.6-meter turn radius in the 175, these skis are clean and round turners that will fit the needs and wants of most intermediate and advanced front side skiers who are looking for great grip and response, but not necessarily the stiffness or burliness of a true race ski.

Jeff Neagle skied the 175, and noted that "for this type of ski, that length works quite well for me." Jeff scored it 5's out of 5 for torsional stiffness, edge grip, quickness, and maneuverability. He gave 3's for stability, flotation, versatility, and overall impression. "This ski is a whole lot of fun on the groomers. There's not a ton of versatility to it, but for mid-range speeds and turn styles, it works really well. I feel like it has more of a speed limit than the Racetiger GS, but that's okay because it's not meant for that high-end racer, rather the more recreational cruiser. That said, it's still very poppy and energetic, just considerably more forgiving than the more race-oriented skis in this range. I loved the 71-mm waist width as it was narrow enough for grip, but a bit wider than the GS skis that require you to be on them 100-percent of the time. This one you can relax on a bit more, and I think that's a good thing." For more of the intermediate to advanced crowd, the Volkl Racetiger RC is a better choice for skiers looking to get into carving and front side skiing. If you ski in a low-snow area and are looking for a grippy and poppy ski, this is a fantastic option.

On the 170, David Carter notes that it is a correct size for him and skis true to its length. He gave top scores of 4 out of 5 for overall impression, torsional stiffness, edge hold, forgiveness, and stability. This is a nice spread of high scores for a GS ski without a ton of metal in it. He notes as such, stating that the Racetiger RC is "a great carving ski for long-radius turns that is fairly forgiving." Skis like this aren't terribly common, so the RC is kind of paving its own way and setting its own bar in terms of performance and capability. If you're looking to make GS turns, but don't want to pay the high price, either financially or physically, the Volkl Racetiger RC is the ski for you. It's a lot less formidable than the real-deal race skis, but still performs at a very high level. Thanks to the shape and construction, a varied group of skiers will be able to access and tame the ski's power and create some of the cleanest turns on the hill. While not terribly versatile, these skis do best at what they're meant for, and that makes for a whole lot of fun on the hill.

Front side carving is a whole lot of fun and when you have the right gear for the conditions and terrain, it becomes a whole lot more interesting. We talk a lot about conditions-appropriate skis, and for a lot of skiers, for a lot of days, something like this Racetiger RC would be a very useful ski. It's not quite the full-on race ski that we see in the higher-end echelons of the ski industry, but it's very competent and capable with a high performance ceiling and a great amount of precision and poise.