Review: Majesty Supernova Carbon

Cambered powder skis don’t really seem to be the vogue right now. Changes in how rockered skis are made have allowed flat, rockered skis to shine in more conditions and terrain, encroaching on the provenance of “traditionally” shaped skis. Plus, rockered skis are fun in a sandbox sort of way and absolutely forgiving in poor conditions with poor piloting. 

Read the First Look

But in the mad dash to make every ski a rocking chair, many skiers (and some manufacturers) seem to have forgotten the unique sensations and performance that a directional, cambered ski provides. Every turn has energy (some call it a pop, but to me it feels like the ski is spring-loaded and the edge change between turns releases the spring), and the skis have something to say about the direction you’re going. To me, the difference between rockered skis and cambered skis is the difference between a conversation with a chatbot and a real person. Sure, the chatbot will do whatever you say, but it’s agreeable to the point of boredom. (Editor’s note: Will some of the above become fodder for the forums?) 

Part of the fun of talking is being “in conversation” with someone, exchanging ideas and feelings, and responding to one another. Cambered skis are an interactive experience. Since I don’t want to be trolled for writing a Tolstoy-length Camber and Rocker monograph, I’ll just suggest you read the first looks on these and the Superpatrols for more talk about how camber affects skis. The short: it adds grip, direction, energy, and intention. It costs playfulness and requires good technique.

So I reviewed two pretty cambered skis this year, both from Majesty. The other skis, the Superpatrols, are designed for what we imagine cambered skis are for: steep, technical skiing. Powder skiing has been the home turf of rockered skis since Shane McConkey designed the Volant Spatula in 2001 (let’s not talk about reverse sidecut). But, in a funny way, cambered skis have their place in new snow, too. Or at least I think so. The camber adds something to powder skiing that all those flat, rockered skis don’t have. But the world of high-performance cambered backcountry powder skis is a small one. Options are limited, anyway.

In my first looks, I was eager to compare these skis (the two Majesty models I reviewed this season) to the experiences I’ve had on the older Movement Alptracks, an extremely tight-radius turning machine that seemed incapable of bigger turns or higher speeds. And as I looked at the two new pairs of skis in my living room and the seemingly quite similar spec sheets, I was worried I was going to write two of the same reviews. But I have been surprised by how remarkably different these two skis feel and how different the Supernovas are from the Alptracks. 

I’ll say, initially, that despite some of the unique design choices, the Novas did not feel “extreme” or niche among the skis I’ve skied. The Alptracks certainly take the prize on that one. The weight (1600g at 185cm), 20m radius, 105mm waist, and rocker are all reasonable numbers. And those traits combine to create what I would describe as a versatile and energetic powder ski that could easily be a quiver of one. It loves its medium-radius farmer’s turns, but it’ll do a slash or two and opens up on the apron just fine. It’s also been great in unpredictable, springy snow and on steep terrain. 

What I’ve found really strange is how different it feels from the Superpatrols (Maybe Andrzej from Majesty will chime in on this). The Patrols have been a blast, but felt long and very sensitive to balance, often punching through three-dimensional snow, though, as I said, an amazing steep ski. But a lot of wobbles in the apron, particularly with speed. And I’ve had to do some weird stuff, technique-wise, to manage them. I wish Majesty made the Patrols in 181-2 instead of 177/185. I may mount them a touch forward for next season. Who knows. But these skis: way less twitchy and sensitive, and somehow I find myself tripping over my own feet way less often. I wonder if this is because of the way the shovels flex in deeper snow. If you aren’t pressuring both skis equally, they will flex differently (duh). What I’ve found on the Patrols in breakable conditions is that the outside ski was overflexing and crossing over the inside ski unless I was hyper-balanced. This is a length issue to some degree, but the ski’s length combined with its width (~96) creates a lot of pressure over a small area of crust.

Whereas these wider skis, the Supernovas, which are otherwise dimensionally similar, rarely created this feeling. Perhaps because the differential force was better dissipated over the wider ski? This is surprising to me because I naturally assumed Majesty’s design paradigm (camber camber camber) was more suited to narrower, technical skis rather than powder skis. But a long, “narrow” ski is pretty tough to manage. The additional width of the Nova appears to ameliorate some of the harshness and complexity of skiing the Patrols. And the somewhat extreme length (it’s mounted 5cm further back than my other 185cm powder skis, the Fairweather Cathedrals) makes more sense in the powder-skiing context too. An 89cm tip-to-toe piece for a 6 foot tall skier is about my limit, and then some.

A comparison of these two Majesty skis may be helpful to a few, but ultimately the Novas need to be measured against other powder skis: DPS Pagoda Tour 105, BD Helio 104, Armada Locator 104, Fischer Transalp 105, and Dynastar M-Tour 108. I don’t know what people are skiing. Compared to almost all of those skis, these will present a different experience. But I don’t think such a different experience that a camber-curious skier would be put off. I said the Patrols appear to be a quiver of one ski, but are deceptively niche and tricky to ski. These, somehow, feel the opposite: closer to “standard” powder touring skis but unique enough to merit your interest. I think in a particularly funny twist, their camber makes them a more versatile “steep” ski for the quiver of one skier who mostly goes powder touring than any of the skis I just mentioned. It won’t do what the Patrols or other specialist skis do, of course, but they’ll handle the occasional firm couloir at your limit better than most. I think these combined with a shorter 85cm-90cm waist ski (ZeroG 85, Ski Trab Mistico, Blacklight 88, etc.) would be an awesome quiver of two, perhaps even if you’re headed to Japan. And, as always, don’t ruin a perfectly good ski with a monstrosity of a binding. Ski Trab Gara Titans, the new ATK Kuluar (I admittedly haven’t gotten to ski these yet), or Plum R170S, pair excellently. And, almost all race bindings now come with brake options thanks to new ISMF skimo race rules. 

Specs

Available lengths (cm): 161, 169, 177, 185 (tested length)

UnverifiedWeight (grams): 1300 (161), 1450 (169), 1540 (177), and 1630 (185) 

Dimensions (mm): 132-100-116 (161), 134-101-11 (169), 136-103-120 (177) and 138-105-122 (185)

Turn radius (m): 15.5 (161), 17 (169), 19.6 (177), 20 (185)

Shape: Flat tail, lots of camber, and modest tip rocker

Tip Rocker Length measured (mm): 600 (185)

Tail Rocker Length measured (mm): 300 (185)

Price: $1095