Ski: 2024-2025 Stöckli Montero AR, 180 cm
Test Locations: Taos Ski Valley, NM & Crested Butte Mountain Resort, CO
Days Skied: ~14
Available Lengths: 165, 170, 175, 180, 185 cm
Blister’s Measured Tip-to-Tail Length (straight-tape pull): 178.7 cm
Stated Weight per Ski: 2055 grams
Blister’s Measured Weight per Ski: 2058 & 2079 grams
Stated Dimensions: 128-84-114 mm
Blister’s Measured Dimensions: 127.5-83-113 mm
Stated Sidecut Radius (180 cm): 17.4 meters
Measured Tip & Tail Splay (ski decambered): 47 mm / 11.5 mm
Measured Traditional Camber Underfoot: 9 mm
Core Materials: poplar/beech + titanal (2 layers) + fiberglass laminate
Base: sintered racing-graphite
Factory Recommended Mount Point: -12.3 cm from center; 76 cm from tail
Boots Used: Lange Shadow LV 130, Atomic Redster CS 130
Bindings Used: Tyrolia Attack 14 MN
[Note: Our review was conducted on the 23/24 Montero AR, which returned unchanged for 24/25 apart from graphics and a tweak to its mount point, which moved forward about a centimeter, relative to the 23/24 version.]
Intro
Stöckli’s Montero models make up a large portion of the brand’s “All-Mountain Piste” collection. The 84mm-wide Montero AR is the widest offering and is designed to handle slightly larger turns and higher speeds than the 76mm-wide Montero AS and 80mm-wide Montero AX.
As we’ve discussed many, many times over the years, the class of 80-90 mm “all-mountain” skis varies significantly. Some truly feel comfortable in any sort of terrain you could find, others clearly excel on groomed slopes, and many others fall somewhere in between.
So, where does the Montero AR slot into this nebulous category? We’ve spent the past couple of seasons testing it to find out.
What Stöckli says about the Montero AR
“The character of the Montero combined with the smooth performance and stability of a giant slalom ski. Designed for medium to large radii, the Montero AR is perfect for high-speed descents in any terrain. With a waist of 84 mm, you’ll feel like you’re on rails even at high speeds. The Tip and Tail Flex technology and All Mountain Rocker give the agility you need to perform perfectly in all conditions. Cool runs off-piste are then also a breeze. With this ski, you’re perfectly equipped for unforgettable and varied days on the slopes.”
Construction
The Montero AR features a poplar / beech wood core, two full sheets of titanal metal, a sintered “racing graphite” base, and Stöckli’s “Solid Metal Edge Light,” which reportedly features the same outer edge dimensions as their “Solid Metal Edge” but uses shorter inserts where it connects with the base to reduce weight.
The Montero AR also features Stöckli’s “Flex Torsion Control” design, which cuts S-shaped notches in the titanal layers at the shovel and tail to increase torsional flex in those areas. This is meant to make it easier to initiate and exit a variety of turn shapes / styles.
Shape & Rocker Profile
The Montero AR has a pretty traditional shape and rocker profile, in that it doesn’t feature deep rocker lines or much early tapering of its tips and tails. I.e., it has a pretty long effective edge and contact length (see our Ski Length article and video for more on those terms).
Flex Pattern
Here’s how we’d characterize the flex pattern of the Montero AR:
Tips: 6
Shovels: 6-7.5
In Front of Toe Piece: 8-10
Underfoot: 10
Behind the Heel Piece: 10-9.5
Tails: 9
The Montero AR is soft only around the non-cambered portions of its tips; it’s quite stiff everywhere else.
Sidecut Radius
At a stated 17.4 meters for the 180 cm length we’ve been testing, the Montero AR’s sidecut radius isn’t wildly out of the ordinary, but it is longer than, say, the Fischer The Curv GT 85, Nordica Steadfast 85 DC, and Kästle MX84.
Mount Point
The 24/25 Montero AR’s recommended mount point is about -12 cm from true center, which is firmly in the more traditional / set-back end of the spectrum.
This was one change between the 23/24 and 24/25 versions of the ski; the 24/25’s recommended mount point was moved about a centimeter forward / closer to center than the 23/24 ski. The two versions are otherwise constructionally identical.
Weight
Our 180 cm pair of the Montero AR weighs about 2070 grams per ski. We’ve weighed a lot of comparable skis that come in at similar weights, but the Montero AR falls slightly on the heavier end of the spectrum for its class.
For reference, here are some of our measured weights (per ski in grams) for a few notable skis. As always, keep in mind the length and width differences of each ski listed to keep things more apples-to-apples. Also, note which of these measured weights includes a given ski’s binding plates.
1627 & 1640 Head Kore 87, 177 cm
1675 & 1732 Folsom Spar 78, 177 cm
1701 & 1706 Rossignol Forza 70D V-Ti, 173 cm
1724 & 1735 Parlor Warbird, 178 cm
1724 & 1749 Black Crows Octo, 179.3 cm
1728 & 1750 Renoun Atlas 80, 177 cm
1796 & 1838 Black Crows Mirus Cor, 178 cm
1808 & 1834 Northland AM-178, 178 cm
1823 & 1853 Atomic Maverick 88 Ti, 184 cm
1832 & 1841 K2 Disruption 78Ti, 177 cm
1833 & 1849 Shaggy’s Brockway 90, 180 cm
1837 & 1854 Fischer The Curv GT 85 Redefine, 175 cm
1906 & 1907 Dynastar M-Cross 88, 184 cm
1911 & 1917 K2 Disruption 82Ti, 177 cm
1915 & 1937 K2 Mindbender 89Ti, 182 cm
1940 & 1949 Kästle MX84, 176 cm
1941 & 1968 Volkl Peregrine 80, 177 cm
1960 & 2004 Kästle MX88, 181 cm
1999 & 2060 Line Blade, 181 cm
2000 & 2016 Volkl Peregrine 82, 177 cm
2003 & 2011 Head Supershape e-Magnum, 170 cm (w/ binding plates)
2008 & 2015 Folsom Spar 88, 182 cm
2025 & 2028 Meier Quickdraw, 181 cm
2045 & 2057 Rossignol Arcade 88, 178 cm
2047 & 2056 Blizzard Anomaly 88, 182 cm
2058 & 2079 Stöckli Montero AR, 180 cm
2096 & 2154 Nordica Steadfast 85 DC, 179 cm
2112 & 2116 Folsom Spar Turbo, 182 cm
2121 & 2147 Head Supershape e-Titan, 177 cm (w/ binding plates)
2199 & 2211 Head Supershape e-Rally, 177 cm (w/ binding plates)
2235 & 2236 Elan Wingman 86 CTi, 184 cm (w/ binding plates)
2225 & 2248 K2 Disruption MTi, 175 cm (w/ binding plates)
2271 & 2273 Fischer The Curv GT 85, 175 cm (w/ Fischer M-Track plates)
2286 & 2299 Fischer RC One 82 GT, 180 cm (22/23–23/24)
2432 & 2445 Fischer RC4 The Curv, 185 cm (w/ binding plates)
Now, let’s get to on-snow performance:
For the 2024-2025 season, we’ve partnered with Carv to use their Carv 2 sensors and digital ski coach app to not only learn more about our own skiing technique, but also add more useful info to our ski reviews. Here, you’ll see us reference some of the data that the Carv 2 sensors record and analyze while we’re skiing. Check out our announcement to learn more about how Carv works, why we’re excited to use it as a tool for our reviews, and how to get a discount on your own Carv setup.
FULL REVIEW
Over the past two winters, we’ve had multiple reviewers test the Montero AR in all sorts of conditions at multiple mountains. With those experiences in mind, we’ll dive into what makes it stand out and what sorts of skiers may want to consider it.
On Piste — Turn Initiation & Turn Shapes
Luke Koppa (5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg): The word “predictable” has frequently come to mind while carving the Montero AR. It’s not a super snappy, exciting carver, nor is it some sled of a ski that only gets interesting at eye-watering speeds.
I think Stöckli is right to say it’s designed for “medium to large radii.” I don’t find it easy to bend and get the Montero AR high on edge at slow speeds and lower-angle beginner slopes. (According to my Carv data, I’m talking about speeds under roughly 20 mph / 32 kph and slope angles around 10° and lower.)
Jonathan Ellsworth (5’10”, 180 lbs / 178 cm, 81.5 kg): I really like that Stöckli calls this a ski for medium to large radii. That’s an accurate level of specificity, and a helpful one. Also, I’ve got 25 pounds on Luke, and I agree that the ski doesn’t feel easy to bend at low speeds. I would call it easy to slide and pivot turns at lower speeds, but I suspect it will take skiers well above 200 lbs to have a different opinion here.
Luke: But just past those thresholds, the Montero AR offers predictable turn initiation.
Jonathan: Yep.
Luke: I can feel myself engaging the tips / shovels of the Montero AR shortly after I start pressuring the front of it, which makes it pretty easy to commit to carved turns, even when the snow is quite firm / not that grippy. Most of the length of this ski offers feedback from start to finish during a turn, which separates it from some other skis in this class that feel more vague at the start of the turn (most of which have stiffer, more tapered, and/or more rockered tips).
Once on edge, the Montero AR feels comfortable making medium-radius turns at high edge angles. Carv tells me that my best turns on this ski tend to be around 16-19 meters, where I can consistently hit max edge angles between 55-60°.
(Jonathan: FWIW, my max edge angles on the Montero AR were consistently at 65°, so take that, Luke.)
Luke: During my best turns, the Montero AR feels super solid and powerful around and just behind the binding area of the ski.
The Montero AR also feels pretty calm when making bigger, Super-G-esque turns at lower edge angles and with more pressure around the middle of the ski, rather than way out at the tips. Especially compared to some skis with tighter stated sidecut radii (e.g., Fischer The Curv GT 85), the Montero AR doesn’t feel quite as inclined to cut across the fall line at higher speeds / with more skier input.
The Montero AR also feels pretty easy to modulate between carved and skidded turns. On steep expert runs, especially if they’ve been cut up / scraped off by the end of the day, I rarely feel confident fully laying over a ski like I can on less extreme slopes. On the Montero AR, I can casually skid turns on these steeper runs, but I can also carve it pretty aggressively while easily breaking it free mid-turn into a skid when my confidence and / or talent runs out.
So, the Montero AR is far from my top pick if you want a carving ski that will let you snap off a bunch of Slalom-size turns on moderate-angle slopes. But I think most advanced and expert skiers will be able to make a variety of GS-esque turns on it, and it doesn’t demand that you keep it carving hard on edge 100% of the time.
Jonathan: Agreed.
On Piste — Edge Hold, Energy, & Suspension
Luke: When carved properly, the Montero AR is capable of arcing clean GS turns on scraped-off, icy sections of the piste. As I just touched on, I don’t always ski those sections “properly,” and the Montero AR is also predictable when cautiously skidding turns in these conditions, or testing the waters and slowly increasing my edge angles.
Personally, I tend to prefer skis with tighter sidecut radii when slopes are really slippery, since I just find it easier to commit to smaller turns and lower overall speeds. But, of the skis in this class that seem to prefer similar speeds and turn shapes, I’d say the Montero AR is at least average or slightly above average in terms of how well it can carve a turn on very firm snow.
As for energy, I’d also call the Montero AR about average. It produces some energy when bent into aggressive GS turns, but I wouldn’t call it particularly explosive. To put it into perspective, one of my favorite Carv metrics is called “Transition Weight Release” (or TWR), which focuses on vertical acceleration changes during turn transitions. If my ski leaves the snow during the transition, the TWR would be 100%. On particularly lively carving skis, I can average 85-100% on the majority of my turns; on the Montero AR, my TWR numbers averaged around 75%.
Turning to the Montero AR’s suspension and how it deals with vibrations from the snow, I’d call it slightly above average. On piste, I rarely find myself thinking the Montero AR feels harsh or chatter-y. It’ll get bucked around by larger piles of pushed-around snow when making very fast, large turns, but it does an admirable job of absorbing / muting out smaller-frequency vibrations.
Off Piste Maneuverability
Luke: So, the Montero AR is a pretty solid all-round carver, but Stöckli calls it an “all-mountain” ski. And many mountains offer ungroomed terrain, so how does it perform when you leave the piste?
The answer is very much a matter of perspective and priorities, as is often the case when trying to succinctly summarize a ski’s performance in any given regard.
Would I pick the Montero AR if I were going to spend a whole day skiing big moguls and steeps with grabby, variable snow? Nope. Do I feel the need to completely avoid off-piste terrain on the Montero AR? Also no.
If the snow is punchy, deep, or otherwise prone to “grabbing” your skis (especially narrow ones), the Montero AR can feel like a handful. Many of the traits that make it a good carver make it much more difficult to ski in these conditions. The same goes for big, tightly spaced moguls.
However, I was still able to have fun skiing the Montero AR in smaller moguls covered in chalky or slightly slushy snow. I have to be much more cognizant of my technique on the Montero AR than a ski (e.g., Salomon Stance 90, Wagner Summit 91) that bears more of a resemblance to wider all-mountain skis. But if I keep the Montero AR slightly on edge (not bases-flat) and avoid shifting my weight over the middle or back of the ski, I can enjoy navigating small to medium-size moguls.
For me, the Montero AR falls into a class of skis that I consider on-piste carvers first and foremost, but that aren’t so much of a handful off piste that I won’t dip into adjacent bump runs a couple times a day. I’d probably point you elsewhere if you plan to spend more than ~20% of your time off piste (especially if that means big moguls or grabby snow). If that’s the case, I’d much, much prefer to be on something like the Stöckli Stormrider 95. But, unlike many skis around this width, I wouldn’t call the Montero AR a fully “piste-specific” ski.
Jonathan: My take here is a bit harsher than Luke’s: to me, the Montero AR is a very nice ‘piste’ ski. But like many of the skis in this class of ~85mm-wide carvers, I think it does a disservice to play up the ‘off-piste’ or ‘all-mountain’ capabilities of skis like this. Now, of the 80-90mm-wide skis out there that I think really do function well all around the mountain, the Montero AR feels far more like a legit, traditional carver, and I love the feel of a legit, traditional carver — on piste.
But to take these skis into steep couloirs, or low-angle trees, or moguls that are not really perfectly spaced out — in other words, what I would call actual, ‘all-mountain’ inbounds skiing — you need to be a high-level skier to make these work. And even then, these skis do not excel in such scenarios. So my best advice is to consider the Montero AR if you’re in the market for a mid-80mm-wide ski to be used on a full range of on-piste skiing.
Length Recommendations / Thoughts on Length
Jonathan: Given that I recommend the Montero AR as an on-piste ski, and given its rather traditional shape, directional mount point, and stout flex pattern, if you’re on the fence between two lengths, I’d encourage you to size down rather than sizing up.
For example, while we haven’t skied the Montero in its 175 cm length, I believe I would be very happy on that length, and I am not concerned that I’d find that model to be less stable than I’d like. (And if anything, there’s a chance that the 175 would feel more accessible at lower speeds and / or on flatter slopes).
Luke: Yep, if I was considering this ski, I’d probably end up going to the 175 to hopefully get a slight boost in lower-speed engagement.
Who’s It For?
Luke and Jonathan: The Montero AR is worth considering if you’re looking for a ski that carves well in a wide variety of conditions and is most at home when making turns roughly around GS size and slightly larger. It wouldn’t be our top pick for beginners or intermediates who are still learning to bend a ski, but we think that many advanced and expert skiers will appreciate it on most groomed slopes (apart from really flat ones). It’s not our top pick for icy conditions, but it can still carve them with proper technique, and it stays more composed in softer and/or more variable snow than many narrower alternatives.
The Montero AR also offers a tad more off-piste capability than some skis around this width, but we think most folks will get along best with it as an all-conditions carver — rather than a ski you’ll very frequently be taking into big moguls and weird, off-piste snow.
Bottom Line
The Stöckli Montero AR is a well-rounded carver that manages to strike a nice balance between accessibility and high-speed potential. It’s not all that engaging at slow speeds, and it does need some skier input to thrive. But the Montero AR offers predictable turn initiation at most speeds and is capable of aggressive, high-edge-angle GS turns under the feet of advanced and expert skiers.
Our Deep Dives, Winter Buyer’s Guide, & Flash Reviews
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Deep Dive: Stöckli Montero AR
We compare the Montero AR to the Stöckli Stormrider 95, Rossignol Arcade 88, Head Supershape e-Titan, Nordica Steadfast 85 DC, Elan Wingman 86 CTi, Atomic Maverick 88 Ti, Dynastar M-Cross 88, Head Supershape e-Rally, Volkl Peregrine 82, K2 Disruption 82Ti, Fischer The Curv GT 85, Kästle MX84, & Kästle MX88.
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23/24 Stöckli Montero AR
The Montero AR is Stöckli’s 84mm-wide “All-Mountain Piste” model — here are our initial on-snow impressions.
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Just a FYI, Stockli puts a “intermediate” tune on this type of ski and they like really rearward mount points. I suggest a new close to race tune and move the mount forward 2-4 cm and the ski will really perform. Just keep that in mind when evaluating.
Will keep that in mind — thanks!
Update: Stockli says they’re moving the rec mount point +1 cm for 24/25 (otherwise unchanged). Will still try it at as wide of a range as we can.
Really looking forward to you getting on this ski. Have skied both this iteration and the previous Laser AR 83, like them both a lot. Intrigued by Scott’s comment on mount point
Luke, any impression of this ski yet? Anxiously awaiting!
well…?
February has been a taxing month for the Blister crew, to put it lightly, but I’m planning on getting another day on this ski this week and posting a Flash Review ASAP.
Bought a pair!
Excellent review. Reading between the lines, you went the extra mile to make it clear how you think the ski performs in various conditions. For some, Stockli skis are put on a pedestal. And I do feel some of their more “race like skis” models deserve it. I own an older (yellow/green) Laser AX (78mm) and would review it very similar to this ski’s review. The AX has a tighter turn radius, but otherwise similar. Its a very good ski, but I personally don’t put it on a pedestal. I describe it as a versatile carving ski. Not an all mountain ski. Race like carving skis are better on firm piste, and all mtn skis are better off piste. I agree its a traditional carver.
The one thing you didn’t say (although you alluded to it) is its an exceptionally smooth ski. I think is probably its most exceptional characteristic. Smooth and damp.
On my Laser AX, I have moved my bindings from -1 to +4 and found the ski is happy at all those mount points. At +4 its tips get a little nervous but it can almost make slalom turns and at -1 it feels very stable and comfortable making high speed large radius GS turns. I settled on +1.5 mount point as my preferred happy place. Its somewhat uncommon for a carving ski to be able to accommodate such a wide range of mount points. On my SL ski, if I move +/- 1.0 mm the ski gets worse.
Yeah. Stockli makes terrific skis, but they’re fundamentally working with the same materials and constraints as everybody else.
I’ve tried this ski and am seriously considering buying it (I have an extensive quiver, but all of my <96 mm boards are honest-to-goodness racing skis), and the "Stockli Kool-Aid" that seems so prevalent in some circles is seriously off-putting as you allude.
Great review, and an intriguing ski.
As an aside or nitpick, Carv max edge angles say vastly more about the skill of the rider than about the ski. A well-trained technical skier (somebody with a racing background or who just takes the time to practice the skills in a disciplined way) can wring gaudy angles out of almost anything. The real question is how much work it takes to do it, how well it holds on truly hard snow, and what sort of carved radii you can achieve.
For example Carv says I was cranking 63 deg on a pair of 189 cm Fischer 107Ti on groomers earlier today, and while that ski carves well for its width I would be _very_ disappointed if the Montero AR edged like it does.