The No. 1 Women’s Carving Ski of 2022: Stöckli Laser MX
This ski excels on edge, but won't punish skiers who are still working on their carving chops.
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Brand: Stöckli
Model: Laser MX
Overall Ranking: #1
Overall Score: 4.21 / 5
Specs
Tip / Waist / Tail (mm)
118-67-99
Lengths (cm)
146, 152, 158, 164
Radius (m)
13.7 (164cm length)
Waist Width (mm)
67
Gender
Women's
Level
Advanced to Expert
Rocker Technology
Yes
Stability at Speed
4.2 / 5
Quickness / Maneuverability
4.65 / 5
Playfulness
4.6 / 5
Forgiveness
4.4 / 5
Hard Snow Performance
4.5 / 5
Crud Performance
2.65 / 5
Balance of Skills
4.25 / 5
Our testers were impressed with the carving chops of some of the non-traditional skis in this year’s carving category, but in the end it was still the Stöckli Laser MX, a true carving ski, that bested the rest on the ‘roy.
The all-new Stöckli Laser MX has a tiny little waist of 67mm and a tight turning radius, which makes it exceptionally quick and playful. Testers had a blast rolling it over, loading it up, then enjoying the snappy rebound as it transitioned from edge to edge. Says U.S. Ski Teamer-turned-tester Katie Ryan: “Put me in, coach! So fun and makes for superhero skiing. It’s poppy and skis like the energizer bunny. Felt like I could go back into a World Cup slalom course. But it also allowed me to ski bigger turns, or be lazy.”
What’s unique about the Stöckli Laser MX is that it excels on edge, but it doesn’t punish skiers who are still working on their carving skills. It impressed the ex-racers in our test crew with its ability to dig trenches, but it also surprised them with its more forgiving personality. That’s probably courtesy of the ski’s tail rocker, light core, and women’s-specific flex (called Softflex), which makes the Laser MX more supple and easier to disengage between turns.
Read more: How we rank and review skis at our annual SKI Test
“Give her and she’ll take it and shine,” says tester Stephanie Humes. “Easy to smear medium-radius turns with no drama, but let her run and she’ll deliver. Powerful, solid, and stable. No waiver, and no speed limit.”
That said, “more approachable” still doesn’t equal easy or forgiving in this carving category. The Stöckli Laser MX is still a high-performance carving machine and it takes some skill to access its full potential. Says tester Tracy Gibbons: “You do need to drive it from the tip to get it to perform short turns and quick carves.”
But ladies who are ready to break through to the next level and hone their carving skills will find a ready partner in the Stöckli Laser MX. As Gibbons put it: “It turns out you can buy a good turn. It may cost you, but why not buy success if you can?”
- Strengths: Hard-Snow Integrity (1st in category), Quickness (1st)
- Weaknesses: Crud-Performance (4th), Stability at Speed (3rd)
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