STÖCKLILASER OREA SC

Beneath the beautiful and unconventional graphics lies an almost legendary ski: the Laser SC, the best-selling model in the entire collection of the famous Swiss company. Our testers liked it, although several pointed to the rather meagre length of the test pair. Comments included: “Velvety skiing in medium and short arcs. They do not enjoy long turns. Skidded turns and short turns are smooth. Athletic legs are unnecessary. Pressed with the knees at the end of the arc, they slip neatly and softly into the next one. Elegant short and medium turns on groomed pistes are their speciality.” Another tester wrote: “Particularly good for skiers who do not want to use much strength. They track short and medium turns superbly. Ideal for the whole day.” We also heard: “You can feel them straining towards the turn, which makes initiation exceptionally easy. They track with confidence and deliver a strong kick at the finish. You can lower the hip without fear of the edge releasing. Secure and dynamic.” This was followed by: “Confidence arrives with the first turn, and immediately you want more and more – the skis allow it. Surprisingly stable even at high speed.” Another tester added: “Unbelievably smooth. They hold the chosen radius and the edge exceptionally well, while remaining turny and utterly predictable. You click in and feel joy. They could use a little more energy.” The grumblers added: “They are like a good American action film. Enjoyable to watch, with a few thrills, but we know the hero will defuse the bomb in the final second and save the world – and the neighbour’s dog. Fifteen minutes after leaving the cinema, we have forgotten everything. So secure and predictable that they become boring, while flattering the skier into believing they are better than they think.”