Salomon Depart 1.0 2025 Review

Salomon’s Depart 1.0 is more than a new ski, it’s a new direction for one of the biggest brands in skiing. The ski itself also reexamines what a ‘freestyle’ ski should look like, aiming to create a platform for creative skiing beyond the regular bounds of a terrain park. The team behind the new ski wanted to create an everyday freestyle ski, something that appeals to more than just park skiers, and to us, they nailed it.

Groomers & Resort Skiing:
The Depart has a surfy vibe to it, but it’s also pretty stiff underfoot and has a tight turn radius, so you can lay them on edge and crank turns on hardpack. This is one of those skis that carves when you want, but you can break loose anytime. The stiffer underfoot section makes the radius feel long for 15m compared with say, a Chronic, which bends more underfoot, tightening the radius but that also adds a feeling of predictability and stability. The generous rocker makes them pivot easily in tight spots too.

Skier: Lisa Cormier. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren

"This ski was very playful I can see why everyone loves it. It has a very surfy vibe yet I was able to go edge to edge very quickly making fast turns and staying in control." - Asa France

"I loved the Salomon Depart 001. They were super fun on the groomers given how fat they are… They still managed to be playful and easy to get in the air. Probably are my favorite skis of the test so far." - Lisa Cormier

Skier: Brock Marzolf. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren

Powder & Mixed Conditions:
The most surprising aspect of the Depart, given its freestyle penchant, is how versatile it is. The pinned nose slices through choppy snow very adeptly and the stiffness makes it fairly stable in all conditions. There is enough rocker and width to make it a decent powder ski too.

"From a pow lap in the dive to high-speed groomers all the way to swervy park laps, this is the only ski at the test I would happily take anywhere & everywhere. The pointed nose adds extra surf for sure. Not a lot of skis that are true “everything” skis anymore but this one is." - Mark Valtr

Skier: Asa France. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren

Park & Jibbing:
The Depart isn’t so much a park ski as a newschool freestyle ski. It does well enough skied traditionally in the terrain park, but where it excels is taking a new look at what the park and the wider mountain can offer a creative mind. Its quick radius is ideal for darting between features and skiing more than the regular lines. Its versatile shaping allows landing forward and switch all over the mountain and the strong backbone holds up well at speed. The stability of the ski is also a huge bonus, providing support in less-than-perfect landings.

Skier: Brock Marzolf. P: Hanne Lundin Wallengren

Conclusion:
The Salomon Depart takes home a Best of Test award for All Mountain, but it could just as well have been for the park category too. These were one of the most popular skis of the whole test, with universally good feedback from all different types of skiers. What was most amazing was how many different types of skiers loved them. We had pure park rats grinning ear to ear but even more impressive was how much our ex-racers and more directional skiers also loved them. We think just about anyone could enjoy the Depart 1.0 from traditional mountain skiers to park rats to backcountry freestylers. These are going to be very popular and with good reason.

Read our full, in-depth review of the Salomon Depart

Check out our Best Of Test | All-Mountain Video for more on the Salomon Depart:

https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1096985/--YouTube

Dare to dream, dare to be different. With every twist, turn, and trick, Salomon’s Départ 1.0 lets you unleash the full potential of your imagination. Clicking into these skis is like stepping into the future of freestyle, where you are not bound by limitations but rather fueled by the fire of creativity that burns brightly within you.