Review by: Rob Adamowski
Product Name:
BLACKOPS 98
Product Brand:
ROSSIGNOL
Best Use:
PROGRESSIVE/FREE/FRONTSIDE/MOUNTAIN
Gear Review:
The Rossignol BlackOps 98 (Night 182) is a truly versatile “one-ski” option capable of crushing the carve, pouncing through fresh, and stout enough to hold an edge on ice and hardpack without any “skitter” or chatter. It's a great quiver builder ski for the carve and smear/slarve fanatic and could certainly be a solid transition ski for anyone coming off of a little older ski with smaller sidecut.
The BlackOps 98 rose to the surface as one of the best skis I tested this year. It offers the perfect balance of stiffness under foot, linked in part to the centered titanal laminate and offers surprising quickness out of the turn. This combined with a PEFC poplar core help contribute to the playful and lively personality of this ski.
The uniquely damp flex in the tip and tail and full length vertical rectangular sidewall help enhance edge grip, control and power. The longer lower tip rocker and tapered tail rocker along with progressive sidecut and rounded tip and tail shape add to the skis seemingly effortless precision, fluidity and overall performance.
The BlackOps 98 is about as close as a ski comes to autopilot and adapts effortlessly to a wide variety of conditions and is a ski that is both frisky and fun anywhere you send it!!
This ski was tested at the WWSRA Northwest On-Snow Demo at Mission Ridge on February 3, 2022. Conditions were nearly perfect for testing with temperatures in the 20’s. While we didn't have any fresh pow, there was a good mix of fast groomed, hardpack, ice in spots and some crusty “gnar gnar” in the trees and shadows. Things softened up a little in the afternoon and there was even a dusting of fresh snow. So, we essentially had every condition except powder…
Specs:
TOPSHEET 1 – NIGHT
Turning Radius: 19m (182)
Weight: 4.0 kg (for the pair)
Dimensions: 131 / 98 / 121
TOPSHEET 2 – DUSK
Turning Radius: 17m (170)
Weight: 3.8 kg (for the pair)
Dimensions: 131 / 98 / 121
Rating:
(Scale of 1 to 10)
VALUE RATING: 7
DURABILITY RATING: 8 (but honestly somewhat unknown)
OVERALL RATING: 8