REASONS TO BUY
Predictable
Solid for short carves
REASONS TO AVOID
Generally not exciting
Lacks playfulness
Sub-par carver
Rossignol Black Ops 98 - Women's Review
This ski is a jack of all trades, master of none
Credit: Rossignol
RELATED: Best Skis for Women of 2024
Our Verdict
Coming in at nearly the dead middle for every metric, the Rossignol Black Ops 98 does everything respectively well, but not well enough to medal. Our testers were obsessed with the previous Soul 7 line, but none of the replacement skis in the Black Ops line have impressed us very much. This 98 mm-waisted ski perked up a little carving short-radius turns, and nudged above the average when powering through crud. Generally speaking, the Black Ops 98 is a fine ski – no more and no less – that simply doesn't stack up very well against some stiff competition in our review of the best all-mountain skis for women.
Editor's Note: We added the Black Ops 98 to our lineup on December 12, 2023.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Rossignol Black Ops 98 - Women's | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Women's All-Mountain Ski |  Most Stable at Speed |  Great Value for a Powder Ski | Best Buy for Intermediates | |
| Price | $382.99 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $749.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $849.99 at Evo Compare at 2 sellers | $429.95 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Nothing stands out in particular about this ski in either the positive or the negative | This ski excels at basically everything, in any terrain, except for making a large-radius turn | This powerful ski offers a very smooth ride at top speed, but fumbles a little in tight spaces and with making smaller turns | A blast to ski in fresh snow, mogul fields, and popping around on groomers | For intermediate and advanced skiers looking for something that’s easy on the snow and on the wallet |
| Rating Categories | Rossignol Black Ops... | Blizzard Black Pear... | Volkl Secret 96 | Elan Ripstick 94 W | Salomon QST Lumen 98 |
| Stability at Speed (20%) | |||||
| Carving Ability (20%) | |||||
| Powder Performance (20%) | |||||
| Crud Performance (20%) | |||||
| Terrain Playfulness (15%) | |||||
| Bumps (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Rossignol Black Ops... | Blizzard Black Pear... | Volkl Secret 96 | Elan Ripstick 94 W | Salomon QST Lumen 98 |
| Length Tested | 170 cm | 170 cm | 170 cm | 178 cm | 176 cm |
| Waist Width | 98 mm | 94 mm | 96 mm | 94 mm | 98 mm |
| Sidecut (Tip-Waist-Tail Width) | 131-98-121 mm | 132.5-94-114.5 mm | 139-96-121 mm | 136-94-110 mm | 132-98-120 mm |
| Turn Radius | 17 m | 15.5 m | 15.2 m | 18 m | 16 m |
| Available Lengths | 160, 170 cm | 152, 158, 164, 170, 176 cm | 149, 156, 163, 170, 177 cm | 154, 162, 170, 178 cm | 152, 160, 168, 176 cm |
| Camber Profile | Progressive rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot | Rocker tip and tail, cambered inside edge, Amphibio tech | Rocker tip and tail, camber underfoot |
| Manufacturer Claimed Weight per Pair | 7.6 lbs | 7.4 lbs | 8.4 lbs | 7.4 lbs | 8.2 lbs |
| Core Material | Poplar | TrueBlend All Mountain Woodcore (Beech and Poplar), Titinal | Multilayer Woodcore (Beech and Poplar), Titinal | Tubelite wood | Poplar |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
Evidently, the English language has shortened and changed the meaning of the expression “Jack of all trades and master of none.” Originally, the idiom continued to say, “but oftentimes better than a master of one,” and the full saying is the best way to describe this ski. The Black Ops 98 makes a strong argument for generalists. Rather than risk specializing in certain areas and falling short in other metrics, it thrives in the all-encompassing average.
Performance Comparison
The Black Ops feels solid at medium speeds on groomers.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Stability at Speed
The Black Ops 98 is a sturdy ski in the medium to mid-high speed range. Its construction offers middling stiffness – not too soft and not too burly. If you push it into the red zone, it will start to shudder underfoot. For an all-mountain ski, the progressively rockered tip doesn't offer much stability on hardpack: it flaps a bit at medium speeds and flops around wildly at higher speeds.
The Black Ops carves decently on groomed snow, and feels like it has a tighter turn radius than claimed by the manufacturer.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Carving Ability
The turn radius of the Black Ops 98 felt much tighter than the 17 meters listed by the manufacturer. (It's also interesting to note that this information is not written on the ski, as is commonplace.) Bringing the ski up to optimal speed it feels like it skis with a radius closer to 15 meters, and it has a knack for making a really nice short-radius turn. Rossignol's proprietary Rectangular Full Sidewall provides solid edge hold through a carved turn, and the Black Ops 98 feels equally comfortable carving as skidding. Despite its middling score, this ski is fun and lively to carve.
"Jack of all trades and master of none - but oftentimes better than a master of one." The Black Ops does everything respectably, all over the resort.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Powder Performance
The Black Ops 98 can comfortably handle around 6 inches of fresh snow, surfing on top or occasionally sinking to make contact with the base underneath. When it gets deeper than that, however, the performance is a little hit or miss. Even considering its 102 mm waist width, this is understandable for an all-mountain ski. But we admit that we were hoping for a bit more when the snow started to stack up.
In knee-deep snow, our testers were desperately hunting for the Black Ops beneath the surface.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Crud Performance
The Black Ops 98 has enough heft in its construction to blast through most choppy conditions. Even though poplar tends to be a lightweight core option, the full sidewall offers enough structural support to navigate variable snow conditions. This full woodcore ski was damp enough to cruise through chunky snow but doesn't offer the same blasting power as other models we tested.
The Black Ops cruises through an average amount of chunky snow conditions.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Terrain Playfulness
This iteration of the Black Ops is much less exuberant than the Soul 7 of old, which continues to hold our testers' hearts. The Black Ops 98 makes a sprightly short turn but only has a small amount of rebound at the end. This ski never felt too heavy underfoot, but it never felt that lively, either.
The Black Ops' tight feeling turn radius helps in bumps and trees.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Bumps
The Black Ops's ability to make quick, short-radius turns makes it a competent bump ski. The camber underfoot provides it with enough rebound energy, while the progressive rocker in the tail allows it to confidently skid and slash. It never felt too heavy or unwieldy and its tight turn radius makes it reliable in the bumps.
With a quick, snappy turn, this ski is a bit more fun in bumps than its middling score might suggest.
Credit: Marc Rotse
Should you buy the Rossignol Black Ops 98 W?
If you like reliability and hate surprises, you might appreciate the Black Ops all-around average performance. This ski opts for a safe style: it never goes above and beyond, but that also means it never falters in any one metric either. This ski is a bit bland for our testers, but predictability isn't always a bad thing.
What Other Women's All-Mountain Skis Should You Consider?
There are some skis in our review that excel in one type of terrain and then stumble down the charts in a contrasting metric. However, there are several other skis that manage to perform better in every metric across the board. If you're on the hunt for a versatile all-rounder, consider the Nordica Santa Ana 98. If you want a more exciting, much more playful ski, our top choice is the Blizzard Sheeva 9.
—
Renee McCormack
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