Intro
Well, it’s once again that time of year. Some of us in the Northern Hemisphere are already skiing, while the rest of us are champing at the bit. And one of the most entertaining ways to fill time before ski season and between early-season storms is to fantasize about your dream ski quiver.
Assembling a ski quiver (whether hypothetical or real) is certainly fun, and it’s also a great way to procrastinate and make the hours at work just fly right by.
But it can also get a bit tricky — and cause the more obsessive among us to start going mad. We get a lot of questions about whether ski X is too similar to ski Y to have both, and even more questions about how, in general, to think about putting together an effective quiver.
So the first things to figure out are:
(1) Whether for you, personally, it’s worth owning more than a single pair of skis. And then,
(2) How to put together a group of skis that will help you get the most out of every day on the mountain.
As we state in all our quiver selection articles, there is no single perfect quiver for everyone. It all depends very much on where you ski and how you ski. So our selections below should not be viewed as our answer to the question, “What are the best skis out there?”
Instead, these are our reviewers’ personal picks, along with their rationale for why they would choose them.
As always, we’re interested to hear what you’d pick for your own quiver, so let us know in the Comments section at the bottom.
More Ski-Quiver Guidance
For more general suggestions — as opposed to what we personally would pick — check out our Winter Buyer’s Guide.
And if you’d like to get our recommendations for assembling your own ski quiver, then become a Blister Member, submit your question via the Blister Member Clubhouse page, and we’ll get you sorted out.
1, 2, 3, 4, or 5-Ski Quiver?
This year, we’re once again starting with our picks for hypothetical 5-ski quivers, partly because it’s just fun to think about, and partly because we do know a lot of people with some pretty expansive collections of skis. And even if you’re opting for a 1- or 2-ski quiver, seeing how we think about assembling a larger quiver may still be beneficial in terms of you sorting out the compromises you’re willing to live with.
So between our Buyer’s Guide quiver section + what we have here, we hope to help you figure out (a) what size quiver makes the most sense, and (b) give you a bit of direction on how best to think about assembling your own quiver.
We’ll be starting with 5-ski quivers, then narrowing it down to our 4-, 3-, 2- and 1-ski quivers over the course of the coming weeks.
Four Questions
For each of our reviewers, we asked them to answer the following questions:
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Three Additional Notes
(1) For our quivers, we’re only including skis that we’ve actually spent time on, but we will allow some speculation regarding skis that we think might fit into our quivers once we get to ski them / ski them more.
(2) Some of our reviewers will also expand on which bindings they’d put on which skis if there are some particular reasons they made those choices.
(3) We will be updating this post with more options from some of our other reviewers in the near future, but we’d also love to hear your answers to some or all of our four questions, too, so please do so in the Comments section.
Luke Koppa
(5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
I spend most of my time riding lifts at Mt. Crested Butte, from low-angle groomers on opening day, to slushy laps on the last day of the season. I also like to explore the surrounding backcountry, though increasingly, that’s primarily consisted of spring and summer skiing. This is largely due to the fact that we just have so many skis to test and lifts are far more efficient for that than our own two legs, as well as my low risk tolerance when it comes to Colorado’s touchy mid-winter snowpack.
Consequently, my theoretical 5-ski quiver is resort biased, but with backcountry capabilities.
Ski #1: Line Blade Optic 96, 184 cm + Alpine Binding
This would be my daily driver for most resort days. It’d see pretty much equal time on and off piste, as well as some laps through the park, and would generally be used to find any little thing to jump off. The Blade Optic 96 was a pretty easy choice for me (even though there were lots of serious contenders) because it offers a very rare combination of carving excitement, loose maneuverability in tight off-piste zones, respectable suspension on rough snow, and an overall design that will let me ski centered and feel balanced, while still allowing me to drive it through the shovels.
When it comes to these ski quiver articles, I mostly think back to the skis I would choose last season when I was giving myself a “day off” from testing the skis that needed to be tested and instead just picked what I wanted to ski (and yes, I’m very aware of how silly that sentence sounds…). But the Blade Optic 96 was one of the skis I picked most often on those days, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing it in several of the smaller quiver articles.
(I don’t have strong preferences when it comes to alpine bindings, but maybe I will after our upcoming alpine binding test…)
Ski #2: Line Blade, 181 cm + Alpine Binding
While this ski’s name is very similar to the previous one, they’re super different skis and fill different roles. Namely, the Blade is what I’d use for early season laps on low-angle, man-made-snow groomers; days when I’m out with friends who aren’t as interested in scaring themselves on steep off-piste lines; or whenever else I plan on taking it a bit easier and spending a lot of time on piste.
That’s because the Blade comes alive at very low speeds, is capable of arcing really tight turns, and is still maneuverable and forgiving enough to venture off piste (and ski switch). There are more skis than ever before that are vying for this slot in my quiver, but I still really like the Blade.
Since I don’t really hit rails and it’d mostly be used on piste, I’d definitely opt to keep the Blade’s tune a bit sharper / better maintained than my other skis. I tried a shop’s rental pair last year, which had been abused by dozens of skiers, and the importance of having at least fairly sharp edges on the Blade for maximum enjoyment on piste became evident (especially for early-season laps). Even super sharp, the Blade will never come close to matching the edge hold and power of a narrower dedicated carver, but it’s way better than those skis when it comes to heading off piste, skiing switch, getting in the air, and generally doing things other than what dedicated carvers are designed to do. This is my theoretical quiver designed around my personal preferences, and those things are more important to me than maximum edge hold (even though I’ll miss that when the groomers are rock hard).
Ski #3: Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm + Alpine Binding
Don’t mess with a good thing. This is still one of my favorite skis of all time, and is what I’d use any time there’s more than a few inches of fresh snow. This isn’t because it’s the best pure pow ski out there (it’s not), but because the Blackops 118 makes skiing chop more fun than almost every other ski I’ve tried. And chop is what I’m mostly skiing on a resort “pow” day. It is absurdly stable and composed at speed, while still being pretty maneuverable and balanced in the air. My knees always complain a bit after a full day of steering this tank of a ski through deep chop, but I never regret it. It’s excellent.
(I don’t think the 186 cm Blackops 118 is available in the Tatum Monod signature graphic shown above, but these are theoretical quivers after all, so I might as well pick my ideal top sheet, too. I like trout.)
Ski #4: RMU Apostle 3.0 106, 184 cm + Marker Duke PT 12
Since my mid-winter touring days have become fewer and farther between, I’m making my wider touring ski more of a “50/50” option that I can have a blast on in the resort. I loved the Apostle 106 as an inbounds ski because it’s ridiculously easy, maneuverable, quick, and playful (while being surprisingly predictable at speed, given all that). It’s also light enough for its size that I wouldn’t mind hauling it uphill under my own power, and everything I just mentioned about its resort performance would make it ideal for making the most of low-angle mid-winter trees in the backcountry. As for its resort days, they’d mostly be when the snow is somewhat soft but not super deep and I plan on spending a lot of time in the trees or in the air.
I haven’t used the Duke PT 12, but I came to fully trust the Duke PT 16 in the resort and backcountry and the 12 is notably lighter, so I’d take the risk of something I haven’t yet tested myself and opt to save some weight with the lower-DIN version.
Ski #5: Majesty Superwolf, 178 cm + Moment Voyager XII
This would be my ski for spring and summer touring, and it’s a great one. The Superwolf is by no means ultralight relative to other ~93mm-wide touring skis, but it hits the sweet spot of weight and downhill performance for my preferences. It’s also really versatile for its width, not being scary when I encounter some weird crusts or have to navigate a million suncups in July. It offers better suspension than almost every other ski I’ve tried in this class, and while its versatility in variable snow is what makes it stand out, I can still trust it on steep, firm spring couloirs.
For pretty much any dedicated touring setup, the Voyager XII (or nearly identical ATK Raider 12 + Freeride Spacer) is what I’d use. It’s quite light by my standards, but it skis better than any <400 g binding I’ve used, and still has all the features I want.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Ha, have you seen our Winter Buyer’s Guide? I probably considered almost half the 270+ skis in that guide…
So there are too many to list here, but I’ll try to note the closest competitors to the ones I chose:
For my daily driver: Faction Dancer 2, Faction Mana 2, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Dynastar M-Free 99, K2 Reckoner 102, DPS Koala 103, Whitedot Altum 104, Majesty Dirty Bear XL, Line Sir Francis Bacon
These skis span a huge range, which kind of explains why I picked the Line Blade Optic 96 — it blends traits from such a broad range of ski types / categories.
For my fun carver / mellow terrain ski: Black Crows Mirus COR, Season Kin, K2 Reckoner 102, Line Sir Francis Bacon, K2 Disruption 78C, Black Crows Serpo, Line Blade Optic 92
In a similar vein, some of these skis are way more fun than the Line Blade when it comes to off-piste, freestyle, or on-piste performance, but the Blade covers all those things really well.
Pow Ski: Moment Wildcat (really close call), Line Blade Optic 114 (also really close), RMU North Shore 110, DPS Koala 119, Volkl Revolt 121, Dynastar M-Free 108
Ironically, given that the Blackops 118 is one of my favorite skis of all time, this is actually the slot where I’d probably be the least upset if I had to go with any of these other skis. In particular, I love the 184 cm Moment Wildcat and 186 cm Line Blade Optic 114 for almost the same exact reasons as the Blackops 118, but neither quite match its ludicrous monster-truckability in chop.
50/50 Soft Snow Ski: 4FRNT Hoji, Elan Ripstick 106, Liberty Origin 101, Wagner Summit 106, Sego Condor 108, WNDR Alpine Intention 108, Whitedot Altum 104, 4FRNT Devastator, Line Sir Francis Bacon, Moment Deathwish 104, DPS Koala 103
In particular, it’s weird not having the Line Sir Francis Bacon in my quiver this year, but the Apostle 106 isn’t super far off in terms of the SFB’s extreme level of overall playfulness, but the Apostle 106 is a lot more stable at speed, making it much more versatile.
Spring Touring Ski: Line Vision 98, Stereo Lynx MK4, WNDR Alpine Vital 100, DPS Pagoda Tour 100 RP
This was the easiest slot to fill, especially now that the Salomon MTN Explore 95 has been discontinued. The Vision 98 was the closest competitor to the Majesty Superwolf, and the Vision 98 is a whole lot more engaging and fun on mellow-angle slopes (and if we build a jump), but the Superwolf is more confidence-inspiring on steep, firm, puckering lines.
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
I’m excited to spend more time on the Faction Mana 2 and 3 this season. I really liked them (and the Faction Dancer 2) last season, though I know they don’t match the suspension or maneuverability of the Blade Optic 96, so I doubt they’d replace it. Similar story with the Majesty Dirty Bear XL.
I’m very eager to try the Salomon MTN Explore 95’s replacement, the MTN 96 Carbon.
We should be getting on the heavier, metal-laden version of the Apostle 106, the Apostle 106 Pro, and I’m super curious to see if it manages to be more damp and stable while maintaining the playfulness that I love in the standard version.
Markus Eder teased a new Volkl Revolt on his recent appearance on the Blister Podcast, and given how much I enjoy the Revolt 121, I’m very interested in trying that ski whenever it’s available.
Shaggy’s new Fun Carver 88 also looks really interesting, and we should be getting on that this season.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Line: Blade Optic 96, Blade, Blade Optic 114, Sir Francis Bacon, Vision 98
I wouldn’t be mad about this at all, given what I’ve said above.
Faction: Mana 2, Dancer 2, Prodigy 4, Mana 3, Agent 2
I haven’t skied any of the recent Prodigy skis, but I thought the old Prodigy 3 was a really fun blend of playful and damp, so I think the Prodigy 4 would be a decent pow / chop ski, and based on my time on the Agent 3, I think the Agent 2 would be a solid spring touring ski.
Kara Williard
(5’9”, 165 lbs / 175 cm, 74 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
We have the privilege of trying a lot of skis, so while I probably wouldn’t gravitate toward a 5-ski quiver if my job and lifestyle were a little different, it’s fun to configure the wide range of skis I have been on in the last year into what is a pretty dreamy, ideal quiver. I break these bigger quivers down into some backcountry-specific skis (2), and resort-specific skis (2), but I also keep one 50/50 option, which is slotted for some of the travel I will be doing this winter, for when I only want to bring one ski for both resort and backcountry adventures.
Ski #1: K2 Mindbender 99 Ti W, 172 cm + Tyrolia Attack 13 GW
There’s a chance you won’t see this ski removed from my quivers as we narrow down our quiver selections; that’s what happens when you find a ski that is versatile, predictable, and capable across a wide range of conditions. The K2 Mindbender 99 Ti W is a ski that I got to test in even the most heinous refrozen conditions last season, and no matter what, the balance it offers in regard to stability and maneuverability is impressive. It’s also a ski I felt very comfortable taking into some pretty technical and tight terrain, so I am also relying on this one for personal improvement in the areas I am focusing on most, in that regard.
Ski #2: Faction Dancer 3X, 172 cm + Look Pivot 13
Positioned as my resort powder ski, the Dancer 3X is a ski that works well for the type of resort-powder skiing I am realistically getting most of the time (a bit of variability and chop, often not crazy deep). The Dancer 3X isn’t the most playful powder ski, but I appreciate how stable it is, while still feeling relatively lively and maneuverable. Because it’s pretty rare to ski the deepest of conditions on resort, this is a ski that I can trust in a lot of different conditions and within a lot of different terrain. I appreciate the suspension of the Dancer 3X, and yet it still works as a ski that I can pivot, shut down, and feel confident on while getting into some of the tighter zones around Mt. CB.
Ski #3: Santa Ana Unlimited 93, 172 cm + Marker M-Werks Kingpin
I love the accessibility and predictability of the Santa Ana Unlimited 93. For me it skis a bit short (which I really don’t mind in the backcountry), it’s easy to pivot, lightweight, lively, maneuverable, and still quite smooth and stable for its weight. I have often lacked a backcountry ski that is really enjoyable on firm or unpredictable snow, but the Santa Ana Unlimited 93 provided this on more than one occasion last year. As a result, this is the ski I am bringing with me on an upcoming trip to Antarctica to ski some (hopefully) mellow, spring corn, but potentially some variable conditions, too.
Ski #4: WNDR Alpine Intention 108 (cambered), 182 cm + ATK Freeraider 14
This is a pretty ideal touring ski for any bigger days with a little more promise of deep or softer snow. It would also be the ski I would choose if I knew I was going on a backcountry-specific trip and could only bring one ski. The Intention 108 isn’t the lightest ski, but it impressed me with the level of suspension and precision it offers even on super firm snow, while still being a blast in softer or deeper snow, too.
Ski #5: Salomon QST Stella 106, 173 cm + Salomon Shift 13 MNC
This is my 50/50 do-everything travel ski. I trust the Stella to do most things in most conditions, and this is exactly what I need this ski to be. While there are a lot of other skis in this ~100+ mm wide category that I contemplated putting here (namely the Fischer Ranger 102 or Line Blade Optic 104), the Lumen is just predictable, quick, and fun in powder, quite stable in chop or crud, and all around an easy ski to commit to, when you really don’t know what conditions are going to be.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Kind of a lot. This is mostly because last season I spent a ton of time on so many skis I really liked, across a wide range of conditions and terrain. It’s actually pretty hard to land on even a 5-ski quiver right now, when I know there are so many skis that offer a nice blend of versatility, stability, and playfulness.
The most obvious ones that I am still being indecisive about and keep over-analyzing for my quiver over include the Nordica Unleashed 98 (to replace the K2 Mindbender 99Ti), or maybe something a little more stable in the form of the Volkl Secret 96. I also feel like I should have included something a little narrower, such as the Mindbender 89 Ti or Fischer Ranger 90. I also considered the Line Blade Optic 104 or Fischer Ranger 102 to replace the Salomon QST Stella 106.
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
The Majesty Vadera Carbon is of high interest. I spent a couple of days on the Majesty Vadera Ti and I really liked it, and I am also curious about what other wide, lighter skis could potentially take the place of the WNDR Alpine Intention 108. Based on how much I liked the Vadera Ti, I am curious how the lighter carbon version compares.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Nordica: Santa Ana 110, Unleashed 108, Santa Ana 98, Unleashed 98, Santa Ana Unlimited 93.
Fischer: Ranger 90, Ranger 96, Ranger 102 w/ Pivot, Ranger 102 w/ ATK Freeraider 14, and Ranger 108.
Dylan Wood
(5’10”, 155 lbs / 179 cm, 70 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
This past season, I got on some fun new skis that I figured would make their way into some of my ski quiver selections and change it up vs. my picks from last year. I’ve been thinking about what skis I’d like to have in my dream quivers for some time now, and while I think I could be happy with a variety of quiver configurations, I’m pretty content with what I’ve landed on.
Ski #1: Sego Comp 110, 187 cm + Look Pivot 15
Yep, I still really like this ski for how hard it lets me ski while also being pretty easy to shut down. It has a mixture of stiffness, damping, playfulness, and maneuverability that works really well with my skiing style. I’d likely use this ski on just about any day where the snow is soft — from pow days of up to ~1 foot (~30 cm) to several days after a storm. I’d probably mount +2 cm from the recommended line for a bit more balance in the air and tolerance for a more centered skiing stance.
Ski #2: Line Blade Optic 96, 184 cm + Look Pivot 15
This is one of my favorite skis from this past season. I really liked the Blade Optic 96 for how well it meshes a variety of characteristics. It’s loose and surfy, but impressively stable and fun to carve. It has pretty good suspension, but is also far from “dead” and can simultaneously feel energetic and poppy. I’d ski this on more hardpacked days when it hasn’t snowed in a week or longer. I’d be skiing it all over the mountain, and also dipping into the park quite a bit.
Ski #3: K2 Mindbender 89Ti, 182 cm + Look Pivot 15
Another standout ski from last season, the Mindbender 89Ti was a blast and I’m looking forward to spending even more time on it this upcoming season. Despite having a freestyle-oriented background and a pretty slarvy style overall, I do love carving. I had a blast laying this ski over on piste, and even without a racing background or very directional style, it didn’t feel very punishing. Additionally, I was super impressed with how well this ski handled Crested Butte in its entirety, not just the groomers. I felt comfortable skiing steep, exposed lines, making lots of small turns and quick adjustments, and pointing it straight in some rough runouts. I’d likely ski this whenever conditions are pretty firm, and I’d rather carve than frequent the park (I’d use the Blade Optic 96 for that).
Ski #4: 4FRNT Raven 4-Lock, 184 cm + Moment Voyager XII
Mhm, the Raven reigns supreme (for me, at least). And after watching Barry on HBO, the name “Raven” feels even more badass, being associated with an elite Chechen assassin. But, to get to actual ski performance, the Raven has always felt predictable, versatile, and dependable — I can’t ask for much more out of a touring ski. I want my skis to feel trustworthy in the backcountry, considering the variety of snow types and conditions out there and the greater distance from medical attention, and the Raven does that for me. It also works really well with my aggressive-yet-slarvy style. Plus, the 4-lock system is sweeeet.
Ski #5: Line Vision 118, 189 cm + Marker Duke PT 16
This would be my ski for pow days deeper than ~1 foot (~30 cm), as well as for powder touring. I love how playful, loose, and agile the Vision 118 is, while still being stable enough to be skied hard in soft snow (if I am wanting to go really hard in the pow, though, I’d just ski the Comp 110). I also appreciate how the Vision 118 lets me make a variety of turn shapes in pow, from longer, more carvy ones in pow to quicker, more hacky turns in manky trees. Combined with its moderate weight, it’s a pretty ideal 50/50 ski to me. Additionally, I like to sometimes build jumps and throw tricks in the backcountry, and the Vision 118 feels like a pretty ideal ski for that, whereas the Raven does not.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Lots. I’d love to have a tight-radius ‘fun carver’ like the 178 cm Black Crows Mirus COR, 181 cm Season Kin, or 181 cm Line Blade in my quiver, but I also really like the K2 Mindbender 89Ti and Line Blade Optic 96, and I think I’d get my carving/freestyle fix from both of those.
Additionally, I love the 187 cm Sego Big Horn 106 as a wider all-mountain freestyle ski, but the Blade Optic 96 and Sego Comp 110 should let me ski how I like in a wider variety of conditions.
There are several other skis I considered, but didn’t quite fit into this quiver: the 186 cm Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm Black Crows Camox, 184 or 191 cm 4FRNT Hoji, 192 cm Dynastar M-Free 108, 184 cm K2 Reckoner 102, 184 cm Atomic Bent Chetler 120, 184 cm K2 Mindbender 99Ti, 187 cm Whitedot Altum 104, 184 cm DPS Koala 103 and Koala 118, 183 cm Faction Mana 2, and probably some more that I can’t think of right now.
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
I said this last year and I’ll say it again: the 187 cm ON3P Woodsman 110. I loved the 187 cm Woodsman 108 and it’s still one of my favorite skis of all time, and I bet I’d like the Woodsman 110, too. Hopefully I can find that out for sure soon.
I had an incredible day at the 2022 Blister Summit on the 186 cm Rossignol Blackops 118, and it is definitely one of my favorite skis I’ve ever tried. But, since I want my pow ski to be lightweight for 50/50 and backcountry freestyle use, I chose the lighter Line Vision 118. If we had a 6-ski quiver article, though, I am almost certain the Blackops 118 would be ski #6. Maybe if I spent more days on the Blackops 118 and developed more of an obsession for it akin to…ahem…other Blister reviewers, I’d find space for it in my 5-ski quiver.
I also really liked the J Masterblaster and to somewhat of a lesser extent, the Fastforward, and J apparently tweaked them slightly this year, so I wonder if I’ll like the new versions even more to the point that they’d fit into my quiver (we’re getting on them as soon as the lifts start spinning here).
I also liked the somewhat limited time I had on the Faction Mana 2 and 3, and I wonder if those will make their way into future quivers. Same goes for the Nordica Unleashed 98 and 108.
Same with the 186 cm Line Blade Optic 114 — I had an awesome afternoon on it at the Blister Summit, and I am looking forward to spending more time on it this season.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Line: 181 cm Blade, 185 cm Blade Optic 104, 186 cm Blade Optic 114, 189 cm Vision 118, TW Pro/Chronic
Line makes an even better argument for a 5-ski quiver this year with the introduction of their Blade Optic series.
Sego: 187 cm Big Horn 96, 187 cm Comp 104, 187 cm Comp 118, 187 cm Condor 108, 181 cm Wave BC 94
I haven’t skied, well, any of these, but based on my time the Big Horn 106 and Comp 110 as well as reports from other reviewers on the Condor 108, I could be very happy with this quiver.
Rossignol: 186 cm Blackops 118, 182 cm Blackops 98, 187 cm Sender 106 Ti +, 186 cm Sender 94 Ti, 185 cm Escaper 97 Nano
There’s some unfamiliarity here as well, but I think I’d dig this quiver.
Moment: 184 (or maybe 190) cm Wildcat, 184 cm Wildcat 101, 182 cm Commander 98, 184 cm Deathwish, 184 cm Wildcat Tour 108
I’m mostly familiar with all these skis, and I think I’d be satisfied with this quiver. The only question is whether to go 184 or 190 cm for the Wildcat…
Armada: 184 cm ARV 96, 188 cm Declivity 92Ti, 190 cm Declivity 108Ti, 186 cm Locator 104, 192 cm ARV 116 JJ UL
Lots of uncertainty here, but this feels like a very complete quiver to me. I’d love to have the 187 cm ARG II UL, but it’s probably pretty optimistic to own a 135 mm underfoot, reverse/reverse ski, given how rare I am actually skiing deep pow…
I think I could be happy with a quiver from several other brands, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll leave it at that.
Drew Kelly
(5’11”, 165 lbs / 180 cm, 75 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
There are a lot of intriguing skis from this year that I haven’t yet been able to ski — which is due in part to the fact that I didn’t fully ramp up my ski reviewing at Blister until late last season, and also that I rarely take skis or bindings into the backcountry that I don’t know well enough to trust. But it’s also a symptom of my addiction to the 17/18 Head Monster 108 … which a lot of people are sick of hearing me talk about, including myself. So, the following list skews away from powder and backcountry skis, despite spending more time in the backcountry last season than in the resort.
What’s left are skis that possess the quality I’m most picky about: hardpack performance. In the broadest terms, that means skis with excellent suspension and no speed limit. Beyond those traits, given enough time, I’m able to adapt to most ski shapes and lengths, which I’ll get into the specifics of with each of my selections.
Ski #1: Salomon QST Blank, 194 cm + ATK Freeraider 14
This past season I started coming around to more forgiving skis. Maybe I’m getting old [editor’s note: Drew is 32], maybe I’m getting wise… but I found myself more frequently skiing variable conditions in the backcountry, which left me wondering about skis with softer extremities and a little more tip and tail rocker than what I had been skiing in the past. The QST Blank fits that description, while being energetic and still capable of being pushed hard in backcountry powder scenarios. The only thing I’m wondering about is whether I’d choose the 186 cm or 194 cm length.
Ski #2: Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, 186 cm + Marker Duke PT 16
I know I just considered the possibility of me getting wiser… clearly it’s a longshot, given that I’m choosing this setup as my backcountry setup for firm snow. But I’ve spent two seasons as the beast of burden to this setup, and it has rewarded me well. The Sender 104 Ti has the edge hold and suspension to support confident super-g turns on hard snow, or hop turns through junk. But the Sender 104 Ti also floats relatively well for its width, which means I don’t have to stress out over which backcountry setup to take out if conditions may vary from difficult to powdery. And though I move pretty slowly when climbing with this setup, it’s one that helps me squeeze the most enjoyment possible out of days when the conditions are real lemons.
Ski #3: Wagner Summit 109, 192 cm + Tyrolia Attack 17
It was hard to whittle down competitors to the Wagner Summit 109, but — price and ski performance aside for a moment — I got to spend most of my time on this ski with an inspiring group of skiers in really fun conditions, which I think has influenced my choice at least a little bit. That said, the Summit 109 ticked a lot of boxes for me: it was really agile in bumps, floated well in pow, had an exciting amount of energy return (think: popping into the air coming out of a turn and landing in the transition), and a stiff enough flex pattern to support aggressive skiing, all while being pretty forgiving in variable snow. I want to spend more time on this ski on actual harpack, but otherwise I’m quite happy with the Summit 109 (and its top sheet graphics!)
Ski #4: Volkl Mantra 102, 184 cm + Tyrolia Attack 17
The Mantra 102 is filling the role of daily driver this year, which means it’s the ski I’m probably most particular about, especially considering Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s typical conditions. It also happens to be the ski in this list I’m most hesitant about. There were a lot of contenders here: the Salomon Stance 102, Wagner Summit 107, Moment Commander 108, K2 Mindbender 99Ti, Line Blade Optic 96, and Volkl Katana 108.
But after much hand-wringing, I chose the Mantra 102 because it best supported me on runs when I was pushing myself the hardest, and in fact — like the Head Monster 108 — often requires me to push myself to be a more focused, better skier. And I like that reciprocal relationship between me and my equipment. I don’t want something that just makes skiing easy for me.
So why am I anxious about this choice? Again, I didn’t get to ski the new reportedly more accessible iteration in much firm snow, which would be the prevailing snow condition I’d be using the Mantra 102 in as a daily driver at CBMR. So perhaps I’ll eat my words here when I weigh in on the full review of it later this season.
Ski #5: Renoun Atlas 80, 184 cm + Marker Jester Pro
And finally, my carving ski: something that I’ll be using mostly during the early season when there aren’t many steep groomed trails open — let alone anything off-piste — but want to have as much fun as if there were.
And while there are many frontside skis I love, I landed on the Atlas 80 because it comes alive at low speeds and slope angles, feels pretty comfortable across a range of turn shapes, and has excellent energy return (perhaps due to its unique use of non-newtonian polymers in its core, which you can learn more about in our interview with Renoun founder, Cyrus Schenk). While K2’s Mindbender 89Ti displayed a similar ability to leap off the snow and dive back down into the top of the next turn, the Atlas 80 does so perhaps even more dramatically. I’d say it’s one of the most explosive / rebounding skis I’ve been on (short of a world cup stock slalom ski, which will kick your ass if you don’t recover from that rebound). As an added bonus, skis with turning radii as short as that of the Atlas 80 are a great way to work the legs into ski shape earlier in the season.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Oof. This year, more than ever, it seemed nearly every company had a relatively forgiving ski that was still capable of being pushed quite hard. K2’s Mindbender 89Ti and 99Ti immediately come to mind, as well as the Line Blade Optic 96, Wagner Summit 107, and Moment Commanders (98 and 108). Ultimately none of these made the cut because I found their max capacities a little too soon.
The Salomon Stance 102 and Dynastar M-Pro 108 also stood out, but ultimately I didn’t get enough time on either, though I suspect if I skied a more open and forgiving resort more often, these might make the list.
The Blizzard Rustler 11 was maybe the hardest of all to leave off my list…even in the 192 cm length, I found I could zipper-line moguls, while it still served as an agile and stable big mountain pow ski. It was unseated by the Wagner Summit 109 because the softer flex of the Rustler 11’s tail let me down a few memorable times, and I cracked the core and exploded out a sidewall on a rock that I didn’t think I hit that hard. Basically, I had a few standout experiences on it that left me hesitant…
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
I’m pretty curious about the ability of the Salomon QST 106 to replace my backcountry firm snow ski, the Rossignol Sender 104 Ti — I think it might be a ski that’s more forgiving in variable conditions, while still being capable of fast corn snow skiing.
I’m also interested in the Majesty Havoc Carbon and Blizzard Hustle 11 as comparison points to the role of backcountry pow ski I’ve given to the Salomon QST Blank.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
I haven’t spent time on all the skis in these brands, but I’d say I feel pretty confident in my sources (read: coworkers):
Salomon: QST Blank, QST 106, Stance 102, QST 98, Stance 90
Volkl: Revolt 121 (mounted around -3 cm from rec), Katana 108, Mantra 102, M6 Mantra, Blaze 106
Wagner: Summit 109, Summit 107, Summit 106, Summit 97, …and a full custom ski of course!
Kristin Sinnott
(5’8”, 130 lbs / 173 cm, 59 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
Admittedly I am often asked what my favorite ski is and I always struggle to answer this question. So deciding on a ski quiver is pretty challenging for me — even when I can include 5 pairs of skis.
For the last few seasons, I have spent the majority of my time riding lifts and that is reflected in my choices. I do love spending time in the backcountry or just skinning uphill on the resort, so my quiver will always include at least a token pair of skis mounted with AT bindings. But since having my son and trying to balance life and work, I’ve found I have fewer opportunities to tour.
Ski #1: DPS Pagoda 90 RP, 171 cm
My first day on the Pagoda 90 RP, I felt fully confident ripping down extremely firm (though not quite icy) groomers. They weren’t just intuitive, they held their edge, carved nicely, didn’t get bumped around, and were surprisingly fun. They do have some pop to them at the end of the turn — not as much as a Nordica Santa Ana or even the Renoun Earhart 88 — but unlike those, the Pagoda 90 RP is very consistent in its feedback. And as a result, I don’t find myself getting pushed into the backseat as often. I also like that I don’t have to ski the Pagoda 90 RP in a very aggressive forward stance to still enjoy them or for them to perform well.
Ski #2: Volkl Secret 96, 170 cm
I had a hard time deciding between the Secret 96, Elan Ripstick 94 W, and Armada Reliance 92 Ti. But for me, the Secret 96 feels a lot more substantial than the other two skis and instills a bit more confidence at higher speeds. My goal every season is to be a more aggressive skier and the Secret 96 is a ski that encourages me to step up my game.
The Secret 96 would be an everyday, all-mountain ski for me – especially for days when I wanted to ski faster, whether on groomers or off piste, and for days when the snow might be a bit choppy since the Secret 96 is more damp and stable than the Ripstick 94 W and Reliance 92 Ti.
Ski #3: Wagner Summit 106, 172 cm
Of all the skis I’ve tested, the Wagner Summit 106 has been my favorite (though as I stated above, it’s still tough to declare that conclusively). From the very first turns, this ski clicked for me. It carves well (especially for its width) and holds an edge nicely on soft and firm groomers, with easy and intuitive turn initiation. As the widest ski in my 5-ski quiver that’s mounted with an alpine binding, the Summit 106 would be my powder ski and what I’d use for most soft-snow days in the resort.
Ski #4: Moment Sierra, 172 cm
To be blunt: the first three days I skied the Moment Sierra, I hated it. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with the ski since I couldn’t figure out how to make it work for me. It felt too short and too unstable and I was terrified to ski them in the steeps. But then I moved the bindings 2 cm back and that made all the difference. This was my first time adjusting a mount point and I had no idea how big of an impact it could make. Once I had it set up for my preferences, the Sierra was exceptionally easy to pivot and very responsive. It’s also one of the most playful skis I’ve experienced and it makes me want to step up my game.
Ski #5: LINE Pandora 110, 170 cm + tech bindings
If I’m going in the backcountry, I’m going because (1) the snow is good (and stable) or (2) it’s good spring skiing. For either of these conditions, the Pandora 110 is a good fit. For choppy, refrozen, or just plain crappy snow, the Pandora 110 can definitely get bumped around, but I have zero plans to ski the backcountry in those conditions. But if for some reason I do end up skiing down in less-than-ideal conditions, I know that the if I slow down, I can still manage to get down the hill.
The Pandora 110 is very lightweight (~1400 g), and while in past ski quivers I’ve elected to pair the ski with a Marker Kingpin binding, this time around I’m going to opt for lighter full-pin bindings. I’m tired of carrying extra weight up the mountain (although I’m still very happy to carry my 4 yo son up for some spring skiing if he is willing to go). I’m not settled on which particular model, since my experience in that category is limited, but fortunately, I’ve got plenty of knowledgeable coworkers to consult.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
The Renoun Earhart 88 was really hard to leave off my list, but it was updated for the 22/23 season and I haven’t personally spent time on the latest model. What I love about the Earhart is how extremely lightweight it is, while still being able to handle a variety of less-than-ideal conditions and terrain. It inspires confidence in my turns when I need to keep things tight and quick.
The Blizzard Black Pearl 88 was also a contender, but I need time on the 22/23 version before I can add it back to the list. I loved the previous version and based on what I know of the updates, I think the latest version is very similar.
The Elan Ripstick 94 W is a ski I’ve gravitated to for years because it’s so intuitive. Turn initiation is easy, it carves well, and it’s responsive. I initially had it on my list but switched it out for the Secret 96 because I wanted to include a more aggressive and damp ski that would encourage me to charge down groomers and open it up a bit more off piste. The ZAG Harfang 96 could have replaced the Secret 96, but my time on it was fairly limited last season.
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
I was able to test a bunch of skis at the Blister Summit last season and there’s a chance many of them could make the list once I am able to spend more time on them. The skis that have the greatest chance of making a future list include the Fisher Ranger 90 & 102, and the Dynastar E-Pro 99.
I’m also eager to try the Elan Ripstick 102 W because it seems like this could be a good option for a 50/50 ski for me. And Elan will be at our 2023 Blister Summit so hopefully, I can hop on them then if not sooner.
The Nordica Unleashed 98 and 90 are both intriguing to me since I love the Santa Ana series and I imagine there’s a good chance the Unleashed skis could make a future list. Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to ski them this season.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
This feels a little like I’m cheating on this one, since it includes a custom pair of skis, but seeing as there aren’t any strict rules for this thought exercise, I’m choosing Wagner.
Wagner now makes a Factory line of skis but there are (currently) only 4 skis in that line — so one pair of skis will need to be a custom-made ski just for me. So the five skis would be the Summit 107 for off-piste resort days, Summit 106 as an all-mountain ski, Summit 105 for touring, Summit 97 for firmer days in the resort, and for the fifth pair, I’d ask Wagner to build me a narrower all-mountain ski in the 88-93 mm waist range.
I would also be happy with Nordica, although I haven’t skied all of the skis in their current lineup. The skis would include the Santa Ana 110 Free as my powder ski, Santa Ana 104 Free as my all-mountain wide ski, Santa Ana 104 Unlimited as my backcountry ski, Unleashed 90 for all-mountain resort days, and the Santa Ana 93 for firmer days and higher speeds.
Jonathan Ellsworth
(5’10”, 180 lbs / 178 cm, 81.6 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 5-ski quiver, and why?
I have spent way too many hours thinking about this 5-ski quiver, and that fact might not be obvious. Because as tempting as it was to overhaul this quiver with a bunch of new selections (you know, keep it FRESH!!!), ultimately, doing so might have been more interesting and surprising, but less honest. We have preached a lot around here over the years that companies shouldn’t change good products merely for the sake of change, and at 2am this morning after wrestling with my selections again for over the past 3 hours, it was apparent that I don’t believe in changing my quiver up merely for the sake of change. But we do have some fresh rationales here for my choices. Take a look.
Ski #1: Fischer RC4 The Curv
I am really, really looking forward to November 23rd, when the chairlifts start spinning here in Crested Butte, and I can get the sensation of carving turns on skinny skis. It’s looking like we’ll be testing more skis in the 70-80mm range than ever before, and that has me thinking a lot about the Fischer RC4 The Curv. We’ve been on a lot of very good skis that are certainly similar to it, but I have yet to find a ski in this category that I clearly like better than it, given its power, high-speed composure, lower-speed engagement, etc. etc. For more info, see our Buyer’s Guide and full review.
Ski #2: Folsom Spar 88, 182 cm – custom build
Same as last year. Because I still love the versatility of this ski.
What I personally would do is call up Mike McCabe at Folsom and have him build me a Spar that’s a little bit heavier than the version we reviewed (like 50-100 grams, max), and maybe just a tiny bit stiffer.
Basically, I want a stable ski with pretty plush suspension that will be fun in firm moguls, not too loose and not too locked-in on firm steeps, and not overly stiff and demanding. This custom Spar 88 of mine won’t carve as well as the ski above on very firm groomers, but when the groomers soften up a bit, it will be a blast.
Ski #3: Blizzard Cochise 106, 185 cm
Speaking of not changing things … this latest iteration of the Cochise in a 185 cm length feels perfect for all-mountain everything in Crested Butte: it’s stable, maneuverable in tight spots, and quick enough for me. So when conditions start to soften up enough or the steeps are getting covered with punchy snow, this is when it’ll be time to put away the Spar 88 and break out the Cochise.
Ski #4: Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm
Given its outstanding suspension combined with a progressive mount point that keeps the ski feeling (relatively) quick…
[Note: Luke Koppa made me add “relatively” quick — and reminded me that I once chewed out Sam Shaheen for calling the Volkl Mantra 102 “quick.” But for skiers who tend to like heavier skis, the mount point and rocker profile of the BlackOps 118 do make it quick. So take that, Luke.]
… and fun. It’s also a powder ski that works really well when all that powder gets tracked out, or you’re skiing steep, scraped-off lines. Just a fun, confidence-inspiring ski that weighs exactly what it should. :)
[Editor’s (Luke’s) Note: Since I’m the one actually building this post, I might as well offer a rebuttal: the Blackops 118 is literally one of the heaviest skis on the market. So yeah, it may feel “quicker” than some other comparably heavy skis, but there are like, 5 skis left on the market that are comparably heavy. And a reminder: it’s still one of my favorite skis of all time.]
Ski #5: Touring: 4FRNT Raven, 184 cm + Shift MNC 13
This is what I wrote last year, and for this upcoming season, it all holds true once again:
“This has been my personal choice for years now, and while there are now more touring skis than ever before that I could be pretty happy touring on, I still love the Raven.
Interestingly, I have found myself recommending the WNDR Alpine Vital 100 — the cambered version — to people when I think the Raven could be a good fit for them, but I have reason to think they might prefer that touch of traditional camber for skin tracks or for firmer conditions, etc.”
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Salomon QST 106: If somebody said they liked the sound of the Cochise but wanted a lighter, livelier ski, I’d shove them into a pile of QST 106s. I really like this ski, and have been recommending it to a lot of people — including some of my best friends (Hi, Syd!).
There are a zillion other skis that I truly feel guilty for not mentioning in this 5-ski quiver, but I’ll suppress my guilt for now and my answers to this question will change as we continue our quiver articles.
Rossignol Blackops Sender Squad, 194 cm
I still really, really love this ski. Last year I wrote, “I don’t feel like it’s the best fit for me at Crested Butte. (The shorter, narrower Blizzard Cochise 106 feels a little bit like a lighter, narrower, shorter Sender Squad.) But if the area you ski most has more open lines or big faces — and you’re good with the width of this ski — this ski is special.” But having spent more time on it at CBMR last season, where I loved the ski again every single bit as much … well, I feel like a terrible person for not finding a spot for the Sender Squad in a 5-ski quiver. Amazing suspension. Super plush. Great stability. It does require a lot of input, but the ski isn’t punishing. It’s f—ing great. Sigh.
III. What skis do you imagine have the greatest likelihood of making your list, if and when you get to ski them, or get to ski them more?
184 cm Volkl Mantra 102: This ski could also be the answer to Question #2 above. I need more time on it, but the revised Mantra 102 could be an extremely good all-mountain ski for inbounds use at Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
190 cm Moment Wildcat: I spent a little bit of time on this ski at the last Blister Summit, and my impressions were that my beloved 190 Bibby / Blister Pro is back. I just want to confirm that this season.
186 cm Kastle ZX 115: This was the most surprising ski I was on at the Blister Summit (see my flash review about it). Definitely want more time on it, and want to A/B it against the 190 Wildcat … which is already extremely high praise. But I need to get back on both.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 5-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Damn, this is hard. Lots of companies had me very happy with 3 or 4 skis out of 5, but not all 5. So the best fit for now would be K2:
Ski 1: Dedicated Carver: K2 Disruption 78Ti – Very happy with this choice.
Ski 2: Wider Carver & Moguls: K2 Mindbender 99Ti – Still very happy.
Ski 3: All-Mountain, Variable Conditions: K2 Mindbender 108Ti – This is actually the ski that I’m the least sure about in this particular slot.
Ski 4: Pow Ski: Dispatch 120 – it’s not a chop destroyer, but it’s excellent in actual pow.
Ski 5: All-Conditions Touring Ski: Dispatch 110 + Shift 13 MNC
Snow is falling, ski quiver articles are here, it’s the best time of year!!
I’m happy to see that Shaggy’s Fun Carver 88 is going to be reviewed this year. I almost bought a pair but wanted to get the Blister review beforehand.
Great write up team! Sad to see nobody chose ski blades this year!
There’s still hope in Part 2, Casey.
I really hope you get on the ON3P Billy Goats again. I don’t know about the new 118, but the 116 asym is the most fun I’ve ever had destroying deep chop or navigating tricky terrain. Two laps on a Line Pescado in fresh snow, and the rest of the day on a BG is my perfect day.
Would be fun to see if it could replace your beloved Black Ops 118.
Yesssss let’s get some more ON3P reviews! The podcast with Scott was good.
Ben, I had the previous gen 116 BG and loved them on Pow/Chop days. I didn’t feel they needed the Asymmetrical tip taper, In fact I think that held them back as far as stability in chop, the tips would wander a bit. The new 118s don’t have that, so yeah looking forward to the review on those. BTW I spent a day on the Black Ops 118s and hated them even at -5cm.
I have to admit that I don’t know how much difference the asym tail makes, but there definitely is some magic to the RES sidecut, weight and flex of the BG. It always seems to be hardwired to my brain, never does anything weird, is easy in tight spots and lets me go as fast as i want through anything. At 180cm and 87kg I sometimes miss a little bit of float on th deep days though.
Intersting aberration about the Blackops 118. I’ve been dying to try it, but I’m concerned about tip dive at my weight and such a progressive mount. I guess I could mount it further back, but that seems to be missing the point about the ski.
Makes sense what you said about the goats. I was on the 184BG, and at 5’8” 150lbs I had no float issues. Maybe it was the RES also that made the ski feel a bit different, I still loved it. As far as the Black ops, I think it was the progressive mount point, I’m just not a centered skier, I tend to lean forward and drive my tips. it was just my experience and not an indictment on the ski.
Last season I straight blew the edge off of one of my beloved BOps 118s and core shot the other 12″ long right in the center and all the way down to the wood. So, unfortunately, it was time to get a new powder ski.. although I was tempted to just order a new Rossi Black Ops, I went with a custom ON3P 118 Billy Goat – 187. My quiver is starting to get a bit ON3P heavy, as I now have the Wren TI 102, Jeffrey 108, and BGs.
155, 165, 155, 165.
I don’t have a single group of four friends who are that small. Are most people this tiny?
Jim,
You’re right on with the weight issue. Ski reviews from people much less than 200lbs have very little relevance to me, no matter how strong of skiers. As much as I like Blister, I often find my experience on a particular ski much different than their reviews and I think it’s directly correlated to size of reviewer.
Nodding along. Though Jonathan and Paul Forward are much closer.
What are y’all skiing and where?
I literally have this same issue, you guys at Blister want to hire some people in other areas that are larger than smedium? 180 – 6’1″ in the PNW.. hit me up! LOL
Lots of serious athletes are that size, Jim.
5’10” 150 over here ;)
The greater concern is no one selecting a pair of Icelantic or DPS sticks, if you ask me.
Lol! Seriously about the skier weight Jim! Blister, hit me up if you need some satellite reviews for all the boys 200lbs or more who are stuck skiing sticks made for dainty Europeans!
I struggle a bit with how light all the reviewers are. I’m 220 and find I can just fold some of the skis others find playful. I’m daily driving a ripstick tour 104 as my touring ski cause its very light and holds up so well when driven hard. For resort I’ll be on a season Nexus as a daily cause I want a surfy/playful ski for primarily off piste (like an Apostle 106 or a Line SFB) but the Nexus has that touch more meat to it for me. Was close to getting a moment wildcat 108 instead of the Nexus but I’m a Pollard fan boy and moving to Oregon next year.
Hi, Chris – we’ve covered this topic a ton. If you’re truly struggling here … and you’re really trying to purchase the correct ski … then join the many thousands of people around the world who become a blister member, then shoot our team a note with your weight, where you ski, etc. We have helped many thousands of skiers who are (1) more advanced skiers than us, (2) less advanced skiers than us, (3) lighter skiers than us, and (4) heavier skiers than us find the gear that will work well for them. We’ve done this for over a decade, and very, very few people who have received our personal gear recommendations come back to say that we recommended gear that wasn’t appropriate for them.
We’re very good at this. And we aren’t trying to sell you on any gear in particular – our only goal is to tell you what we believe will work best for you given who you are, where & how you ski, and what you’re looking for:
https://blisterreview.com/blister-products-and-services
I’m in no way an engineer but wouldn’t the ability of a ski to not “fold up” on you be also directly proportional to force generated (F=M*A) and that weight is only part of the equation. If someone like Luke Koppa is going mach-looney then his 155lbs would have more impact on a ski than would Chris M’s 220lbs if he’s just an intermediate skier?
I don’t know if this is something Blister labs will be looking at but I would be interested to see how height and weight truly affect a the ski’s performance in various situations with actual data and not just anecdotally and through trial and error.
Hopefully someone smarter than me and better versed in Physics can chime in as well :)
I’ve gotten the chance to do a fair amount of testing, and anecdotally for me I find the general characteristics of a ski don’t change but the top end of force generation just has a different ceiling. Also stance and style matter a lot, ie if someone heavier and someone lighter both ski quite neutrally and initiate turns with their ankles then the weight difference probably matters less. However, if they both are driving with the front of their boots then the difference becomes more dramatic. I personally feel like I have to control/pull back from being far forward more often than a smaller skier.
It’s quite a bit more complex than F=m*a.
https://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-skiing.html has some explanation and there’s deeper maths in https://www.researchgate.net/publication/2169650_Physics_of_Skiing_The_Ideal-Carving_Equation_and_Its_Applications
One thing that stands out from the math of ideal carving is the fact that there’s a fairly low practical velocity limit for an ideal carved turn with a given ski and a given slope — about 24mph or 39kph in the example. The reality is pretty far from F=m*a, but if we simplify to that anyway for an ideal carve then the mass likely plays the biggest role. The ideal carved turn example in the paper involves a modest change in velocity (about 10%) and relatively small changes in direction. Acceleration is the rate of change in a velocity. Velocity itself is a vector that encompasses both speed and direction, but we just established that the change in velocity is fairly small in an ideal carved turn. You aren’t flipping 180 degrees across the hill, and you’re intentionally trying not to lose a ton of speed. It’s all about balancing myriad variables and forces to flow downhill. In that scenario, the acceleration involved is a minor player — you are seeking to minimize change in velocity.
That said, the scenarios can vary quite a bit. And assuming that everyone is carving ideal turns is obviously wrong. In an F=m*a model of it, a skier moving much faster is also changing direction much less in a turn. A skier moving slow is likely flipping direction 180 degrees or more in each turn and might actually see greater changes in acceleration with some low technique sliding turns. Still, the force of the snow on the ski from different directions, the angles of the skis, and quite a few other variables change the maths. And it matters where and how that force is applied. A great turn may get a lot more input at high edge angles from the force of the snow on the ski and a lot less meaningful input from the weight of the skier through the boot.
Could a great skier skiing faster at times put more force into a ski than someone skiing slower who is also heavier? Yes. Is that outcome the most likely one across the board? Not at all. The experience with a ski is going to vary a lot by style, the ski’s characteristics (turn radius features in these equations), the snow, the turn, etc. It’s not simple and it depends.
But I think it’s fair to suggest that the 220lb skier will experience a ski quite differently than a 150lb skier independent of the other variables. Perhaps frustratingly, even many 220lb people would not share the same experience of a ski for reasons of fitness, flexibility, physiology (height, leg length, hip attachment angles, …), skill, location, snow, and style.
To be clear, I think Blister does a great job of putting out honest information about gear across a range of profiles. I think it’s inevitable that there’s a translation step to make the information most applicable to you. On the bright side, they are willing and able to help you translate if you’re a member.
Great comments, Robert. And I want to emphasize three things you’ve said:
(1) “Even many 220lb people would not share the same experience of a ski for reasons of fitness, flexibility, physiology (height, leg length, hip attachment angles, …), skill, location, snow, and style.”
100% this. Which is why it puzzles me why people so often *only* call out the weight difference. (And I’ll say it again, 99% of the time, it’s *heavier* skiers insisting that our reviews can’t possibly relate to them – we rarely hear from lighter skiers, and they certainly are never as loud and as adamant.) Weight matters, yes. So does style, ability level, fitness level, and the other factors you mention, Robert. And if you’re seriously worried that the experience of our reviewers might not match yours … email us. I’ll say it again, we’ve been doing this for years. Now back to Robert:
(2) “It’s inevitable that there’s a translation step to make the information most applicable to you.”
100% this. And again, it astonishes me that people don’t seem to understand the inevitability and necessity of this “translation step.” This is why, from the beginning, we have talked about the absolute necessity to “Know Thyself.” I feel like I’ve said this a thousand times, and I guess I’ll need to say this a thousand more times: when it comes to product reviews, book reviews, movie reviews, etc … there has to be a translation step, because no other human being is *YOU*. Fortunately…
(3) “On the bright side, they are willing and able to help you translate if you’re a member.”
Yep.
All that said, we’re actively working on some things that should be of great interest to those who struggle with the fact that *no* reviewer anywhere is exactly YOU, is exactly as tall, as heavy, as fit, as skilled, as old, etc, and doesn’t ski exactly where they do or how they do.
We intend to be talking about this (and unveiling something) at our upcoming Blister Summit. Speaking of which, everyone is invited to come to the Summit. You can come ski with our reviewers and then make up your mind about Luke or Kara or Dylan or me … or just get on a bunch of different skis and judge for yourself.
Whenever these “reviewers are too light” comments arise, I’m always tempted to reply complaining about how all your reviews are conducted by giants (I’m 5’9”, 140#), just to be contrarian. But the reality is:
1. Even if your (male) reviewers weighed what I do, they ski much longer skis than I do and I think that makes much more of a difference in how skis feel/perform than weight.
2. You guys do a great job of having female reviewers review unisex skis and I often find their comments much more in line with both my experiences and my length preferences. Even when they are reviewing “women’s specific” skis, I often find their comments to better reflect my experiences with the “unisex” equivalent from a brand. I ended up buying Elan Ripstick 96s in 172 length based in large part on the review of the 94w version (after demo) and my sensations while skiing were a carbon copy of the review comments. Whereas my experiences with the qst 99 in a much shorter length than the male reviewers used felt very different.
Being 15 pounds lighter than the reviewers is a heck of a lot closer than being 65 pounds heavier…
For sure! I work in the industry so get to ski 20+ skis in a given season and own 9 personally at the moment but I’m also a huge ski nerd so love all the stuff y’all put out. My point is just that its odd to have a staff thats so light across the board. I’ll certainly pick up a blister membership here soon though!
Hi Jonathan, member comments about weight and ski length and varied ski choices by the reviewing crew underscore my increasing resistance to buying skis that I have not skied: it’s just such a personal thing. It seems the Blister Summit is becoming a mandatory pitstop for those seeking to change their quivers without making frustrating and costly errors. Alas, for the second year in a row I can’t make it. Maybe 2024…. sigh.
I would do it differently. Good ski rotations tho. Fun to read.
My current rotation is basically this:
Rossignol hero GS 17m radius 168cm (idk what year)
They state GS (giant slalom) on them but a radius of 17m is certainly not giant slalom, it’s a short radius carver. I live this ski, I love the short radius!
Åsness Rabb 15m radius 170cm with rottefella explore binding. Very lightweight, good for long tours from flat to steep. Can be used on the resort, but definetly not made for that. Very fun to go into the backcountry with tho.
Snowboard: idk if this counts but it can almost do the same stuff as an alpine ski.
Other skis: lots of Cross country skis (I’m a biathlete hehe).
As for my dream rotation I’d have something like this:
I pair of slalom ~16m skis. Ca. 165-170cm in length.
I pair of giant slalom skis ca. ~30m radius and ~195cm
I pair of telemark meidjo ntn tech binding with the lockout heel on lighter weight off piste skis with a good camber tho for turning, ~30m radius. These can be toured with, can be skied normal (lock the heel then it becomes an alpine touring bining), can be telemarked in yes.
I pair of telemark meidjo ntn tech bindings on ~180cm carving skis with ~20-25m radius.
I pair of Åsness Rabb 170cm ski with explore binding.
I love these if it’s flat on my tour as well, it’s like a touring xc ski feel with telemark capabilities but also, it’s a light alpine touring ski.
Honorable mention: instead of the explore bindings on the Åsness rabb ski I could put a lightweight touring binding on it but I also sometimes do tours that are not so up and down and touring boots are a pain in the a$$ for that kind of thing…
This is good for a LOT of different things. Off piste, on piste, touring,
The weight issue is an interesting one.
First thing in the morning on harder freeze thaw snow, like in spring we have just finished, I find unless my skis are super sharp it is difficult to engage and carve. I’m a light guy, and could be my fore aft balance of course, but I think having a bit more pressure to apply probably helps in that situation on hard pack. Once I can get engagement it’s happy days.
I’d really be interested in an advanced women’s comparison of say a correct sized Santa Ana, and then an Enforcer in a size smaller to see her feedback too on the difference and preference.
Yes, the weight issue is interesting. At 5’4″ and 115 lbs female, I would ski lengths shorter than your female skiers. Are there any smaller, light weight testers? But their reviews are interesting.
I love the quiver segments, always interesting to see what changes and what stays the same. As a fan of the Ranger 102 FR (just bought a pair of 184’s and have 177’s already – will sell whichever one I like a little less) sad to see that the new Ranger is less popular.
My current 5 ski quiver: Head Monster 98, Ranger 102FR, Line Sakana, Salomon QST 106 (set up with Tectons for touring) and Liberty Origin 112’s. All bought with either direct input from Luke, and if not then with copious reading and re-reading of first looks/reviews/deep dives/buyers guide – 100% the membership pays for itself :)
I have developed a bit of an addiction to buying secondhand skis that are no longer current e.g Monster 88’s (for hard conditions), Kästle XX110 (for $80!!) rock ski, Völkl Mantra V4 to see that a reverse camber ski is like plus intrigued by Jonathan’s review. Partly silly, partly wanting to keep them on snow and not in landfill.
Mk sorry that was not a reply to you! But as i am here, Sascha is 5’1” and 100lbs so should be more similar
Thats good advice Jonathan, and as a 6’7, 220 pounder, I plan on sending you my profile for your recommendation. I ski mainly on a 189 on3p Wren and an older 190 Bibby because Blister reviewed both of those sizes. I love them both! How ever, I look at the Blister sight every day for the variety of content, but now often skip the ski reviews because, like some of the other posters, I find them some what irrelevant due to my height and weight. I have a couple of simple solutions for Blister! You could consider hiring a 215 pound ski tester just to keep the husky and tall skiers happy and quiet. Or better yet, get Luke to go on a fast food binge for the coming year until he gains the 215 pound target weight. With some determined commitment, he should be ready to test skis by next season! Of course, he should receive a sizable raise for making the sacrifice. What do you think??
Jonathan, I think the solution is quite simple, you just have to hire every skier in the world to be a reviewer for Blister
The fact that the “big and tall” community is coming after Blister is starting to be a bit funny.
I really hope some of the other ski review sites catch wind of this and try to capitalize on it by promoting “real ski reviews for real people – not like the other guys” type of slogans just to take it up another notch….
“big and tall community is coming after Blister”. ??? Really? I love Blister and as a member for quite some time, I’ve found incredible value at this site. From boots and books to booze, I’ve found no other site that even comes close to Blister! The ski reviews are by far the most complete reviews out there and I nerd out on them all the time. For the average sized member, you receive just about all the info you could want. Often from at least two experts who have actually put a significant amount of time on the ski. Ski size (178 to 186 ) is always a part of the discussion in the review and a frequently asked question by members. As one of the “biggies”, and a paying member, I can request a personal recommendation for a ski based upon my profile. But, I’m guessing no Blister expert will have actually put any skiing time on the larger sized ski (188 to 192), that I need. That reduces the value of the recommendation as compared to what average sized skier receives. I know, it probably sounds petty, winey, what ever. I’ll keep visiting the Blister site first thing every morning and nerding out on the ski reviews. Can Blister accommodate this segment of skiers? If you are a Blister member, it never hurts to ask!! Or does it???
Interested to hear thoughts on the Armada Stranger. Seems to be similar to the Line Blade 96 but haven’t heard you all mention it before?
I’ll give you mine, for central Hokkaido Japan. This is the quiver I’m actively building (just one ski left).
1. Frontside carving ski:
– Don’t need to be picky here, something with a tight radius, no tail rocker, some metal, and little or no tip rocker. Primarily used early season and on the rare dry spells that we actually do experience here. I think of it as “training”, and I mean that in the best way.
– Alpine binding, don’t need to be picky.
2. Daily driver:
– This ski must be wide/soft enough to thrive in any type of soft/powder while giving up as little hardpack performance as possible, and must be nimble enough for very tight trees. That’s a lot to ask for. I think triple camber is a winner and a 105 is perfect, so I’m going with Shaggy’s Ahmeek 105 +nano mag dampening (a semi-custom option to add some dampening/suspension) with my own custom topsheet, but would also settle for a Moment Deathwish 104 if price was a deciding factor.
– CAST Freetour Pivot 15. My home resort (Furano) has epic terrain that is a short hike away, just a bit further than I want to boot pack, especially in Japanese conditions, but this ski needs to destroy the resort, not just survive it. What could be better than CAST?
3. Midwinter touring ski:
– 4FRNT Raven, for all the reasons the Blister guys love it. This ski is amazing. So nimble and confident in all conditions except ice. This ski is terrible, absolutely terrible, on ice. Good thing this is a 5 ski quiver, see mountaineering ski below.
– Fritschi Tecton 12 – Excellent feel/performance for skiing hard, low weight, and lightning fast transitions with skis on. This binding kicks ass.
– Mounted on Binding Freedom inserts, so I can share this binding with my dedicated “japow” sticks…
4. Epic pow ski:
– Bent Chetler 120. It’s Japan! Of course you want a light, soft, 120mm ski for the stupidly deep days we’re blessed with here. This ski is also very light weight which makes it a great tourer, and is perfect with the same bindings from ski #3, so can save a bunch of money by using inserts and moving the binding around.
5. Mountaineering / spring touring / epic missions:
– Kastle TX 93. Super nice performance/feel for the featherlight category it resides in. Not as skittery as a lot of carbon skis it would compete against. I think I’d also be happy on a Blizzard Zero G 95, but went with the Kastle because of its tighter radius. There are pros/cons to that choice though for sure.
– Plum Oazo 8. Simply put, this binding is incredible.
Such a balanced quiver: 3 of 5 excel in firm snow (1,2,5), 3 of 5 excel in soft snow (2,3,4), 3 of 5 excel for lift-access (1,2,4), and 3 of 5 excel for human-powered access (3,4,5)!
Thanks for sharing, Ski nerd! I do agree that this is a very balanced quiver with great rationale. I hope you get plenty of Bent Chetler 120-worthy days this season.
Thanks Dylan! Winter isn’t exactly breaking down the door here :/ but still hoping for a deep season!
This is the icing on my cake! All of the other categories have been covered except Masters racing and front side dedicated race carvers. I have owned many race skis, both GS and SL, FIS and non FIS recreational models, and now that I’m an old guy who doesn’t race anymore but still enjoys very much going stupidly fast on racer plate, I have to say that, IMO, the pinnacle of non-FIS racers are the Rossi Hero masters GS skis. I own 2 pair – an older 185cm. and the current 183cm LT in a 23 and 21m. radius, and have them mounted with the PX15 and SPX 15 binding and R21 and R22 race plates. Almost nothing compares with trying to look like Drew dragging his ass doing a GS turn at warp speed ( except for jumping out of a chopper on a bluebird high season day! ). Speed is addictive and a dangerous drug – but if you don’t crash and hurt yourself, and get some ooohs and aaahs from the gawkers watching you fly by, the risk is worth it! Egos!!! And these ski are also quite good as bumpers too – so some versatility! The other choice for me in my quiver, would be my Volkl Race tiger FIS SL skis 165cm. with Xcomp16 bindings and the WC piston plate. These are just long and heavy hockey skates that are obviously highly specialized, but super fun early and late in the season to re-prime your carving technique. I hope that Blister does more race carver and front side carver reviews ( like the Deacon 84 ) because not all days are pow days, and many eastern resorts just don’t get the conditions we get here in Alberta and BC. When I go out for the day I usually have 2-3 pair of skis in the truck depending on the conditions. I truly believe that you need to use the right tool for the right job. So a 5 ski quiver, to me , makes a Hell-of-a-lot of sense ( if you can afford it ). Or, if your budget prevents you from splurging over the years, and only one ski is in your budget, try the Mantra M6 for a more hard snow carver feel, or a Justis for a more all around and all mtn. feel. I’ve got friends using these skis that are ex-instructors and retired coaches and they just fly! Choices?!
Cheers,
DHJ