Sego Big Horn 96 — Review

The Sego Big Horn 96 is a playful, do-it-all all-mountain freeride ski hand-built by the boutique brand Sego Ski Co. in Victor, Idaho. With a 96mm waist it sits right in the sweet spot for a one-ski quiver in most of the world: wide enough to float through soft chop and shallow snow, narrow enough to stay quick edge-to-edge on hard groomers. What sets it apart from the mass-market crowd is its near-symmetric shape and lively, light-metal-free layup, which give it a loose, surfy personality that rewards a skier who likes to play with the mountain rather than plow through it.

On snow the Big Horn 96 feels quick and eager. The moustache rocker profile — matching tip and tail rocker with camber underfoot — releases easily into slashes and pivots, so smearing across chopped-up snow, popping off side-hits and slarving through variable terrain all feel natural. The camber section still bites when you tip it on edge, so groomer carving is fun and grippy at moderate speeds. The near-symmetric outline lets you ride switch and butter the tips and tails with ease, giving the ski a freestyle-friendly attitude. Because it is relatively light and free of a full metal laminate, it stays lively and playful, though it asks for an active, centred stance when things get fast and firm rather than rewarding a lazy back-seat push.

The Big Horn 96 is built around a poplar wood core, wrapped in biaxial carbon fiber and triaxial fiberglass. The carbon adds pop and torsional snap without adding much weight, while the triaxial glass broadens the sweet spot and keeps the flex smooth. VDS rubber damping calms chatter, and a 1.4mm Durasurf 4001 sintered base runs fast and holds wax. Chunky 2.2mm edges add durability for a hand-built ski. Sidecut is 122/96/118mm. Weights run 1300g at 158, 1640g at 167, 1740g at 176, 1835g at 181 and 1935g at 187 per ski, with turn radii of 12, 16, 17, 19 and 20.5m across the five lengths (158, 167, 176, 181, 187cm). That short 12m radius at 158 makes the small size especially snappy.

This ski is for the playful all-mountain skier who values a loose, poppy feel over top-end stability, and who spends time slashing chop, hitting natural features and carving groomers rather than straight-lining at speed. If you want more metal-backed damping and directional power, the Nordica Enforcer 94 is a stiffer, hard-charging alternative. The Elan Ripstick 96 is a similarly light, lively all-mountain option, while the K2 Mindbender 96 splits the difference with a firmer, more directional character. If you want the same personality with more float, look at the Sego Big Horn 106.

Pros

• Playful, near-symmetric shape that loves slashes, butters and side-hits.
• Light carbon-glass layup keeps it quick and easy to pivot.
• Grippy camber underfoot for genuinely fun groomer carving.
• Boutique hand-built quality with durable 2.2mm edges and a fast sintered base.

Cons

• Light build gives up top-end stability versus heavy metal skis.
• 96mm waist offers only average float in deep snow.
• Near-symmetric shape feels less locked-in than a directional charger.

Verdict: The Sego Big Horn 96 is a lively, characterful all-mountain freeride ski that rewards an active, playful skier. It carves willingly, slashes and butters with ease and stays quick underfoot, trading outright high-speed stability and deep-snow float for a fun, surfy personality. If you want a one-ski quiver you can throw around the whole mountain, it is a compelling boutique choice.