“Best for someone who wants a monogamous relationship with their skis,” one tester quipped of the Black Crows Camox Freebird’s loyalty-inspiring performance that’s now secured this 96 mm-underfoot ski an Editors’ Choice Award two years running. “Best for big days when you know you’re going to be going through variable terrain,” one tester said. Slight […]

Last season, Voilé injected their skis with a special sauce that elevated the line to another level. The new recipe goes by the name Hyper, a fitting moniker given the energy dividends these lightened skis now offer. In the case of the Hyper V6, that’s a 15-percent weight savings—more than enough to take another lap. […]

Like a masterfully forged katana, Igneous’s Women’s Carbon Swallowtail was gorgeous, deadly “A ninja in the trees,” A boutique shop out of Jackson Hole, Wyo., Igneous handcrafts custom skis and snowboards and, as it turns out, the women’s deck they submitted to the test was actually the owner’s wife’s personal split, designed after four years […]

“By far the most stable and responsive board in its weight class,” one test veteran said. “The first ultralight board I want to take off the scale and actually ride.” “all-mountain dominator—I felt like I took the red pill and leveled into The Matrix.” Experienced testers tend to be more vigilant with ultralight decks: featherweight […]

“Predictable, stable, fast, fun and capable.” The Tech: Black Diamond introduces three new Recon skis this year, a price-point line to replace the Route series that mirrors the Helio models with slightly weightier constructions—fiberglass-enhanced poplar rather than carbon-enhanced balsa/flax. That layup translated to a dampened, more stable ride that shone best in the 88-mm width […]

“Responsive, easy-turning and moderately lively, the Stellas manage most terrain and conditions with grace and ease,” The Tech: Salomon’s overhaul of this year’s QST line extends across their women’s offerings, with updates to their Lux, Lumen and Stella, the latter being the lone ski of the female fleet tested at Powder Mountain. The Stella similarly […]

“Like a five-calorie cocktail with 30-percent ABV,” The Tech: Voilé’s Drifter earned our Editors’ Choice Award a decade ago, back when rocker and carbon construction were more experimental than commonplace. The Salt Lake brand got it then and still does today, updating the Drifter’s heavily rockered shape and overhauling the core and layup to keep […]

“I trust these in the backcountry more than anything else” The Tech: With proprietary pucks, a skeletal baseplate and mid-flexing Rip ‘n’ Flip Highbacks, the Arc continues to be the overall binding of choice for our testers. Lighter, ribbed Pillow Line straps and convenient Whammy Bar risers are the main draws for those still touring […]

“Great float for a 106, stable and refuses to deflect at speed despite its light nature,” The Tech: Eco consciousness lies at the heart of Meier Skis’ mission, and the Prospector 106 is no exception. Literally at its core: 100-percent Colorado-sourced aspen and beetle-kill pine that Meier chose for its playfulness on the descent. They […]