Scratch pro review

Overview

The Rossignol Scratch Pro is the brand's 26/27 twin tip for juniors and teens who are moving from the kids' park into proper freestyle and all-mountain skiing. Rossignol calls it an all-mountain freestyle twin tip for advancing junior freeskiers and sells it as a system ski with the Xpress 10 GW binding. With five lengths from 138 to 178 cm it covers a much wider size range than most junior twin tips, so it also fits tall teenagers who are not yet ready for an adult park ski. Rossignol rates it for intermediate skiers.

On-snow performance

The 110/80/103 mm shape is the same in every length, but the radius grows sharply with size: 12 m at 138 cm, 15 m at 148, 17 m at 158, 20 m at 168 and 23 m at 178. In practice the short lengths will turn tightly for lighter kids, while the long ones ask for more speed and commitment, much like an adult all-mountain twin. Rossignol describes a Tip & Tail Rocker that blends hard-snow precision with soft-snow playfulness, and its product text adds that traditional camber and an extended sidecut keep pop and edge grip on firm snow. On paper that means a ski that carves cleanly from one feature to the next, lands and rides switch thanks to the raised tail, and still feels at home on a red run back to the lift. The 80 mm waist keeps it quick on groomers and in the park; deep powder is not its job.

Construction & specs explained

The Scratch Pro is built around a poplar wood core, which Rossignol chooses for its balance of weight, damping and flex, reinforced with fibreglass. It uses Cap construction — the topsheet wraps down to the edges with no separate sidewall — for low weight, easy handling and resistance to chipping, which matters for a ski that will hit rails and boxes. The base is extruded black, and the Oversized Sidecut pairs a deep sidecut with a modern waist for carving power. Lengths: 138, 148, 158, 168 and 178 cm. Dimensions: 110/80/103 mm throughout. Radius: 12 / 15 / 17 / 20 / 23 m. Rossignol lists 1.4 kg at 138 cm, 1.5 kg at 148 and 158 cm and 1.6 kg at 168 and 178 cm; the column is labelled per pair, but those values only make sense per ski, in line with Rossignol's other tables. The ski comes on an Xpress system plate, so the binding is part of the package and the ski is not made for touring.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Scratch Pro is for a junior or teen who already skis confidently, spends part of the day in the park and wants one twin tip for the whole mountain. Its main selling point against rivals is length: the Faction Prodigy jr stops at 143 cm and the Line Ruckus and Fischer Nightstick team at 155 cm, so for a growing teenager the 158–178 cm Scratch Pro is one of the few junior twin tips that still fits. The Head Oblivion jr junior is the closest match in width (80–82 mm) and runs up to 161 cm. Younger children who are not yet ready for a twin tip will be better served by the narrower, softer Rossignol Sender jr.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Five lengths up to 178 cm — rare for a junior twin tip.
• Twin tip with tip and tail rocker for switch riding and landings.
• Poplar wood core and Cap construction for a lively, durable ski.
• Radius grows with length, so each size suits the rider it is made for.

Cons

• Long radius on the 168 and 178 cm needs speed and commitment.
• 80 mm waist is not a powder ski.
• Xpress system plate fixes the binding choice.

Verdict: A sturdy, versatile junior twin tip whose wide length range makes it a strong choice for teenagers who have outgrown kids' park skis.