The Best Women’s Powder Skis of 2022: Black Diamond Impulse 112

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If you don’t get scared off by the length (181cm is as short as it comes), the new Black Diamond Impulse 112 is actually quite the amenable charger.

The unisex Impulse 112 is the widest model in Black Diamond’s new all-mountain line specifically designed for freeriders. Featuring a poplar and fiberglass core, Titanal mounting plate, and generous tip and tail rocker with traditional camber underfoot, the Impulse 112 is a powder ski that offers the best of both worlds: easy, surfy float in powder, and no-holds-barred charging everywhere else.

See how it stacks up: The best women’s powder skis of 2022

Testers were amazed by how responsive this ski is despite its length, width, and giant turn radius. “This ski has plenty of pep in its step and enjoys leaping from turn to turn,” notes tester Courtney Harkins.

Still, the Impulse 112 didn’t earn the highest scores for quickness or forgiveness because testers decided, no matter how responsive, it’s still a lot of ski to swing around on the fly.

Learn more: What we mean by “quickness” and “forgiveness” when it comes to skis

But, there are definite upsides to longer powder planks: more surface area and more effective edge, which translates to high scores in Flotation and Stability at Speed. You just have to contend with the downside to big boards: You need to keep to wide open spaces unless you have the muscle to make these long sticks turn on a dime.

Nevertheless, testers were impressed with how energetic yet stable the Impulse 112 felt underfoot. In the end testers decided the Black Diamond Impulse 112 would make a great dedicated pow ski for advanced and expert ladies who get to ski soft snow more often than not and prefer ripping large-radius turns down the fall line versus zipping through technical terrain.

Says tester Abby Ghent: “A little too long for me, but a lot more responsive than I thought it would be. Felt stable and fun.”

• Strengths: Flotation (1st in category), Stability at Speed (3rd)
• Weaknesses: Quickness (6th), Forgiveness (6th)

Learn More

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