Review: Rossignol RallyBird Soul 102

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Rossignol throws their hat into the quiver-killing all-mountain ski ring with the Rallybird Soul 102. Taking the best elements of the crowd-pleasing Soul 7 and the hard-charging BlackOps, the Rallybird Soul 102 caters to the intermediate to advanced skier who wants to ski a variety of snow conditions and terrain. Utilizing much of the technology that’s made some of Rossignol’s other skis so popular, the Rallybird Soul 102 retains a playful nature while staying stable and chargy.

In a nutshell:

• Lengths Skied: 164, 172
• Stated Weight: 1700 g
• Stated Dimensions: 135 / 101 / 125
• Stated Sidecut: 15m

Size, Shape, and Construction

Marketed as a women’s ski, the RallyBird Soul 102 is pretty darn similar in construction to the Sender Soul 102 but comes in a smaller range of sizes and is a couple hundred grams lighter. A 15-meter turn radius puts this ski at the top end of a shorter turn radius making it poppy and responsive. The construction utilizes Rossignol’s “Air Tip,” “Line Control Technology” (LCT), and “Vibration Absorption System” (VAS) to dampen the ski in variable conditions and keep the tips from collapsing when driving all the way through a turn. The RallyBird Soul 102 comes in relatively short 150, 156, 164, and 172cm lengths.

Where does the Rossignol RallyBird Soul 102 shine?

A well made mid-width ski has to bridge the gap between utility and fun to make up for not being a true carving or powder ski and the RallyBird Soul 102 seems to hit that sweet spot pretty nicely. Between staying stable in a variety of conditions and still retaining a lively nature, it checks boxes for those looking for a ski that inspires confidence without losing its character. Designed to be more approachable than some of its predecessors, the RallyBird 102 also proved to carve easily on groomers and perform well at most speeds.

“I would trust them to charge at high speeds, but they were also poppy and responsive. They seemed to be chargy and still playful,” said one tester. According to testers, in comparison to similar skis like the Dynastar M Pro 98 W or Secret 96, the RallyBird Soul 102 felt more friendly at a variety of speeds and was a more well-rounded option.

Where does the Rossignol RallyBird 102 make some compromises?

Testers didn’t have many negatives to report about the RallyBird Soul 102. While the RallyBird Soul 102 is similar enough to the Sender Soul 102 that skiers could likely get away with either one, for those looking for the true women’s specific build, the RallyBird Soul 102 maxes out in size availability at 172 cm length. One tester reported that it skied a little bit short as is, so the limited size range could be an issue depending on skier height and ski length preference. Some testers also felt that the ski had a speed limit on it and that it didn’t retain its stability or dampness at high speeds.

What would a perfect day on the Rossignol RallyBird Soul 102s look like?

It’s one of those days where you can’t quite decide exactly what you want to ski so you decide to get a little bit of everything. An early start on some nice, fresh groomers allows you to get the RallyBird Soul 102 up to speed for some carving. Once all the good cord’s been skied off for the day, you head to get some laps on a few chalky bump runs where the ski’s maneuverability and confidence really shine. A day of skiing isn’t really complete until you’ve ducked into the woods a few times so you go in search of some tight trees and fun rollers to pop off and remember just how playful the RallyBird Soul 102 can be.

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