ZAG SLAP 104

$949

BEST FOR: A weapon for backcountry skiers focused on the down.

LENGTHS: 164, 172, 176, 182, 188

DIMENSIONS: 136/104/125 @ 182

RADIUS: 19 @ 182

WEIGHT: 1,940g @ 182

OTHER MODELS: Team, 112, 122

Zag, a Chamonix-based ski manufacturer relatively new to Canada, calls the Slap family “freeride touring skis.” That about sums up this fun ski. It feels much lighter than its mid-weight 1,900g construction would suggest. The ski climbed effortlessly and turned with ease, even jump-turning through a tight spot. In powder it floated like feathers…well, comparable to a 112mmwaist ski, anyway. Plenty of tip and tail rocker creates lots of lift. Going fast, hitting airs and charging in chop, it felt stable and confidenceinspiring. The only place it didn’t feel rock-solid was ripping groomers. Testers could get it on edge, but all that tail rocker meant it was happier smearing at the end, rather than railing. Go too fast and the tip started flapping. The construction definitely steers toward soft snow: a poplar and paulownia wood core, multi-layered sheets of carbon for stiffness and a flax fibre stringer for absorption. But it’s also designed for durability and versatility, with a variable sidecut, thick edges and tough sidewalls. Technical Editor Ryan Stuart summed it up: “An approachable soft-snow ski that’s happiest in the backcountry, but won’t leave you scared on the groomer run home.”