Völkl Mantra V.Werks Skis

With their Mantra V.Werks, Völkl didn’t just create a ski for the masses; they’ve provided the masses with a chance to ski better.

“It’s like a one-size-fits all ski,” one Montana-based tester said of the mid-fat Mantra. “Even the Jerriest of jean-wearing skiers could slap these puppies on and have one of their best ski days ever.” It’s that reliability that earned this ski an Editors’ Choice Award last year, thanks to 2018 Mantra innovations like rocker in just the tip and tail—instead of earlier versions’ full-rocker profile—and a beech and poplar core wrapped in a carbon jacket for überlight construction.

For even more rigidity, Völkl lays a titanal strip along the center of the ski. “The platform underfoot is stiff and snappy, giving unrelenting edge hold,” one tester observed, “and the tips and tails are soft enough to float to the top of deep powder pillows.”

The Mantra’s universal applicability wasn’t lost on testers, especially when the pitch turned more vertical. “Confidence inspiring when pointed down something steep and gnarly,” one Gear Test veteran said, considering the Mantra best for “traditionalist, old-school skiers who value dampness and predictability over all else.”

A slight amount of camber underfoot leads to that more traditional feel, steadying the relatively substantial splay at the tip and tail. That combo left one tester bemused, as he questioned, “How is it that a ski with so much tip and tail rocker can feel so reliable?” He concluded, “The Mantra deftly balances all conditions with utility and playfulness.”

$1,350
voelkl.com
135/99/117  7.4 lbs. (178)
Lengths: 170, 178, 186