The Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO is Völkl’s interpretation of a GS for the general public. How general and how public are the main questions. And here there’s the article explaining it all.
Völkl is known for making some hardcore skis on the top end. And this is no different with the Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO. A masterpiece for some and a missed opportunity for others. A bit of both from your editor’s perspective. This ski looks and in fact is thicker than the other GS skis available. It weights a bit more, which is also a remarkable feature of good powerful skis. The words race, tiger, speed and wall complete the rest of the story. At this point your pulse has gone higher and the nerves seem to be tightened. Let’s see how they behave on the piste.
Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO
© Marker Völkl International GmbH
As it’s been the case for the last seasons the Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO is a ski focused on speed and therefore is not happy when you are trying to slide it sideways at low speeds. Want to practice some old wedeln? You’d better be awake boy and ski strong with a very strong determination. Still it feels bad.
If you ski in wide arc turns you will find it easier although you may think you ski fast. This ski will tell you how really fast you ski. Because it really doesn’t work… Until you push the envelope and start skiing really fast. Once that happens you will feel how it really grips, how easy to carve and how maneuverable this ski is. Turns come easy one after the other and stability comes granted in every turn at every point of it. There is a problem though, you will find yourself queuing on the lift gates more often than before.
So the main conclusion is this: The Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO is not a recreational ski nor a “go for a walk” one. It requires high level skills, good physical condition and forgetting about anything that is not related to speed and hardpacked groomed trails.
The mounted bindings are from Marker and they are the specific model for this type of skis. The DIN regulation goes from 6 to 16, leaving clear once more what’s the focus of this model. The bindings are also painted to match the new style for this year, coupling perfectly to the ski’s image.
The Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO features the same old known Völkl technologies such as the Speed Multilayer Woodcar, Power Construction, the Titanium reinforcement thing and so on. There has been also some cosmetic renewal which will be discussed later. And the UVO is still with us.
As others did before, Völkl has found the Holy Grail. That is, yet another anti-everything-bad-for-skiing-gizmo. This time, the toy (sorry… the system) is supposed to reduce undesired vibrations. Good, at least they don’t turn them into electricity. The problem is, trust me, it doesn’t work. It just doesn’t. Look, if any of these systems had worked any time in the past, from the old Rossignol’s VAS to today’s UVO, every single pair of skis in the known universe would have some sort of device like that. They don’t work at all. They can show you slides, figures, tables, graphics, make fancy spots on YouTube or any other fireworks to try to convince you. Just forget it, buy your favourite pair and enjoy skiing! And yes, the Völkl Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO is a great ski.
The Völkl Speedwall Racetiger Speedwall GS UVO is a pure racing ski, for wide turns, physically and mentally demanding. A true jewel for those who are capable to tame it. Good luck.
