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PTO Review
We skied them. Here's how they stack up.
H-Power 78 — skiers who spend most of the day on piste but keep drifting off it - groomers into fresh snow, a few side hits, cut-up afternoon snow - and who want race feel without committing to a race ski. 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 | H-Power 78 | U-PH |
|---|---|---|
| Carving | 8🏆 | 6 |
| Park | 1 | 2🏆 |
| Playfulness | 4 | 6🏆 |
| Forgiveness | 5 | 7🏆 |
| Stability | 8🏆 | 7 |
| Powder | 3 | 4🏆 |
Skiers who spend most of the day on piste but keep drifting off it - groomers into fresh snow, a few side hits, cut-up afternoon snow - and who want race feel without committing to a race ski. An ambitious intermediate has room to grow into it; a skier who already carves well still finds ceiling above them. Pick the length by turn shape: 159 or 167 cm for quick, tight arcs, 175 or 183 cm for speed and space.
Beginners: the H-Power 78 is firm and race-derived, and it will not make the turn for you. If you never leave the hardpack, do not buy it - the narrower H-Power 68 grips harder and changes edge quicker, and you would be paying for ten millimetres you never use. If you chase deep snow or spend real time off-piste, 78 mm is not enough ski; go to the H-Power 89 or the Freeride line. And a racer chasing maximum rebound should buy an actual race ski - the SL, the GS or the PRO - not the friendly middle of the H-Power line.
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 H-Power 78 is best for skiers who spend most of the day on piste but keep drifting off it - groomers into fresh snow, a few side hits, cut-up. 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 Van Deer H-Power 78 scores highest in Stability at 8/10, 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 Van Deer H-Power 78 leads in Carving with a PTO score of 8/10. Its edge grip on hard snow and groomed runs is the strongest in this comparison.
The OGASAKA U-PH 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.
