Oliver Steffen, president of G3, enjoying the perks of owning a successful ski touring gear company.
I jumped at the chance to join G3 and SCARPA for a day of “testing” at Park City Powder Cats, up in the Uinta Mountains. We skied multiple laps in beautiful Utah powder. I reviewed SCARPA’s redesigned Maestrale RS boot here. Now, my take on G3’s new backcountry ski, the SENDr.
Loading up the snowcats. Park City Powder Cats operates on a 40,000 acre, family owned, sheep ranch. The rustic ranch cabin was a neat place to start the day.
G3’s new ski, the “SENDr,” is aptly named. It’s a big, stiff hard-charging board, perfect for sending. I’m a fan of stiff skis, so I was excited when I first set eyes on the SENDr.
To achieve the mystic combo of stiffness and lack of mass, SENDr utilizes carbon fiber, along with metal laminates. The SENDr (and the current Empire 115) are extremely lightweight given that they include metallics. I like G3’s Empire 115, and in some ways the SENDr is an update to the Empire. The SENDr is built with the same construction, but has an entirely different shape. They have a large turning radius, and a slightly rockered tip and tail.
While we’re on the subject of G3, there are two updates to their already solid Ion binding. First off, they have eliminated the movable plastic hooks that guided your toe into the binding. The hooks are replaced with a molded plastic bump that serves the same purpose, but is much simpler. We like simple.
Good design is subtle. At its best, it makes people’s lives easier without them even noticing. G3’s other change to the Ion exemplifies this quite nicely, I won’t get into the technical details here, but essentially they have changed the internals of the heel unit so that it can’t be turned when it is being pushed down (towards the ski). This effectively eliminates the possibility of the binding auto rotating because of a ski boot pressing down on the heel lifter in tour mode, an issue with almost all touring bindings. When turning the binding back to ski mode, the motion is unchanged. Pretty clever.
The SENDr felt more stable and less playful than the Empire. We had a wonderful time skiing mellow powder from the snowcat, but it wasn’t the ideal terrain for the SENDr. The SENDr wanted to send, preferably on something steep and deep. Throughout the day there were a few moments when I was able to get some speed, and really put some power into the ski. At those times the ski started to come into its own.
I like the fact that the tails of the SENDr are stiff, with minimal rocker. Many modern fat skis have too much rocker and turn-up in the tail, especially for the majority of people who don’t ski backwards. I could really feel the stability of the flatter tails when slashing and skiing at speed. The SENDr posses an impressive amount of power, especially for a lightweight touring ski. I’m looking forward to testing out a pair on some steep, stable (and heavy) PNW pow.
The SENDr. It likes to send.
This is what happens when a bunch of ski media types go “skiing.” Reference that old song “Surf City.” Lyric change: “Two Cams for Every Boy.”
At one of our high points of the day, almost 11,000 feet!
All smiles.
Even the snowcat made some first tracks.
SENDrING perfect boot-top powder.
G3 SENDr
Shape: 139/112/127
Sizes: 174, 181, 188, 195
Radius: 23.5m @ 181
Weight (single): 3 lbs 12 oz @ 181
MSRP $929
Also new for next year, G3 ROAMr 100 is updated with PU sidewalls, and 108mm version will be available. I didn’t ski on the ROAMr, but it looks like a nice, a slightly skinnier (and slightly heavier) option to the SENDr.
ROAMr 100
Shape: 135/100/120
Sizes: 167, 172, 177, 182, 187
Radius: 19.6m @ 177
Weight (single): 3 lbs 15 oz @ 177
MSRP: $629
ROAMr 108
Shape: 139/108/124
Sizes: 171, 178, 185, 192
Radius: 23.6 @ 178
Weight (single): 4 lbs 4 oz @ 178
MSRP: $679
ROAMr 100 Elle (women’s specific sizing and flexes):
Shape: 135/100/120
Sizes: 167, 172
Radius: 18.5m @ 172
Weight (single): 3 lbs 12 oz @ 172
MSRP: $629
Louie Dawson earned his Bachelor Degree in Industrial Design from Western Washington University in 2014. When he’s not skiing Mount Baker or somewhere equally as snowy, he’s thinking about new products to make ski mountaineering more fun and safe.
21 comments
Does G3 plan to eliminate the Empire 115 from their line-up of skis for next year? And if so, will the SENDr be the widest ski G3 offers?
From G3: “Yes, the SENDr will take the place of the Empire in the line, though as Louie points out, it’s a bit of a different ski, same construction, but different profile and shape, we think a more powerful and versatile shape, though the Empire is a great ski. The SENDr is 112 underfoot, so in that regard, it’s not a whole lot different from an underfoot width perspective compared the Empire. Same construction, except that the SENDr adds the PU sidewalls, which is a great addition from a performance standpoint.
It wasn’t clear to me if it a full-rocker ski like the Empire, or a cambered early-rise ski like the FINDr102 but wider (and maybe stiffer)?
What about the Synapse 109?
Phil – Its not a full-rocker ski. Has the profile like the FINDr, but with less camber under foot and more rocker in the tip.
Yep, the SENDr has much more camber than the Empire, much more like the Findr. I believe the Synapse series will stay in the line for next year.
About the 109 synapse, read on friflyt.no that it won’t be apart of next years line of skis. However the skinnier widths of the synapse remain.
How does the SENDr compare to the G3 District 112 of a few seasons ago? I still ski mine in the Andes, a very fun and playful ski. Dimensions are in the same arena (140/112/130).
How about a theoretical head-to-head shoot out between ROAMr 108, 108, Kufo 108, Helio 105, Volkll 100Eightand maybe a Coomback 104?
Granted, you didn’t get to ski the ROAMr, but you know, like if you had to guess, or if you went skiing in imagination land? 😉
I think this is the one of the best all-around size classes for the CO Rockies for ‘most-of-the-time’ winter touring, so I’m always curious to hear more in-depth/drill-down opinions on things in this class from people who’ve gotten to ski multiple options.
Synapse is still in the line for next year! I wasn’t sure if the empire was leaving or not but you better get some if they are! SENDR is rock solid, just a touch less playful. But handles the variable better than empires.
Bill H I’d throw the Blizzard Zero G 108 in that discussion. Great ski.
I’ve skied the Synapse 109, Volkl BMT 109, Zero G 108, and Helio 105. I’d say Zero G and BMT are neck and neck for 2 of the bet all-around touring skis I’ve ever been on. Both handle all snow conditions very admirably. Zero G is a bit better on firm and BMT is a bit better in pow and wet snow. Synapse is an good pow ski but not much of an all-arounder. Hello is a fine ski and the lightest of the bunch, but the Zero G 108 and BMT 109 are better all-around skis on the down IMO.
No time on the others.
Thanks Micheal, side-by-side tested feedback is gold. I’d agree with your take exactly. And of course, they probably both belong in this year’s Ultimate Quiver… Lou
Thanks Michael,
Funny enough, I meant to write the zeroG and when I did some cut and pasting I accidentally deleted it (its the second blank ‘108’ after the ROAMr). You also read my mind on the Volkls (I was thinking of the BMT when I said the 100Eight) Can’t wait to get out on some of those.
Bill
Sounds good Bill H. You can’t go wrong with either the Zero G 108 or BMT 109. I just found the Helio a little grabby in the tail and not as effortless in poor snow as these other 2.
Gonna echo a lot of Michael’s thoughts here. While I haven’t been on the BMT109 (too costly and IMO, ridiculous mounting pattern), I’ve skied/owned that Synapse 109, Helio 105, and the ZeroG 108. Synapse is meh, Helio is good, and ZeroG is great.
ZeroG easily rose to the top for my all around Rocky Mtn touring rig. It may be the most versatile BC setup that I’ve skied to date (!). It’s quite the blend of performance, fun, and weight. As much as I wanted to keep the Helio based on metrics, the ZeroG was a no brainer based on how well it skis.
We’ve also got the new Voile Supercharger at ~106 underfoot as well as the newly lightened up Hoji. The Hoji may be a *tad* bit heavy compared to the others here, but is in that 110ish underfoot category with great performance, I’d wager a guess ala the BMT109. Maybe someone can chime in. It is much less costly than the BMT – not to mention you can put any binding on the Hoji. For powder, the Hoji is one of the most pure type 1 fun skis that I’ve been on in the backcountry. SO much plane, stability, and maneuverability. Ahhhh, skiing 🙂 I may have just talked myself into getting another pair of Hojis 😆
Truax and Michael: Awesome beta! Thank you! Curious: What didn’t you like about the Helio vs. Zero G 108? I realize it might be something subtle, but that’s fine. i’m debating these two skis.
I thought the Helio was a bit grabby in the tail compared to the Zero G. It was detuned and still felt a little catchy in bad snow. I’ve skied the Helio 5 days, in corn 1 day, good pow a few days, and some variable snow a day or 2. I have a lot of time on the Zero G in all conditions. The Zero G is easier to manage in difficult snow (crusts, wet snow, chunky snow). Less hooky in crusts, easier to disengage the tail is I guess how I’d put it. Deflects less. It’s also more solid on firm snow for things like jump turns on steeps. The Helio is fine in good pow and poppy in corn. It’s a good ski. I just think the Zero G and BMT separate themselves in poor snow from the other skis. Of course there’s a small weight penalty for the Blizzard compared to the Helio.
@Michael. Thank you. I thought that might be the answer based on other posts, but am surprised given that the Helio is softer and has more rocker at the tail than the zero g 108. Weird. I have a zero g 95 I’m not liking and want fatter and less twitchy.
@andy
Gonna say that Michael pretty much covered it to a T.
I also ski a zeroG 85. Not twitchy, just solid with a slight detune in the tip and tail. Same with zeroG 108, but even less worrisome in terms of hookiness. 108 is money.
Regarding having a zeroG 95 that may not be working for you – holler at me if they’re 178 with a Rad mount near 300bsl – I may be down to take em off your hands!
Did G3 let anybody play with the new STINGr XCD skis?
Can anyone compare this ski to the Volkl V Werks 122? Trying to decide on a new touring ski for fresh snow & deep-er days. Unfortunately it is hard to even look at these in my neck of the woods, nevermind demo a pair.
Thanks!
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