[Minsc]

The Rustler series has been a tester favorite since it first debuted in the 2017-18 season and now it’s one of the best all-mountain skis on the market. Three years later, it’s clear that the lineup hasn’t lost its luster: The Rustler 9 received top honors in this category thanks to its blistering performance at Ski Test. Inside, Carbon Flipcore D.R.T. combines poplar, beech, balsa and pauwlonia wood with a carbon fiberglass compound and a layer of Titanal that’s tapered toward the rockered tip and tail, adding a touch of forgiveness in this otherwise stiff ski. When it comes time to lay a carve, you just can’t mess with the Rustler.

[Pas]

Buckle up: the all-new Dynastar Menace 98 is a well-built, all-mountain machine that grinds up crud, slashes groomers and bounces through mogul fields with a freestyle flare. Beneath the sleek, matte black top sheet hides an all-poplar wood core, milled to different thicknesses throughout the ski and layered precisely to provide a consistent, playful flex pattern and intuitive rebound. Reinforced by a layer of fiberglass—braided to different weights to maximize elasticity—the Menace 98 has a simple yet effective core construction that’s beefed up with full sidewalls and a sintered base. Our testers raved and noted this as one of the best all-mountain skis, specifically for its versatility, which easily transitioned across Aspen Mountain’s variable terrain. here

[saullysaul78]

4FRNT’s MSP 99 offers a modern take on a classic, cambered ski design. First things first, the 99-millimeter waist and camber underfoot let you dive into carves like you would a bucket of fried chicken. The slight tip and tail rocker add to the flavor, providing a floaty feeling in crud while also making it easy to release the turn on a whim. What we really love about the MSP 99 is how damp it stays as you arc turns and sail over rollers, and that’s thanks to a balance of poplar wood and Titanal laminate in the core. Need to mix it up? Not a problem. Bang a right and jump into that mogul field or take a left and burn through those trees with ease. more

[songcopy65]

DPS’ RP line of skis is aimed at the brand’s more progressive, freestyle fans—now, available in a piste-friendly waist width. A tapered design with 45-percent rocker divided between the tip and tail enables you to navigate your way through bumps and crud with ease while the lightweight, carbon and wood core provides a lively feel that anybody can enjoy. It also comes with a reinforced binding zone as well as a race-finished base to keep you moving at hyperspeed. Bottom line: it’s easy to ski and will undoubtedly make your day better. more

[sunglasses]

Fresh from the steeps of Chamonix comes the new Decathlon line of freeride skis. With a name like “the Rookie,” our testers expected it to ride similar to what the French call a “nouilles molles,” or a limp noodle, but most testers found themselves pleasantly surprised. With three years of development, Decathlon was able to craft a stable and responsive ride that’s suited toward a skier who rides mostly on-piste but likes to venture off every now and then. The Rookie utilizes the popular rocker-camber-rocker profile and comes complete with bindings. [links]

[britschler]

This mid-waisted ripper is designed to seamlessly blend race-inspired construction with the namesake playfulness that you’d expect from a Jason Levinthal ski. Narrow Titanal strips running above and below the full maple wood core enhance performance, dampening the ride and increasing power edge-to-edge. There’s also a subtle tip rocker (for better skiing in a few inches of fresh) but the ski is designed specifically to maintain complete edge engagement on firmer snow. Handling reminiscent of a Corvette, paired with the all-terrain capabilities of a Land Cruiser, The Masterblaster as a true all-mountain workhorse.

[edwardgel]

The 22-meter radius lets the skier dictate the experience, rather than have the ski dictate you. Similarly, it feels familiar right away while giving you a foundation to ski better than you have before. The QST 106 has a great weight-to-stability ratio for a resort ski, but I would mount it up with strong touring bindings if I only had one pair of skis. Nice job Salomon, keep this one around. But please, do something about that graphic.
—Spencer Harkins more

[Olipro]

You might find Bella’s weak spot if you make a habit of railing big turns on steep groomers, where it chatters on edge at max speeds. The 3.0 iteration debuts with some updates, like a dual-radius sidecut and more taper in the tip and tail, which offers improved powder performance compared to the original Bella. The only fly in the proverbial Tiger Balm is limited length options—that said, the Bella skis true to size and if you do just need a longer length, look to the men’s Wildcat 108.
—Clare Menzel [links]

[costner1367]

A playful, jib-seeking gene has been spliced into the Nomad 105, a bulletproof ski with a forgiving flex that won’t drain your energy.

[RusInfo]

Few skis are as versatile as the new Enforcer 104, which appealed to just about every skier in the Union. Racer-types liked being able to get this ski on edge while those who took it in the air were impressed by its stable platform and solid landings.

[dtvan]

Fischer RC One 86 GT’s Overall Score: 3.93/5 [links]

[da2ce7]

Blizzard Black Pearl, step aside—there’s a new queen of the hill. The My Ranger 96 TI earned top scores in the two most telling skill departments of all-mountain skis—balance of skills and crud performance. A beefy core of poplar wood and Titanal makes the ski damp and predictable at speed on groomers, but a carbon inlay in the rockered shovel lightens the ski’s load, making it easy to turn and floaty in everything from chop to pow. Said tester Robin Barnes: “Right out of the silk market in Beijing—silky and smooth.” more

[jimmy]

Our Best in Test ski is available on Amazon: 2020 Head Kore 93

[gaetaneelle24]

Fischer My Ranger 96 TI’s Overall Score: 4.31/5 more

[teknohog]

Using C-Armor and C-Spine technologies, the newest, wide-bodied addition to the Firebird family reigned supreme in the carving category for 2020. Testers gushed about the HRC’s dominant stability at speed and hard snow performance while appreciating the relatively wide 76mm waist in crud and the HRC’s multi-radius sidecut. Gleason: “This is a renaissance carving ski: The crisp, quiet sensation is at a new level, there is no harshness in the edge grip and it’s invitingly gentle with ultimate precision.”

[Ensayia]

The Stormrider 105 earned the highest marks for hard-snow integrity, but testers found that the hard snow didn’t have to be groomed for the integrity to take hold. This ski could slice and dice refrozen death cookies as if it was starring in a Quentin Tarantino movie, and then gobbled up the softer stuff for dessert. The Stormrider lacks forgiveness and playfulness, making it suitable for expert skiers who like to go fast. Casey: “Strong, solid, and well-behaved if driven. Will eat you for lunch if you’re timid.” [links]

[alexg]

Testers decided the Mantra 102 is one of the beefiest skis in the category. At Taos Ski Valley, the Völkl divided pure-finesse skiers from the brute-force types: Those in the latter category found the ski to be damp, strong, and especially solid on edge, making it a legit choice for larger experts. The finesse skiers found the ski unforgiving in variable terrain and especially hard to maneuver in tight spaces and firm conditions. Don’t skip leg day if you’re going with these skis. Casey: “Precise and clean, the Mantra 102 is pretty surgical in its path. An athletic skier will love this ski.” more

[laurenexbush]

All-Mountain wide skis are usually narrower and have shorter turn radii compared to freeride skis. This allows all-mountain wide skis to excel in hard snow conditions and be able to carve more easily than true freeride skis. Some skis in this category bridge the gap between these two classifications. here

[loiskimberly]

If there is a single ski that shows how far Armada has matured over the past decade, the Tracer 108 is it. Testers loved how manageable and fun this ski is, but the former racers were enthralled by its performance at speed. The poplar-Caruba wood core and stiffening adaptive mesh overlay—plus one of the most aesthetically pleasing graphics at the test—made the Tracer 108 a winner. Syrovatka: “Easy to initiate the turn but can also hold high edge angles and forces. Perfectly stable in bumps and jumps.” [links]

[calmsupplements]

Buy the Armada Declivity 102 Ti: REI | Skis.com See the full Declivity 102 Ti Scoresheet