Ski: 2023-2024 RMU North Shore 114, 184 cm
Test Location: Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Days Skied: 5
Available Lengths: 176, 184, 192 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 182.8 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 2070 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 2009 & 2018 grams
Stated Dimensions: 143-114-131 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 142.3-113.3-131.6 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (184 cm): 22 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 60 mm / 34 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 4 mm
Core Materials: poplar + beech underfoot + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered “graphite race base”
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -7.3 cm from center; 84.5 cm from tail
Boots / Bindings: Tecnica Mach1 MV 130, Lange Shadow 130 / Salomon Warden MNC 13
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 22/23 North Shore 114, which returned unchanged for 23/24, apart from graphics.]
Intro
This year RMU updated their big-mountain / powder lineup, adding two new skis to the collection: the North Shore 114 and Professor 121.
We’ve been skiing both of them this season, and today we’re focusing on the North Shore 114. While, on paper, it doesn’t seem all that different from the North Shore 110 we’ve already reviewed, RMU is positioning the North Shore 114 as more of a big-mountain ski, rather than a playful, freestyle-oriented pow ski.
So just how similar and different are the two, and where does the North Shore 114 slot into the powder-oriented category? Let’s dive in.
What RMU says about the North Shore 114
“Assisted design with RMU athlete Alex Armstrong, who was searching for a big mountain charger to suit her racing background. The North Shore 114 is an athlete favorite of freestyle and alpine riders alike. A thick poplar wood core and beech mount plate with a half-cap construction gives powerful grip underfoot. Feel edge control through high speed resort carves, soak up snow the progressive flex and wide shovel to open it up in the bowls and land stable off every hit with a stiff tail. The North Shore 114 can take you anywhere from pillows to chutes. It’s the go ski to when the snow starts falling.”
Construction
Similar to the North Shore 110, the North Shore 114 features a poplar wood core with beech wood used in the mounting area, plus a fiberglass laminate and a sintered base. It is manufactured in the Åre Skidfabrik factory in Sweden, which runs on 100% renewable (hydro) energy.
For 23/24, RMU is offering a “North Shore 114 Tour,” which features a lighter carbon laminate, lighter poplar / paulownia wood core, skin-clip tail slot, and a revised “Tour” construction with a tweaked sidewall / tip spacer combo. All of this translates to a reported 13% drop in weight, with the 184 cm North Shore 114 Tour reportedly coming in at 1800 grams per ski.
Shape & Rocker Profile
Initially, the North Shore 114 and North Shore 110 look very similar. But once you look a bit closer, the differences start to become apparent.
The front halves of both skis look quite similar, with a good bit of early tapering and a very deep tip rocker line. However, the back halves are a bit different, with the North Shore 114 featuring a notably less tapered, less rockered, and less splayed-out tail. Overall, the North Shore 114’s shape and rocker profile make it look like a fairly playful but still directional pow ski.
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the North Shore 114:
Tips: 6
Shovels: 6-7.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 7.5-9.5
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 9.5-8.5
Tails: 8-6
The North Shore 114’s flex pattern feels very similar to the North Shore 110, with a pretty soft shovel, strong midsection, and fairly soft tail. However, the North Shore 114’s tips and shovels are a bit stiffer, and it doesn’t soften up as quickly as you move from the bindings to the tail of the ski. Overall, though, it’s still a fairly accessible ski when it comes to flex pattern.
Sidecut Radius
At 22 meters for the 184 cm length, the North Shore 114’s stated sidecut radius is about average for this class — not super long, not very short.
Mount Point
The North Shore 114’s primary recommended mount point is about -7 cm from true center, which puts it right in between more traditional, directional skis and more freestyle-oriented models. RMU also states that you can mount it closer to -5 cm from center for a more “freeride” mount point.
Weight
Like most of RMU’s other recent skis, the North Shore 114 is pretty light for its size. Our 184 cm length is coming in just over 2000 grams per ski, which makes it a strong contender for 50/50 use as a resort and backcountry ski.
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.
1710 & 1744 Atomic Bent Chetler 120, 184 cm (18/19–22/23)
1808 & 1809 Line Pescado, 180 cm (16/17–22/23)
1833 & 1894 Head Kore 111, 184 cm (22/23)
1835 & 1820 ARV 116 JJ UL, 185 cm (22/23)
1836 & 1838 Armada ARW 106 UL, 180 cm (21/22-22/23)
1863 & 1872 Atomic Bent 110, 188 cm (22/23)
1873 & 1878 Line Vision 118, 183 cm (20/21–22/23)
1870 & 1895 Faction La Machine Max, 186 cm (20/21–22/23)
1885 & 1914 Moment Wildcat Tour, 190 cm (21/22-22/23)
1897 & 1913 Majesty Vanguard, 188 cm (20/21)
1895 & 1906 Folsom Trophy Carbon, 188 cm (18/19–22/23)
1920 & 2006 RMU North Shore 110, 186 cm (21/22)
1921 & 1927 Fat-ypus D-Sender, 184 cm (20/21-22/23)
2006 & 2063 Elan Ripstick 116, 193 cm (20/21–22/23)
2009 & 2018 RMU North Shore 114, 184 cm (22/23–23/24)
2013 & 2099 Moment Wildcat, 184 cm (18/19–19/20)
2019 & 2051 K2 Mindbender 116C, 186 cm (19/20–22/23)
2024 & 2031 Line Outline, 186 cm (19/20–22/23)
2034 & 2052 Blizzard Rustler 11, 188 cm (17/18–21/22)
2043 & 2046 4FRNT Inthayne, 188 cm (18/19–22/23)
2060 & 2075 4FRNT Hoji, 184 cm (21/22-22/23)
2062 & 2080 Whitedot Ragnarok ASYM, 190 cm (19/20–21/22)
2081 & 2115 Faction Candide 5.0, 183 cm (18/19–21/22)
2083 & 2137 Blizzard Hustle 11, 188 cm (22/23)
2105 & 2185 Head Kore 117, 189 cm (19/20–20/21)
2136 & 2174 K2 Reckoner 122, 184 cm (20/21–22/23)
2163 & 2166 Moment Wildcat, 184 cm (20/21-22/23)
2173 & 2204 4FRNT Renegade, 191 cm (19/20–22/23)
2196 & 2211 Rossignol Sender Free 110, 184 cm (23/24)
2212 & 2215 Armada ARV 116 JJ, 185 cm (17/18–22/23)
2216 & 2246 Meier Leeper, 185 cm (22/23–23/24)
2222 & 2278 Prior CBC, 184 cm (17/18–22/23)
2240 & 2250 Volkl Revolt 121, 184 cm (19/20–22/23)
2250 & 2280 Movement Fly Two 115, 184 cm (19/20–21/22)
2259 & 2279 Black Crows Anima, 189.2 cm (20/21–22/23)
2280 & 2286 Icelantic Nomad 115, 191 cm (19/20–22/23)
2318 & 2322 Line Blade Optic 114, 186 cm (22/23)
2328 & 2370 Rossignol Sender Free 110, 191 cm (23/24)
2329 & 2344 Blizzard Spur, 189 cm (20/21–21/22)
2341 & 2357 Dynastar M-Free 118, 189 cm (18/19–22/23)
2343 & 2360 J Skis Friend, 189 cm (19/20–21/22)
2346 & 2351 Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, 191 cm (17/18–22/23)
2416 & 2468 Liberty Genome, 187 cm (17/18–20/21)
2438 & 2480 DPS Foundation Koala 119, 189 cm (19/20–20/21)
2438 & 2492 Rossignol BLACKOPS 118, 186 cm (16/17–22/23)
Now, onto on-snow performance:
FULL REVIEW
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): I spent most of my time on the North Shore 114 on storm days and the days that followed at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. We were fortunate to have a lot of those this past season, so I got plenty of time to compare it against other skis in the same class, and I’m a big fan.
Powder
In fresh snow of all varieties, I really enjoyed the North Shore 114. First and foremost, it’s just an intuitive and easy powder ski. It doesn’t need a lot of speed to start planing up in the snow, it can adapt to a variety of skiing stances, and it doesn’t feel limited to certain types of terrain.
Like the North Shore 110, the North Shore 114 is a very maneuverable pow ski. The North Shore 114’s tails are easy to release into a slash or feathered carve, with little effort required on the skier’s part. It’s not quite as surfy / loose as the more rockered and tapered North Shore 110 (which is a class leader in those regards), but the 114 isn’t far off. And when you reach an open bowl, the North Shore 114 feels a bit more comfortable and composed than the 110 when making bigger, more drawn-out arcs.
I was on the North Shore 114 on a day when we encountered sections with more than 18” (45 cm) of untouched snow, and I very rarely felt like I needed more flotation. It does prefer a slightly centered stance in fresh snow when you’re moving slowly, but once I got it pointed down the fall line and accumulated some speed, it let me drive its shovels a good bit without them diving.
All in all, I had very few complaints about the North Shore 114 as a pow ski. I’d happily ski it as my widest ski at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, and it’s still plenty of fun once things start to get a little bit skied-out.
Soft Chop
The North Shore 114 is supposed to be RMU’s big-mountain, slightly more directional pow ski, and that was most apparent to me in soft, cut-up conditions. To be clear, it’s still not a charger when compared to much heavier alternatives, but it does offer a bit more stability in chop than the North Shore 110, and to a slightly lesser degree, the Professor 121. The North Shore 114 is a pretty lightweight ski that doesn’t blast straight through choppy conditions, but it’s still a very capable ski in these conditions if you’re willing to adopt a more dynamic, light-on-your-feet style.
Much heavier skis like the Moment Wildcat and Line Blade Optic 114 get knocked around a whole lot less when hitting other skiers’ tracks at high speeds. But if you’re able to avoid the most tracked-out portions and actually take advantage of them as places to catch some air or transition your turns, the North Shore 114 is still a lot of fun.
For its weight, I think the North Shore 114’s stability at speed and overall suspension are very respectable. Later on in resort pow days when you’re skiing more chop than untracked, I didn’t feel the need to drastically change up my preferred style on the North Shore 114 in order to feel in control. It’s not what I’d pick if I wanted to ski as fast as possible through chop, but it’s far from scary, and it’s versatile in terms of being a highly maneuverable, pretty playful ski that’s also capable of making bigger, faster turns in more consistent snow. And thanks to its low swing weight and fairly forgiving flex pattern, it makes quick changes of direction very easy when you end up coming in too hot to a super skied-out zone.
Firm Chop & Crud
As I just touched on, the North Shore 114 isn’t some damp charger, but it maintains the level of overall “predictability” that’s made me really fond of the RMU Apostle 106 and North Shore 110, which is a big plus when conditions are really rough. If the snow fits that description, it’s best to dial back your speed and make more turns on the North Shore 114, rather than trying to go straight through everything. But the nice thing with the North Shore 114 is that it doesn’t throw many surprises your way — it doesn’t just fall apart all of a sudden, but instead, you can kind of feel the ski gradually getting knocked around more as you increase your speed in really rough variable snow.
All that is to say: don’t buy the North Shore 114 if you want to make huge, fast turns in cruddy conditions. Do buy it if you want a maneuverable, nimble, and fairly stable pow ski that won’t completely fall apart when all the snow has been cut up.
Moguls, Trees, & Tight Terrain
Like its narrower sibling, the North Shore 114 is a blast in tight spots. It’s got a low swing weight, it’s pretty easy to throw sideways, it’s forgiving of mistakes, and it generally makes skiing tight terrain pretty manageable. The North Shore 114 isn’t quite as surfy or forgiving as the North Shore 110, but it’s not a massive difference, and I’d definitely still put the North Shore 114 on the more maneuverable end of the pow ski spectrum. If I had to wiggle through pow-filled tight trees on a ~115mm-wide ski, it’d be one of my top picks.
Groomers
I don’t expect much from skis this wide when it comes to on-piste performance, but the North Shore 114 is at the very least predictable on groomers, and can even be a lot of fun if they’re fairly soft. It’s easy to initiate a turn on this ski, it offers respectable edge hold for its width, and it’s pretty versatile in terms of turn shapes. Not a standout in these regards, but by no means a letdown.
Playfulness & Mount Point
Despite its slightly more directional overall design, relative to the North Shore 110, the North Shore 114 still feels like a very playful, freestyle-friendly ski. The North Shore 114 is energetic, has a low swing weight, feels pretty balanced in the air, and skis switch well in shallower conditions. RMU’s North Shore 110 and Professor 121 are better options for the freestyle aficionados, but as someone who loves to get in the air but rarely spins, I got along really well with the North Shore 114, and its slightly more directional design also led to slightly more support from the shovels and a bit more high-speed stability than those other two skis.
I spent all of my time on the North Shore 114 with it mounted on its primary recommended mount point (-7 cm from center), and I felt zero need to stray away from it. I think you could go a cm or two forward if you prioritize freestyle performance, or back a cm or two for a more directional feel, but I think most people should stick to the recommended line.
Who’s It For?
There are tons of folks who I could imagine enjoying the North Shore 114 (provided you need / want a powder-oriented ski).
As a pow ski, it’s adaptable to a wide range of skiing styles. It’s a highly maneuverable ski that’s super fun in tight trees and steeps, but it also feels calm and composed when making bigger turns in untracked snow. It’s better at the former than the latter, but it does an impressive job of balancing both.
Once the fresh snow is skied out, it’s still a really fun ski, but as I noted above, you’ve got better, heavier alternatives if high-speed stability in chop and crud is your main priority. But if you tend to slow down in chop anyway, the North Shore 114 offers impressive stability for its weight, while remaining agile and maneuverable.
And on that note, the North Shore 114 (and 110) are great contenders for 50/50 skis you’d use for soft-snow days in both the resort and the backcountry. I’d happily haul the North Shore 114 uphill to earn some backcountry pow turns, but it’s definitely not so light that I’d hesitate to bring it out on a resort pow day (and the chop that constitutes most of those days).
Bottom Line
Like several of RMU’s recent wider skis, the North Shore 114 is a highly maneuverable and playful ski that is a blast in fresh snow and the soft chop that follows, provided you’re looking for a more agile ski rather than a super stable one. On top of that, the North Shore 114 manages to bring much of the North Shore 110’s surfy ride to a slightly more stable platform, which means it warrants consideration from a wide range of skiers in the market for a powder-oriented platform.
Deep Dive Comparisons
Become a Blister Member to check out our Deep Dive comparisons of the North Shore 114 to see how it compares to the RMU North Shore 110, RMU Professor 121, Moment Wildcat, Head Kore 117, 4FRNT Hoji, Salomon QST Blank, Elan Ripstick 116, Atomic Bent 110, Meier Leeper, Icelantic Nomad 115, Black Crows Anima, DPS Koala 118, Line Blade Optic 114, Line Vision 118, Dynastar M-Free 118, Rossignol Blackops 118, Line Outline, J Skis Friend, Volkl Revolt 121, 4FRNT Inthayne, K2 Reckoner 112, Nordica Enforcer 115 Free, & Prior Northwest 116.
Rocker Pics:
In your regular Stuff We Like segment can someone send Luke some pole baskets to try out
Do you think a Marker Alpinist binding would be a good fit with the NS 114, for a more dedicated touring ski? Not planning to jump cliffs and hitting big jump, but certainly ski hard on all kinds of terrain and condition.