Völkl Rise Above 88 (Backcountry Touring Ski 2021/2022)

The first choice for demanding alpinists in high altitude terrain with equally outstanding ascent and descent performance

The Rise Above 88 with a 3D radius sidecut is the most versatile ski in the new touring ski range with impressive performance on both ascents and descents. The hybrid Tourlite wood core provides an impressive combination of minimal weight and ride smoothness and stability. The 3D radius sidecut has a highly resistant tip, which is especially useful when skiing in wind-blown snow conditions. The sidecut geometry provides both agility and manoeuvrability in narrow passages while the full sidewall offers great stability and resilience. For ski tours with a heavy backpack, the combination of a narrower waist under the boot and moderate shaping in the tip and tail areas helps skiers remain in control and requires less effort when changing direction.

The Rise Above 88 also comes with Völkl’s Smart Skinclip system, which is compatible with both Fibre Tech and Smart Glue skins.

Weight: 1186 g (177cm, without binding)

3D Radius Sidecut: Three radii in one ski for maximum turning & speed versatility in all mountain skiing

Smart Skinclip: The newly developed Smart Skinclip system allows the ski tourer to decide for himself, depending on the situation, in which direction he should pull the skin on and off. A standard snap hook at the tail end of the ski allows the skin to be attached and detached from behind. The skin can, however, also be pulled on and off quickly and easily from the front. This new flexibility is made possible by an elastic snap hook, which is also easy to grip with gloves. A subtle depression in the ski tip gives the hook lateral guidance and prevents it from unintentionally releasing the skin while walking.

Tourlite Woodcore: A particularly light and complex wood core specially developed for touring skis. In the area around the steel edges, a poplar wood hand-picked by weight provides the necessary stability, while in the center of the ski, the soft and light Paulownia wood ensures the ski's flexibility. In the binding area beech wood provides the strength, which is needed to hold the screws of the binding. In the center of the core, a CNC-milled Isocore area contributes to optimal liveliness and dynamic development. Only the lightest batch of each wood delivery makes it into these cores.

At the 2021/2022 ski test the skis in the category „Touring Skis Men 2“ were closely evaluated on the Mölltal Glacier. Tester's opinion: "If you are looking for weaknesses in this model, you will not find any! Our testers were enthusiastic and gave fabulous ratings. This enabled the “Völkl Rise Above 88” to stand out from the competition and win this category." >> Click here for the detailed review with all tested models!

Rating: very good