Soul jr review

Overview

For 26/27 Rossignol's Sender Soul skis are simply called Soul, and the Soul Jr carries that name into the junior range. Rossignol's North American site calls it the Soul Kid-X; European shops sell it as the Soul Jr with a Kid 4 GW binding; and Rossignol's own product text still describes it as the Rallybird JR, the name of the brand's women's freeride line. Whatever the label, Rossignol publishes exactly the same shape, lengths, weights and construction as for the Rossignol Sender jr, so this is the same ski in a different graphic. Rossignol rates it for intermediate juniors.

On-snow performance

It helps to think of the Soul Jr as two shapes. The three short lengths (104, 110 and 116 cm) use a 106/74/98 mm sidecut with a 7, 8 and 9 m radius — very quick, round turns for small children who are still steering more than carving. From 122 cm the ski grows to 108/76/100 mm with 10, 11 and 14 m, which gives an older child a slightly calmer, longer arc. Both share high traditional camber for grip on firm snow and a slight tip rocker that, according to Rossignol, makes turn entry easier and helps kids pivot, steer and stop on changing terrain. That makes it a good fit for mixed days: groomers in the morning, soft snow piled up at the side of the run in the afternoon. It is a single-tip shape with a flat tail, so do not expect park-ski behaviour.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: Microcell core, presented under Rossignol's HD Core feature, with fibreglass reinforcement.
• Build: Cap construction — the topsheet folds down to the steel edges instead of a sidewall, which Rossignol says keeps the ski light, comfortable and resistant to chipping.
• Base: extruded, chosen for durability in rental and demo use.
• Shape: Oversized Sidecut — a deep carving sidecut on a modern waist width.
• Lengths: 104 / 110 / 116 / 122 / 128 / 140 cm.
• Dimensions: 106/74/98 mm up to 116 cm, 108/76/100 mm from 122 cm.
• Radius: 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 14 m.
• Weight: 0.7 kg at 104 cm up to 1.0 kg at 140 cm. Rossignol labels the column per pair, but as across its tables these are per-ski values.
• Binding: Kid-X system with Kid 4 GW; the plate is fixed, so the ski is not made for touring.

Who it's for & comparisons

A good match for a child who can already ski red runs and wants one ski for the whole mountain, with a design that suits them better than the Sender graphic. Because it is the same ski as the Rossignol Sender jr, the choice between the two is purely about looks. The Dynastar Lemon girl kid from sister brand Dynastar is the closest outside rival: a 107/75/99 mm shape, the same 104–140 cm lengths and a similar tip-rocker profile. If the child mostly carves groomers, a narrower 67 mm ski such as the Rossignol Hero jr or the Blizzard Pearl jr will grip more precisely on hard snow.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Two shape groups: very short radius for small kids, longer arcs from 122 cm.
• 74–76 mm waist adds stability in soft and chopped snow.
• Light, at 0.7–1.0 kg per ski according to Rossignol.
• Tough Cap construction and extruded base.

Cons

• Flat tail, so it is not a park or switch ski.
• Kid-X system plate limits the binding choice.
• Less precise on icy pistes than a narrow junior carver.

Verdict: A versatile, easy-turning junior ski for children who ski the whole mountain; it is the Sender Jr in a different graphic, so buy whichever design your child prefers.