BLISTER Review has long been the review we most eagerly await to read. Especially when we bring a new ski into our line like the MSP 91. After several months of testing, their final review is here.
BLISTER Reviewer Charlie Schayer (6’3”, 190 lbs / 190 cm, 86 kg): The 4FRNT MSP 91 is a ski that I have been eager to try. I have not (yet) had the pleasure of spending much time on 4FRNT skis but I know several very credible skiers who swear by the MSP 91’s wider siblings. A 91 mm underfoot, it’s a ski that is going to be spending a lot of time on groomed terrain. However, 4FRNT’s heritage has deep roots in building skis for the freeride community, and the MSP 91 still falls under their “all-mountain” designation. Given that, my curiosity surrounding this model was focused on what concessions 4FRNT would make in balancing on-piste and off-piste performance.
The MSP 91’s shovels and tails are relatively soft when flexing by hand, but on snow, I felt this translated to a ski with a very agreeable personality. It only took a few quick turns to feel acquainted with the MSP 91; this was the first indicator of the intuitive nature of this ski. I was a little concerned that the MSP 91’s softer flex pattern would compromise its stability and on-piste precision. Firm snow conditions and a bitterly cold Thursday morning kept the crowds away, and empty steep groomers were a perfect venue to test the MSP 91’s mettle. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this ski maintains a high level of composure when arcing long and deep carves on Crested Butte’s relatively vacant slopes. The construction of this ski does a very nice job of filtering out vibration and its rounded flex pattern makes it initiate and exit turns beautifully. Some of the groomed terrain was borderline icy and the MSP 91 demonstrated excellent edge hold. (Read the full reveiw on BLISTERs webstie HERE to continue on this point)
In order to make the most of testing (or maybe in an effort to get warm) I ended up chasing the sun, looking for a mix of bumps and groomers. The MSP 91’s quick and lively nature makes it a really fun bump ski and I found its softer flex (for a metal-laminate, directional ski in this class) to be forgiving when the bump line became illogical. This ski really shines when transitioning between groomers and bumps; mixing up terrain really showcases the borderline playful nature and versatility of this ski. It’s worth noting that the 181 cm length we have is shorter than what I would prefer to ski but I found that the MSP 91 felt longer than expected. At no point did I really ever encounter a moment when I felt like I needed a longer ski. I really look forward to spending more time skiing the MSP 91 as the conditions soften up, and we’ll have more reviewers chiming in, too.
