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PTO Review
We skied them. Here's how they stack up.
These skis span 2 categories (Freeride, All-Mountain). Scores reflect each ski's intended use — direct comparison across all dimensions may be misleading.
Soul W 92 OPEN — the intermediate-to-advanced woman who wants one resort ski and has decided a heavy metal ski is not worth what it costs her by the last run of the day. U-PH — skiers who want the unity outline light and forgiving rather than stiff and demanding, and who value a long comfortable day over a precise one — which is ogasaka’s own stated aim for it. Check the radar chart below to see where each one wins.
Each row compares all skis on one dimension. 🏆 marks the highest score.
| Dimension | Soul W 92 OPEN | U-PH |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 4 | 6🏆 |
| Park | 2🏆 | 2🏆 |
| Playfulness | 8🏆 | 6 |
| Forgiveness | 7🏆 | 7🏆 |
| Stability | 4 | 7🏆 |
| Powder | 6🏆 | 4 |
The intermediate-to-advanced woman who wants one resort ski and has decided a heavy metal ski is not worth what it costs her by the last run of the day. Her laps run groomer, trees, and the chopped-up snow in between, and she pivots and smears more than she lays trenches. Smaller and lighter skiers too: the 150 is a 1.25 kg ski turning on a 13 m radius, quick underfoot without being a learner's ski.
The skier who wants to carve, properly, on hard snow, at speed. The contact points are rockered off the snow at both ends, the metal runs down the middle as a beam instead of across the width as a sheet, and at 158 cm the whole ski weighs 1.35 kg. Mass and full-width metal are what hold an edge in a firm, fast turn, and this ski gave up both on purpose. The Blizzard Black Pearl 88 and the Nordica Santa Ana 92 are on our wall and they are heavier for a reason. The same goes for the aggressive or heavier skier who drives the shovel: a light ski with rocker at both ends has a speed limit and she will find it in a morning. That is not a hedge bolted on for balance - it is the weight advantage read from the other side, and nobody gets to sell both. Hardpack-only and East Coast skiers should not pay for width they never use; our Arcade W 78 and W 80 are narrower, cheaper, and come with a binding already on them. Beginners and cautious first-season skiers: this is a flat ski at $699.95 on a base that wants waxing, and Rossignol's own text says intermediate and advanced. Anyone who wants to buy on the strength of a review should buy a different ski, because this one has none and cannot have any yet. And nobody should buy this ski for a damp, quiet ride. Rossignol's marketing paragraph names a Vibration Absorption System that Rossignol's own technologies list for this item does not include, and until the brand publishes a page we will not sell you damping we cannot confirm.
Skiers who want the UNITY outline light and forgiving rather than stiff and demanding, and who value a long comfortable day over a precise one — which is OGASAKA’s own stated aim for it. One third-party tester recommended it to women and senior skiers; another, on the 160 cm, called it the easiest ski to ski in the whole UNITY range. It also suits anyone who wants a finished setup rather than a ski plus a second decision, because PTO stocks it with the binding and plate already mounted.
Skiers who want edge bite. A third-party tester said outright that this is not a razor-sharp, high-grip model and pointed it at cruising instead — that trait went out with the aluminum, and the U-PE is the ski that still has it. It is not the easiest ski in its own family either: OGASAKA’s catalog states that the U-PC is easier to handle, and recommends the U-PC to skiers with less power. At 81 mm it is no powder ski — E-TURN is OGASAKA’s wide line — and it is no hard-snow race carver, which is what KEO’S and TRIUN exist for. Anyone who needs 174 cm cannot get it here; the run ends at 167. And anyone shopping for a cheaper U-PE should stop: the metal is genuinely gone, and so is the work it was doing.
The Soul W 92 OPEN is best for the intermediate-to-advanced woman who wants one resort ski and has decided a heavy metal ski is not worth what it. The U-PH is best for skiers who want the unity outline light and forgiving rather than stiff and demanding, and who value a long comfortable. The right choice depends on your primary terrain, ability level, and riding style.
The OGASAKA U-PH scores highest in Stability at 7/10, making it the strongest all-mountain option. It handles groomers, chop, and variable conditions without losing composure, so it's the best single-ski choice for skiers who want one pair for the whole mountain.
The OGASAKA U-PH leads in Carving with a PTO score of 6/10. Its edge grip on hard snow and groomed runs is the strongest in this comparison.
The Rossignol Soul W 92 OPEN is the most forgiving option with a Forgiveness score of 7/10. It doesn't punish imperfect technique, making it the easiest ski to progress on among these.
Not sure? Ask us.
