Rossignol Sender 100 Review: A Do-It-All Freeride Shape

The Rossignol Sender Free 100 is a twin-rocker freeride ski that works as a genuine one-ski quiver on the Front Range. It sits at 100 mm underfoot at 178 cm and 184 cm, with a poplar core, Air Tip, full rectangular sidewalls and a progressive 3D sidecut. Weights run from 1,700 g per ski at 162 cm to 2,100 g at 190 cm. Rossignol recommends a mount point around 3.2 cm behind centre, which tells you the intent: modern and playful, but still built to be driven forward.

In this article

• Rossignol Sender 100 specs
• Twin rocker with camber underfoot
• What the Air Tip does
• How it skis
• Mount point matters on this one
• What length should you get?
• How we tune it
• FAQ

Rossignol Sender 100 specs

Note that the dimensions change with length, so the 162 is a slightly narrower ski than the 190.

Poplar PEFC wood core, rectangular full sidewall, Air Tip with vibration control, high-density sintered base, partial twin tail. Weights are manufacturer stated. We stock 170, 178, 184 and 190 cm.

Four lengths in stock

Rossignol Sender 100

170, 178, 184 and 190 cm. One of the better value one-ski answers we stock.

$699.95 See lengths →

Twin rocker with camber underfoot

Rocker at both ends, camber in the middle. The rocker is what lets the ski smear and pivot without hooking, and the camber is what gives it grip when you actually tip it over. This is the standard modern freeride recipe, and the Sender executes it without going to an extreme in either direction.

The tail is a partial twin rather than a full one, which means it releases at the end of a turn more readily than a flat tail but still gives you something to push against. For a skier who wants playfulness without losing the ability to drive a turn, that is the right place to land.

What the Air Tip does

Air Tip is Rossignol's name for a tapered, hollowed tip construction that removes material from the very front of the ski. Mass at the tip is the worst place to carry it, because it is the furthest point from your feet and it drives swing weight and tip deflection.

Taking weight out there does two things: the ski becomes quicker to steer, and the tip flutters less at speed because there is less mass to set vibrating. Paired with the vibration control Rossignol builds into the tip, the result is a ski that feels calmer than its weight suggests in chopped-up snow.

How it skis

Balanced, and that is the point rather than a criticism. It is not the most playful ski at this width, and it is not the most damp or charge-oriented. It is a ski that does not have a bad day anywhere on a Colorado mountain.

On firm morning groomers the full sidewalls and camber underfoot give it real edge grip. In afternoon crud the weight and the Air Tip keep it composed. In a few inches of fresh it floats appropriately for 100 mm. If you are buying one ski and you do not have a strong bias toward either carving or powder, this is a very sensible purchase.

Mount point matters on this one

Rossignol publishes a recommended mount at roughly 3.2 cm behind true centre, which is forward of where a traditional directional ski gets mounted and back from where a park ski does. That position is what produces the modern, centred stance the ski is designed around.

Mounting it further back makes it ski more like a traditional directional ski: more stable at speed, less willing to pivot and butter. Further forward makes it looser and more playful and gives up stability. Neither is wrong, but it is a decision to make deliberately with someone rather than by default, and it is not reversible without drilling new holes.

Mount point matters here

Binding Mount and Test

Drilled, mounted and release-tested on the bench. We will talk through mount point before we drill.

$90 Book a mount →

What length should you get?

Note the radius jump at the top of the range: 20 m at 184 cm but 25 m at 190 cm. That is a big step, and the 190 is a noticeably more long-turn-oriented ski than the rest of the line.

• 170 cm: around 5 ft 5 in to 5 ft 8 in, or lighter skiers
• 178 cm: around 5 ft 8 in to 5 ft 11 in, the most versatile length
• 184 cm: around 5 ft 11 in to 6 ft 2 in
• 190 cm: tall or heavy skiers who ski fast in open terrain, not a trees ski

How we tune it

A ski this balanced benefits from a tune matched to how you actually ski rather than a generic one. If you spend most of your time on firm groomers, a sharper side edge underfoot transforms it. If you are mostly in soft snow and trees, a slightly detuned tip and tail makes it more forgiving and less hooky.

Either way, prep it before day one. A sintered base like this one absorbs wax well, and the first wax on a new base does more than any wax after it.

Before day one

New Ski Prep

Base prep, edge check and a proper first wax. Add a mount and torque test if you need bindings.

$35 Add prep →

Frequently asked questions

Is the Rossignol Sender 100 a good one-ski quiver?

For Colorado, yes. At 100 mm with twin rocker and camber underfoot it handles firm mornings, afternoon crud and moderate powder without being bad at any of them.

How much does the Rossignol Sender 100 weigh?

Manufacturer stated weights run from 1,700 g per ski at 162 cm up to 2,100 g at 190 cm. The 178 cm is 1,900 g.

Where should the Sender 100 be mounted?

Rossignol recommends approximately 3.2 cm behind true centre. Moving back adds stability, moving forward adds playfulness. Decide before drilling, because it is permanent.

Is the Sender 100 good for beginners?

Rossignol rates it intermediate to advanced. A confident intermediate will get on with it well. A true beginner should start narrower and cheaper.

What is the difference between the Sender 100 and the Sender 110?

The 110 is wider underfoot and oriented further toward soft snow. The 100 is the better single ski for typical Front Range conditions.

Related reading: What Size Skis Do I Need? Specs sourced from Rossignol.