Sometimes it seems every new model in the Age of Lighter is Better is being made for some pixie who can’t bend a real ski. Put a big man who knows how to motivate down the hill on one of these weak reeds and it will fold like a $5 lawn chair. So it was interesting to read the comments of Corty Lawrence, a full-sized dude (and one of the best boot fitters of his, or any other, generation) when we pried him off the i.Speed Pro after several scorching runs.

“This has my name all over it, in spades,” Corty begins. “The harder you ski it, the more it likes it. Very smooth, however, and very, very predictable. A lot of metal, a lot of weight, that equates to a very damp, quiet feel. Stores energy really well and has a spring effect when it releases the energy.

“Not as explosive as the i.Race,” Corty continues, referring to the i.Speed Pro’s stablemate, “that packs its energy into a smaller frame, yet nimble and agile – surprisingly so – once up to speed. I can manage a couple of turns at slower speeds, but that’s not what it’s built for. When it gets up to its home speed it starts singing, and it’s operatic.

“The camber has a very even flex, but the extremities have a fair amount of beef, so they hug the ground – snow contact is unbelievable. It requires less energy from a big guy to initiate and finish turns and the metal keeps it on the ground.”

To compress Corty’s impressions into an aphorism Yoda might utter, “Total commitment yields total reward.” Whether the next turn will be etched in glare ice or plowed into Slurpee slush, the i.Speed Pro could care less. It will make a tiny, short-radius turn when peace and harmony are the norm worldwide, and slow turns are even less probable. But if you know where the accelerator is and aren’t afraid to stomp on it, you’re the target pro for the i.Speed Pro.