Hero jr review

Overview

The Rossignol Hero Jr is the everyday piste ski of Rossignol's 26/27 junior range: a light, narrow carver for children who have left the beginner slope and are starting to link real turns. Rossignol sells the same ski in two binding packages — the Hero Jr 100-140 with the Kid-X plate and a Kid 4 GW binding, and the Hero Jr 130-150 with an Xpress Jr plate and an Xpress 7 GW binding — so together it covers six lengths from 100 to 150 cm. Rossignol rates it for beginner to intermediate juniors and describes size-adapted progressive flexes that keep every length easy to bend.

On-snow performance

The shape tells most of the story. A 108/67/94 mm sidecut on a 67 mm waist is a classic junior piste outline: narrow enough to roll quickly from edge to edge, with a wide tip that bites as soon as a child tips the ski over. The radius grows with the length — 6 m on the 100, 9 m on the 120, 12 m on the 140 and 14 m on the 150 — so small kids get very short, round turns while taller juniors get a slightly longer arc. Rossignol pairs high traditional camber with a slight tip rocker; on paper that gives secure grip on groomed snow while the tip still steers in without catching. Expect a calm, predictable ski for red runs and ski-school laps rather than a lively all-mountain toy: the narrow waist and short tail are built for firm pistes, not soft snow.

Construction & specs explained

Rossignol lists a Microcell core under its HD Core feature, wrapped in Cap construction (the topsheet rolls down to the edges, with no separate sidewall), with fibreglass reinforcement and an extruded base that the brand chooses for durability in rental and demo use. The Oversized Sidecut combines a deep carving sidecut with a modern waist width for edge grip and stability. Lengths: 100, 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 cm. Sidecut: 108/67/94 mm (the Kid-X table lists a 107 mm tip at 140 cm). Radius: 6 / 7 / 9 / 10 / 12 / 14 m. Rossignol's table gives 0.8 kg at 100 cm rising to 1.0 kg at 140 and 150 cm; the column is labelled per pair, but in line with Rossignol's other tables these are per-ski figures. Both versions come with a factory system plate, so the binding choice is fixed and touring is not an option.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Hero Jr suits a child who skis mostly on groomed runs and wants a ski that turns with very little effort. Inside Rossignol's own range it sits between the tiny pre-drilled kids' ski, the Rossignol Hero pro, and the race-oriented Rossignol Hero jr multi-event, which has a stiffer race-style build for children who already train gates. The Blizzard Firebird jr is the closest like-for-like rival — the same 67 mm waist and a similar length spread up to 140 cm — while the Dynastar Xpress jr from sister brand Dynastar uses an identical 108/67/94 outline but starts at 130 cm, so it suits older juniors better than small children.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Very short radius on the small lengths makes turning easy for young children.
• Six lengths from 100 to 150 cm across the two binding packages.
• Light: about 0.8–1.0 kg per ski according to Rossignol.
• Durable Cap build and extruded base cope with hard use.

Cons

• 67 mm waist is a piste-only shape; no help in soft snow.
• Factory system plate limits binding choice.
• Ambitious young racers will outgrow it and need the Hero jr multi-event.

Verdict: A sensible, easy-turning piste ski for children who are learning to carve; pick the Kid-X package for the smaller lengths and the Xpress package once the child needs 130–150 cm.