Ski: 2022-2023 RMU North Shore YLE 110, 186 cm
Test Location: Mt. Crested Butte & Breckenridge, CO; Snowbasin, UT; Grand Targhee, WY
Days Skied: 10
Available Lengths: 178, 186 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 184.6 cm
Stated Weight Per Ski: 1937 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 1920 & 2006 grams
Stated Dimensions: 124-110-119 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 134.0-109.2-122.8 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (186 cm): 25 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 61 mm / 44 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 4 mm
Core Materials: poplar + beech underfoot + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered “graphite race base”
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -5.2 cm from center; 87.1 cm from tail
Boots / Bindings / Wax: Tyrolia Attack 13 / Tecnica Mach1 MV 130 & Atomic Hawx Ultra 130 S GW / mountainFLOW All-Temp
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 21/22 YLE 110, which returns unchanged for 22/23, apart from graphics.]
Intro
RMU’s North Shore big-mountain skis, consisting of the North Shore YLE 110 and 114, are designed to be “responsive, dynamic, and versatile soft snow shapes.”
We got on the North Shore YLE 110 late last season, then proceeded to ski it in a wide range of conditions at Mt. Crested Butte this season — time for our full review.
What RMU says about the North Shore YLE 110
“The big mountain powder slayer.
The North Shore 110 YLE edition makes apparent our connection to natural elements, and how they grow and relate to one another. This feel is a reflection of YLE’s personality and skiing style. The YLE 110 brings the ultra-surfy feel of its bigger brother to an everyday compatible waist width.
Now for 2022 5% softer throughout the ski to create more float and playful surfy feel around the mountain, weighing 3874g at 186cm and 3708g at 178cm.”
Shape / Rocker Profile
The YLE 110 looks very similar to the RMU Apostle 3.0 106 in terms of both shape and rocker profile, with the YLE 110 having slightly less tapered tips but slightly more tapered tails. Overall, its shape and rocker profile are fairly average-looking when compared to other playful skis around the same width, such as the Atomic Bent 110.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the YLE 110:
Tips: 5.5-6
Shovels: 6-7
In Front of Toe Piece: 7.5-9.5
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-8
Tails: 7.5-6
This is a very symmetrical flex pattern overall, though the ski stays a bit stiffer for longer behind the bindings than it does in the front. It’s quite soft at the very ends, but there’s a large portion around the bindings that’s quite stiff. There are smooth transitions between soft and stiff portions.
Sidecut Radius
At 25 meters across both lengths, the YLE 110’s stated sidecut radius is on the longer side of average, particularly compared to other freestyle-oriented skis.
Mount Point
The YLE 110’s recommended mount point is about -5 cm from true center, which is pretty close to center, though not as centered as some freestyle skis like the Atomic Bent 110 and Prior Northwest 110.
Weight
The YLE 110 is quite light for its size, with our pair of the 185 cm length coming in at about 1960 grams per ski. It’s not the lightest ski in its class, but there are plenty of heavier ones.
For reference, here are our measured weights for some notable skis. Keep in mind the length differences to try to keep things apples to apples.
1806 & 1862 Armada Tracer 108, 180 cm (19/20–21/22)
1820 & 1821 Majesty Havoc, 186 cm (20/21–21/22)
1833 & 1894 Head Kore 111, 184 cm (22/23)
1863 & 1872 Atomic Bent 110, 188 cm (22/23)
1875 & 1881 Line Sir Francis Bacon, 184 cm (19/20–22/23)
1895 & 1906 Folsom Trophy Carbon, 188 cm (18/19–21/22)
1905 & 1919 J Skis Slacker, 188 cm (20/21–21/22)
1919 & 1923 Head Kore 117, 184 cm (21/22)
1920 & 2006 RMU North Shore YLE 110, 186 cm (21/22)
1947 & 2011 4FRNT Devastator, 186 cm (20/21–21/22)
1951 & 1953 Elan Ripstick 106, 188 cm (20/21–22/23)
1951 & 1957 RMU Apostle 3.0 106 Wood, 184 cm (21/22)
1964 & 1972 Moment Deathwish, 184 cm (19/20–20/21)
1970 & 1973 4FRNT Renegade, 184 cm (20/21–21/22)
1970 & 1993 Moment Deathwish 104, 184 cm (21/22)
1993 & 2026 Black Crows Atris, 184.2 cm (19/20–21/22)
2008 & 2065 Wagner Summit 106, 186 cm (20/21–21/22)
2011 & 2028 Moment Wildcat 108, 184 cm (19/20–20/21)
2011 & 2046 Elan Ripstick 106 Black Edition, 188 cm (21/22–22/23)
2027 & 2052 K2 Reckoner 112, 184 cm (20/21–22/23)
2034 & 2052 Blizzard Rustler 11, 188 cm (17/18–21/22)
2046 & 2120 Black Crows Corvus, 188 cm (18/19–21/22)
2060 & 2075 4FRNT Hoji, 184 cm (21/22)
2096 & 2100 Salomon QST 106, 181 cm (19/20–21/22)
2110 & 2119 Moment Wildcat 108, 190 cm (19/20–20/21)
2112 & 2125 4FRNT MSP 107, 187 cm (18/19–21/22)
2116 & 2181 Faction Dictator 3.0, 188 cm (19/20–21/22)
2145 & 2167 Sego Big Horn 106, 187 cm (20/21)
2153 & 2184 Rossignol BLACKOPS Sender Ti, 187 cm (20/21–21/22)
2165 & 2211 K2 Mindbender 108Ti, 186 cm (19/20–21/22)
2165 & 2219 Icelantic Nomad 105, 191 cm (19/20–20/21)
2170 & 2180 Dynastar M-Free 108, 182 cm (20/21–21/22)
2182 & 2218 Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, 185 cm (17/18–22/23)
2228 & 2270 Sego Comp 110, 187 cm (20/21–21/22)
2232 & 2242 Blizzard Cochise 106, 185 cm (20/21–21/22)
2243 & 2287 Salomon QST Blank, 186 cm (21/22-22/23)
2295 & 2344 J Skis Hotshot, 183 cm (20/21–21/22)
2302 & 2342 Dynastar M-Free 108, 192 cm (20/21–21/22)
2312 & 2386 Prior Husume, 188 cm (17/18–21/22)
2353 & 2360 Volkl Katana 108, 184 cm (20/21–21/22)
2449 & 2493 J Skis Hotshot, 189 cm (20/21–21/22)
Now, onto how the YLE 110 performs on snow:
FULL REVIEW
Powder
Luke (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): At 110 mm underfoot, the YLE 110 is a super fat pow ski by some folks’ standards, and more of a daily driver by others’. No matter how you perceive it, this ski feels at home in soft snow — regardless of whether that’s some slush or deep, cold, mid-winter powder.
My first days on the YLE 110 were during a late-spring storm that featured some fairly dense, foot-deep snow and I never felt lacking when it came to flotation. I also happened to be on it when Mt. Crested Butte’s East River lift opened for the first time this season, which meant navigating glades with well over a foot of dry, untouched snow.
For a more center-mounted, 110mm-wide ski, the YLE 110 floats very well. The “center-mounted” part of that description is important, though — this is a ski that wants you to ski it with a pretty balanced, upright stance when the snow is deep. If you want a ski that lets you really lean into its shovels, it isn’t the ski for you. However, unlike some skis that require a more centered skiing style in deep snow, the YLE 110 still feels very intuitive. Rather than make me feel like I needed to ski it really backseat or like there was a small sweet spot of flotation, the YLE 110 just let me ski in a natural, intuitive-feeling way in deep snow (at least for my skiing style, which tends to be pretty centered in deep snow anyway).
The YLE 110 is also a lot looser / surfier / more maneuverable than I expected when I first saw it. It’s quickly become one of my favorite ~110mm-wide skis for skiing deep snow in tight trees and techy terrain because of how easy it is to get its tails to release. At the same time, when I could find some longer lines with clean snow, it still felt pretty composed when making bigger turns in fresh snow.
I wouldn’t recommend it for absolutely nuking down the fall line, nor is it the best option if you want maximum flotation and lift from the shovels of your skis. But for a 110mm-wide ski, it’s really maneuverable in deep snow and I wouldn’t be upset at all if I was on it during a bottomless day — especially if I was skiing a lot of trees and/or mellow terrain where quick changes of direction are common.
Dylan Wood (5’10”, 155 lbs / 178 cm, 70 kg): Luke hit the main points. The YLE 110 floats well so long as you ski it with a pretty centered stance, and from such a stance, it feels loose and surfy. It is a quick and maneuverable ski in powder, and it is a great tool for seeking out fresh snow in tight terrain. It is far from the most stable pow ski out there, but it handles high speeds in clean powder about as well as I’d expect for a ski of this weight.
I happened to come across some rain-affected, upside-down (denser on top and lighter underneath the surface of the snow) powder when I took this ski on a trip to Utah and Wyoming. The YLE 110 handled these tricky snow conditions fairly well, but it wasn’t anything to rave about. On this same trip, I brought the much heavier Prior Northwest 116, which was a much better tool for the dense, cream-cheese-like snow. So I guess my main takeaway here is that if I often encountered super dense, tricky pow, the YLE 110 would not be my first pick, but it felt extremely appropriate for dry, blower Colorado pow.
Soft Chop
Luke: As I just alluded to, the YLE 110 excels when it comes to maneuverability. And while I’ve still had a blast on it in soft, cut-up snow, it’s not the ski I’d pick if I wanted to ski as fast as possible through these conditions.
During the first half of a resort powder day, when the chop hasn’t set up a whole lot and there are still lots of low-density piles to slash, I love skiing the YLE 110. In these conditions, I can still ski it quite fast without feeling out of control, but also take advantage of its quick and surfy ride, making quick changes of direction, slashes, and airs easy. “Dynamic” is a good way of summing up how I feel the YLE 110 wants me to ski.
Later in the day when the chop had set up a bit, the YLE 110 can still be a lot of fun, you just have to be a bit more deliberate about your line choice than on, say, a much heavier ski like the Sego Comp 110 or Icelantic Nomad 105. And if you tend to dial back your speed a good bit in these conditions anyway, the YLE 110 makes it easy to casually cruise around looking for leftover stashes and more forgiving snow.
Dylan: Totally. Similar to other skis in the same class as the YLE 110, this ski is not the best tool for absolutely railing through chop. Rather, it is much more practical to take a playful and dynamic approach to chop, airing off piles of chop, slashing others, and taking advantage of its low weight and loose feel.
I also agree that the firmer and more set-up the chop is, the less practical the YLE 110 feels. Referring back to that upside-down and cream cheese snow, the YLE 110 got knocked around quite a bit when all of that got cut up. I had to be very deliberate about my line choices and take my speed down a bit than if I were skiing on a much heavier ski like the Prior Northwest 116, which I could ski notably harder in dense chop, though it did feel more sluggish and harder to maneuver in tight terrain. Again, in lower-density snow, the YLE 110 feels much more practical.
Firm Chop / Crud
Luke: During my first day on the YLE 110, the upper parts of the mountain had deep, soft snow but the lower half was covered in some pretty awful wet and/or refrozen crud. And in those conditions, this ski required me to ski it in a slower, more controlled manner. Making big, fast turns in rough crud on the YLE 110 results in a significant amount of deflection. It’s still not nearly as harsh-feeling as even lighter alternatives like the Atomic Bent 110 or Head Kore 111, but still, the YLE 110 is not a ski that feels inclined to really rally when the snow is super rough and variable.
Dylan: Yep, this is not a tool for skiing hard through firm, variable snow. It isn’t scary in these conditions, it just isn’t very inspiring and clearly wants to be elsewhere on the mountain in some softer snow.
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
Luke: As I mentioned above, the YLE 110 feels right at home when slashing and carving your way through tight lines. Its tails are very easy to release and kick sideways, and it’s also a very forgiving ski. I can get pretty far forward or back on this ski without feeling like it’s getting away from me and taking me for a ride. It’s also got a low swing weight, which makes hop turns and little transition airs lots of fun — especially when I know that if I land a bit off-balance I can likely still recover.
Dylan: Absolutely, this ski feels really at home in bumps, trees, and other tight terrain for the reasons Luke mentioned above. This ski does really well with a dynamic style through tight terrain, yet is also really happy to just slide and pivot around without leaving the ground. You definitely don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it in tight terrain, either.
Groomers
Luke: The YLE 110 is perfectly predictable on groomers, but it’s no big surprise that this freestyle-oriented, 110mm-wide ski isn’t some amazing carver. You can lay down pretty hard turns on it when the groomers are somewhat soft, but it needs a bit of speed to really get it on edge, and it doesn’t encourage aggressive turns when the groomers are super firm. If you want something more engaging on piste, I’d look to the RMU Apostle 3.0 106.
Dylan. Truth. This ski isn’t very inspiring on groomers. Yet again, a lot of ~110-mm wide skis aren’t, with some exceptions such as the Nordica Enforcer 110 Free.
Playfulness
Luke: This is a very playful ski — it’s balanced in the air, easy to throw sideways, easy to bend, poppy, and has a low swing weight. That said, I personally really like that I can still drive the YLE 110 fairly hard through the shovels in most conditions (apart from deep snow), since my personal skiing style falls somewhere between freestyle and very traditional, directional skiing. Despite being a bit more centered than I sometimes prefer, I never felt the need to move the bindings away from the YLE 110’s recommended mount point (-5 cm).
Dylan: Right, the YLE 110 is certainly a playful ski. It is poppy, feels balanced and light in the air, and is ideal for throwing just about any trick one could muster up the courage to throw. Its soft tips and tails make it easy to butter and press, and despite being fairly wide, it doesn’t feel too cumbersome in the park. I also spent all my time skiing the YLE 110 on its recommended line, and I agree with Luke about the stances that it accepts.
Who’s It For?
Luke: Skiers who are looking for a soft-snow-oriented ski that is very maneuverable, agile, and playful.
If you plan on using this ski on piste very often, RMU’s Apostle 106 makes a bit more sense. If you plan on skiing a lot of firm snow and want to ski it very fast, you’ll likely be better served by something heavier and narrower. And if you’re a directional skier who skis with a very forward stance and prefers big, drawn-out turns over quick, slashy ones, you’ve got better options.
If you don’t fall into those groups, though, the YLE 110 warrants a look, especially if you’re someone who is often seeking out trees, steeps, and/or airs when the snow is soft. And the snow doesn’t need to be deep for the YLE 110 to be really fun — it’s a blast in slush, and even a light dusting of snow can be enough to warrant breaking out this ski and taking advantage of its surfy, nimble, playful ride. Also, given the YLE 110’s low weight for its size, it’s a prime candidate for a burly AT binding for use in the backcountry and resort.
Dylan: Totally. I would just reinforce that I think the YLE 110 is a really solid candidate for a burly hybrid binding, and it definitely shines in softer, more consistent conditions, though doesn’t feel totally restricted to them.
Bottom Line
The RMU North Shore YLE 110 is a ski that offers a really surfy, maneuverable ride in any sort of soft snow, yet it doesn’t require as deep of snow as some fatter alternatives to feel warranted. It’s not ideal for charging through really rough snow, but for those who prioritize quickness and playfulness — while still being able to ski hard when conditions are good — it deserves to be on your list.
Deep Dive Comparisons
Become a Blister Member or Deep Dive subscriber to check out our Deep Dive comparisons of the YLE 110 to see how it compares to the RMU Apostle 106, Atomic Bent 110, WNDR Alpine Intention 110, Head Kore 111, 4FRNT Hoji, Salomon QST Blank, K2 Reckoner 112, Moment Deathwish, Dynastar M-Free 108, Prior Northwest 110, Kye Shapes Metamorph, Nordica Enforcer 110 Free, Icelantic Nomad 105, Blizzard Rustler 11, & J Skis Slacker.