Black Diamond Helio Carbon 108 Review

The Black Diamond Helio 108 combines classic, proven features with modern backcountry ski design. It has a small sidewall, a full-length layer of carbon fiber, mellow tip and tail rocker, and slight camber underfoot. Even at 108 mm underfoot, it's still an acceptable weight for human-powered backcountry skiing.

Performance Comparison

Weight

We tested the Helio 108 in 180 cm, which weighed 1560 grams per ski. That makes 3119 grams, or 6.9 pounds for the pair. This is, in our opinion, the sweet spot for human-powered skiing. It's not too heavy on the way up, yet still has enough mass to push through softer versions of tricky snow. Except in rare instances, as ski weight drops below 1500 grams, downhill ski performance drops, too. Moving in the other direction, downhill performance doesn't necessarily improve with excess weight above 1500 grams. The Helio 108 sits at this important inflection point, which could make it a go-to touring ski, depending on your snow climate.

Firm Snow

Compared to other specialty powder skis, the mid-fat Helio 108 performs surprisingly well in firm snow. It behaves predictably, with edges that engage uniformly from tip to tail. Compared to other 'all-around' backcountry skis we recommend, however, it's relatively uninspiring. Our testers agreed that the edge grip, though uniform, is a little weak, which is less than ideal in consequential terrain. That said, conservative technique will get you through tough terrain on the Helio 108, which is more than we can say for most of the other powder skis we tested.

Powder

The Helio 108 is best set up for powder skiing. They deliver just the right amount of float for all kinds of fluffy snow. The centered balance of the Helio 108 inspires confidence through short-, medium-, and long-radius turns, especially at low and moderate speeds. Relative to more specialized powder skis (read: fatter skis), we got a bit bogged down on the deepest days. While those truly optimized powder skis edge ahead of the Helio 108 on those days, they're not nearly as versatile in other snow conditions.

Crud and Poor Snow

We admit that our testing notes are light for the Helio 108 relative to its performance in poor snow. This is, overall, a good thing – your skis should be the last thing on your mind when you need to concentrate on skiing tough snow conditions. When we pressed further, our test team confessed that in crud, the Helio 108 is “about as average as average can get.” The only skis that truly stand out for their performance in poor snow conditions are usually much heavier than the Helio 108, so we'll take these relatively neutral statements as high praise.

Stability at Speed

At the highest speeds, our testers lost some of their confidence in the Helio 108. That said, these skis will go just about as fast as you should be going in the backcountry. In steep terrain, they hold up to all but the most energetic movement. They feel light in jump turns and are stable enough to carry some speed through each turn.

Should You Buy the Black Diamond Helio 108?

Backcountry skiers who frequent the Tetons, the Wasatch, the Sierra, or Mount Baker could own the Helio 108 as their only backcountry skis. For others who stretch their season well into the spring, this is an excellent midwinter ski to complement a different pair that's more hard-snow-focused. Even though the Helio 108 is designed for soft snow, it also won't fully check out when conditions get firm or tough.

What Other Backcountry Skis Should You Consider?