Hero mt ti c.a.m. review

Overview

The Hero MT Ti C.A.M. is the 26/27 medium-turn carver in Rossignol's Hero range, and for this season it is a new ski rather than a renamed one. Rossignol's product title still reads Hero Elite MT Ti C.A.M., while the brand's description and the shop feeds drop "Elite". The older ski has its own page: the Rossignol Hero elite mt ti. Snowleader's 24/25 listing of the Hero Elite MT Ti CAM shows 124-74-109 mm in lengths 153 to 183 cm. The 26/27 ski is 128-73-111 mm in lengths 154 to 184 cm, with Power Tip and Predictive Sidecut added. Rossignol pitches it as an accessible, fast-turning piste ski for intermediate to expert skiers who want energetic carving at speed. It is a Konect system ski.

On-snow performance

The radius runs from 12 m at 154 cm to 16 m at 184 cm, so the popular 170 and 178 cm lengths sit at 14 and 15 m. That is medium-turn territory: shorter than a GS-style ski and longer than a slalom carver. With 128 mm at the tip and 111 mm at the tail, the shape is wide at both ends, which on paper means a quick hook-up at the start of the turn and a tail that holds to the end of it. Rossignol uses a Titanal Beam rather than a full sheet of metal: titanal is concentrated underfoot for grip and rebound, while the Carbon Alloy Matrix and Carbon Beam add stiffness without much weight. The V-Profile gives a progressive flex, and Rossignol pairs it with tip rocker for confidence in changing snow. Expect a ski that is livelier and easier to bend than the full-titanal ST Ti and LT Ti, but with more bite and calm than a metal-free carver. At 1.7 to 2.0 kg per ski it is the lightest of the Hero Ti skis.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: PEFC poplar wood core.
• Metal: Titanal Beam, a titanal strip that adds power underfoot.
• Fibre layers: Carbon Alloy Matrix (carbon and basalt woven with glass fibre), Carbon Beam and fibreglass.
• Sidewall: Rectangular Full Sidewall.
• Flex: V-Profile progressive flex.
• Tip and shape: Power Tip and Predictive Sidecut.
• Profile: Tip Rocker, a pronounced traditional camber with a short tip rocker.
• Base and top: Sintered HD base, Premium Hardtop.
• Dimensions: 128-73-111 mm in all five lengths.
• Radius: 12 m (154), 13 m (162), 14 m (170), 15 m (178), 16 m (184).
• Weight per ski from Rossignol's table: 1.7 kg (154), 1.8 kg (162 and 170), 1.9 kg (178), 2.0 kg (184).
• System: Konect, sold with the NX 12 Konect GW binding or with the SPX 12 Konect GW.

Who it's for & comparisons

This ski fits good intermediates on their way up and advanced skiers who want one carver for every kind of groomer, from short swings to wide arcs. It is not the same ski as the Rossignol Hero mt ca: both share the 128-73-111 shape, but Rossignol lists only a Carbon Beam for the MT CA, while the MT Ti C.A.M. adds the Titanal Beam and the Carbon Alloy Matrix and costs more. For a stronger, full-titanal Hero, step up to the Rossignol Hero st ti (short turns) or the Rossignol Hero lt ti (long turns). From other brands, the Volkl Racetiger src (73 mm, titanal band, 12-15.8 m) is the closest match, the Elan Ace sc9+ (74 mm, one Mono Ti layer) is a similar single-metal design, and the Head Worldcup rebels e xsr (72 mm, no metal) is the softer race-shaped choice.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Medium 12-16 m radii cover short and medium turns.
• Titanal Beam plus Carbon Alloy Matrix: grip without the weight of a full metal sheet.
• Five lengths from 154 to 184 cm.
• New, wider 128-73-111 shape with Power Tip for 26/27.

Cons

• Less calm at high speed than the full-titanal Hero ST Ti and LT Ti.
• A 73 mm piste ski with little use in soft snow.
• The Konect plate limits your binding choice.
• 860 euros with the NX 12 binding at Rossignol, close to the full-titanal models.

Verdict: The Hero MT Ti C.A.M. is a new-shape 26/27 medium-turn carver that sits between the metal-free Hero MT CA and the full-titanal ST Ti and LT Ti. Choose it if you want one versatile piste carver with a bit of metal underfoot.