I became aware of the company when the best skier at my local hill got a Liberty trucker hat.
A few years later they gave Phil Larose apro model, which I thought was a real classy move.
and the weak Canadian Dollar make it cost prohibitive to order anything from outside the country.
There are aluminum caps on the tip and tail to minimize damage from impacts.
Overall the ski looks well constructed with a nice finish in the shop.
I’ve seen a few warranty claims on Liberty skis over the years, mostly due to De-lam.
All claims were resolved positively and swiftly with good customer service throughout the process.
Confusingly, there are two suggested mounting points on the 88s.
One is dead center, and one about 5 cm back.
Objectively, it’s easier to sell a ski that looks cool.
Although the Liberty graphics really hit rock bottom for my 2020-21 Helixes, it isn’t all bad.
The 2020-21 Helix 88s second from left in this photo.
The current (2022) Helix 88.
SKI PERFORMANCE / CHARACTERISTICS
After a few runs, the Helix 88 started to feel quite comfortable underfoot.
I found the low weight and relatively small platform a bit disconcerting at first.
I put a fresh coat of wax on the skis before taking them out to maximize glide.
After a day out on them, I de-tuned the area between the bindings to ~45 degrees.
This is a really fun ski for small and medium radius turns on groomed snow.
They’re quick edge to edge and hold up well at low to medium speed.
As you’d expect, it was very easy to carve switch turns at pace.
They feel kind of weird running flat.
It’s much more comfortable to be carving slightly.
Skiing at higher speeds these started to feel a bit squirrely.
I experienced a few terrifying high speed punch-fronts when I hit unexpected soft spots.
If you like skiing fast outside the park every day, these aren’t a great choice.
Those skis were just fine in powder.
In spring snow, you’ll have a blast on any ski and these are no exception.
I found the 182 cm length great in the park although it felt very short for all mountain skiing.
These are stable and perform flawlessly cruising through the park at any speed appropriate to a terrain park.
Making small direction changes and edge adjustments (i.e.
setting an edge on a take-off, or carving to hit close together features) feels intuitive.
These are the liveliest skis I’ve ever used.
The full camber coupled with the bamboo/carbon core conspire to create exceptional pop regardless of your takeoff angle.
These are not a super soft ski, but the flex is fairly consistent through the ski’s length.
I would rate the flex as a 7-8-7.
I’m impressed how consistently stable the Helix is even landing large airs on flat and bumpy landings.
They came in clutch a few times when I went far bigger than expected.
This is a super light ski, and naturally feels balanced in the air with it’s symmetrical shape.
Swing weight is negligable, enabling quick spins.
I’ve always had trouble spinning fast, but these made it easy to get an extra 180 in.
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1042163/helix88video-mov
Durability
This is the most important aspect of any piece of equipment for me.
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1042321/helix88butter-mov
Buttering the Helix 88.
It was weird learning these without poles for timing.
Ski Comparisons
Out of all the skis I’ve used, these are closest to the Fischer Addict/Nightstick.
The dimensions are very similar and they feel alike for carving and general skiing outside the park.
I love how versatile the Prodigy is, while offering excellent performance in the park.
They come in a 187, which for myself works perfectly as a park/all mountain rig.
Overall, Liberty has made a good quality, high-performance park ski in the Helix 88.
