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.
We kicked things off with giant 5-ski quivers, and now we’re asking our reviewers to narrow it down — just a bit — to 4 skis.
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.
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 4-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 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Dylan Wood
(5’10.5”, 155 lbs / 179 cm, 70 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
As we narrow down, versatility becomes key. I ask a lot of my ski quiver, because I tend to do a variety of types of skiing — I love to ski hard all over the mountain, but I also enjoy skiing more playfully and taking laps through the park. I have a blast carving, but I also never spend a day on the mountain without getting off piste (apart from early season white ribbon of death days, I suppose). And while I realistically spend ~85% of my days inbounds, I do like a dedicated, relatively lightweight touring setup. I’m sad to see my 5-ski quiver picks go here, but I’m also happy to see some new skis in here that I’ve historically enjoyed.
Ski #1: Line Blade Optic 104, 185 cm + Look Pivot 15
This would be my daily driver, so long as it is somewhat soft. Like the narrower Blade Optic 96, I appreciate how well the Blade Optic 104 meshes stability, maneuverability, playfulness, damping, and a lively ride. It definitely falls short of the Sego Comp 110 in terms of stability, but is sort of a middle ground between that ski and the Blade Optic 96, allowing me to both ski hard and more playfully, with sacrifices on both ends, of course. I could be interested in the 190 cm Blade Optic 104, particularly if I skied a more open mountain, but I love getting into the tight nooks and crannies of Crested Butte, and am happy to have a 185 cm ski for that.
Ski #2: Black Crows Camox, 186.5 cm + Look Pivot 15 + Cast Freetour Upgrade
Remember when I said versatility is becoming more important? Well, there’s a reason this ski is in 3 of our Buyer’s Guide sections, and for that same reason, it’s in my 4-ski quiver this year. The Camox is a solid carver, with really nice edge hold and good energy coming out of turns. It’s also not super demanding, and I loved skiing it in CB’s chalked-up steeps where it felt very accommodating of an aggressive, dynamic style. It also sort of resembles a wider traditional park ski, and offers a supportive platform and lots of pop.
I’d enjoy skiing the Camox on firmer days where I am carving up groomers, hacking my way down some steeps, and taking laps through the park. Plus, it’s light enough that I don’t think I’d have much to complain about when taking it into the backcountry on shallower winter and spring days, hence why I am pairing it with the Look Pivot + Cast Freetour upgrade kit. I could also go with the Marker Duke PT 16 here, but I like that the Cast system has two heel risers and utilizes the majority-metal Look Pivot 15; I’d probably be crossing my skis and crashing a fair bit in the park, and don’t like that the Duke PT 16 has a plastic toe lever sticking out of the front of the binding.
Ski #3: Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm + Look Pivot 15
While this ski didn’t make an appearance in my 5-ski quiver, I like it here because it will essentially split the difference between the Sego Comp 110 and Line Vision 118 in my last quiver, although it won’t be a candidate for powder touring for me. I do know plenty of folks who drag the Blackops 118 uphill in the backcountry, but that’s pretty unrealistic for the skiing I do. Instead, I’d be using this ski on inbounds powder days, as well as a few days after a storm when it’s still soft. In Crested Butte, it’s pretty common that some of the mountain doesn’t open on big storm days, and rope drops occur days after big dumps. So, we have quite a few days where you’re skiing a mix of crud, chop, and untracked pow, and the Blackops 118 is a great ski for maximizing those days. I love how damp and stable this ski is while also being fun, playful, and not very punishing.
Ski #4: 4FRNT Hoji 4-Lock, 184 cm + Moment Voyager XII
This would be my dedicated touring ski for soft and/or deep conditions. While I opted for the Raven in my 5-ski quiver, I’d like the Hoji here to split the difference between the Raven and Vision 118 from my last quiver. Like the Raven, I value how predictable, versatile, and trustworthy the Hoji is. It pivots through tight, manky trees well in addition to being comfortable making fast, big, drifted-out turns in open bowls. Yes, both of my touring setups in this quiver are pretty heavy, but when I go touring I’m mostly taking it easy, in no rush to scramble to the summit, and not skiing crazy amounts of vert. I’m also out there for the downhill experience and willing to suffer a little extra on the way up for that. The Hoji was one of my favorite skis from last year, and I’d be happy to have it in a 4-ski quiver.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Well, basically everything from my 5-ski quiver. This 4-ski quiver is essentially filling the gaps between each of those skis, and while I certainly could have arranged a 4-ski quiver with some overlap with my last one, I’m happy with how this one ended up.
I also had a hard time leaving out all the skis I mentioned in my 5-ski quiver. To name a few, I definitely could have gone with the 184 or 190 cm Moment Wildcat in place of the Blackops 118, the 184 cm DPS Koala 103 or 187 cm Sego Big Horn 106 in place of the Blade Optic 104, and the 181 cm Season Kin in place of the Camox.
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 do think the 187 cm Sego Comp 104 has serious potential to take over the role of the Blade Optic 104 in this quiver. It features the same construction as the Comp 110 in a narrower shape, so while I’m pretty confident I’d like it, I won’t know for sure until I actually try it.
The same goes for the 187 cm ON3P Woodsman 102, but I’m even further removed from making guesses about that ski, so that’s a harder call.
Additionally, I could definitely see the K2 Dispatch 110 taking the place of the 4FRNT Hoji in this quiver. It could be nice to have something similar, but a bit lighter.
I could see myself replacing the Camox with the Line Blade Optic 92 as well. While those two skis have proven to be pretty different so far, it could be nice to have a looser, more playful, and lighter ski in this quiver spot.
There’s a chance the Line Blade Optic 114 could replace the Rossignol Blackops 118 in this quiver, too. I’m excited to get more time on that ski.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
K2: 184 cm Dispatch 110, 182 cm Mindbender 89Ti, 184 cm Reckoner 102, 186 cm Mindbender 108Ti
This is a good one, and I could also be happy with a mixture of other K2 skis in here, such as the Mindbender 99Ti and Reckoner 112.
Black Crows: 178 cm Mirus COR, 186.5 cm Camox, 190 cm Atris, 189 cm Anima
I’ve skied all of these except for the new Atris, which we have in a 184, and which I am excited to try. I’d also have some kinda heavy touring options here, but I’d deal with it.
Dynastar: 192 cm M-Free 108, 189 cm M-Free 118, 185 cm M-Free 99, 186 cm M-Tour 99
I might be missing some edge hold and carving performance here, but I’d be very happy otherwise.
Kara Williard
(5’9”, 165 lbs / 175 cm, 75 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
As we narrow things down, it’s easy for me to move forward with some of the resort-specific options you saw in my 5-ski quiver, but with the 50/50 or touring selections, I start to pare down the skis that in the last round were a bit less versatile and more specific. While I spend the majority of my time lapping the resort, I do have some pretty specific ski trips planned where I need a lot of versatility from my 50/50 or backcountry setups, and, backcountry skiing is where I tend to feel the most dependent on gear for helping me navigate really variable conditions. This is especially true when my confidence isn’t as high (ahem, breakable crust, I am referring to you).
Ski #1: K2 Mindbender 99 Ti W, 172 cm + Tyrolia Attack 13 GW
I warned you this one wasn’t going to budge. As a result, not much else to say here. In our 22/23 Winter Buyer’s Guide we described this ski as offering “maximum versatility” and that it does. Hopefully, by the time we finish our Alpine Binding Shootout (where I’ll ski this ski with over 10 different bindings mounted on it) I am still excited by it and not bored.
Ski #2: Faction Dancer 3X, 172 cm + Look Pivot 13
Same justification as with my 5-ski quiver. The Dancer 3X makes a lot of sense as my wider resort ski. I appreciate its stability and ability to provide suspension in rougher or skied-out conditions.
Ski #3: Nordica Unleashed 98 W, 172 cm + ATK Raider 12
I shifted to a slightly wider, slightly more playful touring ski, here. The Unleashed 98 W is a whole lot of fun when it comes to quick turns, it feels quite maneuverable and nimble, and yet it still impressed me with its ability to feel pretty composed and stable in chop or crust. While it’s a heavier option than the Santa Ana Unlimited 93, it feels quite a bit more versatile, and paired with a Raider 12, it’s still quite a bit lighter than the touring skis I have opted for in the past.
Ski #4: Fischer Ranger 108, 178 cm + Salomon Shift 13 MNC
I contemplated going even wider here, because full disclosure, I am slotting this not only as a wider touring setup that will make softer days around home a whole lot of fun, but I am also deeming this ski a potential “Japan Ski” for a trip this season. However, in the name of versatility, I am looking for this “1-ski travel quiver” to not only be a great option for some potentially deeper backcountry days, but I also want to be able to potentially rip it around any resort and feel that it offers some stability. There are a whole lot of other variable conditions this ski needs to be able to handle, so the Ranger 108 makes sense, given that I actually found it to be pretty fun and somewhat quick in firmer conditions, moguls, etc.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
There’s a lot here, especially because I am still not totally settled on the skis I chose for my resort skis. Mostly just because there are so many skis I enjoyed last season, all of which cater to what I am looking for to suit my style and preferences from a resort ski (a nice blend of stability and maneuverability, with emphasis on stability).
To replace the K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, I considered and am still overanalyzing to this moment, the Volkl Secret 96, 4FRNT MSP CC, or even the Faction Dancer 2X.
I almost went with the Line Blade Optic 104 or Fischer Ranger 102 in place of the Dancer 3X. And then could have easily opted to keep my 50/50 ski as the Salomon QST Stella 106, as I did with my 5-ski quiver. Frankly, some of this decision-making is arbitrary to a degree, knowing that I would likely be happy with many of these choices. The Ranger 108 provides just a bit more surface area (width and length-wise) for some of the deeper conditions I am hoping to venture into, yet still provides enough versatility to justify bringing on different trips or different backcountry objectives.
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 mentioned last time the Majesty Vadera Carbon. But there are a couple of others I have my eye on:
In general, I want to spend time on more powder skis this winter (this is not only in the hopes that there is plenty of powder snow to ski but also because I feel somewhat lacking in my time on powder skis recently). Of particular interest are the ON3P Billy Goat 118 and Woodsman 112. I also wouldn’t mind more time on the Volkl Blaze 106. And some time on the Line Blade Optic 114 is also of high priority.
I am quite excited to try the very, very new Peak 98 and 98SC, and am curious to see how their damping and suspension compare to my other daily driver contenders. I also want to spend more time on the Zag Harfang 96 and Slap 104. My brief time on the Slap last season definitely impressed me; it was a pretty darn fun and loose ski that still felt consistent and smooth across its flex pattern.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Similar to my 5-ski picks, the obvious choice is Nordica and I could still go in the direction of Fischer, but I think I can entertain some other options as well.
Nordica: Santa Ana 98, Santa Ana 110, Unleashed 98 w/ ATK Raider 12, Unleashed 108 w/ Shift.
Salomon: Stance 88, Stella 106 with Pivot 13, Stella 106 w/ ATK Freeraider 14, QST Blank
Drew Kelly
(5’11”, 165 lbs / 180 cm, 75 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
The question is where to sacrifice. The answer is… well, in thinking through this question, I found there were fortunately a lot of correct answers, and not a lot of poor ones. That is a testament to the versatility of so many skis this year.
Ski #1: Salomon QST Blank, 194 cm + ATK Freeraider 14
My backcountry ski selections remain the same as in my 5-ski quiver. Ultimately, I tour across a huge range of conditions, and spend too many days walking uphill that it makes sense to compromise on using two different setups in the backcountry yet.
Ski #2: Rossignol Sender 104 Ti, 186 cm + Marker Duke PT 16
This ski is a perfect complement to the Salomon QST Blank: the Sender’s much flatter tail and stiffer extremities give me the confidence to ski the way I want to ski when the corn is ripe and the vert is big.
Ski #3: Wagner Summit 109, 192 cm + Tyrolia Attack 17
I’m still sticking with this ski as well. Skiing at CBMR every day, there is no way I could forgo my tool for consequential lines in off-piste snow conditions.
Ski #4: Volkl Mantra 102, 184 cm + Tyrolia Attack 17
This thing rips — no way can I get rid of it.
Not only did I mesh with the Mantra 102 in a variety of conditions, but it’s also a ski that challenged me in some conditions, often forcing me to be a better skier. And that helps keep skiing just a little bit more fresh for me. I don’t want every run to be a smooth easy victory lap. I want to try hard, and I want to fight. That’s how we get better.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
I kept all my choices from my 5-ski quiver, and left out the Renoun Atlas 80. Losing my short-radius carving ski meant that I had to be satisfied with the energy return, agility, and low-speed capacity of the ski that I’d spend the most time carving in this 4-ski quiver, the Mantra 102. And I don’t have many qualms. I considered switching out the Mantra 102 for the K2 Mindbender 89Ti because it is more fun at lower speeds, while still being capable in bumps and off-piste, but ultimately, I think it was going to limit me when I wanted to ski fast in really aggressive terrain. So, all I have to do to enjoy the Mantra 102 on lower-angle terrain is overbend it, which is a strategy of sorts for shortening the turn-radius and increasing the rebound.
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 still pretty curious about the hardpack and low-speed performance of the Salomon Stance 102 and Line Blade Optic 96 as contenders with the Volkl Mantra 102.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Losing the Renoun Atlas 80 doesn’t affect my “I’m sponsored and can only ski that brand” choices (my alternative title for this question). 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, Stance 90
Here I’ve dropped the QST 98, which would have been my ski for skiing bad conditions on bigger backcountry objectives above treeline. But for me, the QST 106 is plenty capable of that, too.
Volkl: Revolt 121 (mounted around -3 cm from rec…), Mantra 102, M6 Mantra, Blaze 106
Two backcountry skis, two resort skis. Big question would be how I’d get along with the Revolt 121’s center-mounted design.
Wagner: Summit 109, Summit 106, Summit 97, …and a full custom ski of course!
David Golay
(6’, 170 lbs / 183 cm, 77.1 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
Though I’m the Bike Editor at Blister, I’m also an avid skier and am not about to miss an opportunity to dork out on gear. And though my brain’s still firmly clinging to bike season, maybe this exercise is going to help get me more fired up for ski season to start, too. So let’s get to it.
Ski #1: Moment Wildcat, 190 cm + CAST Freetour
Like a lot of people at Blister, I am a huge fan of the original 190 cm Moment Bibby. I am nobody’s idea of a playful skier, and tend to like heavy, directional chargers in general (the original 186 cm Blizzard Bodacious is probably still my all-time favorite resort ski, and my real-world quiver includes those, Head Monster 98s, Dynastar Legend Pros, and so on).
And what’s so great about the 190 cm Bibby is that it’s an outstanding resort powder ski — which is to say that it’s both a blast in actual pow and once things start to get tracked up — that can both charge quite hard, and also has gotten me — the old-school-charger-loving-dummy — to introduce just the littlest bit of playfulness into my skiing. It’s a special ski.
Anyway, Moment now calls the Bibby the Wildcat, and while the shape has held steady over the years (a brief interregnum nearly a decade ago excepted), the construction has been tweaked a few times.
Now, the caveat here is that I haven’t skied the latest iteration of the Wildcat, which has had some weight added back and according to Moment is back to feeling like the original. Last year in the quiver articles I joked(?) that I was willing to take a flier on the latest Wildcat on that basis, and if it didn’t live up to my beloved Bibbys, I was just going to have to drive down to Reno and fight Moment CEO, Luke Jacobson.
The bad news is that I still haven’t skied the latest Wildcat to confirm (or dispute) Moment’s clams; the good news is that after skiing it at the Blister Summit last year, Jonathan said that he thought the Bibby was back, so if I’m not into the Wildcat I get to threaten to fight him instead. So frankly this feels like a win/win. Granted, he hedged that statement a little more in his 5-ski quiver blurb, but I very distinctly remember a comment to that effect last year — which I filed away specifically for use in this year’s quiver articles — so I’m holding him to it.
As far as bindings go, my real-world pair of Bibbys has the CAST Freetour system on it, and I see no reason to deviate from that. Look Pivot 15s are my preferred alpine binding anyway, and though my touring on this ski is going to be limited to short side-country laps, CAST facilitates that super well without having any significant downsides over a stock Look Pivot as an alpine binding.
Ski #2: Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, 186 cm + Look Pivot 15
My skiing has been gravitating toward more and more touring in recent years, which has substantially cannibalized my time riding lifts, but if I get four skis I’m still going to have a firmer-snow-oriented resort option in here. The problem is that most of the options I know and love in this slot have been updated, and I don’t have enough time on many of the new iterations. The 184 cm Volkl Mantra 102 was my pick in this slot last year, but it’s been updated for 22/23. I’d have been quite happy with the 21/22 K2 Mindbender 99 Ti here, but that ski’s been changed, too. (In my real-world quiver, this spot’s taken by the 184 cm Head Monster 98, RIP.)
And so my best answer for this one is the Nordica Enforcer 104 Free. It’s also the ski in this quiver that I think is most likely to get knocked out of contention if and when I get on a few other options for this slot (more on that in a minute) but I wouldn’t be at all mad about sticking with it. I love carving groomers as much as the next person (and the Enforcer 104 Free does that quite well for its width) but between living in a high-snow area (Western Washington) and primarily skiing a resort that just doesn’t have a particularly great assortment of groomers (Crystal), I want a ski for this slot that’s both a pretty good carver and is still fun on firm, choppy off-piste conditions, and the Enforcer 104 Free does that really well.
Ski #3: 4FRNT Raven 4-Lock, 184 cm + Moment Voyager XVI
This one’s pretty easy — the 184 cm Raven has been on my feet for at least a plurality, if not a majority of my touring days over the last four or five years, and I’m extremely happy with it in that role. It’s extremely versatile and predictable in a wide range of conditions, which is an important criterion for me when I’m headed out for a big day and don’t quite know what I’m going to find for snow, or how it’s going to change over the day. It’s light enough to take out for some very big days, stout enough to ski pretty hard when conditions permit, and is generally a dependable, predictable option.
I admittedly haven’t tried the 4-Lock version of the Raven yet, but it seems like a good idea and I’m willing to roll the dice on it since I can always use a normal skin on them if I wind up not liking the 4-Lock system for some reason. I know that I like the Pomoca Free 2.0 skins that they’re based around so it doesn’t seem like much of a chance to take.
I had to debate the binding choice a little more. I’m deciding between the Moment Voyager and G3 Zed here, and there are pros and cons to both. They’re both relatively light bindings that are substantially more fully-featured than most options that are significantly lighter — basically the class of bindings that I want here — and have somewhat flatter ramp angles (the Zed more so than the Voyager) which I tend to prefer.
The biggest advantage of the Zed for me is that it’s easy to rotate the heel turret into ski mode with a pole, making precarious transitions in sketchy spots easier; if there’s a good way to do that with the Voyager, I haven’t figured it out (let me know in the comments!) The Voyager’s manual brake deployment button is also hard to reach with the skis still on your feet for a no-ski-removal transition (and I’m also not smart enough to remember to do it reliably after many years of using tech bindings that don’t require that step) but I’m fine using the Voyagers with leashes to get around that issue.
But I trust the Voyager toe more, having pre-released from the Zed one a couple of times, and I don’t want to be skiing with my toes locked unless I absolutely need to. Between that and the Voyager’s exceptionally easy-to-use heel risers (though the Zed’s are also quite good), I’ll go that route. I’d probably be fine with either the Voyager XII or XVI, but I kind of buy the idea that running a binding with a stiffer spring and less preload on it might theoretically make for slightly more consistent release in some circumstances, plus the XVIs are black.
Ski #4: Praxis Protest Custom, 187 cm + Moment Voyager XVI
I’ve been a fan of the stock Praxis Protest as a dedicated pow ski for a long time now, but I spent a lot of last season on a pair of 187 cm Protests built with their UL touring core and in a -1 cm width (so 118 mm underfoot) as my soft-snow touring ski, and they were a winner. The Protest shape works very, very well for me when it comes to making just about any turn shape in untracked snow, from long slarves to quick slashes, and making the ski a bit narrower hasn’t changed that.
I’ve also toured a bunch on a 192 cm version of the full-width Protest (128 mm underfoot) and while the smaller version (predictably) doesn’t float quite as well, it’s still very good, while feeling a lot more versatile when conditions aren’t as super deep. The narrower width is easier on my knees when sidehilling on a firmer skin track, the lighter weight is of course welcome on the uphill, and despite the loss of weight and size, they’re still extremely good in weird breakable crust, too.
Re: binding choice, see what I wrote in the blurb on the 4FRNT Raven, above.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Not much. There are a bunch of dearly departed skis that would merit consideration if they were still around but I’m feeling pretty good about where I ended up here.
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 still really curious about the Rossignol Blackops 118, but the biggest question for me is the mount point — it’s way farther forward than I tend to prefer. A number of Blister reviewers have been happy on that ski mounted back a few cm, and I can imagine myself being on that list, but I really need to (finally) get on a pair and find out.
Mostly though, it’s my ski #2 slot that feels subject to change. If Volkl hadn’t tweaked the Mantra 102 for this year, I’d have gone with it, and if the new one clicks for me like the old one did, it’d be an easy swap. I’m also curious about the updated K2 Mindbender 99 Ti.
And while I’m very happy with the custom Praxis Protests that I have in slot #4, I’m really looking forward to getting on the K2 Dispatch 120 this year and seeing how that stacks up.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
K2: 182 cm Dispatch 101, 186 cm Dispatch 120, 184 cm Mindbender 99 Ti, 186 cm Mindbender 108 Ti
I don’t have an answer to this that isn’t kind of speculative, but K2 is my best stab at it. I’ve only got a little bit of time on the Dispatch 110 but for a 4-ski quiver, its 101 and 120 wide siblings make more sense, and I’m going to take fliers on those based on my time on the 110. I’ve kind of covered my thoughts on the Mindbender 99 Ti already, and while I like the Mindbender 108 Ti quite well, it’s a little narrower and not quite as much of a full-on charger as I’d ideally slot in here. But this question inevitably results in having to compromise, so here we are.
Luke Koppa
(5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
As I outlined in the 5-ski quiver picks, 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 that’s primarily consisted of spring and summer skiing. This is largely due to the fact that we 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.
For the sake of switching things up, and to illustrate just how arbitrary these hypothetical quiver choices often are for me (with choices often depending on the day, my mood, etc.), I debated totally overhauling things when going from my 5-ski to 4-ski quiver. There are so many skis and ski combos that I could have a great time on over the course of a season.
However, as Jonathan outlined in his 5-ski quiver picks, changing things for change’s sake isn’t how we do things at Blister; there’s a reason why a lot of products in our Winter Buyer’s Guide ‘Best Of’ section have been in there for many years. And if I’m truly taking these questions seriously, below is how (at this moment in time, at least) I would set up a 4-ski quiver. In short, I’d just cut the most niche ski from my 5-ski quiver and leave the rest the same — though how, when, where, and why I use each ski does change a bit.
Ski #1: Line Blade Optic 96, 184 cm + Alpine Binding
Same as in my 5-ski quiver, the Blade Optic 96 would be my daily driver for most resort days. In this 4-ski quiver, which lacks the super-engaging and piste-oriented Line Blade, the Blade Optic 96 would see a bit more time on piste. And overall, that’s totally fine by me — it’s still a really fun carver for what it is, and especially for how playful and maneuverable it feels off piste.
As I said in the previous quiver article:
“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, and an overall design that will let me ski centered and feel balanced, while still allowing me to drive it through the shovels.”
Ski #2: Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm + Alpine Binding
This doesn’t overlap with the ski I removed from my 5-ski quiver, so the Blackops 118 serves the same purpose in this smaller quiver — it’s here to slash pow and blow up chop. And it’s really, really good at those things.
Ski #3: RMU Apostle 3.0 106, 184 cm + Marker Duke PT 12
The Apostle 106 sticks around as my mid-fat resort ski and occasional mid-winter touring ski. I love how it contrasts my other resort skis; while it definitely shares some things in common with the Blade Optic 96, it’s super, super different from the Blackops 118. There will be some days when it’s snowed a few inches and I’ll debate between the Apostle or Blackops, and it’s nice to have options: Blackops for going as fast and big as possible, or Apostle for making the most of mellower terrain, lower speeds, and smaller features. I really love this ski because it makes just about anything (apart from super firm snow) a blast for me to ski.
Ski #4: Majesty Superwolf, 178 cm + Moment Voyager XII
No change here: the Superwolf remains my primary touring ski, which I’ll mostly be using from April to whenever the mountain bike trails seem more appealing than hiking for miles with skis on my back to find whatever is left of the snow. It’s predictable in a wide range of conditions, plenty light for me, and skis better than almost every other ski I’ve used in this weight class.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
The answers here are basically the same as those listed in my 5-ski quiver picks.
As I alluded to above, my own quiver picks, especially in these larger quiver articles, often feel a bit arbitrary and can change day to day. I’ll remember a given ski, think about where I’d like to put it in a quiver, and then totally overhaul the rest of my quiver to reflect that. Point is: there are a lot of really cool skis out there, and even though I’m someone who is blessed to be pickier than just about anyone (due to how many I get to try), I could still see my 4-ski quiver including dozens of different skis.
With all that said, I’ll obviously miss having a niche “fun carver” ski like the Line Blade, Black Crows Mirus COR, Season Kin, or simply a traditional, directional, tight-radius ski like the K2 Disruption 78C.
For whatever reason, I’m also bummed I don’t have a clear slot for the Faction Dancer 2, Mana 2, and Mana 3. Those were all skis that I really enjoyed last season, but they just don’t fill the general roles I want to fill in my 4-ski quiver. I also loved skiing the Blade Optic 92 at the end of the season, but it’s not quite damp or stable enough for the firmer mid-winter days. And as I mentioned before, the Moment Wildcat, Line Blade Optic 114, and (to a slightly lesser extent) Volkl Revolt 121 are all really strong contenders to replace the Blackops 118, but that last ski still has a very special place in my heart and I can’t yet replace it.
It also hurts to not include the Line Sir Francis Bacon or K2 Reckoner 102, two skis I adore because of how wholeheartedly playful they are. But the Apostle 106 isn’t too far off in that regard, while being more versatile when it comes to skiing faster and more aggressively with a slightly directional style.
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?
As I mentioned above, the 184 cm Moment Wildcat and 186 cm Line Blade Optic 114 are currently the two closest contenders to replace the 186 cm Blackops 118 as my chop / pow ski. I spent a lot of time on the Wildcat last season and while it doesn’t quite match the Blackops’ extreme level of damping / suspension, it is notably quicker, and especially in lower-density and/or shallower snow, I actually prefer it over the Blackops. The Blade Optic 114 feels like it kinda splits the difference between the two, but my time on it was limited last season, so I need to learn more this season.
Nothing I’ve skied matches all of the attributes of the Blade Optic 96, which is why it’s my pick as a daily driver, but there are plenty of skis that I thought about as alternatives. Most notably, the Faction Mana 2 and Majesty Dirty Bear XL, which I got on late last season.
As I noted in the 5-ski quiver article, we should be getting on the metal-laminate version of the Apostle 106 this season, and I’m super curious to see if it’d retain enough of the standard version’s maneuverability and playfulness while adding enough additional stability and suspension to supplant the regular Apostle 106.
Then there are plenty of other skis in the same class as the Majesty Superwolf that I’d like to try. Most notably, the new Salomon MTN 96 Carbon.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
None would be “perfect,” which I think is the goal of these hypothetical quiver articles, but I’d be pretty happy with a few brands:
Line: Blade Optic 96, Blade Optic 114, Sir Francis Bacon, Vision 98
While I think making generalizations across a brand’s entire product lineup is often excessively reductive, it has become clear over the years that I’ve personally gotten along very well with a lot of Line skis. And especially with the introduction of the Blade Optic series, I’m no longer lacking a pretty heavy, damp, stable ski in this 1-brand quiver. The Vision 98 isn’t my favorite for hopping and skidding down really steep, firm, consequential backcountry lines, but that’s my only notable qualm with this option.
Faction: Dancer 2, Prodigy 4, Mana 3, Agent 2
I wish the Dancer 2 was more playful / freestyle-friendly; the Mana 3 is a bit stiff for me on firm snow; I haven’t skied the latest Prodigy 4; and I’m basing the Agent 2 choice on my experience with the Agent 3. So there are some more compromises here, but I wouldn’t be complaining much at all.
Moment: Wildcat 101, Wildcat, Frankenski, Wildcat Tour 108
While I haven’t skied the 101 version of the Wildcat, and I haven’t skied the Frankenski, this seems like it’d be a fun quiver. However, I’d definitely be missing a tight-radius ski for when I want to stick to groomed snow and/or mellower slopes.
K2: Mindbender 99Ti, Mindbender 108Ti, Reckoner 102, Dispatch 101
My main compromise here would be that the Mindbenders are a bit too directional / not playful enough for my tastes. I wouldn’t complain about the Mindbender 99Ti as a daily driver, but I would prefer something that’s more maneuverable and playful than the Mindbender 108Ti for pow chop days, while the wider Reckoners aren’t stable enough for my preferences for that slot.
Jonathan Ellsworth
(5’10”, 180 lbs / 178 cm, 81.6 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
Ski #1: Folsom Spar 88, 182 cm – custom build
I’m sad to ditch a dedicated carver here, but keep the edges sharp on the Spar 88, and it will still be a fun ski when the groomers aren’t boiler plate.
(And since our comments sections still seem to be filled with confusion on this front, for these particular writeups, we are choosing skis for where we actually ski the most. Please re-read the introductions to these quiver articles to restore my faith in people’s reading comprehension. And for our quiver recommendations based on different locations, see our Winter Buyer’s Guide, or become a Blister Member and send us a note for help with your quiver.)
Ski #2: Nordica Enforcer 104 Free, 186 cm
I still could be quite happy with the Blizzard Cochise in this spot, so this one is really a coin toss for me. Love both skis for inbounds use in Crested Butte.
Ski #3: Rossignol Blackops 118, 186 cm
For any storms that bring more than 6” of snow, and then for the following fun days of skiing deep chop and finding powder stashes.
Ski #4: Touring: 4FRNT Raven, 184 cm + Shift MNC 13
For all the reasons I’ve mentioned so many times across our site, Buyer’s Guide, and podcasts. This is my touring ski for everything because of its excellent overall downhill performance (for its weight) and predictability in variable backcountry conditions.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Fischer RC4 The Curv. If I spent more days only skiing groomers (as opposed to every single day skiing groomers + moguls and steeps), this ski — and this category of a dedicated carver — would need to be on here. But since I want 1 of my 4 skis to be a touring ski, keeping a dedicated carver would mean that I only get 2 skis to cover all conditions & terrain for about 70-80 days of inbound use. Tradeoffs….
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?
Something in the 110-112mm width range that I really liked as both a pow ski and a more variable-conditions all-mountain ski could, potentially, get me to keep that dedicated carver and maybe solve my issue above. Hmmm….
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
FWIW, I found myself thinking that if I was a bigger fan of the Enforcer 88 … Nordica could get the nod here. I’d be very happy to have in my quiver of 4 the Enforcer 104 Free, the Enforcer 115 Free, and the Enforcer Unlimited 104 as my touring ski. But I haven’t clicked with the Enforcer 88 as much as I’d like to (the flex patterns feel stiffer and harsher than I want for very firm mogul skiing and all-mountain use, though no issue on groomers), so I’m going to go:
(1) Carver: K2 Disruption 78 Ti
(2) All-Mountain Variable: K2 Mindbender 99Ti
(3) All-Mountain Softer: K2 Mindbender 108 Ti
(4) Touring: K2 Dispatch 110 + Shift 13 MNC
Paul Forward
(6’, 200 lbs / 183 cm, 90.7 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
My situation remains somewhat rare in that I spend a lot of my early season ski touring but then, by late February, transition into mostly skiing at Alyeska resort and heli-ski guiding at Chugach Powder Guides. For most other people, 4 skis is a whole lot, and while a 4-ski quiver can cover what I do, my spectrum of use demands a lot out of that number of skis.
Ski #1: Folsom Rapture (Shallow Reverse Camber), 192 cm + Marker Jester Pro
I need a work ski for heli guiding and these are the best I’ve ever found. No matter what I have on the agenda for a day of guiding, from big, steep, technical terrain to moderate-angle pow cruisers, I know these skis are going to be fun, predictable, and supportive no matter what I’m doing. I’m always looking for something that will knock them off the podium but these skis are truly excellent for me. While there are skis that are a touch more unflappable in inbounds chop and crud, these are still very fun for inbounds pow days at Alyeska.
I’m not sure if the Jester Pro is the safest binding when it comes to releasing when they are supposed to but I am sure that they are the bindings least prone to pre-release of anything I’ve used and that’s essential for me when skiing in big, highly consequential terrain.
Ski #2: Volkl Mantra 102, 184 cm + Marker Jester Pro
Full disclosure, I have not skied the latest version of this ski with the updated construction but, overall, these are the most enjoyable all-around inbounds skis I’ve used for my style of skiing and where I ski. They carve very well, are quite damp, and are still very maneuverable and easy to pivot in tight steep terrain. These would be my year-round, non-pow-day Alyeska ski.
Ski #3: Blizzard Zero G 105, 188 cm + Moment Voyager XVI (no brakes)
These would be my go-to touring ski for any time I wasn’t expecting deep snow and would have to cover me from early season variable to spring touring and hopping around in steep couloirs in the spring. I could go narrower but I like to be able to slash around in pow and ski fast in variable conditions, and for me, that usually means I’m happiest on something in this waist range.
There are a bunch of good 100-110mm-wide lightweight touring skis but my other contender for this spot (Movement Alp Tracks 106) apparently got updated and I’ve not yet skied the newest one. There are a few other intriguing options but companies keep tweaking them as well and I haven’t skied any of the updated skis in this class yet. (On that note, I haven’t tried the reportedly slightly tweaked 22/23 Zero G 105, but I expect my impressions to hold up.) I wish the Zero G’s mount point was a little more forward but other than that, I’ve found them quite predictable and fun considering how light they are. Overall, there is room for improvement here for my style of skiing but these are as good as I’ve found for currently available skis.
The Moment Voyager is a great all-around binding that has a moderate ramp angle (heel-toe-height delta), good suspension for its weight, and enough adjustability to accommodate switching between my light boots and heavier touring boots, which are about 10 mm in length difference. I’ve used them with brakes a lot but I’m not sure the function there is worth the extra 60 or so grams, so I’m going brake-less here.
Ski #4: Moonlight Cruiser 50/50 Construction, 186 cm + Moment Voyager XVI
I love fat skis in pow and these were a standout for me last year (review coming soon). They are quite light but ski like a heavier ski, surf well in pow, and offer great stability for their weight when skiing fast in more variable conditions. I’ve also been skiing the insanely light “Superlight Carbon” version but the 50/50 version is notably better in anything other than pure pow and I’m willing to accept the weight penalty in this case. The shape of the Cruiser is definitely a bit more directional than a lot of the pow skis I’ve loved but the Cruiser does everything I want it to and, as mentioned above, the other fat and light touring skis I’ve loved have been discontinued or dramatically altered. Full review of both constructions is forthcoming.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
I love a good modern inbounds pow crusher like the Moment Wildcat or the DPS Koala 119 and would probably have included one of them if I’d written up a 5-ski quiver this year. (I was out on a multi-week wilderness trip when that got published.)
It will likely make an appearance later in this quiver series but the Majesty Havoc Carbon is a really versatile ski that can be used in just about any situation I find myself in, short of heli skiing.
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?
Toward the end of last season, I got a couple of days on the new Faction La Machine Mega, essentially a narrower version of La Machine Max that I really liked the past few seasons as a dedicated pow ski. I need to play with the mount point a little but this ski is really promising so far.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Folsom: Rapture resort build, Rapture touring build, Primary 110 resort build, Cash 106 touring build
This is a lot of speculation because I haven’t skied these exact Folsom builds yet, but I’m pretty confident I could get what I wanted out of those skis.
My other choice would be Blizzard, with a 192 cm Rustler 11 for heli days, 188 cm Hustle 11 for pow touring, 188 cm Zero G 105 for shallow touring, and a 185 cm Cochise 106 for non-pow resort days.
Kristin Sinnott
(5’8”, 125 lbs / 172 cm, 56.7 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
Unlike some of our other reviewers (**cough cough Kara**), I don’t have any big international ski trips planned this winter. So my ski choices all need to work well in the rocky mountains, specifically at Taos Ski Valley and Crested Butte Mountain Resort.
And as mentioned in my 5-ski quiver, I will be spending the majority of my time on resort, but I still want to have the option to go into the backcountry.
Ski #1: Nordica Santa Ana 88, 172 cm + alpine bindings
I’ve been a big fan of the Nordica Santa Ana series for years, but it wasn’t until last season that I started to appreciate the 88. I had nothing against the width of the ski, but I had only been on a early prototype iteration of the ski and didn’t like it because I thought the tips were too chattery. But the latest version is much more reminiscent of the Santa Ana 93 and 98 — it’s energetic, damp, and responsive.
In my 4-ski quiver, the Santa Ana 88 would be my choice for early season ski days when not many trails are open and for firm groomer days. It would also be my all-mountain daily driver when it hasn’t snowed in a while. And if for some reason I do end up back east this winter to visit my family, this is the ski I would bring.
Ski #2: Elan Ripstick 94 W, 170 cm + Salomon Shift
The Ripstick 94 W is a very intuitive and forgiving ski. Unlike the Santa Ana series, you don’t have to ski the Ripstick 94 W very aggressively to have fun on it. And it won’t throw me into the backseat either. I opted to pair the Ripstick 94 W with a pair of Salomon Shifts; it’d be my 50/50 ski, primarily for backcountry days but with the Shift, I could still ski them inbounds.
At around 1500 g per ski, it isn’t the absolute lightest ski to haul uphill, but I think it would handle most conditions – from refrozen spring snow to powder – fairly well.
Ski #3: Moment Sierra, 172 cm + alpine bindings
Not much to add about the Sierra since I already talked about it in my 5-ski quiver. I went from hating them to moving the mount point back 2 cm to now, loving them. The Sierra is maneuverable, versatile, and playful. I don’t think it’ll make its way into my 1-ski quiver – but I also wouldn’t be surprised.
Ski #4: Wagner Summit 106, 172 cm + alpine bindings
The Wagner Summit 106 is still one of my favorite skis and don’t be surprised if it turns up in all my ski quivers this season. I almost decided to mount these with AT bindings since they are designed to be a 50/50 ski, but I opted for the lighter Ripstick 94 W as my 50/50 ski instead.
The Summit 106 is intuitive, easy to turn, holds it edge in soft and hard snow, and tends to just disappear underneath me when I’m skiing (one of the highest compliments I can give to a ski). As the widest ski in my 4-ski quiver, the Summit 106 will also be my powder and soft snow ski.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
If I had been able to spend time on the latest versions of the Renoun Earhart 88 and Blizzard Black Pearl 88 last season, there’s a good chance one of them would have been in this quiver. I don’t think either ski’s minor updates will equate to a major change, but I’ll hold off on including them until I have a chance to ski them. I do plan to ski both this season (Renoun & Blizzard will both be at the Blister Summit!) and I wouldn’t be surprised to find them in my quivers next year.
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’d refer readers back to my answer for the 5-ski quiver here. Not much has changed in my thought process. I did neglect to mention the Moment Sierra Tour could be a contender for a backcountry ski and that I’m interested in testing the Moment Bella, too. The Bella could be a contender for a powder ski.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 4-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Nordica: Santa Ana 88, Santa Ana 93, Santa Ana 104 Unlimited, Santa Ana 110 Free
I asked something like this last year and I think Luke said he can’t imagine needing more than 6 skis. I’m asking a similar question this year, what is the largest number of skis you would want in your personal quivers? If instead of mostly skiing at CB, you traveled to different environments, do you think you would want more different skis or is CB varied enough you can’t see wanting a Snowbird ski?
I’m basically trying to figure out a way to justify owning over a dozen skis as I presently do.
I currently have 3 skis, if I built my dream quiver I could go up to 8, maybe 9. More than 12 is pretty extreme :P
I think it’s hoarding at that point if we’re being honest!
Mark, a dozen skis is pretty impressive! To answer your question (for myself) I think there’s a big difference between needing and wanting.
On the basis of needs, I think a 4-ski quiver would cover just about any scenario I get into, even a 3-ski quiver could be sufficient. Before I worked for Blister and was a broke college student who wasn’t as obsessed with gear (but still loved skiing), I had a 3-ski quiver that I was very happy with, and I was skiing 80+ days a season and traveling all over North America.
But…getting into the world of wants changes things, especially for a gear nerd. After skiing tons of skis and getting to appreciate the nuances of construction, shape, rocker profile, and design, I bet I’d hoard a similar amount of skis if I did not work for Blister. My quiver would likely be pretty CB-centric (or wherever-I-am-living-centric), but would probably include some skis oriented toward skiing places that get more snow, have more open terrain, etc. I’d probably own 10-15 pairs of skis if I did not work for Blister.
But, again, to be clear, I think most folks could be very happy with a much smaller quiver. Maybe it’s just us who have been cursed by ski nerdery who would feel unsatisfied with a smaller, more realistic quiver.
Yup. I, uh, plead the fifth on the size of my real-world quiver. Can I honestly make an argument that I strictly *need* more than maybe five? Not really. But it’s fun trying new stuff, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to do that.
I think I’m around 15 if i’m being honest. The part that feels silliest to me is the ~7 with 1 unmounted backup I own from the all mountain more stable and all mountain charger sections of the guide (or where I’d guess they would go in the guide). Really I could probably cull 3 of those without losing anything important.
4 powder skis feel almost rational by comparison.
I have three skis in my quiver right now, but dropped off five sets at the consignment shop about 3 weeks ago. For me the trick is to churn skis, not accumulate. I’m like an NFL team manufacturing a running back stable – it’s always an open competition, and there’s a limited number of spots on the roster.
This method has been working well for me. I sell skis while they are still new enough to get good money back, and my town has a busy consignment shop that gives you a fair cut that pays a good amount of the next skis into the rotation.
And this way I don’t look crazy to my neighbors when I open the garage door.
My cousin, between consignment and FB marketplace/craigslist, bought, skied, and flipped 16 pairs of skis last year and ended up the season with three pairs that only cost him about $100 after all was said and done.
I think some of that is the difference between trying to build a quiver from scratch with “this year’s skis” like the Blister crew is doing, and accumulating a mass of skis over time.
If your garage fell into a bottomless sinkhole today, would you actually buy a dozen skis tomorrow to refill the quiver? I doubt it–you may have older skis that still see the mountain occasionally or that you picked up because they were cheap and you wanted to experiment, but do those skis really fill a hole that you need to fill?
Or maybe look at it this way–if you were loading up the car for a month long road trip with unknown conditions (and both resort and touring), would you actually bring 12 pairs, or would you grab the 4-5 pair that actually cover everything? Maybe that’s what a quiver truly is–a medieval archer probably has a bunch of random arrows at home, but they only put their best ones in the quiver when it is time to go to battle.
For me, that means a bunch of random skis that would never make the quiver list. I’m not going to go out and buy a “rock ski”…I’ll just wait until the right ski in the quiver becomes a rock ski when it gets replaced in a few years. I bought a pair of park skis when I was living in the Midwest, but they only made it out one time last season living in the rockies–they are fun to have around, but I wouldn’t go buy a pair today as 95% of the time I’d rather ski outside the park. Ditto my old tiny-radius slalom racing skis–held on to them forever after I stopped racing, but even if I was building a new unlimited budget quiver with room for a dedicated carver, I’d choose something slightly more versatile/forgiving like a Fischer Curv variant.
Lots of good choices and discussions here. I think now more than ever we are seeing more specialized gear (both soft and hard goods) that offer some benefit at the cost of something else. I’d be interested to see if you guys added a ski for heli/cat skiing where there is rarely tracked up stuff (opposite resort powder skis). I started down this powder specific path with a very good ski (dps lotus 124 alchemist 192) and just added a second (Folsom rapture). What would make your lists for a “pure powder” ski – (I say that knowing there are few trips or days where that’s all you ski).
Good question, Geoffrey. Reviewer Paul Forward is lucky enough to ski untracked powder pretty frequently, and once he gets back into civilization, we’ll be adding his thoughts on his hypothetical quivers. I bet he’ll be including at least one dedicated heli powder ski in his quiver, as he did last year (it was the Folsom Rapture last year, we’ll see what he picks this year).
Personally, I don’t have any time on these “pure powder” skis since, like many resort skiers, most pow days tend to look something like a couple laps of actual powder followed by lots of chop with some groomers getting from point A to B in the mix. But, I’ve always been interested in reverse/reverse designs like the Armada ARG II/ARG II UL, DPS Lotus 138 Spoon, and the OG, the Volant Spatula. I love making big, drifted turns in pow, and these seem to be the tool for the job. Going back to my comments above about hoarding skis, my hypothetical 15-ski quiver would probably have one of these in it, even if I rarely get to use it. Maybe it’d force me to go seek out some deep pow…
the Black ops 118 gets a lot of love, does the blade optic 114 come close to its stability in chop in a slightly more versatile package?
I’m totally with David Golay. I’m 75 and still adding a few pair each year. For 2023 it’s Volkl Kendo and Zag H96. Researching and trying new skis is lots of fun. My go to all around ski is now DPS Pagoda 100RP.
@Dylan – great quiver. I’m curious about your ‘Dynastar only’ quiver choice – I’ve got M-Free 108s with CAST new for this season (haven’t skied them yet but I’m extremely excited), I’m wondering for your selection of you’d put a CAST or other hybrid binding to make either the 108 or 118 your 50/50 powder ski? What are your thoughts on the 108 as a 50/50 ski? On the heavy side but it sounds like you don’t mind that, which makes me feel good about my decision!
Yeah, I’d probably but either the Duke PT or Look Pivot + Cast on the M-Free 108. I know plenty of folks who do this, and yes, it’s a heavy setup, but that’s all personal preference.
I had the M-Free 108 with shifts and they were a fun setup in the PNW for 50/50 work, but after a couple 3500+ ft days I decided to get another pair for dedicated touring and moved my 50/50 setup to lighter pow skis with CAST, at almost 3kg per foot with the shifts you REALLY feel the weight of the M-Frees after a few thousand feet. That being said love the Mfree 108s, great all-mountain ski for semi softer snow areas, amazing blend of fun and stability.
I think Jonathan needs to relegate Drew back to New Hampshire duty for these quiver fantasies. Four 100+ mm waisted skis doesn’t really resonate for those of us on the Iced Coast. Those Camoxes might get Drew down Cannon on a windswept January day, but they wouldn’t be his first choice, so I suspect he’d be digging around his parent’s basement for old race skis as often as not if he had a quiver that looked remotely like that. I’m all for Kara finding a Japowski and better still, a good reason to use it, but let’s broaden our horizons in the other direction here, too.
CBMR opens next week, I’ll be out there just about every day testing frontside/carving skis. I’d guess in the next month I’ll probably have been on enough skis to hypothetically post a quiver of skis just for ice coast conditions. And yes, those windswept days at Cannon are permafrosted into my memory as being some of my most brutal ski days ever. But I will say that I think the Mantra 102 would hold up pretty well there.
I have a question for Drew or others who have skied the renoun Atlas. Would you buy that ski again if you had to do it again. The review of the Atlas in the new guide is positive but not glowing like Jonathan’s review of the Curv. I am going to the Blister Summit. I was debating getting the Atlas, Head really, or new Stockli Montereo. .
Any thoughts
Hey Steve,
Everyone’s got their preferences. I did not weigh in on the Atlas 80 review (it came before I was full-time). I will be spending time on the new Head e-Rally in the next week or so (the older version wasn’t quite at explosive as the Atlas 80), and hoping to receive some skis from Stockli. At this point I can’t compare each ski based on on-snow experience. But to answer your first question of “would I buy it again?” Yep. I liked it enough to put in my quiver, mostly because of its rebound, which is a characteristic I find makes a ski so exciting.
Hi Stevedrulias, cannot comment on most but have skied the previous Laser AR83 and AX78 which became the Monteros (now 84 and 80), at a few ski test weekends. Absolutely loved them both, feel so precise and solid. Would buy either in a heartbeat
Not that Drew needs my support, but I actually prefer my Mantra 102 (in a 191) to a groomer specific carver reasonably often at Loon and Cannon. Gloppy “snow” from snowmaking or natural deposition isn’t rare and if I pretend I can park ski for a run or two I am much more likely to return to the earth without hurting myself on the Mantas than a narrower and more rearward mounted platform.
From my experience, the biggest deficiency of the Mantra 102 on the east coast, assuming you keep them as sharp as a race ski, is actually that smaller mountains like Wachusett don’t have steep enough pitches or enough vertical to really open the skis up.
I’m not saying you should buy a ski like a Mantra 102 if you only ski at Cannon, but I don’t think it’s a bad compromise at all if you, for example, skied at Cannon sometimes and CB sometimes.
what do you think of nordica enforcer 92 soulrider 97 and k2 mindbender ti90 ?
Love reading where everyone is coming from.
I’ll fire you guys mine. I ski 90% resort days in Whistler . Therefor prioritizing the more stable skis.
#1 Head e speed rebel pro 175cm
This will be my CSIA ski, for training day, technical teaching days and days with dad where you just rip groomers. (Replacing a Stockli ax laser). When you really get into it, they want you on something around 17-18m for this type of “nerd” skiing.
#2 Faction CT 3.0. This is my everyday ski. I don’t min 112mm underfoot here as there’s a lot of variation in terrain from the top of peak to bottom of the village. The ct can open it up in a bowl after a drop, lap though the park, carves well. Great suspension for its weight. Amazing for tail wheelies and trying new things.
#3 Volkl Revolt 121 – Big day storm ski
Replacing a whitewalker from last year. I’d love the white walker as a touring ski. But for big peak lines, 1800grams is just to light. Wanted something with lots of tip taper as that was my favourite attribute of the whitewalker. Haven’t gotten it on snow yet but, I’m my head a whitewalker with some Ti and a tad flatter tail to let me do tail slaps/presses/wheelies woild be ideal m. The revolt 121 in my head will be what I’m after.
#4 undecided. Would typically do a touring ski here, but having a massive injury. The big walks aren’t as worth it for me. I’d pick up a fun park ski like the k2 poacher
Luke, I was just in my local shop and they told me the Pt 12 is binding is moving to be a women’s only binding.
He told me this was just coming down the grapevine for Marker.
Might be worth looking into.
Luke you are teasing us with the Apostle Pro review, really hope you can get on it, intrigued to hear more
The revised Wildcat is overdue. And then of course ON3P – Billy Goat 118, Woodsman 110 and 102 are all ones i would love to see reviewed
Guess this is my 5 ski quiver wish list!
I didn’t see binder picks for Jonathan’s quiver selection…
If anyones interested in an opinion from a larger person, I’m 6 foot 220 and live in Colorado but spend a few months a year on expedition in the Arctic. My four ski quiver would be
1) lightweight touring: Majesty Superwolf with ATK raider 12. I personally haven’t skied this ski, but this would replace the BD cirque 84 in my real world quiver and I’m confident it would give me the benefits of the cirque in a more fun package.
2) daily driver touring: Custom Folsom Primary 104 with a Moment Voyager. I’d build the ski up with their graphite infused core, extra carbon in the lay up, and a pretty heavily rockered profile. I have a Powfish from Folsom and I’m confident that the touring construction would make for a wildly fun daily driver touring ski for laying down a variety of turn shapes in the backcountry. This ski would be replacing the Elan Ripstick tour 104 and Black Crows Atris (mounted with G3 zed and ion respectively) in my current quiver.
3) Daily resort: Season Nexus mounted -1 or 2 of rec
This is my real life daily resort ski and while it’s new for me this season (pun intended) I adore it so far. It’s a blast to carve around on and be playful while being a bit more supportive and drivable than the Sir Francis Bacon and RMU Apostle 106 which I got some time on last year. Leaving the Moment Wildcat 108 off of this slot was definitely a very tough choice.
4) Powder: Custom Folsom Powfish with a shift until something better comes out
This is my real life pow ski. Not much to add but I can offer a more robust report at the end of the year after more pow days.
If not the Powfish than I’d take a Moment Wildcat.
Cheers for making it this far if you actually read through my rambling! The only thing I’d really be missing from this quiver is a fun frontside ski like the Season Kin or Black Crows Mirus Cor but the Season Nexus is so fun on the frontside I don’t think I’d miss it too much.
I’m a bootfitter, and for boots I ski in an Atomic Hawx 120 which I like well enough, I skied on a 90 flex boot for years so I generally prefer a slightly softer boot that’s supportive as I get deeper into the flex. My touring boots are a very modified Scarpa f1 and a Dynafit Hoji Pro Tour which I adore.
Cheers everybody, and if anyone wants more detail or explanation on anything I said please drop a comment or give me a holler!
Read my 2 and 3 ski quiver choices, and this will be the finale for a dedicated 4 ski fleet. While skiing 2 seasons ago at Red Mtn. in Rossland B.C. I saw a number of skiers with tour set ups using a brand that was new to me. INSTINCT skis. Intrigued, I also saw a patroller on another pair (but a different model). After googling the site and talking to the owner/builder/designer of the brand ( Al Eagleton ), and seeing some of the skis in a shop in downtown Rossland, I decided to buy and try a pair. These are handmade sticks, not cheap, and so far exceptionally well made. I settled on the Journeyman ski model, that in my size, is a 188cm length with the dimensions of 147/115/134 with an 18m. radius. The mount point is at a rec. point of -10 from TC ( and it works great here for my ski style – directional predominantly ). This is a resort/pow/all mtn./burly patroller ski that handles 80% of the conditions quite well – from hard pack to knee deep fluff. It even has a tail notch if you choose to use it as a 50/50 tour ski – but I have mine mounted with Pivot 15s for resort -pow use. Anything harder and groomed I’ll go narrower, or deeper and cat worthy I’ll go wider. My first day with these was at Lake Louise on a fairly firm day with hard groomers and 2-3 day old crud and chop in the back bowls, and these skis reacted very well, holding a strong edge with a minimal amount of chatter and buzz. Great in the glades also, with better than expected turning ability in the trees. But the next venture was at Castle mountain in southern Alberta after a sizeable dump of cold low-density pow, and this is where the ski really shined and excelled! I could use the Revolt 121 as a resort pow ski, but why, when there are more capable designs that handle hard groomers better? So far, I’m very satisfied and would recommend these as a top Indie brand ski. I hope that Blister tests some of these skis and offers their objective opinion. It’s important that both Luke and Drew both give them a try so that two perspectives can be considered – one more freestyle and forward mounted, and one more technical/racy and traditionally mounted. We all ski differently – and that’s good too!
Cheers,
DHJ
Out of curiosity, why are you consistently calling out Moment Voyager series bindings instead of the underlying ATK models?
It’s great that Moment (and BD, and Majesty, and Hagen for much much longer) have seen the light and done a distribution deal for these awesome bindings, but crediting them as “Moment” feels to me like denying credit where it’s due (and might also prevent people from exploring the broader line of ATK bindings). My $0.02.
Speaking for myself personally here. The Moment Voyager XII comes stock with a freeride spacer (which, to me, is a no-brainer addition to the Raider 12), whereas the ATK Raider 12 does not.
While I don’t care what brand my ATK Raider 12 has on it, I prefer saying the simpler “Moment Voyager XII” over “ATK Raider 12 w/ Freeride Spacer.”
For me it’s mostly down to the taller toe / lower ramp of the Voyager as compared to the ATK branded version. Yes, ATK has a shim for the toe to achieve the same thing, but the Voyager is cleaner. And as Dylan noted, the inclusion of the freeride spacer is also nice (though of course you can also add it to the regular Raider or buy one of the Freeraider versions that comes with it).