Rossignol SIS Strato F5

Advantages: Durability, speed and control - Superb!!
Disadvantages: There's no snow!

...Rossignol have kept these bad boys pretty much the same for the past 2 seasons simply because there is nothing they could do to make them better! These skis are guaranteed fun, on or off-piest. I'm going to keep them for at least 10 years. Not quite as fast as my old school Rossignol 198's but then again Bandits are like paddles in comparison. The wide structure does help them cruise nicely over powder and still leaves you with a great degree of control on piested runs as well! Perfect ski for those of an intermediate or advanced level. Very hard to fault them but I would say they need tip guards as these do tend to get a little cut up. Not really a fault, just a good idea if you want to keep them looking as slick as they did when you bought them.... Read review

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Advantages: You can wear them all day without crippling yourself
Disadvantages: Not for 'high end technical' stuff.

...Rossignol soft ski boots are possibly the best skiing product for recreational skiers' since someone first strapped bits of wood to their feet. Soft boots are quite different from the 'normal' boots in that rather than a solid outer shell which holds your ankle and leg rigidly in place they are like tough padded lace up boots with some solid casing in strategic places. This has good points and bad points depending on your skiing style but for most 'normal' skiers they are the dogs whatsits! So - I have been skiing for 15 years but I'm too lazy to do anything too exciting and I've not pushed myself beyond a pretty good intermediate - therefore I don't need highly technical equipment. I ski for about 2 or 3 weeks a year if I'm lucky and I'm probably exactly the target market for these boots. (You can get different grades of 'soft... Read review

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Advantages: Light, strong, perfect
Disadvantages: absolutely nought for my riding style

...Ok, first I should make it clear that although I'm writing an op for the Kona Manomano bike I only actually run the FRAME from the '98 Manomano bike which I picked up while working at my local mountain bike shop a couple of years ago now. The bike had been stripped down for various parts leaving the frame which I snapped up for a fair sum (£450). I now, and have been for the last 2/3 years, running it as a freeride/downhill rig and I have to say, its perfect. As I'm not one for hucking off cliffs and/or houses the 7005 ally structure is quite strong enough and the fox vanilla rear shock provides 3.5" of plush, lovely suspension even when I havent cleaned out the pivot bushings for ages and I've been riding it in British winter weather!? I run it with 5" Stratos FR4 dual-crown forks and various other dh gubbins such as MRP chain... Read review

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