The 2023 Volkl Revolt 121 gets a graphics update, but remains the same floaty twin tip that we’ve known and loved for the past few years. This thing has the taper and rocker to handle the deepest snow on the planet, and if you find a jump in the backcountry, there’s no better tool on the market today. Built with Volkl’s multi-layer wood core, the ski features their 3D radius sidecut, so you can really fine-tune your turn shape and style in fresh, deep, and soft snow. The taper shape and rocker profile are pretty aggressive and dramatic, and that’s kind of the point, as you really want to take advantage of the surface area for drifty and smeary turns.
ROCKER PROFILE
Rocker / Camber / Rocker
CORE MATERIALS
3D Radius Sidecut
PREFERRED TERRAIN
Powder, Big Mountain, Park
Brad Schauermann was on the 177, and noted it felt about right. He’s normally on skis of this size as all-mountain skis, so it’s interesting getting his feedback that this ski felt right, even despite the width. He scored it an unsurprising 5 out of 5 for flotation, and 4’s for stability, forgiveness, and overall impression. A lowly 2 out of 5 for torsional stiffness is fine, as the drifty nature of the ski would be compromised if the twisting and bending of the ski were stiffened. Brad notes that “These water skis crush it. They float through the slop like a champ. They’re awesome in loose, deep, and corny snow and are a blast to play and splash around on.” While we had more of deep spring conditions, it’s actually the next best thing to testing the skis in deep powder.
On the 184’s Noah Labow and Matt McAlary also had a lot of fun in our spring mush. Noah notes that the Revolt 121 skis true to size, scoring it 5 out of 5 for stability, and 4’s out of 5 for flotation, torsional stiffness, and edge hold, so a bit different of an experience from Brad in the edge grip category. Noah’s low score was a 2 out of 5 for versatility, and that’s unsurprising given that this is a one-trick ski for sure. He states that his 121 was a “great ski for soft snow and big, deep turns.” I also got to follow Noah for a run and film him on this ski, and he not only let it run and make those deep turns, but he also was able to tighten it up and make them move pretty quickly and playfully, so it’s great to see that this ski has both capabilities. Matt McAlary scored the 121 a 5 out of 5 for flotation, with 4’s for quickness, maneuverability, playfulness, forgiveness, and overall impression. Like Noah, Matt scored a 2 out of 5 for versatility. Matt states that “It felt kind of gimmicky to hop on this thing on a 70-degree day here on the east coast, but it was actually very fun to the point where it was comical. I kept saying to myself "there's no way I'm actually enjoying this thing right now". This thing has a waterski-like float and is really easy to maneuver. Obviously, it's a bit heavier than most skis, but that's purely based off of its gargantuan shape. I would love to take this ski on a cat skiing trip to interior BC. The tapered tip and tail allowed it to cut through soft snow and chop quite nicely while it was on edge. It takes a lot to actually roll the ski over, but skiing it in a flat and shallow fashion was super fun because of how surfy it is. No one really NEEDS a ski like this, but if you're someone who either chases storms or lives in an area that gets a ton of snow each season (like Revelstoke, BC or something) the Revolt 121 would be a great ski to add to your quiver. Surfy, playful, and easy to use are the terms I would use to best describe this ski.”
Most skiers can only dream of being in a situation where you need a ski like this. It’s a pretty specific tool for a pretty specific task, but in that arena, there’s not much else out there that can do what the 121 can do. Developed with Volkl athletes, it’s no wonder this has such a fun-loving yet high-performance personality, and we’re loving every bit of it, especially in the right conditions and terrain.
