Voile HyperDrifter – Modern Powder Slashing for the Traditionalist
Voile has long focused on wide powder ski designs. As a dedicated backcountry brand with the famed deep snow of the Wasatch as their testing grounds, it only makes sense. From the early Mountain Surf to the more contemporary Drifter and Charger models, they have been building skis that set the bar for deep snow flotation for literal decades. The latest wide powder ski design to come out of Voile’s Utah headquarters is the HyperDrifter. Although the ski shares the Drifter name with an earlier ski design that helped launch the modern powder slashing era, the HyperDrifter is actually pretty different from the Drifter of a decade ago.
Nimble and Modern with Full-Length Control
The Voile HyperDrifter takes a relatively traditional approach to modern powder ski design. Many skis in the 120mm+ waist category feature healthy rocker with tapered tip and tail shapes plus little to no camber underfoot. The result is maneuverable skis that float and slash deep snow like the Voile V8. The HyperDrifter is more SuperCharger than V8 when it comes to shape. It matches a more traditional camber profile and a relatively flat tail with an early rise tip and no significant taper. The result is a good long running surface and full ski engagement in all snow conditions.
The HyperDrifter’s wide shovel and early rise make short work of soft snow, floating through a wide range of conditions with modern ease and maneuverability. Its flatter tail holds onto turns longer than a more rockered shape and lets you engage the full length of the ski to ride through turns in any snow. Add in a good dose of sidecut like that of the original Drifter, and you have a nimble ski that can move between variable backcountry conditions with confidence. It’s a modern powder slasher for skiers who prefer more traditionalist ski engagement through every turn.
Lightweight Hyper Construction
Voile’s lightweight hyper construction drops literal pounds off the weight of the original Drifter. Still, the design offers a solid platform for dealing with firm wind buff and changeable backcountry snow. Sure, it’s a backcountry ski, not a multi-tool for mixed resort days. Nonetheless, the HyperDrifter is equally as fun in boot top conditions as it is in bottomless pow. If a soft snow touring ski is what you’re after, the Voile HyperDrifter sets a high bar for all-around backcountry utility that literally rises to the occasion when the going gets deep.
Voile HyperDrifter – $795 171/178/186cm; (178cm = 155-121-138 – 6lbs 14oz / 3.11kg)
Check HyperDrifter prices and availability
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