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2025 WNDR ALPINE VITAL 98
AWARDS
All About Camber
Camber
Reverse Camber
In the Wild
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D
I've been using the 2025 Vital 98 in the Camber Profile on earths underbelly - in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Where good skiing can never be bought, but can always be earned.
I went for the cambered profile, as I like a reasonably traditional feel and I appreciate the edge grip I can get on proper ice. There's a nice, healthy amount on early rise at the tip and tail that's keep it feeling loose and adaptable in weird snow and tight spots.
The shape feels dialed, but a little different to most backcountry skis I've used. It's got a much more progressive mount than most ~100m skis, little taper, quite a straight side cut, and a few hundred extra grams.
This sets it apart amid an over saturation of lightweight, mild mannered touring skis which tend to favor slow speed, short radius cruisey turns. That's not at all to suggest that the Vital
can't take it easy, but it is capable of so much more. The Vital feels composed on the steeps aided by a long effective edge and centered stance. When the terrain opens up, the long radius and rockered profile allow for aggressive skiing.
Another point of difference is the weight. The Vital, like all WDNR skis, are a bit heavier than most dedicated backcountry skis. I firmly believe that mass is a postitive, and unreplicable, quality in skis and touring skis aim to strike a balance.
I'm happy to big days and traverses on these skis while still knowing that they're going to be in my corner when I'm skiing in weird snow, on steep terrain, with a very heavy backpack.
If you want a pair of skis that'll let you ski big terrain how you want to, that'll have your back when lighter skis will fold, and still float up the skin track when there's one more saddle between you and the campsite you've found it.
I mounted my skis (189cm, Camber) at recommended, with ATK Kuluar 12s. I'm 195cm, and 85kg.
S
Picked up some Vital 98s (189 - camber) late late in the season so that I could finish out skiing PNW volcanoes! First, the customer service was top notch with amazing support as I debated an everyday ski (the intention 108) or a lighter weight corn hunting ski (vital 98).
I am so glad i went with the Vital 98! It might not be the lightest spring ski out there, but paired with the right binding (and lots of winter touring) this ski rips on the up! It feels great to be on a narrow ski that can edge comfortably on firm spring/summer snow both on the up and down. The ski has a ton of camber, giving it a nice poppy feel, but its still able to release through turns to make it playful.
My first "spring" day with the ski was on Mt. Adams in WA and couldn't have been happier to usher in some June skiing! I got to rip these skis down the SW chutes and see how versatile they are first hand!
Good stuff, Sebastian! Thanks for the thorough review, stoked those skis found a good home with you and made it up some volcanos. Epic! Keep crushing out there.
J
The customer service was top notch. They were very responsive and happy to answer all my questions. My first time taking these out was on a 3 day trip to summit Mt.Baker in May. These skis performed great, handling the variable conditions encountered in 7k vertical feet impressively well. Couldn't be happier with my purchase!
Josh! So psyched to hear it. Glad we were able to help find a pair of skis for you even after selling through our production grade Vitals this season. Glad they found a good home with you and the summit of Mt. Baker! Keep crushing it, and thanks for joining us on this WNDRful ride!
C
This ski is burly, yet remains playful and supple: when you let off the gas a bit and get into more technical terrain, it responds quickly and dependably edge to edge in tight spaces. It feels responsive and predictable hopturning on steep terrain in less than ideal conditions, flowy and smooth through bumps, and provides comfortable landings on the backsides of drops and cliffs, a jibby ski all over the mountain. As the snow gets heavy, wet, or pow above mid calf to knee, I'm trending towards something a little fatter like the Intention 108, but the early rise tip of the 98 floats on top of the snow in far deeper powder than one might predict, and admittedly hard to leave at home. Where I'd use this ski: Missions with a pin set up. Short to mid distance approaches/days 2-15 miles, 1k-5k vert). It'll ski aggressively anywhere you'd like. For longer missions or expeditions, I might choose a Nocturne, as it has similar aggressive capabilities at a lighter weight. This ski is a daily driver on the narrow side (East last any day, Rockies most days except big pow and heavy snow, an excellent choice for missions in the Tetons, Alps, Dolomites, and areas with technical terrain and variable conditions). Throw a resort binding on it and they become a go-to resort set up as well. Big love for this ski.
C
For it's weight and width, the Vital is an incredibly agile ski, and somehow skis way fatter than it's 98mm waist. I've been fortunate to ride both the camber and reverse Vital 98 in all kinds of conditions: hardpack to low water content champagne, to hot pow, soft slush, blue ice, + steep narrow couloirs, wide couloirs, groomers, big bumps, little bumps, and on, and it's been just about a quiver killer. With a race background, I am fundamentally drawn to a cambered ski, an the increased tip stiffness in the new Vital allows for extended, stable contact with snow, making large, arcing GS turns at speed super stable with little to no chatter, even on speed checks in less than ideal snow --- this ski is stable. To boot. Frankly it's kind of a beast, and all with virtually no metal. At the same time, the algal tech + woodcore + spiral plate all work together to create a dampening effect which is easy on the legs and knees, while maintaining it's stiff and aggressive character -- on a Marker Alpinist pin set up, I feel little to no uncomfortable vibration.