Touring backcountry skis
Product 2027
Woman, Man
During our touring tests, the Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open was categorized under touring, but it would be equally at home in an all-mountain category. We tested it in the 177 cm length, featuring a 19-meter radius and sidecut dimensions of 126-97-116 mm.
A handsome petrol-blue ski adorned with subtle Japanese-style graphics at the tail, the Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano might look unassuming at first glance, but it proves to be an outstanding ski. Tipping the scale at 1,400 grams per ski, it carries some weight on the ascent, limiting its scope for massive vertical climbs—stick to under 800 vertical meters. On the flip side, whatever you lose on the way up, you gain double on the descent with truly top-tier skiability. The tip rise is supported by an exceptionally efficient rocker. The Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open absorbs terrain seamlessly out front without excessive chatter, keeping skiability completely intact.
The Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open features a subtle tail rocker that greatly assists in pivoting without feeling overly oversteering. It holds a solid line, allowing you to stretch out longer, higher-speed arcs. It avoids the twitchy, over-pivoting trait common in traditional touring skis designed for less technical skiers struggling to turn their equipment.
When initiating turns, the front rocker helps immensely by keeping the tip floating above the snow, backed by a generous waist width. It hooks into its sidecut radius effortlessly while staying fully in control. Naturally, it excels in an upright stance and slid-drifting turns. Crucially, it stands out as one of the rare touring skis that can actually be driven in carved turns on compact snow with smooth, fluid arc progression—a quality sorely lacking in most competitors. While comparing it to lighter models might seem unfair due to its heavier weight and extra chassis substance, the flex profile feels impeccably engineered, with core materials well-distributed throughout.
Torsional stiffness and edge grip are equally impressive. It provides a reassuring platform underfoot, which is a welcome relief given how many touring skis on the market lack solid edge hold—a critical safety factor. The Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open can genuinely handle steep terrain and firm to outright icy conditions.
On the ascent, however, side-hill traverses on compact snow are less than enjoyable due to its waist width, though it fares better in soft snow. The Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open features a broad tip and solid directional stability, but holding an edge during skinning requires active knee drive and angulation.
The Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open is also surprisingly energetic and playful enough to drop into short, traditional wedeln turns. It clearly highlights the gap between brands hacking together uphill-focused skis with poor downhill performance and established manufacturers who know how to build skis with true fluid tracking and real downhill grip.
The bevelled tail shape is cleanly executed. Take note of the tip notch, however: when paired with dedicated Rossignol skins, the rubber tip clip doesn’t seat quite deep enough into the slot. As with most touring skis, the steel edge does not wrap completely around the tip, and our test pair already showed minor impact marks. The Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open offers great base glide and comes equipped with thin edges—frequent tuning and sharpening will shorten its lifespan.
While its weight places it right on the fringe of the touring category, the Rossignol Escaper 97 Nano Open delivers exceptional skiability. It is a highly stable, high-performing, user-friendly, and dependable ski that holds a ferocious edge on hard snow and steep terrain.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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