You might have seen their skis or snowboards while perusing for a new set, but never tried them out. We researched them to help you decide if it is a worthy brand before shelling out a few hundred dollars on a company you might know little about.
About Rossignol
Headquartered in Isere, France, Rossignol was founded in 1907. For a few years (between 2005 to 2008) the board company Quicksilver—often known for their snowboards, skateboards, and surfboards—owned Rossignol. However, Rossignol now operates as its own company run by Bruno Cercley, who bought back the business from Quicksilver.
While skis were the primary reason produced by the company name, ski boots came into the picture in 1990, and since that time the company has also manufactured snowboards in mountain gear and clothing. Snowboards were also added to their lineup of goods in the late 1980s, and they have built their name in the snowboarding arena, as well.
We especially enjoy the quality of their ski boots, and several snowboarders rave about the feel and construction of Rossignol boards. If you don’t ski, but snowboarding is your sport, and you’ve never tried Rossignol, we think this is definitely a brand try out. They make boards for all types of mountain conditions, whether it be soft powder, or packed, icier slopes.
More recently, trail bikes were added to their lineup of products. These are top-notch off-roading bicycles, and their well-crafted construction comes with a price. Some cost as much as $4,700. Their All Track Pathway is on the lower end, at $600.
You can now purchase anything from beanies, mittens, and ski poles to snowboards and long underwear from the company. Rossignol makes a full lineup of skis, snowboards, and other gear for men, women, and kids alike. They even make sneakers, competitive with the likes of Vans.
Competitors
While Rossignol makes other products such as mountain gear now, skis and snowboards are the primary products behind this brand. They are ranked as being one of the top brands of ski producers today. Some of their competitors are Tactics, Burton, Windward Board Shop, and Zumiez.
Rossignol is the oldest and biggest ski maker but has taken some dips over the years, but steadily works its way back up in sales since the recession. They are back in the market again as a significant player in the mountain gear market, and for a good reason. They craft well-made skis, ski boots, snowboards, and more.
Cost
The cost of Ross skis varies significantly, considering they have so many options to choose from. Some of their premium and race skis run from about $720 to $450 per set. Ski boots range from about $160-$565.
A pair of kid’s ski gloves run about $32 while A pair of women’s ski pants will cost you anywhere from $65-$235. Prices on their website are in euros, but a quick converter will give you US dollars. As you can see, they may not be the priciest set of skis on the slopes, but they aren’t the cheapest, either. They do focus on quality goods—having been worn by Olympians several times over.
So, you can expect to pay a little extra for additional quality in this brand.
Online Shop
Ross offers a variety of perks such as free shipping (in some situations), free returns and exchanges, international shipping, and they often have promo codes. While their competitors are noteworthy, and some have a significant portion of the market share, and Rossignol is not the number one most popular ski brands, they still ranked as one of the front runners.
Many other retailers supply Rossignol products, such as Amazon, Skis.com, Evo.com, REI, and The-House.com as well as others. Rossignol’s home website is based out of Europe and does require shipping costs to the United States.
Fortunately, several retailers around the United States sell Rossignol products, including REI, Moosejaw, and many independent and local stores. They provide a handy store finder on their website, so you can check if a merchant near you supplies some of their equipment.
JC De Castelbajac
Rossignol also offers a line of item partnered with French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. These items include outdoor gear such as mittens, beanies, and zippered travel pocket/pouches.
Castelbajac designed whimsical patterns or doodles, and these were merged with the Nordic gear for outdoor statement pieces. The prices are not low, but also not outrageous considering the collaboration with a designer. The line is yet another way Rossignol works at trying to come back into relevance and freshen up their look for a younger crowd who might not have heard of them before.
Quality
The quality of their products is undoubtedly respectable. While it’s difficult to summarize the quality of everything they offer, being that there are a variety of skis, snowboards, and gear, several reviews exist on individual products. Overall, they rate quite well on construction and durability. After all, if they can handle Olympic events, they can’t be that bad.
Many of their products are constructed with poplar wood center and carbon fiber matrix outer lining. There are snowboards with serrated edges for more grip in certain conditions. Rossignol crafts both lighter weight and heavier weight skis, depending on your downhill needs.
They’ve been ahead of the curve in many respects over the past century, such as releasing their first fiberglass set of skis in 1964. Also in the 1960s, they continued their smooth sail into notoriety with their first all-metal skis.
Many avid snowboarders and skiers tout the quality of Rossignol products as being top-notch, and the variety of products, including all-mountain skis and snowboards, as to be versatile and well-suited for all sort of levels.
Whether you need skis as an expert in the powder, or you are spending your first winter trying out the slopes, Rossignol excels are manufacturing equipment for both levels and anything in between. Even up to Olympians, they can cover the bases. They were worn by six out of ten of the Alpine events gold metals in the 1988 winter Olympics.
Some rate exceptionally well on areas such as pipes with snowboarding and uneven terrain. On sites such as Skis.com, most reviewers rate the products five-stars. There are also ample YouTube reviews on individual products.
Negative Points
The sheer number of choices in skis, snowboards, and outdoor gear take away slightly from the mastery of any one product. This certainly does not mean Rossignol makes products lacking in quality.
Only that some here and there are bound to fall through the cracks, and it can be more difficult for customers to nail down precisely what they want in some situations.
The cost of some of their line is the primary drawback when considering purchasing. Skiing is an expensive sport, though. So, for many customers, this will come with the territory.
Nearly $800 is a lot for a set of skis, nonetheless. When you have to add in international shipping, if you purchase them through their dedicated online store, the cost bumps up, of course.
Overall Takeaway
After looking into Rossignol, we didn’t find much we didn’t like but discovered plenty that we did. The variety of construction materials, the positive reviews from downhill and pipe riders online, and the different styles of skis and boards for all levels of experience were all high notes for the company. We like that Rossignol is of a giant of a ski manufacturer and is still trucking it out after over a century in business.
For those who are particular about American-made products, Rossignol may not be the brand for you. Some products are constructed in Taiwan—though still of good quality—and their headquarters are in France.
With the French Alps being part of the sport of skiing, we trust that the French know a thing or two about what you need on the slopes. A large number of customers online seem to agree, including well-seasoned lovers of Alpine sports.
Their outdoor/mountain gear struck us as well-made, also. Even if you are not an avid skier, or maybe your partner is, and you want to be supportive, there are some attractive wearable items available with a posh look and feel to them. The Rossignol emblem lends a feel of a high-end sports car brand or a couture designer.
We think the company is worth checking out, and if you love the slopes, certainly worth testing board or pair of skis. They aren’t new to the game, so they’ve mastered many items in their lineup, and we think you will be pleasantly surprised if you give them a shot.
