The Rossignol Hero Elite ST is the last offering in the Slalom range skis at Rossignol. Although it shares the same measurements with the rest of the slalom range, the construction is different. One significant difference is that this model does not include any metal layer. Aside from that, it has all the goodies from the French manufacturer. Let’s see what it’s like…

Rossignol Hero Elite ST
© Skis Rossignol SAS

The size offering is wide, going from the lowest size of 156 cm to the longest which is a somehow long 171 cm. I bet the 161 cm and 166 cm sizes are going to be the best sellers for this particular model. The profile of the Rossignol Hero Elite ST is identical to the rest of the Slalom range, starting with a 122 shovel, followed by a 68 mm waist under the foot and a 104 mm tail. The static radius falls into a short figure of just 12 m. The weight of the whole lot is 4kg per pair.

As of technologies, Rossignol puts the Power Turn Rocker, the Prop Tech and the Minicap Sandwich construction on the table. As it’s been mentioned before, the Rossignol Hero Elite ST does not have any metal alloy inside that Sandwich. And there is a very good reason for this. Skis are made from different materials, with the central core often made of wood. That core is surrounded by other materials which give the ski its character and behaviour. Fiberglass is one of those materials. It is cheap, common, easy to manipulate by anyone with two hands and gives the ski strength but also reactivity. So what happens if you put a lot of fiberglass? Well… the ski you are building can be considered a missile launch ramp if you put too much of that. No one will be able to ski it. It won’t be very hard to bend, less than you might expect. But everything that comes in, will come out. The question, as always, is how. And trust me, it will come out violently. In order to smooth those harsh reactions but keep the necessary “pop” and power to the planks, manufacturers put some metal alloy layers into the mix.

And now let’s answer the question all of you are thinking of. “Why does the Rossignol Hero Elite ST not have one of those metal layers?” Well, Rossignol has designed a ski that doesn’t really need them. Because they added just the necessary bits of fiber and other stuff to make this ski enjoyable by many people while being considered an Slalom Race ski.

As for the plate-binding system, the Rossignol Hero Elite ST uses the TPX system. It consists in two parts similar to the R20 plate. Those parts are drilled to allow a bit free movement of some of the screws that fix the binding and the plate. The others strongly attach it to the ski, don’t worry. On top of those two halves, Rossignol places a pre-drilled rail. That rail will let, with the help of other pieces such a very handy lever, to adjust the binding to a different boot size. And this is a very handy feature if you plan to share a pair of skis, or if you are a rent shop.

Is the Rossignol Hero Elite ST a good and viable Slalom ski option for you? Yes, it is. Specially if you like to ski with comfortable skis. This ski handles those Slalom turns in full comfort. It comes in easily in all turns, it’s poppy but not harsh, feels smooth and is really fun to ski.