Its forgiving enough and offered in lengths as low as 150cm (great for younger riders), but the ski is overmatched at any decent speed on a groomer, which means fast learners may outgrow it (the Experience 78 is the better choice for this crowd). Line Blade Optic 104. . Available lengths (cm): 155, 162, 169, 176, 183, 190 Importantly, members get 20% off shop services, and youll also receive a discount if you purchase the skis, boots, or bindings from REI. Featuring a full poplar wood core with beech mount plate and extra thick ABS sidewalls, testers found it easy to tip on edge to initiate turns of all shapes and sizes. Best Soft Snow Ski: Rossignol Black Ops Sender Ti. In truth, were not completely sold on the tweener nature of the Rossi Sender 90 Pro. For me . If youre a skier that tries to cover all of the mountain, a mixed camber/rocker setup is a great pairing. Of the 27 testers invited to test skis in Sun Valley, 15 were assigned to focus on the All-Mountain Wide category of the span of two days, giving them the opportunity to take multiple runs on each pair of ski before reviewing their performance. Some skis in this category bridge the gap between these two classifications. In general, those who ski primarily on the East Coast or in the Midwest should look in the 80- to 95-millimeter range, and those who ski out West will want a waist width from 90 to 105 millimeters. Lengths (cm): 170, 177, 184, 191 I'm 5'7", 165 lbs and have the 180cm R11 (+1cm mount) and 178cm QST Blank (+1.5cm mount) btw. Only 1 pretty deep day on the Blanks so far, but have numerous days on Rustler 11s. For its construction, the Rustler has metal underfoot, but the Titanal tapers towards the tip and tail, which has an impact on high-speed stability. According to tester Peter Nestor, a Sun Valley local, Its the benchmark of the category. The Mantra 102 was voted the best all-mountain wide ski of 2023 after impressing testers across all nine scoring categories, but particularly in the Versatility, Stability at Speed, and Responsiveness departments. For a higher-stability model from J Skis, check out The Masterblaster.See the J Ski The Allplay. Check out the Blizzard Rustler 10 and 9 (104 vs 94 underfoot) as well as the K2 Pinnacle 95 and 105. All-mountain back skis on the other hand are wider, softer, and built to float in deep snow. Look into Salomon QST 106 as well. BRAND NEW! N/A . 449.99. Lowest price . In both camps, testers spoke to the skis stability, which is due to the carbon reinforcement along the inside edges as well as carbon rods inserted into the wood core. The skis above are tuned for advancing intermediates to expert riders, but true beginners have a different set of requirements. The focus is less on speed and more on a playful nature, which makes it a better match for off-piste exploring, milder speeds, and intermediate riders. Weve had mixed feelings about the popular Kore in the pastit was undeniably light and powerful, but it was pretty unforgiving and lacked the fun-to-drive, natural feel that we value in an all-mountain ski. In truth, this ski is best paired with a capable pilot, but its less fatiguing and more approachable in general than its popular predecessor. Winter 2023 Gear Guide. . The 86 Ti version hooks up easily and is very solid on edge, has the right amount of stiffness for most advanced-level skiers, and feels buttoned-down at speed. Overall score: 7.54/10 The stiffness of a ski is one of its defining features and a clear differentiator between beginner and advanced-level models. Gender. If you find yourself in that camp, check out the 14 unisex all-mountain wide skis that performed best at SKIs 2023 gear test in Sun Valley, Idaho. As K2s core all-mountain sticks, the Mindbender collection has coast-to-coast appeal with widths ranging from 90 to 108 millimeters. Salomon integrated a carbon laminate, which runs the entire length of the ski and is infused with basalt and is intended to increase vibration absorption. The result is that the ski has lots of pop as you combine turns on and off trail, grips exceptionally well on hardpack, and still can put a lot of power down with two sheets of metal. Pros: Stability at Speed, Responsiveness Cons: Hard-Snow Integrity, Stability at Speed. Category: All-mountain frontAbility level: Intermediate to expertDimensions: 129-88-111mmOther widths: NoneWhat we like: Extremely versatile despite a relatively narrow width.What we dont: Its not a playful ski. The K2 is undoubtedly a solid ski, but its "master of none" personality pushes it down our rankings. The impression of quickness off the edge is enhanced by its lightweight design that in fact weighs less than the QST 92 and far less than Salomon's Frontside flagship, the S/Force Bold. One final note: While the 100 floats quite well in soft snow, those needing more ski real estate should opt for the similarly built Bent 110.See the Atomic Bent 100. Otherwise, you might wind up with a great ski, just not the right ski for you. Price: $950 (Buy Now) 10. read now. Pagoda 106 C2 Ski - 2023. The rest of the pack balances traits from both categories, with enough stability for moving fast and a medium width (often between 90mm and 100mm) for soft snow use. Blizzard Rustler 10 Skis 2023. The clear priority was making the ski playful and nimble, which comes at the sacrifice of top-end stability. Atomic Bent 110. Krass is a freelance ski journalist based in Jackson, Wyoming with work featured in SKI, Powder Magazine, Freeskier, Teton Gravity Research, and Ascent Backcountry Snow Journal. Aimed toward folks who want to go fast and have a blast., Overall score: 6.8/10 Its also worth noting that many popular lines of skis are made in varying widths. That said, the two skis have very distinct personalities . Additionally, its not a top choice for powder days: While the 96-millimeter-wide ski has enough strength to drive through heavy chop and excels on hardpack, weve found its a bit cumbersome to maneuver in fresh snow of around 6 to 8 inches or more. Shop for All-Mountain Wide Skis at REI - FREE SHIPPING With $50 minimum purchase. The Salomon QST Stella 106 is a great ski to get your powder legs on, and will help take an intermediate skier to the next level. While theyre still versatile all-mountain skis, they cater more to soft snow and powder and less to groomer skiing than slimmer all-mountain skis. For those who dont like to back off the throttle, the ski may come up short. In many ways, the Mindbender falls in between the M6 Mantra and Enforcer above in performance. The QST 106 instills a sense of playfulness and relaxed skiing that boosts confidence. The Rustler 10s ability to charge hard or slarve turns is what makes it so versatile and approachable for a wide spectrum of skiers looking to spend more time off-piste. On the other hand, the Pioneer 109 is the better choice for more aggressive, hard-charging riders or those who prefer a wider setup for plowing through crud or floating on softer snow. 90-99 (45) 100-109 (27) 110+ (10) Other. It also doesnt hold an edge as well as our top picks, although intermediate riders that prefer surfing through turns likely wont notice. This allows all-mountain wide skis to perform on hard-snow and be able to carve more easily than true freeride skis. Nordica Unleashed 108. And aggressively priced at $600, it's arguably one of the best values on the market. Switchback Travel, a review site with a history of doing objective hands-on testing, has great things to say about the Salomon QST 106. . The ski goes where it wants if you dont put everything you have into it. Nu r den hr: en touring-specifik skida i Salomons QST-serie. 14: Salomon QST 98 (Photo: Courtesy Salomon) Overall score: 6.72/10 Lengths (cm): 169, 176, 183, 189 Dimensions (mm): 132-98-120 Radius (m): 16 Price: $725 Pros: Forgiveness, Versatility Cons: Carving, Playfulness. All. Armada Declivity 92 Ti. A 181cm Ripstick 106, 180cm Rustler 10 or 174cm QST 106 would still be less stable in crud or at speed than a 172cm K2 MB 108Ti. I'd take a rustler 9/10 over any QST under 100. The Alpine Shop has been selling skis and ski equipment since 1963. The decision should involve local snow conditions, skiing style, and ability level. Lengths (cm): 165, 172, 179, 186, 191 Read more about our policy. And on high-performance models, layers of Titanal add power that expert-level riders demand. Many brands produce the ski with the exact same construction technologies for both genders, but often create two different top sheets to appeal to men vs. women. It remains an extremely powerful and precise all-mountain option thats perfectly happy in the hands of hard chargers at speed. Category: All-mountainAbility level: Advanced to expertDimensions: 133-96-119mmOther widths: 86, 106mmWhat we like: Hard-charging experts rejoice: metal is back with the latest model.What we dont: Loses a little of the flickable and friendly nature of the prior version. And in terms of ability level, the construction is fairly stiff, so its best in the hands of strong advanced or expert riders. K2 fit boa - Der TOP-Favorit unserer Produkttester. Elan Ripstick 106 Black Edition Skis 2023. Wir bieten eine umfangreiche Auswahl an Artikeln, die sich durch ihr Design auszeichnen. It hits a pretty nice middle ground of power and playfulness, and the wider dimensions means itll line up nicely for those in regions with consistently good snowfall. Cons: Hard-Snow Integrity, Crud Performance, Compared to previous iterations, testers found the updated Fischer Ranger 102 more forgiving and intuitive thanks to tweaks in construction that make the ski both more dependable and accessible. This is one of the best skis Ive been on in years, said Montana-based tester Sam Cox. They were very useful, I decided to go with the Ripsticks mounted with the Salomon shift MNC bindings. We think the Nordica is a bit more well-rounded, but if you prioritize unflappable performance in nearly all conditions, the M6 Mantra is hard to beat.See the Volkl M6 Mantra See the Women's Volkl Secret. Further, a soft and lightweight construction thats willing to turn even with only moderate input greatly improves chances for progress on those early ski days. No. Radius (m): 18 J Skis does things differently. Fischer Ranger 102. However, wide all-mountain skis sacrifice edge performance, so skiers who care about making precise turns and carving on groomers occasionally should look to narrower all-mountain skis. In the end, if you put a premium on a truly fun build, the Rustler should be high on your list.See the Blizzard Rustler 9 See the Women's Blizzard Sheeva 9. . Most testers were happy with the update. This design came about originally for its benefits in deep powder. On hardpack, testers noticed a speed limit, but the pivoty feel and forgiveness it offers won them over for its approachability, making it ideal for an intermediate and advanced skier who wants to get creative. With both rocker and camber providing real world benefits enjoyed by skiers of just about any ability level, manufacturers have turned their attention recently to mixed camber. It's also worth mentioning that the $699 alternative. Nordica Enforcer 94. Volkl did make some tweaks to the Titanal Frame construction: Shorter skis now have less metal and are a little softer, while longer options are stronger with more metal. Lightweight and energetic, the Faction Dancer 2 (formerly known as the Dictator) is a top choice among hard-charging riders looking for a fun but composed ride. Salomon QST Jr M (2023) Kinderski, 2023, fr Anfnger. Softer flexes still are common, but many brands are now making skis to accommodate hard-charging women (Blizzard's Black Pearl is an excellent example). Its a fun, burly ski for the big dawg in your life, said tester and freeski coach Tommy Flitton, who spends his seasons at Snowbird and Alta. The Salomon shift MNC bindings the category: 7.54/10 the stiffness of a ski is one of its defining and. The Alpine shop has been selling skis and ski equipment since 1963 top-end Stability all-mountain. 9/10 over any QST under 100 any QST under 100 perfectly happy in the hands of hard chargers at,... 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