There鈥檚 no way I can keep up with Ted Ligety when he lets it rip down the groomer. He has two Olympic gold medals and five World Championship gold medals, and I鈥檓 not even the fastest guy in my unofficial weekly races back home. I know this, and yet, I鈥檝e convinced myself that I can stay on Ligety鈥檚 tail as we ski groomers at Utah鈥檚 Deer Valley resort. I blame my skis.

Watch: Testing the DPS Pisteworks 79 with Ted Ligety

I鈥檓 testing the new DPS Pisteworks 79, a pure carving ski that is so fun and energetic, they have me believing I鈥檓 as fast as one of the best U.S. ski racers of all time. Therein lies the beauty of this new ski: The Pisteworks 79 makes you think you鈥檙e better than you actually are.

Based in Salt Lake, DPS is a ski manufacturer known for its innovation in the off-piste market. For the last 20 years, the brand has made fat powder skis using carbon fiber when most other ski companies rely on fiberglass. The Pisteworks 79 is their first foray into a frontside carver, and the company brought on Ligety to help design the ski. The result is a board that鈥檚 decidedly narrower underfoot and built to slice through groomers like a dad slicing through a Thanksgiving turkey.

When DPS asked me to test the ski, I was worried that the Pisteworks 79 would be more ski than I could handle. I鈥檓 a capable skier, but I don鈥檛 have a racing background, so I never learned the mechanics of a proper turn. Would I be able to handle a ski specifically designed for the very thing I鈥檓 not very good at? The answer is a resounding yes.

Also read: The Best Skis for Intermediates Ready to Level Up

I spent a day skiing the Pisteworks 79, trying in vain to keep up with Ligety, and I鈥檓 happy to report that these new skis might have been designed by an Olympian, but they were made for weekend warriors like me.

DPS Pisteworks 79 Specifications

Dimensions: 126-79-109 mm
Lengths: 160, 167, 174, 181 cm
Radius: 13.5 m (174 cm)
Weight: 1,650 g (174 cm)

The Build听

While the rest of the ski industry insists that fiberglass is the superior material to wrap around a wood core, DPS is leaning deeper into carbon because of its durability and superior energy return. The result is a lightweight speed demon (the 174-length skis that I tested weigh just 1,650 grams) that pops through turns and comes with a lifetime warranty.

The Pisteworks 79 was already in the works when Ligety joined DPS, but he was instrumental in enhancing the ski鈥檚 flex profile and camber. Given their carbon build, I was worried the Pisteworks 79 would be too stiff, but they flexed exactly where and when I wanted them to in each turn.

The lighter weight carbon build also gives these skis an enticingly buoyant feel. You don鈥檛 float through turns, you rebound through them; that鈥檚 the signature energy return that carbon brings to the table. Think of the carbon plates that are becoming common in running shoes and you鈥檒l understand the springy feel that I鈥檓 talking about. The force you put into your turn comes back at you as you release and start your next turn.

The turn radius of the ski is a short 13.5 meters, which is indicative of a ski that鈥檚 built for quick, snappy work. The Pisteworks 79 is indeed lively, engaging quickly as I charged through a series of slalom turns on steep groomers. I鈥檝e always , but I鈥檓 actively working on perfecting the sweeping arc that you see in giant slalom races.

Specifically, I鈥檓 trying to angulate more as I change direction to engage more of the edge of the ski, and the carbon in this ski gave me a helping hand in carving larger radius turns. I was able to sink deeper and commit into each turn, getting at least a fraction closer to the knuckle-drag that has become part of Ligety鈥檚 signature style.

This is all by design, as the Pisteworks 79鈥檚 material, flex pattern, and sidecut were manipulated to perform a variety of turn shapes with minimal effort. Ligety calls the ski a cheat code because it makes the art of carving a little more attainable to mere mortals like me.

The energy return of carbon is the real deal, too. I skied a full day at elevation, hammering groomers from start to finish, and I was less fatigued than I normally would be after similar efforts. Chalk it up to the light weight of the carbon skis, the energy return of the carbon wrap, or the overall design of the Pisteworks 79. It鈥檚 probably a magical combination of all of the above. Typically, I鈥檓 exhausted at the end of the day of skiing big western mountains, but I felt strong when the lifts shut down, and I wasn鈥檛 ready to go home.

Who Is the Pisteworks 79 for?

This is not an expert racing ski, but it鈥檚 also not a cruiser for beginners. It is built to move fast and carve deep, so it鈥檚 not the ideal ski for a relaxed day on the mountain. I logged every run of my test day and averaged roughly 8 mph faster than I normally ski. I never felt out of control, but I always had to stay engaged in the process while wearing these skis.

And this should be obvious based on its width, but the DPS Pisteworks 79 is not an . It is a specific tool designed for one specific thing: carving groomers. The skis handled bumps fine, but I wouldn鈥檛 take these sticks off-trail or into the back bowls. I also didn鈥檛 love them on the few icy slopes I found while exploring Deer Valley. No ski is great on ice unless you have a World Cup tune, but because of the lightweight construction, these are definitely designed for the softer groomed snow you find out west.

But for those lacking a user-friendly frontside carver, the Pisteworks 79 is an attractive new option. It鈥檚 also for those of us who have come to terms with reality and realized听 that the majority of runs we take are on groomed slopes. There鈥檚 no shame in that game, and with a tool like the Pisteworks 79, those groomers can become a fresh canvas for carving art.

Also, it should be noted that DPS skis are not cheap. The Pisteworks 79 lists at $1,995 without bindings. That鈥檚 almost double the price of other skis in the same carving category. But every ski is made at the DPS factory in Salt Lake, and all of their materials are sourced in the U.S. as well. I got to watch the ski-making process in person, and while there is some machinery and automation involved, the process is largely done by hand by craftspeople. Is that sort of craftsmanship worth the money? That鈥檚 up to you.

Will the DPS Pisteworks 79 help me win my weekly races and keep up with Olympians like Ted Ligety? No. But they鈥檒l make me think I can do these things, and you can鈥檛 overstate the importance of confidence on the slopes.

The post Ted Ligety and DPS Introduce a Carving Ski that Anyone Can Arc On appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 that time of year, when we all become obsessed with bettering ourselves. Rather than a health-focused resolution this year, one of mine involved getting a handle on organizing my garage full of outdoor gear and simplifying the process of packing for trips.

Before diving into what I did, let me give you a little background. I鈥檝e always been a generalist when it comes to outdoor pursuits and dabble in a lot of different sports and hobbies. From bowhunting to mountain biking and backcountry skiing, they鈥檙e all pretty gear-intensive, which means I鈥檝e got a lot of equipment.

Watch: Bryan’s First Attempt at Gear Organization

Since I test gear for work, too, all that stuff tends to accumulate rather quickly, outpacing my attempts to keep things organized and leaving me with piles of stuff on shelves and in corners of my garage. I鈥檝e even documented some of my attempts at gear organization in the past, at one point creating a full pegboard wall to house gear.

Ultimately, none of the previous storage systems worked great for us and we wanted a more practical way to stay organized and simplify our lives. When my wife, Sarah, and I freed up some space in our barn last fall, we ended up with an empty room large enough to house our outdoor gear and decided to a new system.

Practical vs. Pinterest Gear Storage

I often get bogged down by wanting my gear room or garage to 鈥搇ike a climbing rack beautifully displayed on a pegboard, backpacks hanging on a wall, and each hobby having its own, well-organized corner of a space that looks more like an REI display than an actual human being鈥檚 home.

What I鈥檝e found over the years is that this method works great if you have one main hobby. But, if you鈥檙e like me and have a lot of different hobbies where the gear crosses over (think sleeping bags you use for every activity, or walkie talkies you use while backcountry skiing and hunting), it can actually make packing for trips more complicated.

Sarah鈥檚 idea was to not only get some new bins and organizational tools, but to change the way we were organizing gear. Rather than grouping things like backpacks, electronics, layers, hunting optics, camp stoves, and cutlery separately, she came up with an 鈥淎-team and B-team鈥� bin approach to each sport.

For instance, rather than having a bin labeled 鈥渟kiing鈥� that鈥檚 chock-full of both of our layers, googles, helmets and everything associated with the sport, we now have bins labeled 鈥淏ryan Ski,鈥� 鈥淪arah Ski,鈥� and 鈥淏ackup Skiing.鈥� Everything I always end up taking with me for a day of skiing, including my helmet, goggles, and outerwear, lives in one bin, and any extra items we keep on hand for when friends and family visit lives in the backup bin. This means that instead of rifling through an overstuffed bin full of every pair of gloves and goggles we own just to pack them into another bag every time we want to go skiing, we can just grab our 鈥淎-team鈥� bins and toss them in the truck.

That last point is one worth reiterating: keeping our bins stocked with exactly what we need simplifies the packing process immensely. Recently, for instance, we headed to Taos Ski Valley after work for a weekend of skiing. We tossed our skis, boots, and two bins in the van and were out the door in minutes鈥攁 process that has taken us significantly longer in the past.

Dos and Don’ts for Gear Storage

• Don鈥檛 waste your time making things look beautiful and laying out gear on a pegboard wall. Your garage isn鈥檛 an REI.
• Think hard before investing time in building your own 鈥渂in rack鈥� or other DIY setup that will take too much time.
• Keep gear organized by sport but also deploy the A- and B-team system. Put the stuff you almost always use in the A-team bin and the backup/extra things in the B-team bin.
• Pony up for nice bins.
• Don鈥檛 use see-thru bins.
• Don鈥檛 hang packs on a wall鈥攊t takes up too much space.
• Keep your bike(s) where you can access them easily.
• Pair down, but don鈥檛 Marie Kondo yourself into tossing things you鈥檒l miss one day, even if you rarely use it.
• Use whatever space you have wisely.

The Tools We Used

The Project Source Commander 27 Gallon Tote

In the past I鈥檝e used whatever bins, milk crates, and shelves I鈥檝e had on hand to organize my gear. That meant a hodgepodge of cheap, clear plastic bins that often broke or were missing lids, so this time around we invested in a new set of high-quality bins that will hopefully last.

We bought 20 of these (they鈥檙e pretty much identical to the you can find at Home Depot), which get great reviews and are, in my opinion, the perfect size. They seem tough enough to toss in the back of a truck without worry, are stackable, have very secure lids, and are large enough to house things like backpacks without getting overstuffed.

I also wanted bins that were not see through for aesthetic reasons鈥攊t鈥檚 just looks less cluttered than bins that show their contents (plus, we know what鈥檚 in each bin and don鈥檛 need to see inside).

5-Tier Industrial Duty Steel Freestanding Garage Storage Shelving Unit

We toyed with the idea of building a like the ones that have been all the rage on TikTok and Pinterest in the last few years but ultimately went with this from Home Depot. Each shelf supports 1,800 pounds and fits four of the 27-gallon bins perfectly. It was about $100 more expensive than the materials needed to build our own, but I guarantee it鈥檚 sturdier, and it took only 15 minutes to put together versus the several hours of time it would鈥檝e taken us to build one.

It might not be as Pinterest-worthy, but it鈥檚 a hell of a lot more practical鈥攖he way those bin racks are built means you can only pull the bin straight in and out to access its contents, which can make things challenging in tight spaces. But these shelves are a little wider, which makes it easier to maneuver the bins on them. We also re-used a smaller, wire-rack shelf we already had for bulky items鈥攍ike our coolers, camp chairs, and archery targets鈥攖hat wouldn鈥檛 fit in the bins.

Rubbermaid FastTrack Garage Hang Rails

To store bikes, skis and add a bit more shelving off the ground, we installed by TK. We鈥檝e used this system before, and are big fans of its versatility and sturdiness. I installed a few rails along one wall of the room and hung our bikes using the . I鈥檓 a fan of those hooks in particular because they鈥檙e rated for 50lbs, which is higher than other brands like Kobalt or Craftsman you can find at the hardware store and means you can hang e-bikes from them if you want. I also installed a couple of metal shelves for fly rods, and a that sits high off the ground for ski boots and sleeping bags. (We had issues with mice nesting in our boots when we kept them on the ground in the past.)

Half Size Sidio Crate

In addition to the big, 27-gallon totes, I also used three Sidio Crates to house small items that didn’t fit into the A/B system. I have one for 鈥済ear repair鈥� items, one for headlamps and walkie talkies, and one for various chargers and cables.

How It’s Working So Far听

I鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l make some tweaks to this whole setup the longer we use it, but so far, we鈥檙e in love. Our new bin system is keeping us vastly more organized than before, and it has also dramatically simplified packing for trips.

The unintended benefit of all this is that it freed up a lot of room in our garage, and made it a听 much nicer space, too. I used to keep everything鈥攆rom outdoor gear to homebrewing equipment to automotive tools to yard cleaning tools鈥攊n the garage, utilizing every inch of available space. That created an area that was often pretty overwhelming to even stand in, let alone try to find the gear I was looking for.

By dedicating a space specifically to our outdoor gear, we can now even park a car in the garage鈥攜ou know, what a garage is actually for. You don鈥檛 need a big house with tons of rooms or, in my case, a barn to make this idea work. My friend turned a spare closet into his gear room, and a simple backyard shed can also work great for this.

The biggest takeaway: If you鈥檝e got a lot of equipment and your life revolves around getting outside, create a dedicated space for it, and consider mixing up how you organize all your gear.

The post How to Organize Your Gear Shed the Practical Way appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Whump! My face plant is sudden, a cartwheel of flying ski poles and curse words into powder. The sting of snow on bare skin jolts my eyes open, and I hear a chorus of woo! erupt lower on the slope.

鈥淵eah, Fred!鈥� a voice bellows. 鈥淵ou were a little too far forward鈥攔emember to keep your weight back.鈥�

I brush myself off and schuss down the powdery hillside to my two companions, wondering how my 38 years of skiing experience seemingly evaporated in an instant. But I have little time to nurse my bruised pride鈥攎y new friends are already making their way up the slope for another run. I struggle to keep pace as we trudge toward the summit of this wooded hillside in Genesee, an upscale neighborhood in Denver鈥檚 western suburbs. I look to an adjacent hilltop and see the familiar elliptical sides of the Sculptured House, the mansion built by architect Charles Deaton featured in the 1973 film 厂濒别别辫别谤.听

The guy in front of me, Wade Wilson, is a wiry real estate agent from nearby Golden. In front of him is Alex Kaufman, also from Golden, who dishes out rapid-fire advice as we climb. Keep your weight over your arches, not the balls of your feet. You don鈥檛 edge the turns like on a normal ski, you just kind of waggle your knees. Don鈥檛 worry if you hit a rock, just let the skis do their job.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l get the hang of it, I promise,鈥� Kaufman says. 鈥淓veryone sucks their first time.鈥� Kaufman, 45, is a father of two, a youth soccer coach, and the chief operating officer of Kaufman Asset Management, a company that invests in affordable housing. But I鈥檓 here because Kaufman is also a budding social media celebrity in the U.S. skiing world, where fans know him as the Weird Foothill Guy.

The Weird Foothill Guy only boasts about 11,000 followers across his channels, but his audience includes ski-industry heads of state, outdoor journalists, and even a few official resort accounts. I started following him in 2023 and quickly became obsessed with his online musings. Like many snow-sports aficionados, he regularly posts about the shoddy state of American skiing: massive lift lines, $48 cheeseburgers, and miles-long traffic jams on Interstate 70, the main artery connecting Denver with the resorts. 鈥淓conomic vitality!鈥� he once tweeted next to a video of a January traffic jam that stranded some motorists for ten hours on the freeway.

But most Weird Foothill Guy content promotes Kaufman鈥檚 highly unorthodox style of backcountry skiing鈥攐ne that seems to defy logic. He skis up and down slopes that are just a few miles from downtown Denver鈥攈illsides with so little snowpack (and so many rocks and stumps) that your daredevil nephew wouldn鈥檛 sled down them, let alone tackle them on skis. Yet Kaufman navigates this terrain three or four days a week during the winter, often on his lunch break or before work. He floods social media with photos from these micro-adventures, alongside captions that express his radical view on the sport. Basically: Resort skiing sucks and I鈥檝e discovered an amazing alternative.听

Kaufman鈥檚 brand of skiing鈥攚hich he calls Simple Skiing鈥攔elies on a bizarre plastic ski called the Marquette Backcountry, which looks like a cross between a child鈥檚 toy and a float pontoon. He did not invent these strange skis, but he has become their strongest evangelist. He keeps a small fleet of them in his garage, and lends them out to anyone who wants to try them, including me. Descending on them presents an ample learning curve, as I have just discovered. Ascending is similarly challenging. You don鈥檛 use climbing skins. The skis have fish-scale-like divots on the bottoms that grip the snow, similar to the ones on some cross-country skis.

Wilson and Kaufman speed ahead. Kaufman is wearing a pair of basketball shorts over tights and a flannel shirt. An orange handkerchief flutters from his back pocket. 鈥淚 have the bandana in case hunters spot me,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 never wear ski pants鈥攜ou get too hot.鈥�

I soon learn this lesson, as my core temperature spikes under my preferred backcountry outfit. Snowmelt from my crash drips down my back and soaks my long underwear, and I wonder: Is this really better than a day at the resort?

I find my answer at the summit. Wilson and Kaufman have waited for me, and as I reach the top, I look down from our perch. Below us is I-70, packed with cars; a serpentine line of red brake lights stretching to the horizon. The traffic is barely inching along, and the nearest resort is still 45 miles up the road. I shift my gaze to the snowy slope below my skis. We鈥檙e completely alone, shredding untracked powder just 25 minutes from downtown Denver.

鈥淲e鈥檒l be home eating breakfast before they鈥檙e in the parking lot,鈥� Kaufman says. 鈥淐鈥檓on, let鈥檚 hit another run.鈥�

The post The Weird Foothill Guy Believes His Style of Skiing Is Better than a Day at the Resort. We Tried It Out. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The Pisco sour’s froth is as white and fluffy as powder snow, making it the perfect post-ski cocktail. Limey, tangy and potent, this drink is easily whipped together with just a few ingredients and a simple recipe. Or, for a vegan-friendly Pisco option, try the Pisco punch.听

Apr猫s-Pisco Sour and Pisco Punch

The post Apr猫s-Pisco Sour and Pisco Punch appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Buying used skis, poles, and boots is risky business. Not only does it take a lot of knowledge to actually know what you鈥檙e looking for, but the signs of wear and tear can also be hard to spot. So I called a professional.

Katie Marvasti is the service shop manager at听, in Bend, Oregon, one of the largest outdoor gear consignment shops on the west coast. She really knows used skis. She spends countless hours each season helping customers get the right kits, and she personally oversaw the repair and subsequent sale of 588 pairs of used skis last year alone. The following are her tips to buy skis, bindings, boots, and poles secondhand.

Skis

Use an Age Limit

Marvasti implements a general ten-year limit on the skis and boots the shop accepts. 鈥淥nce you get past ten years, that’s when things are more liable to fall apart and the plastic is more likely to degrade,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou can still find a lot of great stuff within that window and not break the bank doing it.鈥�

Use Google Images

While it might be easy to find a brand and model of ski by looking at the top sheet, determining the year it was made can be tricky since some brands make the same model for five or more years at a time and only change the top sheet. 鈥淚f you Google Image search a ski you can find the year the ski was made鈥� by looking at the year the top sheet graphic was released, Marvasti says. If you can鈥檛 find it is likely too old anyway.鈥�

Inspect Bindings Closely

鈥淏indings are the most important thing for your safety,鈥� Marvasti says. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e looking at bindings if you see any discoloration or cracks in it鈥攔ed flag. You don鈥檛 want to risk your knees on that.鈥� It鈥檚 also incredibly important that bindings reflect your proper DIN, or release, setting because the calibration can be off and you can’t tell if that’s the case without the use of specialized equipment.鈥淲hen it comes to the DIN settings, there are little springs in there that make the skis release when you fall and you want it to let go at the appropriate time,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 want your skis coming off mid turn but if you take a tumble and your skis don鈥檛 come off, there is a serious chance you could get injured.听That鈥檚 why we always suggest bringing them to a professional to be set up.鈥� A reputable ski shop will not only get you lined up with the correct DIN setting based on your height, weight, and ability, but will also test your bindings with a calibration machine that will make sure the bindings are performing correctly.

Get to Know Your Local Ski Shop

Most ski shops won鈥檛 work on bindings older than five or six years due to restricting insurance policies, according to Marvasti. But you might get lucky: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking at bindings older than that, you may want to see if you have a ski shop in town that is able to work on it,鈥� she says. (The Gear Fix pays higher insurance to work on older bindings than most ski shops.) Your best bet is to call your closest ski shop to see if they work with the bindings you are considering purchasing. 鈥淚f you buy bindings听that you think are great, but can鈥檛 take them anywhere to get tested or adjusted, that puts you in a precarious position,鈥� Marvasti says.

Bottoms over Tops

Top sheet damage is usually superficial and doesn鈥檛 affect the performance of the ski. Marvasti recommends fixing ones that bother you with a little bit of epoxy at home. 鈥淭he bases you want to inspect more closely,鈥� Marvasti says. 鈥淪hallow scrapes are totally normal, but a deep one鈥攁 core shot where you can see the material underneath鈥攖hat raises some red flags.鈥� While core shots are repairable, they鈥檙e often pricey to perform and often don鈥檛 hold for more than a season or two, especially if they are near an edge.

Check the Edges

Your edges are critical for turning, and if one of them is blown out, the likelihood of听your ski performing well is low, Marvasti says.鈥淩un your finger all the way around and make sure the edges aren鈥檛 popping out anywhere,鈥� she says. 鈥淓dge damage is another one that is very difficult to fix, and even when they do fix it, it鈥檚 never going to be as good.鈥�

Boots

Look into the Soles

The number one thing you should check is the soles of boots, Marvasti says. How worn are the heels and toes? If they鈥檙e worn smooth and even just a few millimeters thinner than they once were, they may no longer be compatible with bindings, which can be extremely dangerous because it could affect the binding鈥檚 ability to hold or release when it needs to. Boots worn to the point of having no texture are a no-no. Some pairs have replaceable soles, which are a good fix for worn down bottoms. But if the screws keeping those soles on the boots are worn down that is a good indicator that they are pretty worked over.

Broken Buckles Aren鈥檛 Deal Breakers

鈥淚f a buckle busts on a ski boot, that doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean the end of its life,鈥� Marvasti says. 鈥淚 keep a big bin of old buckles here at the shop to try and fix buckles that do bust.鈥�

Don鈥檛 Forget the Liners

Marvasti suggests getting your hands inside a pair of used boots you are considering buying and feeling the back of the liner above the heel. This is the area most likely to experience wear and tear. It鈥檚 its worn through, skip it. If the liner is solid, see if you can find out how many times it has been heat molded. Most liners can handle two to three moldings in a lifetime, so if it was only heat molded once, you can get them molded to your feet at a ski shop.

Poles

Don鈥檛 Overthink Them

鈥淚f it doesn鈥檛 have a big kink in it and it has baskets, go for it,鈥� Marvasti says. 鈥淵ou want it to be the right length. Flip it upside down, grab it under the basket,鈥� and put the top of the grip on the ground. If your arm makes a 90-degree angle, you鈥檙e good to go. If you’re looking for used poles to use in the backcountry, consider factors like听 carbon (lighter, but more fragile) versus aluminum (heavier, but sturdier).

The post What to Know When Shopping for Used Ski Gear appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

This article was first published by .

The Scores (out of 10)

• Overall Score: 7.11/10
• Rank: #9
• Hard-Snow Integrity: 7
• Stability at Speed: 7.25
• Carving: 7
• Quickness: 8
• Responsiveness: 7.75
• Playfulness: 7.25
• Forgiveness: 7.25
• Crud Performance: 6.5
• Versatility: 6.5

The Specs

• Price: $850
• Lengths: 149, 158, 166
• Dimensions:听124-75-109
• Radius: 12 (158cm)
• Level: Novice to Advanced

In a Nutshell

• Pros: Quickness, Responsiveness
• Cons: Versatility, Crud Performance

鈥嬧€婦ynastar hasn鈥檛 been on SKI鈥檚 Top 10 list in a couple of years, but this year the brand once again stood out with the E-Lite 8鈥攁 fun little gal that turns on a dime and arcs short turns without a second thought.

Get Educated:听

A new addition to Dynastar鈥檚 E-Lite on-piste collection, the E-Lite 8 doesn鈥檛 contain any metal and instead sports a hybrid poplar bidirectional core鈥攖he same wood core that is in many of Dynastar鈥檚 race-oriented skis. Our testers with racing backgrounds said that this ski feels incredibly similar to a slalom ski. Short and whippy, it has plenty of snap and energy at the end of its turns, and it immediately dives into the following turn to keep on trucking.

It鈥檚 fast as all get-out, tying for second place in the Quickness category and taking fourth in Responsiveness. Anything you tell this ski to do, it does, and does it happily. 鈥淭his little ski crushed turns and did everything I told her to do,鈥� said tester . 鈥淪he hammered any and every size of turn and I enjoyed every second of it.鈥�

The ski prefers to stay on the groomers, though. It鈥檚 just a little too soft to take it into the trees and moguls without it bouncing you around. It also doesn鈥檛 have the hard-snow integrity of some of the other skis in the test鈥攕o keep it on the softer groomers for the best possible outcome.

All of the women testing the ski were a little disappointed with the entered ski鈥檚 length topping out at a shorter 158cm, but were pleasantly surprised by the ski鈥檚 stability considering its smaller stature. 鈥淭he ski was short, but didn鈥檛 feel as short as it was,鈥� said tester . 鈥淓asy to turn ski that鈥檚 quite stable. It鈥檚 a fun little ripper.鈥�

Go Deeper:听Here鈥檚 How the Dynastar E-Lite 8 Compares to Its Closest Competition

Verdict: It鈥檚 a fun ski for any beginner to intermediate skier who is looking to work on her turns and build her skills on the hardpack, and it might even inspire her to jump into a NASTAR course to enact her ski racing fantasies.

鈥淧leasantly surprised with the stability on this fun, snappy, energetic ski,鈥� stated tester Tracy Gibbons. 鈥淕reat for those who like to ski on the groomers and make nice fall-line carved turns.鈥�

听grew up ski racing, starting on the icy slopes of New England and finishing at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She now lives in Park City, Utah and works as the Director of Marketing & Communications at the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team. She also freelance writes and consults in the skiing and Olympic industry. When she鈥檚 not traveling with the team, her home mountain is Deer Valley Resort, where she loves to arc turns on groomers, but also knows all of the secret spots for days-old powder. Harkins has been testing skis since 2016 and has been a SKI gear tester for three seasons.

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The Scores (out of 10)

• Crud Performance: 7.5
• Responsiveness: 7.5
• Stability at Speed: 7.75
• Flotation:听8
• Playfulness: 7
• Forgiveness: 6
• Versatility: 7.75
• Quickness: 6.75

The Specs

• Price: $800
• Lengths: 165, 172, 179, 186, 191
• Dimensions: 134.5-104-123.5
• Radius: 17.5 (179cm)
• Weight: 1,700g
• Level: Advanced, Expert

In a Nutshell

• Pros: Stability at Speed, Versatility
• Cons: Forgiveness, Quickness

In order to transform their top-selling Enforcer into a backcountry weapon that still holds up almost anywhere, Nordica incorporated a carbon chassis, poplar/beech wood core, thinner topsheets, and shorter edges鈥攁ll in the name of shaving weight to make the ski 43 percent lighter. And so the Unlimited, the brand鈥檚 all-mountain touring ski, was born.

Related: Ski straps are an important backcountry safety tool. Here鈥檚 how to use them.

鈥淭his is the perfect backcountry tool for the skier who already has a love affair with the Enforcer 104,鈥� claimed tester Luke Larsen, noting that it is best for strong, efficient skiers. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 have the skills to ski it, the Unlimited will knock you out of your comfort zone real quick.鈥�

While Nordica dropped the weight on this ski by removing two sheets of metal, they maintained its stability in deep snow with a wide waist while boosting maneuverability with the early rise tip and tail rocker between traditional camber underfoot. It retains the same shape, however, as the Enforcer Free we know and love.

Related: See how the Nordica Enforcer Unlimited 104 stacked up against its competition

鈥淭his is a great ski that鈥檚 easy uphill and can bag the deepest of snow while still getting you down an iced-up chute,鈥� Larsen added.

So while it meets Nordica鈥檚 standard for handling the quickly changing conditions you鈥檒l find in the backcountry, some testers noted that it didn鈥檛 do what they asked in tight, variable terrain and conditions and that it was slightly more chattery in the nose than the Enforcer Free when coming in hot for a stop.

鈥淚 found the ski able to engage the edge more deeply than I expected,鈥� shared Sun Valley, Idaho, local Paul Marshal. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great all-around backcountry ski for any conditions.鈥�

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The Scores (out of 10)

• Crud Performance: 7.6
• Responsiveness: 9
• Stability at Speed: 7
• Flotation: 5
• Playfulness: 7.2
• Forgiveness: 6.8
• Versatility: 7.4
• Quickness: 8.6

The Specs

• Price: $700
• Lengths: 149, 156, 163, 170
• Dimensions: 130.6-88-111
• Radius: 14
• Weight: 1,187g (170cm)
• Level: Intermediate, Advanced

In a Nutshell

• Pros: Quickness, Responsiveness
• Cons: Floatation, Forgiveness

For the 2022-鈥�23 season, the Rise Above 88 W sees a new topsheet, but otherwise remains unchanged, bringing the reliability and solid feel of V枚lkl skis to long backcountry tours. The Rise Above 88 W is light and efficient on the ascent, yet slices through crud and hardpack like a butter knife. The narrow 88mm waist makes this ski shine in firm, variable conditions.

V枚lkl鈥檚 3D radius sidecut design provides a shorter radius in the center of the ski for short swing turns, and a longer radius at the tip and tail for big sweeping turns at high speed. Since no two backcountry runs are the same, testers appreciated the Rise Above鈥檚 willingness to respond to a variety of conditions and make the most out of a low snow season (or year). 鈥淎 great backcountry ski for Colorado skiers who rarely get fresh, awesome snow,鈥� said tester Jenny Wiegand. 鈥淚deal for skiers who get out no matter what, even when it hasn鈥檛 snowed in a while.鈥�

Combined with V枚lkl鈥檚 hybrid multilayer wood core, a combo of strategically placed poplar, Paulownia, and beech wood translates to a confidence-inspiring ski for big missions. Its low swing weight makes the Rise Above lively and easy to whip around, with camber underfoot delivering stability and edge hold you can count on in steep chutes where precision is non-negotiable. While the wide 130mm shovel and early rise tip do a valiant job of keeping the ski from sinking like an anchor in a few inches of fresh, the flat tails boost stability as well as making it easier to plunge your skis into the snow to create a makeshift snow anchor.

Read more:听Learn How the V缨lkl Rise Above 88 W Stacked Up Against the Competition

Testers touted the Rise Above鈥檚 capabilities and trustworthiness in a variety of terrain, but agree that it鈥檚 definitely not a one-quiver ski. Unsurprisingly, it falls short in deep snow, although the wide shovel allowed it to float better than some of the other 80-something underfoot skis we tested, like the Black Crows Ova Freebird and the Salomon MTN 86 W Pro. 鈥淰ersatile and fun!鈥� noted tester Kianna Lauck. 鈥淚’m an intermediate skier and I felt comfortable and confident.鈥�

You鈥檒l want to leave this ski at home on a real pow day, but for resort fitness laps, spring objectives, and areas that see lots of high pressure, it鈥檚 a blast to rip around on and a good reminder that wider is not always better. 鈥淚 truly think anyone from an intermediate backcountry skier to an accomplished ski mountaineer could have an insanely fun day on this ski,鈥� summed up tester Jordan Garrett, who logs a lot of vert in the Colorado backcountry. 鈥淏eginners will find the turn initiation a breeze, and advanced skiers will be able to jump turn and zip through all types of terrain.鈥�

听is a freelance ski journalist based in Jackson, Wyoming with work featured in听SKI Magazine, Powder Magazine, Freeskier, Teton Gravity Research, and听Ascent Backcountry Snow Journal. She spends winters backcountry skiing in Grand Teton National Park and riding lifts at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with the occasional trip to the Alps (for the food, obviously). While she鈥檚 been in ski boots since she learned to walk, Lily has been professionally writing about skiing, gear, and all things outdoors for the past seven years. In addition to an all-consuming addiction to powder skiing mixed with heavy doses of Type II fun, Lily takes snacking seriously, and when she鈥檚 not writing or sliding on snow, she鈥檚 likely deep into a baking project in her tiny kitchen. She is the co-author of听, a collection of dirtbag-friendly recipes inspired by life in a mountain town.

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The Scores (out of 10)

• Overall Score: 7.31/10
• Rank: #4
• Versatility: 7.57
• Crud Performance: 7
• Playfulness: 6.71
• Responsiveness: 7.86
• Hard-Snow Integrity: 8
• Quickness: 6.86
• Stability at Speed: 8
• Carving: 8.29
• Flotation: 6.43
• Forgiveness: 6.57

The Specs

• Price: $650
• Lengths: 164, 172, 180, 188
• Dimensions: 127.5-94-117
• Radius: 17 (180cm)
• Level: Strong Intermediate to Expert

In a Nutshell

• Pros: Carving, Responsiveness
• Cons: Crud Performance, Quickness

Powerful, damp, and snappy were the words used most in our testers鈥� feedback forms to describe the Blizzard Rustler 9. Tester Brady Newton spoke to the Rustler 9鈥檚 confidence-inspiring edge hold. 鈥淥nce I set that edge, it was locked in for the duration of the turn and I knew I could trust it going forward,鈥� he said. Its trustworthiness and dependability on edge is nice, but testers agreed that the real joy of this ski comes from when you unleash the energy at the exit of one turn and let the ski pop you into your next turn. The balance of energetic release and damp smoothness in all terrain and snow conditions explains why the Rustler 9 ranked second in the Versatility, Responsiveness, and Carving categories.

This balanced performance is largely due to Blizzard鈥檚 Carbon Flipcore D.R.T. (Dynamic Release Technology) construction which increases the ski鈥檚 strength and stability underfoot while keeping weight low. The stability underfoot opens the door for intermediate skiers to start exploring the mountain with confidence in all conditions, and truly lets the ski shine when more aggressive skiers push the speed limit. 鈥淭his is honestly the type of all-mountain ski that most intermediate/advanced skiers should be on,鈥� said tester Adam Jaber, an Eastern skier with a more playful skiing style. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 punish you if you get sloppy.鈥�

Related: See How the Blizzard Rustler 9 Compares to Its Competition

It may not be as punishing as some of the other heavy-hitters in this category, but it鈥檚 still a powerhouse. Tester David Amirault called the Rustler 9 a, 鈥渄irectional groomer missile,鈥� and noted the best way to ski it is to 鈥減oint it and let this ski run full throttle.鈥� The Rustler 9 has enough substance to inspire confidence while carving turns on hard-packed snow at high speeds, yet it also impressed testers with its ability to navigate crud and off-piste terrain with ease. Tester Jon Sexauer described the ideal terrain for the Ruster 9 as, 鈥渨ide open groomers, evenly spaced trees, and back bowls.鈥� This isn鈥檛 the quickest ski edge to edge, so you want to keep to terrain where this ski has room to run. In tighter terrain, the Rustler 9 is manageable at moderate speeds, but it鈥檚 not forgiving enough to make skiing in tight trees or bumps effortless.

Tester Nick Loomans, an expert skier with a racing background, was quick to note that 鈥渟ome less aggressive skiers might feel like this ski is a little unforgiving.鈥� That said, testers agreed that when it comes to balancing accessibility and performance, the Rustler 9 is one of the top choices in the all-mountain category. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a strong, energetic ski with an added bonus of being damp鈥攁 crowd pleaser for sure,鈥� summed up tester Chad Jacob.

A self-proclaimed gear nerd when it comes to skis and mountain bikes, grew up skiing in Northern California, spending the majority of his time getting loose and sendy in terrain parks. He now lives in Colorado and calls Copper Mountain his home hill. Though he still gravitates towards playful and wide all-mountain skis, he鈥檚 developed a more open mind when it comes to skis since joining SKI鈥檚 official gear test crew five seasons ago. These days, you鈥檒l find him ripping around Copper on his trusty Nordica Enforcer 100s.

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The Scores (out of 10)

• Overall Score: 7.07/10
• Rank: #8
• Versatility: 7
• Crud Performance: 7.3
• Playfulness: 7.1
• Responsiveness: 7.4
• Hard-Snow Integrity: 6.7
• Quickness: 7.5
• Stability at Speed: 7.1
• Carving: 7.1
• Flotation: 6.1
• Forgiveness: 6.5

The Specs

• Price: $850
• Lengths: 159, 166, 173, 180, 187
• Dimensions: 129-97-120
• Radius: 18m (180)
• Level: Intermediate, Advanced

In a Nutshell

• Pros: Quickness (#4), Responsiveness (#7)
• Cons: Flotation (#12), Hard-Snow Integrity (#12)

The Ranger line has been a strong performer for Fischer over the last several years, so it was a surprise for testers to see a completely redesigned Ranger 96 at the ski test this year. Fischer spent over 30 months overhauling the Ranger line, and it paid off. Testers found the Ranger 96 to be a balanced option for skiers looking to spend equal amounts of time on and off-piste regardless of conditions. 鈥淭he 96mm-width is the ideal 鈥業 ski everywhere鈥� dimension,鈥� said tester Adam Jaber, an East Coast skier. 鈥淚 felt totally capable on it regardless of the conditions.鈥�

Testers most appreciated the Ranger 96鈥檚 quickness and responsiveness, traits that can largely be attributed to Fischer鈥檚 shaped Ti construction, which uses different thicknesses and shapes of high strength alloy depending on the ski鈥檚 geometry to provide optimal grip and stability for all-mountain skiing. Tester Otto Gibbons points out that this construction technique is what allows the Ranger 96 to 鈥渃ontour with variable snow鈥� and still manage to 鈥渙ffer a strong balance of stability and maneuverability.鈥�

Not only is the Ranger 96 adaptable to variable terrain, but also to different skier ability levels. Testers were confident that the Ranger 96鈥檚 predictable nature would allow intermediates to ski confidently; when driven by a more advanced skier, this ski comes to life and offers lots of energy and rebound out of each turn.

Related: See How the Fischer Ranger 96 Compares to Its Competition

But at its core, most testers described the Ranger 96 as an easy-going ski, not one of the more aggressive all-mountain chargers of the category. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a laid-back ski for those who like to play in the crud and loose snow,鈥� said tester Chad Jacob, a race coach from New York. Thanks to Fischer鈥檚 Freeski Rocker the Ranger 96 can (and should) be skied from a more modern neutral stance, making it a great choice for skiers with a more relaxed and playful style. Aggressive skiers who are used to driving their skis from the front of their boots might find they easily overflex and overpower this ski, especially in the shorter lengths.

Tester Nick Loomans, a former racer, didn鈥檛 think the Ranger 96 were aggressive enough for him or for others with his skiing style. 鈥淩eally aggressive skiers and former racers would be left wanting a little more out of the carving aspect,鈥� he said. Other testers agreed that this ski wasn鈥檛 one of the top performers in the Hard-Snow Integrity department, since it didn鈥檛 seem as at home on edge on firm snow.

But the lack of aggressiveness in these areas was also seen as a positive by several testers who identified the Ranger 96 as being more accessible to novices. What the Ranger 96 lacks in edge performance on firm snow it makes up for in its ability to skis and slash the exit of a turn, qualities that earned it high scores in Quickness and Playfulness.

This makes the Ranger 96 particularly appealing to skiers who are still working on their skills on and off the groomed, as well as more advanced skiers who prioritize playfulness and agility over stability and power in an all-mountain ski. 鈥淐ould happily grab this ski, fly anywhere, and have a good time,鈥� summed up tester Otto Gibbons, an expert skier and ski buyer for Sturtevant鈥檚 Ski Shop in Bellevue, Wash.

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