Black Diamond Verdict 2013 Review
When you say Black Diamond, most people would think you are talking about Cams or Nuts for climbing vertical rock. However, their ski line has been changing for the last 10 years and only improving. The Verdict is the most versatile ski in their line up. It was designed to shred through just about every condition you will find out there. Whether you’re finding the white room, ripping around fresh corduroy, or pond skimming in the spring, these bad boys will perform great. This ski has tip and tail rocker, and has plenty of camber under foot. You will be floating on powder one day and knifing through soft-chop the next. However, if you find yourself on a spring day when the snow does not soften up, you might have some trouble. The tip rocker puts the tip so high off the snow that it takes a while for the front of the ski to engage. However, once the tip does catch, the ski will eventually come around. In all honestly though, who really wants to go ski on hard snow! Unless you are a from the East Coast and ski boilerplate snow 90% of the time (weirdo), then the Verdict is great for all seasons and all terrain.
In 2012 Black Diamond changed the ski significantly from what I have heard. I have the 2013 model and Black Diamond has stuck pretty close to this model for the last 3 years. One big design change Black Diamond made from the 2012 to 2013 model: they added a 3D metal sandwich structure around its wood core, and added ABS tapered sidewalls. This stiffens up the ski, gives it better edging ability, and ultimately makes it easy to throw down sick arcs. The only problem with the new 3D metal sandwich design is that snow sticks to the uneven top sheet sometimes. I hate to boast, but the Verdict received awards from Backcountry Magazine and Skiing Magazine in 2014. I don’t know who tested the skis for the magazine companies, but I would have to agree with them; I really love these skis.
Category: Freeride and Touring
Riding Level: Intermediate-Expert
Lengths Tested: 180cm
Dimensions: 132/100/119
Available Lengths: 164, 172, 180, 188
Approx. Weight: 8lb 10oz, 9lb 1oz, 9lb 8oz, 10lbs
Turning Radius/Sidecut: 19m, 20m, 21m, 22m
Camber Profile: Tip and Tail Rocker
Tip Rise: 300mm
Tail Rise: 240cm
Days: 100+
Conditions: Everything
Rider: Conor (5ft. 10in. 157lbs)
Boots: Rossignol Hero World Cup ZA flex & Black Diamond Prime 130 flex
Bindings: Fritschi Diamir Freeride Pro
Mounting Point: Recommended Line
Manufactured In: China
How did you get the gear: Previous Sponsorship
Overall Feel:
I grew up with a relative that worked for Rossignol. This gave me access to a lot of their skis for cheap. Growing up I always had the newest pair of twin tips and, being a kid, I would trash them! The Verdict was my first non-Rossignol ski; surprisingly I liked the feel of the ski. Its wood core makes them one of the lighter fat skis on the market right now. This core also creates a nice soft flex, which is very playful and enjoyable to ski. If you like ripping around at medium speeds and making medium size turns, you will love the Verdict. If you just spent several hours hiking up a slope, than these bad boys will let you lay down some big arcs, or make technical turns. If you put the Verdict in tight trees or figure 8 contests, they are still going to succeed. The downside to this core is that it looses stability when you try to go fast and rip big turns. The core is too soft and can’t keep up with the forces that high-speed big mountain turns produce.
Powder:
If you look at any ski magazine or ski photo from the 2000’s than you will probably see someone doing a slasher pow turn, getting that epic face shot we all dream of. This ski thrives in the powder; this is where it wants to be! However, this is not the easiest ski to shred pow on. With the tale rocker only being at 240mm and the tip rocker 300mm, the ski likes to sink its tales in and float in the tips. Most rockered skis have a similar tip to tail rocker, this creates a feeling like you are floating on top of the snow, making it easier to turn. However, the Verdict is a little harder to turn in the powder. The tails will sink into the snow, making you ski a little in the back seat. On the other hand, the tips will be floating on top of the snow. Then, as you lay the ski over to initiate your turn, the tip grabs the soft snow and will bring the ski right around. When it’s dumping outside and I get on these puppies, I know its going to be a leg burner of day, but I will still be smiling and trying to get that magazine face shot we all dream about.
Carving:
There is a reason why ski companies make so many different skis: the variety of snow conditions and how the individual wants to use the skis etc. Many rockered, fat skis were not made to carve on hard snow; but it’s not a powder day every day. When you try and carve the Verdict on hard snow, you get a little tip flap like many fat, rockered skis do. I do like the camber under foot and the ABS sidewalls. This makes the ski stiff enough under foot to grip the hard snow and make the skis come around quite nice.
One of my favorite times to ski the Verdict is in the spring, when you get the nice Colorado corn or slush skiing. This is when the tip can actually engage and you can carve the whole ski. Use caution skiing in these conditions, you might start chasing slushy corduroy and not the cold smoke!
Soft Chop:
Soft chop is always around at resorts in Colorado. It seems like you can ski soft chop any day of the week. This is where I think the Verdict is better then some rockered skis. This is a rockered ski, but the camber under foot gives it some power to charge through the soft chop. The tip could be a little stiffer, but that’s often what you get when you buy a pow ski, and the powder is nowhere to be found.
I also have a pair of Rossignol S7 and they are really tough to ski in soft chop. I feel like I just slide my turns around, and the tip flap is so loud I can’t even here my iPod playing music. The Verdict on the other hand can arc through the soft chop no problem and have minimal tip flap! Rather then buttering your turns and hearing your tips flap, the Verdict will let you arc through the soft chop, and enjoy your music.
Flex:
Generally speaking, this is a soft flexing ski: the tip is soft, under foot is stiff, and the tail goes back to soft. This creates a ski that is easy to flex and gives it a snappy feeling. The soft tip and tail makes it easy to start and finish the turn. While the stiff middle part creates a snappy effect to the ski, this way you can get some reaction out of your turn.
The tip could be stiffer, but a soft tip is not always a bad thing. Editor’s Note: That’s what she said. Surprisingly the soft tip in slush acts like a hot knife cutting through butter. The tip hooks up in the slush and comes right around. This also goes for powder, the rocker tip grabs the soft fluff and comes around perfect for that money face shot you are going to post on Instagram.
Switch
It’s defiantly doable! I like to ride switch, but when I do I would try to find a ski with a stiffer tip. When I ride this ski switch its hard to turn. The tip is too soft causing the ski to wash out if you try to turn it. This makes you butter your turns, rather then some skis where you can really carve a switch turn.
In a lot of ski movies these days people are skiing pow switch, can these skis do that? Lately powder skiing has been a rare occasion for me, therefore I try and make my turns count and not play around going switch. If you are a good skier, then I bet you could ski these skis switch in powder!
Jumps:
I don’t know if it’s just me, but if you have ever gone to Keystone’s Area 51 or Breckenridge’s Freeway park to hit the big lines with a pair of fat skis; it’s a bad idea. It feels like your skis are airplane wings and you are taking off! The wind catches the tips and throws you in the back seat if you aren’t ready for it.
However, if you are dropping sizeable cliffs they are awesome. The tail provides a nice soft landing platform, while the middle of the ski stiffens out so you can claim your after bang. Since the ski is smooth and responsive it cuts off any cliffs or jumps perfectly to work on your spins. However, if you’re looking for a ski to go boost park jumps, this isn’t your best choice. If you are an average skier that enjoys turning and getting some air underneath your feet, then the Verdict will give you a perfect platform to perform on.
Moguls:
I am not the best bump skier but every now and then I love to go hump some bumps. This ski is made to do it all, but this is not one of its strong suits. I think the rocker tip is nice sometimes to have while skiing bumps, because as you come in contact with the bump, the soft tip flexes nicely to absorb some energy. However, having a 130mm fat ski in the bumps makes it pretty easy to cross your tips.
Skinning/Backcountry:
Growing up in Colorado there are two kinds of backcountry lines you ski. I call them Putt Putt lines or big lines. Putt Putt lines are when you only have to hike up hill for thirty to sixty minutes to gain a short steep line; these skis are perfect for this! I have a pair of Fritschi bindings on the skis, making it not the heaviest set up out there, nor the lightest. When I am out standing on top of a hard Putt Putt line this setup gives me confidence because I know that my skis are going to stay on and they can handle whatever obstacle is in front of me!
On the other hand, if you are a strong, fit guy, then you can haul these skis a long way. I have put in 12-mile days or longer on these bad boys to bag some big lines in the Gore Range over the last few years. In all honesty, if you had the Verdicts with a 3-pin binding you would probably be skiing every day in the backcountry, never to come back inside again.
Mount:
There is only one recommended mounting point on this ski. So, I ski that standard mounting point and have no complaints. The ski handles great in this position. It keeps you afloat in the pow, and give you balance and power to carve through the soft chop. I don’t have any ties with Black Diamond anymore, but I personally don’t see them changing this mounting point any time soon.
Conclusion:
If you ever see me skiing putt putt lines, or shredding the slush in the spring time then i will be rocking these bad boys!