Salomon for 2011 has come out with a ski called the Salomon Sentinel. With dimensions of 129-95-121 the Salomon Sentinel is a quicker turning ski than that of the Volkl Mantra and with a Bamboo layer and 300mm of Rocker the Sentinel is a livelier more energetic ski than that of the Mantra. Also, with a squared tail it is even easier to use this ski as a backcountry or slackcountry ski with skins. This ski not only has a sandwich sidewall construction but they also put wider edges with edge reinforcement which is an upgrade that the Volkl Mantra needs to be skied in places like Taos and Mammoth where the rocks will just tear out edges in one hard turn. Salomon really did some great research in making this ski and I feel it has been years since they have had some focus with their ski line up, but this year they are getting more focused and with an all new AT/BC/Alpine Boot series out Salomon is really going for the Freeride market again and that hasn’t happened since the Spaceframe 1080 and the Pocket Rocket. If you want an extremely stable ski that will play in bumps and trees and deep snow but you want to pay less money then even better the Sentinel Skis are going to sell for even less money than the Mantra.
Home of the Untracked Gnar…
I was just as excited as you when I first laid eyes on the Salomon Sentinels and too immediately thought finally the Mantra has a true rival. While on paper the Sentinel looks much like the Mantra, on snow they have a very different feel. I preferred these over the Mantras in all ways except for their edge hold (which most manufacturers can’t match Volkl in). Weighing in at 145lbs the lighter weight bamboo core made the ski much easier for me to load up. Great pick for a all around side country ski.
wondering if anyone has any further input in comparing these two skis–been a few months–seems like these two have cornered the market on all-terrain freerides–any other contenders?
I’m 6’4″/200#
Between Mantra, Sentinel and Prophet 90 these 3 skis have been selling out quickly everywhere and all 33 manufactueres are sold out for the season so what you see on the market is all that is left. Places are selling out left and right so don’t wait too long to make a decisiion. You relaly can not go wrong with these 3 skis.