The Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti is the second in the GS-like line skis from the French manufacturer (although this particular model is made in Catalonia, Spain). Being second can mean many things. If we think about racing, being second is always a pitty since you are the first in the list of losers. But there are many ways to lose. You can lose by a 10 seconds difference, which is very often seen as a lot, or just because of one cent or even a few milliseconds. The question is: how does the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti lose compared to its elder brother the Hero Elite LT Racing R20.

Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti – Click to enlarge
© Skis Rossignol SAS

If anyone was able to choose how to lose at any competition, the bet would be clear for everyone. If not being the winner, being the closest as possible as the winner is in everyone’s aspirations. And that is what actually happens with the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti. It is exactly the same ski as the Hero Elite LT Racing R20. Well… it is exactly the same plank, from the same mold, with the same construction, using the same materials. What does then make these two skis different? The plate-binding system.

Where the top range model uses the R20 Racing plate, the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti uses the TPX system from Rossignol. Is this important? Yes. And no. So then, what? Let me explain.

The TPX system in the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti is pretty similar to the more racy R20. However, there are some features that distinguish the two and can be a decisive factor when choosing between them. The TPX model incorporates a rail on top of the two halves conforming the raisers. That rail will allow, 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. The downside is that rail will add some rigidity to the whole system, disallowing some of the free flex that this kind of modern binding permits. This trade off is worth it for the majority of skiers out there. However, the purists should go for the real thing and choose the model with the R20 Racing plate. Why? Because they love to suffer the inconveniences that pure things come with.

Now, for the rest of technologies in the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti I strongly recommend you to take a look to the article dedicated to the top model in the GS-like league from Rossignol, the Hero LT Racing R20. There you will find a deep explanation of Rossignol’s technologies in the Race range. Just to recap, a few of them are: Prop Tech, Minicap Sandwich, Power Turn Rocker and the above mentioned TPX plate system.

The ski’s profile is quite narrow and this is where a good Race ski shows up. Wider profiles usually mean a preference for a wider audience, while narrower ones are in fact closer to the real FIS models (of course avoiding all the inconveniences from those). This is directly translated into the turn radius found in the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti. With a sidecut of 115-69-96, the end result is a radius of 19 m. Twelve pounds or nearly five kilograms per pair is the figure for this ski’s weight. The length offering covers everyone’s needs going from 162 cm to 183 cm, passing through 170 cm and 176 cm sizes, although I’d recommend everyone to choose the longest possible size. That is to say something in between the 0+5 cm at least if you want to really discover the GS experience.

All these characteristics make the Rossignol Hero Elite LT-Ti a great GS ski. It has everything one may need to experience the speed, acceleration and powerful sensations from the GS skiing style.