The Best All-Mountain Skis of 2026

Taking a crown of versatility, the Völkl M7 Mantra ($850) is an incredible ski. Now, the Mantra exceeds its predecessor with tailored carbon tips that increase responsiveness, handling, precise response, and torsional rigidity.

Also new, the integrated Titanal is adapted to each model’s length and proportions, bumping up stability and improving the control, as well as slimming weight. The model also is the first to have the new 4 Radius Drive design — an advancement of the 3D Radius Sidecut — to max out versatility for variable snow, increase stability on solid surfaces, and improve performance on soft snow. We’re stoked.

While carving lines down Upper and Lower International at Crested Butte, the ski held an edge very well when carving. It would also skid turns or slarve around as requested. After just a few turns on snow, we were grinning.

Our big takeaway? For most skiers and conditions, well, it’s one of the most versatile skis on the market.

These skis are quick, with the unique and improved 4 Radius Drive that allows the ski to turn at different rates depending on how hard you lean into it. This ski will arc long lines at high speed, but happily snip between moguls and trees with grace.

If you’re looking for a reasonably light ski that can handle everything on the mountain other than full-on ice, the M7 Mantra is our best recommendation. Quick edge-to-edge and highly capable in a wide range of conditions, the M7 is our top pick.

The progression-oriented Rossignol Experience 76 Skis ($480) are an excellent value for beginner and intermediate skiers. As an added bonus, these skis are sold with well-respected Xpress 10 GW bindings — an excellent overall value.

Many skis designed for beginners are not well-rounded enough to grow with you as your skills improve. Thankfully, the Experience Skis are the exception to this rule. With high-quality construction, low weight, and an easy-to-handle narrow width, these skis possess all of the standard characteristics of a great beginner option.

For such a user-friendly ski, we love that these are also relatively stable and powerful, traits that are much appreciated after transitioning away from the bunny slopes.

With a moderate rocker profile near the tips, these skis are less likely to flap and chatter at high speeds than most beginner options. The Experience 76 Skis also has excellent edge hold, which comes in handy on hardpack and frozen groomers. In softer, deeper snow, the narrow width isn’t ideal. Still, for the price, these skis can handle a broad range of snow conditions — just like an all-mountain ski should.

If a one-ski quiver had a name, this would be it. We skied the Atomic Maven 103 CTI ($800) everywhere we could, from bone-chilling mornings on Vermont’s Front Four to storm-cycle laps and soft snow at Utah’s Powder Mountain, and it consistently felt like the ski we wanted underfoot.

Redesigned in 2024 by downhill legend Daron Rahlves, the Maven strikes a rare balance between stability, precision, and approachability, feeling calm at speed while remaining intuitive for a wide range of skiers.

Atomic pairs an ash and poplar wood core with its CTI construction, blending carbon and Titanal (hence CTI) to reduce weight and vibration without sacrificing power. Compared to previous versions, the Maven uses less metal, fiberglass, and resin, resulting in a smoother, more refined ride. The HRZN 3D tip increases surface area for better float in soft snow and helps deflect icy chunks and uneven terrain without interrupting your line.

The Maven 103 CTI performs well across a huge range of speeds and conditions. It carves confidently on groomers, feels springy and predictable in bumps and trees, and becomes a blast in soft snow, where the wider platform delivers a smooth, downhill-swooping feel. We also appreciate that Atomic offers this ski in a 178 cm length, giving taller and more aggressive skiers a rare longer option in a women’s all-mountain ski.

At 103 mm underfoot, this is not a pure frontside carving ski. It lacks the razor-sharp edge grip of narrower, groomer-focused models and requires more effort to pivot quickly in very tight, technical terrain.

If you’re an intermediate skier ready to explore steeper terrain or an advanced skier looking for one dependable daily driver that handles everything from icy mornings to powder days, the Maven 103 CTI is a top-tier choice.

Read Review: Powder-Hungry Daily Driver: Nordica Unleashed 114 Skis Review

If you think 114 millimeters underfoot is too wide to be an all-mountain ski, the new Nordica Unleashed 114 ($950) might change your mind. Yes, the width makes them less than ideal for hard snow carving, but if you mostly ski out West and chase soft snow above all else, these damp, wide chargers might be the only ski you need.

This lighter, more playful freestyle ski still retains Nordica’s trademark stability. Whether on high alpine chopped-up pow or saucy spring slush near the base, the Unleashed blasted through anything in its path.

Per Nordica’s pedigree, there’s plenty of metal in the Unleashed, but they’re slightly softened compared to the popular Enforcer line, and the tip and tail rocker helps with float and quick turns in trees. Still, the relative stiffness compared to other lightweight powder boards allows you to blast through crud and chop when the fresh inevitably funnels you into the runout.

But put it on softer snow, as we did after one of Mammoth’s few powder days this year, and it really shines. We especially enjoyed its quickness edge to edge while dropping through Mammoth’s expert terrain.

For the width, 2,160 g is reasonably light, and we found the Nordica Unleashed 114s surprisingly nimble and able to throw the skis side to side quickly when needed. Partly, this is due to the rocker that releases tails easily, but the recommended mount point is slightly more centered than traditional frontside skis, which reduces tip swing weight.

Despite being a little centered, the skis didn’t feel short and had no problem staying afloat in double-digit deep light pow. The Unleashed absolutely roared in fields of fresh with no speed limit, planing confidently and giving back energy in every turn.

While this ski was instantly intuitive for our expert skiers, the Unleashed might overpower more novice skiers. Whether charging across pow fields or blasting through crud, the Unleashed requires good powder-skiing technique to perform, and there are more forgiving skis for learning soft snow skills, such as the wider options in the Atomic Bent lineup.

The Unleashed also comes in 98 mm and 108 mm widths, but we loved the extra width for mashing over diverse off-piste snow types. Moving to the 108 could be a good compromise if you spend a decent number of your runs on the frontside, but want to retain the playfulness of the Unleashed over the rigidity of other models.

The Unleashed is a perfect ski for aggressive big mountain-style skiers, but the softer, lighter tips and easy-release tails are also more forgiving for more intermediate or casual skiers who don’t want to have to drive as hard into every turn. Strong soft-snow skiers won’t find much to gripe about, however. The Unleashed 114 are quick enough for agile tree and bump skiing, but burly enough for charging over and through chop and crud to get to the next pow stash.

Read Review: Quiver of One for Soft Snow: Elan Ripstick 102 Black Edition Review

Lots of skis claim to be a quiver of one, but the truth of those statements will depend on where and how you ski. If you like playful, freestyle skiing in soft snow, the new Elan Ripstick 102 Black Edition ($950) might actually be the only ski you need.

Elan skips out on metal plates here, opting for carbon in various forms along with a wood core. This combination gives you a softer ski overall that’s just plain fun as long as you keep your speeds somewhat in check. 

This Ripstick lineup has an asymmetrical construction dubbed “Amphibio Carbon Line Technology,” which means there are left and right skis, and you’d rather not mix them up, though the differences are fairly subtle. 

The inside edges get a carbon weave meant to add rigidity when you’re carving, and for a fairly light ski (1,830 g at 180 cm) for the width, the Ripsticks deliver. The soft, wide rockered shovels can get floppy at speed in crud, but they love to go on edge and carve shockingly well for 106 mm skis as long as you keep them below their speed limit.

Their playfulness really comes out in mixed conditions. The Ripstick 102 Blacks use their width and plushness to turn chopped up pow, crud, and roughed-up groomers into a playground. Refrozen, hard chop isn’t as forgiving, but few skis can make those conditions pleasurable.

Because of their light weight and ease to ski in a variety of conditions, the Ripstick 102 Blacks are a perfect all-mountain ski for intermediates. The carving capability means skiers can grow into the ski with better technique without feeling overpowered and it’ll please expert skiers who want a fun ride as well.

Ah, the Bent Chetler. Well, in the case of the 110 mm underfoot version, it’s just the “Bent” but the Atomic Bent 110 ($750). Either way, this is one amazingly fun ski. We had to fight the urge to give this the “best overall” title. But in all fairness, it’s not the overall “best” ski. But it darned sure might be the most fun.

Do you love to hit bumps or rollers with abandon? Do you like to pop out the tails and “surf” any little piles of snow you come across? Then the Bent is aimed squarely at you. And if you like to do it while carrying a lot of speed, this ski should be squarely in your crosshairs.

We tested the 180 cm model, 110 mm underfoot. While this isn’t the largest Bent Chetler (the 120 mm version is venerable among powder hounds), it’s still a lot of ski. And we found we got the most out of it when we let it run fast but with loose input.

The Bent 110 has a light wood core. At just under 8 pounds per pair, the Bent Chetler is remarkably light for its size and design. And the lack of carbon or metal in the core allows it to flex fairly easily. As a result, we found the Bent pops over and around choppy snow more than through it. This underscores this ski’s primary goal as “Fun” with a capital F.

Can “fun” be a downside? Well, maybe. If you charge hard and want a really locked-in ski, the Bent Chetler is not a good choice. Sure, it carves well, but for those who mostly want to charge the fall line, a ski with a stiffer, metal design will provide more power and control.

But that’s not for everyone. One of our testers, for instance, is pretty light (150 pounds), and while he considers himself a powerful skier, he loves to goof off with his planks. The Bent Chetler is an accomplice for goofy side missions.

It wants to find the little powder stashes and send them flying into the air. And it has enough backbone to find the couloirs and keep us upright even when we get in the back seat after an off-balance drop. Expert-level skiers looking for a fun-forward ski that can handle everything from powder to packed snow should look hard at the Bent 110.

Read Review: Smear Butter on Big Terrain: Scott SEA 108

Western skiers have the luxury of skiing mostly soft snow conditions throughout the season. Where tester Justin Park lives in the Colorado Rockies, high elevation keeps snow cold and soft between storms and if you chase soft snow all season like he does, we recommend a fatter all-mountain ski between 100 and 110 underfoot. You could go even fatter if you live in a powder-magnet area like the Wasatch. The Scott SEA 108 ($750) is a perfect all-mountain ski for the Intermountain West, where you regularly ski powder and chopped-up soft snow. 

Justin Park tested dozens of skis this past winter, and the SEA (Skiing Everywhere Anytime) 108s were the boards he was most excited to reach for. If Park was grabbing the SEA 108s, that meant there was soft snow to be skied hard and fast. These skis hold firm on hard snow, but its width, relatively shallow camber, and shape limit pure carving — though they aren’t designed for that purpose.

The SEA 108s are a freeride ski designed for smashing soft snow at speed. They’ve got a fairly centered recommended mount point, but not as extreme as the park-oriented Armada ARV 100s. We found the factory mount gave them the agility of a slightly centered stance while leaving enough nose to stay afloat in deeper snow. The 139 mm tips are shovels and much softer than the rest of the ski, but the tails and the effective edge section of the ski are fairly stiff thanks to titanal inserts that pair with the softer poplar wood core. 

This build is at its absolute best when charging through mixed soft snow. Hitting tracked lines underneath lifts showed off the SEA 108’s strengths, and we couldn’t find an upper speed limit. Even snow-covered moguls were no match for them, and we learned to open up the skis anytime we could see more than 50 yards ahead, knowing they could blast through whatever we found. In steeper terrain, we needed to use jump turns to keep the stiff tails from pushing us forward, but on landings and charging across fields of softer snow, we were glad for the support of this build.

Park skied the SEA 108s in several late-season storms and felt that they skied much fatter than the 108 mm underfoot. He tested them in the 184 cm length and, with the more centered stance, was worried they might sink in blower pow. While they were definitely at its best in shallower snow totals, even in as much as 10 inches of powder, Park had no issues staying afloat as long as he stayed balanced over the skis. That said, he’s curious to try the 116 cm width version of the SEA, and he’s sure they’re an even better tool for deep days since the construction remains the same throughout the lineup, which includes four different width options.

If you’re a larger skier, consider going for a longer-than-normal length (there’s a 192 cm option of the SEA 108), but Park is 6’0″ tall and 200 pounds and felt that the 184 cm length was plenty for most scenarios and kept the skis quick-turning.

Most all-mountain skis try to do everything and end up being jacks of all trades, masters of none. Not the Armada ARV 100 ($700), a slightly wider version of a classic twin-tip freestyle ski at home in the terrain park and fun most everywhere else. Given the modest width and softer flex, it lacks in powder, but it’s an excellent frontside all-rounder, especially if you prioritize the terrain park.

Tester Justin Park doesn’t ski park like he used to, so he wasn’t a first fan of the ARV 100s. Having gotten used to skiing more directionally and generally pretty hard and fast, he was frustrated with the softer flex and very centered mount point, making them feel short. But once Park zeroed in on the strengths of the ski, they were a blast. The soft (6 out of 10 as Armada claims) flex is consistent throughout the poplar wood core (there’s also an ash insert underfoot for binding retention). It’s hard to explain why, but this consistency helps ease landings and encourages flexing into the skis for spins, smears, and butters.

If you follow the skis’ lead, you’ll naturally find yourself slowing down and exploring the trail, looking for places to jump, hop, and spin, and generally being more creative in your skiing. If you’re a dedicated park skier only, 100 mm underfoot might feel a bit wide, but freestyle-oriented skiers who like to explore everywhere can use these skis comfortably outside the park. They’re quick in the trees, forgiving in bumps, and surprisingly fun to carve as long as the groomers aren’t too hard or scraped off.

In deeper, softer snow, the ARV 100s have some limitations. The soft flex, modest rocker, and relatively narrow 124 mm tips shortened by the mount point all conspire to make it tough to stay afloat when things get deep. Park took the ARV 100s out on a 10-inch day in the high alpine and, while still having fun, found himself wishing for something built for the task. In mixed soft snow conditions, they struggle to support if you take rough terrain at speed, but are still fun if you slow things down.

The narrowest ski in Salomon’s QST lineup is a surprisingly versatile frontside/freeride hybrid that will please many skiers: the Salomon QST 94 ($700). Experts can push the ski hard, but it’s got enough friendly, consistent flex for advanced beginners and intermediates. 

Salomon has tweaked around the edges of the QST skis for almost a decade, and the QST 94 is a new ski for 2025, but it’s not a wild departure from the QST 92 that preceded it. In addition to gaining 2 mm underfoot, Salomon brought in the “Cork Damplifier” tip that the rest of the QSTs already had and swapped in a basalt layer for the previous carbon and flax layer.

While we’re sure these details impact the ski’s character, we found the highlight to be their predictability and energy, which tester Just Park chalks up to the fact that, at its literal core, this is a pretty traditional wood and fiberglass build. Like most skis, the QST 94s are stiffest underfoot thanks to a titanal plate, but the flex stays pretty consistent until the very tip where the cork cap makes the ski lighter and floppier by design. 

The squarish tail has less rocker and is part of a pretty traditional build, considering the QST line’s freeride lineage. The mounting point is a throwback at almost 10 inches back of center, which won’t work for freestyle/park skiers. But Park felt like the 94s skied much more centered than the specs would suggest, and were easy to pivot in the 180 cm length Park has tested.

The most fun we had on the QST 94s was on groomers and light frontside crud, where we had no problem blasting through a variety of snow types at speeds over 50 mph. Our expectation was that the moderately soft flex wouldn’t hold up in chunder, but as long as the snow wasn’t too hard, the QST 94s could carve a variety of turn shapes almost anywhere without requiring the laser focus and force of a dedicated carving ski. 

Off-piste, the width and flex make them underpowered for deep pow, but they’re plenty capable almost anywhere. We personally would pick the QST 106 (there’s also a 100 mm option) if we were skiing a lot of soft snow because wider holds up better blasting through chopped pow and junk. However, it’s much less fun on softer frontside snow, which is where the QST 94s really shine.

Many ski makers like to tout all-mountain planks as “perfect” for any conditions, but the apparent reality is that shape, materials, and construction always present trade-offs. Brands get better every year at creating more versatile skis, but all-rounders will always make compromises. The reimagined Atomic Maverick 96 CTI ($750) — formerly Maverick 95 Ti — threads this needle better than any ski that tester Justin Park put miles on this past winter.

It’s a fairly stiff, directional charger with a powder-plowing shovel that outperforms its waist width in soft snow but retains enough traditional shape to be a competent frontside carver. Park’s first powder day with the Maverick 96 CTi was a revelation, considering he usually opts for much fatter boards when things get deep. The Mavs had no problem planing across the top of a fresh 6 inches, and he thanks the softened 130 mm HRZN Tech 3D shovels, which have plenty of tip rocker and a shape designed to float, but the fairly shallow camber lets them surf. When Park left the untouched goods for chopped-up soft snow, the stiff tails let him blast through the crud.

The Maverick 96s transition easily to frontside trails as well. The relatively flat tails, traditional shape, and rearward mounting point lend themselves to classic carving style. The soft tips can wobble a bit when leaning into hardpack, but that’s an expected trade-off for the oversized shovels you need in the soft stuff.

While they might not be a fit if you want to spin off everything, they hold an edge well thanks to layers of carbon and titanal that stiffen up the ski without making it as heavy as beefier dedicated carving skis.

The playful yet powerful Rossignol Sender 106 Open ($900) is both easy-skiing and hard-charging; a versatile ski that was a resounding favorite for us. For a fun, jack-of-all-trades daily driver for the serious resort skier, the Sender 106 should be on your radar. This ski has both horsepower and the construction under the hood to back it up. It’s equally at home in a butter or a carve, and brings power and fun to any run on the mountain.

While the waist width is in the name, the underfoot measurement of the Sender 106 varies by length, with the ski changing slightly. We could really feel Rossignol’s “Air Tip Technology”, which makes the ski more maneuverable and responsive while shaving weight at the tip. This, combined with the twin rocker profile also paid dividends when skiing powder, maxing out the flotation.

Overall though, for better or worse, we felt that this made the ski feel shorter than its advertised length on snow; consider sizing up if you’re in between lengths, which are quite limited on this model.

The poplar wood core is reinforced with carbon, basalt, and fiberglass stringers throughout for more stiffness and responsiveness. Then, to dampen the ride, Rossignol added “Damp Tech” to help reduce vibration and chatter at speed. There’s Titanal reinforcement along the ski, the final touch for making this ski a confidence-inspiring high performer. We found that Rossignol nailed the balance between performance and play with the Sender 106.

Although it’s a bit of an afterthought, the topsheet design leaves a bit to be desired, and we found that the rather boring aesthetics that would easily get lost in a sea of other skis. But, if you don’t care about looks, the Sender 106 makes up for its lackluster graphics in other categories.

For eco-friendly bonus points, recycled materials are integrated into the bases, topsheet, and edges of the ski. For the traditional hard-charging all-mountain skier seeking out fresh turns, the Sender 106 is near the top of our list for a versatile and solid quiver of one.

Read Review: Lightweight Frontside Overachiever: Renoun Endurance 98 All-Mountain Skis Review

Relative newcomer Renoun launched in 2011 on the back of a tech innovation: non-Newtonian material inlaid into its skis’ cores that promises flex that adjusts to the conditions. Stiffer when things get fast and rough, softer at slower speeds in calmer seas. The Renoun Endurance 98 ($949) skis we tested weren’t overwhelmingly revolutionary underfoot — they felt like a normal all-mountain ski for better or worse — but they punch above their weight class. At about 1,900 grams, the Endurance 98s aren’t lightweight backcountry potato chips, but they hold an edge in hard snow impressively for how light they feel.

Like many all-mountain offerings these days, they’re at home carving short, quick turns as much as they are laying down higher-speed GS turns. The rockered tip and tail with camber underfoot will look familiar to other skis, but their hard-snow performance is surprising given their forgiving entry and exit into turns.

In addition to novel materials, Renoun also brings a different business model to the table. Their skis are only sold through the Renoun website, and they offer an impressive 100-day money-back guarantee if you don’t love the skis as an incentive to look outside the familiar names in the ski shop. While Renoun says they only get a handful of returns each year, you could reasonably ski a pair for the bulk of a ski season and get your money back if you decide they’re not the perfect sticks for you.

The Endurance 98s carve well on hard, refrozen groomers given how light they are, but they’re really at their best in softer firm snow. The edge-to-edge quickness and solid edge hold makes it a joy to carve at medium speeds and the skis give good energy back that, combined with their light swing weight, lets you hop effortlessly between turns.

DPS enters the freestyle ski market with the Koala line of skis. The DPS Koala 111 ($900) is a stiff freestyle machine that loves spraying clouds of powder everywhere it goes. What is freestyle? Imagine a teenager growing up in a mountain town, surrounded by videos of pro athletes, the pressure to compete with their peers, and the ever-present need to go faster and bigger. Someone who skis like that would surely enjoy the Koala. While the Koala comes in waist widths of 103, 111, and 118 mm; we tested the new 111 mm at 176 cm. Squarely aimed at the middle of the family, this ski carves well enough on hardpack and of course, is excellent on soft snow for being only a few millimeters wider than some all mountain skis. 

The Koala accomplishes this through a symmetrical amount of rocker on the tip and tail, allowing the skier to pivot whenever they want and to float through soft snow with ease. The large amount of rocker made this tester wish they had sized up to 184 cm. Underfoot, the ski has a camber profile with a very stiff flex that locks in hard carves and holds a smooth arc. 

However, the DPS Koala is not what we would consider a true all-mountain ski. It suffers most when the skier slows down and has to employ small tight turns in variable snow. The waist of the 111 mm ski certainly shows there and the stiff underfoot flex requires the skier to input a lot of force to turn sharply. As such, moguls and trees would be quite a task on these skis if the snow conditions are less than good. 

The DPS Koala is what we would categorize as an “aggressive freestyle ski.” It loves to charge hard and fly through the air. However, the design has less tolerance for low-speed shenanigans than, say, the Atomic Bent 110. The flex of the ski immediately underfoot is a 10 out of 10 in stiffness. This gives the ski great power and stability at speed, as well as on takeoff and landing. 

However, the Koala 111 feels a little sluggish when going slow. Despite the turn radius, it doesn’t feel overly excited to turn. The stiffness of the ski makes it lively and responsive, when being driven hard. But at lower speeds, the ski requires the skier to exert a bit of effort to respond.

Closer to the tips and tails, the stiffness of the ski rounds out to a 7 out of 10, creating a smooth progressive flex that allows the skier to stay in control. The tips can be loaded up into turns knowing that the overall backbone of the ski is strong and will support the skier around their foot. Considering our experience, we trust that intermediate to expert-level skiers who love to ski fast while looking for natural jumps and waves to slash will love the Koala 111.

Old-timer racers complain that ski companies are “dumbing down” all-mountain skis, but Blizzard has kept curmudgeons happy with heavy-duty, heavy metal skis in the Brahma, Cochise, and Bonafide lines. Those three distinct lines were replaced with the Blizzard Anomaly 102 ($800), a series that comes in 84, 88, 94, or 102 mm waists and promises to do it all, be slightly more approachable, while staying true to their roots.

This is a ski that’s capable of digging deep trenches in hard snow and likes to be driven while on edge. More progressive rocker in the tip and tail does make entering and exiting turns easier, but make no mistake — there are still two sheets of Titanal around a solid wood core here and the Anomaly 102s are damp and planted as they come.

We tested the 102 waist-width Anomaly skis, but more frontside-oriented skiers can choose one of the narrower options for a lighter ski more purpose-built for carving. True to the brand’s claims, the Anomaly is capable of a range of turn shapes, from tighter slalom turns to wide, high-speed GS turns. 

If you want all-mountain boards that refuse to chatter, Anomaly 102s fit the bill, but the dampness comes at a bit of a price in terms of playfulness. The weight and overall stiffness make this a ski that likes to stay grounded and can handle as much speed as you’re up for, regardless of conditions.

Strong skiers who can drive the Anomaly will appreciate its capabilities, but beginners and less-strong intermediates will get pushed around. This is a ski you need to be ready for, not one most skiers can progress into easily.

Despite being the widest ski in the lineup, the Anomaly 102 is a bit of letdown in deeper, lighter snow as the weight and desire to be on-edge makes it dive to the bottom. As a result, this is a ski for frontside chargers who want width to be able to confident blast through crud and chop when they’re not railing groomers.

Icelantic recently refreshed the Shaman with a decidedly directional shape. The Icelantic Shaman 99 ($849) performs admirably on all surfaces and conditions with a playful yet powerful design. A large rocker tip that is 50 mm wider than the ski’s waist creates a planing platform like the nose of a boat that the skier can drive through any snow surface. The nose is noticeably softer with a 6.5 out of 10 stiffness. This allows the skier to adopt a forward stance at all times, even in 6 inches of fresh snow. 

Solid camber underfoot with an 8 out of 10 stiffness creates reliable grip and helps the ski feel planted on and off the piste. The relatively short turn radius creates a ski that loves to turn. While turn initiation requires little effort, the ski is capable of making nearly any size arc. Firm edge pressure results in high G, short turns, while longer arcs are held smoothly by just easing off the turn. 

That nearly flat tail provides plenty of support for an off-balance skier and also creates a solid backbone with a 7.5 out of 10 stiffness for finishing turns. The lightly rockered tail means this ski will smear sideways to allow skiers to exit their turns or pivot, however the Shaman 99 prefers that the skier finish their turn and eagerly dives into the next one. The short, rockered tail also means that this ski is not particularly suited for skiing backward. We did find that on smooth flat groomers, the ski is capable of carving backward but would be challenged by any kind of unevenness in the snow surface. 

A forward stance, forgiving tips that love to be driven, and camber underfoot are the hallmarks of a true all-mountain ski. This ski excels in bumps and trees where forward pressure creates great directional control around obstacles and aids in speed management. The Shaman 99 is equally at home on groomed runs. Fresh corduroy begs the skier to leave trenches behind. We noticed that at high speeds, the medium-soft rockered nose allows the tips to flap a little. Tip flap is not nearly as pronounced as some skis with a similar design and is easily forgotten by the grin-inducing turns. 

We also tested the Icelantic Shaman 110 ($899), a ski with the exact same shape but a wider footprint. This ski excelled in powdery conditions and variable snow with a nearly unsinkable nose. The trade-off came in firm snow performance, as a wider underfoot ski flexes torsionally more. The Shaman 99 would suit most skiers as a one ski quiver, while the Shaman 110 creates a great option for skiers at mountains with regular powder days. 

Icelantic is a certified B Corporation, as well as certified Climate Neutral, representing their commitment to preserving winter sports and their company culture of leaving the world a better place. All abilities of forward facing skiers that enjoy the art of the turn and exploring all over the mountain will love the Shaman 99, all while knowing they are supporting a small Colorado company that is ethically conscious.

A favorite of hard-charging all-mountain skiers, the Blizzard Rustler 9 ($750) has been a mainstay in Blizzard’s lineup for many seasons now — and for good reason. This year’s Rustler 9 is back and slightly revamped for the upcoming season, with a wider waist and details that make it more versatile and energetic than ever. 

In previous years, the construction of the Rustler 9 used to vary slightly, with shorter models with a slightly narrower waist than their longer counterparts. The waist width was standardized at 96 mm (rather than the previous 94), enabling the Rustler 9 to take on a wider variety of conditions with ease. 

This year’s Rustler 9 also features a shorter turning radius and shorter effective edge, which translates into a more playful feel than previous iterations, and a more approachable ski than the standard Blizzard construction. While the ski maintains its signature stability at speed, minor tweaks make this year’s iteration more freeride-leaning while still excelling on-piste.

While the true-blend wood core keeps the ski responsive and friendly for skiers of all abilities, the Rustler 9 is most at home at high speeds. We found that it was nonplussed by firm snow and exhibited virtually no chatter.

Blizzard used their proprietary Dynamic Release Technology (D.R.T.), which adds both a specifically shaped underfoot Titanal reinforcement for better edge hold, and carbon flipcore to maintain flotation and to give this businesslike ski a playful edge. This enabled testers to have fun on the Rustler 9 all over the mountain. 

If you’re looking for a well-balanced all-mountain ski that specifically craves and excels on the hardpack without shying away from whatever the day might bring, the Rustler 9 is a reliable pick.

The Dynastar M-Pro 100 Ti ($800) likes pushing the dial on the speedometer, craving big, fast-racing GS-turns. With its hyper-directional construction, the M-Pro 100 likes to be pointed downhill at high speeds, and doesn’t compromise performance in changing conditions and terrain. We raved about the hard-charging Dynastar M-Pro 100, which had the chops to cut through any type of snow with ease, from heavy powder, to crust, to tracked-out bumps.

The poplar PU core, blended with strategically placed Titanal and fiberglass, gives the ski an incredibly stable and precise feel, across all conditions. Dynastar calls this the “Rocket Frame,” and it lends a rocket-like feel to the ski. 

Dynastar debuted the M-Pro series in 2021, which includes more PU (polyurethane) material throughout the core construction rather than just the sidewall, to increase stability and dampen the ski’s ride. While we loved how this feels on the slopes, we’d love to see Dynastar incorporate more of an eco-friendly replacement than petroleum-based products for a more environmentally conscious ski. 

One of the only categories where this ski lost points was in the maneuverability department. This ski certainly prefers being able to push the gas pedal, and sometimes has a hard time turning on a dime in the trees or while skiing moguls, especially at lower speeds. 

The mounting point on the M-Pro 100 is further back than many other skis we tested, giving you plenty of tip flotation to work with in powder, and the ability to really drive the ski in all conditions, including challenging afternoon chop that can give other skis trouble. For fast, aggressive skiers, the M-Pro 100 has your back all over the mountain.

Overall, we found the Line Optic 96 ($700) to be a true shapeshifter and fun to ski anywhere on the mountain, begging us to pop off side hits and open the throttle in steep, chalky chutes. We didn’t rate the Optic 96 as a particularly stiff ski (it’s softer in the tips and tails than other models tested here), but Titanal reinforcement throughout the ski adds rigidity without making the ski too damp.

Dubbed commandingly, Line’s “Gas Pedal Metal Overdive™” construction places chevron-shaped metal reinforcements that taper from the area underfoot to tips and tails, interspersed with sustainably sourced aspen. The result is a lively and playful ski that still inspires confidence in firm and challenging snow conditions and stays planted when you need it to. In this regard, Line has achieved the best of both worlds.

That 18-meter turning radius of the Optic 96 is fairly standard for skis in this category, but testers noted that it skis a bit on the longer side and isn’t modest when it comes to fast, long-radius turns. The Blade Optic 96 is beefed up with Line’s signature “Fatty” base, which gives them some extra thickness in the bases and edges to promote durability. 

The Optic 96 falls on the heavier end of the spectrum for all-mountain skis of similar width, and this extra weight contributes to their poise in choppy conditions, and also their propensity for high speeds. We found that we were able to push this ski into the realm of tip chatter on groomers with them pointed, but other than that, this ski felt stable even with its notable tip rocker. 

That rocker and tip rise paid dividends in the powder and the Optic 96 floats better than other skis of the same width. If you’re after an all-mountain charger that performs well day in and day out, you won’t go wrong with the Optic 96.

Read Review: Soft Snow Sender: Salomon QST 106 Ski Review

We know — this is a fairly wide all-mountain ski. Yet tester Sean McCoy still found this to be one of his favorite skis, run after run, all season long. The Salomon QST 106 ($750) is an incredibly fun all-mountain ski. It seems to bend reality with its ability to ski hard-packed groomers as well or better than much narrower skis. Even on fairly hard snow, lay the QST 106 over and be rewarded with powerful carves and a lot of rebound.

For a somewhat fat ski, the QST 106 is surprisingly quick edge to edge. McCoy found himself making quick turns and grinning like a goof while skiing groomers. And that is the ski’s weakness!

Put it into tighter terrain and soft snow, and unleash the beast. The QST 106 is incredible in moguls, trees, and chalky, steep terrain. It slashes across rough snow, making easy work of some of the worst conditions he has skied.

He took this ski to Copper Mountain, Arapaho Basin, and Crested Butte in Colorado. And if McCoy had to pick one ski to ride in-bounds at resorts in the West next season, this would be it.

The one weakness of the QST 106 is ice, which it handles okay given its fat waist. If we expected to ride exclusively groomers or more East Coast or Midwest terrain, we’d probably look elsewhere. For everything else, the QST 106 is built to excel.