Racetiger sl r wc fis review

Overview

The Racetiger SL R WC FIS is Völkl's FIS-legal slalom race ski, aimed at U18 athletes working towards European Cup level. It ships in 157 and 165 cm with a 12 m radius in both lengths, 115-65-98 mm (157) and 119-65-101 mm (165), and comes as a package with the Marker Interface World Cup plate pre-mounted — 10 mm on the 157, 14 mm on the 165. The build is Völkl's World Cup recipe: a World Cup Woodcore of 50% ash and 50% poplar, two layers of Full Titanal, Tailored Carbon Tips, 3D.Glass, full ABS sidewalls, a P-Tex 2510 base with Zebra structure and a slalom race finish of 0.7° base and 87.6° side. Listed weights without binding are 1910 g (157 cm) and 2250 g (165 cm).

On-snow performance

Everything about the construction points to the gate. Völkl says the Tailored Carbon Tips give a very precise, direct and reliable shovel response that lets the athlete take a shorter, narrower line to the gate, and the geometry is tuned the same way — a tighter, faster turn at every pole. The full-camber profile and two full titanal sheets mean the ski bends into the 12 m arc under load and holds on injected or icy courses, with the ash in the core acting as the restoring force that snaps the ski back at turn exit. The World Cup plate raises the stand height and adds leverage over the edge, which sharpens grip but also adds mass. Below race pace this is a stiff, serious ski: it does not smear, it is not forgiving of a backseat, and in soft or cut-up snow it offers nothing beyond what a 65 mm race ski can. For a slalom racer on a prepared course, that is exactly the point.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: WorldCup Woodcore — 50% ash / 50% poplar; the long ash fibres stretch at turn initiation and contract at the end of the turn.
• Metal: Full Titanal, two layers — agile and dynamic, built for a hard, fast, aggressive style.
• Tips: Tailored Carbon Tips — carbon fibres embroidered along the stress lines of the shovel.
• Glass: 3D.GLASS — three-dimensional, multiple-folded glass layers in tip and tail for edge grip and rebound; flat glass under the binding.
• Sidewall: Full Sidewall ABS.
• Profile: Full Camber — no rocker.
• Base and finish: P-Tex 2510 sintered base, Zebra Structure, Race Finish SL 0.7° base / 87.6° side.
• Plate: Marker Interface WC plate pre-mounted (10 mm at 157 cm, 14 mm at 165 cm); Völkl recommends the Marker Comp 20 or Comp 30 binding, sold separately.
• Dimensions: 115-65-98 mm at 157 cm, 119-65-101 mm at 165 cm; 12 m radius in both.
• Weight without binding: 1910 g (157), 2250 g (165).

Who it's for & comparisons

This is a ski for licensed slalom racers — U18 and up — and serious masters who run gates on hard snow and maintain their edges. For everyone else, the Volkl Racetiger sl is the recreational slalom carver with a tip rocker and a 12.6 m radius. In the FIS slalom class the obvious cross-shops are the Atomic Redster s9 fis (65.5 mm, 157/165 cm, 12.1 m), the Rossignol Hero fis sl (157/165 cm, 12–13 m), the Blizzard Firebird sl fis (151/156/165 cm), the Fischer Rc4 worldcup noize sl men (165 cm) and the Head Worldcup rebels e sl. Within Völkl's own race room, the Volkl Racetiger gs r wc fis is the giant-slalom counterpart with the same ash core and World Cup plate.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Full World Cup construction: ash/poplar core, two full titanal layers, Tailored Carbon Tips.
• FIS-legal 65 mm waist and 12 m radius in 157 and 165 cm.
• Marker World Cup plate pre-mounted and race-tuned from the factory.
• 3D.Glass and full ABS sidewalls for grip and rebound on ice.

Cons

• Only two lengths, aimed squarely at U18 and adult racers.
• 2250 g per ski at 165 cm before the binding — heavy for a slalom ski.
• Race binding (Comp 20/30) is not included and adds to the price.
• Unforgiving outside a race course; no soft-snow ability.

Verdict: The Racetiger SL R WC FIS is a genuine race-room slalom ski for athletes who need FIS-legal geometry and World Cup construction without a factory team. If you are not running gates, the Racetiger SL will serve you far better.