If you're looking for a solid, reliable and trusted friend to accompany you in the mountains, over all terrain and through all types of snow conditions, then the Experience 88 could be for you.
Capable of handling an intermediate skier who is perhaps starting to explore more varied terrain, heading off-piste and learning the art of mogul skiing, they will also please a more advanced skier who needs a versatile tool for piste and powder.
On groomed slopes they carve long smooth arcs belying their 88mm waist and feeling like a ski 10cm's slimmer. Where our smaller and lighter testers struggle a little is in the shorter radius turns where they feel a little cumbersome. For this reason, we feel they suit a heavier skier more.
In Powder snow, they certainly spring to life and feel snappy and lively, especially in the shorter turns most skiers would make in deep snow. The 88mm waist is enough to cope with the majority of off-piste conditions we experience in the Alps - they are not a full-on freeride ski, but they are not aimed at full-on freeride skiers.
The Polar wood core provides the torsional rigidity you'd expect from a ski at this price point although at £525 with bindings, they so present good value - the tip rocker and ski camber combine to provide the piste performance and aid ease of turns in the deeper snow.
If you're going to compare these skis to a rock band, we'd say they are more Coldplay than Motorhead - not very rock and roll, but more refined, and certainly easier on the body.
