Ski Reviews

2025-2026 Rossignol Arcade 94, 178 cm

Reviewer Username: Cholmeski

Reviewer Height: 5’8″

Reviewer Weight: 154 lbs

Reviewer Experience Level: Advanced

DAYS USED: 1 days

TEST LOCATIONS: Engelberg

TEST TERRAIN: Softer groomers | Low-angle, off-piste terrain | Fairly steep off-piste terrain

TEST CONDITIONS: Softer, but not deep snow | Soft chop / pretty forgiving cut-up snow | Firm, off-piste chop or crud

PERFORMANCE RATINGS

(0 = Terrible, 5 = Okay, 10 = Outstanding)

OVERALL IMPRESSION: 6/10

FORGIVENESS: 7/10

MANEUVERABILITY (How Loose / Easy to Pivot & Smear?): 6/10

MANEUVERABILITY (How Quick / Low is the Swing Weight?): 6/10

STABILITY: 8/10

SUSPENSION: 7/10

EDGE HOLD: 7/10

PLAYFULNESS: 5/10

SKI LENGTH: It felt a bit too short (178 cm length tested)

THIS SKI’S IDEAL TERRAIN: Softer groomers | Low-angle, off-piste terrain

THIS SKI’S IDEAL SNOW CONDITIONS: Pretty firm snow | Softer, but not deep snow | Firm, off-piste chop or crud

WHAT TYPE(S) OF SKIER DO YOU IMAGINE WILL GET ALONG BEST WITH THIS SKI?

Intermediate to advanced (and maybe expert?) who want a wider ski for both on piste and some limited off piste.

ARE THERE SIMILAR PRODUCTS YOU’VE SKIED THAT YOU CLEARLY PREFER? IF SO, WHY?

Head Monster 98‘s remain king for this type of ski in my opinion, at least of those in this category that I have tried. Finished my season on them on May 2nd on what was a groomer day only and with pistes that were less keenly groomed than normal, so a bit mixed, icy, cut up and slush lower down. The Mantra M4 is a great ski for different reasons, much more of an allrounder. I could see myself potentially buying the Arcade 94 as a replacement, but feel I would lose the range of skiing that I do on the Mantras – essentially anything other then bulletproof groomers or deep pow. I also have Ranger 94 FR (177) and they feel a lot more lively than the Arcade so far.

PLEASE ELABORATE ON ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SAY ABOUT THIS SKI. FEEL FREE TO GO INTO DETAIL!

Skied for a couple of hours at the Engelberg Freeride Days in March 25. Was my last ski of the day and was feeling pretty tired, but was keen to try it to compare with my Head Monster 98‘s (177) and second hand Mantra M4 (177). We spent most of the time off piste in tracked out heavier chop so not really it‘s ideal conditions, but coped better than I thought it might given its shape and shorter length than I would normally want to be on given the conditions. Strong enough that I was not getting left behind and on tired legs did a good job of getting me down without incident! Would really need to try it again to get a better sense of whether it‘s something I could see myself buying later e.g. to replace the Mantra. Whilst I have both Monster and Mantra in a 177 I felt the Arcade would have been better around 181, which probably speaks to the relative strength of the Monster‘s in particular. Would happily have the Mantra‘s in a longer length other than Jonathan‘s very mixed feelings about the 183 M4. Would have been good to have skied a current Mantra on the same day as the Arcade.