Review: Rossignol RallyBird Soul 102

Rossignol Rallybird Soul 102 Specs

• Size skied: 164cm
• Lengths available: 150cm, 156cm, 164cm, 172cm
• Radius: 15m (164cm)
• Profile: twin rocker
• Weight: 1950g (172cm)

Shape, Flex and Construction

Although marketed as a women’s ski, the Rallybird Soul 102 is pretty much identical in construction to the Sender Soul 102 but comes in a smaller range of sizes. This is notable in that some of our testers would have preferred it in a longer length, however the women’s ski only goes up to a 172cm. 

The ski is constructed from a sustainably harvested PEFC poplar wood core that’s adapted from Rossignol’s LCT race technology to provide forgiving counter-flexion in the ski from edge to edge. Rossignol’s Titanal Beam is layered in the center of the ski, which gives it plenty of stability, enhances power underfoot, and increases edge grip. Layered into the tip and tail of the ski is Rossignol’s VAS absorption system, which is essentially just an elastomer component meant to dampen the ski. The tip features Rossignol’s hallmark Air Tip honeycomb construction first popularized by the Soul 7. 

The Rallybird Soul 102 also uses Rossignol’s Boost Flex technology which is designed to deliver the most responsive energy transfer from skier to ski for the highest possible performance. A size-specific, albeit relatively short turn radius means this ski is hard charging and snappy the more you drive into it. 

On-Snow Performance

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 had a lot of fun on these skis with a bit of fresh snow this morning. The 102mm waist was perfect for keeping me on top of deeper snow but also easy enough to control when there wasn’t a ton of snow. It was easy for me to get on top of this ski and make the ski do the work for me. It would be the perfect ski for that 10cm+ overnight day at the resort,” said one tester. 

As mentioned before, testers found that the Rallybird Soul 102 skied relatively short and given that the longest length they come in is a 174cm, taller testers were disappointed in their lack of options with it. 

Comparisons

The mid-100 waist width is perhaps the most crowded corner of the ski industry, so there’s a lot to compare to here, especially to other women’s-specific skis. Testers found the Rallybird Soul 102 to offer similar performance to hard-charging women’s skis such as the Nordica Santa Ana 102 and Dynastar M-Pro W 98. Similar in stiffness and the necessity to be driven, the Rallybird Soul 102 impressed them in its aggressiveness. However, testers also found the Rallybird Soul 102 to be a bit more poppy and playful than these other options. 

To further back this up, another tester added, “These were definitely the most responsive and poppy skis that I’ve skied so far, so compared to the Volkl Revolts and RMU Valhalla 107, they were just a lot more fun to jump around on.”

What type of skier is the ski best for?

Smaller skiers who want a stiffer, heavier ski that will inspire confidence in all conditions, on all terrain, will love the Rallybird Soul 102. But this ski isn’t just for those who want to rip groomer turns or feel supported in the crud–what makes the Rallybird Soul 102 stand out is how playful it is for a ski so stable. An aggressive and technically-proficient skier who can truly take this ski as far as it wants to go will love its versatility.