Majesty Vanguard 108 Ti — Review

The Majesty Vanguard 108 Ti is the planted, damp version of the Vanguard 108 — a backcountry-freeride ski that trades a little uphill efficiency for real composure on the way down. Where the Carbon build chases lightness, the Ti build adds a contour-shaped Titanal layer (Majesty's "4x4 Design Concept") that calms vibration and lets you commit to a line with confidence. With a 108mm waist, a hybrid front-rocker/flat-camber/tail-rocker profile and a mid-weight of 1880 g per ski at 174cm, it sits squarely in the do-everything freeride slot: wide enough to float, damp enough to charge, still light enough to earn turns.

This is a ski that rewards speed. The contoured Titanal gives it a settled, quiet feel underfoot — chop, crud and refrozen chalk get absorbed rather than deflected, so the ski tracks straight when a lighter freeride ski would start to chatter. At the 174cm length the ~20m radius encourages medium-to-long arcs; it is happiest carving big GS-style turns and drifting through variable snow, and it comes alive once you feed it some pace. In fresh snow the tip rocker and 108mm platform plane predictably and keep the shovels up. The flat camber underfoot gives edge hold on firmer transitions without making the ski nervous. The trade-off is honest: at low speed the Ti can feel like it wants more input than the Carbon, and it asks the driver to stay forward and engaged rather than letting the ski do everything.

The core is a poplar-and-ash blend — poplar for a lively, lower-weight base note, ash for the torsional backbone and dampening that a charging ski needs. Over that sits triax fiberglass plus the contour-cut Titanal sheet, which is shaped to add mass and vibration control where it matters most and taper off toward the tip and tail to keep swing weight sane. The IS7200 fast base holds wax and glides well, useful both for straight-lining exits and for the flatter skinning approaches. Sidecut at 174cm is 132/108/122mm with a representative radius near 20m; flex is roughly 7/10, stout enough to resist folding at speed but not a plank. Lengths run 168, 174, 180 and 186cm.

This is for the strong intermediate-to-expert skier who spends most of the day off-piste, likes to go fast, and wants a metal freeride ski that can still tour when needed. If you want the same shape but lighter and more touring-focused, the Majesty Vanguard 108 Carbon is the sibling to look at. Against the resort-freeride benchmarks, the Nordica Enforcer 104 is a touch narrower and more piste-biased, the K2 Mindbender 106c mens leans playful and forgiving, and the Black crows Corvus is the closest damp, directional charger if you rarely tour.

Pros

• Genuinely damp and composed at speed thanks to the contour Titanal.
• Confident in variable snow, crud and refrozen chalk.
• Reasonable weight for a metal ski, so it still tours.
• Predictable float from the 108mm waist and tip rocker.

Cons

• Heavier and less efficient uphill than the Vanguard 108 Carbon.
• Wants speed and an engaged driver to come alive.
• 108mm is only average on firm, icy hardpack.

Verdict: The Majesty Vanguard 108 Ti is the charger's Vanguard: pick it if you value downhill composure and stability in mixed snow over the last few grams uphill. It is a damp, capable metal freeride ski that still fits in a touring kit, and it is at its best when you point it and let it run.