Review: Völkl Revolt 104

Völkl Revolt 104 Specs

• Size skied: 180cm, 188cm
• Lengths available: 172cm, 180cm, 188cm
• Sidecut: 132mm - 104mm - 122mm
• Radius: 22.2m (180cm)
• Profile: twin rocker
• Weight: 2000g (180cm)

Shape, Flex and Construction

Of the whole Revolt series, the 104 is the most traditionally “freestyle” shaped of the bunch. There’s a pronounced twin tip, with plenty of camber underfoot. Despite that, the Revolt 104 still has very deep rocker lines. In fact, it follows plenty of the design principles of the venerable Völkl Gotama, with the long rise, and long turn radius engaging instantly when put on edge, counteracting the deep rocker lines.

From a flex standpoint, it is a much softer and more playful ski than most Völkls, so it does have something of a speed limit on hardpack, though most skiers won’t reach that point. The profile also makes the ski very pivoty and easy to ski in tight spots like trees, bumps, and chutes. It's a ski that begs to be mounted as close to center as possible.

Inside, the ski features the same Völkl Multilayer beech and poplar wood core, giving the ski characteristics of both poppy/agile woods, and damp woods found in hard-charging race skis. 

On-Snow Performance

The Revolt 104 has lots of taper and plenty of rocker meaning that despite a relatively modest waist, it goes sideways in powder very easily. The damp flex is a boon in mixed conditions too, while it isn’t the stiffest ski, it remains poised in cruddy snow and heavy conditions too. The tail is a bit stiffer than the nose so it has some extra support if the chop throws you into the backseat too.

“I found that the flex profile was very friendly for people looking to make the most out of their tips and tails. Butters on the revolt 104 felt great, with lots of pop coming out of the nose!” says one freestyle-oriented tester.

It was the park where our testers really loved the Revolt 104, echoing the fact that lots of the Völkl pro team ride it there too. The profile of the ski (relatively flat camber and deep rocker lines) makes them a dream for surface swaps and butters, and the ski isn’t so soft that it folds. The wider platform is something a lot of our testers favor too. It’s stiff enough in the tail to handle jumps of any size and the mounting point is also very fitting for park skiing. The only downside is it isn’t the lightest ski out there.

"Felt super smooth on rails and super floaty on jumps. Felt comfortable going fast it also felt super chill riding switch. It comes in a 188cm so I would recommend a big guy looking for a longer ski in the park or as an everyday ski!" says another tester.

Comparisons

Völkl brings an interesting option into the crowded 100-105mm all-mountain ski market with the very freestyle-oriented Revolt 104. It’s probably the least “Völkl-feeling” Völkl out there right now. 

Compared to the similarly-shaped Nordica Unleashed 98, the Revolt 104 has a lot more flex to it, making the ski more fun for jibbing around varied terrain, but less stable when skiing at high speeds compared to the Nordica.

Similarly, compared to the more directionally-shaped Elan Ripstick 102, the Revolt 104 was much more playful and soft, and felt like they’d be better suited for someone looking to get into freestyle.

Finally, the most similar ski we could think of is the updated K2 Reckoner 102 and 102 W, which most closely match the terrain/skier type that would enjoy them.

What type of skier is the Völkl Revolt 104 best for?

Our testers enjoyed the Völkl Revolt 104 most as a park ski, but they are certainly a very capable all-mountain ski, meaning this would be a great fit for the energetic all-mountain skier looking for something fun and playful that can still ski fast on groomers. The 188 length in particular makes them an attractive option for taller skiers. 

They are wide enough to be your big day ski out east and still ski some park laps and they could easily be a one ski quiver most places. But for skiers who enjoy jibby maneuvers like presses and surface swaps, we’d recommend giving these a try because you might just be surprised.