Our test runs the spectrum from skinny skimo skis to purebred pow slayers. The result is a robust selection of touring skis, boots and bindings that fill every niche: from your first touring ski to the perfect setup for that 50-mile traverse to the best combo for big-mountain sends. This selection features skis under 90 millimeters underfoot. To see other backcountry ski reviews, click here:
Powder Skis (110+ mm) | Mid-fat skis (109-106 mm) | All Mountain Skis (105-100 mm) | Backcountry Skis (99-90 mm)
Each ski, split, boot and binding is tested by roughly seven testers, each of whom takes the product out for at least three lift-access runs and/or a tour. An item that performs well in its intended category is a Gear Guide Select. A product that performs well beyond its intended category earns an Editors’ Choice (EC).
Editors’ Choice
Atomic Backland 86 UL
Size Doesn’t Matter
Weight: 1,940g (165) | Dimensions: 120/85.5/108 | Lengths: 157, 165, 172, 179 | Price: $970 | atomic.com
“Don’t let their serious, twig-of-a-ski appearance fool you—these silver sex pistols gave one of the most fun-filled rides of the test,” exclaimed a Front Range-based, longtime tester. A Salt Lake ski bum even found his preconceived notions of skinny skis overturned, saying, “The Backland 86 UL stood up for the little guy.”
This skinny ski gets its backbone—literally and figuratively—from a strip of carbon that stretches the length of the ski, stabilizing its poplar and karuba core. Fiberglass layers also sandwich the core for stiffness and torsional rigidity, while a thin perforated polymer insert (dubbed HRZN 3D tech) keeps the widened, rockered tip light. Ample underfoot camber, a flat tail and full sidewalls round out this Backland’s construction. “Long effective edge held firm snow with the HRZN tech tip making for easy turn initiation,” said a backflipping freerider who found these planks best suited for short- to medium-radius turns, though he was able to easily overpower them. According to a fellow ripper, “It has a very long, very light tip that gets tossed around on firm snow but keeps its float in light snow.”
Across conditions, the Backland UL earned average scores in pow and hardpack. Taken alongside the width and weight of this ski, that was still plenty good enough to win over every tester. “These skis were so light but still so fun going fast,” said a collegiate Nordic racer who recommended them as a lightweight quiver ski. “Didn’t chatter too much despite the carbon-ski feel,” added our freerider. “Reminded me why I love this sport so much,” said our Front Ranger.
“Meant for those looking to CHUG miles on the skintrack or go places there aren’t any. Yet, somehow, Atomic made a ski that can be ridden with strength and power.” —Chris Ledyard
Where to buy
Atomic Backland 86 UL
Editors’ Choice
Voilé Endeavor
Undercover Charger
Weight: 2,840g (178) | Dimensions: 117/84/102 | Lengths: 157, 164, 171, 178, 184 | Price: $795 | voile.com
“The Endeavor has the spirit of a serious and unforgiving Austrian ski but the heart of a Wasatch dawn patrol sunrise lover,” said an impressed patroller familiar with both backcountry zones. He wasn’t the only one gobsmacked by the Endeavor. This mid-skinny maestro received the third-highest overall first impression score at our test (5.9/7) and the top score of any ski in backcountry utility (6.7/7).
The perennial favorite shares the same early rise tip and long, low camber as every other ski in the Voilé line. “The camber helps the diminutive dimensions grip the snow but springs from turn to turn,” said a career patroller. A dad-turning attorney added, “A stiff traditional tail allows for complete, controlled turns.” Inside, the Endeavor features a poplar core with 22-ounce triaxial fiberglass above and a stiffening fiberglass/carbon weave below. The result is “buttery dampness and a smooth, consistent flex that eases into and holds the turn,” per a veteran female tester.
That versatility and easy-to-drive nature won testers over. “The weight and capped sidewall construction make a ski that provides confidence anywhere on the mountain,” said a Montanan couloir hunter. A meadow-skipper from the same state agreed with the sentiment, adding that despite the capped construction, “the Endeavors are remarkably stable in ice, especially considering their lightweight.”
A double layer of 2-ounce chop-strand underfoot adds screw retention to make the Endeavor compatible with any binding—pins, tele, NNN, Rotteffela Xplore, you name it. Voilé offers an Endeavor BC ($800), the exact same ski but it features Voilé’s classic waxless scales in the camber pocket for skinless ascents.
“One of the most versatile and reliable all-mountain skis on the market. They hold their own in a multitude of conditions. Not as light as other mid-80 underfoot skis.” —Ethan Jeanette
Where to buy
Voilé Endeavor
Ogso Le Touno
Weight: 3,300g (182) | Dimensions: 132/88/117 | Lengths: 162, 172, 182 | Price: $726 | ogso-mountain-essentials.com
“Best for either the fitness skier at a resort or the late-season tourer,” summarized a resort tourer of the Le Touno’s lightweight design. It scored 3/7 in backcountry utility but received a 5/7 in turn initiation and responsiveness. “It didn’t actually throw me off bumps; perhaps a testament to its wood core lending more forgiveness and dampness than I’d assumed,” noted an analytical skier from the PNW. A full fiberglass jacket over a paulownia core and ABS sidewalls are great for carving. Light enough for “long spring missions with lots of walking,” one tester noted, and a “funky tip for ease of skin attachment,” added another. “Minimal tip and tail rocker and a good amount of camber underfoot are very easy to ski at speed with superb edge-to-edge stability,” said a Vermonter. “In theory you could have a helicopter drop you these skis when you reach the 1,500 feet of corn on your volcano descent,” concluded the PNW tester.
TL;DR: Small but mighty, these carving skis are a lot of fun but prefer to stay on groomers.
Where to buy
Ogso Le Touno
Völkl Rise Above 88
Weight: 2,560g (177) | Dimensions: 131/88/111 | Lengths: 156, 163, 170, 177, 184 | Price: $925 | volkl.com
Skinny touring skis are often relegated to the one-trick-pony skimo setups, but testers awarded the Rise Above 88 a 5/7 in versatility. “These were great all-mountain skis that would be perfect for dropping into the sidecountry or going on a long walk in the mountains during low tide,” said an East Coaster. For that big-mountain stability, this ski uses the same poplar core and beech stringers used in the Blaze 104. The Rise Above also has the same vertical sidewalls and 3D Radius Sidecut, which is longer in the tip and tail (think driving a ski through the front of the boot) and shorter underfoot (for quick, snappy turns). “Loves a hot lap down the groomers making edgy, fast turns as much as they love to bang some bumps through trees,” said a race coach. A freeride coach added, “Fully capable of all turns.” While they averaged a 6/7 in crud and on hardpack, the narrow waist, low-rise tip rocker and flat tail suffered in powder.
TL;DR: This skinny ski was favored by East Coasters and long walkers. It punches well above its waist class, as long as you keep it to boot-top snow or lower.
Where to buy
Völkl Rise Above 88
Black Diamond Equipment Helio Carbon 88
Weight: 2,700g (179) | Dimensions: 122/88/111 | Lengths: 152, 161, 170, 179 | Price: $1,100 | blackdiamondequipment.com
“The ski punches far above its weight class, handling spring chop like it’s nothing,” said a collegiate racer. That sentiment stayed true across skier types. “It has a medium radius but is still easy to carve through a smaller turn,” said a Nordic coach. The Helio Carbon 88 features the same construction as the wider 95-underfoot model: carbon stringers above and below a paulownia core, a titanal mounting plate and damping elastomeric material in the tip and tail. Full ABS sidewalls led both heavy and lightweight testers to rate these sticks as stable, although they appealed most to hard chargers. While the narrow waist didn’t hit the mark in powder, the moderate tip rocker, underfoot camber and flatter tails scored a 5 and 6 out of 7 in crud and hardpack, respectively. As a Coloradan gal summed up, the Helio Carbon 88 “certainly won’t turn your panties into a moist towelette, but they cover on-resort and backcountry with a single checkbox.”
TL;DR: If you have the legs to drive this ski, it’s a truly hardy backcountry companion for the longest, hardest objectives.
Where to buy
Black Diamond Equipment Helio Carbon 88
Dynafit Blacklight 88
Weight: 2,260g (172) | Dimensions: 122/88/110 | Lengths: 151, 158, 165, 172, 178 | Price: $750 | dynafit.com
One of our editors picked the Blacklight 88 for her first skimo race. “Plenty light for busting my ass uphill but still enough ski to trust beyond the skimo track,” she said. “Good, bold bones,” she added of the paulownia core and unidirectional carbon layup which adds stability and torsional rigidity. Tip and tail rocker offer some float, while traditional camber underfoot, full sidewalls and a heavy sidecut favored, per testers, short- to medium-radius turns.
“In soft conditions, they’re capable of handling speed and moderately aggressive skiing,” said a lady with over a decade of testing under her bibs. “Their carbon core takes over on ice or hardpack, resulting in a high-vibration, low-absorption ride.” Despite her criticism, the 88s earned an average 5/7 on hardpack. “These have the typical skimo drawbacks—a bit of chatter, a bit squirrely, but generally fun and so, so light,” she concluded.
TL;DR: The Blacklight floats through the backcountry like a butterfly and stings like a bee on soft descents but will chatter when faced with firm snow.
Where to buy
Dynafit Blacklight 88
Voilé Hyper SR 61
Weight: 1,594g (161) | Dimensions: 93/63/79 | Lengths: 151, 161 | Price: $795 | voile.com
Voilé’s SR 61 has long been lovingly dubbed “The Pickle” by our testers. While the name comes from the former topsheet, the love comes from its better-than-expected skiability. “These skis were faaaaar better all-arounders than they had any business being!” exclaimed a freerider. “They carved OK and blew me away with their bump absorption given their profile.” That absorption can be attributed to a rubber foil between the paulownia base and core and a steep, 90-degree bevel angle on the capped sidewall that make it perform more like a vertical construction. The wood core is also sandwiched by strengthening carbon and glass fiber. “They’re stiff underfoot with a rockered tip that makes the short length feel even shorter,” said a 6’1” tester. That worked on groomers, but the SR 61 is still a skimo ski. “As someone who has skied a few volcanoes, I would not trust these to get me down Rainier,” said an endurance athlete.
TL;DR: A specialized skimo race ski that may handle ultras and training missions in variable snow. Ultralight on the ascent with the expected drawbacks on the descent.
Where to buy
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