2027 Liberty Super Radian 88

The 2027 Liberty Super Radian 88 is a new addition to the Radian line, bringing more power and a turnier mentality than other skis within this range. At 88 mm underfoot, this ski can easily slot into the all-mountain category, but it's really more of a front side ripper that happens to come without a system. That, combined with more of a rockered profile and taper shape, shows Liberty's commitment to versatility, but there's no denying that this ski is ideally suited to groomer carving and energetic short turns. We find it comparable to skis like Black Crows Octo, Dynastar M-Cross 88, and a softer version of a Rossignol Arcade 88.

Built with Liberty's Precision Core, we get a blend of ash, poplar, and bamboo. These skis feature a longer metal laminate than the other Radian skis, so that central laminate extends further into the tips and tails for added damping and power. These layers of wood and metal contribute to the ski's notable feeling of having great suspension and feeling composed on snow in a carved turn. They then energize and electrify the ski through the use of carbon stringers, so there's a mixed feel of performance attributes here. Tester Colin Wiedersheim states that it's "Quick and forgiving; the Super Radian 88 is a short radius machine. Loves fast, short carves and can handle some wonky snow and longer turns if you need it to. Groomers and trees. Would do well in the bumps and trees with the short radius and stiffer tail. I loved this ski. Can enjoy snappy short turns while not feeling out of place if you want it to run longer than its stated radius. Smooth and crisp, while also being damp. A real winner."

At 88 mm underfoot, these skis should squarely fall into the all-mountain category, and they do, but with a few caveats. The first is the increase of shape, with a 15.5-meter turn radius in the 179 cm length. The skis use measurements of 130/88/116 to reach that goal, and you can certainly feel every centimeter of that arc when you're engaged in a carved turn. The second is the flex. While it's a bit softer than some other more powerful skis, it almost bends too much to be off-trail worthy in terms of cutting through adversity. Again, this is just fine as the ski excels in snappy short carves. We find those similarities especially in that Octo, which loves to make short slalom like carves but still feels like it can handle some off-piste adventures. Tester Bob St.Pierre notes: "I found this ski to work exceptionally well in short carved turns. Once you got going a bit faster, especially if the snow is firmer, they start to lose a bit of edge contact, but in shorter turns and in more moderate speeds, this ski rips. This is a groomer ski first and foremost. It will handle bumps and packed-out trees reasonably well, but it's certainly more of an on-trail ski due to the shape and short arc. This ski can handle intermediate and advanced skiers who are looking to progress. I think experts may find it a bit on the light-duty side for what it's supposed to do."

With a narrower width, increased shape, and boosted metal versus other Radian skis, the Super Radian 88 does have more of a bias towards groomers and carving turns. If you want more versatility and all-mountain flair, it makes sense to bump to the Radian 92, but if you spend most or all of your time in more of a slalom format but don't want a race ski, the Super Radian 88 is a total blast.