Laser mp review

Overview

The Laser MP is Stöckli's women's slalom ski (article 41020427): "MP" stands for Motion Performance, and the Swiss brand describes it as an athletic, easy-handling piste ski for sporty, ambitious women. The shape is pure slalom carver — 118-67-100 mm, with radii of 10.7 m (148 cm), 11.7 m (154), 12.8 m (160) and 13.9 m (166). Compared with the comfort-oriented Laser MX, the MP uses the Piste Core Light, Flex Torsion Control Titanal, phenol Racing Sidewalls Black and Full Edge Contact geometry, so it is the sharper of Stöckli's two women's Lasers. It costs 1,199 EUR ski-only, plus 200–500 EUR for one of four plate-and-binding sets.

On-snow performance

Everything on the spec sheet points to short and medium carved turns on firm snow. A 67 mm waist with 118 mm at the tip gives fast edge changes, and the Full Edge Contact geometry sets the widest points further forward and back so that the whole edge engages as the ski is tilted. The Flex Torsion Control Titanal has an S-shaped notch at shovel and tail, which softens flex and torsion at the ends: the construction suggests easier turn initiation than a race-room SL while the metal still adapts and holds through the direction change. Phenol sidewalls with a harder resin are Stöckli's race recipe for direct power transfer, and the Size Optimized Construction means the 148 and 154 cm lengths are built a little lighter and softer than the 160 and 166. At 1,410–1,620 g per ski it is light for a Titanal slalom ski, and the Softflex layup is tuned for lighter skiers, so on paper it should be quick and lively rather than heavy and damp. Off the groomers its narrow waist and full-camber profile offer little, and it is not a ski for leisurely skidded turns.

Construction & specs explained

• Construction: Sandwich System, made in Switzerland.
• Core: Piste Core Light.
• Metal: Flex Torsion Control (FTC) — Titanal with an S-shaped notch at shovel and tail for softer flex and adaptive torsion at the ends.
• Size Optimized Construction (SOC): shorter lengths built lighter and softer.
• Full Edge Contact (FEC): widest points set further forward and back for a longer engaged edge.
• Sidewalls: Racing Sidewalls Black (RSB) — phenol with a harder resin and carbon black.
• Softflex (SF) + Lady: thinner layers for a softer flex.
• Edges: Solid Metal Edge Light; base: Racing-Graphite; surface: Polyamid.
• Sidecut: 118-67-100 mm, identical for all lengths.
• Radius: 10.7 m (148), 11.7 m (154), 12.8 m (160), 13.9 m (166).
• Weight: 1,410 g (148), 1,480 g (154), 1,550 g (160), 1,620 g (166) per ski; Stöckli lists 2.82–3.24 kg per pair.
• Plate and binding sets: SRT 12 with SRT Speed D20 or SRT Carbon plate, MC 12 F80 with Fullflex plate, MC 11 F80 with MC D20 plate — all GripWalk compatible.

Who it's for & comparisons

The Laser MP is for advanced and expert women who carve short turns on hard snow and want a race-flavoured ski that is still light enough to ski all day. Within Stöckli, the unisex Stockli Laser sl is the heavier reference (66 mm, 11.0–14.5 m radii, about 1,715 g per ski at 160 cm) and the Laser MX is the softer, wider 71 mm sister for comfort-first carving. Among women's slalom carvers in the catalog, the Nordica Belle sl dc fdt (69 mm, 11–13 m, about 1,590 g at 160 cm) and the Elan Ace sl11 w (68 mm, 10–12.6 m) are the obvious cross-shops; the Atomic Cloud c14 (69 mm, 12.1–14.8 m) is a system ski with a slightly longer radius run and no plate choice to make.

Pros, cons and verdict

Pros

• Slalom geometry with 10.7–13.9 m radii for quick, tight carving.
• Flex Torsion Control Titanal eases initiation without giving up hold.
• Phenol race sidewalls for direct power transfer.
• Light for its class at 1,410–1,620 g per ski.
• Size Optimized Construction tunes the short lengths for lighter skiers.

Cons

• 1,199 EUR plus 200–500 EUR for the plate and binding.
• Demanding when skied slowly or skidded; it wants to be carved.
• A Stöckli plate system limits binding choice.
• A 67 mm piste specialist with nothing to offer in soft snow.

Verdict: The sharper of Stöckli's two women's Lasers: a light, race-derived slalom carver for strong women who want Swiss grip in short turns. Choose the MX if comfort matters more than tempo.