Movement Response X-Series — Ski Review
Movement Response Light Rocker 10
I’ve been intrigued by Movement’s X-series AT skis since their inception a few years ago but have never had an opportunity to ski them until now, specifically the 177cm Response, the widest of the X-series at 89mm underfoot coming in at a featherweight 1192gr (actual weight of our test ski). Yet another wonder in the one kilo class! Movement achieves this feather effect with a Karuba/Poplar core and working with North TPT fibers who provides Movement with exclusive use of their technology for application in the ski industry. While probably adding a few grams, I also appreciate the addition of a fiber mounting plate to reinforce screw retention. (Despite the binding plate, Movement recommends against mounting any of the X-series with tele bindings.)
Dimensions are 128-89-116 with a user friendly 18m radius. The Response has a “Light Rocker 10” which is minimalist by today’s standards, plus no tail rocker. My first impression was that the minimal rocker combined with the relatively narrow waist would make for a carving oriented ski that would be best suited either on edge or off edge without much room in between to be playful. In the end, the rallying cry for the Response was a versatile ski that called for a go-anywhere do-anything attitude.
Over the course of a number of days on the Response, I got to experience most conditions including powder, corn, firm wind buff with a little slop and mank thrown in just to keep me on my toes. As expected, these skis do prefer to be on edge and have ample torsion to provide a solid platform and clean carve. In fact, the Response had some of the best edge hold of any of the skis I tried this past spring which is typically a shortcoming in the lighter skis. That said, on really firm snow I had to keep the speed down to avoid moderate chatter. The Response eats up corn slicing and dicing precise arcs.
What about powder? Kinda narrow and not much rocker. There I stood on top of our line with a bunch of buddies looking at a nice wind protected, broad gully after another fresh dump the night before. We started playing the game of being magnanimous about who is going first. “You take it. No, it’s all yours. You broke trail. You helped. Take it!” You don’t have to tell me twice as I was gone in a heartbeat feeling the pressure of four sets of eyes on me from behind and another party coming up from below. I got to the bottom, remembered to finally take a breath and thought, “that was good.” No, they don’t slarve and it feels a little bit old school requiring something called technique, which has been lost to some degree on an entire generation (just kidding) but I’ll be danged if I didn’t have fun. Everyone reached the bottom, we slapped our skins on and went up for another lap. Count me in!
I found myself playing with the width of my stance based on the snow conditions. The more consistent the snow, the wider the stance. In mank or breakable snow, I was able to create an almost single, wide ski utilizing a narrow stance letting the ski drift and slide into the turn. The edge set was minimal and more off of the tail than usual but I was surprised to find I could be playful in difficult snow on what seemed to be a more traditional ski.
Interestingly, Movement also has a line of touring skis with a bit more traditional construction that mirrors the X-Series almost model for model with a couple of exceptions. The touring series includes the 98mm Shift with a more modern profile that I would love to see in the X-series. Just saying!
My last day skiing the Response was a solo mission in mid June where I reached that heightened, blissful state when all thought disappeared and I found myself in perfect unison with the skis and snow while flowing down the mountain, rocketing from one turn into the next. At the bottom, I looked back up realizing this is exactly why I do this, and walking back towards the car to head home I thought, “now, I’m ready for summer.”
Movement Response X-Series
Length tested 177 cm
Weight 1192 grams
Shape 128-89-116
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Comments
19 Responses to “Movement Response X-Series — Ski Review”
How does the Shift differ in construction from the X series? It is a cap/TPT with Karuba + composite (vs poplar), seemingly similar shape, just 137-98-125, 18 m radius, tip rocker & flat taiil, 1525 g in 176 (I have a pair but haven’t had a chance to ski them)? Any comparison between Response X and Cho Oyu? thanks.
Hi Andy, interestingly, the Movement website has been updated to 15-16 since I wrote this review a few days ago. The Shift shows a “Light Rocker 12” which is a bit more pronounced than the Response as well as a slight tail rocker. Regarding the construction, that’s a little difficult as they say “Top Secret” for the X-series. There are also a few new models in the touring line from last year including a model that is 94mm underfoot and another at 106mm. Looks like some more testing is going to be required. The Response X and Cho Oyu is a very appropriate comparison. I’m going to let Lou jump in as he has extensive experience on the Cho Oyu. My limited, though positive, experience on the Cho Oyu is a few days of fitness uphilling at the ski area while all of my days on the Response were in the backcountry.
I have had the Response X for several seasons, but have not mounted them. I Like the Shift so much, it is pretty much my go to lightweight ski. I have the first and second generations. The first year version is mounted with FT-12s and the second with Kingpins. The ski will handle powder to variable/breakable easily.
Oh, and it is better in most respects to the Volare.
So I’ve had both the older Response X’s and this newer rockered design.
I actually sold the new ones and kept the old ones – the oldies have more camber and edge-hold on ice is super. I didn’t find, for what little ski style I have, any increase in control or easier turn initiation in the newer rockered design. They chattered more. But I tell you the old ones are my go-to spring ski wherever I may hit ice, crust or windslab. And with Dynafit crampons (not everyone uses these in the Rockies here) I feel very secure on the spring skating rink. I really like Movement’s top sheets. I do find with the amount of camber the older Logix X’s have, I need really sticky skins and have to put them on not too tight fore to aft – with ski flex on long walks up they seem to shed the skins really easily as the ski flex’s over and over while putting in an uptrack. Have Shift’s as well and love ’em for trips where we’re blessed with more fresh. Movement rocks.
I have to say the Logic X is/was an exceptional ski, going back to 2009. Of course I still like fully cambered skis. The Bond X is another good choice, not sure if they still make it though. Skied the Logic X almost always for 3 seasons in a lot of well known couloirs in the US and Canadian Rockies, Cascades, Eastern Sierra, Andes, Antartica, and Cordillera ranges. Only dinged a sidewall once. Held well in steep icy conditions and didn’t get bounced around in chunder. Would make both long and short radius turns. I still have a few pairs of Logic Xs in reserve.
Going back to the Shift or an early rise tipped ski, I have to mount my bindings 1 to 2cm forward to get them to hold a carve, like I am used to. The Shifts handle breakable better. So on days were I have a long exit that has been baked, I tend to use a more rockered ski, the Shift or BMT.
Thanks very much for your helpful review on the Response-X. I am looking to replace my old K2 Waybacks for touring in the Swiss Alps (where I live). The Response-X is one possibility but I am also intrigued by the new Vertex-X. Have you had an opportunity to try them? Would be great to get a review (subtle hint…)! I also own a pair of Shifts (first generation). They are unbeatable for short tours on powder days but their weight and geometry make them awkward for long tours and ski-mountaineering tours. Ditto for climbing on steep icy slopes. What I am looking for is something to complement rather than replace the Shifts, i.e., skis for long (multi-day) hut-to-hut tours with mixed snow conditions and ski-mountaineering tours with sections that require roped climbing on foot with the skis stowed on the backpack. Thanks!
Thanks to the commenters above for real-world observations on this not often reported ski. It’s always a risk buying a ski you couldn’t test beforehand and this type of info lessens the purchase angst significantly. My view: mating it with other light-weight components like the Sportiva RT binding, Scarpa Alien, and mohair mix skins allows me to fully realize breakthrough levels of uphill travel ease without giving up significant downhill performance. Obviously I’m not one for jumps and bumps, but having hauled around set-ups weighing more than twice as much in my early days of touring allows me to appreciate this expansion of the options available to us. Haven’t experienced pin loosening on the Sportivas noted by other users, but keeping an eye out. I save this pair for quality days and otherwise enjoy a few of BD’s recent offerings for my everyday ride. Hope El Niño isn’t too cruel to the northwest this year so we can get more mileage than last year!
I’ve had a pair of 169’s for two seasons now. I found them very nervous in powder but amazing on piste (not what I was looking for). So I set the bindings back 2cm. Pretty good in most conditions now but have to ski them with subtle weight changes through the turn.
I just picked up the Shift in 177cm, mounted with Speed Radicals and g3 alpinists. Can’t wait to get out and ski them! My understanding is that the Shift now has the same construction as the response-x series, they just kept it in the separate freeride touring line. Next to my buddies g3 zenoxides they seem much damper for negligibly more weight.
Thanks for all of the ongoing comments. Nice to see all of the Movement skiers coming out of the closet.
Now that this Response-X thread has “shifted” over to the Movement Shift, I just wondered what the consensus is on last years 2014-2015 Shift. I am looking at a pair of 185CM skis. Will mount with Radiacal ST binders. Ski with my Scarpa Rush boots..
Good ski, for a trip to St Anton in March? Probably ski the piste most of the time with my son, maybe a tour or two. Are they OK in powder? I could drag over my Nunataq with Verticals instead. But a shorter ski at 178 cm. I am 6’2″ 195 lbs.
Skied the 185 Movement Goliath years ago. Another great Movement ski.
I have the 1st gen. Movement Shift that is identical to the 2014-2015 model (apart from changed colours). I am 5’8″ but ski the have the same length. About 50% of its use is on piste. It’s an excellent ski but also a very light one given its surface. It consequently needs more attention and a finer ski technique than comparable but slightly heavier skis such as the Rossy Soul 7, Dynastar Cham High Mountain / Mythic and others. They are rewarding (light, nimble, almost nervous) but are just not as easy to ski as say the Dynastar. They are very good in powder (but which ski this size with a decent rocker isn’t). They are even more fun on corn because they have an amazing pop (where other skis often feel damp, almost dead, in comparison). All in all an excellent ski — just not for everyone.
ratatouille,
Thanks for the description of the Shift. I have the Cham HM 97 and that’s a great ski too. Mine are short (178) for Eastern skiing.
So I will think about the Shift ski a bit more. Another choice might be the Volkl Nunataq , a more stable but heavier ski if I can find it in a 185 cm length.
Bob, since Movement recommends against mounting any of the X-series with tele bindings, what is a good lightweight ski that you might recommend that can handle tele bindings?
Mark, Fischer Hannibal/Transalp skis and Blizzard Zero G skis are good to go for tele mounts and are pretty darn light (particularly the Hannibal 94 and Zero G 95). The 177 Hannibal 94 is within about 75 grams of the 178 Response X and is a few mm fatter.
The skis Michael mentions have Titanal plates in the mount areas and should have excellent pullout strength. Dynafit (made in the Fischer factory) have also discontinued their insert program and have used Titanal plates for the past few seasons in skis like the Denali and Cho Oyu.
. . . actually not plates, but laminate layers of Titanal under the topsheets . . .
I have been looking for the Movement Shift, and the word is that the American distributor did not offer them this year. Using the dealer locator on Movement’s Web site I looked at several dealers, most of which did not even show Movement products on their inventory. I understand they have had several different distributors over the last several years, so I’m not sure what’s up with that.