Equipe gs 12 review

Overview

The Equipe GS 12 is the middle model of Salomon's new Equipe GS family for 26/27, the race-inspired line that takes the place of the S/Race models in Salomon's range. It comes as a package with the P749 race plate and the I12 GW binding. The geometry is a classic recreational GS shape: 68 mm underfoot, 115–116 mm at the tip and a radius of 16 m at 170 cm, 17 m at 175 cm and 18 m at 180 cm. What separates it from the GS 10 is the build: an ash and poplar core, two titanal sheets, Salomon's Power Control System (PCS) cork inserts and a 7 mm race sidewall.

On-snow performance

Everything on the spec sheet points to long, fast carved turns on firm groomers. The full-camber profile, double titanal and the stiffer ash in the core give it the backbone for high edge angles, while the PCS cork inserts are Salomon's answer to vibration at speed. The 7° angled sidewall is meant to speed up turn initiation, so the ski should move from edge to edge quicker than its 17 m radius (at 175 cm) suggests. The P749 plate adds leverage over the edge and adds weight, so this is a ski that wants to be driven: at low speed or in short, skidded turns it will feel stiff and serious. Soft snow, bumps and off-piste are not its world — Salomon designed it for wide GS-style turns on prepared slopes.

Construction & specs explained

• Core: ash and poplar — poplar for responsiveness and damping, ash for power and stability, according to Salomon.
• Metal: double titanal, 0.6 mm + 0.4 mm.
• Damping: Power Control System (PCS), cork inserts combined with the titanal layer.
• Sidewall: 7 mm ABS, 7° angle, full-length sandwich sidewalls.
• Edges: wide steel edge for more sharpening sessions.
• Profile: full camber, competition profile.
• Plate and binding: P749 race plate with the I12 GW binding (I12 TL GW), supplied together.
• Dimensions: 116-68-98 mm (170), 115-68-97 mm (175), 115-68-96 mm (180).
• Weight: 2,400 g (170), 2,420 g (175) and 2,480 g (180) per ski including the plate.
• Made in Austria.

Who it's for & comparisons

The GS 12 is aimed at strong advanced and expert piste skiers, masters racers and ex-racers who want GS-style carving without going all the way to a race-room ski. In Salomon's range it takes the place of the Salomon S race gs 12, with the same 170/175/180 cm lengths. Within the Equipe family, the Salomon Equipe gs 10 has the same sidecut and radius per length but uses a poplar core, 4 mm sidewalls and the Mi12 GW binding, so it is lighter and easier going. The Salomon Equipe gs pro steps up to a solid ash core, thicker titanal (0.8 + 0.6 mm) and 175/179/182 cm lengths for racers. Outside Salomon, the Stockli Laser gs (68 mm waist, 15–18 m) and the Atomic Redster g9 (67 mm, 15–18 m) are the obvious cross-shops in the same race-carver class.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Ash/poplar core and double titanal for power and edge hold on firm snow.
• PCS cork inserts target vibration damping at speed.
• 7 mm sidewall with a 7° angle for quick, direct edge transfer.
• Race plate and binding included, ready to ski.

Cons

• Around 2.4 kg per ski with plate, which is heavy over a long day.
• Demanding at low speed and in short, skidded turns.
• A groomer specialist with no help in soft snow or bumps.
• The shortest length is 170 cm.

Verdict: The Equipe GS 12 is the sweet spot of Salomon's new GS line for strong piste skiers: race-plate leverage, ash power and PCS damping in a 16–18 m GS shape. If you want something easier, look at the GS 10; if you run gates, the GS Pro is the next step up.