Ski Buyers Guide 11

DISPLAY UNTIL 12/31/10 $5.99 skimag.
com
SPECIAL EDITION
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Tell us how you mountain.
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ARIZONA
Qhar:lcller Ski Pr(l 2000 W. Chandler Blild. 480-13&5-<5686
IDAHO
Boise Greel'lwood's Ski Haus 24!]O Bogus Basin Rd_ 208-J42-6808 .WWW.GreenwoodsSklHaus.com
WwwJSkiprc;com
www_clealersnow,boards;oom Mesa Ski Pro·
1924 W.Bth 8t
480-962-6910 www.skipro.oom www.clealersnowb.O"aros;oom
ILUNDIS
Barringtorl Viki Ill) Ski Shop
Phoenix
SkiPrQ' 2110 E_ Gamelback 602-955-3939 www.skiprQ.com W'MV.clealersl1owboard·s:ctlm
131 W. NorthWest Hwy.

S47<j81-1188 www:v ikings~jshop .rom Chic.ago Viki rlg Ski Shop 3422 W. Fullerton Ave. 773-276-.1'222 www.v~ingskishQP.com
NEW iHAMPSHIRE
Gilford PIche's Ski &. Sports Shop 318 Silfl>l'd;Rte. 111A 60~524-,206B www.piches.com Nashua Zin1ne~enrl'~Skis, Beards & More 316 Daniel WebsterH,o,t}'. South 603-88s.2155 www.zim~ort.com Portsmouth J:utnam's SRi & Snowboard Shop 2998 I.a fayette Rd.
COLORADO
Ft. Contns OU ipaS\ S u nsport
931' E RarmOoy#1 970-225..1455 www.outpostsunspOO.com
MICHIG.AN
CliftOn Park Alpin Haus Ski Shop 22 Clifton COUlltry Road
518-371 ;2211
www.alpinhaus.com Farmmgdale Sundawn Ski & Snowboard 1296Rt. 110 lake' Grove Sundown Sid & Soowboard 3060 Middle CoUl'lty Rd.
CONN,ECTI,CUT ACti~ollSports
324 W. Main St Z03-488-!l516 www.actionsportsGt.com
Old Saybrook Action Sports 1385 Bostfln Post Rd 20J-488-lJ516 wwwJldionsprutsd:rom Stamford Pedigree Ski Shop 350 Bedfo rd Sf. Branford
www.b~landpauls.GOm
MINNESOTA
81.louis Pa rk Hoigaard's 5425 Excelsior Blvd. Q52"929- 1351
www~hoigaards,com
631-420-3796
631-737-8600
WWN.sundownsk.i_ccm Greenvale Sundown S.ki & Snowboard 47 Norillem Blvci, 516-621-6658 www_suridoWIIski.oom Hempstead Sno-Hau$ Ski Shop 244 N. Franklin SI. 516-481-3305 WWN.snohaLls.cpm Hunter The HUriter Mountain Ski Bowl iRoule.23A 518-263-4223 ~233 WWtI.hunlermtn.com Hllritingtoo SlaMn Silo-HaUl! Ski Shop 2 W.Jeriaho Tumpike 631-549--5087 WWI'/.snoha us .com
www .. llndownski.oom s lake Placid Cunningham's Ski Bam WhrtefaceMt Main SI. @ Olympic Drive 518-523-3706 W'IlW.cunninghamsskJbam.oom levittoWll SundoWn Ski & Snowboard 2726 Hempstead Tpke.
603,431·1764
www.pumamsports.oom
NEW J.ERSEY
Che.ny Hin Darzelsenand QuIgley 1720 E. Rle. 70
MISSOURI
Chesterfield A1pioo S~iShop 1616 Clarkson Rd.
85&.424-5969
www.Dem.lQ.oom
636-;532-7499'
www.a(pineshop.oom CoIumb.ie Alpjoo Ski Shop 11Q2 E. Broadway
516·79&-1565
wwwJSundownski.oom NewYorllCity Emilio's Ski Shop 112·28 Queens Blvd"
N.EWY'ORK
Amsterdam
2tl3-324-2200
www;pedi[lreeskisilop.com
D,ELAWARE
Newark nie!SkiBum 218 EaS'! Main Street
5nS17-2955
www.alpineshop.com Kirkwood Alpi rle' Ski Snap 440 N. Kirkwood Rd.
Ski Shop 4850 StBte Hwy 30 13,843-4400 www.alpinhalls.oom Bedford Hills Pedigree Ski Soop 532 N. Bedford Rd. 914-244-8-960 www.pedigreeskishoP·com
Alpin' HailS
718-544-0404
www .. miliosskishop.com e
North Creek
Cunningham's Ski Bam Gore Mourltain 1 Main Street 518·251-3215 www.,cunningharnsskibam.oom
30.2-454-.9829
www.theskibum.ccrn
314-!162-ms
www.alpineshop.oom
QiJeet1sbuD' SIlOrts Page '1:36 Q[I!3ker Rd_
f. OHIO
Akron Sun Valtey Sports 3OO0 W. Mark,el Sl 330-666.;9000 www.sunvalleysportsohio£cm Columbus Aspen Ski and Board 1175 Old Henderson Rd.
518-792-1304
w\'ffl,~portspaae$ki!oom Wl'lile. Plains Pedigree Ski Shop 355 MamarOlle{;kAvl!_
PENNSYlVANIA
Eagleville Salters Ski & Custom Winter Sports Sho,p 31JO W. Ridge Pike
,914~94~2995
WI'ffl.pedlg ree skishop. cern
NORTH CAROUNA
Allhl!vrile
Ski Coo ntry Sports
614 -4-59-6666
www_3spensklaJ1dboard,com le ..... Cellter is Aspell Ski end Board
,510-.539..80 (]3
W'NW.satlersski.nel
82B-254-2n1
WlW/
1000 Merrimon Ave. ,skrcountrysports.com
Glen Mffls
Th~ Ski Bum ~. B!lltimore Pike
Balmer Elk Ski Counby Sports 3149 Tyne castle Hwy. 828-89&-9786 WI'ffl,skicoonbysports.oom Boone
1170E Powell Rd~ 614.848-'6600

www.aspe1l8kimdooard.oorn PellinsuIa Buckeye Sports Center 4610 State Rd_
51(}.4594778
www.ttleskibum.com Mecl1anicsburg Moun!l:linside Ski & Sports 5142 E. Trindle Rd.
Newport News Skj World 1101 William Styron Square
757~249·0400
www_skiworldlnc.cam Virginia Beacl1 Ski World 2013 LaskenRd_
lsi Tracks 1360 Hwy 105 -Soulh 800-262-90-36 WlYW.1 stlra lis ,com
Charlotte S,kj Country Sports 4151 Park Rd.
330-9,29-3366
www.buokeyesportscenter.com
717-697-2063
WVffl .mounta
insid'eski-sports rom
OREGON
Gresham Hillcrest Ski & Snowbaard 2506 SE Burnside
VIRGINIA
Charlottesville Freestyle 475 Westfield Rd. 434--918-4-091 www.freestyleonJine_oom
757--42~7551
www.skiworldinc.oom Wintergreen Free-style Wintergreen Ski Resort
503-665-4-455
www.hillcrestsports.com
704-523-2553
WI'ffl,skioountrysports.oom
434--325.1183
www.freestyleonline.oom
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TESTER. MARl( EU.ING

SNOWBIRD, UTAH'
Morerun. That's what we're promising. Buynew gear-the right gear-and you willbe able to ski longer, stronger and better. Guaranteed. Inthe pages ahead, we let you inon all the industry secrets on how to buy,what trends you need to watch and, of course, what gear is gold-medal worthy.
ON THE COVER Rossignol 57 Freeride, Blizzard Viva 8.1, Atomic Smoke Ti, Kastle FX 94-some of our gear test's No. 1 skis.
Buvers Guide
34
COVER STORY
Photograph
by Christopher
D.Thompson and Jordan Uoyd
OCTOBER 2010
SKI 7
22
fall line
What Now Rocke r is the biggest innovation in ski design since sidecut. Why it's rightforyou. 20 News and Views It's always winter somewhere, A view from Termas de ChiUan, 24 Stuff We Like Kid gloves, a mini car and a power bar 26 Toolbox Digi cams that take a licking, a dropping, a kicking .., 28 Where Is It? Identifythis resort; win Rossi skis,
30 Lega.cy The hinged slalom
pole changed the course of ski history, 32 Siopestyle What to be seen in this season
and ... 16liftlines

112 Warren
10 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
When every part of your vacation works together, beautiful things happen. Escape to Deer Valley.
de ervalley com
3@
nr SClII.
800-580-3337
> LETTERS
Cover Girl
Congratulations on trumping
Sports Illmff'atedwitb your great and tasteful February 2010 cover of Lindsey Vonn.
ROGER BARTLETT
the
From Bottom Up
(~
San Diego, Calif
New season? First things first: Look down.

SKI staffe.rs were asked a question as we were putting together this
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~P£TENOW
EUCII:OBS
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JiMElI'O::A'5
season's Buyers Guide: What's your favorite piece of gear? (See our answers below.) The majority named their ski boots. Anyone who's spent a lot of time on snow shouldn't be surprised. Skiers don't just ski in their boots. They bond with them. If you're like most good skiers, chances are you've been bonding far too long. We found two such candidates in Telluride, Colo., put diem into new boots and then had a fitter do his magic. Guess what happened? (Or see page 46.) I had a boot intervention from a peeved deputy editor a few seasons ago; I haven't looked back. Let me save you some time and yelling. When buying boots, ignore your ego and pay attention to two key words: flex rating. Then go see a good bootfitter. Now for the sexier stuff: your skis. Remember the shaped-ski revolution in the mid-'90s? Welcome to the next game-changer: rocker. Conceived as powder tools, rockered skis have been refined so they ease your ride across just about all terrain, and for all skill levels. We like that in equipment. So check out the reviews, learn about the latest technologies and maybe bond with some new gear.
Matter of Perspective
I waspsyched to get my February
issue. Ienioyed the Olympic update ("Swifter, Higher, Stronger") and, being from the East, I enjoyed the articles about Mt, Snow (Where Now) and Stratton ("Stratton Style"). Then there was the Turning Points article ("Turning: Irs All In Your Legs"). Now I have something to work on this season. ~What a Pain" (Warren Miller Classics) reminded me not to be so critical: Maybe I don't ski as hard or as long as I once did, but at 50, I'm still skiing two to three times a week, so Ishouldn't complain when Ican't do it as well as Ionce did. At least I'm still making turns.
MIKEWAWRYK
Greg Ditrinco, Editor gditrinco@skimag.com
Poughkeepsie, NY
• FROM THE EDS What's yourfavor.ite piece of ski gear,past or present?

Greg Ditrinco, Editor • MyoId Raichle Flexons. After a decade of love, Ifinally did buy new boots-with a 100-110 flex rating. Joe Cutts, Deputy Edito.r • My Nordica foam liners. With my knobby feet, a snug boot fit is difficult. Foam is expensive and a
complicated process, but I've never been so locked-i n and so comfortable (no more heel spurs). They even feel warmer. Ilove my Leki Trigger glove-and-pole setup. It was unwieldy at first-especially when buckling boots-but once ,I ot used to it, Ifound the interface made the poles feel more responsive. g Deborah Williams, Senior Editor t My Dalbello Kryptons-custom fit.l've had two surgeries on a busted ankle, so Ilack dorsitlexlon. The middle buckle pulls my heel back, sol can drive my shin forward for a few extra degrees of flex.
Kim Beekman, Managing Editor.
12 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
Your vacation is waiting, right this way.

Deer Valley Resort Lodging and Reservarions allows OUT local Vacation Planners [he ability to be hand -on throughout every step of your vacation experience. Featured oruluminiums managed by the resort include: Black Diamond Lodge, Flagstaff, The rand Lodge, The Lodges at Deer Valley, Shooting Sur, Silver Baron Lodge, ~r~g l.odge and Trail's End Lodge. We contirme to provide the largest selection of accommodnnons in [be Deer Valley area as well as other select propertie in Park City and we offer xclu ivc non-holiday discounts on lif ticke , ki lessons and rentals as well as a Full line of travel services at preferred rare _ Book now and save ~5% on lodging and lift package at a variety of pr pertles and rime.
800-580- 3337 decrvalley.com
3~
liftlines
0: For Olympics
OK, Iget it:Youthink anyone who participates in downhill, super G or ski cross has a death wish, Maybe it was phrases like "absurdly dangerous," "patently unsafe" and "blood sport," Even spectators ought to worry about "an outof-control racer rag-dolling through the
crowd," I guess I expected SKI to do a better job evoking the awesome physical and mental demands of speed events, not just duck at their dangers,
GARY CHANDLER
Whiskey Business
Iloved seeing stranahan's Colorado
Whiskey featured on February's Stuff We Like page, It is, indeed, a fine product. I thought I'd share yet another reason why those of us who live in Colorado are the luckiest folks on Earth: Stranahan's is made in Denver, and every so often they put out the call to their fans for a bottling session, I was lucky enough to take part in one last summer, It was four hours of hard work bottling that month's shipment
Denver, Colo.
Editors note: We didn't mean to sensationalize, Gary, But we're continual!) a:wed fry ski meers' COllrage and athleticism-and don't thi:f1kmart Americans appreciate the risks these athletes take.
By the Numbers
Olt's a tough job, but someone has to do it. Here's a look at what our ski testers had to endure to bring you this
year's Buyer's Guide, For the full test results, check out this year's Buyers Guide on page 36,
Number of ski testers
16120
Numberof skistested
Average number of test runs per tester
!,~e§;o"" !g~leg70
skied by testers per tester/per day
800-580-3337
dee:rvalley"com
Count on tbe pros at these shops fOT the Onest in:

Pel'.sonalized boot fitting Performance enhancements
comfon modifications
CUStom-crafted insoles
Steamboat Springs {970} 879~4916 Tellurida Vai'l (970) 728,6954
Skibootllllln{l.com
> EVENT SPOTLIGHT

Trailing of the Sheep
Festival,
(Oct. 8~10, 2010)
Sun VaUeY,ldaho
tit's America's friend lier, fluffier version ofthe running of the bulls. Tag along with 1,700 sheep as they make their way from their northern summer pastures to the resort towns of Ketchum and Sun Valley. Enjoy the other fes tivities, too, including sheep shearing, herding demons trations and lamb tastings. tralilingofthesheep_org
WetnerSfield The Arpino Haus (860) 563·2244 Westwood Ski Slop (781) 329-3616
New Hampshire Profile O.rthotics Clr. 31. S&W Siports
NORTHEAST Cllnneetielil
Stratton Mounfain Green Min. Orthotics @ EQuille Sports

(802) 875-1122 WarreniSugarbu511 Alpine Options (802) 583-1763
MID-ATLArmC New Jersey
Frisco
Ski FriscoSlIllrts
One Stop Ski Shop
(97.2) 377·2200
MIDWEST illinois Chicago Viking SklShllp (773} 276·1222
Massachusetts
TheD1l1l1 ,oo1;lo'r5
Concord
Eatonlown
Crestwood
Ski Barn (732) 578-9460
Snowcrest Ski Cenl'er Mlehl~an
at VaU snorts (802) 379·1014 Winter Park

Le Feel Lab
(603) 491-4917
Bllb Skinner's (603) 763·2303
~lewbu I)fIS unall ee
Lawrenceville Ski Bam (609) 530·1666 Paramus

Ski iBarn
(70S) 389·4963 Ann Arbor
(970) 726·9841
New Mexico Taos Ski Valley ThllBllllt ~Dotto rs (575) 776-2489 UIah
Sun & SnoVf Sports
(734) 663-9515
of whiskey, but the payoff was a free bottle of Stranahan's, a tour of the facility, plus beer and pizza.
CHASE SQUIRES Denver, Colo
(800) 371-3447
Plymouth Rfchelson's Feel First
(201.) 445·9070 Pequannock
Plymouth Sun and Snow. Sports.
Heino's
New York MudSwea,1 n'Gears (716) 699-8300 GlenmonWaIatle

SI.einer's S.porls (51 B) 427·2406 Ellicottville
Ski & Cycle (973) 696-3044
(734) 927-0007
Wayne Ski Bam (973)256-8500
Jlle 'sSki
Minnesota 81. Paul
Alia (Three 'locations) Deep PllwderHouse (801,) 742-2400 Park City ParkCily Ski 'Bo01 (43S) 513-0672
WEST
(651) 209· 7800 Onio Cnagrin Falls Gelge.r's
Shllp
Snow Totals
As an avid SKI magazine reader, I was
Pennsylvania
disappointed to read in your January story about Ogden, Utah (Weekends, January 2010), that you cited the three local ski resorts as receiving 300 inches of snow. Ogden's three resorts' annual snowfall totals range from over 300 inches at vVolfCreek to 400 inches at Snowbasin and over 500 inches at Powder Mountam. Also, the Hampton Inn in Ogden (right behind the Marriott you cited) is nicer, newer and usually cheaper than its neighbor. It received a AAA three-diamond rating, not bad for a Hampton. Thanks for the continued great reading.
MATTHEW RZOMP NewYork,NY
Hunter Th.e ProSkl III R.ide (518) 263-5303 New Yorl< City U.S. OrlhoHcCenler (212) 832-1648
Ve.rmonl
Heading Rich Reber's Pro Snow Spans (610) 921-1011
Ski & Spurt Haus
(440) .247·4900
California Berkeley California Ski
Whitehall
Neslor's
(610) 433-6051
Virginia
Lakewood Gei'!I.er's Clothing & Sports (216) 521-1771

Colorado Aspen & Snowmass
Company (510) 527-6411 Kirkwood Kirkwllod MlluntainSports
Killington
Northern Ski Works (80.2) 422·9675
C11tl otte svi lie a Freestyl~e (434) 978-409'1
ROCKIES
(.209) 25B-7240 San Jose

MelCottlln's
Ludlow/Okemo Mt. :NortnernSkl Works

(802) 228·3344
Wintergreen FreeslYi!!
(434) 325·1183 SOUTH

Soulh, Carolina
ThoUe Shops at Aspe n Sp 0 rts (970)618·2530 Breckenridge

Norway Haus (970) 453-2375
Sporling Goods (408) 287-5994

Studio Grly
Ludlow/Okemo Mt. The Bool Pro (80.2) 228·2776 Mt Snow Stowe Inner Boolworks (602) 253-69.29
Ski N.el sports {818) 505-1294 Truckee

The Start Haus (530) 582-5781
Columbia
Mt Snow Baal Worl(.s (B02) 464-4052
SoulhernS.kl (BOO) 675-4261
Eng.lewood The Custom Fool

(303) 761-4002
Texas
(214) 357-9700
lJallas SI. Bernard Sports
Pagosa Springs
Ski & Bow Rack
Oregon
(970) 264·2370
Mt. Bachelor Bachelor Ski & Spons (541) 3112-2442
Editors note: Yournumbm are aauraie. However, as we stated UI the artide, the town Ogden regularly receives a more-than-resped:
0/
liftlines
able 300 annual inches qf snow, rrtailingit a flame basefor ([;Jo/OIW seeking turns-and deeper snow-at the three nearby resorts.
Ode to Tahoe
"The Ultimate Guide to Tahoe" article (December 2009) was perfect for a newbie to that area. Thanks for all the useful i.nformation about the resorts and the entire Lake Tahoe area. One thing I might suggest would be to have some pictures of the trail maps to the ski areas. Thanks for your magazine and for making my trip a ton easier.
BRADY RINEHART
Underrated and Overdue

I reaUyenjoyed reading Allen St. John's feature on Sun Valley (,'Return of Sun,"January 2010). In my opinion Sun Valley is arguably one of the best ski resorts in the world when it comes to quality and variety of terrain, snow grooming, amenities and consistent fall line. Maybe I'm a bit biased, since I taught there for 10years during the '60s and early '70s as a member of the "Austrian Boys" under Sigi Engl. But I've also worked as a ski pro in Austria, Spain, Lebanon and Australia, so my observation is not without basis.
HELMUT G. FEND
Atlanta, Ga.
One week after losing my Job, I received the December issue with your "Ultimate Guide to Tahoe." My family and I spent three weeks there inJanuary and had the time of our lives. Lesson learned: Everyone needs a break from work, and a ski break is even better.
DARIN RECCHI
San Francisco, CaUf
Redondo Beach, Calif Skiing Sun Valley, the oldest ski resort in North America, was always on my "bucket list." My wife, two other couples and I had that opportunity for 10 days this past Easter. The article by Allen St. John assisted us making that decision, and we did discover the "new" Sun Valley, with its excellent ski facilities, its staff, the Ketchum restaurants and the Roundhouse for lunches. 'We have skied all over Europe and North America and do not usually return to the same area twice, but we all agreed that we will be rerurning to Sun Valley again in the near future.
DENNIS MARSELL
I enjoyed your spread on Tahoe in the December issue, but you never quite got to what sets Squaw Valley apart. Day after day, "Squallywood" puts on the greatest snow show on Earth. Squaw skiers enjoy terrain that would be closed at any other American resort for being too dangerous, and the lifts provide front-row seats to incredible action. At Squaw, skiing is a spectator sport. You might catchJT Holmes or Tim Dutton ripping pow and launching off the fingers below KT-22. Or, from the Gold Coast chair, even intermediates get to watch Mike Wilson's insane back flips off the Palisades.
TUCK WILSON
Thornbury, Ontario
Olympic Valley, Calif.
,CORRESPONDENCE
Letters to the editor may be mailed to SKI, Liftlines, 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, or emailedtoliftlines@skimag.com.lnclude your full name, address and daytime phone num ber. Letters may be edited for length a nd clarity.
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THOSE WHO SKI IN ~NVTH NG WON'T SKI IN JUST ANYTHING.
skimag.com
Editor Greg Ditrinco Deputy Editor Joe Cutts Managin~ Editor Kimberly Beekman Senior Editors Samal'ltha Berman, Deborah Willfams Interns Michael DiFerdinando, Morgan MacKay, Cassandra Orton Enthusiast Group Editor.ial Director Tom James
rll]
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14- i:'. d i ~iii ;fj ill IllI6'''!·
Id ;l1].lil; iflj :.
Hansman
Group Production Director Rina Viray Murray Senior Production Manager Kristin Dann
I :hj: i i :filt!.l'!:, i.' I~iH :hiil a
i:
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Corporate Research Director Heather M. Idema Research Analyst Charlotte
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For inquiries regarding international licensing or syndication, please contact Anders Malmsten at anders.malmsten@bonnier.se. man uscri pts and assumes no resp ons ibility for th eir return. SKI does not accept unsolicited ;Tllio . ~ PRINTEDINTHEU.sA. Thepaper used for this magazine comes from cer.tlf. ied foreststhatare .. ma.nagedinasustainableway to meet the social, economic and environmental needs of present and future generations.
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18 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
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20 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
, REMEMBER
DOING THIS? While you've been patiently waitingfor winter to arrive, others have been chasing it-in some cases, as far as Termas de Chillan, Chile. Termas is home to South America's longest run (abouteight miles), and views that seem to stretch much farther than thst=especielly when you're carving up corn snow, at dusk, as the clouds rollin.
OCTOBER 2010
SKI 21
FALLLINE· WHAT NOW
o As important
eady to Rock?
as the sidecut revolution? Yep. Rocker looks to be the next game-changer in ski gear. By Joe Cutts
The evolution of ski design-always a matter of fits and starts-is on the cusp of one of those fundamental breakthroughs. Even as you read this, it hurtles toward a paradigm shift as significant as metal edges or super-sidecuts or oversized widths, Rocker-the introduction of reverse camber to at least some portion of a ski-has arrived as a mainstream design concept, and it's here to stay. (See page 38.) Already, it has changed the way people ski-especially; but not exclusively, in powder. Soon, all but the staunchest traditionalists will have it in some form. Can it resurrect a struggling skimanufactunng industry with an explosion in sales similar to those that attended the introductions of oversized tennis racquets in the '70s and golf clubs in the '90s'~Probably not. If super-sidecurs couldn't do it, rocker probably can't either. Still, it's likely to heIp-and is certain to at least realign market shares, as the comparues that adopt it earliest and most effectively thrive while laggards lose ground. Similarities with the super-sidecut revolution in the mid '90s abound, As wi.th super-sidecut, there has been initial skepticism of the concept. There have been mistakes made as manufacturers experiment with different ways ofincor-
WHERE ROCKER WAS ONCE CONSIDERED EXCLUSIVELY A SOFT-SNOW TECHNOLOGY, IT HAS SINCE DEMONSTRATED ITS BENEFITS IN VIRTUALLY ALL CONDITIONS AND FOR ALL ABILITIES.
porating the new idea (some of those mistakes contributing greatly to the skepticism). There's argument between skiers and snowboarders over who thought of it first. And as with super-sidecut, the end result is so startlingly good you wonder how you ever skied without it. First, a little history: Boarders may dis-
CAMBER WAVES Evidence that rocker is mainstream? Even women's models,like Atomic's Century, have it, Those that don't soon wilL More reasons to smile on a powder day,
agree, but to our minds the rightful Father of Rocker (as it applies to snow sports) is the late Shane McConkey, the free-spaired freeride legend, Many skiers still think "Pontoon" when they think of rocker. That was McConkey's baby, developed with K2 designers (who admit they were skeptical), But his concept predates the Pontoon by several years. McConkey described it in a 2002 essay, "Brain Floss," and Volant introduced the first reverse-camber ski, the McConkeydesigned Machete Spatula, in 2003, The Spatula had its flaws, and the con-
How much can game-changing technology boost the sales of a sporting-goods industry? Consider the examples of Callaway Golf and Prince Tennis. Though not the first to make an oversize racquet, Prince, ta king advantage of new ca rbon-fiber construction technologies, was the first to popularize the concept. How popular? "The introduction of the first oversize tennis racquet in 1977 propelled Prince from a pro/specialty market share of less tha n 10 percent to market leader with 35 percent share in 19S2," says Jolyn de Boer, executive director of the Tennis Industry Association. Golf went through a similar revolution, led by Callaway. When it introd uced the innovative Big Bertha driver in 1991, the obscu re brand's annual sales totaled $55 million. By 1993, with sales of $255 milUon, it was No.1 in revenue, boosting overall industry sales in the process. Can rockered skis de liver the same excitement on ski shop sales floors? Thor Verdonk, director of alpine product development for Rossignol U.s., ha s seen the rockered 57 powder ski sellout for two consecutive years. He expects a significant realignment of marketshare in favor of those who do the best job soonest, and at lea st moderate gains overall due to rocker. "1t'U definitely move the need le." - J.e.
ceprwas slow to catch on. The Volant brand's demise didn't help. Over in the snowboard world, however, it was a different story. Lib Tech launched its now lege endary Skate Banana model, a runaway hit among boarders, who instantly saw the benefits of rocker ill deep snow. But here's the thing: Where rocker, as it applied to skis, was once considered exclusively a soft-snow technology-with rockered super-fats like the Pontoon and Rossignol's S71eading the way down the mountain-it has since demonstrated its benefits in virtually all conditions and for all abilities. Salomon and K2, ill particular, have incorporated rocker deep into their lines, even on "fronrside" skis. Not only does rocker aid flotation ill deep powder, offering a looser, easier ride; it also turns out that rocker-employedjudiciously, ill varying amounts-smooths the jostling a skier experiences in crud, chop and bumps, making a ski easier to turn. There's even an application, K2 argues, for newbies and novices-those who still PIVot and skid their skis to turn, instead of tipping and can·mg. A touch of rocker at the tip and tail makes skiing easier, even on the groomers. Meanwhile, the same ski can still incorporate traditional camber and sidecut underfoot, where it waits patiently for the novice to set an edge and carve. "Traditional camber is not going away," says Anthony DeRocco, global head of product development at K2. "All our skis have some amount of camber." At the same time, though, K2 has introduced some form of rocker-
'TECHNOLOGIES
THAT ROCKED
BUT WILL YOU RUSH OUT TO REPLACE YOUR CURRENT SETUP? CAN ROCKER BE THE RISING TIDE THAT BUOYS A STRUGGUNG GEAR INDUSTRY? THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
a lot or a little--into virtually all its skis. "We're firmly behind rocker technology, and we believe it's here to stay," says De Rocco. "In the future, people won't talk about the radius of a ski, but rather the waist width and type of baseline [K2 's term for a ski's camber profile] to define their skier type." Other companies agree. Among them, Rossignol: "Even for an intermediate, rocker makes the sport easier," says U.S, product manager Thor Verdonk. And V61kl: "The performance aspects are as significant as with shaped skis," says U.S. marketing cl'Jief Geoff Curtis. "We can now make skis that turn just as well but
are easier, smoother, and work better in all conditions, from powder to groomers. Some fonn of rocker is probably going to be useful in every aspect of skiing," Like we said: a new paradigm. Which means that-you guessed it-your skis are suddenly, well ...obsolete. But will you rush out to replace your current setup? Can rocker be the rising tide that buoys a struggling gear industry? That remains to be seen, Since the late '80s, sales of ski equipment have declined. In the '90s, there was hope that sidecut technology would drive sales. The new technology did, but mostly reducing the drain that the expanding snowboarding market caused on ski sales, "Sidecut did help a lot," says Scott Jaeger, senior retail analyst at Leisure Trends Group, who tracks sales for the Snowsporrs Industries of America (SIA). "There wasn't exponential growth, because you still had flat or decliningparticipation, but people who did ski were buying new skis at a hyper-accelerated rate." Can rocker be the catalyst for growth? "I think it'll have an impact," says David Ingemie, president of the SIA. "We saw depletion ill rocker inventory ill SllOWboards ill the past couple of years, and I think core skiers will want to try it. They'll see it as a product they need to have ill their quiver." But Ingemie and other industry insiders see other forces at work dampening ski sales, including a still weak economy and the trend toward renting skis instead of purchasing, What the ski industry wishes it had is the sales equivalent of a little tip rocker to float sales up. Maybe it does. Meantime, this much is true: Skiers who do buy the new technology will enjoy the ride .•
FALL LINE • GEAR & GADGETS
I ) STUFF WE LIKE
I
» OPEN WIDE Kid ha nds look
deceivingly sma II and nim ble, but a nyone who's tried to stuff them into ski gloves knows better. The designers at Grandoe are either parents or ski instructors. The EZ-On gloves and mitts ($20) have a wide opening at the bae k and a q uiek but secure vetcro closure. grandoesports.com
~ BAR FOODAs far as we knew, energy bars ca me in two varieties: barely palatable and not fit for human consumption. We should know: Sportfood companies shi p them to our office by the crate. But one day a box of home-baked. organic and-get this-delicious Tram Bars ($2,75 each) arrived from Jackson Hole, where one woman and 12 ingredients prove that good for you can also taste good. trembers.com
~ ONEFOURALL We've talked about the one-ski quiver for years. Here's the a uta equivalent: Due out in 2011, the new four-door, four-cylinder Cooper MINI countrymen (from $30,000 MSRP), with optional turbo charge and all-wheel drive, does the job of both your around-town coupe and your rugged weekend sag wagon. What to do with all that extra garage space? You could always use a few more pairs of skis. miniusa.com
24 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
Mother and Son, Dartn,et,s in Cr-ime
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SOCKS
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FALL LINE • TOOLBOX
o Go ahead: Drop it in the
Digital Cameras
DETAILS PANASONIC LUMIX DMC'TSZ • Heavy but tough, it has an easy-touse control panel that lets you switch between photoand video- capture modes with the twist of a knob, even while wearing gloves. • The only crushproof camera we tested, it's sleek yet indestructibl.e. The tap-control feature is perfect for gloved hands. Tap twice on the body to take photos or video. SPECIAL FEATURES SPECS .6.560z., 14.1 rnegepixels, 4.6x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCDscreen, waterproof to 33 ft., shockproof from 6 ft., freezeproof to 14°F,dust proof PRICEflNFO .$400
snow. Kick it with your ski boot. Leave it outside overnight. The latest waterproof, shockproof and cold proof cameras can survive nearly anything. By Jennifer Davis
• Its optical ima,se stabilizer minimIzes blurriness from motion,shaky hands and low light. .40 MBof built-in memory, just in case you fiUyour memorycari:i • Creative art filters let you apply special effects to your photos. • Dual image stabilization ensures dear images even when the subject is moving fast. . • Digic4 face detection technolo,sy provides indiVidual focus adjustments for every face in your photo. • The faceplate can be switched out for a custom look. • iSweep technology links up to 100 images, so you can capture that breathtaking mountaintop panorama.
panasonic.com
OLYMPUS STYLUS TOUGH-SOlO
.6.4 oz., 12 megapixels, 3.6x optical 200m, waterproof to 33 ft., shockproof from 6 ft., freezeproofto 14°F, crushproof to 220 pounds, 720p HD movie capability
.$400
olympusamerica.com
CANON POWERSHOT 010
• The 010 makes up for its somewhat cumbersome eggshaped body with an intuitive menu and layout. Big buttons are easy to press while wearing gloves.
.6.7 oz., 12.1 megapixels, 3x optical 200m, 2.5-inch LCD screen, waterproof to 33 ft., shockproof from 4 ft., freezeproofto 14°F
»$330
usa.canon.com
SONY CYBERSHOTDSC·TXS
• A 3"inch touch" screen gives it a sleek, button-free interface, but it isn't glove-friendly. The lens and flash sit flush againstthe slim body, so it's easy to stash.
• 5.1 oz., 10.2 megapixels, 4x optical zoom, waterproof to 10 ft., shockproof from 5 ft., freezeproof to 14°F,dustproof
.$400
sonystyle.com
PENTAXW90
• With 5x optical zoom, this one has the longest range of any cameras we tested, and the high-resolution LCD is bright even in direct sunlight.
• Captures highquality widescreen movies in nop HD videomode • A rubberized face and a strap with carabiner make drops and dings less catastrophic . • Best Shot menu gives youguick access to' interval," "YouTube movie" and "snowy landscape" capture modes.
• 5.7 oz., 12.1 megapixels, 5x optical zoom, 2.7-inch LCD screen, waterproof to 20 ft., shockproof from 4 ft., coldproof to 14°F,dustproof
.$330
pentaximaging.com
CASIO EXILIM EX-Gl
• Its slim design fits well in your hand or pocket, but its Image quality is lower than the other cameras we tested.
• 5.4 oz., 12.1 megapixels, 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD screen, waterproof to 10ft., shockproof from 7 ft., freezeproof to 14°F,dustproof
'$280
my.casio.com
26 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
brings photochromic innovation to the spherical lens ,
ONE LENS FOR ANYCONDTON

LIG~T
DARK
IN T-1E
66% VLT~
,. Visible Ught Transmitted
LIGYT
IN-~E
DARK
The Bolie Modulator™ Is a state-of-the-art, high contrast, light reactive lens that changes lens tint density with the changing light conditions. The more UV light exposed to the lens, the darker the lens will become,
FALL LINE • WHERE
IS IT?
WIN THESE SKIS

Are you ready to rock? Identify the resort in this photo, and you could win a pair of new Rossignol S7 Freeride skis, rockered at the tip and tail for incomparable floatin bottomless powder. Go to skimag .com/contest to submit your guess. One winner will be randomly selected from the correct respondents.
ROSSIGNOL 57 Tops in no fewer than six criteria in this year's ski test, the Freeride S7 was the Deep Snow category winner and a teste r favorite.
NO PURCHA$ENECESSARY TO ENTER. FOR COMPLETE RULES, GO TO SKIMAG.cOM /CONTESTRULES.
28
SKI
OCTOBER
2010
PHOTOGRAPH
BY ADAM
BARKER
THrs IS W~AT I CALL AN EMBARRASSMENT OFRICUES.
THE
Explore the Handcrafted Single Malt

The Balvenie will never make anyone's" 100 Richest List." We do, however, revel in the richness of our taste - a smooth, honeyed flavor that is the result of our five rare crafts. In toto, those crafts, including the practice of floor-malting, are why we are known as "the most handcrafted single malt." A statement we are certainly not embarrassed to make. Handcrafted to be enjoyed responsibiy. www.TheBalvenie.com
BALVENIE®
The Balvenie Distillery, Balvenie Malrings, Scotland, fur. 1892. The Balvenie Single Mall Scorch Whisky. ©2010 Imported by William Gram & Sons, Inc ..New York, NY.
FALL LINE • LEGACY

TIGHT TURN French racer Perrine Pelen wins the 1980 women's slalom in Waterville, N.H., the first World Cup race to feature a new hinged slalom pole, which allowed for straighter lines and improved course maintenance.
Hinge of History
o The slalom pole that revolutionized racing. By John Fry
The intention of setting slalom poles on a hilt was to simulate turning
through trees in a forest. To realize the shortest-and therefore the fastest-line down the hill, racers have always tried to tum as close as possible to the pole. That technique had its consequences. The repeated impact of hitting rigid poles bruised arms and shoulders. Splintered wood and bamboo occasionally punctured legs, arms, hands and lungs. In 1968, an Australian racer training in France was impaled on a pole.-it went right through his body. He survived. If a pole came out, the gatekeeper had to run downhill and retrieve it, bring it back up, and jam it back into the hard snow-hopefully in the same place. The work of resetting poles interrupted races and slowed training. In 1930 a couple of inventive Swiss, working with slalom's creator Arnold Lunn of Great Britain, designed a pole that would remain upright. They called it the "Kandahar flag." It was a pole with a primitive springjoint at the snow surface. If you struck the upper section, it flopped over but then sprang back. In turning, a racer could exploit the spring action of the Kandahar flag by swinging the back of his skis over the pole's upper section, gaining a faster line but leaving officials to puzzle over whether he should be disqualified. The design was abandoned after a few winters. Almost 50 years would pass before the Kandahar flag was reinvented. The
hinged pole made its debut in international competition in the 1980 World Cup races at Waterville Valley, N.H., using the Reliable Racing Company's Break-AWay pole. A niftily engineered spring in the base allowed the upper section of the pole to hinge and unhinge firmly. The new poles were a success, appreciated by trainers and gatekeepers. And they were eventually a boon for recreational racing programs, such as N astar, since they reduced the manpower needed to run races. Still, poles occasionally came out of the snow. The problem was solved when Austrian-born U.S. coachHermann Gollner; a skilled climber, realized that the threaded ice screw used in glacier climbing would work as the slalom pole's tip. In the 1980s, racers-increasingly armored with padding and face shields-began to use their inside shoulder to brush the pole aside. But with the advent in the 1990s of shorter, shaped skis, which carve a virtually non-skidded line, almost the entire skier's body was now outside of the gate; only the feet and ankles were inside. Racers switched to using the outside arm to knock the turning pole aside. Slalom became "like skii_ng and playing tennis at the same time," Gollner quipped. Six decades ago, when racers began to use the reverse-shoulder form to win slalom competitions, recreational skiers copied it with the popular wedel technique. In contrast, the new armsand-hands slalom technique, though it has revolutionized racing, has exerted virtually no influence on the way you and I turn today .•
1 9 8 o
30 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
and bumps jus! appear from nowhere. You wonder what you're doing wrong and why you're exhausted halfway down the run.
the strength and endurance to master the most challenging runs. It's nice to be able to go top to bottom without stopping. "
You ask yourself, why's every turn I make so much harder than the one before? What's wrong is a combination of lack of
a.. .1gain
strength and endurance that lakes away your confidence ..This causes faulty body alignment which may cause you to fall. You have two choices - not ski challenging runs or work oullo become stronger.
By using my Skier's Edge Big Mountain machine for 20 minutes a day, I gain the strength and endurance to master the mosl challenging runs. It's nice to be able to
go top to bollom without stopping, The strength I've gained by using my Skier's Edge allows me to stay centered on my skis. I can tackle any pitch, moguls and powder with confidence.
I increase the level of my workout even

more by adding the Slope Simulator accessory to my machine. Slope Simulators train for the forward position and
You CANSki the Entire Mountain

BY DAVE JONES PSIA Level III Deer Valley, Utah, Featured in Skiing Magazine's Top 100 Inslructors , How many times have you been out skiing and decide to follow a friend down a steep run? It's a run that you've always wanted to do but didn't have the confidence to go
develops total balance and control. By removing the pins from the front and back, they float forward and aft, so I work my
ankles, shin and calf muscles. My goal is to keep my feet level while moving side to side in order 10 become stronger and improve my bolonce. By strengthening
Ihe muscles around my ankle, I can slay centered on my skis and not lean back. I am prepared for any terrain on the moguls.
mountain, including By following
this training routine on the
Skier's Edge, you'll be the skier who has the ability to ski the entire mountain and take any trail with confidence and style.
down, You go along, knowing that it's not in your comfort zone, You stay cool and try to psych yourself up. No big deal, right? Ha! The run is steeper than you thought
The Skiers
Edge Company'"
• Park City, UT
800-225-9669 Ext.171 • www.SkiersEdge.com/171
FALL LINE • SLOPESTYLE
o You may not own
a chalet in the Alps, but you can look the part in these chic winter wearables. By Valerie Gleaton
AUTUMN CASHMERE
Sophisticated Style
FUNNEl NECK
SWEATER Snuggle upfora cozy cabin weekend or Luxe lodge retreat in 100 percent cashmere .. $495; autumnca.sh-
mere. com
KAENON JOSS These shapely shades include polarized lenst.echnology and' are made with the female form (and'face) in mind. $209; kaenon.com
HELLY HANSEN SNOW CUTTER These blingy, waterproof boots come equipped with rubber running-shoe treads for stability and fauxfur liningfor comfort and added glam. $130; heUyhansen.com
32 SKI
OCTOBER 2010
NOTAFURFAN? No worries: The hood's trim is faux fur and fully detachable.
eiRE BENTLEY
Supple sheepskin gloves with cashmere linings pamper winter-chapped hands and fingers. $88jgrandoe.com
JAWBONE ICON
The Bluetooth device with voice command lets you talk, tweet and text-handsfree ..Professionalgrade noise cancelingtechnology blocks out wind and liftline chatter. $199jJawbone.com
WENGER L,OAFERHORN
Classic, full-grain leather slip-ons have lugged outsoles for navigating stick sidewalks. $99;
OCTOBER 2010
SKI
33
MIDFATS FLOAT, CARVE AND BUST THROUGH CRUD, EXPANDING THE MOUNTAIN
3411 Buyers Guide II SKI
SKI II BuyersGuide 1135
I Buyers Guide /I SK
II
NEW SKIS AND BOOTS COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE THIS SEASON. (OR AT LEAST MAKE YOU SKI BETTER.) HERE'S HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT ONES FOR YOU.
Among skiers, there are universally shared hardships. Frostbite. Liftlines. And trying to navigate your way through rack after rack of skis and boots in a busy ski shop. It's intimidating, we know. But there's nothing more important to your skiing than getting on the right gear. And after a few years or roughly 100 hard-charging days on the hill, the "right" gear usually means newgear. Read the category descriptions to the right, decide which best suits you, and flip to the corresponding section. A couple ofthings to keep in mind:
so if you think you're at least an advanced intermediate, most of these skis will be excellent improvement tools to take you to the next level. (Payclose attention to each ski's Forgiveness numbers: The higher the number, the easier it is to ski.) CHEAPER-AND EASIER,TOO Advanced intermediates or below should check out the skis in our value section ("The $700 Showdown," p. 90), which have a broad range of ability parameters. Orfind an expert ski you think you might like, and ask for the next ste p downless aggressive and less expensive-in that line. (Ski manufacturers make many skis from the same mold, adjust~ ing performance levels by using different materials.)
So read the reviews (starting on p, 64), check out the numbers (p. 88), and talk to friends and shop staffers. Then bring this issue with you when you're looking to buy. It will help demystify the process. (As for frostbite and liftlines, we found a cure for those, too. Several, actually. Just ask your favorite apres bartender.)
CONTENTS 38 Trends 2011 This season's exciting innovations 46 Makeover The right boots matter: a before-and-after 54 Ski Anatomy What's your ski made of? 56 Boot Anatomy How a boot is built 58 What You Need to Know Tips on buying and maintaining 64 Skis 73 award-winning models, tested and reviewed 88 The Data The numbers behind our ranki ngs 90 The $700 Showdown Winners that won't break the bank 94 Boots We suffered ...so you won't have to. The 49 best. SKI CATEGORIES
IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING NICE TO SAY•••Every ski and boot we feature here is a medal winner. (Wedon't review gear that doesn't make the cut.) In other words, all of the skis and boots you see on these pages is worthy. Your choice is a matter of preference, dependent on variables such as your skiing style, favorite terrain and perso naItaste. CREAM OF THE CROP All skis in our terrain-based categories are high-performance. Good expert skis should be forgiving,
64168 DeepSnow Skis > Specialists built to smear through the deep. Great "cheater" skis for intermediates, too. (98~128 mm waists)
72177 MixedSnow Skis > All-mountain skis appropriate mostly for softe r snow. A Western~ er's one-ski quiver. (80-98 mmwaists)
82/85 HardSnow Skis > Narrow-waisted carvers for the groomed. An Eastern everyday tool; a specialist out West. (Up to 84 mm waists)
BOOT CATEGORIES
95/100 Speed Boots > Snug, stiff. For experts who crave speed and precision-and knowagood bootfitter.
96/100 Freeride Boots > A little softer for versatility in all terrai n, but still expert-level high-performance boots.
99/106 Comfort Boots > Warm, soft, roomy; footfriendly but structured enough to help intermediates improve.
SKI II BuyersGuide
1137
FOR VERY GOOD REASON, ROCKER GETS MOST OF THE ATTENTION. BUT THE NEW YEAR BRINGS AN UNUSUALLY FRUITFUL CROP OF INNOVATIONS.
____ .._ ..e-_-_-'-="' "_-_-_ __-_-_~__ ...

TRADITIONAl.
..
...
...
.._,
......: _,__
CAMBER (EXAGGERATED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES)
Rocker isn't just for powder anymore. Turns out it was never just for experts, either. So over the past two years we've seen it creep onto frontside skis aimed at various ability levels, where it serves two purposes. One is shock absorption: A raised tip, when it hits a bump, doesn't jolt you like a cambered tip wilt; the impact is gradual. And if yours not getting tossed around+sey, in bumps or crud=it's easier to balance. The other purpose is, well, call it forgiveness, because "pivotability" isn't a word. For those still turning their skis by pivoting them, a raised, unpressured tip is less grabby on the snow. Go ahead, twist your torso, and skid your skis with enhanced ease. When you're ready to tip them on edge and carve like a pro, there's still plenty of sidecut to work with. But it's still in powder, glorious powder, that rocker comes into its own. It's changing the
3SIISuyers Guide 1/ SKI
LET US IROCK
___
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--111!!!!'- _~_ - - - __ - - __ _ ~_-
liP AND TAIL ROCKER, CAMBER UNDERFOOT
_______________
FULL ROCKER
way experts ski: They can go faster, harder, longer. Yet at the same time" it's the perfect learning tool for powder newbies. How's it work? Let's break it down. BIGSEXY TIPS This is the most immediately intuitive benefit. Combine massive width with rocker, and the result is a tip that simply won't dive. Everyone wins: novices, because keeping tips up in powder is one of the hardest things to master; experts, because they can stand more aggressively, with more shin-boot pressure, knowing they won't go over the handlebars. THE SCHMEAR Srnearing=i.e., skidding in powder-gives
experts new options, with more nuanced control over speed and line. Example: treeskiing. You find a llne, descend it, then hunt laterally for the next one. 'Ifthe next line isn't too far left, say, you can set a strong right-footer, pop as far across the hill as possible, then set a left-footer at the top of the new line..But if that next line is just a little too far? Old school: Throw in a couple turns to set up (losing speed), School of Rocker: After making that strong right-footer, make one big messy smeared left-footer that gets you all the way over to the new line. Skid, skid, skid, until you have a good angle, then set an edge and charge. One turn, skidded+ smeared. Like a GS
racer drifting straight at the next gate, then hammering the edge into a carve at the last moment. It's faster. It even makes its own special sound, exactly like a Bronx cheer. THEE-BRAKE Flotation and smearing 'let you ski powder at unprecedented speeds. And when you see that cliff band ahead? Rocker lets you drop anchor instantly. Lean back on those tails and throw a huge spray. Cambered skis just don't let you get them sideways as quickly. Is it still fun to ski powder on midfats and unrockered fatties? Hec k yeah. But it's like super-sidecut: Those who have embraced its charms will have a hard time going back.
CUSH~ SUSPENSION
SKI II BuyersGuide II
THE STATE OF THE ART
TAPER CAPERS
"Taper" is the difference in width between a ski's tip and taiL On hardpack, wider tails remain engaged longerfor stronger turn finishes; narrow ones feel slippery and easy. Turns out a narrower tail gives you options in powder, too. Stand aggressively when things are going well, lean back and bury that tail at the first sign of trouble, While your tips remain floaty and maneuverable, unwanted speed is scrubbed instantly. It gives you courage for steep lines and huge landings. Examples:. the now venerable K2 Pontoon and the amazing, returning Rossignol
THE GARAGE BRANDS
There used to be some 250 snowboa rd brands in the U.S.,before a massive consolidation shrank that number to somethi ng like 70 this year. Where did all those manufacturing presses go? Welcome to the age of indie ski brands. We counted 41 independent brands attending this year's nationa Itrade show. Some (A:rmada, 4FRNT) ar~ here to stay; some are clever innovators with bright futures and passionate followers (Liberty, Wagner, lcelantic); some just seem like hobbies for kids with too muc:htime on their ~ands. We spent some time with the indie-brand skis duri ng two days of testing at Breckenridge, Colo. Look for the
results laterthis season andon i
m.Pictured:Ice
tic Ke)
!..--=l11
When the double-wides first came out, they seemed like pi.blicity stu nts. But designs have improved, and while most of us aren't lucky enough to need a dedicated deeppowder tool in the everyday quiver, these giants really can't be beat for making the most of monster storms ..The biggest beasts are more than twice as wide as skis of the recent past. Examples: Line Prophet 130 (130 mm), VolklKuro ) (132 mm), K2 Pontoon (130 mm) and Nordica Jah Love {140 rnrn),
THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF HUGENESS
40 II Buyers Guide II SKI
Remember, it's grass, not wood. Whatever: Trendy bamboo continues to demonstrate its amazing versatility in new uses every day. They bu ild bike fra mes out of it, why not skis? Salomon leads the way among mainstrea m brands with ba mboo laminatesin the Czar and Shogu n. Liberty goes all.the way, building its Helix 176 (andothersl around a ba mboo core. Watch to see if other brands adopt this highly renewable resource.
BAMBOO 2.0
BINDINGS: THE ANTHREND
Marker takes aim at the Fritchi Freeride with a new AT binding, the Tour. As far as alpine models, there's not mu ch new. Th e Duke-Ma rker's burly hybrid-rocked the world five years ago, and its Royal Family of models-including the Jester and Baron-are big sellers. Last year, Knee Binding introduced a product designed to save you r ACL. (Still too small a sample size to know if they work, though we vouch for their skiability.)
BACKCOUNTRY
FOR ALPINERS
What's fueling the AT boom? Gear like this: stout enough to keep spoiled alpiners happy on th e descent but light and functional enough for unambitious touring. Mainstrea m com panies continue to exploit the new category. Exam~ ples: Salomon Quest 12, Tecnica AgentAT and BC,Atomic's Tracker series, Lange's Blaster (and women's Delight) and Dalbello's Virus (see p. 42). Ski-walk features, grippy soles, roomier fits and lighter constructions make them eager companions for freeride adventure beyond the ropes.
THE VANISHING
BUCKLE
They are, after all, heavy and expensive and prone to breakage. So how few bu ckles ca n still get the job done? Salomon has been at it for a couple years with boots like the Ghost. Nordica debuted its flashy Ace of Spades last December and bui It a new Freeride collection around it. For now, it's mostly park-oriented stuff. But don't be surprised to see the fewer-is-more trend migrating to all-rnounta in boots.
SKI II BuyersGuide II 41
BRAND INNOVATIONS
HIGH STYLE
FLEXIBLE FIT
Ready for a red-plaid ski boot? Even if you're not, you have to admire the exuberance of Full Tilt's 2011 styles. Quilted panels, decorative zippers, gym-sock cuffs (as in the Hot Dogger) put the fun in freeriding, though skiers of a certain age might want to go with something a little more conservative.
Atomic's new Live Fit technology, featured in models like theLF 90, has a flexible panel in the troublesome "sixthtoe" area ofthe bootalong the outside wa [1. It expa nds to accommodate widerfeet. Feet that aren't constricted are warme r,more relaxed and easier to
~ .....~::----......~balanceJ ..........
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An all-carbon boot would bethe ultimate in power and quickness. The problem: It'd be so stiff you couldn't get into it. Solution: The Dodge boot's curved spine leaves room to slide in. We hear amazing things, but for now it's a race application. We'll
LIGHTEN UP
ONE-BOOT QUIVER
fortheATersion. v
As with the Krypton series, long popular among park and pipe crowd, Glen Plake took a lead role in the design of Dalbello's newest offering, the Virus. It belongs in the emerging alpine/AT hybrid category (see page 41), blend ing the best of alpine performance with acceptable
toura]
Itls not the Shape of the Ski. Itls the Shape of the Skier.
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BRAND INNOVATIONS
IS COOL Carving needs a new publicist. Its charms are undeniable-a seductive mix of speed, G-forces, smoothness. Every good skier does it; few will admit loving it. If speed is yourthing and fresh, firm corduroy beckons, you'll wa nt a ski that isn't afraid to admit it's a carver. Try Nordica's Firearrow. The graphics say "Dude, can Icrash on your couch?" but the race~ ready construction and hybrid GS/slalom sidecut are all business.
CARVING
PUSHING LIMITS
Embracing roc ker much? How about five flavors of it, aimed at every level of skier ability? K2 retired the Apache line this year and unveiled its new AMP line to cover the frontside needs of all-mountain skiers. Mea nwh ile, it continues its headlong plu nge into the mainstreaming of backcou ntry adventure. The returning Ba.ckside line, accessorized with climbing skins, packs, telescopic poles and the li ke, attempts to inspire lift slaves to ventu re beyond the boundaries with models like the Darkside, Sidestash and Coomback.
'\_____J
THREE DAYS IN SALT LAKE CITY FOR A SALES CONFERENCE. WHERE DO "LIFT TICKETS" GO ON AN EXPENSE REPORT?
II
HOW MUCH DOES EQUIPMENT REALLY MATTER? CAN GOOD SKIERS GET BETTER IF THEY'RE IN THE RIGHT GEAR? WE THINK SO. TO PUT IT TO THE TEST, WE TOOK TWO TELLURIDE LOCALS AND EQUIPPED THEM FOR SUCCESS. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED ...
THE MAKEOVER
alignment, even just a tiny bit? The results were spectacular. And hilarious. With just a halfdegree of unneeded cant, inward or outward, lifelong rippers were reduced, instantly, to whining babies who couldn't buy a turn. They could n't believe how bad they were, or how big a difference a little cantingmade .. Depending on your biomechanics, proper stance alignment is usually the most important factor to address. But it's not the only one. You can't steer a ski with a sloppy-fitting boot. Improper flex compromises balance-too stiff, it knocks you fore and aft; too soft, and you don't have the support
SURE,IT'SAPOOR craftsman who blames his tools and all that. But what if,.you know, it really is your tools that are holding you back? In fact, we've always had our suspicions that a significant number of skiers are poorly equipped to succeed, especially when it comes to proper boot-fit and stance-alignment. And that gave us an idea What if we identified a couple of candidates and set them up properly? Would we see an immediate difference? And would they appreciate the difference? As we suspected, yes. But first, some background. The idea was hatched a while back during a week of boot
testing at Mount Bachelor, Ore. There was an interesting new product that year-a boot with adjustable cant. The sale could be unlocked, and the boot could then be tilted inward or outward in relation to the sale to match the skier's biomechanics. For various reasons, the boot wasn't a commercial success. But it was an interesting project. And it got us thinking: What would it be like to try to ski if, like so many avid skiers, we were starting from the disadvantage of poorly aligned stance? What would happen if we took our hotshot testers and knocked them out of
you need. Flimsy footbeds don't provide support. Old, packed-out lin ers lack leverage over your ski. Aging plastic loses resiliency and grows brittle. You get the idea. We gave our guinea pigs new boots and set them up with one of the best bootfitters we know. We brought in an instructor to assess technique before and after. The results? Read on.
FOR ALL THE DETAILS "
GO TO sKIMAG.COMI
MAKEOVER_
.••
4611 Buyers Guide II SK
PHOTOGRAPHS
ElY KElti "ASCETTA
NEW BOOTS-WITH PROPER FIT AND FLEX-MIGHT BE ALL YOU NEED. BUT MOST OF US COULD USE SOME HELP, FROM FOOTBEDS TO CANTING. IF YOU MAKE ONE UPGRADE THIS SEASON, THIS IS A GOOD ONE.
ette ? ere.
GEARING UP
) THE GURU We didn't just choose Telluride, Coto., as the tocate for our makeover project because it's beautiful and the skiing's great. We went there to enlist the services of Bob Gleason, owner of The Boot Doctors. Gleason, an equipment tester for SKI, is one of the preemi nent bootfitters in the country. Not everyone will be lucky enough to have access to him, but there are competent pros like him in almost every ski town now. Seek them out.
) FIT FIRST Gleason quickly zeroes in on appropriate models for our subjects, then selects sizes that fit snugly but comfortabty. Tight spots can always be expanded later; it's only a sloppy fit that can't be fixed. One of Gleason's subjects dicksinto a ski simulator (left) to get an idea of how two different boots will fit and feel in action.
) FOUNDATIONS Next, customization. Step 1 is always the footbed.lf you've already got a custom job, it can be reused in your new boot. If not, get one. Stock footbeds, shaped to fit the masses and often made of flimsy materials, don't support your foot sufficiently. A custom foot bed is more rigid and substantial, and is shaped to conform to your foot, giving you improved leverage over the ski and a more precise fit, especially in the critical arch area.
4811 Buyers Guide 1/ SKI
> DIAGNOSIS Both our makeover candidates have alignment issues. As is typical, our male skier was slightly bowlegged; our female skier, knockkneed ..Gleason starts by locating the center of knee mass (the black dots, right) usingcalipers. Next, he has the subject stand on cant wands (far right). The wands are rockered underneath, so the skier can stand neutrally (without being forced inward or outward by the boots' flat, rigid sales and constricting cuffs). Thewands, which rise perpendicularly to the boot sales, show Gleason how far out of alignment the subject is. He then uses calibrated wedges to bring the skier into alignment, thus determining how much adjustment is needed.
) CANTING Once he's determined how much and in which direction to cant the boot.it's time to plane the sales. Of all bootfitting processes, grinding cants is the most complex. It's irreversible, so choose your technician carefully or risk needtessly ruining a pair of boots. Gteason shaves each boot's sale at the appropriate angte. Or, in the case of our male candidate's new Langes, he removes the toe and heel plates, inserts cant wedges, then screws the plates back on (left). Naturally this affects the way the boot interfaces with a binding, so, using epoxy, Gleason builds the top face of each lug back up to where it's square with the bottom, so that it fits as intended into a binding. And that's it.
) FILMMAKER Don Hannah is as avid as skiers come: on snow at age 3, moved to Telluride right after high school and skis about 80 days per year ..He's comfortable in any terrain, prefers steep powder and is, by any standard, a good skier. And yet, when we asked John Balmain, an aceTelluride Ski School instructor with 29 years of experience, to analyze Hannah's technique, Balmain zeroed in instantly on his one flaw. Hannah recalls, 'John took one look and said, 'Wow, you're rock-solid on this side, but you're allover the place on the other.'" Which wasn't surprising, since like a lot of men Han nah is significantly bowlegged.
50 II Buyers Guide 1/ SKI
TOUCHY EDGE
RESULT: LESS
AfTER
) AS INSTRUCTOR Balmain notes, "If you're a good athlete, you can adapt your technique to overcome an alignment problem." And that's what Hannah has been doing, quite successfully, all his life. Still, he knew he had issues. "It wasn't ever a problem on steep,ungroomed stuff," he says. "But on groomers it was obvious. Iwas over-edging in certain situations, which was especi ally noticeable when Iwas maching on the groomers to get back to the lift. I'd have no position to stand solidly against it. Gleason's solution: The Lange R130 looked like the best fit for Hannah's foot, with a stout flex to match his size and aggressiveness. Gleason molded new footbeds, shaping them to leave room for Hannah's rigid midfoot to flex. Then he built in 1 degree of cant, high on the outside, to effectively soften the inside edge of the ski. In his new, canted boots, Hannah had some adjustments to make and some techniques to relearn. But with coaching
problem in powder, but on any hard-packed snow, the twitchiness would make my heart jump sometimes ..It could be terrifying. It's always that kind of stuff where you blow a knee out." Over-edging is exactly what he was prone to. Because h is knees were outside, he had too much leverage over the inside edge. His outside ski wanted to hook up and carve in a new turn before his body was in a
from Balmain, he was soon carving clean trenches on the hardpack. "Once Iwas corrected, I had complete confidence to ski with impunity on any slopes," Hannah says. "It made me feel very much centered, more on top of the skis than I was prior to being properly aligned."
) IF MEN TENDTO BE bowlegged, the reverse is true of women. We asked Balmain to scout out a knock-kneed Telluride local, and he didn't have to look hard. Maribeth Clemente is a travel writer and professional shopping consultant. Her sense of style is unassaila ble; her ability to set an edge ...different story. Not that she's a bad skier. Balmain knew her as a colleague on the Telluride Ski School staff. All that instructor analysis only made her more aware of her one shortcoming. "My whole ski life, I've had a hard time getting on edge-rolling my ankles, setting an edge, all the things you need to do to ski really well and carve a turn."
RESULT: A STRONG
INSIDE EDGE
AfTER
) CLEMENTE'S affliction is so common it has a name: the "A-frame," which describes the angles of a knock-kneed woman's shins. Because her downhill knee is already inside as she enters a new turn, it has nowhere to go when she wants to tip that ski on edge. As Balmain puts it, she's "under-edged," meaning she has difficultypressuring the inside edge. So she's a chronic skidder+graceful and poised, but not quite using the ski's flex and sidecut to carve. drills, being knock-kneed, there was no way Iwas going to get the right edging.ljust wasn't physiologically set up to do what I need to do. The canting fixed that. Mission accomplished." Well, sort of. More like; The groundwork for a successful mission has been laid. Clemente needs time to adjust and says the new edginess of her skis gave her some difficulty at first. When pressed, she admitted she ran back to the familiarity of her old boots to get through a week of end-of-season lessons.
Gleason began with a Salomon Idol9, a good fit for her foot shape. He added a quarter-inch of heel lift und er new custom footbeds to improve her limited ankle flexion. Most important, he ground a fulll.S degrees of cant into her sales, high on the inside, to allow h er to more easily pressure the inside edge. "It's been a big source of frustration," Clemente says. "No matter how much I pr acticed, did the
But that's not surprising. Both of our subjects, after lifetimes spent compensating for biomechanical disadvantages, need to adjust to new atignments. But Balmain, our trained eye, could see instant results+and predicts technique breakthroughs for both in the coming season.
HOW WILL A SKI PERFORM ON THE HILL? IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT'S INSIDE.
ANATOMY
) TOPSHEET The top
) SIDEWALL The vertical plastic side of a laminateconstruction ski. Differing densities of material yield different performance characteristics. ) BASE A sheet of plastic, usually high-density polyethylene. Typically "structured" with microgrooves that help to reduce suction and promote glide. ) EDGE A strip of stainless steel integrated into the layup
layer of a ski, typically a sheet of clear plastic with the ski's graphics printed on its underside
) LAMINATES Sheets of reinforcing materialusually metal or fiberglass fabric-layered above and below the core. Metal laminates tend to make a ski more damp and stable; fiberglass light and lively. ) CORE The primary structural elementwood or foam-around which the ski is built. Some foam cores (the good ones) are milled to precise shapes from foam blanks, then laid into the ski mold; other foam cores (derisively known as "squirties") are simply injected through the tail into a hollow shell of a ski (a cheap and imprecise manufacturing method). Wood coreswhich are generally heavier, more durable and more damp-are made by laminating vertical strips of wood together (think plywood tipped on edge).
) MIDFAT A loosely defined category of skis, prized for their versatility. They're not as wide as specialized powder skis nor as narrow as speed or race skis. Today's midfats-typically 85 to 95 mm atthe waist-are generally wider than those of recent years. ) MOLD A metal plank with a ski-shaped cavity milled into it. Typically, ski components (and a liberal amount of epoxy) are placed into the mold, which is then subjected to intense heat and pressure to bond the components and squeeze out excess epoxy.
) SIDECUTThenarrowing of a ski at its waist; aids in turning when the ski is tipped on edge and pressured into an arc
) SIDECUTRADIUS
A measurement, in meters, of the depth of a ski's sidecut curvature.

) TAPER The difference between the tip and tail widths. A ski with a smaller taper generally initiates ares easily, resulting in a tumier ski, while a ski with a larger taper is less "hooky" and easier to skid. ) TITANAL The brand name of the aluminum alloy commonly used in laminates ) TITANIUM A lustrous white metal prized for its strength-to-weight ratio; often alloyed with aluminum for use in laminates ) TORSIONAL RJGIDITY
G.LOSSA RY
) CAMBER The convex
curvature built into the length of a ski. Distributes the pressure of a skier's weight to the tip and tail. giving the ski more grip on the snow.
) DAMPENING The reduction of the vibrationsthatoccurwhena ski is in motion. A dampened ski is better able to hold an edge in the snow-but might lack liveliness. .. ) DIMENSIONS Tip, waist
) PRE~PREGA type of prefabricated laminate used to reinforce cores. Sheets offiberglass fabric are impregnated with epoxy, cured, then cut to fit the ski's width and placed in the mold.
) ROCKER (REVERSE CAMBER) The opposite
and tail widths-an expression of the shape ofaski
of camber, curving upward off the snow, fore and aft. Used in powderspecific skis for ease and better float.
A ski's ability to resist twisting, often achieved by aligning glass fibers across the core at an angle (see "torsion box"), By increasing torsional rigidity, a manufacturer can make a lighter, metalfree ski that still holds an edge on hardpack.
LAMINATES
BASE
BASIC CONSTRUCTION TYPES

) LAMINATE OR "SANDWICH" Prized for ) TORSION BOX The core, usually wood, is encased in fiberglass, then epoxy-soaked and cured. So named because it resists twisting (see "torsional rigidity," left). It can produce a lighter sk.i-no metal neededwithout sacrificing edge-grip. .
its power and edge-hold, the ski is built+or "laid up'--ln horizontal layers. Typicallaminate construction: base sheet, then a sheet of pre-preg fiberglass, then a sheet of metal, then the core, then metal, then fiberglass, then topsheet.
> CAP The top layer(s) arch from one edge to the other, so that the top of the ski is rounded, rather than flat. Sometimes thetopsheetis reinforced and plays a structural role (a"loadbearing cap"), but usually it's cosmetic, with performance attributes determined by core design. Though typically a less expensive construction, cap skis vary widely in performance and price.
ILLUSTRATION
ElY STEPHEN IIENESKI
YOUR BOOTS ARE YOUR FOUNDATION. HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF.
GLOSSARY
) BOOTBOARD The platform inside the boot shell on which the liner rests; usually removable; also referred to by its Italian name,zeppa ) FOOTBED The removable platform-located inside the liner-on which the foot rests ) LINER The removable inner boot, usually made of foams, leather and plastics; it provides padding for the foot to protect it from the rigid shell. ) LUGS (TOE AND HEEL) The portions of the shell's sale that interface with a ski binding; must meet industry standards for size and shape; sometimes replaceable in the event of wear. ) SHAFT ALIGNMENT The lateral orientation of the cuff in relation to the lower shell; usually adjustable on at least one side of the cuff, so that the cuff can be angled to match the angle of the skier's leg.
) CANT The lateral (sideto-side) angle of the boot in relation to the ski. Boots can be canted to lean inward or outward, usually by grinding the sale at an angle, to give the skier better access to all four ski edges. ) SHELL The plastic exterior components of the boot, usually comprisingtwo components: the cuff and the lower. ) LAST The shape of the interior cavity of a boot. "Last" is a cobbler's term for the footlike form around which shoes were once crafted.
FO
ILLUSTRATION
BY STEPHEN ISENESKI
BEFORE YOU WALK INTO THE SHOP, READ THIS. FROM HOWWE TEST TO HOW TO SIZE, HERE.'S YOUR COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO BUYING GEAR. HOWWETEST
We corral a tea m of expert testers+Sl former racers, instructors, retailers and bootfitters=all of whom are natur al gea r analysts. Manufacturers enter their best skis and boots for each category, and testers put them through their paces, filling out test cards as they go..Testers rank each and comment extensively about its behavior on every type of terrain. (Sound like a good job? See page 61 to find out how to join our team of "civilian" testers.) We collect test cards, enter data, and award medals ta those skis with the highest average scores acras s all criteria. UsuaUyonly half of what the manufacturers enter win medals. Then we write reviews based on our testers' cards, and give you the data you need to pick the right gear for the upcoming season.
SPECIAL THANKS
Snowbird Resort
Chaos Hats
HeHyHansen Mountain Hardwear Smartwool Komperdell Kombi Bolle
S8118uyers Guide II SKI
Nothing makes us realize how much a tune matters more than skiing the test fleet. (Except maybe getting back on our own equipment after skiing the test fleet, when we could swea r our bases were coated in peanut butter.) Every night of the test, and even in between runs, product managerssome of the best tuners in the business-slave over their skis with files
WHAT ABOUT TUNING?
So wh ether you invest in sometools for regular maintenance (doing it yourself is rea lly not that hard) or take you r skis to a shop, you should sharpen your edges and wax your bases after five to seven days on the hill, depending on conditions and terrain.
makes you a better skier~
and diamond stones. The result is astonishing: A good tune
!!!
..
II
..
'II!I
,.
...........
You don't have to have an engineering degree to understand a ski's dynamics. In each review, we provide the tip, waist and tail widths (in millimeters), which give you a good idea oflhe terrain it's built for and how it will likely behave. Wider skis (100 mm underfoot and up) float and smear better in powder, while narrow skis (70-80 mm underfoot) turn quickly and bite into ice. Anything in between (BO-IOO mm underfoot) is a versatile, all-mountain ski. The difference between the tip
and tail-called the taper anglecan teU you how forgiving a ski is:
WHAT ARE DIMENSIONS?
p
SIDECUT RADIUS
III
til
..
II
SIDECUT
11-
........
WHAT IS SIDECUT RADIUS?
A narrower tail (or large taper angle) is easier to skid, and therefore easier to ski. A wider tail (or small taper angle) stays true to its arc longer, lending a stuck-to-the-snow feel that experts can appreciate. (See Trends, p. 38, for more on how taper angle can affect aski in powder.)
This measu rement describes a ski's sidecut, and illustr ates what type of tu rns the ski is most comforta ble rnaking. Skis with a small radius-and deep sidecut-tend to prefer short, quick turns; those with a long radius like to run. The measurement (in meters) refers to the arc of the sidecut.lmagine extending that arc into a huge imaginary circle. The sidecut radius would be the radius of that circle. Most skis keep their dimensions (tip, waist and tail widths-see left) the sa me regardless of the ski's size, which means the radius changes accordingly. So generally, the longer the ski, the longer turns it prefers. However some brands maintain the same side cut radius, changing their dimensions instead, so the ski ca rves the same regardless of length. . (Notice we said "carve." If you're skidding your turns, sidecut is irrelevant.)
Don't be scared by the dollar signs. The price is what the rnanufacturers suggest, not what you're likely to pay, depending on the location of the shop, popularity of the product or the time of year. You'll often find higher prices in ski towns, but you can trust the staff to know their stuff-which is usually worth it. However, you can fi nd great deals at urban shops, and make your purchase before you get to the hill. The best places to buy tend to be shops that offer tu ning and bootfitting. Their salespeople are the most educated. And, if you do need work done, the shop that sold the gear should make it right.
WHATISMSRP?
Testers rank each ski in nine criteria: Flotation, Stability, Quickness, Rebound, Crud, Forgiveness, Hard-Snow Performance, Balance of SkiUsand OveraUImpression. A database program corrects for standard deviation (some testers are generous; some stingy). We rank according to average across all criteria, with 100 being the perfect score.
HOW DO YOU RANK THE SKIS?
Generally speaking, experts will want skis that stand at or above the eyebrows; intermediates at the chin. For powder skis, especially those with rocker, which tend to ski shorter, you may want to go longer (5 cm or so); for carvers, go a little shorter ..It's also a matter of preference. If you like to make tight, quick turns, go shorter. Forfast, aggressive skiingespecially off·piste-opt for more length.
WHAT SIZE SKI DO I NEED?
Every ski size and sha pe has its own mold, which determines the shape and length of the finished product. In a laminate-construction ski, the materials are placed into the mold fro m the bottom up: edges and base material first, then sidewalls, then a couple of lam inates (typicaUyfiberglass or metal), then the pre-shaped core, then a couple more laminates and finally the topsheet, a clear layer with the graphic printed on its underside. A heated press squeezes out extra epoxy. The ski is then cleaned up and tuned. Once it's cured, it's ready for the slopes. (SeeAnatomy of a Ski, p. 54.)
HOW ASKIIS MADE
60 II Buyers Guide II SKI
Sure, new skis are sexier. But new boots will make you better. We can't say it enough: There is nothing more importa nt to your skiing tha n a boot that fits properly and suits your ability leveL That's not to say we don't understand why you're still rock ing your old, packed out pairwe, too, dread the bootbuying process. But it's worth it. First, you should visit several shops, trying on as many brands and models as you can stand. (A boot fitter can shorten this processand enable you to make your initial fit more snug-by customizing your shell for roughly
$150.)
A BOOT
HOW TO BUY
RATINGS 140~150 >
II/BOOT FLEX
Stiff as bricks. For elite male World Cup racers only Still really stiff. Lindsey Vonn-stiff. ForWorld Cup women and heavyweight and/or aggressive expert men Brawny but bendable. For most highexpert men, heavyweight intermediate men and aggressive expert women BO~90 > Comfortable, but structured. For intermediate men, expert women, lightweight/ nonaggressive expert men, junior racers, expert teens
120-130 >
100-110 >
Don't get distr acted by things like canting, "fur" liners or alloy buckles: You need to first find a good fit A knowledgeable salesperson will take out the liner and have you step in the shelL With your toes touching the front, you should be able to slide your hand down the backandfitoneanda half fingers between yourheelandtheshe~ Never buy a boot that is too big: You need a snug fit to steer a ski. When you find a shell that fits, you'll need to find the appropriate flex withinthat line. Though it gives you a good idea about the level of performance a boot offers, ratings are not standardized, so your own flex test is more important. In a heated ski shop, you should be able to squat, flexing the boot forward without being thrust in the bac k seat.
60~70>
For novices, lightweight intermediate women and kids
a different perspective on gear, but provides you, our loyal readers, with the opportunity of a lifetime. Last year's guest testers followed the same protocol as the pros, working their way through each category and filling out test cards. Though we kept their results separate for consistency's sake, here's what they liked best:
r"'--J
'"'HOW CAN I BE A TESTER?

We know what you're thinking: Testing next year's skis in Snowbirdfresh powder, a fun crew and a few boisterous nights at the bar-sounds like a tough job. Well, if you thi nk you can hack it, conti nue reading. Our guest tester program, where "civilians" join our team and test along with the pros, not only gives us
Eric Weber> Atomic Access (not medalled) David Hansen> Vtilkl Bridge (Value Skis,p.92) Eliza Hillhouse> K2 Burnin' Luv (Hard-Snow Skis, p. 96) Mark Lester> V6lkl Kendo (MixedSnow Skis, p, 75) To sign up for this year's program, stay tuned to skirnag.corn. We'll post info after the snow faUs.
SKI TEST ROSTER

> CAROL BEALE, 42, 1451bs. Bootfitter for 18 years; runs The Bootlab at First Run Ski Shop in Stratton, Vt.; certified pedorthist > KIM BEEKMAN, 34, 1151bs. SKI's managing editor; Coloradonative > ER IK BOLLER, 39, 190 lbs, Repair manager of Rennstall for Ja ns ski shop in Park City, Utah; ex-racer; Snowbird local
> TODD CASEY, 41, 190 lbs, PSIA Level IIIalpine and telemark instructor at Copper Mountain, Colo.
> JOE CUTTS, 47,240 Ibs. SKI.'sdeputy editor and equ ipment test director; Vermont native > VICTORIA DAWSON, 34, 14S Ibs. Head J4-5 coach at Snowbird, Utah; 2002 us. freeskiing champion
> MARK ELLING, 41, 1851bs. Educational director at Masterfit University; master bootfitter in Oregon
> RAY GARRETT, 47,150 Ibs. Boot department manager, Basin Ski Shop, Killington, Vt., for 21 years; certified pedor-
thist
) TRACY GIBBONS, 43, 138 Ibs. Co-owner of Sturtevant's ski shop in Bellevue, Wash.; former downhill and super G racer for the Ski Team
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) COURTNEY GILLET, 24, 130 lbs, Works in customer care at evo.com; former ski racer; Stevens Pass, Wash., native ) BOB GLEASON, 59., 1151bs. Senior instructor, Masterfit University; co-owner ofThe Boot Doctors shops in Telluride, Colo. ) STEPHANIE HUMES, 38, 1231bs. Hardgoods and store manager of Jans Mountain Experts at Park City Mour» tain Resort, Utah ) TIM MALONE, 34, 1651bs. Spent five years on the competitive race circuit; former instructor ) RACHEL MOSCARELLA, 46, 1351bs ..Veteran pro patroller a nd snow-safety director at Taos Ski Valley, N.M.
BOOT TEST ROSTER

) CAROL BEALE, see above ) JAMIE PRESTON, 46, 175 lbs. Former Middlebury College and Green Mountain Valley School racer; Wasatch local ) NEAL SCHOLEY, 39, 190 lbs, Backcountry snowcat ski guide with Cat Ski Mount Bailey; director of sales at Silver Mounta in Resort, Idaho ) HEATHER SCHULTZ, 45, 125 tbs. Women's gear director for Skiing Magazine; alpine/tete instructor for Vail and Beaver Creek; three-time Demo Team World Champion ) SARAH WILDE, 31, 1251bs. Former UVM racer; Str atton Mountain School grad; Cortina, Italy, ski bum ) BRIAN EARDLEY, 58, 172 lbs, Veteran bootfitter; certified pedorthist; ex-racer ) TOM FAVRO, 52, 1901bs. Master bootfitter in Vermont, 33"yearindustry veteran ) RAY GARRETT, see above ) BOBGLEASON,seeabove ) GALENA GLEASON, 30, 120 JIM SCHAFFNER, 52,225 lbs, Certified pedorthist; owner/ operator of Start Haus Ski Shop in Truckee, Calif.; former racer, instructor and coach
lbs, Pro freeskier; bootfitter;

Warren Miller athlete ) MEGAN MICHELSON, 28, 1381bs. Freeskiing editor at ESPN; 2010 Telemark Freeskiing Champion; ex-racer ) BOB REMIGER, 57, 165lbs. Co-owner and -founder of The Boot Doctors in Taos and Telluride; bootfitter for 28 yea rs; USSA .Masters racer
> HEATHER SCHULTZ, see above > HEATHER VAN GILDER, 36, 14i4illis. Spedalty retailer with BentGate Mountaineering and Larry's Bootfitting; Colorado native > BENNY WAX, 59, 1851bs. Manager of Inner Bootworks in Stowe, Vt.; certified pedorthist
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TESTER JAM.!E PRESTON
PHOTOGRAPH
BY DAN CAMPBELL
WAIST WIDTHS 98-128 mm WHO Experts who crave a powder specialist; advanced intermediates who want a powder-teachingtool WHAT Fat platforms and rockered profiles that float and smear through the deep WHERE Mostly untracked fresh, but rockered tips ease through cut-up crud, too
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GIRISH
NORDICA
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Deep Snow: 1 AVERAGE SCORE 87.2 DIMENSIONS 145-115-123 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 17.5m at 188 em MSRP $900 flat Think you're nota very good powder skier? Don't decide till you try the category-crushing 57. There's nothing special aboutthe construction: A sheet of Titanal gives it just enough power and dampness; 3D-degree sidewalls take a beating. The secret's in the shape. Traditional camber and sidecut underfoot provide a comfy home base. Tip and tail are rockered and reverse-sidecut. The tip is smeary, fioaty, undemanding; the tail sinks readily when you need to dump speed. The 57-No.1 in six criteria-forgives almost any mistake; and we tested the 195 cm. Ski as aggressively as you dare; it bails you out every time. "The ultimate powder tool," said Preston.
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Deep Snow: 2 AVERAGE SCORE 80.7 DIMENSIONS 131-111-121 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 44:7 m at 182 em MSRP $910 flat Last year's Czar struck testers as easy, but a little boring. This year's modeL, with its wood core a Uttle more sturdily reinforced, made a huge run up the ranking. It's still an easygoing ride, but now noticeably snappier and more dynamic. No ski was deemed more forgiving, but now the Czar puts up No.1 ranking in Quickness and a No.4 in Rebound Energy as weLl. MeanwhiLe, its rocker extends about a third of the way back from the tip-plenty of float and maneuverability in powder that both experts and intermediates will enjoy. "Well balanced; quick, snappy; some of the best rebound among the big skis," said Gleason.
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Deep Snow: 3 AVERAGE SCORE 80.0 DIMENSIONS
139-110-129 mm
slDECUT RADIUS
26mat185cm MSRP $999 flat
Girish-Sanskrit for "lord of the mountains"-is an apt name forthis versatile multitooL Every other ski in the category has one weakness, usually lack of quickness or hard-snow grip. The Girish puts up high scores across the board. A wood-core, metal-reinforced laminate layup gives it power and stability (and a No.2 ranking in Hard-Snow Grip), whiLe a touch of tip rocker-40 cm long, up to 4 mm high-gives it a nice looseness and creamy flotation in powder [and a No.2 ranking in Quickness). There are bigger, stronger skis, but none more versatile. "An all-mountain fat super-G ski with the godsend of rocker; perfect combination," said Etling.
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CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Deep Snow:
K2
ROSSIGNOL
56JI8 4
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Deep Snow:
THE ANSWER
BLIZZARD
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Deep Snow: 6
AVERAGE SCORE 7B.9 DIMENSIONS

139-108-127 23
mm
AVERAGE SCORE 77.B DIMENSIONS

140-110-133 mm
AVERAGE SCORE 77.1 DIMENSIONS

135-110-12S 2Bmat184cm MSRP $1,000 mm
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $950 flat

The tip and tail notches are for climbing skins-not required, but you get the idea. The Sidestashis buiLt for adventure in the kind of snow you might find beyond the ropes, with or without a short-tomedium hike. Rockered in the forebody and traditionally cambered underfoot, it tolerates hard pack, but greatly prefers soft snow and deep powder. If your snow is typically somewhere in between the two, you're in Luck: Testers ranked the Sidestash No.2 in Crud. More 'important: It ranks among the top three in Overall Impression. "BLends big-ski float with user-friendly agility; surprisingly forgiv.ing." said Gleason.
mat
174cm
SIDECUT RADIUS 21.3 mat 186 cm MSRP $800 flat

Yes, it's part of Rossi's "jib" collection, and yes, it's a full twin-tip, but the sensibLy priced 56 impressed testers (most of whom never ski backward-at least on purpose) with its combination of powderday surfiness and everyday skiability. This year's version is rockered tip-totail, so it has a pleasing, buttery feel in soft snow. But its rocker and sidecut work togetherto lay a nice long edge on hard pack. You have to be patient, but it'll carve. Testers clearly preferred Rossi's 57 (p. 69) for pure powder applications, but the 56 offers more aU-mountain versatility. "Best in deep snow, but handles aU surfaces nicely," said Garrett.
SIDECUT RADIUS
flat
The Answer is a rockered big-mount.ain twin-tip that's as lively as a fat ski can get (No.1 in Rebound) thanks to the subtleness of its rocker profile. In deep powder, some testers wished they had the 191-cm length for extra float, but the 184 was zippy in crud and pleasingly energetic on the groomed. The Answer comes with Blizzard's Slider binding interface, which accepts any binding, dismounts in seconds (so you can swap in another Slider· mounted binding), andaUows the ski to flex roundly fore and aft of its single mounting screw directly underfoot. "A versatile, all-around performer," said Malone.
DARKS IDE
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Deep Snow:
K2
6TH SENSE HUGE 7

Men's Deep Snow: 8
DYNASTAR
WATEA114
FISCHER
CATEGORY RANKING AVERAGE SCORE 75.5 DIMENSIONS 140·115·130 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 33mat185cm MSRP $820 flat
It's stilt a Lot of ski, but tip-and-taiL rocker and twin tips give the Huge a welcome measure of quickness and forgiveness. Testers preferred it overthe Legend 115, a non-twin Dynastar of comparable shape but with a more demanding, unrockeredtail. TheHugewas snappierthan testers expected for a ski with so much rocker. That's a function of Dynastar's interesting leaf spring core profile (stiff underfoot, progressively more supple tip and taitJ.ln powder, it's predictably fun and surfy. "Stiff and dynamic; light and floaty; a burly ski that doesn't forget how to have fun," said Malone,
AVERAGE SCORE 76.2 DIMENSIONS 156·128·144 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 25 mat 174cm MSRP $1,000 flat
If the Sidestash (leftJis built for a modicum of variable-snow versatility, the massive Darkside prefers powdery chutes and north faces. This year's version is rockered from just in front of the toepiece forward and cambered from there back. It's metal-free for lightness and ultra-wide forflotation (No. 2).lt bareLy tolerates hard snow and lacks quickness for typical inbounds conditions, but it's surprisingly forgiving (No ..3J in deep powder. Like other big, rockered skis, it's both a game·improvement tool for powder novices and an accomplished expert's big mountain slayer. "Super sturdy, but skis easier than you expect," said Preston.
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Deep Snow: 9 AVERAGE SCORE 75.3 DIMENSIONS 146-114-128 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 27 mat 186 em MSRP $895 flat
Fischer's widest ski features a subtly rockered forebody this year, along with Powder Hull Tecbnology-a tip shaped like a boat prow, the better to part the snow in its path. Given the 114's size, it still lacks quickness, but that's not a problem at speed in bottomless powder, where it thrives with a loose,smearyfeeL The rocker adds a dose of maneuverability, and powerful skiers will love its beefiness. The construction isa surprising blend of power in a Lightweight frame-wood core, metalfree, but with carbonbeam reinforcement. "Solid, stable and purposeful, with nice flotation," said Gleason,
VOLKL
GOTAMA
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Deep Snow:
••
RADICT
NORDICA
THE CRUSH
BLIZZARD
snow FREESKI
Women's
ROSSIGNOL
••
10 AVERAGE SCORE.74.8
DIMENSIONS SIDECUT RADIUS
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Deep Snow: 11
13H06-122 rnm
CATEGORY RANKING Women's Deep Snow: 1 AVERAGE SCORE 84.6

DIMENSIONS 132-98-122 mm SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $1,100 w/binding;
157-127-146 mm
CATEGORY RANKING Deep Snow: 2 AVERAGE SCORE 83.3 PIMENSIONS
140-110-118 mm
28.8 m at 185 em MSRP $825 flat
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $899
18.5 m at 185 em
flat
18mat184em $800 flat
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $800
14.8 mat 178cm
flat
The original backcountry twin-tip returns with minor modification this year. It's fully, but subtly, rockered, with a long, graduaL tip-to-taiL bend. Vii!kl takes care to make sure rocker and sidecut work together: Tip a Gotama up on groomers, and there's plenty of edge-to-snow contact for easy carving. But it's built for soft snow. It surfs and smears readily in powder and smoothly manages crud. There were more dynamic skis in the test, but the Gotama won accoLades for versatility and mellow user-friendliness. "A versatile tool for powder and crud-even carves on hardpack; fun and easy," said Casey.
The first thing you notice is how huge it is. Then the scary down. Then the tip profile: There's almost no upward curve to it. The new Radict has traditionaL camber underfoot-about 60 percent of its lengthwith pronounced rocker tip and tail. The tip rocker starts 40 cm back and rises almost a full 3 cm-so high there's no need for much additionaL tip curvature. The combination of width and rocker adds up to supreme flotation in the deepest pow. Testers had to punish it for Lack of versatility, but still gave itthe No.2 ranking for Overall Impression. "Surprisingly maneuverable for its size; super fun," said Casey.
Let's hope the still-small, reemergent Blizzard factory is fully staffed: These skis are goingto sell. The redesigned Crush blows through everything in its path. All you have to do is look down your line, and this ski will take you there. Steep, tight trees? Chuck yourseLfin. Chopped up crud? Ditto. Groomers? It rips. A rocketed tip and tail work with its sidecut for supreme contact on hard snow, making it the most versatiLe in the categorytops in Hard-Snow Grip, Crud, Rebound and stability. And yes, it smears lusciousLy through pow. "I couldn't goas fast as this ski wanted to," said Beale. "What a standout."
Rossi was among thefirst to incorporate rocker into a women's ski (Voodoo Pro BCllO). Now it unveils the Freeski, one of the first women's skis with rocker and reverse sidecut. Hence its funny shape: The tapered tip and tail smear better in the deep. With roughLy the same dynamics as the hugely popular S7 (No.1 in Men's Deep Snow, see p. 65), the is not built for versatility; it's buiLt to float effo rtLes sly th rough feet of velvety powder, where it handles speed so well you hardly notice the trees are a blur. For deepsnow purists, it can't be beat (No.1 in Overall Impression). "It could float the Titanic," said Dawson.
snow
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www.kastle-ski.com www.kaestle-adventuretours.com
YES, WE CARE.
How do you define the value of a product? Everybody is talking product passion these days. At KAsTLE, we believe in what we call "the care". Our products today go beyond the industry standards when it comes to quality criteria: 24 stone grinds and a hand finish before they leave the factory. beating the norm when it comes to ski pairing criteria, FSC certified wood cores in every single ski and the shortest supply chain of the industry located in the heart of the Austrian Alps. Do you need all of that to build a ski? Probably not, but we need it to manufacture the ski we want to build for you.
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GOT BACK Women's Deep Snow: 3 135-102-121 mm 18mat160cm

CATEGORY RANKING
K2
VOLKL
KIKU Women's Deep Snow:. 4
CATEGORY RANKING
NEMESIS
NORDICA
PANDORA
Women's Deep Snow: 6 142-115-139 mm 15.5 m at 172 cm
CATEGORY RANKING AVERAG;ESCORE 76.4 DIMENSIONS SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $800 flat
LINE
AVERAGE SCORE 78.9 DIMENSIONS SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $825 flat
AVERAGE
DIMENSIONS
SCORE 78.4
Women's Deep Snow: 5 135-98-125 mm 19mat169cm
CATEGORY RANKING
13H06-122mm
AVERAGE SCORE 76.8 DIMENSIONS SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $899 flat
SIDECUT RADIUS
20.5 m at 162 em MSRP $825 flat
Some skis are like good party guests: strong personalltles that Light up a room, but too much to handle in a long-term relationship. The new rocker-tipped Got Backfemale counterpart to the Coomback-is life-partner material: easygoing, dependable and forgiving (No.1) of even major mistakes. It's not beefy enough to bust through thick crud, but its lightweight feel is easy on the thighs-and ideal for earning your turns, if you're into that kind of thing (K2 skins clip into holes in the tip and tail). Intermediates, this is your mentor. Experts, relax and enjoy the ride. "Any skier will love it," said Beale.
Gradual rocker from tip to tail is the Kiku's secret to unsurpassed smoothness. It's steady, damp and humming with Viilkl power. Testers scored it high in Flotation (No.3), Crud Performance (No.3) and Overall Impression (No. 2J.lt craves long turns and virgin powderthe most, but when prodded, it's not too stubborn to hustle through tight trees and bumps, too. You do have to steer it from exactly the right spot; but for those who find that spot, the rewards are rich. "A strong and powerful ski, it delivers performance in perfect fluff and the morechallenging chop," said Moscarella.
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Nordica took last year's burly, damp Nemesis and lightened it up, replacing the two sheets of metal with carbon to make it significantly easierto handLe. One thing hasn't changed: It's still an aggressive charger with a more demanding feel. Pro: It carves cleanly on hardpack, making it one of the more multitalented skis in the category. Can: It doesn't have the buttery smooth feel of some of the powder purists in the category, and it requires a skilled, powerful driver. (It scored last among win~ ners in Forgiveness.) "Solid at speed and holds a nice edge," said Humes. "This is definitely a ski for an aggressive woman."
Pandora's customer? The deepseeker. With a 115 mm waist-by far the fattest women's ski .inthe test-and an early-rise, tapered tip that won't hook up harshly in fluff, it's a.powder specialist, to be sure, ranking No.2 in Flotation. The Pandora doesn't so much turn as drift, smearing easily through trees and down steeps until the riderfinds herself, smiting uncontroUably,at the bottom. It's forgiving, too, making it a good option for powder novices, As for Hard-Snow Grip, where it scored last among winners ...weU, it's a powder ski, peopLe. Go find some. "Realty sweet in the deep. Perfect for powder only," said Wilde.
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Big snow and easy-going locals, with no traffic lights or franchrse restaurants lets you know voure Colorado's rn
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one-ol-e-kind
pldce
Experience
last great ski town at skic6com/Butteness
BUTTEness
an attitude
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joy lor living
welcoming spirit
where you'll stop to enjoy what really matters
TESTER MARK ELLING
PHOTOGRAPH
BY DAN CAMPBELL
WIDTHS 80-98 mm waists WHO Experts and advanced intermediates who ski aUover the mountain WHAT Midfats-most with rocker in the tips and tails-that float, charge and carve WHERE Mostly soft snow, but comfortable venturing everywhere
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ROSSIGNOL
LEGEND5ULTAN 85
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 2 AVERAGE SCORE 82.2 DIMENSIONS 126-85-110 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 19mat184cm MSRP $1,060 w/binding; $760 flat
High marks across the board speak to the Sultan 85's balance of skills. It's an ideal intro-to-rocker ski for the traditionalist. A touch of early rise-starting about 18 em back from the tip of the ski-gives it smoothness and flow in powder and crud. But bomber constructionvertical sidewalls, wood core, two sheets of metal-and traditional camber along the majority of its length give it the snapandreboundthat some all-mountain experts still prefer. It's solid and fluid, quiet on the snow but never lifeless. "A solid ski for solid skiers," said Preston.
DYNASTAR
TITANATLA5
BLIZZARD
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 1 AVERAGE SCORE 84.6 DIMENSIONS 130-865-116 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 17.6mat186cm MSRP $800 flat
Rossignol had a great test this year, and here's the poster child of the Rooster's fully fledged return to relevance. The 585 is an accomplished generalist. Sidecut and traditional camber underfoot cornbined with a wood-core, metal-reinforced construction make rt surefooted on hard snow. But rocker and reverse camber tip-and-tail make it fun and easy in powder, crud, even bumps. It pivots, skids, smears, carveswhatever is asked of itmaking it a great choice for anything but the deepest powder or hardest ice. "Hungry for fun in all conditions, especiaUy crud and bumps," said Scholey.
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Mixed Snow: 3
AVERAGE SCORE 81 DIMENSIONS 130-94-116 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 20mat180cm MSRP $1,200 w/bindlng; $900 fiat
Blizzard makes rockered skis, too, but the Atlas proudly rocks traditional camber, and its NO.3 overall ranking speaks volumes. Amongthe fattest in the category, it floats through crud and powder as you'd expect, but its edge-grip and carveability are faultless. The camber gives it a responsiveness and explosiveness that rockered skis lack. "Such a silken grip; surefooted in chunky snow; nice round tum finishes," said Glea· son. The Sliderbinding interface gives you options: Buy another Slider ($75) for a tele or AT binding, and presto: interchangeable bindings.
ATOMIC
CRIMSONTI
CATEGORY RANKING AVERAGE SCORE. 80.5 DIMENSIONS SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP$1,199
..
AFTERSHOCK
CATEGORY RANKING
K2
••
++j
+ ...
M·POWER
LEGEND SULTAN 94
CATEGORY RANKING
DYNASTAR
BLIZZARD
Men's Mixed Snow: 4
Men's Mixed Snow: 5
Men's Mixed Snow: 6 132-9+118 mm 18mat178em
131.5-88-117 at 178 em 17mat 178em $879f1at

w/binding;
AVERAGE SCORE 79.3 DIMENSIONS 130-86-114 mm SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $1,250 w/binding; $900 flat
K2 goes deep with rocker. Almost every ski in the line gets some, from huge helpings in powder skis to subtle tip rocker that makes hard-snow skis easier for skidders to pivot-In an all-mountain ski like the After Shock, a IS-em section oftip rocker gives it float in powder, smooth shock-absorption and quickness in bumps and crud, and forgiving maneuverability on hard snow. That left our 174 cm test length with about 160 cm of traditional camberplus two sheets of metaLwith which to carve trenches as deep as we cared to. "Fun, liveLy, quick and easy. A true one-skiquiver ski," said Garrett.
AVERAGE SCORE 79 DIMENSIONS SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $820
Men's Mixed Snow: 7 AVERAGE SCORE 77.1

DIMENSIONS
CATEGORY RANKING
128-87-113 mm 18.3 mat 174 em
17 m at174 em
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $1,250 or $1,200

w/binding It's built like a race ski in some respects-wood core, metal laminates, vertical sidewalls, Bllzzard's new Power System-a carbon reinforcement bar connected to an oil-filLed piston underfoot-adds tipand taiL pressure at speed while quietingthe ski between turns. Blizzard softens the flex and adds tip rocker for manageability and soft-snow versatility, but it's stilL very much a go-fast ski: No.2 in Stability at Speed, No.1 in HardSnow Grip. It's thrilling, but it expects you to know what you're doing. Easterners will love the tenaciousness. "Give it the gas; it gives back," said Malone.
flat
No.1 in Stability at Speed, No.2 in Hard-Snow Grip .... Yeah, it's an Atomic. And a No. 2 Overall Impression ranking shows that testers were more than wilLing to overlook the tradeoffs in forgiveness and quickness. The Crimson-traditionally cambered, metalreinforced and a perennial testerfavorite-doves to go fast, and doesn't seem to care whatthe snow conditions are Like. That big tip hooks up with ease, and thrilling rebound propeLs you from one turn to the next-It's not for sissies, though. "Rewards those willing to set an edge an stand on it," said Casey.
Here's a super-sized version of the Sultan 8S (see No.2). Dynastar gives it the same burty construction (it scored a shade higher in StabiLity); the differences are simply width (94 mm instead of as] and rocker (about 23 em in the tip instead of 1aj, plus a slightly longer sidecut radius that prefers going down the hill instead ofaeross it. The resultisa surfier, floatier feel that's more at home in soft snow and a little Less versatile forfrontside applications, though it's stilt among the favorites. Testers gave it the top score in Crud Performance. "Strong, well balanced; perfect for rooting out the Last pockets of powder," said BUng.
,
WATEA94
FISCHER
RICTOR
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 8 AVERAGE SCORE 75.9 DIMENSIONS 127-80-109 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 16mat174cm MSRP $1,125 w/binding; $800 flat Where the After Shock (see No.5) features K2's "all-terrain" rocker, its Little brother the Ridor gets "speed rocker." Just the forward 10 percent is rockered-the rest is traditionally cambered. K2 pairs that profile with a huge tip and aggressive sidecut for an 80"mm ski that carves with enthusiasm but nevertalks back. It gets excellent marks in Forgiveness-truLy an everyday frontside ski and a worthy successorto the late, great Apache Recon. "The tip rocker loosens up the front of the ski, making it just plain easy to turn and more versatile offpiste for such a narrow ski," said Elling.
K2
PROPHET FLiTE
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 8 AVERAGE SCORE 75.9 DIMENSIONS 125-90-113 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 17.7mat 179cm MSRP $570 flat Was it just three years ago that Line was the scrappy little independent brand with way more passion than market share? Times have changed, though certainly the marketing muscle of parent company K2 must have helped. The twin-tipped Prophets have been tester favorites all along. The Flite is a lightened version of the 90 (aformer category winner), ranking No. 3 for Forgiveness. Some testers wanted more edge-grip, but the price is certainly right, and Line still ranks No.1 in street cred, whether it's for you or your teenager. "A solid bump ski, quick in the trees, even moonlights in crud; was ajoy," said Malone.
LINE
VOLKL
KENDO
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 9 AVERAGiE SCORE 74.9 DIMENSIONS 127-88-109 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 24.1 m at184 cm MSRP $775 flat The Ken do, frankLy, sparked disagreement. It's a narrower version of the highly decorated Mantra (see No. 13). Kendo means "way ofthe knife," and with a sturdy, raceready construction and two sheets of metal, that's an apt image for its performance on groomed. lts lightness surprised us, and there was consensus regarding its Quickness (No.2). But some testers saw it as a burty carver most at home on hardpack; others enjoyed it more in bumps and orud. One of our pickiest testers was its biggest proponent. "Rips the heck out of'the hill in every facet: pow, crud, bumps, carving," said Elling.
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 7 AVERAGE SCORE 77.1 DIMENSIONS 130-94-118 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 21 m at aU lengths MSRP $850 flat Fischer has gone to great Lengths to Lighten up the 94-mm Watea, miLling out parallel channeLs in the core, then filling them with rei nforci ng carb on -flb er l-beams. Then it gives the tip a unique shape-a 3D prow like the hull of a speedboat-the better to slice through soft snow. The result: The Watea 94 was No.1 for FLotation and No.2 in Crud Performance. As testers pointed out, there are quicker and more energetic skis in the category, but the Watea loves cruising in Long,fast arcs on the groomed while waiting forthe next powder day. "Fun athigh speeds; awesome in crud; all-mountain versatile," said Boller.
TWENTY TWELVE
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 10 AVERAGE SCORE.68.9 DIMENSIONS 123-91-116 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 19.7mat 171 em MSRP $750 flat
Here's an interesting design that elicited strong reactions, mostly positive. Salomon bills the Twenty Twelve as a park/freeride hybrid=but if you're nota park rat, don't dismiss it yet. Yes, it's aggressively rockered, tip arid taiL Its sidecut carves as well backward as forward. And our test model felt forward-mounted. Yet it surprised us with easygoing, fluid free riding skills and supreme forgiveness. All that rocker smooths the ride in bumps and harbor chop. tt's nimble and buoyant. And onthe groomed, well, you get used to it. AU in all, a refreshing eye-opener. "Easy skiing; requires very little effort," said Gleason.
SALOMON
VOLKL
MANTRA
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 11 AVERAGE SCORE 68.2 DIMENSIONS 133-96-116 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 22.5 mat 184 em MSRP $825 flat
At 96 mm, the Mantra was second-fattest in the category. That putitata disadvantage in terms of quickness andall-mountain versatility, but it will rock those powder days. It's a traditional-camber, wood-core, Laminate construction-built for racy edge-grip that belies its girth; demanding, but also rewarding. It was NO.3 in Flotation, yet still in the middle of the pack for Hard-Snow Grip. It Loves long arcs and high speeds, erring on the side of power over finesse. Among all the rockered skis, it feels especially Long and burly, which skilled traditionalists will love. "A dynamic one-ski-quiver gem for experts," said MaLone.
. ..
PROPHET 90
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 12 AVERAGE SCORE 67.5 DIMENSIONS 125-90-113 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 17.7mat 179 em MSRP $670 flat
Line this year introduced the Flite (see No. 10) asa dialed-back, Lighter, more forgiving version of the venerable 90.lnterestingly, while the 90 is still marketed by Line as the "higher-performing" modeL, testers found the Flite more to their liking, scoring it slightly higher across the board. Still, hard chargers will Love the 90's hefty, powerful, damp vibe, and the metalreinforced construction feeLs especialLy rugged and durable. Like the Fiite, it's also one of the better vaLues in the test. "BuiLt forthe all-mountain ripper. stable, solid and well balanced, though you have to be ready to work a little," said Scholey.
LINE
APEX
ELAN
...
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Mixed Snow: 13 AVERAGE SCORE 66.7 DIMENSIONS 128-88-108 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 21.1 mat 177cm MSRP $1,000 w/binding; $750 flat
In a category where versatiLity is prized above all eLse, the Apex gets the job done with a pleasing bLend of power and forgiveness. Testers gave it high marks for its hardsnow performance. Yet with plenty oftaper (i.e., relatively narrow tail in relation to tip), it releases readiLy at the end of each arc, so you'll neverfeel overmatched. It's a nogimmicks, unrockered, wood-core, vertical-sidewall, metal-reinforced construction with a smooth, suppLe feeL~ plenty of fun at speed. "Direction changes are quick, stability is super high-it does everything well," said Preston.
JETFUEL
NORDICA
13
SPIRE
ELAN
FX94
KASTLE
LOTTA LUV
CATEGORY RANKING
Women's Mixed Snow: 2
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Mixed Snow:
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Mixed Snow: 14 AVERAGE SCORE 66.3
CATEGORY RANKING
Women's Mixed Snow: 1 AVERAGE SCORE S8.1

126-84-112 17mat170cm mm
DIMENSIONS
130-98-120 23mat $S25 lSI
DIMENSIONS
12S-94-1l7mm
AVERAG;ESCORE 85 DIMENSIONS
125-S2.-11O mm
mm em
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $1,199 w/binding

The Jet Fuel makes a lot of skis in the category feel like river barges. That's how light, lively and quick it is. The Layup is classic: wood core, verticaL sidewalls, two sheets of metal. Butthis year Nordica Lightens it up by using a less-dense wood core and replacing a section down the middle with foam. Nordica says it's 20 percent lighter, and that weight savings is immedi· ateLy apparent. Testers Loved it in bumps and short-rsdlus turns, espe· cially, but they warned that it gets knocked around some in crud. "SLingshot turn finishes and nimbLe quickness; a high-energy ski," said Gleason.
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $1,075 w/binding;
SIDECUT RADIUS
17.Smat166em
SIDECUT RADIUS
14mat163cm
flat
MSRP $1,440 or $1,390

w/binding; $1,1S0flat Chris Davenport isa cool dude, being one ofthe world's greatest big mountain skiers and all that. So it follows that the ski he inspired, as one tester put it, "RULES!" The FX94-the newest in Kastle's freeskil mountaineering Line-eats up the fall line regardless of what lies beneath: powder, trees, crud, cord, bumps. It's ravenous for speed and can never get enough. Two sheets of metaL sandwich a wood core-the sturdiest in the category. (It's also the only unisex modeL; Kastle's women's line is in the works.) "Crushed the chop, great float, and could still carve way out from under me," said Schultz.
MSRP $1, ISS w/binding;

$900
flat
As the fattest ski in the category, the Spire was at a disadvantage in terms of quickness and hard-snow grip, but it held its own nevertheless. It's fluid, supple, strong and surprisingly agreeable in bumps. And with that 9S-mm waist, no one doubts its powder-day capabiLitiesespecially with its touch of tip rocker. Flotation won't be a problem. Aside from the rocker and width,it's the same as the Apex (see No. B), which testers liked for all-mountain, all-conditions applications. But if you ski lots of powder, the Spire will satisfy. "Easygoing, balanced, round and smooth in longerturns," said Casey.
TypicaL K2 has another ski that's fun, versatile, playful-and did we already mention fun? Like all the K2s we tested, the Lotta Luv is suited for the broadest range of ability levels. A huge sweet spot makes it forgiving enough (No.2) for advanced intermediates, and two sheets of Titana! give it enough spine for experts. A bit of tip lift makes it easy to pivot, and yet the edge engages so easiLy, carving feeLs automatic. No.1 in Quickness, it's a lightweight, easygoing ride that won't give you attitude-even if you're not on your game .."Ski it aggressiveLy or ski it easily," said Humes. "It's just plain fun."
••
+t;
KOA84
FISCHER
VOLKL
KENJA
CATEGORY RANKING Women's Mixed Snow: 4 AVERAGE SCORE 84 DIMENSIONS 129-86-105 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 19.6 mat 170 em MSRP $775 flat VoLkL'sgot a thing for Japan. We suspect it's because they craft skis as fine as samurai swordsand the graphics are cool, besides. Enter Kenja ("wise one''). It has the same hip freeride feel as the wider Aura and Kiku-pLus Volkl's classic edge-grip to raiLon the groomed. It's No.1 in Stability and Rebound and last in Quickness/Bumps, which tells you it likes speed and power. It's stiff, too, but a tapered tail scrubs speed in powder and releases relatively easily on groomed, earning it respectable scores in Forgiveness. Still, its talen ts are best su ited for experts. "StabLe, yet not heavy," said Gibbons. "Performs best when pushed."
CELEBRITY 90
CATEGORY RANKING Women's Mixed Snow: 5 AVERAGE SCORE 83.8 DIMENSIONS 125-90-113 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 14.2 mat 165 cm MSRP $575 flat Remember when skiing wasn't cool anymore? At the height ofthe snowboard revolution, a college kid taking woods hop heLped bring our sport back Jason Levinthal, Line's founder, built what were arguably the first skis for the jib generation. Now, Line boasts a huge following among core skiers, for good reasons. One of which is the Celebrity 90, which stomped the category in powder and was No.3 in Quickness/ Bumps, too. It turned up its nose at hardpack, though, scoring last among winners in Hard-Snow Grip. But take a look at the price. Westerners: Buy this board. "What a ripping ski," said Humes .."I was giddy"
LINE
S86WFREESKI
ROSSIGNOL
CATEGORY RANKING Women's Mixed Snow: 3 AVERAGE SCORE 84.3 DIMENSIONS 126-84-112 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 16matl67cm MSRP $795 flat We're stilt scratching our heads: A tank that plows through crud like this one does shouldn't be able to effortlessly dice uptight trees, too. The Koa 84is a sta ndout for striking the perfect balance: a solid powerhouse that's ridicuLously easy to ski. Its hallmark is a glued-to-thesnow feel (it's No.1 in Hard-Snow Grip), which Lendsthe driver the as surancetosend it into the trees without checking speed. It's predictable, stable, and has a ripping, racyfeel.lts heavier weight is comforting, but it sinks more than most in powder. "A stable ski that rips in ell conditions," said Beale. "I was a charging animal on this ski!"
CATEGORY RANKING Women's Mixed Snow: 6 AVERAGE SCORE 82 DIMENSIONS
130-86-U6mm
SIDECUT RADIUS 14.3 mat 170cm MSRP $750 flat Rossignol's S86 ranked No.1 in the Men's Mixed Snow category (see p. 73). The women's version is, thankfully, not watered down: Vertical sidewalls, two sheets of metal and a full wood core give it plenty of hard-snow integrity. Meanwhile, a rockered tip and tail ease through crud and bumps like water running downhill. (It scored No.3 in Forgiveness.) Testers agreed that the S86W suited the category perfectly; a Jill of aU trades that scored highLy in every criterion, but didn't stand out in anyone. A very versatiLe ski for alL levels. "Super fun and smooth," said Gillet. "You could really take them anywhere."
)t
_}
ATOMIC
ELYSIAN
Women's
LADY
SALOMON
EXCLUSIVE EDEN
Women's
DYNASTAR
ATOMIC
Women's
SEVENTH HEAVEN 79
CATEGORY RANKING
Mixed Snow: 10
CATEGORY RANKING
Mixed Snow: 7 AVERAGE SCORE 80.5
Mixed Snow: 8 AVERAGE SCORE 79.7 Women's
CATEGORY RANKING
CATEGORY RANKING DIMENSIONS

126-85-110 16mat165cm mm
Mixed Snow: 9 AVERAGE SCORE 76.6
DIMENSIONS
127.5-9.2-116
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $699 flat

18 m at all Lengths
at 168
DIMENSIONS
cm 128-85-113 mm
AVERAG;ESCORE 76.1 DIMENSIONS

118.5-79-10-4,5 mm
SIDECUT RADIUS 15.4 mat 169 em MSRP $685 flat

One of our testers had "so much $%A&%A, fun" on this ski, her comments were anything but ladylike. A winner in last year's test, too, the Lady is a floaty, fun, playful and forgiving ride that surfs through powder and sucks up bumps. (Salomon's early-rise tip is the key in both instances) With a softer, easier flex that rewards finesse over power, it's not a hard-snow specialist, but itis beautifully balanced for soft and variable snow. The sweet spot is huge-you can get back on your tails and it gently corrects you-but it's not a pushover: As Beale, its strongest proponent, put it, "It may be a Lady, but it's got grit."
SIDECUT RADIUS MSRP $1,OOOw!binding;

$760 flat Some skis are like Meryl Streep, expressive and sensitive to your every thought Thisone is like Rambo-out for first blood. Our stronger and/or heavier testers were huge fans, feverish about its wood-core, sandwich! sidewall construction and scoring it highLy in Overall Impression-perhaps the most important criterion in the test. Our lighter girts, though, found ita bit bullheaded and ranked it last among winners in Forgiveness. But everyone agreed that when crud comes your way, the Eden will flex all its muscles, if only you have the strength to hang on.''A power. house!" said Shultz.
SIDECUT RADIUS 16.5 m at 164 em MSRP $879 w/binding

The Seventh Heaven has a quick, racy feel that's ideaUy suited for harder snow. (Not surprising, given that it has the narrowest waist of the group.) Most testers wrote "good frontside ski," or "great for an East Coast everyday ski," which means it's the least versatile in the group ..But what it does-carve-it does well. (Atomic edge-grip? Check.) A slight rise in the tip (Atomic calls it "adaptive camber") makes it easy to pivot in transitions between turns, which accounts fora high score in Forgiveness (No.4), but otherwise it's built like a traditional groomer ski. "Feels powerful underfoot, but easy to initiate," said MoscareUa.
Atomic has two winners in this category. The widerwaisted Elysian shined in soft snow; the narrower Seventh Heaven (see No. 10) in hard. A twin-tip with traditional camber-one of the few in the category with no rocker-the Elysian lays its whoLe edge on the snow, making it supremeLy stable at speed. Try to rein it in, though, and it will groan and drag, feeling sLuggish underfoot. Nothingflashy here;just a simpLe, solid ski that performs. For Westerners skiing mostly offpiste, it's a great ski. "Very solid base without feeling heavy or damp," said Wilde. (Easterners: look to the right. The Seventh Heaven is a better bet.)
TESTER SARAH WILDE
82 II Buyers Guide /1 SKI
PHOTOGRAPH
BY DAN CAMPBELL
WIDTHS Up to 84 mm underfoot
WHO Experts and advanced intermediates who spend most of their time cruising on groomers WHAT Precise, narrow-waisted skis builtto grip on ice and rip up corduroy WHERE Ideally suited for Eastern/Midwestern hardpack or Western groomers
I.
AVENGERB2 TI
IROSSIGNOL
ENDURO
SALOMON
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Hard Snow: 1 AVERAGE SCORE 77.4 DIMENSIONS 126-82-112 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 1S.3mat177 cm MSRP $1,000 w/binding
In a category of race-bred Type A carvers, the Avenger isn't afraid to let its fun, playful side show, and testers universally loved it forth at. Talk about balance of skills: The Avenger earned the top mark in only one criterion, but was so strong across the board that it earned the No ..1 ranking overall. That one criterion? Forgiveness. Sure, it's a race-reedy, wood-core construction with two sheets of metal and stout sidewalls, but it never forgets that skiing is supposed to be enjoyable. "Easy, smooth, creamy feel," said Preston. "An all-around winner."
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Hard Snow: 2 AVERAGE SCORE 76.8 DIMENSIONS 127-S4-111 mm SIDE.CUT RADIUS 17.4mat177cm MSRP$1,250 w/binding; $875 flat
Salomon blazed a traiL with subtly rocketed frontside skis, and the new, refined Enduro is a shining example ofthe benefits. One of the favorites in the category, it blends hard-snow excellence (vertical sidewalls, metal. laminates, grippy construction) with an 84-mm waist and a touch oftiprocker. The result is a supremely smooth and versatil.e ski that trenches on the groomed but Loves soft snow, too. Testers praised its confidence in crud and gave it the No.1 ranking for Flotation, too. "VersatiLe in seemingly all conditions," said Garrett.
SKI II BuyersGuide
1183
LX82
l
KASTLE
~
COURSETI
DYNASTAR
ATOMIC
D2VFB2
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Hard Snow: 5 AVERAGE SCORE 73.9 DIMENSIONS 126.5-82-113.5 at 182 cm SIDECUT RADIUS 17.5 matl82 cm MSRP $1,249 w/btnding Was it the biggest, baddest carver in the test? Yes it was: No.1 in Stability at Speed and Hard-Snow Grip. D2 stands for "double deck": it has a primary core plus a secondary structure on top. The second core's shearing action insulates skiers from vibrations and beefs up tip and tail stiffness when the ski is flexed atspeed {hencethe VF,for "varia flex"), Testers kept trying to find its speed limit, but chickened out every time. Nothing shakrs its quiet stabiLity, and yettor all its raciness, it's wide enough for soft snow. Beware, it's the Least forgiving among winners. "As long as I was wiLlingto go way too fast, this ski lit it up," said Elling.
..
G·POWER rs 10
BLIZZARD
••
\
/
I
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Hard Snow: 3 AVERAGE SCORE. 74.3 DIMENSIONS 127-82-109 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 18mat180cm MSRP $1,240 or $1,190 wlbinding; $990 fiat What's with the oval cutaway in the tip of every Kastle? That's Hollowtech, and it's a Kastle haLlmark harking all the way back to the '76lnnsbruck Olympics. A light.ertip vibrates Less,so the edge remains engaged, and reduced swing-weight gives it a more nimble feel. At 82 mm, the LX82 lacks some quicknessedge-to-edge, That might be a problem in bumps, but it's a blessing on powder days, And overall this flagship of the new LX line of tighter, softer Kastles offered a smooth and veLvety ride that was enjoyabLe in crud as weI! as on the groomed. "Nice balance of power and finesse," said Scholey.
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Hard Snow: 4 AVERAGE SCORE 74.1 DIMENSIONS 120-72-104mm SIDECUT RADIUS 15 mat 172cm MSRP $940 flat We said "hard snow," and Dynastar took us at our word. Straight out of the race collection comes the Course Ti.lt's a full-on, metal-reinforced, squaresidewalled speed demon with an ice-biting 72-mm waist. Flotation and Crud Performance? Not its bag. But it's so good at what it does-medium-radius arcs on hard snow, the fasterthe better-that testers Loved it. (Check out the OveralL Impression ranking: No.3.) Forgiving? OnLycompared to FIS"leveL race skis. But carve techniclans and citizen racers wiLLrip the groomed with confidence. "Exemplifies the best attributes of the 'cheater race ski," said Garrett.
CATEGORY RANKING Men's Hard Snow: 6 AVERAGE SCORE 71 DIMENSIONS 123-72-105 mm SIDECUT RADIUS 15.5 m at 174 cm MSRP $1,200 w/bindtng While it's amazing what some of the wider skis in the category can do, nothing beats a narrow waist for quickness and edge-grip. Throwin a dose ofexciting rebound energy and a ton of sidecut, and you've got one thrilling ride. The GPower is a race ski with manners-quiet, confident and obedient in high-speed arcs. Carve technicians wit! Loveit, and corduroy is its preferred medium, but its supreme Quickness (No.1) translates well to moguLs. (Hence its No.1 ranking in Balance of Skills.) Little ski; big fun. "Super lively feel combined with superior carving performance," saidScho[ey_
iSUPERSHAPE TITAN
CATEGORY RANKING
Men's Hard Snow; 7 70.4
HEAD
VIVAS.l
Women's
BLIZZARD
CONQUER
Women's
NORDICA
TIERRA
Women's
VOLKL
CATEGORY RANKING
Hard Snow:
CATEGORY RANKING DIMENSIONS

Hard Snow: 1 AVERAGE SCORE 83.5 123-81-108 mm
CATEGORY RANKING
Hard Snow: 2 AVERAGE SCORE B2.4
AVERAGE SCORE
DIMENSIONS
128-78-114mm
DIMENSIONS
126-84-112mm
AVERAG;ESCORE 79.6 DIMENSIONS

129-78-99 mm
SIDECUT RADIUS
13.5mat170cm
MSRP $1,275 or $1,150 w/binding

Head added 7 mm to the waist of its top-end Supershape, giving the perennial winner an added measure of versatiLity. But it still has the deepest sidecut in the category-a 13.5meter radius that dives in and carves at the barest hint ofedge angle, What continues to surprise usis its combination of thrilling high-speed performance with an undomineering personality and versatility of turn shapes, Crud? Not on the menu, But Titan stitheredthrough bumps with ease, At its heart it's a slalom race ski, but fun to freeski as well. "Instantaneous hookup, rally-car performance; versatiLe for a carver," said Gleason,
SIDECUT RADIUS 17.5 m at 172 em MSRP $l,lOOw/btnding;

$850
SIDECUT RADIUS
15mat162em
SIDECUT RADIUS
14.8 mat 161 em
flat
MSRP $1,199w/binding
One would expect a hardsnow ski with a waist width of84mm tobethe most versatile in the category (No, 1 in Flotation, Stability and Crud Performance), But what surprised us was that it still managed a No.2 ranking in Quickness edge-toedge, The Conquer is everything for everyone. It's solid and predictable yet humming with energy; smooth and powerfuL yet-with a 20-percent lighter wood core than Last year's model-esurprislngly easy to ski. Simply put, it's fast, and it's a blast. "The Conquer will never give up on you," said MoscareUa. ".It continues to provide tenacious grip no matter what you throw at it,"
MSRP $1,065w/binding
If precision and control are what you're after, the Tierra is your ski.tts aptly named "double grip" construction adds more materiaLto support the edges and distribute pressure evenly down the ski when it's flexed at high speeds, Translation: It has the control of a Ferrari and edgebite of an ice skate. It should come with a warning label for non-experts, though: The Tierra aLways revs high, and it refuses to deviate from the fall Line. Scoring first in Hard-Snow Grip and last among winners in Forgiveness,. it makes you pay for your mistakes, "Begged for speed and didn't get nervous or break away," said Schultz.
Every ski has character traits. This ski has personality, It's snappy, lively, bubbly-and so responsive, it seems to read your mind, Just think about turning, and you're ripping perfect GS turns down the steeps. Powerful, yes, but polite, too-patiently skidding when you need to scrub speed, Though most at home on hardpack, its 81-mm waist is wide enough to bust crud and float though pow, Are we gushing? Absolutely: tt was No.1 in Rebound Energy, Forgiveness, HardSnow Grip and BaLance of Skills, "This ski blew my mind," said Humes, "Quick, stable, snappy-everything I Love in a carver,"
......
FREELUV Women's Hard Snow: 4 AVERAGE SCORE 76.2

DIMENSIONS CATEGORY RANKING
K2
ATOMIC
D2VF75W Women's Hard Snow: 5 AVERAGE SCO,RE74.a
LX82
KASTLE
BURNIN'LUV Women's Hard Snow: 7 AVERAGE SCORE 70.3

K2
CATEGORY RANKING
Women's Hard Snow: 6 127-82-109 mm
120-76-104 mm
126-75-111 at 166cm
AVERAGE SCORE 72.5 ,DIMENSIONS SIDECUTRADIUS 14.5 mat 164 em MSRP $1,240 or $1,190
117-70-101 mm ,
SIDECUT RADIUS
14mat163cm MSRP$l,OOO w/bi.ndi.ng; $725 flat

Foryears we've been saying nothing smears better in powderthan rocker, but get on groomed and, well, good luck steering around those lift towers. So imagine our curiosity about K2's new line, in which every ski-even carvers-incorporates reverse camber. The verdict? K2 winsagain. The Free Luv's elevated tip effortlessly scouts lines through variable snow. It initiates and releases with ease, earning lt No.1 in Forgiveness. Testers admired its versatiLity, but found it to be a standout in no one criterion. Racer types will want more grip. "Perfect meatof-the-market ski; forgiving and easy," said Shultz.
SIDECUT RADIUS 13mat166em MSRP $999 w/bind\ng

Our testers were shocked by this ski: It was so heavy they had to drag it to the lift, but it zipped playfully-joyfully-down the hill. Atomic's "double deck" construction is responsible: Two independentlyflexing decks are stacked on top of each other. The lower deck absorbs the shock, and the upper deck distributes your powerto stiffen the tip and tail as needed at higher speeds (hence the energetic pop). The end result is a ski that's both damp and stable and snappy and lively. It is still an Atomic, though, so you'd better be in for a race-like ride. "A great hard-snow and crudbuster ski," said Gibbons.
w/bi.nding; $990 flat
SIDECUT RADIUS 13mat160em MSRP $1,125 w/binding;
$850 flat
This one should come with a helmet. A damp powerhouse that insists on speed, the LX 82 goaded our testers to the edges of their comfort levels. We should have expected as much from the onLy unisex ski entered in the category [see also: Men's Hard Snow) but its lightweight construction-the trademark of the new LX linehad us fooled. The secret is a light, softwood core sandwiched in metal then wrapped in fiberglass, giving it the torsional rigidity to bite on ice.It only has one speed, though: hauling butt. "Good for someone who charges aU the time," said Gillet.
Interesting: Testers liked K2's lower performing ski, the Free Luv (see left), better than the Burnin', an expert ski layered with metal laminates. Perhaps with a waist of 70 mmthe narrowest in the testit got penalized for not being as versatiLe as others. As you'd expect, though, it was one of the quickest sticks-its edgeto-edge rhythm is as automatic as a metronome's. aut it insisted on short turns, and some feLt the new "speed rocker" tip-a slight rise to ease initiation and transition-took some getting used to. "Best suited for an Easterner who wants to carve, carve, carve," said WiLde.
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NUMBER CRUNCH
AGEARTEST
and science. Variables like conditions, time of day and tester preferences can influence the
ISART
data. (We correct for standard deviation.) We do get a strong consensus on the top and bottom of the pack, but ranking the middle skis is much harder, as the scores are a lot closer. (Does a ski with an 84
score in Hard Snow grip demonstrably better than one with an 827) Keep in mind that every ski we medal is a winner selected from our full test group-whether the
ski ranks No.3 or No. 14. And the numbers are just one component to consider in determining which ski suits your style, terrain type and personality. (See page 36.)
MEN'S MIXED SNOW

DYNASTAR BLIZZARD ATOMIC
WOMEN'S MIXED SNOW
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THE ECONOMY HASN'T EXACTLY REBOUNDED. SO ,IF YOU'RE NOT TOO OBSESSED WITH THE LATEST AND GREATEST, HERE ARE SOME BARGAINS THAT HAD US WONDERING WHY ANYONE WOULD PAY MORE.
e *
"Price parameters:
$750 or less for a ski~binding system; $700 or less for a flat ski.
TESTING A RACK OF budget skis makes us wonder what else is lurking, unappreciated, down there at the "tower price points" (retail-speak for "less expensive'). Are the manufacturers holding outonus? We-and they (and you, dear buying public)someti mes get so myopically obsessed with the sleekest, newest and most expensive products that we don't even see the middle price range. But what better time than on the heels of the Great Recession-when plenty feel like we could
use a price break-to check out stuff a tittle farther down the wall. We call it The $700 Showdown, but we didn't get too hung up on an exact number. Our winners range from about $700 to $750-most are flat, but the rnoreexpensive ones come with bindings. And retailers hate it when we say this, but the prices here are full-pop "suggested retail," You'll see a lot of shops selling these for $600 or so. There are some different flavors (waist widths range from 77 to 98 mm,
for instance). We tested this category just as we did the others, in typical all-mountain terrain and conditions at Snowbird, using the same criteria, being just as picky as we always are. Bottom l!ine?Some of these skis are every bit as good as top""'Of-theline stuff from two years ago. Some even have key technologies that this year's top-ofthe-line stuff has, but they've been str:ipped of expensive features that only make a ski unforgiving for mortals. Think about metal, for instance: It's expensive,
and a lot of skiers like a lighter feel or are just better off without it. Why pay more? .True, we found some dogs-we won't waste time talking about them. But testers took to the task with bargain-hunter zeal, and had a blast finding the steals. Here they are.
[MEN'S VALUE] 1. ATOMIC SMOKETI

DIMENSIONS 125.5-77-109.5 at 178 em; radius: 15.5 m at 178 em MSRP $749 w/btnding if an aggressive expert wants to ramp it up, the Smoke Ti is game. Tip it on edge, and it'll hook up and hammer. It's a foam core, but metal-reinforced, with a touch of rocker tip and tail. No.1 in Stability, Quickness, Rebound, Forgiveness, Balance and Overallimpressian. Only the most demanding expert will want more ski.
••
DIMENSIONS 128-87-115 at 177 em; radius: 17.4 m at 177 em MSRP $685 flat The heavy-footed will have to back off, but the lord, with its 21 em of tip rocker, is as easygoing as skis get. A natural in bumps and variable terrain, it's quick, with a soft tip that never bucks you back and a slight-twin tail that releases readily. The lord does have a speed limit, but it's a nice little game-improvement tooL
3. ROSSIGNOL S3
DIMENSIONS 128-98-118; radius: 23 mat 186 em MSRP $700 fiat A poor man's-or kid's, or Easterner's-S7 (see p. 67). Rossi will sell a lot ofS3s. Not onLy is it the fattest in the category, with the coolest graphic, it's the highest end as well, especially in powder. No.1 in 'Flotation and Crud, it has a wood core with no metal (which explains its popularity as a touring ski). And it shares the S7's shape: rocker, reverse side cut tip and tail. A powder fiend.
...
---
--0
4. FISHER WATEA 78
DIMENSIONS 122~78-107; radius: 17 m at 174em MSRP $695 flat Wood core, Laminate construction, vertical sidewalls ...in short, experts won't miss much. Testers loved the 78's stabiLity, and it was No. I-by a lot-in Hard-Snow Grip. (Are you listening, Eastern and Midwesterners skiers?) It loves to be bent, but performs at reasonable speeds, too-not something all high-end skis do. It doesn't pretend to be a powder ski, but it's not a disaster, either.
""
+-0 5. VOLKLB'RIDGE
DIMENSIONS 128-95-115; radius: 20.7 m at 179 cm MSRP $700 flat YoLkLpositions the redesigned Bridge as equaL parts park and bigmountain ski, but it's another great vaiue as a powder tool for any guy who thinks he can pull off the loud graphics. It was No.2 in FLotation and Crud, but a surprisingly good hard-snow carver, too. YOlkl marries a long, subtle tip-to-tail rocker with sidecut, so that the edge engages when the Bridge is tipped on edge. Carbon reinforcement keeps it light and strong, but snappy, it's not.
[WOMEN'S VALUE] 1. ATOMIC CLOUD 9

DIMENSIONS 123.5-73-108.5 at 165 MSRP $749 w/binding
at 165 ern; radius: 12.5 rn
.....
When you lay the Cloud 9's edge on snow, it instantly rails into a perfectly rounded arc. It's no wonder it wants to stay that way: tipped on edge, engaged with snow. Charged with energyspunky, even-it pops down the hilL. It's never hyper, though, with a bomber, surefooted feel (tops in Stability, Quickness and Rebound, and Overall Impression). A high-performance carver.
DIMENSIONS 119-74-102; MSRP $700 w/binding
radius: 13 mat 156 em
You wouldn't expect the ice queen (No.1 in Hard-Snow Performance) to be so friendly, lt's easy to tip into a strong arc sndjust as easy to disengage-a breakthrough ski for an athletic woman with a steep learning curve, or a great value for smaller experts. It's ready when you are, but its relaxed, steady feel is reassuringfor those who don't always want to pound.
3. ROSSIGNOL 5 90 W
DIMENSIONS 122-9Z-115; MSRP $550 flat
radius: 20 mat 170 cm
...
This is the surfer in the category. Damp, stable, quiet, it's a stealthy powder seeker that feeds on speed (No.1 in Flotation and Crud). When the snow firms up, it can feel monolithic, withoutthe rebound to pull the less skilled or less powerful into a carve. But for experts (it was last among winners in Forgivenessj who ski off-piste, it's a charger that's shockingly cheap.
4. FISCHERKOA75
DIMENSIONS 119-75-102; MSRP $750 w/binding
radius: 16 m at 155 cm
The Koa is light and playful-a fun littLe carver. It holds on hardpack and loves to bound down the groomed in clean, short turns. A full sidewall-rare in this category-gives it the integrity of a pricier ski. Still, testers feLt it was not serious enough for powerful experts. For Lightweights or intermediates, though, it's a zippy ride that doesn't demand improvement.
DIMENSIONS 118-74-103; radius: 14m at 163 em MSRP $750 wi binding; $575 flat
We can sum the True up in one word: Easy. Topping the chart in Forgiveness and Balance of Skills, this is the ultimate feel-good ski. It's a perennial medaL-winner, but this year's model has a slight earLy-rise tip that makes it easierto skid around-From the second you stand on it, it comfortabLy guides you wherever you want it to go-the most versatiLe carver in the category.
SPEED
Race-like performance and snug fits for speed-loving experts
~REERIDE All-.COnd. itions vers.atility for advent.uresome expe.rts ~OMFORT Warmth, value and forgiveness for intermediates
PHOTOGRAPH
BY DAN CAMPBELL

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