Ski: 2025-2026 Rossignol Sender Free 118, 186 cm
Test Location: Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Days Skied: ~13
Available Lengths: 176, 186 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 184.2 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 2500 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 2457 & 2533 grams
Stated Dimensions: 146-118-141 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 145.5-117.5-140.5 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (186 cm): 25 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 64 mm / 60 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 7 mm
Core Materials: poplar + “AirTip” insert + fiberglass laminate
Base: “high density” sintered
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -2.7 cm from center; 89.3 cm from tail
Boots Used: Lange Shadow 130 MV, Atomic Hawx Ultra 130, Atomic Redster CS 130
Bindings Used: Look SPX 14 Konect
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 24/25 Sender Free 118, which returns unchanged for 25/26.]
Intro
Once upon a time, Rossignol started teasing the ski world with glimpses and bits of vague info about a new ski that a handful of their athletes were developing (namely, Parker White and Chris Logan). This all-black ski could be seen under their feet in many phenomenal video parts, but it wasn’t until 2016 or so that we finally got some details on it.
That ski was the Blackops 118, and as soon as we finally got to try it ourselves, it became an all-time favorite of several of our reviewers — and lots of other skiers around the world.
While it got (temporarily) renamed the Blackops Gamer, its construction stayed the same until the 2024-2025 season, when Rossignol announced that it was being replaced by the Sender Free 118 (which returns unchanged for 25/26).
This news raised the collective blood pressure of all Blackops 118 fans, and we were equal parts anxious and excited to see how its predecessor compared. Now, it’s time to offer our verdict.
Grab a drink. This is a big one.
What Rossignol says about the Sender Free 118:
“Drift though deep snow, blast through mixed conditions and stick your landings. It's time to buckle up for the full-tilt ride of the Rossignol Sender Free 118 skis. Their wide platform brings a blend of rocker and sidecut that's always playful, while the race-bred wood core brings the power and control to charge in all conditions. Click in for an all-systems-go ride that's loaded with energy and ready to get creative.”
Construction
In terms of core materials, Rossignol didn’t change much between the Blackops 118 and Sender Free 118. The most significant difference is that the Sender Free 118 got Rossignol’s “Air Tip” inserts, which are hollowed-out sections placed at the end of the tip. These are meant to decrease swing weight and boost flotation.
Otherwise, the Sender Free 118 has a pretty straightforward construction shared with the ski it replaced. It’s built around a PEFC-certified poplar wood core that’s wrapped in fiberglass, full-length sidewalls, and Rossignol’s “high density” sintered base.
Shape & Rocker Profile
No change here. Our Sender Free 118 and Blackops 118’s dimensions are nearly identical, with less than a millimeter of difference in the widths of the tip, tail, and waist.
Our Sender Free 118 has a tiny bit less tip splay and a couple more millimeters of camber underfoot, but the overall rocker profile is the same. This ski has pretty deep tip and tail rocker lines that splay out a good bit, with camber through the rest of the ski.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Sender Free 118:
Tips: 7.5
Shovels: 7.5-8
In Front of Toe Piece: 8.5-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-9
Tails: 8.5-6
Compared to the Blackops 118, the Sender Free 118’s flex pattern is very, very similar. Both are quite strong overall, but they get notably softer at the rockered portions of their tips and tails. The main difference is that the Sender Free 118’s tips are stiffer, and the ends of the Sender Free 118’s tails are actually softer than the ends of its tips.
Sidecut Radius
Same as before, the 186 cm Sender Free 118 has a pretty long stated sidecut radius of 25 meters (the sidecut radius of the shorter 176 cm length is a bit tighter at 22 meters).
Mount Point
The Sender Free 118 retains a very centered mount point of about -2.5 cm from true center. As with the Blackops 118, we also spent time on its successor with the bindings pushed farther back, which we detail in our Full Review.
Weight (and Comparisons)
When we heard the news about the Blackops 118 being replaced, one of our biggest worries was that Rossignol might put it on a diet. Those worries weren’t assuaged one bit when we saw the Sender Free 118’s translucent “Air Tip” inserts and Rossignol’s claims about its reduced swing weight.
However, we breathed a big sigh of relief when we weighed the new ski. The Sender Free 118 is still one of the heaviest options in its class, coming in right around 2500 grams per ski for the 186 cm length, which is nearly identical to the Blackops 118.
Now, some folks might be wondering why we did not want this ski to get lighter. Fair question — lighter skis can offer lots of upsides. However, heavier skis will almost always offer better suspension and composure in variable conditions, and the Blackops 118’s monster-truck-like ride quality was one of its defining traits. So, yes, we’re very happy that this ski is still “heavy,” but keep reading to see whether it’s a good fit for you and your preferences.
For reference, below are some of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for some notable skis. As always, keep in mind the length and width differences to try to keep things more apples-to-apples.
1802 & 1819 Line Vision 114, 183 cm
1808 & 1809 Line Pescado, 180 cm
1820 & 1835 ARV 116 JJ UL, 185 cm
1826 & 1845 Salomon QST X, 178 cm
1854 & 1903 Whitedot Ragnarok 118 Carbonlite, 190 cm
1859 & 1864 Ferreol Surfeur 112, 184 cm
1870 & 1895 Faction La Machine 5, 186 cm
1885 & 1914 Moment Wildcat Tour, 190 cm
1895 & 1906 Folsom Trophy Carbon, 188 cm
1927 & 1928 Head Oblivion 116, 181 cm
1938 & 2008 Volkl Blaze 114, 184 cm
1941 & 1989 Atomic Bent Chetler 120, 192 cm
1947 & 1981 Faction La Machine 5, 192 cm
1948 & 1957 RMU Professor 111, 188 cm
1973 & 1997 Salomon QST X, 184 cm
1998 & 2024 Head Oblivion 116, 189 cm
1998 & 2026 Armada ARV 112, 185 cm
2000 & 2047 Salomon S/Lab QST Blank, 178 cm
2008 & 2049 Black Crows Corvus, 186.2 cm
2011 & 2023 Dynafit Tigard 114, 188 cm
2026 & 2118 Icelantic Nomad 112, 188 cm
2028 & 2112 Heritage Lab Ultra Taper 132, 200 cm
2043 & 2046 4FRNT Inthayne, 188 cm
2060 & 2075 4FRNT Hoji, 184 cm
2067 & 2093 J Skis Best Friend, 184 cm
2070 & 2103 K2 Reckoner 110, 184 cm
2072 & 2092 Peak 110 by Bode, 188 cm
2078 & 2091 Faction Studio 3, 184 cm
2078 & 2131 Moment Countach 110, 188 cm
2082 & 2089 Blizzard Rustler 11, 186 cm
2083 & 2137 Blizzard Hustle 11, 188 cm
2086 & 2088 Nordica Unleashed 114, 186 cm
2086 & 2125 RMU Apostle 114, 184 cm
2117 & 2132 Atomic Maverick 115 CTi, 185 cm
2123 & 2140 WNDR Alpine Reason 120, 191 cm
2127 & 2161 RMU Professor 121, 188 cm
2147 & 2286 Prior CBC, 184 cm
2163 & 2166 Moment Wildcat, 184 cm
2173 & 2204 4FRNT Renegade, 191 cm
2176 & 2185 K2 Reckoner KF, 184 cm
2180 & 2195 DPS Koala 111, 184 cm
2181 & 2190 Parlor McFellon Pro, 185 cm
2183 & 2258 DPS Koala 118, 189 cm (21/22–23/24)
2196 & 2211 Rossignol Sender Free 110, 184 cm
2216 & 2246 Meier Leeper, 185 cm
2238 & 2257 Head Kore 118 Ti, 184 cm
2240 & 2250 Volkl Revolt 121, 184 cm
2243 & 2287 Salomon QST Blank, 186 cm (21/22–24/25)
2259 & 2279 Black Crows Anima, 189.2 cm
2259 & 2326 J Skis Best Friend, 191 cm
2260 & 2293 Line Bacon 115, 188 cm
2277 & 2295 Armada ARG II UL, 187 cm
2288 & 2291 Volkl Revolt 114, 184 cm
2288 & 2301 Folsom Rapture , 192 cm
2318 & 2322 Line Blade Optic 114, 186 cm
2318 & 2377 Prior Northwest 116, 190 cm
2322 & 2322 Dynastar M-Free 108, 192 cm
2323 & 2352 Moment Chipotle Banana, 193 cm
2328 & 2370 Rossignol Sender Free 110, 191 cm
2334 & 2353 ON3P Billy Goat 118, 186 cm
2341 & 2357 Dynastar M-Free 118, 189 cm (18/19–23/24)
2343 & 2360 J Skis Friend, 189 cm (18/19–23/24)
2343 & 2376 Folsom Rotor, 193 cm
2371 & 2375 Moment Wildcat, 190 cm
2420 & 2576 Heritage Lab HB122, 189 cm
2423 & 2446 K2 Reckoner 124, 189 cm
2438 & 2492 Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm (19/20–23/24)
2445 & 2498 Dynastar M-Pro 108, 192 cm
2457 & 2533 Rossignol Sender Free 118, 186 cm
2534 & 2543 Heritage Lab FR110, 193 cm
2566 & 2580 Folsom G-Wagon, 192 cm
FULL REVIEW
Prologue
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): On a personal level, this particular review is an important one. So, while our end goal remains the same — helping you figure out whether the Sender Free 118 might be a good fit for your particular preferences — I’m gonna start things out with some background info on my personal history with this ski and its predecessor.
When we got Rossignol’s press release and info about their 2024-2025 ski and snowboard collection (see our writeup), there was one thing that left me feeling confused, anxious, and uncertain.
There was lots of info about their new Sender Soul skis, Vizion boots, piste-oriented Arcade and Nova skis, and new board models.
But tucked in between all that was one tiny paragraph about some new ski called the Sender Free 118. And no mention of another ski, the Blackops 118.
For reference, the Blackops 118 is probably my favorite ski of all time. You can read our Full Review of it for the whole story.
And while we figured Rossignol would change it at some point, I’ve dreaded that day ever since I got my first eye-opening resort pow-day laps on that ski.
Looking closer at Rossignol’s info, I noticed that the few specs they listed for the Sender Free 118 were nearly identical to the Blackops 118. I breathed a small sigh of relief. And as I got more info from Rossignol about the new Sender Free 118’s construction, my mood continued to improve.
Now, my main fear was that Rossignol would simply apply the same construction of the Sender Free 110 to the 118’s silhouette. While I do like the Sender Free 110 as a pretty charge-y freeride ski for a wide range of conditions, I personally don’t love it nearly as much as the Blackops 118, primarily because the Sender Free 110 feels more precise and not quite as forgiving or surfy. Making the Blackops 118 more locked-in on edge didn’t seem like a good idea to me since it’s a pow-oriented ski, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Rossignol did that, given the major success of the Sender Free 110 on the freeride scene.
That’s why I was relieved when I didn’t see any mention of the Sender Free 110’s Titanal Beam or Carbon Alloy Matrix listed in the features of the Sender Free 118.
The most (only?) identifiable on-paper differences between the Blackops 118 and Sender Free 118 seemed to be that the Sender Free 118 featured Rossignol’s “Air Tip” construction for a reduced swing weight, and its actual stated weight was 50 grams lighter per ski. But the stated weight of the 186 cm Sender Free 118 was still a hefty 2500 grams per ski. Phew.
The final part of my emotional rollercoaster leading up to actually skiing the Sender Free 118 was a conversation with Jake Stevens, Rossignol’s North American Alpine category manager. We went over a bunch of their new products, but of course, I had to get more details on the Sender Free 118 and what, exactly, they’d done to my baby.
Jake confirmed that the name, graphic, and Air Tip changes were the only significant updates from the Blackops 118. And more importantly, he let me know that one of their primary goals was to not drastically change the on-snow performance of the Blackops 118. Another exhale.
Rather, they mostly wanted to make their freeride lineup more cohesive and intuitive from a naming / graphics perspective. As someone who’s had to keep track of what is what in that lineup over the past decade, that’s a wise choice in my opinion — even though I’ll always still prefer the Blackops name and all-black original Blackops 118 graphic.
So, after all that, I was feeling better about this new ski. But I still had to ski it to see for myself whether they had truly not messed with a very good (perfect?) thing, or if my eventual review of the Sender Free 118 would just be this meme and a eulogy for the original Blackops 118.
Over the past year, I got the Sender Free 118 into some proper testing conditions to find out. And we might as well just address the question on any Blackops 118 fan’s mind:
So, is the Sender Free 118 basically just a Blackops 118 with a new name & graphic?
Yep. And it’s f*cking fantastic.
Rossignol’s staff won’t be seeing the pointy end of my pitchfork for now.
Ok, so why do you have such a strong opinion about this ski?
Yeah, we should probably get to the actual review now. I wanted to first get that main point across for those familiar with the Blackops 118, because the folks in that camp that I talk to are often just as passionate about the ski as I am.
But this isn’t some insider-only club, so if you haven’t had the pleasure of blowing up chop and slashing pow on the Blackops 118, keep reading to see why I’m so happy that the Sender Free 118 has proven to be a worthy successor.
Pure, Untracked Powder
Ironically, I’m now going to dial back my praise a bit. The Sender Free 118 is a very wide ski intended for fresh snow. And I do love skiing it in those conditions. But it’s not the best ski out there for pure, perfect powder.
A lot of this comes down to mount point and length. The Sender Free 118’s recommended mount point (-2.5 cm) puts you pretty close to the center of the ski, so there’s not a lot of ski in front of you compared to, say, a ski mounted -10 cm from center. As I’ll expand on below, moving the bindings back to -4 or -5 cm from true center improves the Sender Free 118’s flotation a bit, but I still have to ski it with a fairly centered, upright stance to keep its shovels from submerging in snow when it’s deep enough that you’re not feeling the firm base underneath.
I still find the Sender Free 118 extremely intuitive in deep snow, especially in steeper terrain where I can keep my momentum going. But those coming from much more rearward-mounted skis should expect a learning curve — you don’t want to drive the front of this ski all that much in deep snow, especially the low-angle variety.
Then there’s the length. I’m in the fortunate group of people who find the 186 cm Sender Free 118 to be just about perfect in terms of length. If I ski it fairly centered in deep snow, I almost never find myself wishing for more flotation. But I’m not a big guy (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg), and there are definitely folks out there who would benefit from a longer version (186 cm is still the longest length for the Sender Free 118).
However, if its lengths and preferred skiing stance work for you, the Sender Free 118 is still a ton of fun in untracked pow. It’s definitely not what I’d pick for wiggling through low-angle trees, but in terrain that either allows for fairly fast skiing or that’s steep enough where maintaining momentum isn’t a problem, it’s a blast.
Thanks to its generously rockered tips and tails — plus its fairly straight sidecut — the Sender Free 118 is very easy to release, drift, and slash. Again, maintaining momentum is important, in part because this very hefty ski requires a good bit of physical effort to move around at stand-still speeds.
But, aside from hop-turning from a dead stop, the Sender Free 118 feels very surfy and allows for all sorts of carves and slarves in fresh snow. Especially in steep-ish terrain, I find the Sender Free 118 extremely intuitive when I need to make on-the-fly adjustments.
Again, you can make its tips dive if you try to drive them like you’re on a directional ski. But as long as you don’t ski the Sender Free 118 like something it’s not (and the length is practical for you), the sweet spot of this ski feels huge.
I can get it to make all sorts of turn shapes from a slightly forward, perfectly centered, or slightly backseat stance. And I particularly appreciate how predictable this ski feels in a drifted turn. Whether I’m in a nicely balanced position or barely hanging on, I can almost always get the Sender Free 118 to make whatever sort of turn I want in soft snow. It easily transitions between carved and slarved turns from a variety of stances, and it almost never hooks up across the fall line more than I want it to.
In sum: don’t get the Sender Free 118 if you want best-in-class flotation or (especially) a particularly nimble ride at slow speeds. There are lots of similarly fat skis that are better in those departments — check out our Deep Dive comparisons and the Powder Ski sections of our Winter Buyer’s Guide.
The Sender Free 118 can still be a ton of fun in fresh snow, but it’s what comes after that really lets this ski shine.
Soft, Glorious Chop
I just re-read my Flash Review of this ski from last season, and while this line might seem a bit over the top, I still stand by every word:
“When I snuck out for two hours of solo, backpack-less, nonstop chop skiing on the Sender Free 118, it was borderline transcendental. Skiing those conditions on this ski is probably one of the most fun things I can do on this earth.”
Now, if you’re a regular reader of Blister, you know that we’re not in the business of hyping up products that don’t deserve it. And if you fall into that camp, you also know that (unlike many media publications) we don’t take any advertising money from the gear manufacturers whose products we review. Our mission is to help everyone figure out whether a given product is a good fit for them, not to blow smoke up the proverbial bottoms of these brands.
That’s all still true.
But so is my quote.
Will you feel the same way? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on several things.
Do you like a pow ski that’s particularly quick and nimble? Do you prefer to take it easy and keep your pace pretty casual once the fresh snow gets chopped up?
If so, the Sender Free 118 probably isn’t the best option for you.
And to be clear, there is nothing wrong with that. Skiing is fun. Skiing different conditions and terrain at different speeds and with different styles is fun. Please ski however you like. Our job is to help you decipher which skis might work best for your preferred approach, not to tell you how to ski.
So, what sort of skiing does the Sender Free 118 encourage in soft chop?
I can come up with lots of goofy analogies. It’s like riding a Clydesdale through a field of combustible wildflowers. It’s like driving a tank with a dozen turbochargers bolted to the engine. It’s like sex, but less disappointing.
Ok, I’m getting carried away again. Back to the point:
The Sender Free 118 is exceptionally composed when skiing (too?) fast in soft, cut-up pow. But given that, it’s also highly maneuverable and forgiving.
In today’s market, the Sender Free 118 offers some of the best suspension I’ve experienced. It blows through soft snow with ease, and in the denser piles and patches, it does a phenomenal job of muting out the vibrations and impacts that would easily unsettle a (much) lighter ski.
And yet, the Sender Free 118’s big sweet spot and surfy ride that I described above still remain in chop. As long as you maintain some pace, the Sender Free 118 is surprisingly easy to throw sideways, and it doesn’t require that you have perfect body position to do so.
This combination — class-leading stability and forgiving maneuverability — is why I think this ski is so special.
A ski with the same mass but a stiffer flex pattern and more directional overall design would probably feel even more stable than the Sender Free 118. But it would also probably require much more from the skier, lest they get too far backseat and find themselves unable to get the ski to slow down.
The Sender Free 118 has the suspension and support to encourage fast, borderline reckless speeds in soft chop. But it’s shockingly accommodating when you get over your head and need to change direction or shut things down at the last second, even if you’re not perfectly balanced when that need arises.
Also, soft chop means tons of things to slash and jump off. And the Sender Free 118 is great at that. Its centered mount point means that its swing weight isn’t as heavy as it would be on a more directional ski of the same weight, and it feels superbly balanced (though still heavy) in the air.
When you come back to earth, the long tail created by that same centered mount point provides lots of support. And if you want to keep your skis on the snow but throw them sideways to blow up every pile of soft snow you see, the Sender Free 118 is more than happy to oblige — whether you’re taking it easy or coming into said pile of snow as fast as the rational part of your brain lets you.
Go fast, jump off stuff, and slash every last bit of soft snow you can find. That’s the sort of skiing the Sender Free 118 encourages in cut-up pow, and if you’re on board, doing so on this ski is just stupidly fun.
Firm Chop & Crud
For a ski this wide, the Sender Free 118 is still really impressive in nastier conditions. Everything I just outlined above about how it handles soft chop applies to the conditions that develop a day or three after the last storm. It’s extremely damp and smooth, but it’s also pretty forgiving and maneuverable when you want to dial back your speed.
That said, at a certain point, there’s no getting around this ski’s girth. While it’s one of the few skis this wide that I enjoy in properly cruddy snow, I still prefer a narrower setup for these conditions. I’d want that setup to be similarly heavy and maneuverable, but spending lots of time bashing crud, refrozen crap, etc. on the Sender Free 118 takes a toll on my ankles, knees, and back. If you plan on encountering a lot of that, I’d push you toward something a bit narrower, such as the Rossignol Sender Free 110 or Dynastar M-Free 112.
Groomers
This shouldn’t be important to most folks considering a 118mm-wide ski, but it’s worth noting that the Sender Free 118 is actually a really good carver for its class. Its lack of early tapering at the tips and tails, paired with its excellent suspension and surprisingly strong edge hold, make the Sender Free 118 great at laying down big, high-edge-angle GS and Super-G carves. But, again, doing so with regularity will probably have you calling your physical therapist — this is a very wide, very heavy ski.
Playfulness
The Sender Free 118 / Blackops 118 was born as a backcountry freestyle ski, molded by the minds of people who are really, really freaking good at that (the aforementioned Parker White & Chris Logan). But it’s not a super playful ski in the grand scheme.
But the Sender Free 118 is quite balanced, thanks to its pretty symmetrical overall design. It also skis (and lands) switch very well, thanks to its fully twinned (and pretty soft) tail. And, as long as you’re not going super slow, it’s very surfy and eager to be thrown sideways into a big slash.
But this ski is also very heavy — one of the heaviest skis you can find today. And it’s also pretty stiff overall.
So, the Sender Free 118 caters more to an aggressive-yet-playful approach. Go watch videos of Parker and Chris skiing, and you get the idea (but know that you don’t need to be that good to enjoy this ski).
The Sender Free 118 is not agile or lively or exciting if you’re sticking to slower speeds and smaller features. There are lots of other skis better suited to that.
But, because of how stable, forgiving, and generally reliable the Sender Free 118 is in any sort of soft-ish snow, it still encourages me to go bigger and attempt bigger maneuvers off more features than most other pow skis.
Mount Point
As I mentioned above, I (and most of our other reviewers) prefer the Sender Free 118 mounted a centimeter or two behind its recommended mount point of -2.5 cm from true center.
I still get along with this ski when it’s mounted on its standard line, but as someone who typically prefers skis with mount points around -5 to -8 cm and who almost never spins past 360°, I prefer the added support and flotation provided by a slightly more set-back mount point.
(Blister reviewer, Jonathan Ellsworth, also loves the Sender Free 118 at -5 cm, as does reviewer Dylan Wood.)
If you’ve historically skied and gotten along with freestyle skis that have similarly centered mount points, I’d just stick to the recommended line. But if you’re like me and often enjoy slightly more directional skis, I’d recommend mounting the Sender Free 118 around -4 or -5 cm from true center. It floats a bit better, lets you drive the shovels a bit harder in chop and shallower snow, and still leaves the ski feeling pretty balanced without seriously increasing felt swing weight.
Guest Cameo: Jonathan Ellsworth on the Sender Free 118’s Length, etc.
Jonathan Ellsworth (5’10”, ~185 lbs / 178 cm, 84 kg): I wanted to crash Luke’s review to offer up a couple of thoughts re: the Sender Free 118. First, I love this ski, too, and agree with Luke’s assessment of it. I also see a good bit of hand-wringing about the length of the ski. But as someone who loved the now-discontinued Rossignol Sender Squad in its 194 cm length, (as well as a number of other wide skis in a 190-192 cm length), I personally have never wanted a longer Sender Free 118. Why? Because as Luke has said, the Sender Free 118 is a “good” pow ski, but it is a phenomenal pow + mixed conditions ski. Luke noted how fantastic it is in soft chop, but having just skied Crested Butte’s steep chutes again yesterday where the conditions changed from perfect pow at the top, to steep, tight, refrozen moguls with little room to maneuver, to soft, thick chop on the runouts, the stability you get from the Sender Free 118 (given its weight and its lack of tip and tail taper), even in its more compacted length, is one of the things I love about the ski.
Now if you primarily ski in a place that offers more wide-open pow skiing, I could see why you might want a longer ski. But as Luke said, if it’s really about flotation for you, you might also want to look elsewhere. Anyway, for any ski area where your “pow skiing” often includes steeper, techier, scraped-off sections where you really need to be able to place your skis precisely — but then also be able to pivot when you want to — the Sender Free 118 is one of the best ~118mm-wide skis out there.
Who’s It For?
Luke: The Sender Free 118 is for skiers looking for a resort pow ski that offers exceptional suspension and stability when all the pow gets cut up — especially if you also want that ski to be pretty forgiving, maneuverable, and conducive to a fairly playful skiing style.
Again, the Sender Free 118 is not particularly agile — especially compared to much lighter, more tapered skis. It’s not easy to flick around at slower speeds. It doesn’t offer excellent flotation for how wide it is. And it does prefer a fairly centered stance, especially in deep, untracked snow.
But if you have come to the realization that “powder days” in most resorts actually include far more soft chop than untracked snow — and you want to keep skiing fast and loose in that tracked-out snow — the Sender Free 118 could be the ski for you.
If its available lengths and mount point work for you, the Sender Free 118 is one of the best skis we’ve tested when it comes to skiing fast, catching lots of air, and slashing your way through the choppy remnants of untracked pow.
Bottom Line
Skis like the Rossignol Sender Free 118 are a rare breed. It’s big. It’s heavy. It can be physically taxing to ski. It’s not for everyone, and it’s not trying to be.
But it is truly exceptional in the right conditions under the feet of the right skier.
If you fit the descriptions we’ve outlined throughout this lengthy review, the Sender Free 118 has the potential to make skiing tracked-out snow just as fun as untouched pow, which is a feat achieved by very few skis we’ve tested.
The Sender Free 118 offers nearly unrivaled composure in soft chop, but when you consider that, it is also shockingly maneuverable, forgiving, and encouraging of a playful skiing style.
Its name and look may have changed, but this is the fully legitimate successor to the iconic Blackops 118.
Our Deep Dives, Winter Buyer’s Guide, & Flash Reviews
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On that note, you can also get our thoughts on this ski and 300+ others in our 2024-2025 Blister Winter Buyer’s Guide. BLISTER+ members already have access, or you can purchase the guide on its own to get the the print copy + digital version at no extra cost, or the digital-only edition.
Deep Dive: Rossignol Sender Free 118
We compare the Rossignol Sender Free 118 to the Rossignol Blackops 118, Moment Wildcat, Rossignol Sender Free 110, Dynastar M-Free 112, Head Kore 118 Ti, Prior Northwest 116, ON3P Jeffrey 118, ON3P Billy Goat 118, Black Crows Anima, Line Optic 114, K2 Reckoner 124, Völkl Revolt 121, Völkl Revolt 114, 4FRNT Renegade, 4FRNT Inthayne, Atomic Maverick 115 CTI, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Nordica Unleashed 114, Line Bacon 115, Icelantic Nomad 112, Salomon S/Lab QST Blank, Blizzard Rustler 11, and Head Oblivion 116.
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Flash Review: 24/25 Rossignol Sender Free 118
The Rossignol Blackops 118 is one of the all-time favorite skis of several of our reviewers. So, when we heard that Rossignol changed it for the 24/25 season, we couldn’t help but hold our collective breath. This week, we finally spent a few pow days on the new model, the Sender Free 118. So, can everybody exhale now, or can Rossignol expect an angry mob at their doorstep? Check out Luke Koppa’s Flash Review to find out.
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2022-2023 Rossignol BLACKOPS 118
Our managing editor is calling the Rossignol Black Ops 118 his favorite resort pow ski of all time, and one of his favorite skis in general. Check out our full review to see why.
“It’s like sex, but less disappointing.” lol
I have a quiver of 6 prs of skis, this has been the only pr of skis of skied in the last 2 seasons, from boiler plate to waist deep powder, it’s insanely addicting. 5’-7” 170 lbs , mounted on the line at 2.5 from center. Luke is 1000% correct on this ski
Assuming you’re on 186cm. I’m 6’0” 185lbs and love my 189 Koala 119’s at factory recommended mount point like Luke’s love affair with the Sender 118’s….but just not platonic!!
Do you think Sender 118 in 186cm will be too short at -2cm from recommended?
I love it but it’s just too short (like Luke’s sex life).
It needs another 4 or 5cm’s in length in order to provide enough stability to truly rampage in pow and soft chop. It’s just too squirrelly in the length department.
Where I use it (and love it) is for slicing through manky, horrendous conditions where float/planing aren’t at a premium and for railing groomers.
Disclaimer: I’m 6’2, and 200 pounds.
“Railing groomers” – I get it. I’ve found in the last decade with the evolution of ski geometry, construction and materials that when I evolve my own technique you can playfully charge and RAIL, SLARVE, PIVOT and SLASH a 118mm underfoot ski like a Koala 119 or Sender 118 in nearly all conditions from Sierra Cement and chop to classic Spring off-piste in higher European resorts to firm pistes with sharper edges. What a ride!
Yeah, at 6’4″ and 240 lbs, 186cm (184.2cm straight tape pull) isn’t going to cut it. I have a jib background and would love to ride this ski at that mount point… if it existed. I can’t, in good conscious, advocate that Rossignol change the lengths and ruin Luke’s one true love, but… I also can’t say in confidence how popular a 196cm (194.2cm straight tape pull) would be. Does Rossignol have any intention to make this ski in 5cm increments? Adding a 181cm and a 191cm would surely be reasonable, no?
Commented on the old Blackops 118 review from years ago with mount point advice for directional skiers on this ski.
Heard there is still no plans on a longer version than 186cm on the Sender Free 118 but many people have been mounting back of the rec mount point the last 6 years on this ski. Lots of experience on the TGR Blackops thread moving the mount back from rec for various directional skier weights.
Typical mount guidelines-Lighter skiers around 160lbs around -2cm/-4.5cm total, 175lbs like myself are perfect at -2.5cm/5cm total and 200lbs around the -3cm to -3.5 range/-5.5cm to -6cm total. Few above 220lbs with decent results at -3.5 to -4cm/-6cm to -6.5cm total with good float yet still playful.
Min sidecut width on this ski is at -8cm from center so the mounts even noticeably back from the very forward rec line are still very playful.
I’m planning to buy a new resort powder/soft chop ski for next year, and while my brain says Sender Free 110, my heart says Sender Free 118. This review might have convinced me to go with my heart! Really enjoyed reading this one, thanks Luke!
Current quiver: K2 108Ti (188cm older stiffer version), SickDay 125mm with Duke PT randonee set up, 2020 Anima 115 189cm; BMX108’s and second version of old Rossi Squad7 – both now retired; and DPS Koala 119 189cm – love them all. However, with 120day+ seasons (70:30 offpiste:piste) I find myself reaching mostly for the Koala119’s that excel in everything except for boilerplate. (Not a jibber; 62y old directional old schooler who prefers damper plush suspensions with torsional rigidity and virtually no speed limit but having adapted to and appreciating new school geometries and stance positions find myself reaching more often for the Koala119. Have evolved more stylishness and “fun” playfulness into my skiing. Playful charging is more fun than just charging.
SO, will the Sender Free 118 be more playful and forgiving than the Koala119 without noticeably sacrificing stability in majority of conditions? I’m 6’0” 185lbs – am thinking -2cm from recommended mounting line….any recommendations please? PLP “peace love powder”
I think it would definitely be worth a try. One of the big differences I notice between the SF118 and Koala 118 is that the SF118 feels softer. While the 189 cm Koala 118 floats better in deep snow and is probably a bit more stable at max speeds, I think the SF118 offers nicer, smoother suspension and generally feels a bit more forgiving and accessible at slower speeds, especially in cruddier snow. Even the 184 cm Koala 118 could feel just a tad harsh and “planky” to me in cruddier snow.
I’m guessing you’d prefer your 189 Koala 118 on deep days and/or for high-speed charging in chop, but on shallower / less ideal days, I’m guessing you’d get along quite well with the 186 cm SF118 if you mount it -2 cm from the recommended line.