2011

Beer and skiing pair like Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.

First day of the ski season at Wolf Creek

Yes, shocking, we know. A report and comparative maps from this season and last confirm the obvious.

Opening Day at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Colorado.

Wagner

Ramp

Dynafit

OR_BD

OR_BD (iPhone & iPod)

OR_Flylow2 (iPhone & iPod)

LF stands for Live Fit, one of this year’s more interesting innovations. Soft, flexible panels on the walls of the shell expand as needed for comfortable fit for the widest of feet without undue compromise in performance integrity. The upright stance reduces leg fatigue, and the two-buckle design is the ultimate in ease, providing just enough wrap for relaxed skiing.

The women’s version of the Impact series (see Men’s Freeride) is a study in minimalist design, using only essential material to provide all the foot envelopment and power transmission a relaxed expert could want. It has an uncanny ability to fit a variety of foot shapes, including wider ones that can take advantage of Salomon’s expandable Custom Shell technology.

The Poison will please experts looking for a snugger, more responsive fit than the Idol 8 (below). It’s the women’s version of the Ghost (see Men’s Freeride), with a roomier, lower cuff and a heel wedge. The two-buckle construction is more youthful in styling than the Idol, and more upright in stance. It feels at home in the park, but explores the whole mountain eagerly.

Our women liked the Vita slightly more than the pricier Electra Sensor3 90 (see previous). Must be a comfort thing. The Vita is roomier than the Electra, but it’s equally well balanced, the liner is every bit as well designed, constructed and married to its shell, and the more relaxed flex is still enough to power a ski. As one tester put it: “a bedroom slipper with some zest.”

With a notch more power than the Vita (next page) and a snugger fit, Rossi’s Electra series is the better choice for experts or athletic intermediates. Our lankiest tester wanted a taller cuff, but for most women it’s fine. As with all the new Rossis, the liner is plush but not sloppy, fitted perfectly to its shell, and the shell’s geometry sets the skier up for a balanced and responsive ride.

A slight softening of flex makes the Electra 80 a bit less powerful than the 90 (below), but it’s a better choice for intermediates or lighter experts. Otherwise, it’s a carbon copy of the 90. Both have rubbery Vibram soles that make parking lots and base lodge staircases easier to navigate, and both have quilted fleece-fur liners that ski accurately while keeping the cold out.

“Fur” liner, yes. Lipstick, no. Nordica shows women a lot of respect with this model, which will be popular with the most aggressive of them. It’s a toned-down race boot—a Spitfire 120 (see Men’s Speed) with a softer flex, some freeride-appropriate shock absorption, a lower cuff and, yes, a warm fur liner. The snug fit and sturdy construction made it a favorite among testers.

Though both are part of the Hot Rod collection, the 100W and the HR Pro (below) are different boots. The main difference: The 100 is 2 mm wider at the forefoot. And where the Pro is quick and precise, the 100 offers quieter, less demanding performance. Shock-absorbing materials deaden vibrations and soften landings, and the stance geometry is well balanced.

The RX 100 is a new design: moderately snug, with Lange’s best liner ever. Most testers instantly liked the relatively upright stance and flatter ramp angle—more comfortable, better suited to today’s tip-and-rip style. And for what it’s worth, all of them liked the look of it. A “Pro” version offers a 97-mm fit for the narrow-footed, but most women will prefer the 100-mm fit here.

Head gives the more established brands a run for their market share with winners like this. The Vector 100 shines in its combination of comfort and modest performance. The forefoot is cavernous, but where a modicum of snugness is needed for performance—in the ankle/heel area—it’s there. Advanced intermediates and relaxed experts will be set up to succeed.

Though it’s part of the Dream line, the 9.5 gets a roomier—and somewhat less responsive—fit shape. It won’t envelope the foot as snugly, or drive a ski as precisely, as the Dream 12.5 (see previous), but it’s a good value for reasonably competent women who prize comfort above all and are content to cruise the groomers at modest speeds.

Women who have fit problems but still crave performance shouldn’t give up before trying Head’s cleverly designed Dream series. The 12.5 offers fit tension more like what you’d expect from a 98-mm last than a 102, but the cuff of both the liner and the shell offer broad adaptability for troublesome calves. A race boot it’s not, but it’s aces for comfort and solid performance.

Testers loved its heel-hold, lightness and adjustability. Dalbello’s three-buckle, three-piece design—cuff, lower shell and shell tongue—is soft-flexing at low speeds, but stiffer as you ramp it up, with positive heel-hold for good leverage over the edge. It’s highly adjustable for flex, forward lean and fit, so it suits a variety of foot shapes and skier styles with all-day comfort.

The Hawx 90 is the same boot as the Hawx 100 (see previous), so it’s a matter of skier aggressiveness, ability and/or weight. It lacks some of the turn-finishing power of the 100, but more women probably belong here. Otherwise, the benefits are the same: flexible midsole for improved balance, snug heel retention, nice blend of comfort and performance.

Testers loved the built-in forefoot flex of the Hawx. Relief cuts in the shell allow it to give when the ski is deeply flexed, improving balance and keeping your heel anchored. The flex also makes it easier to walk in. The thickly padded liner is smooth and seamless. It feels tight at first but quickly expands. There are warmer boots, but the Hawx is a good fit for good skiers.

Up against stouter constructions in the category, the Instinct, with its compact fit, women-friendly cuff and 90 flex, held its own. Slender feet will find the 98-mm forefoot width plenty quick. For wider feet, the Custom Shell feature—expandable panels along the outside of the foot—allows the shop to add up to 6 mm more forefoot room. It’s a satisfyingly responsive performer.

Testers loved the new Lange race shell. Performance is uncompromised, but now comes with less discomfort. Women will stand taller in the new shell—the better to edge on modern sidecuts, without the quad burn of more aggressive forward lean. But the biggest improvement is the liner: better designed and constructed, and better shaped to fit the shell.

It’s not a women’s-specific boot, but the 100 flex and narrow shape will make it a great choice for girls who rip. Other than the softer flex and lower cuff, it’s the same as the Spitfire 120 (see Men’s Speed)—a willing all-mountain explorer with exceptional quickness. The difference: Female testers liked their Spitfire even more than the men did theirs. It’s aggressive and edgy.

Of all the winners in the category, the Medusa tries least to be a race boot, but despite the plush suede liner and the grippy, easy-walk sole, it’s snug and stiff enough to keep a hard-charger happy. It has the edge-power and quickness of a race boot but is eager and comfortable for all-day adventure off-piste. Note: Sizes 22–23.5 are of a different design, and weren’t tested.

The Mission offers generous volume and a thickly padded liner with just enough fit tension to keep an advanced intermediate happy. Its moisture wicking liner helps keep your foot dry and warm. The toe and heel pads are replaceable in case of wear. Heavier or more aggressive men with wide feet will be better served by the RS 12 ($565), with its 120 flex.

The lower shell is roomy and lacks fit tension. That’s good for comfort but usually bad for responsiveness. But Rossignol gives the Synergy 80 a snug upper cuff, so lateral quickness is pretty good for a boot this comfortable. It’s still not exactly dynamic, but its upright stance will keep intermediates balanced, and with its soft flex, it’s a natural in bumps

The Blaster stands out in a category of mostly intermediate boots. It’s comfortable but designed for experts. The walk feature, which allows the cuff to release upright, is intended for easier hiking and touring out of bounds, but it’s fine around the base area, too, and there’s little compromise of rearward stiffness. The foot-wrap and lateral quickness are excellent.

Usually what a wider boot sacrifices is edge-control. Not so much with the Viron 95. It’s fully featured, and the flex is reasonably sturdy. But what really makes the difference is Fischer’s Soma stance. The shell is oriented in a slightly duck-footed (abducted) position on the sole. It’s a natural stance for most men, and one that allows quick, sure access to the carving edge.

The emphasis is on comfort, and it’s hard to imagine any foot that wouldn’t find the fit of the Axion agreeable. The three-piece shell is as easy to put on and take off as any boot on the market. The performance isn’t edgy, and the rearward support could have more integrity, but the Axion sets intermediates up for relaxing fun, with a stance geometry that won’t hold them back.

For experts who can’t make Tecnica’s 98-mm wide Inferno line work, the Dragon series blends comfort and performance. Testers found it softer than its 120 flex rating suggests and roomier than the typical 100-mm last shape. It’s damp, and not explosively quick, but it’s a solid performer that skis comfortably long into the day and won’t throw you around in rough terrain.

The “detuned” version of the Inferno race boot is only slightly relaxed in fit but even softer than the 120 flex indicates. The lateral quickness is all there, and the softer flex works well with the new, more upright stance, making it easy to stay out of the back seat. It’s the easiest high-performance boot to get into and out of, it’ll power a big ski, and yes, it’s “fur”-lined.

The two-buckle design isn’t just cool-looking. It also gets the job done in terms of closure. The snug fit of the lower shell provides good leverage over the edge; a more relaxed cuff lacks little for lateral quickness. The 130-rated flex feels more like 120, but it’s still plenty powerful. The Ghost is a big-mountain ripper that’ll drive the widest skis with ease.

120/110 The amazing Impact promises high-performance for any foot width. As with the X3 RC race boot (see Speed), it has a panel of heat-moldable plastic along the outside of the forefoot. A shop can quickly make it significantly roomier. On snow, it’s quick and precise, light yet strong—a natural performer in tight spots and bumps, yet solid and stable on corduroy.

The Zenith 110, which feels stiffer than the 110 flex rating, is a good choice for the skier with a higher-than-average-volume foot who’s looking for accurate performance. It’s roomy yet secure, with one of the best liners out there, perfectly shaped to fit its shell for responsive performance. The result is a sophisticated blend of quickness, power and all-day comfort.

First: cool buckles. The Spineflex catches look and work like interlinked vertebrae. The flexibility improves the way the boot wraps your foot. Head has established itself as a legit but underrated player in recent years. The Vector 120 is a great example: It’s roomy—a full 103 mm in the forefoot—but grips your foot well. An impressive mix of comfort, performance and quality.

Testers preferred the stiffer flex and richer features of the Vector 120 (below), but the 100 will be a more appropriate model for lighter-weight or less aggressive skiers. It lacks the innovative buckles, but shares the same basic geometry. The fit is very generous, yet it still grips your foot firmly enough to provide leverage. And the upright stance promises all-day comfort.

Stand up and look at your feet: In your natural stance, they’re likely abducted—that is, heels in, toes out. Fischer builds that natural stance into all its Soma boots. It makes it easier to get on edge more quickly and more solidly. The effect is more pronounced in the stiffer X-120, but the 110, with its 100-mm forefoot width, is simultaneously balanced, sensitive and forgiving.

Abandon your preconceptions. Dalbello, the champion of high-volume, comfort/value boots, jumps with both feet into the narrow-lasted, high-performance category. The Scorpion 110 is an all-mountain version of the race-ready 150. Its 98-mm width holds your foot accurately and drives a ski with authority. An impressive newcomer, and the best Dalbello we’ve ever tested.

Midfoot flexibility is the hallmark of the Hawx. Relief cuts in the shell walls allow it—and the skier’s foot—to flex in a way that feels natural and improves balance. The fit is generous, yet sufficiently snug in the heel, and the stance is upright, ideal for centered skiing over modern sidecuts. Overall, it’s comfortable and connected to the snow and won’t fatigue your foot.

If you buy it for the graphic alone, we understand. But be ready for precise, powerful performance that demands aggressive input. The Jah is a stiffer version of the Spitfire 120 (see Men’s Speed). Both are based on the venerable Dobermann shell. A shock-absorbing bootboard smooths the ride, and yes, the liner is “fur.” But it’s basically a race boot: quick, sturdy, aggressive.

If you’re not ready to rock the Jah Love (below), the HR Pro is the same boot with a nominally softer flex and more subdued graphic. Both are cousins of the Spitfire (see Men’s Speed). Compared to the Jah, there’s no difference in fit or skiability; testers couldn’t even detect a difference in flex. As with the Jah and the Spitfire 120, there’s no cuff-alignment adjustment.

The Blaster, introduced last year, belongs to the new category of backcountry-compatible alpine boots. It’s roomier than the RX and easier to hike/tour in, thanks to good traction and a walk mode. Unlike walk mechanisms of the past, there’s little compromise in rearward stability. The Super is the stiffest Blaster, and despite the roomy fit, its lateral quickness is excellent.

Like the RS series of race-inspired boots, the RX series is new this year. If the RS series is narrower than you can deal with, the RX features the same new designs as the RS (less forward lean, less ramp, tight ankle/heel but roomier forefoot), with flashier colors and a grippy, hike-ready sole. It’s sensitive, well balanced, quick and way easier to get into and out of than the RS.

Compare to RS 130 (see Men’s Speed). The 110 Wide belongs to Lange’s new RS race series but gets the wider forefoot width of the RX freeride collection. (There’s also a wide fit in the RS 130.) It’s nice to see wider versions of stiff-flexing boots for expert guys with meaty feet. The 110 Wide has all the attributes of the RS130 in a less brick-like flex. A tester favorite.

Inferno is Tecnica’s new high-end narrow-width power plant. The 130 has two cool features: A carbon-steel frame embedded in the sole dampens vibrations and adds edginess, and a section of softer plastic makes it the easiest race boot to get on and off. The stance is noticeably more upright, the heel-hold is excellent, and it’s as laterally quick as any boot. Great looking, too.

The top-dog race version of the Falcon series has what testers generally considered the best performance-to-comfort ratio of the category. It packs incredible power and quickness in an extraordinarily light, tight and powerful construction, with uncommonly aggressive forward lean. And you don’t have to suffer in a “race fit”: Salomon’s Custom Shell allows easy expansion.

The WC 130 is identical to the Lange RS 130, and the co-owned French brands make little secret of the fact that their boots are co-developed—different only in paint and minor details. The WC 130 is every bit as successful in design, as capable in all-mountain terrain, as refined in its balance of no-compromise performance and reasonable all-day comfort. Note: It’s $110 cheaper.

The new RS collection preserves the best of Lange quickness and precision and fixes the shortcomings that Lange-heads were always willing to live with. The stance is more upright (11 to 14 degrees)—a significant departure from the classic forward-leaning Langes. The new shell shape works beautifully with a fine new liner, and the old touchy edginess is pleasingly muted.

Pandora’s customer? The deepseeker. With a 115 mm waist—by far the fattest women’s ski in the test—and an early-rise, tapered tip that won’t hook up harshly in fluff, it’s a powder specialist, to be sure, ranking No. 2 in Flotation. The Pandora doesn’t so much turn as drift, smearing easily through trees and down steeps until the rider finds herself, smiling uncontrollably, at the bottom. It’s forgiving, too, making it a good option for powder novices. As for Hard-Snow Grip, where it scored last among winners...well, it’s a powder ski, people. Go find some. “Really sweet in the deep. Perfect for powder only,” said Wilde.

Nordica took last year’s burly, damp Nemesis and lightened it up, replacing the two sheets of metal with carbon to make it significantly easier to handle. One thing hasn’t changed: It’s still an aggressive charger with a more demanding feel. Pro: It carves cleanly on hardpack, making it one of the more multitalented skis in the category. Con: It doesn’t have the buttery smooth feel of some of the powder purists in the category, and it requires a skilled, powerful driver. (It scored last among winners in Forgiveness.) “Solid at speed and holds a nice edge,” said Humes. “This is definitely a ski for an aggressive woman.”

Gradual rocker from tip to tail is the Kiku’s secret to unsurpassed smoothness. It’s steady, damp and humming with Völkl power. Testers scored it high in Flotation (No. 3), Crud Performance (No. 3) and Overall Impression (No. 2). It craves long turns and virgin powder the most, but when prodded, it’s not too stubborn to hustle through tight trees and bumps, too. You do have to steer it from exactly the right spot; but for those who find that spot, the rewards are rich. “A strong and powerful ski, it delivers performance in perfect fluff and the more- challenging chop,” said Moscarella.

Some skis are like good party guests: strong personalities that light up a room, but too much to handle in a long-term relationship. The new rocker-tipped Got Back—female counterpart to the Coomback—is life-partner material: easygoing, dependable and forgiving (No. 1) of even major mistakes. It’s not beefy enough to bust through thick crud, but its lightweight feel is easy on the thighs—and ideal for earning your turns, if you’re into that kind of thing (K2 skins clip into holes in the tip and tail). Intermediates, this is your mentor. Experts, relax and enjoy the ride. “Any skier will love it,” said Beale.

Rossi was among the first to incorporate rocker into a women’s ski (Voodoo Pro BC110). Now it unveils the S110W Freeski, one of the first women’s skis with rocker and reverse sidecut. Hence its funny shape: The tapered tip and tail smear better in the deep. With roughly the same dynamics as the hugely popular S7 (No. 1 in Men’s Deep Snow), the S110W is not built for versatility; it’s built to float effortlessly through feet of velvety powder, where it handles speed so well you hardly notice the trees are a blur. For deep-snow purists, it can’t be beat (No. 1 in Overall Impression). “It could float the Titanic,” said Dawson.

Let’s hope the still-small, reemergent Blizzard factory is fully staffed: These skis are going to sell. The redesigned Crush blows through everything in its path. All you have to do is look down your line, and this ski will take you there. Steep, tight trees? Chuck yourself in. Chopped up crud? Ditto. Groomers? It rips. A rockered tip and tail work with its sidecut for supreme contact on hard snow, making it the most versatile in the category—tops in Hard-Snow Grip, Crud, Rebound and Stability. And yes, it smears lusciously through pow. “I couldn’t go as fast as this ski wanted to,” said Beale. “What a standout.”

The first thing you notice is how huge it is. Then the scary clown. Then the tip profile: There’s almost no upward curve to it. The new Radict has traditional camber underfoot—about 60 percent of its length—with pronounced rocker tip and tail. The tip rocker starts 40 cm back and rises almost a full 3 cm—so high there’s no need for much additional tip curvature. The combination of width and rocker adds up to supreme flotation in the deepest pow. Testers had to punish it for lack of versatility, but still gave it the No. 2 ranking for Overall Impression. “Surprisingly maneuverable for its size; super fun,” said a tester.

The original backcountry twin-tip returns with minor modification this year. It’s fully, but subtly, rockered, with a long, gradual tip-to-tail bend. Völkl takes care to make sure rocker and sidecut work together: Tip a Gotama up on groomers, and there’s plenty of edge-to-snow contact for easy carving. But it’s built for soft snow. It surfs and smears readily in powder and smoothly manages crud. There were more dynamic skis in the test, but the Gotama won accolades for versatility and mellow user-friendliness. “A versatile tool for powder and crud—even carves on hardpack; fun and easy,” said Casey.

The Answer is a rockered big-mountain twin-tip that’s as lively as a fat ski can get (No. 1 in Rebound) thanks to the subtleness of its rocker profile. In deep powder, some testers wished they had the 191-cm length for extra float, but the 184 was zippy in crud and pleasingly energetic on the groomed. The Answer comes with Blizzard’s Slider binding interface, which accepts any binding, dismounts in seconds (so you can swap in another Slider-mounted binding), and allows the ski to flex roundly fore and aft of its single mounting screw directly underfoot. “A versatile, all-around performer,” said Malone.

The tip and tail notches are for climbing skins—not required, but you get the idea. The Sidestash is built for adventure in the kind of snow you might find beyond the ropes, with or without a short-to-medium hike. Rockered in the forebody and traditionally cambered underfoot, it tolerates hardpack, but greatly prefers soft snow and deep powder. If your snow is typically somewhere in between the two, you’re in luck: Testers ranked the Sidestash No. 2 in Crud. More important: It ranks among the top three in Overall Impression. “Blends big-ski float with user-friendly agility; surprisingly forgiving.” said Gleason.

Yes, it’s part of Rossi’s “jib” collection, and yes, it’s a full twin-tip, but the sensibly priced S6 impressed testers (most of whom never ski backward—at least on purpose) with its combination of powder-day surfiness and everyday skiability. This year’s version is rockered tip-to-tail, so it has a pleasing, buttery feel in soft snow. But its rocker and sidecut work together to lay a nice long edge on hardpack. You have to be patient, but it’ll carve. Testers clearly preferred Rossi’s S7 (p. 69) for pure powder applications, but the S6 offers more all-mountain versatility. “Best in deep snow, but handles all surfaces nicely,” said Garrett.

Girish—Sanskrit for “lord of the mountains”—is an apt name for this versatile multitool. Every other ski in the category has one weakness, usually lack of quickness or hard-snow grip. The Girish puts up high scores across the board. A wood-core, metal-reinforced laminate layup gives it power and stability (and a No. 2 ranking in Hard-Snow Grip), while a touch of tip rocker—40 cm long, up to 4 mm high—gives it a nice looseness and creamy flotation in powder (and a No. 2 ranking in Quickness). There are bigger, stronger skis, but none more versatile. “An all-mountain fat super-G ski with the godsend of rocker; perfect combination,” said Elling.

Last year’s Czar struck testers as easy, but a little boring. This year’s model, with its wood core a little more sturdily reinforced, made a huge run up the ranking. It’s still an easy-going ride, but now noticeably snappier and more dynamic. No ski was deemed more forgiving, but now the Czar puts up No. 1 ranking in Quick- ness and a No. 4 in Rebound Energy as well. Meanwhile, its rocker extends about a third of the way back from the tip—plenty of float and maneuverability in powder that both experts and intermediates will enjoy. “Well balanced; quick, snappy; some of the best rebound among the big skis,” said Gleason.

Think you’re not a very good powder skier? Don’t decide till you try the category-crushing S7. There’s nothing special about the construction: A sheet of Titanal gives it just enough power and dampness; 30-degree sidewalls take a beating. The secret’s in the shape. Traditional camber and sidecut underfoot provide a comfy home base. Tip and tail are rockered and reverse-sidecut. The tip is smeary, floaty, undemanding; the tail sinks readily when you need to dump speed. The S7—No. 1 in six criteria—forgives almost any mistake; and we tested the 195 cm. Ski as aggressively as you dare; it bails you out every time. “The ultimate powder tool,” said Preston.

Interesting: Testers liked K2’s lower performing ski, the Free Luv (see left), better than the Burnin’, an expert ski layered with metal laminates. Perhaps with a waist of 70 mm—the narrowest in the test—it got penalized for not being as versatile as others. As you’d expect, though, it was one of the quickest sticks—its edge-to-edge rhythm is as automatic as a metronome’s. But it insisted on short turns, and some felt the new “speed rocker” tip—a slight rise to ease initiation and transition—took some getting used to. “Best suited for an Easterner who wants to carve, carve, carve,” said Wilde.

This one should come with a helmet. A damp powerhouse that insists on speed, the LX 82 goaded our testers to the edges of their comfort levels. We should have expected as much from the only unisex ski entered in the category (see also: Men’s Hard Snow) but its lightweight construction—the trademark of the new LX line—had us fooled. The secret is a light, soft wood core sandwiched in metal then wrapped in fiberglass, giving it the torsional rigidity to bite on ice. It only has one speed, though: hauling butt. “Good for someone who charges all the time,” said Gillet.

Our testers were shocked by this ski: It was so heavy they had to drag it to the lift, but it zipped playfully—joyfully—down the hill. Atomic’s “double deck” construction is responsible: Two independently flexing decks are stacked on top of each other. The lower deck absorbs the shock, and the upper deck distributes your power to stiffen the tip and tail as needed at higher speeds (hence the energetic pop). The end result is a ski that’s both damp and stable and snappy and lively. It is still an Atomic, though, so you’d better be in for a race-like ride. “A great hard-snow and crud-buster ski,” said Gibbons.

For years we’ve been saying nothing smears better in powder than rocker, but get on groomed and, well, good luck steering around those lift towers. So imagine our curiosity about K2’s new line, in which every ski—even carvers—incorporates reverse camber. The verdict? K2 wins—again. The Free Luv’s elevated tip effortlessly scouts lines through variable snow. It initiates and releases with ease, earning it No. 1 in Forgiveness. Testers admired its versatility, but found it to be a standout in no one criterion. Racer types will want more grip. “Perfect meat-of-the-market ski; forgiving and easy,” said Shultz.

If precision and control are what you’re after, the Tierra is your ski. Its aptly named “double grip” construction adds more material to support the edges and distribute pressure evenly down the ski when it’s flexed at high speeds. Translation: It has the control of a Ferrari and edge-bite of an ice skate. It should come with a warning label for non-experts, though: The Tierra always revs high, and it refuses to deviate from the fall line. Scoring first in Hard-Snow Grip and last among winners in Forgiveness, it makes you pay for your mistakes. “Begged for speed and didn’t get nervous or break away,” said Schultz.

One would expect a hard-snow ski with a waist width of 84 mm to be the most versatile in the category (No. 1 in Flotation, Stability and Crud Performance). But what surprised us was that it still managed a No. 2 ranking in Quickness edge-to-edge. The Conquer is everything for everyone. It’s solid and predictable yet humming with energy; smooth and powerful yet—with a 20-percent lighter wood core than last year’s model—surprisingly easy to ski. Simply put, it’s fast, and it’s a blast. “The Conquer will never give up on you,” said Moscarella. “It continues to provide tenacious grip no matter what you throw at it.”

Every ski has character traits. This ski has personality. It’s snappy, lively, bubbly—and so responsive, it seems to read your mind. Just think about turning, and you’re ripping perfect GS turns down the steeps. Powerful, yes, but polite, too—patiently skidding when you need to scrub speed. Though most at home on hardpack, its 81-mm waist is wide enough to bust crud and float though pow. Are we gushing? Absolutely: It was No. 1 in Rebound Energy, Forgiveness, Hard-Snow Grip and Balance of Skills. “This ski blew my mind,” said Humes. “Quick, stable, snappy—everything I love in a carver.”

Head added 7 mm to the waist of its top-end Supershape, giving the perennial winner an added measure of versatility. But it still has the deepest sidecut in the category—a 13.5-meter radius that dives in and carves at the barest hint of edge angle. What continues to surprise us is its combination of thrilling high-speed performance with an undomineering personality and versatility of turn shapes. Crud? Not on the menu. But Titan slithered through bumps with ease. At its heart it’s a slalom race ski, but fun to freeski as well. “Instantaneous hookup, rally-car performance; versatile for a carver,” said Gleason.

While it’s amazing what some of the wider skis in the category can do, nothing beats a narrow waist for quickness and edge-grip. Throw in a dose of exciting rebound energy and a ton of sidecut, and you’ve got one thrilling ride. The G Power is a race ski with manners—quiet, confident and obedient in high-speed arcs. Carve technicians will love it, and corduroy is its preferred medium, but its supreme Quickness (No. 1) translates well to moguls. (Hence its No. 1 ranking in Balance of Skills.) Little ski; big fun. “Super lively feel combined with superior carving performance,” said Scholey.

Was it the biggest, baddest carver in the test? Yes it was: No. 1 in Stability at Speed and Hard-Snow Grip. D2 stands for “double deck”: It has a primary core plus a secondary structure on top. The second core’s shearing action insulates skiers from vibrations and beefs up tip and tail stiffness when the ski is flexed at speed (hence the VF, for “vario flex”). Testers kept trying to find its speed limit, but chickened out every time. Nothing shakes its quiet stability, and yet for all its raciness, it’s wide enough for soft snow. Beware, it’s the least forgiving among winners. “As long as I was willing to go way too fast, this ski lit it up,” said Elling.

We said “hard snow,” and Dynastar took us at our word. Straight out of the race collection comes the Course Ti. It’s a full-on, metal-reinforced, square-sidewalled speed demon with an ice-biting 72-mm waist. Flotation and Crud Performance? Not its bag. But it’s so good at what it does—medium-radius arcs on hard snow, the faster the better—that testers loved it. (Check out the Overall Impression ranking: No. 3.) Forgiving? Only compared to FIS-level race skis. But carve technicians and citizen racers will rip the groomed with confidence. “Exemplifies the best attributes of the ‘cheater race ski,’” said Garrett.

What’s with the oval cutaway in the tip of every Kastle? That’s Hollowtech, and it’s a Kastle hallmark harking all the way back to the ’76 Innsbruck Olympics. A lighter tip vibrates less, so the edge remains engaged, and reduced swing-weight gives it a more nimble feel. At 82 mm, the LX82 lacks some quickness edge-to-edge. That might be a problem in bumps, but it’s a blessing on powder days. And overall this flagship of the new LX line of lighter, softer Kastles offered a smooth and velvety ride that was enjoyable in crud as well as on the groomed. “Nice balance of power and finesse,” said Scholey.

Salomon blazed a trail with subtly rockered frontside skis, and the new, refined Enduro is a shining example of the benefits. One of the favorites in the category, it blends hard-snow excellence (vertical sidewalls, metal laminates, grippy construction) with an 84-mm waist and a touch of tip rocker. The result is a supremely smooth and versatile ski that trenches on the groomed but loves soft snow, too. Testers praised its confidence in crud and gave it the No. 1 ranking for Flotation, too. “Versatile in seemingly all conditions,” said Garrett.