Sender Squad vs. M-Free 108

[altabrig]

Is anyone here still riding the squad regularly or plan on continuing to next season? Pros/Cons?

Only real online reviews are a few short sentences on random forums. Even this thread is pretty sparse on real user input on the squad.

It goes from "special rubber ball feel easy charger with releasable tail" to "dead" with not much in between. Must not be coming back next year.

[chewski]

Is anyone here still riding the squad regularly or plan on continuing to next season? Pros/Cons?

Only real online reviews are a few short sentences on random forums. Even this thread is pretty sparse on real user input on the squad.

It goes from "special rubber ball feel easy charger with releasable tail" to "dead" with not much in between. Must not be coming back next year.

I skied the squad like a jong and never got on with it and hardly gave it the time to figure it out. But if i can give you a useful bit of advice beyond the typical "suspension" or "playful charger" it is to know thyself in regards to traditional vs progressive mounts. If you mount at the rearmost line (-2cm back from recommended so like -8.25cm) you may find them driveable from the shins, but i never tried them here and kinda regret it. However at the recommended line (-6.25cm) i felt they had ungodly amounts of tail for a ski this chargey. They did not lack stability but i just hate standing upright when things get choppy, and releasing that much tail was a lot of work for me. Someone who favors more forward mounts very likely would say that it makes them EASIER to ski, so... know thyself

[kid-kapow]

Must not be coming back next year.

They are - far left - from Evo's 2024 ski preview

there are some reviews out there, for instance here: https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/ross...s-sender-squad (though a few of them is more buyer justification type best ski ever "reviews")

"There isn't a whole lot of info on this ski out there so here's as comprehensive a review as I can do after one day on them; tldr they're a great option if you want a charger that's versitile enough to ski the whole mountain in most conditions. I'm 6'2" 230 and have the skis mounted at -1 from recommended (-7.25). They work well there but I suspect for overall performance mounting on the line (-6.25) is going to be pretty ideal for most people. In the terrain they were designed for; steep off-piste with room to carve; they're fantastic. You can get them going crazy fast and they'll remain stable and composed. They're happiest if you keep them pointed down hill making smooth turns but it's easy to release the tails into a drift or brake when required. The not-very-tapered shape helps them carve beautifully with great edge hold but also means sliding sideways in rough snow causes the tips and tails to catch/grab, so in those conditions the more timidly you ski it the worse it feels and vice versa. Skiing trees, the Squad feels quick and easy to pivot around. It handles the trees/bumps well considering it's a charger, they're not its forte but the Squad is a great choice if you want high speed stability AND lower speed maneuverability. They can be a lot of fun but the same thing about skiing timidly applies here as well, ski them confidentiality and you'll be rewarded. On groomers they want to go FAST, carving steep terrain is a lot of fun but on mellower (blue) terrain you really have to be charging to get energy out of the turn, I found myself just relaxing and letting them drift around when skiing blues. Again, the shape works really well for carving but the skis are the most fun when you're attacking steeper terrain, probably not the skis you'd want to be on if having fun making turns on shallower runs is a priority. It should come as no surprise that these are very much (tall/heavy) advanced/expert skis. They need a skier with decent technique to work well but they aren't the most demanding; they'll let you know if you're getting too sloppy/too backseat without trying to kill you for it. Overall, great skis for someone looking for a no speed limit ski who values versatility."

(sorry if it has been posted previously in the thread)

[CouloirInTheLines]

That review covers it pretty well. I’m also in the camp that got rid of mine after last season and regret it. My complaints were that they were too long/annoying in tight spaces and for a big wide ski they didn’t have much float (felt out of place on a powder day). In retrospect I should have just accepted the leg workout in tight spaces and/or gone faster. Float issue may have been me being too picky but I didn’t really get enough powder to test it - this year would have been a better check.

I was looking for a wide-ish west coast trip 1-ski quiver and felt a little limited by above factors.

But. I really, really missed the top end comfort this year. Not just “suspension” but a few specific things:
1. If you point it at a line it goes there. No matter what is in the way. And, for me at least at ~185 lbs/5’11” and mounted on the line, regardless of forward/upright stance. I never pushed through shovels, never remember catching a bad edge, and never accidentally washed out tails (in appropriately long turn shapes).
2. If you need to shut it down or just want to Tokyo drift around they were easy to throw sideways. At speed, at least. Heavy/long caveat for slow speed maneuvers. Despite point 1 I never felt too locked in or like the ski was taking me for a ride.
3. The shock absorption is real. I skied them a week at JH in early 2022 when conditions were pretty firm and they just gobbled up the popular chopped up groomers at speed. My knees and quads really missed that this year on refrozen runouts/lift return runs.

Not to dump on other skis but this year I tried a 2022 Wildcat 108 190 and 2021 K2 Mindbender 108. Never felt comfortable on either at high speeds.

[old mexico]

Squads are my favorite ski, I think what makes them so special is the construction and then the flex. They are stiffer but it’s so round that they never punish you getting off balance. It’s like they’re nudging you to get back against the front of the boot instead of taking you for a ride. It’s one of those skis that really make the mountain small with how comfortable I am bombing on them.


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[yeahman]

I'm curious about these skis, particularly the Sender Free 110 and the Sender Squad Open (112). I like the new topsheets for 2024. But damn they're pretty expensive and don't appear to be marked down at all.

[old mexico]

L9 has them marked down plus an extra 20% code on top.


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[yeahman]

L9 has them marked down plus an extra 20% code on top.


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Thanks, only seeing them discounted in a 194. Too long for this old man. I'll keep an eye out for Evo's late summer/early season sale.

[kid-kapow]

Thanks, only seeing them discounted in a 194. Too long for this old man. I'll keep an eye out for Evo's late summer/early season sale.

that is the only length they are offered in. I have not heard anything about there being a shorter length on the way.

[Dantheman]

Is anyone here still riding the squad regularly or plan on continuing to next season? Pros/Cons?

Only real online reviews are a few short sentences on random forums. Even this thread is pretty sparse on real user input on the squad.

It goes from "special rubber ball feel easy charger with releasable tail" to "dead" with not much in between. Must not be coming back next year.

Was my DD all season. Still in luuuv. Here's few lines from last weekend.

[Fred Pabst]

Was my DD all season. Still in luuuv. Here's few lines from last weekend.

Saw that video in the Utah thread. First thing I thought of was if those were squads. You are exactly who that ski was designed for. Great skiing!!

[chewski]

That evo review is the best product page review i have ever seen haha. It's pretty on point. So is couloirintheline's, who obviously gave them more of a shot than i did. I don't remember too well from my limited time on them, but after reading couloir's comments i think my problem wasn't so much that I couldn't drive the shovels at -6.25, but that the long material length and forwardish mount left me with too much material behind to break free in anything but smooth/open terrain. At my size (6' and 180lbs) and skill level i may have gotten along better if it was <190cm. I have clicked with a few skis this long before with more rearward mounts, but it was just awkward for me personally.

But i must say this recent request for more information has brought out some of the most insightful stuff i've seen on this ski thus far! Also dantheman's video has taught me that my biggest mistake was turning at all on them!

[Westcoaster]

Anyone interested in 2022 sendersquad with pivot 18s +1 at 313 bsl? Not sure I can handle mine, only getting older haha....

Would let em go for a decent deal.

[CouloirInTheLines]

DanTheMan has the right idea. Nice work.

[altabrig]

Great information L9 pairs got snagged. Nice send vvideo! Looks like they are absorbing rather than transmitting the chicken head chatter.

[Dantheman]

Looks like they are absorbing rather than transmitting the chicken head chatter.

It's like driving a trophy truck.

[bry]

Not mine but not a bad deal, clamps look pretty new as well

Rossignol Sender Squad 194 W/ Pivot 18 $500 obo https://classifieds.ksl.com/listing/73599452

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[Dantheman]

Fuck. Not immediately fatal, but definitely the beginning of the end. I should have proactively bought the pair bry linked to in October. Looked around this morning and can't find a pair in stock anywhere.

[2FUNKY]

Meh. Cut out all base material. Epoxy and clamp the edge in. Put that one on outside edge.


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[bry]

Huge bummer, but the optimist in me says catalyst for a 194 FL113 which may be in stock

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[Dantheman]

I've actually been wanting to demo some Heritage Lab stuff since I live 10 minutes from Marshal, but I need our low tide conditions to abate first.

[Jtlange]

Just FYI,

Ill be putting a pair of good shape Sender Squads up on gear swap this week if anybody in this thread wants a crack at them first. Mounted at +1cm with a STH2 @ 28.5 Mondo

[2FUNKY]

Huge bummer, but the optimist in me says catalyst for a 194 FL113 which may be in stock

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Yeah, the HL skis are legit. Have R99 comps and FL105’s sitting in the garage. So good.


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[Dantheman]

Just FYI,

Ill be putting a pair of good shape Sender Squads up on gear swap this week if anybody in this thread wants a crack at them first. Mounted at +1cm with a STH2 @ 28.5 Mondo

Definitely may be interested.

[bry]

Another apt replacement perhaps. Seller seems open to lower offers too

https://sidelineswap.com/gear/skiing...-cochise-193cm

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