“DPS, you have done it again. The Wailer is the ski I would like to walk away with. You ask, they do. This ski is the fountain of youth—they make everything feel easy. Turn initiation is effortless; they are incredibly light; they cut through the chunder and make you feel all-around sexy. I would equate the Wailer to my Subaru, the all-terrain vehicle, a true one-ski quiver.”
VÖLKL V-WERKS BMT 109
Eric Tiffany is more interested in the downhill performance of his gear, but admits that as he gets older, he looks for that balance between weight and chargeability. Really, all he needs to have fun, however, is a few inches of fresh snow. Here is what he thinks of the Völkl V-Werks BMT 109.
Testers’ Choice: Armada Kufo 103
“The less weight on my feet going uphill means I can carry more Grey Goose for my Black Russians,” says tester Jamie Krakowiak. She wants a skis that is “efficient and trustworthy at a reasonable price point,” and looks for deep snow in open bowls, but is willing to hunt a little for fresh in the trees if she has to. Here is her review of the Armada Kufo 103.
Testers’ Choice: La Sportiva Vapor Nano
LA SPORTIVA VAPOR NANO $1,200 – sportiva.com SIZES: 164, 172, 180, 188 DIMENSIONS: 130/102/120 WEIGHT: 5 lbs. 4 oz. (180) Buy Now Tested and Reviewed Tester Christine Raymond enjoys what she calls “light gear to climb faster and wide skis to float the powder.” While she is not a big fan of spring skiing, she does […]
Testers’ Choice: DPS Wailer 112 RP2 Tour1
Tester Gregg Davis looks for what he calls “the lightest big skis I can find” in his preferred conditions—fluffy Wasatch pow. He wants the benefits of flotation without sacrificing speed on the up, and he has found the tool for the job.
Testers’ Choice: Dynastar Cham 97 2.0
“The 2.0 is much improved over the 1.0. They are effortless to initiate and incredibly fun turn to turn. This ski held an edge on the boilerplate just as well as it navigated the bony tough spots.”
Testers’ Choice: Atomic Automatic 109
Tester Matt Kiedaisch likes tree lines in the woods of Vermont—but he enjoys letting his skis open up when he gets the chance. He says of his backcountry goals, “I don’t mind climbing, but it’s not why I’m out there. Solid performance on the ride down is what makes me happy.”
Testers’ Choice: Movement Trust 108
Tester Miles Kochalka loves to be in the woods skiing untracked lines around Smugglers’ Notch, Vt. And if he is not shredding treed lines, he is happy anywhere else with snow, so long as he has skis on his feet. He looks for well-rounded skis and that is what he found in the Movement Trust 108.
Testers’ Choice: Dynafit Hokkaido
Steep and deep—that’s what tester Jason Layh wants to ski. He doesn’t mind a slightly heavier ski if it means better performance all around. To him “form and function need to be complimentary.” Here is his review of the Dynafit Hokkaido.
Testers’ Choice: Salomon MTN Lab
Tester Carter Snow likes steep, technical, playful terrain with features to jump off. When he’s not in the backcountry, he’s training for big-mountain competitions—and he needs gear that can make that leap too. He picks the Salomon MTN Lab for its skinning, charging, and hucking abilities.
