Liberty Variant 87 Ski Review 2017 Review
October 13, 2016
76 The Good
- Forgiving
- Easy to initiate
- And maneuver
- Playful off-piste
- Light and predictable
The Bad
- Not for high speeds
- Easily overpowered
- Too forgiving for some testers
- More all mountain than frontside
- Felt out of category for direct comparisons in this test
Liberty's Variant 87 is a forgiving ski that's easy to maneuver, especially in the bumps and off-piste. With one of the widest waist widths in this category, it did feel sluggish and overpowered by the pure cruisers in this portion of the test. Best for off-piste skiers, AT, and standup style foot steerers who prefer trees and bumps.
The Liberty Variant 87 is built with a mix of titanal and wood laminate, along with some subtle rocker, to perform on-piste while also enjoying some time in the trees and bumps. But with an 87 millimeter waist width (one of the widest in this category), and mix of maneuverability and ease of inititiation, our testers preferred it off-piste. Lightweight and easy to ski, it was more fun on moguls than it was on immaculate groomers or clear blue hardpack.
The Variant 87 is not a ski for high speeds, or precise edge hold. This is more of a cruiser than a carver. An all-mountain ski for most West Coast days, or for when the East Coast gets a little frosty freshen up.
Peter Kray
- PublisherPeter Kray is a co-founder of the Gear Institute, and a longtime specialist in the testing of skis, snowboards and outdoor equipment.
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