Review: 2024 Völkl M6 Mantra

• Weight (per ski in grams): 2,070 (177)

The most surprising thing about Völkl’s M6 Mantra is that for such a serious, no-nonsense German ski, our testers in Sun Valley, Idaho, could not stop talking about how fun it was on snow. At the debrief after a long day of testing Unisex All-Mountain skis, these race coaches, shop owners, and general rippers couldn’t keep the grins from their faces. Perhaps that’s because there is nothing folks who like to ski fast prefer more than a ski with an instantaneous rocket boost and no discernable speed limit. Be careful, though: This pick is demanding and isn’t interested in a leisurely pace. It can feel clumsy at slow speeds and takes a confident and skilled pilot to make it come alive.

The M6 Mantra’s construction tailors its flex and feel to the skier. It features more metal and stability the longer the length (and, consequently, less metal and more maneuverability in the shorter lengths). This attuned flex pattern was noticeable among our testers: The shorter and lighter appreciated the aggressive drivability without feeling overwhelmed by a planky ride, and the heaviest found no limit in how hard they could push their longer ski. The M6 Mantra is a “fun, strong ski that feels at home slicing groomers and still is game to go off trail and find fresh snow. It’s a classic, and there’s a reason it is still such a favorite in this category,” said tester Crystal Mountain, Washington, skier Otto Gibbons.

It’s easy for skis in this category to feel muddled; by nature, their aim is to be pretty good at just about everything. But one of the distinguishing features of the M6 Mantra, unique among skis in this category, is how good it felt railing turns on ice. We can hear the ears of a thousand East Coast ex-racers perk up at that sentence, but of course you’re all probably riding Mantras anyway. That said, the new M6 exhibited a magnetic grip skiing on Sun Valley’s firm, clean, and steep groomers. Our testers felt at home on the first turn, rallying at speed on conditions that felt squirrely at best on softer skis. “The skis came alive the second I tipped them over,” reported tester Brady Newton, based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. “I knew immediately this was going to be a great run.”

Related: Can wider skis hack it back East?

Advanced and expert skiers will become fast friends with this dependable set of boards, but newer or perhaps more freestyle-oriented skiers will prefer a lighter and softer ski. “It’s a bit too much in the bumps—just heavy and a little over-demanding for quick pivots,” reported Denver, Colorado-based tester Jon Sexauer. On the upper end of the spectrum, Newton noted that it can be difficult to scrub speed in steep and variable terrain.

If tenacious edge grip on the firmest of snow (and ice) and stability at speed are paramount considerations, the M6 Mantra is a no-brainer. It’s a precise, dogged missile for medium to long turns on- and off-piste. Expert skiers will be thrilled to take this tool into big open bowls or anywhere you can see your tracks from a long way away. If you want to make the only two turns down the Hollywood line and point them out an hour later, look no further.

See how the Völkl M6 Mantra compares to our other favorite all-mountain skis of the year.