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BLISTER REVIEW of APOSTLE 106: "Few skis feel as surfy and flickable as the Apostle 106, and even fewer accomplish that while also feeling as capable when you want to ski more aggressively. The Apostle 106 is a very quick ski that requires little effort to slash and pivot, and it’s generally pretty forgiving. And yet, this ski also carves quite well for how surfy it feels off piste and in soft snow. Heavier skis like the Line Optic 104 are better choices if you prefer a damp, planted ski, but the Apostle 106 is respectably damp and stable for how agile it feels. Both directional and freestyle-minded skiers looking for maximum maneuverability can get along with the Apostle 106, and for how much it stands out in that one particular regard, this is a surprisingly well-rounded, cohesive ski. That’s what’s made it a favorite of some of our reviewers who ski with an aggressive yet dynamic style — it’s loose, agile, and forgiving enough for easy on-the-fly adjustments, but supportive and precise enough to encourage you to keep up the pace."
BLISTER REVIEW of APOSTLE 114: "The Apostle 114 is a quick and playful ski with enough freeride-inspired stiffness to separate it from the other similarly maneuverable skis in this section. Despite being a bit more directional than RMU’s Professor 121, the Apostle 114 still stands out most for how nimble, surfy, and playful it is. The Apostle 114 is not a particularly damp ski, and heavier alternatives will better serve those looking for a very planted ride in rough snow. However, if you prefer to pop and slash your way through soft chop (rather than plow through it), it can be a ton of fun to ski the Apostle 114 quite aggressively — even when most of the pow is tracked out. It also feels intuitive whether you’re skiing quite centered or taking a pretty directional approach, and it doesn’t need a whole lot of fresh snow to be enjoyable. It should be on your radar if you’ve got a freestyle background and want a ski that’s both nimble and pretty supportive, or if you’re a directional skier seeking a surfy setup that doesn’t require a super centered, upright stance."
BLISTER REVIEW of PROFESSOR 101: "The Professor 101 is the latest addition to RMU’s freestyle- oriented series, bringing much of the wider Professors’ nimble, surfy ride to a new, more practical everyday platform. Overall, the Professor 101 stands out more for its well-rounded nature than for any one particular trait. This ski carves pretty well for its class, is very easy to release into slashes, and has a middle-of-the-road flex pattern that should work well for the majority of skiers. The Professor 101 also feels very similar to RMU’s slightly more directional Apostle skis (see our “More Forgiving” all-mountain section), particularly in terms of suspension and swing weight. However, the Professor 101 generally feels a bit more balanced and comfortable in the air than the Apostles. The Dynastar M-Free 100 and ON3P Jeffrey 100 stay a bit more composed in heavy chop and crud, and softer skis like the J Skis Allplay feel more engaging at slow speeds. But the Professor 101 manages to handle most conditions, terrain, and skiing styles quite well — just what many folks want from a do-everything freestyle ski."
BLISTER REVIEW of PROFESSOR 111: "Few ~110mm-wide skis feel as quick, playful, and well- rounded as the RMU Professor 111. This is partially thanks to the Professor 111’s low weight and middle-of-the-road flex pattern — it’s more agile and feels more practical in shallow conditions than many of the similarly wide skis here. This ski gets knocked around more in deep chop and crud than heavier alternatives like the other skis on this page, but the Professor 111 has a much lower swing weight than those skis and generally feels more playful as a result. That said, the Professor 111 isn’t a super soft ski — it offers more support and better composure at speed than, say, the Atomic Bent 110 and Line Bacon 108. If you ski with more of a forward stance and want a similar ride in a slightly more directional package, then be sure to check out the RMU Apostle 114 (in our ‘More Playful’ powder skis section). But the Professor 111 is a great option for playful skiers seeking a lightweight, surfy, pow-oriented ski that doesn’t quickly feel out of place on shallower days."
BLISTER REVIEW of PROFESSOR 121: "Take the nimble, lively personality of RMU’s Apostle 114, stretch it wider, give it a bit more rocker, and you’ve got the Professor 121. This ski’s fairly soft, deeply rockered tips and tails make it feel quite surfy and pretty forgiving, but its strong midsection and wide footprint offer a nice level of support when you don’t land perfectly centered (more so than the Line Bacon 115). The Professor 121 also performs well in deep snow in a wide range of terrain, from tight and techy to wide open — it’s quite versatile in that regard. It might not feel quite as intuitive to directional skiers as the Apostle 114, but the Professor 121 will still let you drive its shovels through chop when needed. The Professor 121’s middle-of-the-road weight also strikes a versatile balance between agility and suspension, though the Völkl Revolt 121 is a better choice if you want a wide, freestyle-oriented model that’s more stable in rough conditions. Overall, the Professor 121 is one of the more playful, freestyle-friendly fat skis in this section, but it doesn’t feel super specialized or limited to perfect snow."
BLISTER REVIEW of VALHALLA 97: "RMU’s redesigned Valhalla 97 is one of the quickest and most playful skis we’ve tested in the ~100mm-wide all-mountain category. Its notably tapered tips and deep rocker lines make it ‘ski shorter’ than many skis with more traditional shapes and rocker profiles, enabling the Valhalla 97 to maneuver very easily through tight, off-piste terrain. However, this comes at the expense of stability — this ski’s tips get knocked around more in crud and deep chop than, say, the Salomon QST 94 and Nordica Unleashed 98. The Valhalla 97 also isn’t your best bet if you want to carve a lot of firm snow, but it generally feels predictable if you more casually skid your turns. This ski prefers a more centered stance than many of the alternatives here, but you can still ski the Valhalla 97 with a fairly forward stance (mounting back -1 cm helps a bit in that case). The Valhalla 97 should be on your radar if you’re a more advanced skier who prioritizes playfulness, or you’re less experienced and want a ski that’s easy to steer in all sorts of conditions and terrain."
BLISTER REVIEW of VALHALLA 107: "Don’t let the numbers fool you — the Valhalla 107 punches above its width when the snow is deep and the turns are tight. This ski’s shorter effective edge and deep rocker lines make it really easy to release, pivot, and slash, whether that’s in deep pow, grabby springtime slush, or firmer conditions. We think it’ll feel most intuitive to those who ski with a more centered, upright stance (rather than driving the shovels). Plus, RMU tweaked the flex pattern this year, and the smoother transitions between the stiff midsection and soft extremities should add a bit more support for more aggressive skiers. For folks who click with it, the Valhalla 107 can also be a viable all-mountain option. See the Armada ARV 106 or Nordica Unleashed 108 if you want a fairly playful ski that carves well and encourages bigger, faster turns. Fortunately, the Valhalla 107 still offers pretty nice suspension (it doesn’t feel excessively light), and it’s a great tool for both storm days and the ones that follow, when you’re searching for the remaining stashes of soft snow in tight terrain."
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BLISTER REVIEW of ZEPHYR 88: "The Zephyr 88 is, by far, the most piste-oriented ski in RMU’s collection. In contrast to their very tapered and rockered Apostle / Valhalla models, the Zephyr features a long effective edge and much more camber than rocker. On piste, the Zephyr is easy to get on edge and holds strong once you’re there, whether you’re slicing through firm corduroy or a bit of crud. Similar to the Nordica Steadfast 85, the Zephyr 88’s shovels are fairly soft and allow you to ease into each turn, rather than launching you across the fall line the moment you lean forward. While this means the Zephyr 88 isn’t the most exciting at really slow speeds, this helps it feel predictable in bigger turns while still allowing aggressive skiers to bend it into tighter ones (somewhere between SL and GS sizes). The Zephyr 88’s rebound stands out more than its suspension, but it’s pretty calm and intuitive on steep slopes while still being exciting on moderate-angle trails. If you want to make tighter turns on mostly firm snow, the Faction Dancer 79 might be a good alternative."
BLISTER REVIEW of APOSTLE 96 TI: "Designed to bridge the gap between surfy maneuverability and directional confidence, the Apostle 96 Ti brings surprising range to a playful platform. It stands out because of how easy it is to pivot, slash, and flick around — both on the snow and in the air, thanks to deep rocker lines and a low swing weight. It’s also very adaptable in terms of skiing stances and styles, preferring that you drive its shovels, but still feeling intuitive when you’re more upright, and fairly forgiving when you get backseat. Less tapered and/or rockered skis like the Elan Ripstick 96 and Blizzard Rustler 9 offer better edge hold on really firm snow, but compared to most skis that match its off- piste maneuverability, the Apostle 96 Ti is impressive on piste. Overall, the Apostle 96 Ti hits a very nice sweet spot for those who are primarily looking to maximize maneuverability and playfulness, but who still want to ski aggressively in fairly soft and/or consistent conditions. Want similar maneuverability with slightly better suspension? See the next ski. Spending more time in softer conditions? Check out RMU’s Apostle 106."
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