Intro
We recently published several of our reviewers’ selections for both 5-ski and 4-ski quivers. Now, now we’re once again asking them to cut those down, this time to three 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 for more detailed info on the specific skis we discuss in these quiver articles, be sure to click around to read our reviews of the individual products. Our reviews and Buyer’s Guides are where we detail what sorts of skiers will get along best with a given ski; these quiver articles are a rare case where our reviewers focus on their own subjective preferences.
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 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 3-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 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Dylan Wood
(5’10.5”, 160 lbs / 179 cm, 72.5 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 4-ski quiver, and why?
For my 3-ski quiver, I am simply choosing to ditch my powder ski, the Reckoner 124, from my 4-ski quiver. While I do love that ski, the Sender Free 110 does well enough in powder for me to justify having that as my widest ski.
Ski #1: Black Crows Camox, 186.5 cm + CAST Freetour 2.0 Look Pivot 15
I’m keeping the Camox as my firmer-snow all-mountain ski because of its exceptional versatility — from groomers to chalky steeps and the terrain park.
Ski #2: Rossignol Sender Free 110, 191 cm + alpine binding
This ski definitely has a spot in my all-time top-5 ski list, and I’ll be splitting my time inbounds between this ski and the Camox. As I mentioned above, the Sender Free 110 does well enough in soft snow for me to justify having it as my widest setup, especially in our soft, dry Colorado powder. I might only find myself wishing for a wider ski in wet, thick snow, or if I ever got the chance to heli-ski.
Ski #3: 4FRNT Hoji, 191 cm + ATK Raider 12
Keeping this as my mid-winter touring ski. For touring in firm snow and corn, I’d take the Camox.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
It’s tough to ditch the Reckoner 124 here. I considered the 194 cm 4FRNT Devastator instead of the Sender Free 110 for the Devastator’s better float in powder, but ultimately settled on the Sender Free 110 because it is a better carver and is more stable and damp in cruddy conditions.
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 open to the K2 Omen Team and Line Optic 88 taking the #1 spot in this quiver. Time will tell!
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Mostly keeping the same brands again, but this is getting harder.
Line: Optic 88, Optic 104, Vision 114
Moment: Wildcat 101, Countach, Deathwish Tour
4FRNT: Switch, Devastator, Hoji
ON3P: Woodsman 92, Woodsman 108, Billy Goat 108 Tour
Armada: ARV 94, ARV 106, Locator 112
Kara Williard
(5’9”, 170 lbs / 175 cm, 77 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
I think the move from a 4-ski quiver to one with three skis is where things really start to get tricky for me. As a result, I have switched up my selections a fair bit, relative to my larger quivers. While I can’t say I landed on these three skis super easily, I am pretty happy with where I ended up.
Ski #1: K2 Mindbender 99Ti W, 172 cm + alpine binding
This one was a staple in my quiver the last couple of years, and as we pare things down, it makes an appearance yet again. Supremely versatile, the Mindbender 99Ti W is the ski that I’ve spent the most time on the past few seasons, and frankly, it doesn’t get old no matter what the day has in store.
The Mindbender 99Ti W somewhat splits the difference between two skis I had in my 5-ski and 4-ski quivers, the Blizzard Black Pearl 94 and Volkl Secret 102. While the Mindbender 99Ti W isn’t quite as damp as either of those skis, it’s a bit more lively and playful, and is the ski I can grab whenever I just want something very intuitive and confidence-inspiring.
Ski #2: Salomon QST Stella 106, 174 cm + Marker Duke PT
This was the biggest toss-up, and there were plenty of other skis that could have worked in this spot. This ski is designed to handle some resort powder days, the majority of my touring, and some average-conditions resort days when I want something a bit more playful than my daily driver.
The QST Stella 106 floats well for its size, is pretty stable for how maneuverable it feels, and it’s a bit lighter than some of the other options I considered. All of that makes it a good fit for how I’ve been thinking about this slot in my 3-ski quiver.
Ski #3: Armada ARW 112, 185 cm + CAST Freetour 2.0
The fact that this ski has yet to leave my quiver is a testament to just how much I enjoy it. Again, I am positioning it as a travel ski for places I hope to visit this winter (namely, Japan and Alaska). The ARW 112 is more playful and freestyle-oriented than most skis I tend to gravitate toward, but I have been very impressed with this ski in a variety of soft conditions, from deep powder to chop and maritime crud. I know I’d also enjoy it for deeper days at Mt. Crested Butte, and paired with the CAST Freetour 2.0, I could bring it on any trip that involves hunting for fresh pow, whether by chairlifts or my own two feet.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
There were a lot. For my daily driver slot, the noteworthy contenders include the Blizzard Black Pearl 94, Nordica Santa Ana 102, Salomon Stance 102, and Volkl Secret 102.
For my #2 ski, the main skis that came to mind were the Atomic Maven 103 CTI, Line Pandora 106, Icelantic Maiden 102 or 108, Faction Dancer 3X, and K2 Mindbender 106C W.
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 same answer applies as in the other quivers – I am still super curious about the Salomon QST X. I wonder whether it could replace the ARW 112 as my powder-oriented travel ski. Hopefully I’ll get to put that to the test this season.
There are also several skis that could contend for my daily driver slot once I spend more time on them, including the 4FRNT MSP CC and Nordica Santa Ana 97.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
K2: Mindbender 99Ti, Mindbender 106C W, Mindbender 115C W
Salomon: Stance 102, QST Stella 106, QST X
Nordica: Santa Ana 97, Santa Ana 102, Unleashed 108
Blizzard: Black Pearl 94, Sheeva 10, Sheeva 11
Luke Koppa
(5’8”, 155 lbs / 173 cm, 70 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
For reference, and as noted in our other quiver articles, my season is dominated by lift-accessed skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort from November through early April, with some mid-winter touring sprinkled in and more human-powered skiing starting in April.
Trimming down my hypothetical quiver to 3 skis is where I feel like I really start having to make compromises. This year, I think I’m going to switch things up a bit and compromise on my touring setup. I didn’t get out for a ton of really big days in the backcountry last spring, so I’ll accept a much heavier touring setup in order to give me more options during the resort season.
Ski #1: Armada Declivity X 102, 180 cm + alpine binding
This ski sticks around as my resort daily driver for all the reasons I’ve listed in my bigger quiver selections:
For my everyday ski in the resort, I want it to be damp and stable enough to encourage me to ski hard even when conditions are rough, but I also want it to be light enough to cater to a dynamic, active style in CBMR’s tight, technical terrain (think lots of quick hops, slashes, and other changes of direction).
I want to be able to drive it hard through the shovels when needed, but not have a ski that’s so directional that it feels unwieldy in the air or unintuitive when I want to ski with a more centered stance. And I need it to be fun to carve on firm groomers (not just steep ones), while also being pretty easy to release, slash, and flick around in tight mogul lines. I also want a tail that’s high enough for cruising switch in shallow snow.
Ski #2: Rossignol Sender Free 118, 186 cm + alpine binding
And this one stays as my resort pow setup — and by that, I’m mostly thinking of soft chop, since truly untracked lines don’t tend to last long on most of those days. In this quiver, I’d also break out the Sender Free 118 if I just need maximum suspension and stability — even if the snow isn’t particularly deep.
Ski #3: Salomon QST 92, 184 cm + CAST Freetour 2.0
I could’ve gone about this quiver in many ways, but I’m currently liking the idea of this approach. I’d use the QST 92 for my slower-speed days in the resort since it’s more engaging / requires less input than the Declivity X 102, but I can still ski it aggressively in soft and/or consistent snow. But I’d mount the QST 92 with a hybrid binding and also use it as my touring ski. From a skiing perspective, it’s extremely versatile across different conditions and terrain. This setup would be a heck of a lot heavier than my dedicated touring setup (Majesty Superwolf + ATK Raider 12), but I’ve done big tours on much heavier combos without much fuss — my backcountry partners aren’t a part of the fast-and-light crowd.
I debated going with the new Salomon Shift2 binding or the Marker Duke PT 11, since they’re both a bit lighter than the CAST Freetour 2.0. However, I need more time with the Shift2 before committing to it for a full resort season, and I trust CAST’s burlier construction more for frequent resort use than the mostly plastic Duke PT 11.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
First and foremost, the ones that were in my bigger quivers: Black Crows Mirus Cor, RMU Apostle 106, and Majesty Superwolf. I really like all of those skis.
Given how I opted to reconfigure my 3-ski quiver vs. my 4-ski quiver, the main question was which ski to pick for my #3 slot: a playful, lower-speed resort setup that would double as my touring ski.
A few noteworthy contenders came to mind: the Line Optic 88, Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti, ZAG Mata, Line Blade, K2 Mindbender 89Ti, Atomic Bent 100, Folsom Spar 88, Black Crows Serpo, Elan Ripstick 96, K2 Reckoner 102, and some others I’m sure I’m forgetting.
But to me, the QST 92 seemed to hit the right balance of weight, overall carving capabilities, off-piste playfulness, and versatility across snow conditions.
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?
So far, I don’t think the new Line Vision 96 offers enough suspension and stability to encourage me to ski it in the resort much, but it would be a lot nicer on the skin track vs. the QST 92.
The Dynastar M-Pro 94 Ti is also an interesting proposition for that slot, but I need to spend more time testing it on very firm snow.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
None of these would be perfect, but any of them would work pretty well for what I’m prioritizing.
Line: Optic 96, Optic 114, Blade
K2: Mindbender 99Ti, Reckoner 124, Reckoner 102
Moment: Countach 104 (?), Wildcat, Frankenski (?)
Black Crows: Atris, Anima, Serpo
RMU: Apostle 96 Ti, Apostle 114, Apostle 106
Salomon: Stance 102, QST Blank, QST 92
David Golay
(6’, 170 lbs / 183 cm, 77.1 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
I’ll keep trimming skis off my bigger quivers here, before a bigger shakeup when we go down to two skis. But now that we’re down to three skis, I can’t justify two of them being powder touring skis, so here’s what I’m thinking for my season of mostly touring in the Pacific Northwest:
Ski #1: 4FRNT Raven, 184 cm + ATK Freeraider 14 AP
Holding steady here as my touring ski for non-deep conditions, for all the reasons it’s in my bigger quivers, too.
Ski #2: 4FRNT Renegade, 191 cm + ATK Freeraider 14 AP
I’ll miss the Heritage Lab Ultra Taper 132 on some super deep days, but I’ll still be having a great time on the Renegades, so I’ll try not to think about it too hard.
As with my bigger quivers, I’d prefer something a little lighter in this slot since it’s pretty much just going to be a touring ski for me. But in the absence of a better option that I’ve actually been on, I’ll stick with the Renegade.
Ski #3: Moment Countach 110, 188 cm + CAST Freetour
Since this was my only resort ski in my 4-ski quiver, it only makes sense to stick with it here. I’m throwing the CAST Freetour on there for the odd sidecountry mission and maybe as a 1-ski travel quiver, but I’m not planning on doing any big tours on these.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
I’m sad to see the Heritage Lab Ultra Taper 132 go, but it’s really not the practical choice now that we’re down to three skis.
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?
Similar story as my bigger quivers.
I like the way the Renegade skis, but I’d prefer something lighter in that slot since I’m pretty much only going to tour on it. I still think the ON3P Billy Goat 118 Tour is the ski I’m most intrigued by, but there are a whole bunch of options that might work, from a lightweight build on the Folsom Rapture to the Moonlight Cruiser Carbon All-Terrain, Whitedot Ragnarok Carbonlite, and Volkl Blaze 114.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
4FRNT: Raven, Renegade, MSP107
This one feels pretty solid, with the same caveat about the Renegade I already hit on.
ON3P: Woodsman 100 Tour, Billy Goat 118 Tour, Woodsman 108
I haven’t skied the current versions of any of these but it sounds pretty good on paper.
Moment: Deathwish 104 Tour, Wildcat Tour, Countach 110
I’d be more excited about this one if the Countach 104 Tour was a thing (in place of the Deathwish 104 Tour, since I’d prefer something a little more directional in that slot), but I don’t think I’d be too mad about it.
Mark Danielson
(6’2”, 205 lbs / 188 cm, 93 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
As noted in the other quiver articles, my ski season will include a broad range of locations and lift-served conditions:
(1) bulletproof, man-made snow on the preseason White Ribbons of Death (aka WROD) at Summit County, Colorado
(2) tight steeps & moguls at Crested Butte Mountain Resort
(3) wide open terrain at Whistler Blackcomb
Narrowing a quiver down to three skis, my big challenge is to decide how to distribute the compromises between my ~6 weeks of Whistler’s wide-open terrain and my ~4.5 months of CBMR’s tight, mogulled steeps. After wrestling with that, I made the difficult decision to continue to optimize for Whistler and just accept bigger compromises at CB.
Ski #1: K2 Reckoner 124, 189 cm + Tyrolia Attack 14 MN Demo
I’m reluctantly cutting out the shorter, more agile 186 cm Rossignol Sender Free 118, but I’m keeping this longer, wider pow ski for more float, easier powder landings, and a bit more stability on softer days. As I wrote for my 5-ski quiver:
“At Whistler, this pow ski would also be my ‘soft snow daily driver,’ but I’d be pretty quick to switch to narrower skis whenever the underlayer is firm enough to deliver harsh impacts. I’ve enjoyed using several ~120mm-wide skis as a ‘wide daily driver’ in past Whistler seasons, one standout being the old 192 cm Salomon Rocker2 122 (which was desirably heavy at ~2650 g / ski).”
On Crested Butte days with some fresh snow, I’d certainly find myself in some tight situations where I’d miss the agility of the shorter Sender Free 118. If the Reckoner 124’s bulk ever annoys me, I’d have some options to address that. I could move the demo binding closer to center, get stronger by hitting the gym and skiing more “solo workout days” on the Dynastar M-Pro 108 below, ski the shorter Nordica Enforcer 104, and/or just wave goodbye to faster friends as I take my Reckoner 124 to less technical lines. All skiing is super fun, even with compromises.
Ski #2: Dynastar M-Pro 108, 192 cm + Marker Jester 18 Pro
Of all the currently available skis I’ve tested, this long, hefty, 2475-gram ski is the very best option for the type of charging I want to do at Whistler. However, my decision to keep this specialized pick will significantly limit my overall versatility at CB. As I wrote for my 5-ski quiver:
“In CB’s tight spots, I have no chance of keeping up with fast friends when I’m on this ski, but of all the skis in Blister HQ, this is my #1 ‘solo workout ski’ at CB to get strong for Whistler.”
Ski #3: Nordica Enforcer 104, 185 cm + Marker Jester 18 Pro
This pick would become my daily driver at CB, and I can be (reluctantly) content with that. It’s generally a pretty versatile ski, and I like that the new Enforcer series tends to be heavier than most other brands’ metal-laminate all-mountain skis in this class.
The Enforcer 104 would be my best ski for the tightest spots at CB, and the main reason it would shine in those situations is because the 185 cm length is a bit short for me. When I want to ski the tightest spots on deeper days, this ski is too narrow and short to float my big body, so I would often choose the more cumbersome 189 cm Reckoner 124 for those days. Each morning at CB, choosing a ski would be a balancing act between agility, float, and edge grip — but that balancing act and indecision is always fun for me.
And as I wrote for my 5-ski quiver: “For firm groomer days at CB, I expect this ski will be the best of my 5 picks, and I will just accept that its short-ish radius and length won’t shine at Super-G speeds. During preseason, it would be my most appropriate ski for the WROD’s. But at Whistler, I don’t see myself skiing the Enforcer 104 at all.”
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
When narrowing it down to three skis, it was difficult to exclude the Rossignol Sender Free 110. It’s my favorite all-round ski for CB, but once I decided to continue to optimize my quiver for Whistler’s wide-open spaces, then I needed a ski for CB that would be more agile than the 191 cm Sender Free 110.
The 188 cm Moment Countach 110 was a strong candidate to deliver a lot of what I like about the Sender Free 110, but in a more agile package. In the end, I favored the narrower, metal-laminate, better-carving Enforcer 104 to better cover the firmest scraped conditions.
Other great skis I considered: Volkl Mantra 108, Volkl Revolt 114, Praxis Protest, Nordica Enforcer 99, and Volkl M7 Mantra.
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?
At first, I thought the 185 / 186 cm lengths of the Heritage Lab FL105 or R105 could potentially replace the Enforcer 104 in this quiver. But after reviewing their specs, I was reminded that their -11 cm mount points don’t really fit the particular pivoting style that I’m looking for here with my Enforcer 104 (and its -7.5 cm mount point).
Other than that, my answer here is the same as what I wrote in the 4-Ski Quiver article, pasted below:
“If I were allowed to pick skis that I’ve never actually spent time on yet, I would confidently pull the trigger right now on some very heavy skis:
#1: Heritage Lab Ultra Taper 132, 190 cm (2700 g, FR heavy build, 191.5 cm measured length)
#2: Heritage Lab FL113, 194 cm (2745 g)
Those two skis excite me way more than my actual Whistler-focused picks (the Reckoner 124 and M-Pro 108) because I pretty much always end up loving heavier skis — but I’m only speculating here.
I still want to try a very, very heavy custom build of the 192 cm Folsom Rapture, and then I’d want to A/B/C it vs. the 191 cm lengths of the ON3P Jeffrey 124 & Jeffrey 118. One of those three skis could potentially replace the Reckoner 124 for me.”
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
Broken record here. To address my addiction to heavy skis, the following two brands would almost certainly fit the bill:
Heritage Lab Skis: Ultra Taper 132 (2700 g, FR build), FL113 (2745 g), R105 (2500 g)
Prior: Overlord (2520 g), Husume 193 cm (2490 g), Husume 188 cm (~2350 g)
Paul Forward
(6”, 200 lbs / 183 cm, 90.7 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
Ski #1: Folsom Rapture, 195 cm + Marker Jester Pro
Nothing new here from my 4-ski quiver. This longer, slightly softer, and more rockered version of the Rapture is an excellent all-round powder ski that will keep me content during another long season of guiding heli skiing at Chugach Powder Guides and powder riding under the lifts at Alyeska.
Ski #2: Folsom Giver, 188 cm + Marker Jester Pro
As I touched on in my other quivers, I’m not fully settled on a daily driver ski for my resort days at Alyeska. For this quiver, I think I’ll go for the Folsom Giver. It’s a cool ski and generally feels skinnier and more versatile than its 110 mm width would suggest. My pair has a very low, almost flat, continuous reverse-camber profile and a fairly heavy construction. Its sidecut radius is long enough for high-speed smashing through variable conditions, but this ski still carves remarkably well on groomers, relative to its width. It’s nimble in tight spaces, thanks to its reverse-camber profile and not-wildly-heavy build, but it’s stable when needed. For Alyeska, this is a pretty versatile all-season ski that will be fun off-piste on everything but a true pow day.
Ski #3: Armada Locator 112, 187 cm + Moment Voyageur XVI
The Locator 112 returns as my do-everything touring ski. This is about as skinny as I’d go for an all-round AK touring ski, but it worked really well for me last year and would be serviceable in everything from storm pow to big lines and corn carving.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
It’s hard to give up the Black Crows Mirus Cor. It’s my go-to Dad Ski for taking the little guy skiing, and it’s a blast for carving groomers. With this 3-ski quiver, I’d really miss having a ski that’s fun to carve on moderate-angle slopes.
And, as noted in my other quivers, I’ll dearly miss the Heritage Lab HB122 since it was just so dang fun this past 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?
Just over this past week, I’ve become aware of a couple of touring skis that have piqued my interest. I really liked the Faction La Machine 5 and only recently learned that they released the La Machine 4, which is a more modest 117 mm underfoot. I’d love to give them a try. Likely less versatile but also very interesting is the Heritage Lab Ultra Taper 122, which could be a great AK touring ski.
As I’ve written before, there are some intriguing options in the class of ~100mm-wide all-mountain skis, including the Faction Dancer 2, Armada Declivity X 102, Volkl Mantra 102, and several others. I’ve always liked skis with a bit of titanal, and that waist width, with the right flex and shape, could be a really versatile all-round option for Alyeska.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
I’ll stick with Folsom for this one, which would just mean swapping the Armada Locator 112 for some lightweight version of Folsom’s Giver, Cash 117, or Rapture shapes.
That said, I think I’m getting close to being able to say that a Faction quiver could work if the Dancer 2 and La Machine 4 prove to be what I hope they are. La Machine 5 is possibly the only currently produced ski on the market that I wouldn’t mind using for a season of both heli skiing and touring, though I’d very likely want the 191 cm version that didn’t exist when I first reviewed that ski.
Kristin Sinnott
(5’8”, 130 lbs / 173 cm, 59 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
My 3-ski quiver looks a lot like my 4-ski quiver, just with one minor tweak and, you guessed it — one less ski.
Ski #1: Powder & Soft Snow Ski: RMU Valhalla 107, 172 cm + alpine binding
It’s been a long time since I had a ski that I absolutely loved in powder, and now that I have a great pow ski, I don’t want to let it go. Untracked, bottomless powder is dreamy, but those days are often few and far between for me. Thankfully, the Valhalla 107 performs well in tracked-out pow and other soft snow conditions, too. So it’s staying in my 3-ski quiver.
Ski #2: 50/50 ski: Ferreol Explo 86, 174 cm + Salomon Shift2
The Ferreol Explo 86 was one of my favorite skis from last season, and it was also the lightest ski I tested. In my 4-ski quiver, I mounted alpine bindings on the Explo 86, but since I had to eliminate a ski, I removed the Elan Ripstick 94 W as my backcountry ski and moved the Explo 86 into that slot. But I added a heavier ‘hybrid’ touring binding so I could use it on the resort. I prefer a lighter tech binding for pure touring setups, but I would miss skiing the Explo 86 regularly in the resort, and I don’t want to ski a tech binding while spinning lifts.
Ski #3: All-Mountain Ski: Salomon Stance 94 W, 174 cm + alpine binding
The Stance 94 W would be my daily resort driver in this 3-ski quiver. In the 172 cm length, I need to stay on top of this ski, especially in steep terrain, or else I can get bumped into the backseat. But when I am skiing strong, the Stance 94 W rewards me with quick, nimble turns and solid composure at higher speeds and in rougher conditions. I like the idea of the daily driver being something I can’t slack on and something that will make me a better skier.
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
The Elan Ripstick 94 W was difficult to cut, but in my 4-ski quiver, it would have been an uphill / touring-only ski, so it would not have seen as much use as the other skis in that quiver, hence the omission in this smaller 3-ski quiver.
The Blizzard Black Pearl 84 was a difficult one not to include, and honestly, I’m still second-guessing replacing the Salomon Stance 94 W with it. Ultimately, I went with a ski that would challenge me (the Stance 94 W also handles mixed conditions better than the narrower Black Pearl 84).
I think the hardest decision of this quiver was moving the Ferreol Explo 86 from a resort-based ski to a 50/50 ski. I really enjoyed that ski on and off-piste last season and found it performed well in both scenarios. As a 50/50 ski, it probably wouldn’t see quite as much use due to my hesitation of using any touring bindings in the resort, but maybe that opinion will change if I’m able to spend more time with the Shift2 (our other reviewers have had very good experiences with it so far; I just haven’t been able to test it much myself).
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 Ferreol Explo 96 could take the place of the Stance 94 W if and when I get to ski it. And if I get the opportunity to test a super lightweight pair of skis, there’s a chance the Explo 86 moves into the all-mountain position instead.
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
I think I’d be pretty happy with either of these:
Blizzard: Black Pearl 84, Black Pearl 94, Sheeva 11,
Elan: Ripstick 94 W, Ripstick 106 W, and Ripstick Tour 94 W
Jonathan Ellsworth
(5’10”, 180 lbs / 178 cm, 81.5 kg)
I. Which currently available skis would you pick for your own 3-ski quiver, and why?
Same rationale as last year: my 3-ski quiver maintains a couple of versatile resort skis, then I’m opting to combine my touring and pow skis from my 4-ski quiver.
Ski #1: Groomers + Low-Tide All Mountain: Folsom Spar 88, 182 cm + alpine binding
For all the reasons I’ve outlined my larger quivers. It’s an extremely fun carver on all but the iciest days, while also being a fantastic moguls ski, and a ski that’s incredible fun on chalky steeps. And the more you want to enhance its on-piste performance, keep it freshly tuned.
Ski #2: Variable Conditions, All-Mountain: Nordica Enforcer 104, 186 cm + alpine binding
Last year, I wrote: “This is the spot where I always go back and forth between placing the Nordica Enforcer 104 Free or Cochise.” Then I chose the Cochise. So, of course, this year, the Cochise is now discontinued. Ergo…
Ski #3: Powder + Touring: 4FRNT Hoji, 184 cm + Shift2 binding
I’ve spent enough time on the Hoji inbounds that I know I get along with it well as a narrower pow ski. It’s a very easy, intuitive ski. I’ve also ski toured on the Hoji enough that I know I get along with it on the skin track too.
(Most of the touring I do around Crested Butte is in the spring, rather than mid-winter, deep-powder hunting; that’s why, when I’m not having to double up my pow ski as my touring ski, I still tend to reach for the narrower 4FRNT Raven.)
II. What skis were the most difficult to leave off your list?
Well, the Cochise 106 would have been my pick for Ski #2 again this year, but the Chicago Bears just lost on the stupidest, improbably, idiotic, horribly painful Hail Mary on Sunday, and my favorite variable / chop-charger for Crested Butte is dead.
Now I just need to get back on the Enforcer 104, and be reminded that I really do like that ski a lot.
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 contenders:
ON3P Woodsman 108 – my Cochise replacement?
Moment Countach 104 vs. Nordica Enforcer 104
Blizzard Anomaly 88 vs. Folsom Spar 88
IV. If you had to choose a single brand from which to build your 3-ski quiver, which company would you pick?
For this 1-brand 3-ski quiver, I’d switch things up slightly:
1: Carving + Frontside + Low Tide: Moment Commander 92, 182 cm + alpine binding
2: All Mountain + Resort Pow: Moment Countach 110, 188 cm + alpine binding
3: Touring: Moment Meridian Tour, 187 cm or Wildcat Tour 108, 184 cm + Salomon Shift2 Binding
I thought the Atomic Bent 90 rather than the B100 would be right up your alley for that last ski Luke?
Why don’t real carving skis like a Kastle MX 75 or even a cheater GS ski ever make anyone’s list?
They do mine :) Master GS ski’s are the best
We need an east coast quiver!
Hi, Ryan – we include our recommendations for east coast quivers — and our recommendations for quivers for other areas — in our Winter Buyer’s Guide. What you see here are just the personal quiver choices of our current reviewers.
Younger generation is riding wider skis. I prefer my Volkl Kendo 88 to my Head orally 78., the new skis like the new Volkl Mantra 86 or other skis in that waist length are good daily drivers
Surprosed to see Volkl left on the lists.
I really look forward to these articles. The choices you folks make, and reasoning behind the choices, especially as the quivers get smaller are interesting. Although none of these skis would ever likely make my idea of the perfect “quiver” I don’t ski the way, do the things on skis or ski in the places you all do. Reading these pieces, and the Blister Winter Buyers Guide still gets me thinking outside of the box and I enjoy that.
Gotta say that looking at all of those selections I presume you either always get new snow, or you don’t ski unless it’s been snowing.
Having nothing under 90mm in a 3 ski quiver seems very limiting for piste performance and feedback.
Definitely not true! Speaking personally, I ski mostly off-piste, and am able to find at least somewhat soft pockets at my local resort (Crested Butte). Combined with the steep and demanding terrain on our mountain that I love to ski regardless of conditions, narrower skis simply don’t have the rocker and taper that I prefer to navigate tight terrain, even when it hasn’t snowed in two weeks and it’s chalked out. I do love groomers, but skiing piste is usually >10% of my day on snow, and I’d rather prioritize the ~90% of time I spend in the steeps.
West coast quivers for west coast skiers I guess. I’d love to ski in a place where any of these quivers made sense. I know these are your personal opinions and that’s cool, but these opinions are also a great illustration of how different it is to ski on the east coast.
My 3 would be:
Head Monster 88 @ 177 (could also go narrower for a currently available ski) Head e-Magnum, Fischer Curv, Stöckli AX or AR Montero)
Fischer Ranger 102 FR @ 184
Moment Wildcat @ 184
Tough to leave the Monster 98’s and Meridian’s off (and several others) but reckon the Ranger’s would see most action, Wildcat’s for Engelberg and Glacier3000 deep day. Monster 88’s on the bulletproof days when’s there little joy to be found off-piste
What’s the scoop with Ferreol? New brand, to me, but their ~105 looks interesting in the Buyer’s Guide, and I see that Kristin chose one of their models in her quiver.
Hey, Tom – have you listened to the GEAR:30 conversation that Luke Koppa had with Ferreol’s co-founder, Jonathan Audet?
https://blisterreview.com/podcasts/ferreol-skis-reenvisioning-ski-construction-ep-248
Ah to live in Nth America and mostly have soft snow to play with. As an AUS skier who also skis Europe (mainly) and a bit of Canada (and learnt on skinny skis) my 3 ski quiver is 163 SL, 183 GS 23m radius for all groomer days, and a 90mm underfoot for everything else.