All skis this plump are a blast in powder, but the Goliath won our Gear of the Year award for its performance on firmer snow. During test conditions that ranged from teeth-rattling hardpack to boot-deep powder to crusty leftovers, the Goliath simply outperformed every other ski in its class. The key to its hard-snow agility is a rubber plate placed between the wood core and the retention plate in the middle of the ski. Movement claims it improves the Goliath's ability to absorb vibration by 50 percent. Our take, as summarized by one tester: “It had the best edge hold of any fat ski I've ever tried.” The other key to its hard-snow performance is the Goliath's beech-poplar-and okume-wood core, which has incredible damping qualities and a high strength-to-weight ratio. Plus all the wood is select round timber from forests certified sustainable by the Forest Stewardship Council.
With its long 32m turn radius, the Goliath is especially stable making sweeping arcs at speed. But thanks to an “early rise,” or slightly upturned, tip and a snappy feel overall, it's surprisingly agile edge to edge on hardpack and making quick turns in the trees. Unlike most larger ski manufacturers, Swiss upstart Movement owns its factory, which is in Tunisia, thus affording the company total control over its products, from materials to designs to construction techniques. Movement skis may cost a bit more than those from the major brands, but they're worth it.