Alpine Skis
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Almost as good as our Gear of the Year winner—for $350 less
An in-depth look at our favorite all-mountain ski of the year
We love stocking stuffers, but the big-ticket hero gifts are the ones we really look forward to. Presenting eight splurges to buy—or maybe just drool over. (Salemtown Board Co.) Salemtown Board Co. Mimosa Oak Cruiser Close to two hundred bucks might feel like a lot to spend on a skateboard,…
Who needs a whole quiver when one set of planks does it all?
From groomers to glades, bumps to short-swing turns in the fall line, these frontside skis do everything you need
From traveling light to going fast and steep, these 8 pairs of planks will help you carve pow all winter long
Venture Snowboards announced Thursday that it will not release boards for the 2015/16 season
The 26-year-old downhill skier's advice on how to be a happy traveller? Always be prepared for powder days and impromptu concerts.
Intelligent designs that are up for anything—and so fun to ride that you’ll want to take them everywhere.
Line's inspired ski looks as good as it rides.
The logistics of a ski weekend with kids are challenging, but the gear schlepping and tantrums just might be worth it.
Rossi is the industry leader when it comes to balancing rocker (upturned tip and tail), camber (for edge hold and glide), and taper (the pin shape in the front and back, which delivers a loose feel in and out of turns). This year it packed all that institutional knowledge into the Super 7.
Thanks to the new factory, built with Laakso’s pre-preg expertise, all of Black Diamond’s 2013-14 skis are lighter but higher performance than existing models.
When the results were tallied after our on-mountain evaluations, these were our female testers’ favorite planks.
Those lift-line elitists snickering at your old traditionally shaped skis could use some manners, but they’ve got a point: the new rockered shapes make skiing more fun. Which ones should you buy? There are two schools of thought.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the K2 Rescue Shovel Plus.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Rossignol Super 7 Skis.
ϳԹ reviews the best gear in the 2012 Winter Buyer's Guide, including the Line Celebrity 100 skis.
Do a pair of expertly crafted custom skis pay out on the slopes, or is that extra money you spent just vanity underfoot?
I am looking into learning how to ski. What would you recommend as a good pair of skis for a beginner? Andrews Morgantown, WV
How and where we tested the skis to determine our favorites.
FREIGHT TRAIN COMIN’ Good for Powder Our favorite powder ski, the Kuro just might redefine the class. Whereas most rockered skis are surfy by design, the Kuro effortlessly blasts through powder like a more classically shaped fat boy. Credit Völkl’s Elongated Low Profile design—essentially less rocker in…
Although K2 calls the Lotta Luv an expert ski, it accommodates a wide range of advanced skiers. The wood core, topped by a layer of metal, makes for a quiet ride, while the integrated Marker system binding allows the ski to arc naturally through the turn. If that all…
At our annual ski test, 12 hard-charging testers put the Kendo through its paces at Snowbird (see page 37), and every tester wrote something to this effect: “You can make every turn shape at every speed on every style of terrain.” That’s the ultimate goal of an all-mountain ski,…
SOFT SERVE ONLY We know, the name makes you lisp. But if you’re a hard-charging resort powder skier, you’re gonna have to deal. The Obsethed was the fattest ski submitted to our big-mountain test, and, outside of the Sierra or the Pacific Northwest, it’s all any serious powder skier really…
CRUISE MISSILE Good for PowderSchlepping most oversize (and heavy) rockered skis up on a boot-pack can be spirit-crushing. Not so with the Megawatt. At ten pounds six ounces a pair, they’re markedly lighter than the norm. But they don’t ski wimpy. Although the Megawatt sports a rockered tip, it…
ALL MOUNTAIN Good for All Mountain Developing an easy-flexing ski that still offers hard-snow performance has long been the holy grail of ski design. With the World Cup–inspired D2 (or Doubledeck), essentially a ski on top of a ski connected by free-gliding joints, Atomic has all but broken the…
JUST RELAX Every ski in K2’s line features rocker this season. In addition to floating a ski, rocker can be designed to help initiate a turn. Such is the case with the easy-skiing Aftershock. And where skis like the Nordica Enforcer and Völkl Kendo require near-constant attention, it’s possible to…
Big Mountain Our women testers praised the Nemesis as “the go-to ski for anyone who seeks powder at all costs.” But, while the 98-millimeter waist says soft snow, when you hit the hardpack you can hang it way out there with the carvers. New this year, a “slow rise” in…
KING OF SLASH Good for Powder Looser and more nimble than most rockered skis, the S7 is perfect in any snow deeper than your boots. The most versatile of the category, it was quick enough for tree skiing, and the traditional sidecut underfoot (the ski’s reverse sidecut…
BIG MOUNTAIN Good for Big Mountain You'll feel like you're cheating on huge powder days. The only women-specific rockered (upturned tip and tail) ski on the market, the Voodoo Pro also has tapered tips and tails, so they don't get hung up on pillows of poof. But what sets…
WELCOME TO BIG BOY The Sultan 85 features the resilient wood core, powerful vertical sidewalls, and two sheets of vibration-quieting Titanal that elite skiers demand, but thanks to the addition of an “early rise” tip—a hint of rocker up front—you won’t have to muscle it into turns. Which means you…
All Mountain The Kenja is a master of all terrain, thanks to an even flex and a modestly tapered sidecut. On snow, that translates to a huge sweet spot—you don’t have to be “on it” all the time—with a low swing weight and silky ride. At 86 millimeters underfoot, it’s…
CRUD DESTROYER Good for Powder The three-year-old Pontoon remains the best crud-buster of the lot, which is key. While all reverse-camber skis are fun in powder, once you hit manky snow (like the kind that wants to tear the ligaments off your knee), you’ll appreciate the…
Good for All Mountain Decision time! Favor early-morning groomers beyond all else? A frontside ski is right for you (page 36). Ski the cut trails only on powder days? Check out the big-mountain category (page 37). Or if you mix it up, like more than half the…
CARVE IT ALL Like every model in Blizzard’s line, the M-Power is overbuilt, with beefy vertical sidewalls. The resulting deep edge penetration and an unwavering stability made the M-Power the best groomer ski in this category. But there was a tradeoff: It was a little hard to handle in soft…
PLAYFUL POWER As the name suggests, the Pro was originally designed for Dynastar’s big-mountain freeskiing team. But now any hard-charger with the chops can pony up for these wide bodies. This “big-boy toy,” as one tester described it, is built with a wood core, two sheets of metal, and a…
SMOOTH OPERATOR Good for Big Mountain The Monster 102 is only a millimeter slimmer than Head’s pro-model ski, the plank-stiff 103, but the performance is a world apart. Thanks to its softer tip and a powerful tail, it’s easier to move through tight trees and…
Good for All Mountain Bring the Xplorers up to speed and they’re as damp and predictable as any ski in this test. Ski them lazy and slow and they won’t buck you. In other words, K2 has mastered the easy-to-ski mid-fat all-mountain ski. Thanks to the right…
STREET-LEGAL ROCKET The Enforcer wowed us with its off-the-chart stability at high speed and penchant for tearing through piles of crud with nary a twitch. Credit its wood-core, vertical-sidewall, metal-reinforced construction and monster sidecut. The downside? The Enforcer can take its toll on lighter skiers. “It’s not a lazy-afternoon ski,”…
MOST VERSATILE During a week of testing at Copper Mountain, the Mythic Rider’s composite-and-titanal core delivered a smooth, consistent flex on bulletproof groomers, soft bumps, and even manky, wind-scoured snow. And thanks to its thinned-down center and beefed-up edges, it has tenacious grip. Which is a good thing, because this…
It's a super-solid ski that's quick and holds incredibly well on ice but also likes to float through powder. To achieve that versatility, and allow the ski to flex unimpeded, the Austrian company affixes its integrated IQ binding system (included) with a single screw. Which, combined with the full-wood core,…
MOST VERSATILE Good for Big Mountain The most confidence-inspiring ski in this year’s big-mountain field, the Blower offers impressive stability in all conditions. At 110mm underfoot, it’s more than fat enough for powder and crud skiing, but the wood core, vertical sidewalls, and 26m round-turn sidecut…
Good for All Mountain The highest-scoring ski in this category, the twin-tipped John wowed our testers with its versatility. Ex-racers can arc race turns, jibbers can throw them switch, and big-mountain skiers can blast through trees and powder. “Fun, fun, fun,” said one tester. Clearly the company…
PLAY ANYWHERE If you think an all-mountain ski needs to handle crust and crud as well as it deals with powder and corduroy, then the Chris Davenport–designed Kästle FX94 is for you. Kästle builds the nicest race-room-quality, laminated-wood-core skis you can buy, but what makes this one so versatile is…
WIDE BUT NIMBLE You don’t need to be a big company to make a big ski. Liberty, a small manufacturer in Avon, Colorado, has created a giant-killer with the Helix. An eco-friendly bamboo-and-poplar core gives it a light and poppy feel—but the Helix is still tough enough to land hard…
Built with a wood core and vertical sidewalls, these snappy skis performed great in any snow. On an overcast morning at Copper Mountain, they sliced their way down ice and groomers and, when the sun came out in the afternoon, they were just as reliable in the bumps or anywhere…
BACKCOUNTRY CHOPS Good for Big Mountain Smooth, light, supple, and quick. Those were the most common words our testers used to describe the Coomba. The 22m sidecut and wood-core board is easy on your legs, and the ski is lightweight enough for hiking or touring. The…
Good for All Mountain Hands down the most powerful ski in this category, the Magnum IQ sports race-worthy edge grip. “This is an all-mountain ski for East Coast hardpack skiers,” said one tester. Featuring a full wood core that’s overbuilt at the edges for still more bite,…
YOU CAN HAVE IT ALL Even at a wider 95 mm underfoot, the Sentinel was one of the more dynamic skis in the category. The front of the ski is playful and floats nicely in resort powder, but the Sentinel is all business in the back, where the sidecut and…
CONFIDENCE-INSPIRING “An instant charmer,” said one tester. “Really versatile and easy to ski.” As with the rest of Rossignol’s popular B series, the damp feeling can be attributed to an aluminum insert integrated into the tip of the ski, which increases torsional rigidity and helps it plow through crud. New…
Stiff plastic on the sides of the Scarlet make it powerful enough to drive through crud and bumps yet still feel stable on hardpack and ice. But it's the boot's excellent forward flex that makes for precision turning. “Not too soft, not too stiff,” as one tester described it. “It's…
BIG-MOUNTAIN CARVER Good for Big Mountain Plenty plump for powder, the damp MX98 also drew top scores for quickness, edge grip, and stability. Like the four other skis in Kästle’s brand-new line, the MX98 benefits from classic construction and top-shelf materials—a high-end wood core (ash and…
Good for All Mountain Like the K2 Xplorer (above), the brand-new SC 87 wowed testers in every condition. “Silky,” “energized,” and “stable but completely maneuverable” were tester refrains. Credit that wealth of positives to Rossignol’s attention to the balance between a ski’s longitudinal and torsional flex, one…
ALL-TERRAIN DOGG The Snoop has been a mainstay in Atomic’s line since 2006, but the company redesigned the ski last season (it now has vertical sidewalls and laminate construction instead of a cap construction). And testers still loved it this year: On the snow, it feels livelier than earlier…
RACE READY The brand of choice for over half of the top World Cup ski racers proves it can make planks that arc for weekend warriors, too. The B5i’s capped construction allows for easy turn initiation and release, which is why one tester felt “like an Austrian in a one-piece,…
Good for Frontside “This is the ideal Vermont groomer ski,” said one tester. Indeed, lightweight skis are great for backcountry travelers and mogul skiers, but to hold a 45-mile-per-hour turn on ice, you need some beef under you. With layers of steel and a power-boosting binding plate,…
SCARE-THE-TOURISTS FAST Good for All Mountain “It feels like a World Cup race ski and a powder ski had a love child,” said one tester. Part of the completely revamped line of skis from Blizzard, the Magnum 8.7 features the company’s Powerframe construction—essentially stacking more of…
Good for All Mountain If the Watea 94 were ten millimeters wider, you’d call it a big-mountain ski. From the “powder hull” tip—it’s shaped like the prow of a ship—to the loose and playful feel, this ski was built with the resort powder skier in mind. On…
RACE CARVER If you spend 80 percent of your time wailing high-speed carved turns on groomers, the AC50’s are for you. The most powerful and dynamic carvers we tested this year, they’ll track unwaveringly back across the fall line when you lay them over. Despite the ample width underfoot,…
TAKE IT ANYWHERE The ultraversatile Apache Recon returns unchanged this year, remaining one of our top choices for intermediate to advanced skiers. A generous sidecut makes carving easy, but its plump shovel and tail allow the ski to float in powder, while its guts—a wood core surrounded by fiberglass and…
1. It’s a friendly monster. Our advanced-intermediate testers felt like heroes, our former U.S. pro said it “laid a nice rail,” and everyone in between praised its ability to stick on hardpack, plow through crud, and provide the overall smoothest ride of any of the skis we tested. 2.
BACK-BOWL BOARDS Good for All Mountain More of a freeride ski than the Blizzard or Völkl, the Lord excels at slinking around the resort in search of bumps, steeps, and leftover powder. But it’s no noodle. The edge grip was unfailing—especially impressive for a ski with…
Good for All Mountain Are you rather large? Do wimpy skis piss you off? Go to Helldiver! Here’s an all-mountain ski with a big platform underfoot—90 millimeters—and no speed limit. While our biggest and fastest testers loved bombing groomers on it, our lightest testers found it a…
NO RATTLE, PLENTY OF HUM Another no-nonsense frontside carver, the new Strato 80 Ti is motorhead-fast right down to the flaming Troy Lee Designs graphics. But although you can push into sweeping turns at GS speeds and beyond, it’s not race-ski nervous. The wide-body tip needs only to be rolled…
POWDER KING A 102-millimeter waist allows the Coomba to float easily in powder. But unlike some big-mountain skis, it’s also torsionally stiff enough to dice high-speed, large-radius turns with ease. Credit K2’s proprietary construction—namely, a shock-absorbing wood core with interlocking strands of fiberglass in the topsheet. 135/102/121; k2skis.com Bonus:…
CARVING CHAMP Essentially built just like a race ski—with solid sidewalls, a full wood core, and a 15-meter turn radius—this aptly named ski is in a carving league all by itself. “Watch out for yellow jackets,” cautioned one tester. But even when this ski was ripping high-speed turns down firm…
EVERY RESORT, EVERY RUN Good for All Mountain Rossi bills the Phantom as a 60 percent off-piste ski. So we were a little nervous taking it out on early-morning boilerplate at Taos. But even though this shark-nosed and fairly straight ski is silky and light, it…
Good for All Mountain Here's the rightful heir to one of the bestselling skis of all time, the Salomon X-Scream of the 1990s. But while the X-Scream was no fun in deep snow, the brand-new Fury excels in it. The wider, 85-millimeter waist helps, but it's the ski's new…
MOST VERSATILE It’s a frontside ski, so you can carve easy but powerful turns on it all day long, but thanks to subtle tip rocker (see page 39) and a big sweet spot, you can work the Rictor through bumps and mellow off-piste conditions with ease. Buy it if you…
SPEED DEMON It’s rare for all of our testers to be on the same page, but everyone agreed: The new 888 is unquestionably the best ski the Slovenian company has produced in years. During several days of testing at Powder Mountain, these moderately wide planks (88 millimeters underfoot) effortlessly zippered…
Good for All Mountain If powder days are a rare treat, then how your utility ski handles hardpack is your number-one consideration. With its 20-meter turn radius and aluminum-alloy damping layers around a core of ash and silver fir, the MX88 lives for ice. True, all that…
RIDE THE RAILS Good for Groomed RunsEquipped with a race-worthy binding plate and wrapped in the classic sandwich construction, the Cool Heat penetrates the hardest snow with minimal ankle flexion. “You can feel Fischer’s racing heritage when you bring these up to speed,” said one tester. The Cool Heat…