Drops & Airs
It was a lot of fun taking the Madonna off drops and airs. The skis offered a lively feel at takeoff, and provided a nice platform for landing. Their rockered tips enabled confident landings in softer snow (I proudly never tomahawked once on these skis–wooo!) The Madonna was equally as stable on landings as the Samba, and it never felt squirrely on landings. In short, I came to expect smooth, straightforward takeoffs and landings on the Madonna.
The Madonna’s swing weight is low, which I’m sure ladies with a park background will appreciate though I never got ‘around’ to attempting any 360s myself (pun intended). The light weight should also help make the ski suitable for smaller, lighter girls out there, too.
Moguls
Despite the considerable amount of time I spent on the Madonna, I personally was never able to get comfortable on the ski in moguls. (Caveat: I do not claim to be a great bump skier, so strong female mogulists may fare better in bumps on the Madonna.) It felt as if the Madonna’s soft flex and the rockered tails didn’t lend a supportive ride in bumps. Where the flatter tail of the Samba helped me to grip the side of a bump, launching me into the next turn, I found myself getting bucked around on the Madonna, fighting the rhythm of the turn. I often found it hard to stay balanced over the skis, and I had a much easier time dealing with bumps on the Samba and the Aura, both of which are stiffer than the Madonna.
Bottom Line
Stiffer, more directional skis like the 2014-2015 Volkl Aura (review coming soon) and Blizzard Samba will fare better in thicker snow, and may work better in bumps for some skiers. But overall, I’ve found the Madonna to be exceptionally versatile, and I was particularly surprised by how well the Madonna’s softer flex handled choppy conditions. I think 4FRNT has definitely built a ski that will suit well a number of female skiers (they “understand the needs of a woman,” or you might say they’re perfect for material girls. Ok, enough Madonna jokes—I couldn’t resist.)
I recommend the Madonna to intermediate and advanced lady skiers looking for a light, rockered ski that is playful in fresh, soft snow, but that also doesn’t sacrifice much on groomers or in crud.
Hi. Great review. I found Madonna 2012-2013 for a great price. Is there any difference between reviewed and mentioned by me versions?
Hey Sasha,
Yes the dimensions were tweaked a little bit after the 2012-2013 version.They became a little fatter in the waist.
I found it difficult to dig up specs on a ski that old, but I don’t think the changes were anything major.