Women's Ski Reviews

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.”

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.”

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.

The Seventh Heaven has a quick, racy feel that’s ideally suited for harder snow. (Not surprising, given that it has the narrowest waist of the group.) Most testers wrote “good frontside ski,” or “great for an East Coast everyday ski,” which means it’s the least versatile in the group. But what it does—carve—it does well. (Atomic edge-grip? Check.) A slight rise in the tip (Atomic calls it “adaptive camber”) makes it easy to pivot in transitions between turns, which accounts for a high score in Forgiveness (No. 4), but otherwise it’s built like a traditional groomer ski. “Feels powerful underfoot, but easy to initiate,” said Moscarella.

Some skis are like Meryl Streep, expressive and sensitive to your every thought. This one is like Rambo—out for first blood. Our stronger and/or heavier testers were huge fans, feverish about its wood-core, sandwich/sidewall construction and scoring it highly in Overall Impression—perhaps the most important criterion in the test. Our lighter girls, though, found it a bit bullheaded and ranked it last among winners in Forgiveness. But everyone agreed that when crud comes your way, the Eden will flex all its muscles, if only you have the strength to hang on. “A powerhouse!” said Shultz.

One of our testers had “so much $%^&%^* fun” on this ski, her comments were anything but ladylike. A winner in last year’s test, too, the Lady is a floaty, fun, playful and forgiving ride that surfs through powder and sucks up bumps. (Salomon’s early-rise tip is the key in both instances.) With a softer, easier flex that rewards finesse over power, it’s not a hard-snow specialist, but it is beautifully balanced for soft and variable snow. The sweet spot is huge—you can get back on your tails and it gently corrects you—but it’s not a pushover: As Beale, its strongest proponent, put it, “It may be a Lady, but it’s got grit.”

Atomic has two winners in this category. The wider-waisted Elysian shined in soft snow; the narrower Seventh Heaven (see No. 10) in hard. A twin-tip with traditional camber—one of the few in the category with no rocker—the Elysian lays its whole edge on the snow, making it supremely stable at speed. Try to rein it in, though, and it will groan and drag, feeling sluggish underfoot. Nothing flashy here; just a simple, solid ski that performs. For Westerners skiing mostly off-piste, it’s a great ski. “Very solid base without feeling heavy or damp,” said Wilde. (Easterners: Look to the right. The Seventh Heaven is a better bet.)

Rossignol’s S86 ranked No. 1 in the Men’s Mixed Snow category (see p. 73). The women’s version is, thankfully, not watered down: Vertical sidewalls, two sheets of metal and a full wood core give it plenty of hard-snow integrity. Meanwhile, a rockered tip and tail ease through crud and bumps like water running downhill. (It scored No. 3 in Forgiveness.) Testers agreed that the S86W suited the category perfectly: a Jill of all trades that scored highly in every criterion, but didn’t stand out in any one. A very versatile ski for all levels. “Super fun and smooth,” said Gillet. “You could really take them anywhere.”

Remember when skiing wasn’t cool anymore? At the height of the snowboard revolution, a college kid taking woodshop helped bring our sport back. Jason Levinthal, Line’s founder, built what were arguably the first skis for the jib generation. Now, Line boasts a huge following among core skiers, for good reasons. One of which is the Celebrity 90, which stomped the category in powder and was No. 3 in Quickness/Bumps, too. It turned up its nose at hardpack, though, scoring last among winners in Hard-Snow Grip. But take a look at the price. Westerners: Buy this board. “What a ripping ski,” said Humes. “I was giddy.”

Völkl’s got a thing for Japan. We suspect it’s because they craft skis as fine as samurai swords—and the graphics are cool, besides. Enter Kenja (“wise one”). It has the same hip freeride feel as the wider Aura and Kiku—plus Völkl’s classic edge-grip to rail on the groomed. It’s No. 1 in Stability and Rebound and last in Quickness/Bumps, which tells you it likes speed and power. It’s stiff, too, but a tapered tail scrubs speed in powder and releases relatively easily on groomed, earning it respectable scores in Forgiveness. Still, its talents are best suited for experts. “Stable, yet not heavy,” said Gibbons. “Performs best when pushed.”V

We’re still scratching our heads: A tank that plows through crud like this one does shouldn’t be able to effortlessly dice up tight trees, too. The Koa 84 is a standout for striking the perfect balance: a solid powerhouse that’s ridiculously easy to ski. Its hallmark is a glued-to-the-snow feel (it’s No. 1 in Hard-Snow Grip), which lends the driver the assurance to send it into the trees without checking speed. It’s predictable, stable, and has a ripping, racy feel. Its heavier weight is comforting, but it sinks more than most in powder. “A stable ski that rips in all conditions,” said Beale. “I was a charging animal on this ski!”

Typical. K2 has another ski that’s fun, versatile, playful—and did we already mention fun? Like all the K2s we tested, the Lotta Luv is suited for the broadest range of ability levels. A huge sweet spot makes it forgiving enough (No. 2) for advanced intermediates, and two sheets of Titanal give it enough spine for experts. A bit of tip lift makes it easy to pivot, and yet the edge engages so easily, carving feels automatic. No. 1 in Quickness, it’s a lightweight, easygoing ride that won’t give you attitude—even if you’re not on your game. “Ski it aggressively or ski it easily,” said Humes. “It’s just plain fun.”

Chris Davenport is a cool dude, being one of the world’s greatest big mountain skiers and all that. So it follows that the ski he inspired, as one tester put it, “RULES!” The FX94—the newest in Kastle’s freeski/mountaineering line—eats up the fall line regardless of what lies beneath: powder, trees, crud, cord, bumps. It’s ravenous for speed and can never get enough. Two sheets of metal sandwich a wood core—the sturdiest in the category. (It’s also the only unisex model; Kastle’s women’s line is in the works.) “Crushed the chop, great float, and could still carve way out from under me,” said Schultz.

Category: Women's Powder Super Wide; Category ranking: No. 1; Average score: 3.82; Balance of skills: 3.98; Best for: Ease: Intermediates could heliski on it; Not for: Quick turns in tight trees;

Category: Women's Powder Super Wide; Category ranking: No. 4; Average score: 3.61; Balance of skills: 3.66; Best for: Long, fast turns through pow; Not for: Hardpack, where rocker can feel wobbly

Category: Women's Powder Super Wide; Category ranking No. 2; Average score 3.75; Balance of skills: 3.64; Best for: Heli trip; Not for: A balanced diet: Does not like groomed

Category: Women's Powder Super Wide; Category ranking: No. 3; Average score: 3.73; Balance of skills: 3.64; Best for: AT bindings: It’s super lightweight. Not for: Overhead blower days: It’s the least floaty.

Category: Women's Speed; Category ranking: No. 2 (tie); Average score: 3.78; Balance of skills: 4.03; Best for: Versatility; the Fuego likes almost all terrain; Not for: Huge bumps—it’s too damp to be quick

Category: Women's Speed; Category ranking: No. 6; Average score: 3.31; Balance of skills: 2.96; Best for: Hard snow and dry skies; Not for: Flyweights; this ski demands aggression

Category: Women's Speed; Category ranking: No. 1; Average score: 3.95; Balance of skills: 4.08; Best for: Speedsters who like to venture off-piste; Not for: Skidding: It can’t be dialed back.

Category: Women's Speed; Category ranking: No. 2 (tie); Average score: 3.78; Balance of skills: 3.71; Best for: The category: It is speed-specific. Not for: Anyone on a budget ($1,350 with binding)

Category: Women's Speed; Category ranking: No. 5; Average score: 3.59; Balance of skills: 3.40; Best for: Someone who wants a cruise-control option; Not for: Ice storms; the Burnin lacks bite.

Category: Women's Speed; Category ranking: No. 2 (tie); Average score: 3.78; Balance of skills: 3.54; Best for: East Coasters: unsurpassed edge-grip; Not for: A laid-back ride

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 3; Average score: 3.76; Balance of skills: 3.90; Best for: An everyday ski for a range of abilities; Not for: Short turns are not its forte

Category: Women's Powder Wide Category ranking: No. 1; Average score: 3.85; Balance of skills: 3.78; Best for: Hard-snow versatility; Not for: Holly-go-lightlies

Category: Women's Powder Wide; Category ranking: No. 5; Average score: 3.31; Balance of skills: 3.38; Best for: Smaller women who want responsiveness; Not for: Serious crud, where it’s too nimble

Category ranking: No. 4 Average score: 3.62 Balance of skills: 3.70 Best for: The less skilled: It’s a great teacher. Not for: Slalom turns

Category: Women's Powder Wide; Category ranking: No. 6; Average score: 3.14; Balance of skills: 3.16; Best for: Powerful experts; Not for: Anyone not wearing a helmet

Category: Women's Powder Wide; Category ranking: No. 2; Average score: 3.80; Balance of skills: 3.92; Best for: A quick and spirited ride; Not for: Bottomless pow, where liveliness is muffled

Category: Women's Intermediate; Category ranking: No. 5; Average score: 3.52; Balance of skills: 3.43; Best for: Whipping skilled athletes into shape; Not for: Beginners who want a friendly hand to hold

Category: Women's Intermediate; Category ranking: No. 2; Average score: 3.93; Balance of skills: 4.09; Best for: Venturing off-piste: No. 1 in flotation; Not for: Newbies: It has too much energy.

Category: Women's Intermediate; Category ranking: No. 4; Average score: 3.56; Balance of skills: 3.58; Best for: Beginners; Not for: Biting though blue ice

Category: Women's Intermediate; Category ranking: No. 6; Average score: 3.19; Balance of skills: 2.96; Best for: Having fun at your current ability level; Not for: High speeds

Category: Women's Intermediate; Category ranking: No. 3; Average score: 3.65; Balance of skills: 3.71; Best for: Growing with you as you improve; Not for: Novices, for whom it’s too quick and spunky

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 6 (tie); Average score 3.29; Balance of skills: 3.35; Best for: Precise, aggressive skiers; Not for: The cavalier

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 4 (tie); Average score: 3.31; Balance of skills: 3.3; Best for: Powder; Not for: Those who prize power over ease

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 1; Average score: 3.61; Balance of skills: 3.6; Best for: Eastern freeriders; Not for: Deep powder, where its attributes are wasted

Category: Women's Intermediate; Category ranking: No. 1; Average score: 4.03; Balance of skills: 3.81; Best for: Athletic learners who want room to grow; Not for: The contented. This ski will make you better.

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 3; Average score: 3.32; Balance of skills: 3.48; Best for: A wide range of abilities; Not for: East Coast or Midwest boilerplate

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 2; Average score: 3.38; Balance of skills: 3.35; Best for: Tahoe crud; Not for: Mary Jane: It’s too stiff to zipper down bumps.

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 6 (tie); Average score: 3.29; Balance of skills: 3.37; Best for: Maching through soft snow; Not for: Lighter, less aggressive skiers

Category: Women's Freeride; Category ranking: No. 4 (tie); Average score: 3.31; Balance of skills: 3.23; Best for: Athletic skiers: It reacts quickly to pressure. Not for: Sunday drivers: This ski demands attention.

Category: Women's Cruiser; Category ranking: No. 4; Average score: 3.51; Balance of skills: 3.69; Best for: Amazing grip on the groomed; Not for: Bumps. The Tierra isn’t the quickest stick.

Category: Women's Cruiser; Category ranking: No. 3; Average score: 3.53; Balance of skills: 3.54; Best for: Baring its teeth on ice; Not for: Deep powder; it has a heavy, grippy feel.

Category: Women's Cruiser; Category ranking: No. 5; Average score 3.34; Balance of skills: 3.36; Best for: A Westerner’s one-ski quiver; Not for: East Coast technicians: It’s too forgiving.

Category: Women's Cruiser; Category ranking No. 6; Average score 3.27; Balance of skills: 3.39; Best for: Enjoying the scenery; Not for: Someone who wants a damp, burly ski

Category: Women's Cruiser; Category ranking No. 1; Average score 3.96; Balance of skills: 3.83; Best for: Cranking tight turns on hardpack; Not for: The lethargic or unathletic: It’s got energy.

Category: Women's Cruiser; Category ranking: No. 2; Average score: 3.55; Balance of skills: 3.83; Best for: Holding an edge at speed; Not for: The sidelines. This ski likes action.

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