4FRNT Raven
The 4FRNT Raven has been highly rated by a number of ski reviewers and powder magazines. With the new skin attachment system, this ski could be my new backcountry touring weapon. Enough reasons to give it a try and order my pair to add to my quiver. I will provide some first insights after about 10 days of skiing these babies.
To get the full specs please see the 4FRNT Raven 4-LOCK product page. The ski was developed together with Hoji - the legendary freestyle skier. It has a pretty unique shape, being a full rocker with reverse camber and almost no sidecut. A very interesting powder and off-piste tool.
I did order a pair of 184 cm Raven 4-LOCK with pre-cut skins from Pomoca. The skins come with the newly developed 4-LOCK attachment system - bulletproof and also lighter than any other system out there.
The ski is definitively not for carving on piste. This ski does not really carve (at least for me). It requires “an old-school skiing style” on piste. Not the best fun, but manageable to get to the off-piste section. Based on the fact that I’m used to skiing with sidecut it did need a bit of adjustment and after a long day, I almost crashed twice. But after a few days, your mind tends to remember.
Let’s jump to the more exciting part… the off-piste and backcountry skiing. This is the area this ski really excels. In fresh powder, it is a blast and so much fun. The ski really invites you to play with the terrain, and it floats exceptionally well for “just 104” under foot. For me, it did require a few runs to get used to the very centered mount point of the binding (I did go with the factory recommendation). The tail feels kind of long and “hooky”, but once I got used to it and adjusted my stance and style, the ski is a joy to ride. It is quite stable in variable conditions, and also performs surprisingly well in wind-blown snow. I very much loved to ski in older powder at the resort - cruising pretty fast and doing my turns while taking jumps at larger moguls.
As I intend to use this ski for backcountry touring, I mounted a Fritschi Tecton 12. Excellent joy I’d say, very happy so far. The ski tours very nicely with the binding - the setup is definitively on the heavier side for me, but it pays on the downhill. The Pomoca skins (the pink ones) that came with the ski are very promising. They pack minimal and glide very well. On the stepper sections of the uphill, a bit more technique is required, as the reverse-camber ski results in less contact area and friction. So far it worked well, but I did only experience fresh snow and now icy tracks. I suppose you need ski-crampons earlier than with camber skis.
The Raven “in action”
I love the artwork on the front of the ski. Very well done, and it does catch the attention of others.
Unfortunately, the upper seems quite sticky to snow. There was always a bit of snow build-up on top.
All in all, I’m stoked so far. The shipping from the US was a bit of a pain, but well worth the struggle. I need to test the setup in less ideal conditions, especially on more hard-pack and icy elements. Hopefully, they are as reliable as they are fun. They might become my go-to ski for backcountry ski adventures. So stay put for an update later in the season.
Update 2nd of March 2022: After another handful of tours with the Raven, I’m even more a fan. They are awesome in powder, but also in variable snow. I was used to somewhat lighter skis - but the weight brings a substantial advantage in “less than ideal conditions”. The only downside I see so far is on the uphill. The reverse camber results in less contact surface and therefore less friction. If the track is hard packed or even a bit icy, this can be a real challenge. I tend to slide quite a bit earlier than my mates with their skis and skins. Would the Pomoca Climb 2.0 make a difference? Anyone with experience comparing the Pomoca Free Pro 2.0 vs the Climb 2.0 when it comes to uphill performance?