ZAG UBAC 112 Skis

ZAG uses a lightweight construction to ensure the UBAC 112s remain as light as possible, this includes a paulownia wood core combined with carbon and fibreglass reinforcements. This provides optimal torsional stiffness without any excessive weight penalty. Since carbon is light, strong and durable it helps reinforce the ski's core while allowing for a customized flex with increased torsional resistance and stability at speed. Their half-cap sandwich construction transmits the skier's inputs and provides a more pronounced grip when required. To provide some dampening on such a stiff ski ZAG has integrated ABS sidewalls which helps with durability and increased shock absorption.

You’ll find a medium/high camber underfoot which helps the UBAC 112s be more lively and playful while still being able to bite into the snow when required. Because it is such a wide ski this generous amount of camber underfoot helps keep the skis nimble by providing some rebound which also helps them remain on the snow surface in deep conditions. This also allows the skis to pivot more easily in trees and bumps.

The long progressive tip rocker makes light work of broken snow and ensures the UBAC 112s always float on top no matter how deep the pow is. Their minimal rocker in the tails provides a complete turn while also ensuring that you can easily dive the tails on steep skin tracks where kick turns are required.

While the UBAC 112s have a 21m radius in the 184cm length, they actually use a multi-radius shape which consists of an independent radius in the tips, underfoot and in the tails. This allows the radius underfoot to be much shorter for increased handling while allowing it to become larger at the tips and tails which helps improve control and forgiveness in challenging snow conditions.

A unique 5 Point Shape is also found on the UBAC 112 skis which enables the skis to be more manoeuvrable without extending the rocker too much which would increase tip chatter and vibrations. The widest points on the skis are located as close as possible to the centre of the skis which allows them to turn more easily and makes them more fun to ride.

ZAG is committed to minimizing their impact on the climate and nature, while still creating high-performing, quality skis in the Alps of Chamonix—to achieve this they use recycled edges and scrap bases with FSC wood cores. They also use a top sheet material that is derived from 50% bio-based polyamide made from castor oil which comes from a tropical shrub. This is all part of ZAG’s 'ZAGreen program' which they created in 2015, it aims to source effective and responsible materials closer to where ZAG manufactures their skis. ZAG is also a member of 1% for the Planet, The Mountain Wilderness Program and Protect Our Winters.

• Semi-cap construction
• 100% pure Paulownia wood core
• Fibreglass/carbon reinforcements
• Moderate camber profile, powerful on all types of terrain
• 5 Point Shape for enhanced maneuverability
• Double Rocker: 25% front / 15% rear
• Pronounced flex: Highly rigid Flex for better high-speed skiing
• Phenol plate: reinforces bindings

In the 4 years that have passed since reviewing the UBAC 102 Skis, ZAG has made inroads into the North American ski market as their skis have been readily acknowledged for their quality and performance. The new UBAC 112 Ski are no exception and are built impressively tough and durable while still using a lightweight construction. At 114mm underfoot for the 184cm length, these are a fat freeride ski aimed squarely at those who like to go hard in the backcountry yet don’t want to be slowed down on the up track. It’s for this reason that we mounted the UBAC 102 Skis with Marker’s super-light Alpinist 12 tech bindings. This keeps the entire setup nice and light so you can ski just as much vertical with a fatter ski.

At 114mm underfoot the UBAC 112 provides an impressively stable platform while still being just over three kilos in weight. This means that they are ideal for deep pow days when you may want to go farther afield or log more vertical when the getting is good. With a long progressive early rise in the tips, I found that the UBAC 112 could float in the deepest of snow and also power through broken chop, chunder and slop. Variable snow and challenging terrain were no problem whatsoever for these skis. Short radius turns were not as fluid or easy to achieve given that this is a super wide ski and it takes a little more effort to put the ski on edge, but once there is does like to rail, especially at speed. Wide open slopes of soft snow are where the UBAC 112 Skis really shine, tight trees and bumps not so much. These are definitely freeride touring skis at heart and to confine them inbounds to the groomers would not be the best idea as they can be challenging to maintain traction on icy, hardpacked snow, they are designed for pow skiing after all. If you do come across less than ideal snow the best course of action is to go fast and let the UBAC 112 Skis lay down long radius turns as this is where they truly shine. While edge-to-edge response may be slow, this is more than made up for when you open them up and let the UBAC 112s fly.

The minimally rocketed tails on the UBAC 112 Skis means that there is more ski in contact with the snow and turns are finished with power and stability. It also means that you can easily put kick turns on the skin track when the slope angle begins to climb. Churning out vertical on the skin track is fairly effortless and makes you wonder how ZAG can make such a fat ski so light.

Because the UBAC 112s are on the stiffer side, these skis are for a more advanced skier who isn’t looking to beg forgiveness from their skis. While the tips and tails are a little softer to help the UBAC 112 be a little more forgiving, they still require a concentrated effort to ensure they perform as required. These are skis for someone who skis with confidence, and power and isn’t afraid to go fast and take chances. Other similar skis to consider would be the Foon Tyfoon Skis, G3 SLAYr 114 Skis, DPS Pagoda Tour 112RP Skis or the G3 SEEKr 110 Skis.