Curated Skiing Experts Ian Hamilton and Luke Hinz got their hands on the 2024 Rossignol Experience 76 this spring. Check out how it performed in the carving, freestyle, and freeride categories, but consider the fact that each and every skier is different; if you have any questions about the Rossignol Experience 76 or need recommendations on which ski would be best for you, reach out to a Skiing Expert here on Curated.

Before we get started, it's worth noting that Curated Experts are not sponsored by any brands. All of these reviews are completely unbiased.

Brand Claims

What does Rossignol claim about this ski? [Ian] Rossignol markets the ski as a beginner ski to learn on. It’s a carving ski for groomers and it’s pretty narrow.

[Luke] The Experience line from Rossignol is their line up of on piste, on trail focused skis, and the 76 is the most narrow of all the Experiences. This is definitely marketed as an entry level ski for beginners and newer skiers. This is for someone who wants to skip the rental line or someone who's just stepping out of their first day on rentals.

Overall Impressions

What is your overall impression of the ski? [Ian] My first impressions were: it's light, it's soft, it's forgiving, and it's really easy to turn. This ski is a great ski to learn on.

[Luke] I was actually really impressed with how the skis felt. I'm a bigger guy and they didn't feel overly soft. They were easy to turn and easy to maneuver.

Also, I do feel like this is a great value ski. This is a system ski so it comes with its own bindings included. These bindings are rated for both traditional alpine soles as well as GripWalk soles.

How does the shape of the ski affect the way it rides? [Luke] The ski has a fairly soft flex. I wouldn't say it's the softest beginner ski out there, but it's pretty close. That being said, the ski has no rocker in it. It’s straight camber tip to tail, which I really like. It gives the ski really good control and really solid edge grip.

Carving

How does the ski turn? [Ian] It's really easy to initiate the turn. You don't need great technique to have fun on the ski.

[Luke] They have Rossignol’s Drive Tip where there's a lighter material in the tip of the ski that makes it easier to initiate a turn. I could turn them very easily.

What is the edge hold like? [Ian] It was really easy to ski and still it held a great edge on the groomers.

[Luke] I was actually really impressed with the edge hold on these skis. They were very confident.

What about dampness? Any chatter in the skis? [Luke] They felt very chatty at higher speeds, but these are very light skis which is awesome. For a newer skier, you don't need something heavy on your legs.

How does it feel in terms of speed? [Luke] These skis felt super solid on short to medium radius turns. Once I got them up to higher speeds it was not quite what I was looking for. They're a little too soft.

Freestyle

How is it for freestyle skiing? [Luke] All that being said, this is not a freestyle ski. These are not built for the park. You can take them to the park if you want to, but they probably wouldn't be super fun.

Is it good for skiing switch? [Luke] These are not built for skiing switch.

Freeride

How is it in powder? [Ian] It definitely struggles a bit in fresh snow, but it's a good hard pack ski.

[Luke] They're 76 millimeters underfoot so definitely on the more narrow side. I did take these off piste in some powder and they're just not really made for that.

How is it skiing in the trees? How is its maneuverability? [Luke] I like how light the ski is. It was very light on my legs, and it was super maneuverable. I could flip it around really easily, which is really nice option for a newer skier.

What terrain is this ski good for? [Ian] It's pretty narrow, so it is mainly groomer focused. If there's no fresh snow and you're not going into a bunch of crazy terrain, this will be a good ski to learn how to ski moguls on and how to have good technique on groomers.

[Luke] These are made for building your skills on piste and working on your fundamentals.

Recommendations

Who would you recommend these skis to? [Ian] I'd recommend it to a lot of people who are just getting into skiing and want something that won't break the bank but will be a blast for a couple of years before you need to upgrade to a more aggressive ski. Overall, I think it's a really good beginner/intermediate ski.

[Luke] These skis are an awesome option for a brand new skier (teenager to full adult) who doesn't want to mess with rentals or even a newer skier who has been using rentals but wants to step into their own gear without breaking the bank. This ski could definitely take you up through beginner to intermediate level.

Who should avoid these skis, there are better options out there for them? [Luke] Once you get up to about intermediate level, you'll definitely start to feel the limitations of this ski and it'll probably be time to upgrade.

Skis work differently for different types of skiers. If you are wondering whether the Experience 76 is the right ski for you, chat with Ian, Luke, or any other Skiing Experts here on Curated, and they’ll put together free, personalized ski recommendations on the best skis for your needs.