These skis are made for one thing and one thing only: to slice and dice every last morsel of corduroy across the country. From the groomers of Vermont to the wide-open slopes of the Mountain West, this category of skis caters to the carving enthusiasts.
Stöckli Montero AR
Lengths 165, 170, 175, 180, 185 cm
DIM 128-84-114 mm
Radius 16.3 m @ 175 cm
Stöckli has been building downhill race skis for nearly 90 years, and the Montero AR is a frontside hot rod steeped in that legacy. These monsters are all about power and precision, featuring Stöckli’s Light Core technology along with two sheets of Titanal. One of the attributes celebrated by our testers was the excellent torsional rigidity. It enables the ski to retain all the energy from the turn initiation—which is electrifying!
Kästle MX88
Lengths 160, 167, 174, 181, 188 cm
DIM 130-88-114 mm
Radius 17.1 m @ 174 cm
Kästle skis were born 100 years ago in Anton Kästle’s workshop in Hohenems, Austria. Over the past century, racers on Kästles have bagged countless podiums thanks to the brand’s dedication to crafting performance race skis and the new MX88 is bred from that race heritage—it is a frontside carver that charges through corduroy with maximum stability. The MX88 comes flat or with Kästle’s pre-mounted Superflex Base plate and excels at laying down GS arcs with just a bit of rocker in the tip and a whole lot of camber throughout the rest of the ski.
ZAG Mata Ti
Lengths 160, 167, 174, 181, 188 cm
DIM 141-90-117 mm
Radius 14.2 m @ 173 cm
Described by Zag as a new-generation carver, we can confirm that the all-new Mata Ti can pull some serious Gs. This is achieved through a narrow waist, tight turn radius, stiff core, and lots of tip and tail rocker. The Mata’s unusual combination of components creates an energetic and powerful frontside carving experience while still allowing you to play on the groomers.
J Skis The Fastforward
Lengths 160, 167, 174, 181, 187 cm
DIM 141-90-117 mm
Radius 18.2 m @ 181 cm
The Fastforward excels on groomers, firm snow and icy conditions thanks to its stiff core and classic shape. Standing proudly as a semi-directional, medium-radius ski, The Fastforward delivers a thrilling and precise carving experience akin to driving a high-end sports car. While it’s designed to tackle the most demanding frontside conditions with an exacting and quick platform, it doesn’t demand as much from the rider as other skis in its class.
Blizzard Anomaly 94
Lengths 164, 170, 176, 182, 188 cm
DIM 132.5-94-114.5 mm
Radius 20 m @ 188 cm
The brand new Blizzard Anomaly 94 is a directional weapon that emphasizes stability and power above all else. If you’re the type of ripper who craves speed and makes fewer turns than the rest of your crew, this beast may be right up your alley. Its exhilarating on-piste performance is complemented by its above-average off-piste prowess, making it a standout choice in its category for those who value power more than playfulness.
Völkl Blaze 94
Lengths 151, 158, 165, 172, 179, 186 cm
DIM 133-94-118 mm
Radius 14.9 m @ 172 cm
The versatility and all-mountain prowess of the Blaze 94 make it a top choice for those seeking one ski that can do almost everything. Designed to blur the line between freeride and touring, the Blaze 94 offers impressive downhill performance in a lighter-weight package. The ski’s shape and build are optimized for performance across the full spectrum of terrain and conditions you’re likely to encounter over an entire season.
Stöckli Stormrider 95
Lengths 170, 176, 182, 188 cm
DIM 132-95-120 mm
Radius 17 m @ 176 cm
Stöckli’s Stormrider 95 is a masterpiece of Swiss engineering, born from nearly a century of downhill racing expertise. A paulownia and Titanal core provides extreme torsional rigidity and vibration-damping to create a stable platform with incredible responsiveness. Unlike most skis, the 95’s Titanal also doubles as a topsheet, enhancing durability and longevity while giving the ski a slick aesthetic. Designed to dominate groomers, this ski offers top-notch energy transmission and precision across a variety of turn shapes—from short to long radius.
Elan Ripstick 96 Black Edition
Lengths 161, 168, 175, 182, 189 cm
DIM 133-96-114 mm
Radius 16.8 m @ 175 cm
After years of high praise in our Buyer’s Guide, the Ripstick 96 Black Edition is back, and to the surprise of no one, it remains an absolute favorite. Elan has stuffed this bad boy with four carbon rods running through the forebody and tail. These aren’t your grandma’s knitting needles, folks. These rods are the powerhouse of the ski, delivering energetic rebound, stiffness, stability and dampness that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about physics.
