Review: 2026 RMU Professor 111 Powder Skis

RMU Professor 111 Specs

• Size skied: 188cm
• Lengths available: 168cm, 178cm, 188cm
• Sidecut: 138mm - 111mm - 132mm
• Radius: 19.8m (188cm)
• Profile: twin rocker
• Weight: 1940g (188cm)

Shape, Flex and Construction

Like any good ski, the design elements of the Professor 111 pay homage to what it was designed for. With a nearly symmetrical sidecut and long rocker lines, the skis' playful side really shines. The long taper lines in the tip and tail make the ski feel quick and snappy, without overdoing it. 

Sitting at just shy of 2000 grams in a 188cm, the Professor sits right in the middle of its class. If anything, it’s on the heavier side for a poplar ski that doesn’t have metal or carbon stringers. Instead, RMU has elected to wrap the exterior of the poplar core with a layer of VDS rubber. Several other manufacturers have incorporated some amount of rubber into their ski layup over the years with the idea being that it increases the skis dampness without necessitating other heavy materials. This always leaves me with a bit of a raised eyebrow, but as long as it works, I’ll let it ride. 

RMU puts their recommended mount point on the Professor at 5.5cm back from center, which is perhaps a touch farther back than other skis in the category. While the ski’s more freestyle-oriented design may warrant bumping the mount up a few points, you’ll probably lose some of the stability that our testers raved about, so proceed with caution. 

On-Snow Performance

The RMU Professor 111 is positioned squarely as a playful all mountain ski. So it’s no surprise that testers loved the Professor 111 for popping off side hits, and buttering around in fresh snow. Testers also loved how easily the ski pivoted out and slashed in deep powder. That said, the tail of the ski is stiff enough where riders felt supported when charging through bumps or taking landings deeper than planned.

To me, the sign of a good ski is when it almost disappears when you’re riding it. But the sign of a great ski is when the ski is so particularly fun that it encourages the rider to push themselves, approach the mountain differently, and ride in the way that the ski was intended. And that’s exactly what the Professor 111 does. Even the most directional chargers on our test found themselves releasing the tail for a slash and hitting features they’d normally pass by.

While the ski is pretty distinct in its playful characteristic, the Professor is still quite capable in more serious terrain. One tester wrote, “A 111 waist, rockered ski has no business being this versatile, but here it is.” And to some extent they’re right. Traditionally, skis over 110mm– especially the more surfy ones–struggle on piste and in variable snow. Yet testers were blown away by the Professor’s edge hold, bump performance, and stability on groomers, even at speed, which is praise usually held for skis with a more charge-y character. 

Each year for our ski test, we put together a group of die hard skiers from across the country. Put these people in a room together, and you’ll learn that these people have a lot of opinions, some of them not so positive. If certain ski brands got hold of our test forms, they may never send us a ski again. But the Professor 111? It got our hypercritical, ski-obsessed, test crew to shut right up. It’s truly rare for multiple testers to give a ski no negative marks, but that’s what happened here. 

One tester broke the mold and called out that the tips and tails of the Professor chatter quite a bit on hardpack. The ski features particularly long rocker lines, which reduces the effective edge, so this isn’t exactly a surprise here. Those long rocker lines are part of what makes the ski playful, and gives its exceptional float. And for most folks in the market for this kind of ski, that’s probably going to feel like a worthy trade off. 

Comparisons

Our test group was quick to compare the Professor to the Blizzard Rustler 11, another exceptional standout in our test. Both skis are positioned as mid-fat all mountain skis and both walk the stable/playful line nicely. Testers noted that the Rustler felt more precise and like more of a true charger, while the Professor 111 was distinctly more fun and playful. 

Another ski that draws a natural comparison is the Armada ARV 112. Like the Professor, testers loved the ARV for its float in powder and playful feel. But the Professor outpaced the much softer ARV when landing airs and in challenging runouts. So, while the Professor seems to dip its toes into the charger category, the ARV feels a little more planted in the playful category. 

What type of skier is the RMU Professor 111 best for? 

As I discussed at length, our tester group absolutely raved about the Professor 111. It’s not the most aggressive ski in the category, and it’s perhaps not the most playful–but by hitting the sweet spot, RMU built an extremely fun and usable ski. 

This ski begs to be taken to a playful powder paradise like Mt. Baker, Alta, or Mt. Bachelor. It’s for anyone who wants to jib the whole mountain, turn every feature into a playground, and have a blast doing it.