The Best Skis of the Year
With a forecast of frigid temperatures, light snow, and low visibility, we tasked 33 skiers with finding the best of the 112 skis submitted to Powder Week. Every day, after skiing bell-to-bell at the end of February at Big Sky, Montana, the Powder Union broke into smaller groups, sat down around a table, cracked open a beer, and talked about skis: what they liked; what they didn’t. What worked for some; what didn’t work for others. The 55 skis highlighted throughout the 2018 Buyer’s Guide—earning a coveted Skier’s Choice—reflect those conversations. You will find them in this digital buyer’s guide, grouped according to different skiing styles. Of those selected, 16 were identified by the Powder Union as deserving of special praise. These are the Skis of the Year.
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$770.00
BUY NOWThanks to a balance of playfulness and power, the Atris has been a perennial leader in the 108-millimeter-underfoot class since it debuted in 2014. Manufactured in the Elan factory, the Atris features a semi-cap construction for durability in the tips and tails and sidewall underfoot for direct power transmission to the edges. The poplar wood core feels damp and smooth but the ski really shines thanks to its dialed taper profile and well-adjusted rocker profile.
New this season, Black Crows made subtle improvements to address high speed stability without taking away from its approachable and versatile nature. The Atris has always been a no-nonsense, confidence-inspiring ski that’s less camber dominant than its more directional brother, the Corvus. And while Black Crows lengthened the sidecut to 20 meters, they also slightly mellowed out its stiffer flex and made the rocker profile more progressive in order to maintain its trademark balance.
On snow, this translated to a smooth, playful feel through the light wind deposited snow and chalk below Big Sky’s brand new Challenger lift. The Atris is playful and effortless to engage, allowing for easy turn shape changes thanks to the ample rocker and mellow flex profile. On the flip side, the Atris remains true to Black Crows’ big mountain roots and is not afraid of being pushed harder. As I tipped into some steeper turns in the Three Forks zone of the Headwaters, the longer sidecut and damp poplar core kicked in for a powerful, fast ride to the bottom.
A ski’s ability to be ridden well and appreciated by riders of different backgrounds and skiing styles is often understated. The Atris does just that, catering to strong skiers of all backgrounds, whether you’re an ex-racer or a retired park rat. As a one-ski quiver out West, or a dedicated powder ski in the East, the Atris remains a versatile ski that’s approachable and exciting. It always has a little extra horsepower under the hood when you decide to open the throttle.—Alex Meilleur
DIMENSIONS 139-108-126 LENGTHS 178.3, 184.2, 189.7 RADIUS 20 -
$770.00
BUY NOWLet’s keep this simple: The Black Crows Atris, and the Atris Birdie for women, is a fantastic ski for 95 percent of my days. Pure and plain, it rips all over the mountain. It’s the sweet spot in the Black Crows’ lineup, with universal appeal that translates to me skiing whatever I want on any given day. Could be trees in a thick storm, the great wide open in the high alpine, or average wind buff days at the ski resort.
Black Crows gave the Atris a classic shape that many ski companies have dialed in recent years—camber underfoot, early rise in the tip and tail. New this year, Black Crows touched up the design, giving the Atris a longer turning radius and softer flex, and making the early rise in the tail more pronounced. These tweaks make the Atris more stable at higher speeds than previous years, without compromising its versatile and playful DNA.
The Birdie, which is a tad softer than the men’s version, comes in two sizes, 169 and 178 centimeters. It’s made with a poplar wood core and semi-cap construction, and a 20-meter turning radius, a bump from previous models. The bright orange top sheet is an eye-catcher and the chevron design is a thicker white in the center, a visual cue that mimicks the camber design of the ski.
When I took the Atris Birdies out for a spin at Powder Week, I felt graceful and confident. I’d bring these to steep, no-fall-zone lines in the Alps, or I could mess around on the Atris all day inbounds, popping off jumps and rocks and arcing turns on groomers. The progressive rise in the tail is soft, buttery, and forgiving—so I could ski without fear of punishment.
At times, the Atris’ 109-centimeters underfoot felt a little slow transferring from edge-to-edge, so I’d probably grab another pair of skis on super firm days. And those who like to press the gas petal all the way down may find they lack a little “oomph.” Otherwise, the Atris is a ski to get high on. And Black Crows is already experiencing a high in the United States, a market they’ve only just begun to establish themselves in. A lot of people are jiving on Black Crows, for good reason. They make solid skis that prove themselves. Meanwhile in Chamonix, Black Crows has already climbed to the top of the ladder, a place they’ve been since breaking out in the late aughts. It’s only a matter of time before they achieve that status on this side of the Atlantic.—Julie Brown
DIMENSIONS 138-108-125 LENGTHS 169.1, 178.3 RADIUS 20 -
$800.00
BUY NOWThe Dynafit Beast 108 is a rock-solid companion. The more you push it, the more confidence it instills. Open it up and carve beautiful, large radius turns in steep chalky snow, or load up the tip, scrub speed, and utilize the pop to navigate moguls in a Zen-like hovercraft mode. Although Dynafit’s product line has varied significantly over the generations, their focus on ingenuity and engineering has been a constant. The Beast 108 features sidewall construction with an ash/poplar core for minimal weight with maximum power. Negative camber in the tip and tailor “Elliptical Rocker,” as Dynafit calls it—allows the effective edge to increase as you progressively roll the ski into a turn. This design provides a stable platform that helps the ski bust loose and pivot very easily at any time. With sizes ranging from 173 to 194 centimeters, the Beast 108 comes in a full spectrum of options for skiers of all heights and weights.
After a few hot laps of chalky wind buff under the Challenger Chair, our group migrated over to a mid-mountain lodge for margaritas followed by some groomers. Considering that Dynafit is a backcountry ski company, the Beast 108 skied well here, too. The ski tracked well, maintained solid edgehold, and was extremely predictable and damp at speed.
Overall, this is an excellent ski that’s light for touring but perfectly at home in variable snow conditions and lift-served terrain. It’s also Dynafit athlete Cody Barnhill’s go-to choice for ski touring, Screamin’ Seaman 360s in the park, and everything in between.—Sam Cox
DIMENSIONS 136-108-126 LENGTHS 173, 181, 188, 194 RADIUS 22 -
$1,149.00
I followed Kristin Cooper, a Big Sky patroller, from the Lone Peak Tram into a cloud. With poor visibility conditions, she only popped into view every few turns, hinting at where I needed to point my skis. I put my trust in the Kastle BMX105 HPs. On many other skis, I’d be gun-shy, entering a steep, rock-lined shaft nearly blind. On the BMXs, I charged with but a whit of caution. Give these skis your heart and your soul and your thighs, and they will deliver. So did the run: It held a chalky afternoon powder stash.
Built with a beech/ silver fir core, the Kastle BMX105 HPs get the damn thing done. A low-camber profile keeps the center of the ski slightly elevated and snow-contact points centralized. This shortens the effective edge, making the ski more forgiving when entering and exiting turns. A progressive rise, which optimizes float and easy turn initiation, couples with an elongated “hook free” shovel and tail for an energetic performance. The BMX105s retain traditional Kastle features adapted from alpine racing, like the sandwich-sidewall construction and a hollowtech tip, which makes the ski damper while reducing weight.
Truly stiff and powerful, the BMX105s HP can be sensitive and precise, too. You don’t need to be an ex-racer to turn it, though it needs muscle to shine. New this year is a 165cm length, a major win for smaller hard-charging women.—Clare Menzel
DIMENSIONS 134-105-123mm LENGTHS 165, 173, 181, 189cm RADIUS 21m -
$730.00
BUY NOWThe Boundary 107 Pro’s middle-of-the-road radius (20 meters) enables turns of any shape. From hop turns in icy chutes to lower mountain bobsled runs, the Boundary Pro 107 was never a chore and reflects a significant power boost for Black Diamond in the all-mountain category. A lively early rise tip transitions into a rigid, traditionally cambered platform underfoot that gives way to a slightly rockered, fairly stiff tail. Smear it in times of glory or stand on it in moments of doubt.
The mounting point is right where I like to stand on a ski—a little bit forward. To me, less tip length translates to easier, faster turns. My stance is on the upright side, so I don’t need a whole lot of tip in front of me to make me feel stable at speed. While the 184 turned like a 176, it had the stability you’d expect from its true length. Its slightly tapered tips and tails address any sort of hooking that you might expect out of a ski this curvy.
However, folks who ski traditionally (driving the tip to initiate every type of turn) might find themselves overturning on these. If I’m going to drag my skis up hill, they better be sort-of light, and they better be fun to ski when it’s time to go down. In the case of the Boundary Pro 107, Black Diamond balanced uphill weight with downhill shredability well. It’s the first touring ski that I really wouldn’t mind skiing any day of the year, in any condition.—Alex Buecking
DIMENSIONS 138-107-123 LENGTHS 184 RADIUS 20 -
$770.00
BUY NOWBy definition, a daemon is a supernatural being of a nature that is both god-like and human. Which suits this ski, too. Ninety-nine underfoot, incorporating metal and reverse camberthe Daemon is an anomaly. But it works very well as a firm snow chunder destroyer and was one of the most talked-about skis at Powder Week.
“I didn’t think a full rocker skinny ski would work, but it did,” said Powder Union member Spencer Harkins. “It’s a strong, high-energy, fun ripper that made me eat my words.”
A poplar wood core and semi-cap construction round out the stiff sheet of Titanal that runs through the center of the ski, stopping before the tip and tail. My first thought when I picked up the ski was intimidation at the 183.6-centimeter length. However, it does not ski long. And for being a reverse camber ski, it is a very stable ski. Aggressive underfoot, be ready to finish the turn you started. But the softer tip and tails lend forgiveness.
I watched this ski go out of the tent and then not come back for a really long time. That usually means that whoever is shredding doesn’t want to return it. Black Crows skis do not disappoint. Chamonix Frenchies are hooked on them for a reason—they get you down whatever you want. The minute I saw the Daemon on the rack, I snagged it.
A stiff, 99-underfoot platform, this ski is great for snapping fun, “look how low my hip can go” turns. Check your shadow out for full effect. It’s a ski to have in the quiver, but deep days will require a bit more work on the driver’s side. Otherwise, prepare to look at the mountain in a new way with these bad boys on your feet. I think the Daemon’s could turn us all into supernatural beings.—Hannah Victory
DIMENSIONS 132-99-120mm LENGTHS 170, 177, 183, 188cm RADIUS 20m -
$849.00
BUY NOWNordica designed the updated Enforcer 110 to suit the needs of someone who wants a wider ski but doesn’t necessarily want to work hard to drive the ski forward and keep it on edge. Traditional camber underfoot has the familiar edge-hold that’s ideal for groomers and variable snow, while the rockered blunt tip and tail and wide platform allow the ski to float through powder. Rocker in the tip and tail also makes starting and finishing turns smoother and easier due to the gradual transition to and from the effective edge.
In order to keep the Enforcer 110 lighter and more playful in soft snow than the 100 and 93 versions, Nordica introduced something they call Energy 2 Titanium Balsa, which adds balsa wood into the poplar and beech core, as well as two thin layers of carbon to help compensate for the now lighter core. Two strips of metal (titanal) help stiffen the ski up. While skiing the Enforcer 110 at Big Sky, I felt it had an inconsistent flex pattern when skiing at higher speeds. The tail of the ski seemed solid, but the tip was like a bull about to enter the rodeo: a lot of energy, but not quite sure what to do with it.
Nevertheless, the Enforcer 110 is a great ski for someone that wants a daily driver that is a little on the wider side. The rocker in the tip and tail makes it very easy to turn, and the camber underfoot is essential for everyday versatility. As long as straightlining is not on the agenda, this ski will make a lot of people very happy.—Dane Weister
DIMENSIONS 140-110-129 LENGTHS 169, 177, 185, 191 RADIUS 18.5 -
$800.00
BUY NOWFor skiers, there is perhaps no greater search than for the perfect ski. Every year, for the past 17 years, that search has been our goal at Powder Week, the annual gathering that produces the Buyer’s Guide. Because skiing is so subjective, rarely is there consensus on one ski.
This year was different. After 33 skiers ripped around Big Sky, Montana, for four days at the end of February, it was abundantly clear that one ski lead the pack: the Head Kore 105.
“I loved these,” wrote Crystal Sagan, a backcountry skier from Boulder, Colorado. “Ultimate one-ski quiverso light it would be a great touring ski but railed an edge on groomers and through crud, while still feeling nimble in technical tight spaces.”
“These skis are super fun and easy to maneuver on any snow condition,Û noted Eric Germmann, co-owner of the Ski Monster shop in Boston. “Lightweight without sacrificing a solid feeling underfoot.”
“Groomer, windbuff, crud, this ski flat out rips,” said Dave Stergar, a middle school teacher from Helena, Montana. “It instills confidence to ski fast with any type of turn.”
“Winner, added Spencer Harkins, a jib rat from Salt Lake City. “The karuba core/carbon layup keeps this ski super light. But it charges like a resort ski. Perfect flex to absolutely crush, but still soft enough to play around. Dampest ski of the week so far.”
That all of these skiers have different ski styles says a lot about the Kore, which introduces several new concepts to ski construction. First, the attractive topsheet isn’t even a topsheet, but a heated layer of polyester fleece that normally goes beneath a traditional topsheet, shaving weight by 200 grams per ski.
Second, the ski utilizes a unique core comprised of lightweight karuba wood (similar to balsa) and koroyd, a thermally molded honeycomb material originally used in helmets. A layer of carbon infused with graphene—an incredibly lightweight material used to strengthen bonds within resins (particularly as it applies to the marriage between carbon and fiberglass)—gives the ski surprising strength in an agile package, allowing you to ski it hard in any terrain. Slight camber with tip and tail rocker, the Kore 105 engages the snow with ease. The 17.8-meter radius makes it quick in the trees and bumps, and many skiers at Powder Week noted its stability on groomers. While the same thing can be said about many skis in this guide, what sets the Kore apart is its lightweight construction. It’s the rare ski that feels like it has metal for performance on hard snow, yet, at just 1755 grams per ski (lighter than many touring skis), would be an ideal touring rig perfectly capable of navigating rocky couloirs, chasing your friends down the bumps, doing hippy turns in low-angle powder.
There are better skis on hardpack, and in powder, for which you’ll find plenty of options throughout the Buyer’s Guide. But for an everyday ride, the Kore 105 climbed to the top of the stackthis year’s number one ski.—Matt Hansen
DIMENSIONS 135-105-125mm LENGTHS 171, 180, 189cm RADIUS 17.8m -
$625.00
BUY NOWThe MSP is one of 4FRNT’s originals, launched into production in 2003. But this year, in celebration of the Salt Lake City-based company’s 15th anniversary, the MSP (named after the company’s founder, Matt Sterbenz) got a redesign that, in many ways, represents a new chapter of ski building for 4FRNT.
The MSP is a resort ski built for frontside crushing from the East to West coasts. A poplar core, camber with rocker, and Titanal semi-cap construction, these skis are smooth and damp, especially in variable conditions. Countering the smooth, easy feeling tip, the MSP gets significantly stiffer toward the tail.
I took these skis through a variety of terrain, most of which was mixed and not super awesome snow, but that didn’t matter. These skis absolutely rip. The new material and construction made the ski effortless to engage and steady on edge. On the stiffer side, the tail had a lot of energy, though some may find it overpowering. The result is a strong ski that nearly anyone could pick up and love.—Eric Germann
DIMENSIONS 135-99-123mm LENGTHS 171, 176, 181, 187cm RADIUS 18m -
BUY NOWThe Salomon QST 106 is a driver, but easy to ski. It’s stable, but also quick on the turn. It’s fun and poppy, but when you want to crank the speed, it’s ready for you.
Unchanged in its construction and design from last year’s award-winning model, Salomon’s QST series is a top choice among the Powder Union. “This beauty can be driven aggressively across all kinds of snow.” says Editor at Large Matt Hansen. “I would have no qualms riding this ski every day at my home mountain.” South Lake Tahoe skier Tyler Bradford echoes the same feeling. “The more I ski this ski, the more I like them. It does everything well and is easy to shut down speed.”
I found them to be a surprisingly ideal choice for a powder day inbounds. They cruise through the untracked and are super easy to turn in the deep. And after the ski resort gets tracked out, the QSTs have the power and drive to cut through the chop, rather than bounce around like a more rockered ski does.
Using the same construction as its sister, the Stella 106, the QST is made with a Spaceframe wood core, milled to lighten the ski. An edge-to-edge sheet of titanal extends beyond the mounting zone, and a layer of Salomon’s carbon-flax blend rounds out the construction to deliver a responsive yet solid, poppy yet driving, balanced ride for the every day and every condition.—Julie Brown
DIMENSIONS 140-106-126 LENGTHS 167, 174, 181, 188 RADIUS 20 -
$850.00
BUY NOWSalomon knows you don’t mess with a good thing. Which is why the Stella 106 (which uses the exact same construction as the unisex QST 106 in shorter sizes and with a different top sheet) is back this year unchanged from last year’s debut model. I fell hard for this model last year and I’m not surprised to see it rise to the top of the pack for the second year in a row. Above all, this hard-charging and versatile ski gives me the confidence to take on any type of terrain.
Made with a light Spaceframe wood core fortified with an edge-to-edge sheet of titanal that extends beyond the mounting zone and a layer of Salomon’s carbon-flax blend, the Stella 106 is extremely responsive and solid underfoot. Initiating turns is nearly effortless. It moves seamlessly from edge to edge. But it’s no soft noodle. Instead, the Stella 106 is perfectly weighted.
Because Salomon engineered the Stella 106 to easily dump speed, and hold a strong edge even in icy steeps, I was comfortable skiing more aggressively at Big Sky on this ski than anything else. The lightweight construction keeps them up top on powder days, yet they are stable enough I don’t get any chatter when it has been a while since the last storm. At 106-millimeters underfoot, these skis fall in a sweet spot that mean I take them out for a rip regardless of conditions. When I traveled last winter, this was the only ski I packed.—Sierra Davis
DIMENSIONS 138-106-125 LENGTHS 159, 167, 174 RADIUS 20 -
$850.00
BUY NOWI was a little hesitant to hop on the Fischer Ranger 108 TI. Fischer has always had an impeccable race pedigree, but we were on the variable terrain of Big Sky.
Honestly, the Fischer Ranger 108 TI made the whole transition easy. Like, really, really easy. Within a few runs I felt like I’d been skiing the Ranger 108 TI for a few seasons. There may not be any technical jargon for feeling ridiculously comfortable on a ski right out of the gate, but there’s certainly something to be said about it.
The Ranger 108 TI features Fischer’s Aero Shape technology, which shaves nearly 50 percent of material off the sides of the ski by rounding the ski down to the edge and eliminating excess sidewall. While this leaves the ski looking impossibly—and even breakably—thin, the arced ski surface transfers power in and out of short turns by getting the ski on edge quicker.
And the Ranger 108 TI doesn’t stop there. Fischer has milled pieces of its Titanal shell and polar and beach core, making the ski 25 percent lighter across the board. The Ranger 108 TI also slapped on a carbon fiber tip that tapers down the ski toward the binding, making for ridiculous swing weight in a ski this size.
But at the end of the day, the Ranger 108 TI is still 100 percent Fischer, a family company that earned its stripes with performance. By cutting weight along the sides, the Ranger 108 TI can employ Titanal in the binding area, improving stability and keeping your binding attached to the ski on your next tomahawk Tuesday.
A Titanal shell running the entire length of the ski helped me generate power with any type of turn, which meant no second-guessing when the trees started to get a little tighter and the pitch a little steeper. The Ranger 108 TI advertises a 19-meter turn radius, but the light swing weight makes any turn a hell of a lot of fun. To finish a ski test feeling this dialed with a foreign shred object is a rare feeling, but one that shouldn’t be overlooked. After all, a ski is not a baseball mitt, it shouldn’t take a season to get the performance you want.—Kade Krichko
DIMENSIONS 140-108-130 LENGTHS 174, 182, 188 RADIUS 19 -
$850.00
BUY NOWAt this point in the ski industry, we all know gimmicks as mere marketing tools rather than revolutionary designs. Which is what you might think when you first discover that the Ripstick 106 has—gasp!—an asymmetrical feature that dictates a specific left and right ski. We’ve seen this before and it has been given its various indictments: cuts the life of the skis in half; switching skis gives an unpredictable feel; why would I want to switch skis for a different feel in the first place?
Well, I’m here to tell you that Elan, after listening to all of these pieces of constructive feedback, managed to quell almost all of these issues with this type of technology. First, note that it isn’t exactly full tip-to-tail asymmetrical. The Amphibio technology has a designated left and right ski with the tips of the outside edges rockered and the inside edges cambered. When used as designated, this unique construction gives a more subtle yet very welcome feeling of familiarity, ease of use, and a bit less abruptness in the initiation of the turn for softer snow conditions.
(Before you ask, yes, I did try the skis on the wrong feet—do not judge me.)
The rest is all about the balance one wants out of a ski: stiffness with suppleness, dampening with quickness, and all of it comes together better than even the marketing words can say.
The Tubelight wood core takes the carbon factor a bit further by going from stringers to actual hollow tubes that run front to back along the sidecut to give more torsional rigidity with less weight. This is combined with a Vapor Tip technology—inserts in the tip and tail that reduce swing weight and vibration for an easier pivoting between turns. And I’ll be damned if it doesn’t work beautifully. The skis handled a sketchy traverse to the steep, chalky, no-fall Gullies off Big Sky’s Lone Peak with deft of ease, even with the low visibility and variable snow.
The Ripstick 106 provided an overly familiar ride that slightly pushed me but not to a point where I had to over-perform the ski, which is a refreshing nuance. The Ripstick 106 will work for any skier intermediate and up looking for that soft-snow daily driver that goes beyond the basic brand promises or gimmicks and actually displays and supports their abilities.—Wally Phillips
DIMENSIONS 140-106-122mm LENGTHS 167, 174, 181, 188cm RADIUS 18.1 -
$840.00
BUY NOWOn the third morning of Powder Week, also known as ASSFART Day (All Ski Something Fast Awesome Rad Together), I was shaking Ullr Schnapps fever dreams when I walked into the tent and over to Blizzard’s ski rack and saw the Blizzard Rustler 11. I looked at my legs, which had seen two bell-to-bell days of skiing, and asked myself, “Am I ready for this?”
Blizzard has a reputation for making skis that take strength and commitment to ride properly. But a half hour later, I was confidently skiing the rocky and exposed Dictator Chutes. Hungover and grinning, I was beyond pleased to be on these skis. The Rustler 11 is pure confidence wrapped in a solid yet nimble package. The amount of rocker in the ski makes them bridge the gap between pinned carve turns and “give it a second then smear the tail” slarves. Blizzard’s Dynamic Release Technology reduces the side-to-side stiffness in the tip and tail of the ski, taking the bite out of the initiation and exit of the turn. It also reduces leg fatigue.
Equally intriguing and unique is how many different types of wood actually went into the core of this ski (paulownia, balsa, poplar, and beech). You would think this ‘throw everything at the wall’ approach would be a disaster. It is actually pretty epic. The combination makes the ski feel balanced.
The only criticism I can offer is that the rocker-camber-rocker profile makes you choose definitively to carve or slarve your turns and almost requires you to keep skiing that way until you consciously decide on a rhythm change. This is because the hinge point at the tip feels very close to where the turn initiation push takes place. If you like to charge in soft snow and you like to feel a symbiotic connection to the ski, please consider this ski for a daily driver.—Wally Phillips
DIMENSIONS 139-112-129 LENGTHS 164, 172, 180, 188, 192 RADIUS 19 -
$849.00
BUY NOWThe Nordica Santa Ana 110 stands apart on the women’s ski market for the two sheets of metal and carbon that sandwich the wood core.
Wait—metal in a 110-underfoot women’s ski? That’s a ski marketer’s nightmare. Most women are intimidated by metal. I understand. Metal adds weight and stiffness to the ski, making it more difficult to ski.
But metal also gives a skier confidence. It gives the ski the strength to cut through the snow, not skip on top of it. Personally, I lose confidence the minute I feel bucked around and thrown into the backseat. That happens the most when I click in to lightweight skis that don’t have a spine. Conversely, a ski I can cut into the snow with, that I can trust to lean into and drive, that’s a ski that makes me feel like I’m a really good skier. And that’s the Santa Ana.
It’s not a heavy ski. Nordica lightened up the guts of the ski so they could compensate for the added weight in the metal. The wood core is a combination of lighter weight woods poplar, beech, and balsa. Above and below the core are layers of Titanium and carbon. The result is a powerful, stable ski that will unlock the mountain for any female wanting to take their skiing to the next level.
The best chairlift at Big Sky is a triple named Challenger. It’s a slow ride up a face with a healthy amount of pitch. Some of the best lines weave between the lift towers. Conditions are typically windbuff supreme. It’s a zone I lapped many times at Powder Week on many different skis. Some skis wanted to turn—a lot, too much. Others didn’t want to turn at all—and I feared for my knees. But on the Nordica Santa Anas, I found my stride in my first lap. The second lap, I pushed the gas petal. By the third, fourth, and fifth laps, I wasn’t even thinking about my skis. I was thinking about how much I love to fly.—Julie Brown
DIMENSIONS 140-110-129 LENGTHS 161, 169, 177 RADIUS 16.5 -
$1,299.00
The conditions during Powder Week were not as variable as in years past, so I was able to ski the Stockli Stormrider 115 on groomers, crud, and wind buff. In the 195-centimeter length, this ski was a top performer for me. However, due to its sheer size, this ski might not be ideal for everyone. (Editor’s Note: Dave Stergar is one of the strongest skiers on the Powder Union. Let’s just say he knows how to drive a ski.)
The Stormrider 115 has a GS race-factory feel. It needs (and loves) to go fast in order to arc turns. Stockli has maintained its traditional look, only slightly updating the graphic over year’s past. Their titanium top sheet maintains the traditional look of the Austrian ski company. I felt the top sheet also added some torsional stiffness. Like models in years past, the ski still features a laminate construction with lightweight durable woods and a fiberglass layer that makes this ski incredibly damp. When you get it up to speed, it will pop you from turn to turn.
What many skiers will really like about this ski, especially if they have a race background, is traditional camber with a very slight early rise tip for ripping powder. The straight tail allows for completing turns on hard snow and groomers. With this construction, you know you will be able to hold high-speed turns down steep faces. The Stormrider 115 felt a bit heavier than some of the other skis in this category, something for which Sțckli makes no apologies.—Dave Stergar
DIMENSIONS 137-115-128 LENGTHS 159, 168, 177, 186 RADIUS 19.3
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