Hard, Chalky Bumps
I’ve compared the Helix to the Moment Belafonte above because it’s the most similar ski I’ve been on, both in terms of shape and its camber / rocker profile.
But that’s not to say there aren’t some very important differences between the Helix and Belafonte on groomers, and the differences between the two skis become even more apparent in firm, steep moguls.
The Belafonte doesn’t feel out of place in nicely spaced moguls, but skiing it in big, firm bumps is no walk in the park. In any case, pivoting the ski back and forth quickly requires some strength and assertiveness, and if you miss a turn, the ski doesn’t make it easy to recover.
As a softer ski with a markedly lighter swing weight, it should come as no surprise that the Helix, by comparison, feels much friendlier and easier to ski in bumps. I’d first look elsewhere on the mountain before turning to ski a lot of big, firm bumps on the Belafonte, but the Helix feels much more capable and more at home in moguls.
Though it inspires a lot of confidence on firm groomers with good edge hold, the Helix’s relatively low swing weight and energetic, firm-but-bendable flex, makes it possible to really work the ski through quick, scrubbed turns, feeling like you’re getting some help back from the ski as you put energy into it. The Helix’s non-rockerd tail will let you know its there if you make a weak turn, but I don’t feel as though I’m forced to really muscle / throw the ski around in order to skid its tail out as I round a bump (which, for my 160 lbs self, is more the feeling I get on the Belafonte in moguls).
Skiing tight bumps on the Helix requires some athleticism, but once you’ve set the turn, the ski’s snappy flex seems to help carry the ski from one turn to the next nicely. And I found myself making more in-air jump turns or “airplane turns” on the Helix, airing from one mogul to the next during a turn, not because I felt like I had to, but because it feels quite light and maneuverable in the air.
In the last few days, I’ve thrown a lot more shiftys and searched for far more little airs to hit on runs on the Helix than I do on the Belafonte, because the ski is quite easy to throw around while airborne. In this respect I’ve treated it more like a tail-rockered, decidedly freestyle-oriented, all-mountain ski like the Blizzard Peacemaker (though the Helix feels lighter than the Peacemaker, in fact).
What’s Left?
Besides bumps and groomers, I’ve been able to spend a little bit of time on the Helix making big, skidded turns on steep, firm, wind-buffed and slightly bumpy faces. I need more time to really get a sense for the ski’s top-end stability in variable, roughed-up conditions, but so far what I’ve found hasn’t been disappointing.
Considering how capable the ski feels on groomers and in bumps, the amount of stability it provides off-piste at speed seems quite good so far, and I’ve yet to feel too limited by the Helix in this way. The ski feels pretty well planted and dependable through big, fast, skidded turns, as its shape and rocker profile seem to lend it a lot of stability and predictability.
What remains to be seen is just how hard I’ll be able to push the Helix given its lighter swing weight. The ski’s flex is firm enough to hold up to some charging, for sure (enough to satisfy any advanced skier and lighter weight expert skiers, I think), but I have a feeling that as things get more chopped up, the stiff flex and heavier, less reactive feel of the Belafonte will be an advantage, particularly at high speeds. That’s not a preemptive knock on the Helix, it’s just a trade-off I expect to find, as the ski has much more personality and energy at slow to moderate speeds than the Belafonte.
I’m also curious to see how the Helix does in powder. In fresh conditions, I think it will do very well for its width, but this remains to be seen. If I’m right, with its lighter weight, the Helix could serve as a very nice double-duty resort / touring ski as well.
I don’t think of the Moment Belafonte as a “jibby” ski AT ALL, but the Helix’s lightness and pop does cater to getting off the ground and a more playful approach to terrain. Slash turns aren’t as easy to do as on a ski with tail rocker, but with some assertive input, I’ve had fun throwing the Helix’s tails out on berms and ridges all around the mountain. So far I’ve mainly skied the Helix as a directional ski on the “Standard” mounting line (7cm behind center), but I’m going to move the bindings forward and see how it does as as more of a playful, freestyle all-mountain ski. It’s quite light, and its flex is poppy enough that I think this will be pretty fun; spins and butters don’t seem out of the question on the Helix.
Bottom Line (For Now)
These days, the ~105mm underfoot all-mountain class is a crowded and diverse one, and so far, the Liberty Helix has really stood out to me as a ski that has a directional shape & rocker profile, but that doesn’t just fall into the sub-category of stiff, stable directional “all-mountain chargers.”
If you like railing fast, high-angle carves on groomers, I’m sure you’ll like the Helix. But if you’re looking for a more traditional-feeling all-mountain ski that isn’t tuned only for a high-speed approach to the mountain, you’ll probably love the Helix.
Aggressive advanced and expert skiers will really appreciate it’s light weight and quicker, snappy feel in moguls, tight spots, as well as in the air.
And while it remains to be seen, skied from a more forward mount point, I think the Helix could be a very fun everyday ski for playful, freestyle-minded skiers, too.
Sounds somewhat like the old (non-rockered) volkl gotama. care to compare?
Just picked up the Double Helix, skied them up at WB in some powder/chop and love them. Sounds like the Helix is a slimmed down version (not surprising, huh?) but good to hear, as 190 and 120+ is a lot for everyday w/ my old body. Look forward to more as you spend some time on them.
I like mine, but that large radius on the side cut feels strange for a ski this snappy and light. Calling the ski playful on piste isn’t something I would second – trying to lay down an edge makes me pine for my traditional cambered piste skis.
The long side cut helps the ski in powder, and I guess that’s why they did it. No hookiness at all – but a tighter radius would have made this ski only slightly less good in the fluff, but MUCH better on firm snow.
It’s pretty good – but not great.
I agree with the reviewer, if you stay forward and drive the ski they can do some surprisingly short turns. They are definitely more at home with long fast turns but they’re still quite agile.
Hi,
Thanks for the review! I was wondering how this ski compares to the Sin 7? (I know its a bit narrower and slightly different styles of skis) but looking at them both for an all mountain one quiver ski
Thanks
Jack :)
Hey Jack,
I haven’t skied the Sin 7, unfortunately, only the wider Soul 7 (and only for a few runs). But my guess would be that the Helix will be considerably more locked in on groomers, offer more stability at speed (on groomers and in variable, bumpy snow), but the Sin might float a tiny bit better in soft snow, or at least would be easier to maneuver at slow speeds.
WB
No rocker profile photos?
I ski the Liberty Sequence as my narrow tele ski and love it. Same build, but shorter sidecut radius and a slightly tapered shape. It’s quick and holds a nice edge on groomers , hard pack. For comparison, it’s way more fun than my prior nordica steadfast, and only gives up a little at high speed carves. Way better in soft snow, but it’s not my powder ski so I cannot comment on that too much.
Hi Will!
How would you compare the following skis:
– Rossignol Soul 7
– Line Sick Day 110
– Liberty Helix
in terms of:
– stability?
– quickness?
– floatation?
Thanks for a short comparison.
Hi Simon,
Unfortunately I’ve only skied the Soul 7 for a few runs, and I haven’t been able to ski the Sick Day 110. With that said, I can make some rough guesses as to how the skis compare. Of the three, I think the Helix will offer the best edge hold and high-speed stability on groomers, that I’m pretty certain of. However, the Soul 7 will be the easiest to skid around at low speeds, especially in soft snow (not that the Helix is a bear by any means). The Soul and Sick Day should float a little better in powder as well compared to the Helix, but I can’t say which would be best (maybe the Soul, as it has more pronounced tip rocker, I think). When it comes to variable / crud performance, I’m not so sure. I would think the Helix’s longer effective edge would make it more stable than the Soul 7, but the extra width of the Sick Day 110 might give it the upper hand over the Helix, despite having a touch of tail rocker; I’m really not sure.
Hope this helps you!
Will
Thank you very much, Will!
i demoed this years helix in the 182 and really liked it. i saw that liberty is changing the construction of next years helix by adding carbon fiber which in their words “increases energy return and reinforces core while reducing weight”. i was wondering what you thought about these changes and if you will have a chance to try the 15/16 version. is the construction the only change to the liberty helix?
Hi George,
You’re correct. The core construction of the 15/16 Helix will be slightly different – a narrow strip of carbon fiber (something like 3cm wide, I think) will be added to the layup. Otherwise next year’s version is the same. I had a chance to put a couple runs on the 15/16 version, back-to-back with our 14/15 test pair, and I honestly can’t say the skis felt very different, if at all. If anything (and I might have been imagining this, simply by knowing that strip of carbon was in there), the 15/16 model might have felt a tiny bit stiffer through the tail, but the difference was very slight. I’d say the skis are effectively the same, and what I’ve said above about the 14/15 version could also be said of the 15/16 version. I’ll try to put more time on next year’s to make sure, but that’s how I’m leaning at the moment.
Best,
Will
Great review and I agree with pretty much everything you’ve said! I’ve been skiing the Helix 90% of my ski days for the past 4 seasons (I got mine before they added the slight tip rocker) and they have been my favorite pair of skis I’ve ever tried. I’m 6′, 170 lbs and the 187 is a perfect size for me. I really love how versatile these skis are and I have skied them in every type of conditions and terrain and they handle it all really well except for the iciest of conditions. I would definitely recommend them for anyone looking for a single ski out West. Even though they may not be the stiffest skis around, they can still charge super hard through chopped up snow, yet can be skied quickly through tight bumps by a good skier. And if you’re the type of skier who likes to get airborne these skis are great for that too. They have tons of pop so you can boost off even the smallest bump and they are solid enough to make most landings feel like nothing.
Long story short, I’ve been looking around for a pair to replace my Helix’s when they wear out (I have probably 120 days on mine. They don’t have any camber anymore but still decent pop left) and haven’t found a ski that I like more so I’ll probably just get another pair.
Awesome review. Looking at the Liberty Helix vs the Icelantic Nomad RKR. Any thoughts? Both seem similar, but wondering which ones might be a tad quicker on bumps and in the trees since I do a lot out East.
Curious as to how you think someone say 6’2″ and 215lbs would compare these. I like to ski fast on groomers, but mix the turns up a bit here and there. Ski a bunch of crud and chop(think Squaw/Alpine), and technical lines at more medium speeds. S/A gets bumped up quick, as I’m sure you know, so a ski to handle that as well would be great. Gonna tour on either, but the weight difference seems minimal if these two are my choices over a raw touring ski. At my weight, would the Helix seem too much of a noodle? Thanks for always rocking out great reviews!!
Awesome review ! I ski east coast and im just wondering if this ski is a bit wide underfoot for that region. With that in mind have you guys skied the Liberty Sequence yet ? It seems to be roughly the same ski but 10m narrower underfoot. Perhaps this might be the better choice?
thanks !!
Bob
Hi Bob,
I’m extremely sorry we seem to have missed your comment until now. We have not yet skied the Sequence, unfortunately. But the Helix isn’t necessarily too wide for the East – for how wide it is it has quite a lot of effective edge and offers good grip. If you’re going for a highly reactive, very damp ski, then something narrower with metal in it will be better than the Helix, but again, it’s rather capable on firm snow for its width so long as things don’t get very choppy and bumped up.
Cheers,
Will B
No worries Will ! Actually after doing alot more reading and a little “field testing” I got myself a pair of 182 Moment PBJ’s ! I’m not sure how the Helix would be for me…..but I LOVE the PBJ !!! ….. and I mean LOVE !!!!
Will, can you compare the Helix with the Line Supernatural 108? I’ve been skiing the Double Helix as my one ski quiver for a few years — first tele with NTN, and now with alpine bindings and Tecnica Cochise Pro boots (I didn’t necessarily want the stiffness but they fit so I went with them and like them). I love the Double Helix, but always felt it’s biggest weakness was on steep very firm snow, whether groomers or off-piste. I have two little kids and so do a lot more groomer skiing now than ever before, plus I don’t pick my days based on snow conditions like I used to as now I ski weekends with the family no matter the snow. So, I’m looking for a new daily driver/quiver of one and I love the sound of the Supernatural 108 in your review. The Helix seems similar to the Double, only narrower, so it seems I could understand the differences with my Double based on your comparison of the Liberty and Line. My biggest questions about the Line are how fun it would be skiing more slowly, or on mellower terrain, with the kids, and if it is easy and quick to turn in tight chutes and narrow steep lines? I am 5’11, 185-190, and have bad knees. I prefer steep lines and ungroomed snow (mostly at Bridger Bowl and Big Sky), but can have fun carving on groomers too. As I transition out of tele I’m finding I like to ski faster and faster, although sometimes the bad knees tell me to slow down. I also have always loved technical steep skiing making tight turns down narrow slots. Does the Supernatural 108 sound like a good fit?
Any plans to put time in on the 15/16 Helix?
Hi Mike,
Know that the only difference between the 14/15 model and this season’s is that Liberty has added one narrow strip of carbon fiber to the ski’s core layup. That’s it; other than that the 15/16 ski is no different from the one I reviewed.
I spent a morning on the 15/16 Helix last Spring, and I honestly couldn’t pick up on any big, major difference from how the 14/15 version skied. If anything, the 15/16 might have felt a tiny bit stiffer, but the difference was so slight, I wondered if it was just my imagination (a kind of placebo, given that I knew that strip of carbon in there could, potentially, give the ski a little more rigidity.)
I’m hoping to get more time on the 15/16 version to confirm this (that’s why we haven’t yet moved to update the review to read “205-2016 quite yet”), but even now I feel quite confident in saying that everything said in this review of the 14/15 can stand for the 15/16.
Best,
Will B
Can you please give your thoughts on this ski vs. the Nordica Enforcer? I’m looking for a resort ski for when there is no new snow…something that will be stable on hardpack at speed, but also easy to ski/maneuver in steep, uneven bumps. Basically, a ski that performs very well, but is forgiving/easy for making laps underneath Pali at A-Basin. For a bit more info, I currently have Moment Belafontes, and while I love them at high speeds, they are quite a chore when skiing bumps, uneven terrain…I’m looking at the Helix vs. Enforcer to replace these as my everyday resort ski.
Thanks so much for your insights.
Would it be possible for you to loan me some good advice? I live in the PNW, so I ski Schweitzer, Lookout, Mt. Spokane, and 49 Degrees North. I’m looking to buy my first pair of skis. I’ve rented for years, and am proficient on blue squares, and hoping to move up to blacks by the end of this season. I ski powder and groomed, hit small jumps (no tricks or anything, just straight simple air,) and turn and play more than straight downhill speed runs. I only have the money for one pair of skis, and these seem to be a lot of peoples favorite “do it all,” skis.
My first question is this. Based on what I’ve told you, do you think these skis would be a good daily driver, do it all ski for me?
My second question is this. I am 6’1″ and 145 pounds. I have gotten conflicting info on what size ski I should look at. I have played with and looked at the numerous ski length calculators and charts. Based on that, I think I should look at skis roughly 175ish cm long. However, my friend is 6’1, a far better skier, and on 165’s. Am I missing something?
Hi Aaron,
Given what you’ve said, I hesitate a little to recommend the Helix outright because of its sidecut radius. While it’s on the lighter side, there are some other skis out there with more side-cut that are going to turn more quickly and more easily for you when you’re going a little slower on groomers, or when you’re in the bumps / steeps. This isn’t to say you’d be way out of your element on the Helix, I just think it could take a little growing into as you move from skiing blue runs to blacks – you might feel like the ski isn’t being very responsive at times. So with that said, some other skis to consider are: the Armada TST, Salomon Q-105, and K2 Pinnacle 95.
As for length, it’s going to depend on the effective edge of the ski (how much tip / tail rocker it has), as well as some other factors. Those length “calculators” generally aren’t that useful, as there are just too many factors that influence the length of a given ski that suits you. You can read our own “How to Think about Ski Length” article to learn more about the thought process for choosing the right length: http://blistergearreview.com/recommended/how-to-think-about-ski-length
But in general, based on your height, I’d say you could go with a ski as short as ~ 175cm if that skis didn’t have much rocker at all, but also longer lengths (closer to 182-185cm), depending on the design of the ski. (Again, see the article linked to above). A 165 cm ski sounds too short for you by pretty much any metric, unless you’re talking about a stiff, fully cambered, race slalom ski, which I don’t imagine you’re interested in.
Hope this helps!
Will B
Will, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you! I’ve taken a look at the Salomon Q-105 first, because I can get heavily discounted pricing on it, (as well as the Helix,) and I like what I see. I read the Blister review on it, and the one thing that I am concerned about is the “long tail-short front” that was described. Is this something that I should be worrying about?
I also read the sizing article. So looking at the Salomon, because it is not the full camber style of old, but rather the newer, partially rockered ski, I should look a bit longer than the 170’s I was looking at earlier? The Q-105 comes in a 174 and a 181. based on the article I should look at the 181?
Thank you so much, I truly appreciate this.
Hey Aaron,
As for the Q-105, I don’t see the “long-tail short front” feel as a downside to that ski, it just as a less “traditional” feel that a ski with more effective edge in the forebody; it’s going to initiate turns more easily (which will be something you’ll like as you get into the steeps more, I think), but might not be able to be driven quite as hard through fast turns in really rough conditions (but I don’t think that’s a limitation you’re going to take issue with.)
And yes, given that ski and your height, I think the 181cm length would be a much better fit than the 174.
Hope this helps!
Will B
How would you compare the Helix to the Q-105. On paper they seem pretty similar.
Hi Will,
Could you comment on the effective edge length on the Helix? I’m 6′ 1″, riding the TST’s in a 183 right now, and there just isn’t enough ski on the snow for me. I was looking at the Helix for a replacement, and deliberating between 182 and 187. I ski Snowmass CO, mostly trees, steeps, and bumps, so I want to be able to throw the ski around, but I also want enough wood under my foot so I don’t feel like I’m on 160s when I’m taking a speed lap on a groomer. Any thoughts on which length would be preferable?
Thanks!
Any thought on the Helix vs the Sir Francis Bacon? Thanks!
Too bad they have DC’d the Helix..To me it’s a more playful accessible baby Belafonte…The twin tip with conservative front rocker and no tail rocker is really nice. I love my Belafonte’s for going fast but when hungover or skiing trees,bumps etc the Helix is a nice tool. And the price for the last remaining pairs is uber cheap.