This is my review of Rossignol Super 7. In my opinion, it is one of my favorite powder skis. They are powerful when you need them to be, and give you the surfy slash and curve you need to lay back and enjoy the ride when the snow gets deep.
They are best left on the feet of experienced skiers who know how to utilize a big and in-your-face ski, but if you’re up to the task they will deliver time and time again.
Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of this ski, who it is best for, and other similar alternatives to consider.
Contents
Quick Summary
- Where to buy: Amazon
- Best for: Powder. And lots of it. They are a dedicated powder ski that very much lives up to the task of giving you amazing performance in deep snow.
- Pros: These are a fun, powerful powder ski that will allow you to rip through deep snow with ease. Simple to maneuver despite their large size and aggressive design.
- Cons: Can be a bit too much ski for those who aren’t accustomed to skiing big powder.
- Alternatives: Rossignol Soul 7, Atomic Bent Chetler 120, Icelantic Saba Pro
Is the Rossignol Super 7 a heavy ski?
These skis weigh in at about 2100 grams per ski. That makes them a little bit heavier than your average ski but not as heavy as many of the other powder options currently available on the market.
Can these skis be used in conditions other than powder?
Sure, but they are fully intended to be used as a powder ski. They will get you through variable conditions and do ok in softer snow or crud, but you aren’t going to be satisfied with their performance until you let them loose in deep snow.
What makes these skis so good for powder?
Rossignol has incorporated some excellent design elements that makes the skis perform well in deep snow. The heavily rockered profile and sidecut radius gives you control and float at the same time.
Why Trust Me
I’ve skied all over the world and have decades of experience skiing on, testing, and reviewing different skis and skiing equipment. I skied on the Rossignol Super 7 on many heavy powder days and have enough experience on them to know what they are all about. Below is my detailed review.
Detailed Review
The Super 7 is a ski that provides you with an innate ability to make the most of any and all of the powder you can find. Sure, you need to be a decent skier to unlock their full potential, but even intermediate powder hunters can take full advantage of the powerful performance and smooth maneuverability they possess. The only downside, in my opinion, is that every day isn’t a powder day and you’ll want something smaller when skies are clear.
Powder Performance
Powder performance is where these sticks stand out. They serve as a solid choice in the powder dedicated ski department and one of the best, if not the best, options for any skiers who wants to be well equipped when those perfect conditions present themselves. They provide an amazing blend of powerful, driving characteristics combined with a maneuverability that allows you to point things straight down, take wide carves, or handle anything in between.
We’ll get into some of the design features that create the excellent high-end powder performance later on, but know these skis allow you to ride easier and more effectively in deep snow. They won’t necessarily make you a better skier, but they will provide you with the platform to ski better in powder which is one element that classifies as an improvement. They have an easy to approach appeal that’s pretty great for such a powerful and effective ski.
These Super 7’s feel both strong and playful in deep snow, which is sort of the sweet spot for powder lovers across all environments. That creates a hard-charging and focused feel that eases up when you want to make a surfy turn or let loose on some wide arching carves. The skis perform well at different speed ranges too, which is another area they stand out in comparison to some other competing powder skis.
All-Around Attributes
The Super 7 is pretty much a fully focused powder ski, which means you aren’t going to get excellent performance in all other areas of the mountain. They do, however, hold up very well in slushy or cruddy snow. If you have a tracked out bowl or want to hit the trees after a few freeze/thaw cycles, these will give you a means to easily and effectively plow your way through anything other than hardpack and ice.
If things lean more towards hard pack crust, you can expect these skis to begin to bind up and bounce around. They aren’t as effective at blasting through this type of condition as their Soul 7 cousins, and you will want to tone down your speed a bit in order to not lose control or hurt a knee. Also, note that you’ll want to stay up front and engaged with these underfoot when not in powder because they can get away from you quickly if you’re not careful.
While these skis aren’t going to provide you with stand out experience on groomers or hardpack, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to transition across lines at the resort without worry. Cold groomers first thing in the morning will have you bouncing around a bit at higher speeds, but they still have enough bite to allow for in-control carves and turns.
Construction and Style
These skis are great in powder due to their sleek design and excellent construction. Rossignol has placed a freeride rocker profile into the Super 7 that gives you 50% tip and tail rocker and 50% camber underfoot. That keeps your ends up and off of the snow while providing all of the float you need to stay on top of deep snow and enough power to effectively push through turns.
A sidecut section in the cambered part also helps provide a little extra grip and bite in powder, as well as in other conditions where you want more edge control. That keeps things in control most of the time without being too rigid. I like the sidecut element here because it increases the ski’s easy-going nature and adds to their general effectiveness. It’s a simple-but-solid feature.
The Super 7’s construction utilizes a Carbon Alloy Matrix to keep the skis pretty lightweight. That helps them retain maneuverability characteristics without sacrificing strength. It also adds a little extra versatility, and while that isn’t much, it gives the skis enough performance and edge control to work if you don’t have a perfect powder day on your hands.
Price and Value
Rossignol is a long-standing name in the skiing world, which gives them the ability to keep their prices relatively affordable. With that in mind, I give the Super 7’s an excellent value rating for a powder ski. Just know they are fully intended to be used with those conditions in mind. While they will do ok in other softer snow situations, don’t expect all-mountain attributes here. You will be left disappointed.
What I Like
With powder in mind, I like just about everything these skis have to offer. They will give you a powerful and in-control feel that allows you to charge down into the deep with little else on your mind. Not only are they powerful, they’re playful and responsive as well. That gives them multiple performance characteristic angles you can use to your advantage no matter how you like to tackle a powder day.
I also like how versatile they are for different skiers at different abilities. Both intermediate and expert skiers will love the skis and be able to use them as proper tools in the snow. They are easy to adapt to and won’t be too much ski for those who are just getting acquainted with serious powder. At the same time, they hold vast potential for expert skiers.
The maneuverability and float these skis offer are also worth mentioning. They will move with you, rather than against you, as you dig into slow-rolling surfy-like turns. You can also sit back in a straight line and enjoy the ride. The radiused sidecut and rockered profile combine to provide you with serious control and effectiveness no matter how you like to ski.
What I Don’t Like
Personally, I don’t have many dislikes here. The skis are solid in the powder, but they do definitely lack some versatility in some other areas of the mountain. These skis aren’t going to provide you with the all-mountain characteristics you might be familiar with in other rocker options that can certainly handle powder, but they do really well transitioning through other conditions.
These also aren’t going to be that well suited for beginner skiers. They make for a good intermediate option, but they have a powerful nature that can easily overwhelm anyone who doesn’t really know what they’re doing in heavy conditions. Large skis are just too big, even if they’re lightweight, for a beginner to properly handle. If you want to learn how to ski powder, start with something a little more manageable before graduation to this option.
The Alternatives
Even though the Rossignol Super 7 is a highly recommended powder ski, there are plenty of other options out there. Take a look at these alternatives that all hold up well in deep snow.
- Rossignol Soul 7 – The Soul 7 (review) is another one of my go-to everyday skis that can hold its own in deep powder and allow you to crush all sorts of other runs as well. They aren’t as specific to powder as the Super 7, which allows you to utilize their all-mountain attributes in situations where the Super would bog you down. Powerful and fun, this is another great model.
- Atomic Bent Chetler 120 – The Bent Chetler 120 (review) is a close rival to the Super 7 in terms of powder performance. The sticks rip through deep snow while keeping you afloat and engaged the entire ride. They feature some of the latest design and construction ski tech to increase performance without adding on weight. They can be a lot of ski, but if you’re in search of powder, they are amazing.
- Icelantic Saba Pro – This is a newer model from the Colorado brand Icelantic that’s a more dedicated powder ski than some of their other options. It has a floaty and free feel to it that specifically caters to freestyle skiers who want to go explore big mountain lines where the snow stacks up deep. The fully rockered profile keeps you on top and in control while still giving plenty of bite when needed.
Final Verdict
The Rossignol Super 7 is one of the best dedicated powder skis around. I’ve had many unreal powder days on these skis and would highly recommend them to anyone who wants a more-than-capable powder monster that’s also a lot of fun and highly maneuverable. You will want another set of skis in your lineup, however, as not every day will be full of fresh snow and deep powder.
THOMAS P GROSS
I love my Super 7s, but they are getting OLD! Ugghh.
So looking for a newer ski for an update. I keep hearing about Rossi’s Black Ops as their replacement, but no one seems to think that those line of skis are really a replacement for what the Super 7s did. Did Rossi abandon a great ski for something else?
Any other suggestion for a substitute. Not familiar with the Icelandic line of skis. Atomics might be easier to find.
Christine
Hey Thomas, I’m a big fan of Icelantic’s lineup and think they might meet your needs for a replacement for the Super 7. Not quite the same ski, but you get that all-around awesome for everything big mountain appeal. I don’t know much about the Black Ops yet, but will let you know if I get a chance to ski them soon.
Kenry
I own a pair of Rossi Super 7’s. They are truly awesome skis. I’ve had them for several years and they are still in great shape. I think the author’s review of this ski is quite consistent with my own experience. They are truly a dedicated powder ski but do cross the line okay when skiing groomers and hardback. For an all mountain (read non powder day) I go to my Line Prohet’s 98. A good all around. I ski mostly at Bridger Bowl outside of Bozeman. Happy skiing!
Christine
Hey Kenry,
Thanks for the response here, and I am happy to hear the review lined up with your own experience. Glad you’ve had good luck with these skis, and I hope your winter season is off to a solid start!