Majesty Vanguard 108 Carbon — Review

The Majesty Vanguard 108 Carbon is a light backcountry-freeride ski built around the brand's 4x4 Design Concept — a directional twin shaped to earn turns on the way up and charge hard on the way down. With a 108 mm waist and a carbon-and-aramid layup, it sits in the sweet spot for skiers who tour to reach untracked snow but refuse to give up downhill authority once they point it. It comes in 166, 174, 180 and 186 cm, so there is a length for a wide range of skiers and terrain. The profile pairs front rocker with flat camber underfoot and a 4x4 rocker tail, giving it both float in soft snow and a directional, drive-forward personality on firm approaches. This is a ski for people who want touring-friendly weight without a touring ski's timidity.

The Vanguard 108 Carbon's defining trait is how much energy it holds for its weight. At around 1800 g per ski in the 174 cm length, it climbs willingly, yet the carbon and aramid fibers give it a high-energy flex that snaps out of turns and stays composed at speed. The 108 mm waist and front rocker deliver strong float in soft snow, planing up and staying on top rather than diving, while the flat camber underfoot and long effective edge grip firmly on wind-scoured, firm approaches. The 4x4 rocker tail keeps it from feeling too long and helps it finish turns cleanly, but this remains a directional ski that rewards a forward, driving stance rather than a slashy, playful one. The roughly 20 m radius at 174 cm gives it a stable medium-to-long turn shape that suits open bowls and fast, committed lines. Push it hard and it holds a line; it wants speed and soft snow more than tight, low-speed pivoting.

The Vanguard 108 Carbon is built on a paulownia core with poplar inserts, keeping the base weight low while adding strength where the ski needs it. Over that core sit triaxial and biaxial fiberglass layers reinforced with carbon and aramid fibers — the carbon supplying snap and torsional stiffness, the aramid adding a measure of vibration control and toughness. Semi-cap sidewalls balance edge grip against weight, and a fast IS7200 sintered base keeps it gliding. At 174 cm the sidecut measures 132/108/122 mm with a representative turn radius of about 20 m, and the profile combines hybrid front rocker, flat camber and the 4x4 rocker tail. The result is a ski engineered to be light enough to tour while shaped and reinforced to charge like a freeride ski.

This is a ski for the freeride-focused tourer — someone who prioritizes downhill drive and float over the last few grams on the climb. Within Majesty's own line, the Majesty Vanguard 108 Ti is the damper Titanal version for skiers who descend harder than they climb, while the Majesty Vanguard 118 Carbon is the wider, more powder-focused sibling. Against the broader market, the Nordica Enforcer 104 and K2 Mindbender 106c mens are natural resort-freeride cross-shops in this width band, and the Black crows Corvus is a comparable directional charger for skiers who like to drive the shovel and hold a line at speed.

Pros

• Light enough to tour, yet shaped and reinforced to charge on the descent.
• High-energy carbon-aramid flex that snaps out of turns and stays stable at speed.
• Long effective edge and flat camber grip firmly on firm approaches.
• Strong float in soft snow from the 108 mm waist and front rocker.

Cons

• The light carbon build is less damp than a metal ski in heavy chop.
• At 108 mm it is only average on true firm hardpack.
• Directional character wants soft snow and speed, less playful at low speeds.
• Rewards a forward, driving stance, so it is less forgiving of a passive skier.

Verdict: The Majesty Vanguard 108 Carbon is a focused backcountry-freeride ski that pulls off a rare balance: it is light enough to earn turns on the skin track yet snaps and charges like a resort freeride ski on the way down. If your priority is reaching untracked snow and driving hard once you point it, it is an excellent choice. Skiers who want maximum damping in heavy chop should look to the Titanal Vanguard 108 Ti, but for those who value energy and low weight in equal measure, few skis in this class charge this willingly.