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 SkiEnthusiast's Ski Reviews
and Recommendations ...
(Photo by Selko / Fisher Photos)
After hours of research and testing, the 2006/07 reviews are here. This section is intended to sort out all the options, ski reviews, manufacturers' info, hype and hoopla on skis to narrow the field and provide a clear list of favorites to our visitors. These skis have won numerous awards from various sites and magazines and / or received rave reviews from pros we regularly ski with. It is important to note that this information should only be used to narrow your choices in conjunction with other ski reviews to a select group of 3-5 skis and then to make your final selection after you demo. If you are still unsure or have questions on length, contact us at skienthusiast.com and we'll be happy to make a few recommendations.
SkiEnthusiast has broken up skis into five major categories: Intermediate Groomers, Expert Groomers, Slalom, Expert All Mountain, and Powder. Within each category, word descriptions are given for each of the skis' strengths.
Adventurous Intermediate Groomers: SkiEnthusiast is a firm believer that beginners should rent for the first five times on the slopes. If you follow the recommendations of this site, by that time you are most likely building confidence on intermediate slopes and you have developed enough skill to demo a handful of skis to determine the right one for you. If you are looking for easy turning carvers for groomed terrain as you develop expert skill on blues and single black diamonds, these are the skis for you.
Expert Groomers: For those who love to let loose on the corduroy, these are the skis to choose from. Similar to race skis in design, this group loves to carve but are easier to handle and can sometimes be used all over the mountain.
Slalom: The skis in this category are versatile race skis that are built for quick short to medium radius turns that can be used all over the moutain. They like to be skied on edge and it takes expert skill to harness their explosiveness. Eastern expert skiers should not overlook these skis.
Expert All Mountian: These skis are less torsionally stiff and have wider waists than slalom or carving skis, giving better flotation in powder and more maneuverability in crud and around trees where powder is prevalent. If you spend considerable time off piste but are looking for one ski to do it all, start here.
Deep Powder: For those free riders who are powder hungry and continually seek off piste fluff in the bowl of Aspen Highlands or at the peak of Lake Louise, look no further. Their wider design provide a stable platform in deep snow yet have an edge to rip through crud and chop.
Dynastar Legend 8800, Dynastar Legend Pro Rider, Elan M777, Head Monster i.M 88, Rossignol Bandit B2, B3 or B4 (higher the number, the fatter the ski)
Women and men liked them equally well.
Leading On-line Reviews:
Ski Magazine - Scroll down to gear finder on left hand side.
Ski Press - Most comprehensive gear review on the market for free. Download October issue in PDF format from website.
Realskiers.com - Helpful quickie reviews for free, detailed reviews with membership.
These reviews are a summary of information from manufacturers' websites, local pros, ski tests by SkiEnthusiast.com and ski reviews by realskiers.com (quickie reviews), Skimagazine.com and Skipressworld.com.
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