Depart ten review

Overview

The départ. Ten is the teenage model in Salomon's new départ. freestyle family for 26/27, aimed at young skiers who are ready to take their freestyle skiing to the next level. Salomon describes it as wide enough for the whole resort but agile enough for the park, with a waist of about 93 mm and a true twin-tip shape. It is a flat ski, sold on its own in 143, 153 and 163 cm (Salomon also lists a set with the L6 binding). Dimensions are 121-92-111 mm with a 12 m radius at 143 cm, 122-93-112 mm and 14 m at 153 cm, and 124-94-114 mm and 15 m at 163 cm.

On-snow performance

On paper the Ten is a park-and-resort twin for teenagers who already ski with confidence. The true twin-tip shape and what Salomon calls a balanced flex are there for riding switch, spinning smoothly and keeping a flow through the park. Rocker in the tip and the tail, together with a fairly short radius for the length, should give quick edge changes and easy pivots on rails, side hits and freeride lines. At 92 to 94 mm underfoot the ski has more float in soft snow than a narrow junior twin, so it should still feel at home when the resort gets tracked out after a snowfall. A Dual Woodcore with fibreglass and full sandwich sidewalls gives more stability and edge hold than the composite cores of most children's skis. Salomon rates it for beginners and intermediates, so it should remain forgiving for a teen who is new to freestyle rather than stiff and demanding.

Construction & specs explained

• Shape: true twin tip with tip and tail rocker.
• Core: Dual Woodcore, a mix of two wood types with high-density wood in the core for stability and torsional stiffness.
• Reinforcement: fibreglass.
• Sidewall: full sandwich sidewalls for edge grip and smooth snow contact.
• Base: 100% recycled base.
• Sidecut: 121-92-111 mm (143 cm), 122-93-112 mm (153 cm), 124-94-114 mm (163 cm).
• Radius: 12 / 14 / 15 m at 143 / 153 / 163 cm.
• Weight: 1,170 g (143 cm), 1,300 g (153 cm) and 1,410 g (163 cm) per ski, without binding (Salomon lists 2,340 / 2,600 / 2,820 g per pair).
• Bindings: sold flat; Salomon also offers a set with the L6 binding.
• Level: beginner to intermediate; snow type: mixed, per Salomon.

Who it's for & comparisons

The départ. Ten is for teenagers and small adults, at roughly 143 to 163 cm ski length, who spend their days between the park and the rest of the mountain. Salomon's own Salomon Qst blank team has a similar width (88 to 92 mm) but is a freeride-oriented twin for slightly younger skiers, with lengths from 128 to 152 cm; the Ten is the more park-focused choice. The Atomic Bent chetler mini 153-163 has almost the same waist (93 to 94 mm) and more rocker for powder, so it suits a teen who chases fresh snow more than rails. The Black crows Camox jr at 90 mm is a directional all-mountain alternative for teens who rarely ride switch. Once a teen outgrows the Ten, the adult Salomon Depart 02 continues the line with a 98 to 101 mm waist.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• True twin tip and balanced flex for switch riding and spins.
• 92 to 94 mm waist works in the park and in soft snow on the rest of the mountain.
• Dual Woodcore and full sandwich sidewalls give more stability than composite junior skis.
• Light for a wood-core twin at 1,300 g per ski at 153 cm.

Cons

• Too wide and soft for a teen who mainly carves on hard pistes.
• Only three lengths, from 143 to 163 cm.
• Sold flat, so a binding is an extra cost unless you choose the L6 set.
• Aimed at beginners and intermediates, so strong teens may want a stiffer ski.

Verdict: The départ. Ten is a well-built teenage twin tip that bridges the park and the rest of the resort. Pick it for a young freestyler who wants a real wood-core ski without the weight of an adult model; a teen who mostly carves groomed runs needs a narrower, stiffer ski.