Last tested
2024
Status:ongoing|Restyling
2025

Wayback 98

By and for mountain guides, and their clients. Lightweight and never tiring, it's especially easy to handle on soft snow, perfect for relaxed outings
In brief
Suitable for
classic tourers looking for a wider ski
Not suitable for
aggressive, fast skiing
Also suitable for
lighter skiers
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  • Buyer’s Guide reviews
  • In words
  • Technical specifications

Buyer’s Guide reviews

Positioning
Handling
Traditional ski-tourer
Suggested curve arc
Short radius
Used by
Gilles Sierro
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On-snow performance
Hard / packed
Powder
Wind-blown / crust
Damp / wet
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The charts show our impressions from testing
Product info
Category average
Trip purpose
Height difference / Engagement
Performance / Line
Skiing / Slope
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Recommended use
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Recommended level
Technical Level
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
High level
Weight
lightmedianheavy
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In words

Intro
This ski was completely updated last year after years of honorable service together with its 89 and 106 siblings, adding an extra 2 mm underfoot. Each has a new titanal plate at the waist for extra strength and damping in descent, and a mix of paulownia and carbon to keep the weight down. It's also got an innovative Snophobic topsheet that limits annoying snow build-up to a minimum, especially on the uphill.
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On the snow
Surprisingly lightweight, considering it's not exactly what you'd call a skinny ski. On the uphill it'll appeal to everyone, it tracks well, has little sidecut, helps a lot on technical terrain, and at a weight of under 1,400 g (3 lbs.) it lets you take on long verticals and still have energy for the downhill. It's best on soft snow, powder and firn, where it floats well and skis effortlessly. The tip sits atop the snow and it responds nicely when exiting a turn, as you would expect from a sturdy ski. One of the reasons for its enduring popularity, including with mountain professionals, is its ease; at the end of a long day on the snow your legs will thank you. It gets twitchy on hardpack and crust, as well as at speed or on steep terrain. Perfect for relaxed outings, slarving on soft snow and medium turns.
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Lab
Slightly concave at the tip, almost perfectly flat after ten passes through the machine. No structure, just roughly sanded and waxed. Good edges 1.9 x 1.8 mm at 89°, base edge 1°. Overall finish pretty rough but ok, tip and tail detuned. Could go out on the snow as is, but would be a little unpredictable. Tuning recommended.
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Technical specifications

Construction
cap-sidewall
Materials
woods of different densities
Base
sintered polyethylene
Available sizes
165, 172, 179, 186
Released in
2023
Made in
China
Price
700 €
Declared specsMeasured by us
We measured the length 179 to get all the details
179 cm
Length
XXXXX
126 cm
Tip width
XXXXX
114 cm
Tail width
XXXXX
98 cm
Waist width
XXXXX
N/A
Edge contact
XXXXX
N/A
Camber
XXXXX
N/A
Tip rocker
XXXXX
N/A
Tail rocker
XXXXX
1.260 g
Individual weight
XXXXX
N/A
Left weight
XXXXX
N/A
Right weight
XXXXX
22,1 m
Sidecut radius
XXXXX
N/A
Load-bearing surface
XXXXX
N/A
Tip torsion
XXXXX
N/A
Center torsion
XXXXX
N/A
Tail torsion
XXXXX
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