Zag H105 review 2017
PROSKILAB™ reviewers' comments
Like the Ripstick and the Soul7, the H105 is designed for accessibility. The first rides down the pistes are great. The ski behaves well, is docile and reassuring. Rotation and initiation are fast and intuitive. The ski is relatively responsive and happy in short turns.
Its behaviour becomes more erratic at high speeds. It lacks stability and the tail lacks impulsion and grip, forcing the ride to ski up front. In fast turns, the ski finds it hard to stick to its path and unfortunately tends to drift.
Off-piste, its behaviour is generally good, but the ski has more difficulty in tricky snow.
While the PROSKILAB™ team loved the H95, the H105, presented by the brand as a toned-down version of the H112, is probably... just a bit too demure, which explains its weaker performances compared to the other references on this category. Mmmmm... does that mean that the H112 is the H105 with an extra dose of vitamins? There’s no doubt, it’s a very good candidate for the 2018 review.
Meanwhile, the H105 is still a very good ski for freeride newbies. We recommend it for a wide range of riders apart from experienced freeriders for all-mountain and all-snow performance.
Review: Pros
- Exceptional accessibility
- Sensation of lightness under foot
- Enjoyable at intermediary speeds
- Easy rotation and turn initiation
- Good in skid turns
Review: Cons
- Performance less convincing at high speeds when the ski lacks grip and tends to drift
- Lack of overall stability, especially on hard pack
The ski review scores
Turn initiation | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.5 |
Stability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.8 |
Stability/turning performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.0 |
Grip | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.0 |
Short turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 16.3 |
Long turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.0 |
Skid turn performance | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.8 |
Handleability | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.8 |
Comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.0 |
Snow contact | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.8 |
Soft snow fluidity | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.5 |
Freeride - Flotation quality | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 12.8 |
Handling in powder | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 15.5 |
Performance on hard snow | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.0 |
Freeride - Performance on hard snow | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 13.8 |
Any ground comfort | ☆☆☆☆☆ | 14.0 |
Who's it for?
Manufacturer's remarks
The H105 was designed to give good skiers a stable and solid ski for the powder, with excellent grip on the pistes. Less demanding than the H112, it nonetheless offers the same sensations in terms of performance, stability and comfort as its illustrious big brother.
Features of the H105
Brand : | Zag |
Model : | H105 |
Year : | 2017 |
Family : | All Mountain 30/70 |
Size tested : | 182 cm |
Tip size : | 136 mm |
Waist size : | 105 mm |
Tail size : | 121 mm |
Radius for the size reviewed : | Not available |
Your review
Reviewed by PROSKILAB™
in La Clusaz, France, March 2016