Voile Ultra Vector Skis

The Ultra Vector skis would be classified as an all mountain ski, able to ski groomers at the resort and play beyond the boundaries on a powder day. Given their 3.36kg / 7lb 6oz  weight (for the 184cm length), this ski has enough mass to take on variable snow while still being light enough to take on a full backcountry ski day. With a hybrid rocker design, you get early rise in the tips for float in powder, camber underfoot for railing turns and a turned up tail to smear those turns and be playful. The end result is a combination of good floatation with packed powder performance.

Voile is one of the biggest ski manufacturers to still be making their skis in the good ole’ US of A, with design and production based in Salt Lake City Utah. Voile can easily maintain quality and cut production times compared to that of their competitors while still selling skis that are a very aggressive priced with out having to rely on foreign labour.

‘Simple. Solid. Backcountry.’ is the Voile company tag line and it’s echoed no where better than in the Ultra Vector Skis.

Early rise in the tips and tails.

• Lightweight Aspen Wood Core.
• Carbon Fiberglass Layer.
• Triaxial Fiberglass Layer.
• Durable Polyamide Topsheet.
• 2mm, Full-Perimeter Steel Edges.
• Voile Hybrid Rocker.

Voile's durable cap construction.

Voile has always been one of my favourite ski manufacturers. They consistently design and produce quality skis at a reasonable price. The Voile V6 even won our prestigious Gear of the Year Award when it was introduced a few years back. Voile’s new Ultra Vector Skis however just didn’t float this reviews proverbial boat. While they offer up great value for a skier looking to get into resort and backcountry skiing, they just weren’t sporting the right dimensions for the kind of snow and conditions that I am accustomed to skiing in 99% of the time. 98mm underfoot is just a little on the thin side for the amount of pow that we’re blessed with here in the Kootenays. Since I ski tour more than 50% of the time I also found the early rise tail not ideal for kick turns on the skin track when things got gnarly. This same tail also didn’t finish my turns as solid as I’d like. However, if you like to smear your turns then they may just be what you're looking for. To me, Voile hit a home run with the V8 and more so with the V6, ideally shaped for places that get big dumps and so much power that they are hard not to run at full throttle the entire time.

Granted, everyone has their own preference for ski dimensions and not everyone skis pow every time they head out (sorry eastern skiers). So, my own personal bias aside, the Ultra Vector Skis offer up great value for a North American made skis that can do it all. Not too fat that you won’t have fun skiing groomers at the resort and not too narrow that they can’t take on a good pow day or two. In fact, the early ride tip is ideal for these conditions, I just wish there was a little more girth underfoot and more lively horsepower under the hood. The Ultra Vector skis would be ideal for someone just starting out and who may not need a super hard charging ski that can redline the needle with ease.