Voile is a local ski company that has long been on my radar since they manufacture their backcountry skis right here in Utah. They also make some damn-fine skis, as evidenced in the awesome Voile Charger backcountry skis.
Awesome? Hell yea. The Voile Charger are my favorite new ski that I’ve been able to test so far this winter. The Chargers drive like a Cadillac, just like a made-in-America ski should. Also like a Caddy, they give the skier a super smooth ride. While bombing down runs with choppy or bumpy soft snow, the Chargers absorbed everything thrown at them to the point that I didn’t even feel it.
In the powder, the Voile Chargers just kill. Turns can only be described as buttery… no, whipped buttery. The rockered tip and 110mm underfoot destroy the snow and provide a platform that rides powder like a surf board. I could get on edge and carve wide turns, or smear to my heart’s content. In fact, the Chargers are so good in pow, that you could almost say they’re a bit boring. I don’t mean this in a bad way, just that there are no surprises with these skis. The Chargers are very straightforward, no-nonsense skis that don’t have any tricks up their sleeves…. just a very meat and potatoes kind of ski.
The Voile Charger are technically made for backcountry use – in fact they’re marketed as telemark skis in some literature floating around the web. But don’t be deterred by this if you’re looking at them as a resort setup. Although the Charger are light weight and nimble with their fiberglass-wrapped aspen core, they’re not wimps. I was able to ski them in every condition, even hardpack, without them giving me any trouble. The traditional camber underfoot allows easy (though wide) turning on groomers and gives the edges some bite. Icy moguls or bulletproof crud will most definitely throw them around, but I think any ski would be tossed in those kinds of conditions.
I also love the topsheet’s stained-wood grain design. The Voile Charger is a timeless-looking ski I wouldn’t mind staring at from above on the ski lift or skintrack.
Here’s all the technical specs from Voile:
Length (cm) 171 181 191
Tip Width (mm) 134 137 140
Waist (mm) 110 112 114
Tail Width (mm) 123 126 128
Radius (m) 21.7 23 25.4
Tip Rocker(cm)-(de-cambered) 34.5 35 39
Tail Rise(cm)-(de-cambered) 17 17.5 16.5
Tip Height(cm)-(de-cambered) 7 7 8
Tail Height(cm)-(de-cambered) 3 3 2.5
Running Length(cm)-(de-cambered) 119.5 128.5 135.5
Underfoot Camber(mm) 3 3 3
Pair Weight (lbs-oz./kg) 7lbs-3oz/3.26kg 8lbs-2oz/3.69kg 8lbs-12oz/3.97kg
Overall, if you’re looking for a perfect powder ski that can go from the backcountry to the resort with ease, and even lays turns on the groomers, then look no further than the Voile Charger.
To purchase the Voile Charger skis, try Backcountry.com
For more information and to check out other Voile offerings, visit them at www.voileusa.com
Anyone skied/compared both the Charger and Buster? Thanks.
Haven’t tried the Buster yet, but we plan on getting on a pair this year for sure. We’ll report back when we do.