Black Diamond’s First Freeride Ski Delivers - Teton Tested

I have to be honest and forthright as I start this review: I was pretty skeptical when I first clicked into Black Diamond’s Boundary 107 last spring. The last pair of BD skis I had rode was a pair of cap construction Verdicts, which felt dead and limited my expectations for the Boundary. Touted as Black Diamond’s “most playful freeride ski”, the company, whose reputation lies in making light and efficient backcountry gear, did not have me convinced by the sales pitch alone.

It was not until I stepped in and spent some time darting around Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Teton Pass did I become a full believer. I came to know that the Boundary 107 is playful enough to slay the backcountry, while having enough dampness to excel inbounds.

Construction & Specs

A cross-section of the sandwich construction. Black Diamond Equipment photo.

The Boundary 107 comes in five sizes: 160, 168, 176, 184, & 192cm. I tested the 184 cm size, which has dimensions of 138-107-123 with a 20-meter turning radius. The ski has full tip and light tail rocker, with traditional camber underfoot for solid float in deeper snow and easier landings when hucking your meat. While focused more on the inbounds than other BD skis, it still features a tail notch for climbing skins.

The real genius of the ski is a sidewall damping system, which was developed with the goal of bringing the dampness of more traditional freeride skis to a lightweight backcountry construction. Black Diamond achieved this by placing a layer of rubber in the sidewalls of the ski slightly behind the contact point to forward of where the boot is mounted. Although this sounds fairly gimmicky, it actually works, and in firmer conditions I found reduced chatter compared to other constructions.

The skis are built with 3D sandwich construction with, pre-preg fiberglass, stacked sidewalls, and a poplar wood core. The goal of Black Diamond with the Boundary 107 was to try to deliver a product that might just satisfy the one-ski-quiver-seeker.

The Boundary 107 on the Skintrack

The author eyes some lines on the Wilson Faces. Ryan Dunfee photo.

The Boundary 107 weighs 9 lb. 4 oz for the pair, which makes them very manageable on the skin-track. Obviously BD and other companies make other offerings that are lighter for longer days. This is where the Boundary’s construction creates a good blend of weight and performance. On steeper skin tracks and sidehills, I was able to set an edge pretty easily, even on the buffed-out highway that is often the south side of Teton Pass. Kick turns were also easy and manageable.

The Boundary 107 On the Down

The bluebird day detracts from the author's ski ability. Ryan Dee photo.

On the downhill is where this ski is so much fun. As I expressed before, I was very skeptical of BD’s ability to deliver a true freeride ski, but seeing as I haven’t skied one since they switched from cap construction, I approached the experience with an open mind. I got these skis late last season when Jackson was experiencing beach-like weather with soft snow and bumps. The Boundary 107's excelled in these conditions, charging through the variable snow conditions at high speeds thanks to the damping rubber in the sidewall.

In tight slush bumps, the skis were very agile, and I could quickly switch from edge to edge while keeping control. I had the most fun trying to channel my inner Candide Thovex – quite poorly I should add – as the skis were super poppy and jibby. Butters were manageable, while the tail rocker made it easy to ski and land switch. Early on it was easy to realize that this was a true freeride ski.

CHECK OUT: TGR's firsthand look at all the best snow gear for next season

I had to wait until this season to experience some true powder days on the Boundary’s, and it was well worth it. The early rise contributed to a really surfy experience, and the ski was very easy to carry speed and control, even in heavier pow. The slight camber underfoot made it maneuverable as well, and finding stashes in the trees was a breeze.

On icy days, like one early season day at Alta this year, the Boundary’s performance continued to impress. The dampness of the ski allowed me to hold a strong effective edge, even in my pin touring bindings. It landed on hard pack snow great, and any blow-ups were definitely user error.

The Bottom Line

Finding the goods. Ryan Dee photo.

In today’s ski market the term “one ski quiver” is thrown around quite a lot. Every brand has some sort of waist offering in the 105-110 range, marketed to the consumer as a versatile do-it-all workhorse. I’m happy to report that the Black Diamond Boundary 107 is that ski, and lives up to that expectation. I would recommended to anyone looking for a freeride ski that has the ability to be an effective touring ski as well.

The Boundary 107 is available from evo.com for $799.