Ski: 2019-2020 WNDR Alpine Intention 110 – Camber, 185 cm
Test Location: Crested Butte, Colorado
Days Skied (so far): ~12
Available Lengths: 171, 178, 185, 192 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length: 184.2 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 1810 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1787 & 1806 grams
Stated Dimensions: 138.8-110.2-128.6 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 137.1-110.1-128.8 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (185 cm): 22.6 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 66 mm / 32.5 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 6-7 mm
Core: Aspen/Paulownia + WNDR Algal Composite + Carbon Stringers + Fiberglass Laminate
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -6.6 cm from center; 85.5 cm from tail
Ski: 2019-2020 WNDR Alpine Intention 110 – Reverse Camber, 185 cm
Available Lengths: 171, 178, 185, 192 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length: 184.3 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 1795 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1853 & 1873 grams
Stated Dimensions: 138.8-110.2-128.6 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 136.9-110.4-128.8 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (185 cm): 22.6 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 53 mm / 28 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: <1 mm
Core: Aspen/Paulownia + WNDR Algal Composite + Carbon Stringers + Fiberglass Laminate
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -6.65 cm from center; 85.5 cm from tail
Boots / Bindings: Tecnica Zero G Tour Pro; Atomic Hawx Prime XTD 130; Nordica Strider 120; Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 S / Salomon Shift MNC
Intro
WNDR Alpine is a new ski brand with an origins story unlike any other.
You can hear the whole story of WNDR’s creation in our GEAR:30 podcast below, but in short, WNDR was started when a biotech company teamed up with 4FRNT Skis founder, Matt Sterbenz, to experiment with new materials — particularly bio-based materials — in order to create both higher-performance and more sustainable skis.
Currently, WNDR makes one ski — the Intention 110 — but offers it with traditional camber underfoot, as well as a full reverse-camber profile. We now have in hand both versions of the Intention 110, and there are a lot of unique and interesting things going on with these skis.
What WNDR says about the Intention 110
“The Intention 110 is the most balanced backcountry ski in the world. We shaped our sidecut to rip and grip in a wide array of snowpack at varied levels of speed. The semi cap sidewall construction provides incredible dampness and stability over edge. Upon descent, you may find yourself looking down to make sure they are still there, as the tapered sidecut symmetry precisely intersects the early rise splay in the tip and tail curvatures, creating a weightless, buoyant and nimble sensation.
We offer two camber profiles for each length. Choose a shape for your skiing style – positive camber for versatility or reverse camber for the ultimate in playful, off-piste charging and slashing.
At the core of our ski is our proprietary Algal Composite, which we vertically laminate along the stringer, reinforcing stability typically only found in a heavier ski, but at a weight that makes long tours and big ascents a breeze.”
WNDR is very clearly positioning the Intention 110 as a do-everything backcountry ski that’s supposed to handle a very broad range of conditions. Of course, this is something that many brands claim about their ~110mm-wide skis, but we’ll get into the rest of the specs below, and we’ll first touch on what makes the Intention 110 truly unique — its algal composite construction.
Construction — Why is There Algae in These Skis?
WNDR’s algal composite tech, developed by its parent company, Checkerspot (listen to our podcast with Checkerspot’s CEO and Matt Sterbenz) is something that no other brand is using. The goal of the algal tech is two-part: (1) to work to decrease petroleum-based composites in the skis, and (2) to increase downhill performance without adding weight.
WNDR has done some internal testing to compare and quantify the performance benefits of their algal composite — here’s their data:
In short, WNDR is claiming that their Intention 110 is as strong, torsionally rigid, and damp as average competitors’ skis with similar dimensions but that are ~250 grams heavier.
So one of our main questions regarding the Intention 110 is how much WNDR’s lab tests translate on snow — will the Intention 110 be noticeable stronger, more powerful, and more damp than similarly heavy or even heavier skis?
Shape
Both Jonathan Ellsworth and I really like the shape of the Intention 110. It has a bit of early taper in the tip and a bit more taper in the tail, but we’d call the taper on the Intention 110 moderate by today’s standards. Overall, the Intention 110’s shape looks pretty similar to a few backcountry skis we like, such as the Line Vision 108, Renoun Citadel 106, Moment Deathwish Tour, and Armada Tracer 108. Those are all skis that are easy to pivot in 3D snow but that don’t feel super twitchy or unstable on firmer or variable conditions, and we think their shapes play a big role in that.
Rocker Profile — Cambered Intention 110
The cambered iteration of the Intention 110 again falls right around the middle of the spectrum, which will be a theme in this First Look, and is something that excites me. For a do-everything backcountry ski, I don’t often want a ski that has a really radical shape, rocker profile, flex pattern, etc. — while pushing the boundaries in any of those aspects can make for skis that excel in particular conditions, terrain, or for certain skiers, I often find that skis with less radical specs tend to be more versatile and intuitive across a wider range of conditions and tend to work for a broader range of skiers.
The cambered Intention 110 has fairly deep tip and tail rocker lines, but there are certainly skis with deeper rocker lines (and some with shallower rocker lines). For example, the Line Vision 108, Moment Deathwish Tour, and Moment Wildcat Tour 108 all have deeper rocker lines, while the Atomic Backland 107, Amplid Facelift 108, and Renoun Citadel 106 have shallower rocker lines.
In terms of splay, the cambered Intention 110 has pretty high tips (66 mm) and tails (32 mm), though its tail isn’t a true twin like the tails on the Moment Deathwish Tour & Wildcat Tour 108. But the cambered Intention 110 does have notably more tail splay than some more traditional, directional skis like the Blizzard Zero G 105, Black Diamond Helio 105, Atomic Backland 107, and K2 Wayback 106.
Finally, the cambered Intention 110 has a lot of camber (6-7 mm), particularly for a ski this wide.
Rocker Profile — Reverse-Cambered Intention 110
The reverse-camber Intention 110’s rocker lines are basically identical to the cambered version in terms of depth, but it’s much, much flatter in the middle (our fresh-out-of-the-factory pair has a smidge of camber — less than a millimeter).
Compared to the reverse-camber 4FRNT Raven (one of our reference skis in this category), the Intention 110’s rocker lines are much shallower and it has much less tip splay. Compared to the excellent, reverse-camber Volkl BMT 109, the reverse-camber Intention 110’s rocker lines are again much shallower, though the way its tips and tails rise up from the snow is very different. While the BMT 109 has really deep rocker lines, its tips and tails don’t rise abruptly at all, and instead stay pretty low throughout most of the ski. The reverse-camber Intention 110 has shallower rocker lines, but its tips and tails rise much more abruptly at the contact points and the Intention 110 has more tip and tail splay.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the cambered Intention 110:
Tips: 6.5
Shovels: 6.5-7
In Front of Toe Piece: 7.5-9.5
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-8.5
Tails: 8-7
And here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the reverse-camber Intention 110:
Tips: 6.5
Shovels: 6.5-7
In Front of Toe Piece: 7.5-9.5
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-8.5
Tails: 8-7
Again, “moderate” is the story here. Both versions of the Intention 110 have basically identical flex patterns. They have fairly soft (but not extremely soft) tips & shovels, a strong, but not crazy-stiff midsection, and a tail that’s just a bit stiffer than the tips. Like the Intention 110’s shape and rocker profile, Jonathan and I really like its flex pattern. It feels accessible at the ends, supportive in the middle, and its flex transitions very smoothly from tip to tail.
Compared to the 4FRNT Raven, the Intention 110 has slightly stiffer tips, its shovels stiffen up a bit slower, it’s a bit softer around the bindings, and its tail is very similar.
Compared to the Blizzard Zero G 105 and Volkl BMT 109, the Intention 110 is softer throughout.
Compared to the Line Vision 108 and Line Sick Day 104, the Intention 110 has stiffer tips and a very similar midsection & tail.
Mount Point
The 185 cm Intention 110’s recommended mount point is listed as 85.5 cm from the tail, which equates to a mount point of around -6.6 cm from true center. That’s definitely on the more progressive / forward end of the spectrum, but it’s not as far forward as some freestyle-oriented skis like the Amplid Facelift 108.
We’ve said this before, but many of us at Blister tend to get along really well with mount points around -6 cm from center — including our directional and more playful reviewers — since that mount point tends to make for a ski that you can ski both centered or forward. That can be particularly useful in the backcountry where you often encounter changing conditions throughout a single run, and consequently end up frequently shifting your stance forward and back.
Weight
WNDR is marketing the Intention 110 as a backcountry-specific ski, which we’re totally fine with, since it comes in at a pretty low weight of ~1797 g per ski for the 185 cm cambered version and ~1863 g per ski for the 185 cm reverse-camber version.
That said, there are a lot of backcountry skis that come in a few hundred grams lighter than the Intention 110, and there are several manufacturers who are marketing their ~1800-g, ~185cm-long skis for use in the resort. So we suspect that the Intention 110 will fall on the more stable end of the spectrum when it comes to dedicated backcountry skis, and we’re really curious to see if it could function as a 50/50 ski that you could use inside and outside of the resort.
For reference, here are a number of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. Keep in mind the length differences to try to keep things apples-to-apples.
1476 & 1490 K2 Wayback 106, 179 cm (18/19–19/20)
1477 & 1482 G3 FINDr 102, 184 cm (17/18–18/19)
1547 & 1551 Black Diamond Helio 105 Carbon, 185 cm (17/18)
1562 & 1566 Scott Superguide 105, 183 cm (17/18–18/19)
1605 & 1630 Line Vision 108, 183 cm (19/20)
1606 & 1641 Blizzard Zero G 105, 188 cm (19/20)
1642 & 1651 Renoun Citadel 106, 185 cm, (18/19)
1642 & 1662 Atomic Backland 107, 182 cm (18/19–19/20)
1660 & 1680 Moment Deathwish Tour, 184 cm (19/20)
1692 & 1715 Moment Wildcat Tour 108, 184 cm (18/19–19/20)
1706 & 1715 Volkl BMT 109, 186 cm (17/18–19/20)
1733 & 1735 Blizzard Zero G 108, 185 cm (17/18–18/19)
1745 & 1747 4FRNT Raven, 184 cm (16/17–18/19)
1752 & 1771 Amplid Facelift 108, 189 cm (18/19–19/20)
1755 & 1792 Line Sick Day 104, 179 cm (17/18–19/20)
1787 & 1806 WNDR Alpine Intention 110 (cambered), 185 cm (19/20)
1806 & 1862 Armada Tracer 108, 180 cm (19/20)
1814 & 1845 Elan Ripstick 106, 181 cm (17/18–19/20)
1825 & 1904 Black Crows Corvus Freebird, 183.3 cm (17/18–19/20)
1843 & 1847 Head Kore 105, 189 cm (17/18)
1848 & 1903 Line Sick Day 104, 186 cm (17/18–19/20)
1849 & 1922 Elan Ripstick 106, 188 cm (17/18–19/20)
1853 & 1873 WNDR Alpine Intention 110 (reverse camber), 185 cm (19/20)
1898 & 1893 Armada Tracer 108, 180 cm (18/19)
1913 & 1943 Sego Condor Ti, 187 cm (18/19)
1923 & 1956 DPS Alchemist Wailer 106, 189 cm (17/18–18/19)
1941 & 1965 Fischer Ranger 108 Ti, 182 cm (17/18–18/19)
1950 & 1977 Blizzard Rustler 10, 188 cm (17/18–18/19)
1970 & 1979 Atomic Backland FR 109, 189 cm (17/18)
1980 & 2016 Liberty Origin 106, 187 cm (17/18–18/19)
1980 & 2019 Moment Deathwish, 184 cm (17/18–18/19)
1996 & 2012 Dynastar Legend X106, 188 cm (17/18–19/20)
2005 & 2035 Liberty Origin 106, 187 cm (19/20)
2011 & 2028 Moment Wildcat 108, 184 cm (19/20)
2013 & 2013 Moment Commander 108, 188 cm (18/19)
2022 & 2047 Faction Dictator 3.0, 186 cm (17/18–18/19)
2030 & 2039 Rossignol Soul 7 HD, 188 cm (17/18–19/20)
2036 & 2064 Salomon QST 106, 188 cm (18/19)
Some Questions / Things We’re Curious About
(1) WNDR is making some big claims regarding the downhill-performance benefits of their algal composite, so just how strong, stable, and damp does the Intention 110 feel compared to similarly heavy — and heavier — skis?
(2) The Intention 110 is supposed to serve as a 1-ski quiver for the backcountry, so how well will it handle the broad range of conditions you’d see during a typical backcountry season?
(3) WNDR is one of the few brands making their skis in two different rocker profiles, so how different will the cambered and reverse-camber Intention 110 feel, and which version should you pick?
(4) The Intention 110 is a light ski, though it’s far from the lightest ski in its class. So is this a ski that really feels most appropriate in the backcountry, or could you also use it often in the more challenging conditions typically found within the confines of the resort?
Bottom Line (For Now)
The WNDR Alpine Intention 110 combines a not-too-radical shape, rocker profile, and flex pattern with a very radical construction. It’s about to dump a foot of snow here in Crested Butte, so we’ll be skiing both versions of the Intention 110 ASAP, and will report back with updates. In the meantime, let us know below about any questions or potential comparisons you’d like us to consider during our time on the Intention 110.
Flash Review
Blister Members can now check out our Flash Review of the cambered Intention 110 for our initial impressions. Become a Blister member now to check out this and all of our Flash Reviews, plus get exclusive deals and discounts on skis, and personalized gear recommendations from us.
Full Review: Intention 110 – Cambered
Jonathan Ellsworth and I have each now put a good number of days on the cambered version of the Intention 110, both in the backcountry and in the resort to really see how well this ski holds up to WNDR’s claims, as well as to the other touring-oriented skis out there.
Powder
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs): I happened to ski the Intention 110 on two of the deepest days of my season this year, in snow that was up to around 2 feet deep and ranging from absolutely perfect, blower pow to some denser, more sun-affected, but still deep snow. While a 110mm-wide ski isn’t narrow, I was a bit worried I’d waste my best pow days on the wrong ski. But I was not at all upset about picking the Intention 110 on these days.
When the snow was super deep and I wasn’t skiing fast, the Intention 110’s tips weren’t rising all the way to the top of the snow, but they also weren’t diving. In other words, they were handling the stellar conditions just how I’d expect of a good 110mm-wide ski. The Intention 110 did rise above the snow once I was able to make some bigger turns (about GS and larger), but the ski was also very predictable at slower speeds. While I wasn’t on top of the snow at slow speeds, I didn’t find the tips diving unpredictably and the ski remained easy to pivot and slash, even when it was buried under a foot of snow.
I did find myself having to ski fairly centered on the Intention 110 in these slow-speed scenarios, but I’d say that about most skis of similar widths when the snow is this deep. And when I got some speed going, I could put a good amount of pressure on the tips without submarining them.
Breaking the Intention 110 into drifts / slarves was pretty easy, and while there are a few skis in this width (most of which are super tapered) that hold extended drifts better than the Intention 110, I really enjoyed how easily I could switch between carved and slarved turns on the Intention 110 (something that holds true in other, non-deep conditions, too).
Jonathan Ellsworth (5’10”, ~175 lbs): To keep things simple, I’d say that I don’t disagree with anything Luke’s written here. And to paraphrase him, I’d agree that these handled deeper pow exactly as I’d want and expect from a ~1800 g, ~110mm-wide ski.
Soft Chop
Luke: I didn’t have very high hopes for the Intention 110 in choppy snow, given how light it is, but I was very impressed by how little I had to change my skiing style on it vs. some heavier (2000-2100 gram), more inbounds-oriented skis of similar widths.
The Intention 110 never felt hooky in chop, but it also let me easily make quick adjustments and it felt stiff enough to not fold up when ramming into soft, cut-up patches of snow at speed. This is very far from a chop destroyer — it still requires a fairly active, light-on-your-feet style to ski fast in choppy snow — but for its weight, I’d say the Intention 110 stays surprisingly composed in these conditions.
And while the Intention 110’s low weight hampers its ability to blow through patches of snow, it also makes it a lot easier to quickly throw around when you need to shed speed or that perfect, untouched mound turns out to just be a firm mogul.
In softer, choppier conditions, I’d say the Intention 110 lives up to WNDR’s claims about it performing more like a ski that’s about 250 grams heavier.
Jonathan Ellsworth: I want to reiterate something before we get further into the review: WNDR Alpine is not positioning the Intention 110 as a “50/50” ski. They are positioning it as a backcountry ski, and as I discussed with Matt Sterbenz on our GEAR:30 podcast, a backcountry ski that is actually fun to ski hard in the backcountry.
I just want to keep that in mind, because I like (and respect) WNDR’s positioning it here. So I feel a bit bad that we’re sitting here talking about how it skied inbounds … but whatever. This is how it skied inbounds. And even if you’ll never use it inbounds, you will likely encounter at least some pretty whack conditions in the backcountry at some point, so hopefully this section and some of the following sections still provide some useful information.
And so with all that said, I would say that for a backcountry ski of this size and weight, it handles soft chop very well. And I can’t think of any comparable ski (again, comparable in size and weight) that clearly handles it better. It’s intuitive. Nothing weird.
Firm Chop, Crud, & Variable Conditions
Luke: As Jonathan just emphasized, the Intention 110 was designed as a backcountry ski and if you’re using it as such, you probably won’t be skiing a bunch of crud and firm chop. But in the backcountry you may encounter weird conditions like sastrugi and refrozen snow in the springtime, so we think it’s worth touching on how the Intention 110 performs there.
As in soft chop, I think the Intention 110 is quite good for its weight when the snow gets rough and nasty. It does not have the smooth, damp feel of much heavier inbounds skis, but it also feels far from harsh. I’d say the Intention 110’s suspension is very respectable for how light it is.
Another big thing here is predictability. During my time on the Intention 110, it never did anything weird, which is a huge plus for a backcountry ski. While it doesn’t just smooth out rough snow like heavier inbounds options will, I’ve never found it unexpectedly getting knocked off track, randomly hooking up into a carved turn, or otherwise preventing me from skiing how I would in variable conditions. I think a big part of this comes down to shape, rocker profile, and flex pattern. As I alluded to above, the Intention 110 lets me easily switch between carving and sliding turns, which is awesome when the snow unexpectedly switches from smooth corn or windbuff to a much firmer, more inconsistent texture. The ski also feels like it has a really big sweet spot, letting me shift my stance from forward to centered or even backseat without sending me careening down the hill without control.
In other words, the Intention 110 handles weird snow with predictability, but not tons of stability. It’ll let you ski these challenging conditions pretty fast — especially if you absorb the impacts with your legs, rather than expecting the ski to do so — it just won’t smooth them out like a much heavier ski can. For a lightweight, touring-oriented ski, the Intention 110 is one of the better ones I’ve used in variable snow.
Jonathan: Yep. “Predictability” is still probably my single favorite characteristic in a backcountry ski, and I have nothing but praise for the Intention 110 in this respect. (And just to make Matt Sterbenz groan for a minute … the 4FRNT Raven (~102mm wide) is still one of my all-time favorite backcountry skis. And while it doesn’t simply feel like a wider (cambered) Raven, the Intention 110 does have a high level of predictability, which is one of the things I love so much about the Raven.)
Smooth, Firm Snow & Groomers
Luke: Nothing out of the ordinary here. The Intention 110 isn’t an exciting or particularly amazing carver, but it’s far from scary on firm snow. It needs a bit of speed to get on edge but I could confidently crank out GS turns on this ski, whether on groomers or smooth, firm snow in the backcountry.
This sort of snow was one area (in addition to skiing super deep snow at slower speeds) where I felt that the Intention 110 had a stronger preference for a more centered, neutral stance. Trying to really lay into the shovels while carving down Crested Butte’s steep groomers left me feeling like the ski was gently nudging me back to a more upright stance. Edge hold remained predictable and good, I just didn’t feel like I was getting much out of the ski (i.e., wasn’t really bending it or getting more edge grip) when I was really driving the front of it.
Jonathan: I don’t ski backcountry skis on firm groomers. But on clean, smooth sections in the backcountry, this is a pretty fun ski to carve — though I haven’t yet skied it on a whole lot of smooth aprons just yet. Hopefully there will be more of that this spring.
Trees, Moguls, & Tight Terrain
Luke: Big fan.
The Intention 110 is easy to pivot, it’s pretty forgiving of mistakes, and it’s really light and easy to move around from your ankles. All of this fits really well with my skiing style in tight terrain, where I’m inclined to pivot my skis from a more centered stance. The Intention 110 still let me drive the front when the terrain was steep, but it was also easy to ski from a more relaxed position.
There are some more heavily rockered skis in this class that are easier to slash around, but the Intention 110 never left me feeling like I was having a hard time maneuvering it through tight spots. Given the big sweet spot of this ski and its acceptance of a variety of stances, I could see everyone from beginners to experts enjoying it in tighter terrain.
Jonathan: Yep. And I think the Intention 110 offers a really nice balance of being loose without being too loose. And yes, while some of this can be adjusted up or down depending on the tune you put on the ski, I don’t love skis that are “too” loose, where they want to over-turn or feel twitchy. Possibly even worse, though, is a backcountry ski that locks you into a turn, and won’t let you turn or break the tails free in deeper, denser, or weird snow. The Intention 110 doesn’t err in either direction.
Playfulness
Luke: The Intention 110 is a pretty playful ski. You can ski it centered, it feels light and balanced in the air, it’s fairly poppy, and it can ski switch pretty well in shallower snow. It doesn’t feel like a dedicated freestyle ski due to its fairly strong flex pattern and lower tail, but it also didn’t feel weird while throwing small 3’s and going backward in snow up to around 6”. I’d opt for a softer ski with more tail splay if I wanted to prioritize freestyle performance, but I doubt most people looking at a ski this light will be super concerned with those things.
Who’s It For?
Luke: I think a very wide range of people looking for a versatile backcountry ski will get along with the Intention 110.
It wouldn’t be my top pick if you mostly ski firm snow (you could get away with a narrower, lighter option in that case). And if you have a race background or want a backcountry ski that really pulls you into a carved turn and rewards an aggressive, forward stance, you have some better options (see the “Backcountry Touring” section of our Winter Buyer’s Guide).
But if you like to mix up your skiing between carved and slarved turns, appreciate a ski that will let you ski it with a centered or forward stance, and value predictability and stability over minimum weight in your backcountry setup, the Intention 110 makes a lot of sense. It’s never felt particularly out of place from super deep to super firm snow, it has a huge sweet spot, and for many people, I think its weight strikes a nice balance between uphill efficiency and downhill performance. While I’d prefer a narrower, less rockered ski for super steep, firm lines and a wider ski for crazy deep days, the Intention 110 would be one of my top picks for a do-it-all backcountry ski for where I ski (Rocky Mountains).
I think the Intention 110 could also function as a 50/50 ski for backcountry and resort use, especially if the “resort” part of that ratio is mostly going to consist of soft-snow skiing. The Intention 110 is quite stable for its weight, and if you prefer a lighter, more nimble ski in the resort (rather than a heavy, damp, chargy ski), I think you’d be happy with the stability of the Intention 110.
Jonathan: If you are looking for a ~110mm-wide backcountry ski that can hold up to being skied pretty hard, while not being demanding at all … the Intention 110 ought to be on your short list.
Bottom Line
We think the WNDR Alpine Intention 110 is a really solid addition to the backcountry ski category — especially considering that this is the brand’s first ski. Algae aside, its design is just really intuitive and versatile. From deep pow to firm conditions, the Intention 110 has been predictable and fun, and we think there are a lot of skiers out there who’d get along very well with it.
Deep Dive Comparisons
Become a Blister Member or Deep Dive subscriber to check out our Deep Dive comparisons of the Intention 110 to see how it compares to the Atomic Backland 107, Blizzard Zero G 105, Black Diamond Helio 105, K2 Wayback 106, Line Vision 108, Moment Wildcat Tour 108, Amplid Facelift 108, 4FRNT Raven, Renoun Citadel 106, Moment Wildcat 108, Salomon QST 106, Line Sick Day 104, Rossignol Soul 7 HD, & Liberty Origin 106.
Cant wait to hear what you guys think.
I’m also curious about the long term durability of the new composites and the scalability of algae based materials. Is checkerspot gonna sell these materials to other companies?
Pretty misleading graphs for strength:weight ratio and torsional strength:weight ratio. WNDR chose starting points for the y axes that make it appear as though their ratios are much higher higher than the avg. competitor. Looking at the absolute values the difference is more like ~15% for both, which would be apparent if the y axes started at 0 (as they should).
Also, the flex/weight charts are not useful without knowing what the “average” competitor is. Is it something like the J Skis Metal (heavy, relatively soft) or Head Monster 108 (heavy, very stiff)?
Also, stiffness:weight is a ridiculous metric for a ski. If you want to optimize that all you have to do is take a nice chunk of honeycomb material or an ultralight acrylic foam like rohacell, and wrap aerospace-grade carbon around it. It will ski like crap, but it’ll beat the living daylights out of just about any non-skimo-racing ski on the market in terms of stiffness:weight. It won’t beat skimo racing skis or helicopter blades though, because they’re both already made that way.
It appears that WNDR didn’t actually over-optimize stiffness:weight. Maybe they used a Pro Rider as their “competitor”?
Hey mike we tried to make skis that start at 0 and they were a bit soft in the tip and tail. Just kidding the graphs shows calculated EI values based on scanning deflection on a loaded ski. If the Y axis started at zero, it would mean that the tips ant tails would have zero stiffness. What is shown here is that even if Matt skis are 250 grams lighter, they have similar stiffness. Of course Stiffness in a skis is determined by more than just the type of epoxy resin used. but that is another 20 minutes of writing so I will let Matt explain his data. Cheers
the 19/20 Armada Tracer 108 is 1750 grams in a 180
This looks like a very good contender as an everyday ski in the Rockies (maybe with a -8 mount).
I would have thought the Folsom Primary with its Subtle Reverse Camber would have been included in this discussion? Luke?
Fair question — main reason I wasn’t even thinking of that ski was the weight. 300 grams per ski is a substantial difference, especially when discussing skis like the Intention 110 that are targeted at backcountry skiing. But weight aside, the two skis are quite similar in terms of flex pattern (Primary has slightly stiffer shovels), shape (Primary is a bit less tapered), and rocker profile (similar overall, but the Primary has slightly deeper rocker lines and more of a twinned tail). So maybe the reverse-camber Intention 110 could be thought of as a lighter SRC Primary? We’ll see…
Just like Luke is saying, there are subtle differences in geometry and rocker profile that would differentiate these two skis. In a 185cm length, our Primary with an Aspen & Bamboo core, as well as our 100% Carbon composite / laminate would be very close in weight to the Intention 110, however the carbon fiber would feel different from the Intention 110’s fiberglass laminate.
Any thoughts on how the cambered version would compare to the 188 Corvus Freebird ?
We haven’t A/B tested them, but the rocker profiles, shapes, and mount points are different enough that I doubt they’ll feel very similar. The Intention 110 has much more tail taper and tail rocker, a more forward mount point, and a softer tail, all of which I think will make it much more playful and looser than the Corvus FB.
I have been enjoying this ski in Summit County Colorado
I have been looking for a bc ski with these types of specs for so long! Perfect weight, perfect mount point, perfect rocker profile, im stoked the industry should take note.
I was pretty bummed when I heard that Matt Sterbenz had left 4FRNT, but now I’m thinking that everything may be working out for the best.
JLev seems to be really good at operational management of a company of 4FRNT’s size, and now Sterbenz is back doing the sort of “grassroots” company building that he seems best at.
Great review guys. Did I miss the reverse cambered review above or is it forthcoming? I’m on a pair and curious if you share my sentiments.
We’re planning on updating this review with our thoughts on the reverse-camber version, but the short story is that the two versions feel very similar in most conditions, with the reverse-camber version being a bit looser / easier to pivot.
It’s interesting that you guys didn’t draw any comparisons with the cambered version of the Intention to the Kye 110, as that ski seems to have similar size numbers and application to the Intention. From my view it looks like the Intention would have been a natural progression of a next gen Kye 110/Uptrack Col if Sterbenz had stuck around 4FRNT.
Thoughts?
It’s a shame that the 2020/21 version has put on 200g per ski. For my 62 year old legs that is just too much to drag uphill. I would have gone for the 185 at the old weight.
Any comparison between the reverse camber intention and the Hoji?
We haven’t been on the Hoji in many years, but based on the Raven / Renegade, I’d say the Intention 110 is not as loose / maneuverable as the Hoji, but the Intention 110 is more predictable on firm, smooth snow and carves significantly better. I’d bet the Hoji floats a bit better, and while it’s tough to say for sure, I’m guessing the Intention 110 would be more stable in variable conditions, especially the 20/21 model that’s a bit heavier.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback! Might be time for another Hoji review.
Hi,
Since WNDR Alpine changed the construction of the skis for the 2021-2022 year (from what I can tell) is there a chance of seeing a new review to see how their ski has evolved? I’m Genuinely curious about some of the stuff they have done since this review was released.