About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the skis, which I purchased with my own money in January of 2022.

My take

Black Ops Sender Skis are my daily driver. I throw them in my car without looking at the conditions and know that I will be prepared for cruising groomers and blasting through crud, and they will keep me afloat on a sneaky powder day.

About the gear

• Model: Black Ops Sender 2022
• Size: 178cm

About me

• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 190 lbs
• Experience: 30 years of skiing

Test conditions

• When I bought these: January 2022
• Days tested: 50 days
• Mount position: -1 from center
• Boots: 2021 Dalbello Panterra
• Boot Size: 27.5
• Bindings: 2018 Look Pivot 18
• Where I’ve used it: All over the Pacific Northwest, Canada, Tahoe, Montana
• Terrain: Groomers, chunder, packed powder, trees, ice, 4-6” of powder

How they perform

What I was looking for

I wanted a ski I could take on trips, keep in the back of my car, and know that I’d have a great time with regardless of what the weather was doing. I wanted to be able to cruise groomers with my family, hit small jumps in the park, navigate trees and bumps, and float over sneaky powder stashes.

Why I chose this gear

I love Rossignol’s durability and the lightweight feel of the ski and how well it initiates and snaps out of turns. The dimensions are also perfect for carving and staying afloat — not sacrificing much on either end.

I also considered the Line Sick Day skis, which are a tad stiffer and more aggressive. I wanted something that would cruise and flex a little more. The other skis I considered were the Armada ARV skis, which were a bit softer than the Sick Days and felt similar to the Senders. But they sacrificed a bit on the carving because they are a bit wider underfoot.

What I love about them

• Speed: These skis handle high speeds well but are not full-on shredders because they are a little lighter and less stiff than some other options.
• Edge hold: They hold their edge well in firm conditions because of their generous sidecut.
• Turns: These skis are soft and easy on turn initiation and have great snap at the finish.
• Groomers: These skis shine on groomers. It is very fun to lean over and engage the edge.
• Trees: These skis turn quickly and blast through variable snow, making them great in trees on all but the deepest days.
• Backcountry: The lightness of these skis help them shine going uphill, and they can navigate all terrain well enough to make it down the most unpredictable of backcountry runs.
• Durability: I have hit rocks and trees and thrown these skis in and out of my car, and they still look like they did the day I bought them.
• Weight: These are some of the lighter skis I’ve used. I’m very impressed with the stiffness-to-weight ratio.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Moguls: These skis are a little stiff on the tail to be true moguls skis. They really make my quads work to avoid getting bucked out of a zipper line.
• Park: They have a lot of sidecut and stiff tails, so they are not ideal for rails or soft landings on bigger jumps.
• Switch riding: These aren’t true twin tips, and while they handle riding switch in firm conditions, switch in crud or powder is a no-go.
• Stability: They are relatively stable until I get up to full speed. The nose is soft, which is great for butters but not ideal for fully engaging the edge on firmer rides.

Favorite moment with this gear

I spend long days at the mountain. This past April we had a day that started out boilerplate. My skis edged in and allowed me to have a blast ripping firm groomers and firmer off-piste. It softened up, and these skis were a blast to play around on. Then when we got four inches of fresh snow in the afternoon, these skis kept me afloat and navigating the trees and side country. I skied every condition in one day and never needed to swap sticks.

Value for the money vs. other options

Rossignol always has a great price point, and these are no exception. They are significantly cheaper than DPS and Black Crow skis of similar waists and in the ballpark of Armada and Line options of a similar size and shape. The other ski I was considering was the Salomon QST 106s, but these were about $100 cheaper and didn’t sacrifice a thing.

Final verdict

I bought the Black Ops Sender 2022 skis for the days when I didn’t know what to expect from the conditions or the day, and they did not disappoint; they do everything well without being amazing in any single category. For someone looking for a quiver killer or daily rider, this is the ski.